What Differentiates JOL

Journey of a Lifetime (JOL) is a Christ-centered, life-affirming, pro-abundant life, nonprofit organization. JOL is an outreach ministry of our Lord, Jesus the Christ, through His Church. Our call as Christians is to live out the pillars of our faith — the Great Commandment. the Great Commission, and the Ministry of Reconciliation. Therefore, JOL is committed to presenting the gospel of our Lord, both in word and in deed, as led by the Holy Spirit, to anyone facing a pregnancy or life decision. Programs and services offered by JOL are provided without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, age, marital status, disability, health, health status, income, creed, religious belief/affiliation, faith, or refusal to accept or agree with JOL’s strongly held religious beliefs, or other arbitrary circumstances. JOL and its team have the following Beliefs, Foundational Bible Verses, Values, and Commitment of Care and Competence:

Beliefs

The Scriptures

We believe that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” (II Timothy 3:16). We understand this to mean that the whole Bible is inspired in that holy men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit,” (II Peter 1:21) to write the very words of Scripture. We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of Scripture as it appeared in the original manuscripts. We believe that the whole Bible in the originals is therefore without error and infallible. We believe that all the Scriptures center about the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work, in His first and second coming, and hence that no portion, even of the Old Testament, is properly read, or understood, until it leads to Him. We also believe that all Scripture was designed for our practical instruction and application.
(Luke 24:27,44; John 5:39; Romans 15:4; I Corinthians 10:11; II Timothy 3:16)

The Triune Godhead

We believe in the one true and living God, the Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer and Ruler of all things. He is infinite, eternal, unchangeable, and is revealed to us as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God the Father

God, as Father, reigns over all of His universe with providential care. He is all-powerful, all loving, all knowing, and all wise. He is fatherly in attitude toward all men but is Father, indeed, to those who have become children of God through Jesus the Christ, Who will deliver them into the Father’s hands.
(Genesis 1:1; I Chronicles 29:10; Jeremiah 10:10, Matthew 6:9; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14, 15; I Corinthians 8:6; I Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 4:6)

God the Son

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. This redemption He accomplished by voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless, substitutionary sacrifice and death on the cross, thereby satisfying God’s righteous judgement against sin. After substantiating the accomplishment of that redemption/justification by His bodily resurrection from the grave, He ascended to the right hand of His Father where He intercedes on behalf of those who trust Him.
(Luke 1:34; John 1:1,2,14,18; Romans 3:24-26, 8:34)

God the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Person who convicts the of sin (righteousness and judgement), that He alone brings new life to those who are spiritually dead; that He baptizes (or places) all believers into the one true Church, which is the Body of Christ; that He indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of final redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon them, fills (controls) those who are yielding to Him. Every believer is called to live so in the power of the indwelling Spirit that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of God.
(John 3:3-8, 14:16,17; 16:7-11; I Corinthians 12:7-11,13; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18)

Creation

We believe that man was created directly by and in the image of God. We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, by direct act.
(Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16,17)

The Devil – Satan

We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the mason of the fall of man, and is destined to the judgement of an eternal punishment in the lake of fire.
(Matthew 4:1-3; Acts 5:3; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)

Man

Although man was created by and in the image of God, he fell into sin and, is lost; this is true of all men, and except a man be born again by the Holy Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
(Genesis 1:26, 27; John 3:3; Romans 3:10, 23)

Atonement for Sin

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe on Him are redeemed by His shed blood. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body, of our Lord Jesus Christ and in His ascension into heaven; He is our High Priest and Advocate.
(John 1:1-3,14; 3:1-7,16; Hebrews 10:4-14, I John 2:2)

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God’s grace. It cannot be gained or made more secure by meritorious works, but is freely bestowed upon all who put their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary. All who so trust the Savior are forgiven of their sins and born into the family of God by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
(John 1:12; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 10:9, 10; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8,9)

The Christian Walk

We believe that we are called with a holy calling, to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and so to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. But the flesh is never eradicated in this life and the individual chooses to keep the flesh in subjection to Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit or it will surely manifest its presence in our lives to the dishonor of our Lord.
(Romans 6:11-13; 8:2,4,12,13; Galatians 5:16-23; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 2:1-10; I Peter 1:14-16; I John 1:4-7; 3:5-9)

The Great Commission

Until the return of Christ, it is the Christian’s duty and privilege to seek the fulfillment of Christ’s Great Commission and to minister in His name to a needy world. We are to be instruments of Jesus the Christ as the Holy Spirit ministers redemption in the world.
(Matthew 25:31-46; 28:18-20; Romans 10:14-15)

The Great Commandment

The Great Commandment serves as a guiding principle for every Christian. It emphasizes that genuine love for God naturally leads to acts of love and service for others and is central to the Christian faith.
(Matthew 22:37-40; Matthew 25:31-40; Mark 12:29-31; Luke 10:27)

The Ministry of Reconciliation

Every Christian has been entrusted with the Ministry of Reconciliation, a call to participate in the divine initiative a continuous act of forgiveness and healing, reflecting God’s love and grace.
(II Corinthians 5:14-21; Romans 5:1-11)

Additional Foundational Bible Verses

Deuteronomy 10: 17-18
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.

Psalm 127:3-5a
Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!

Psalm 139: 13-16
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Proverbs 24:10-12
If you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited. Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back. If you say, “See, we did not know this,” Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?

Proverbs 31:8
Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the unfortunate.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Jeremiah 1:5a
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.

Jeremiah 8:22
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

2 Corinthians 2:15
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:10
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Ephesians 5:1-2
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ²And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

James 1:27
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Values

Biblical Truth

Imago Dei

Respect

Collaboration

Compassion

Reconciliation

Hippocratic Ethics

Commitment of Care and Competence

Journey of a Lifetime (JOL) treats others with kindness, dignity, respect, compassion, and in a caring manner.
JOL always provides honest and open answers.
JOL provides accurate information and education about pregnancy, fetal development, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment options, comfort options and related concerns.
JOL holds Client information in strict and absolute confidence. Releases and permissions are obtained appropriately. Client information is only disclosed as required by law and when necessary to protect the client or others against imminent harm. JOL safeguards the confidentiality, integrity and security of the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of its Clients.
JOL does not offer or provide medical services, care, or treatment.
JOL does not offer, recommend, perform or refer for abortions, but are committed to offering accurate information about abortion procedures including possible risks and complications.
JOL does not, recommend, provide, prescribe, or refer for abortifacients, but are committed to offering accurate information about abortion methods including possible risks and complications.
JOL utilizes a trauma informed model and do not use lethal language.
JOL promotes God’s Plan for our sexuality: marriage between one man and one woman, sexual intimacy, children, unconditional/unselfish love, and that relationship with God must go together.
JOL promotes sexual integrity/sexual purity before marriage and sexual integrity faithfulness within marriage.
JOL provides a safe environment by screening all volunteers and staff interacting with clients.
JOL is governed by a board of directors and operate in accordance with our articles of incorporation, by-laws, and stated purpose and mission.
JOL complies with applicable legal and regulatory requirements regarding employment, fundraising, financial management, taxation, and public disclosure, including the filing of all applicable government reports in a timely manner.
All of JOL’s advertising and communications are truthful and honest and accurately describe the services we offer.
All JOL policies and materials are consistent with Biblical principles and with orthodox Christian (Catholic, Evangelical, Protestant, and Orthodox) ethical principles and teaching on the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of human life created in the image of God, and God’s plan for sex, marriage and the family.
All Team Members of Journey of a Lifetime (e.g. employees, staff, contractors, board members, and volunteers) receive appropriate training to uphold the aforementioned standards.