'Book of Hope': New Bible version for women facing unplanned pregnancies

Two Winnipeg ministries are teaming up with one of the world's largest Bible publishers to create a brand new Bible, specifically geared towards women who are facing or have faced unplanned pregnancies.

Ryan Rempel of Give the Word says he's been collaborating with the local Crisis Pregnancy Centre, as well as some women who are interested in sharing their own personal testimony to be used inside the new version.

"I contacted the Director at the Pregnancy Centre here in Winnipeg and asked, 'If there was a Bible available that had all these testimonies in there as well as all the help you offer, combined with the New Testament, would that be of use to you?' He said it would be amazing."

"I knew that this pregnancy was not just about me saving a child's life, but this child was going to save my life."

The Director at CPC put Rempel in touch with the National Director of Canada to see if this might be more useful than just spread in Manitoba. 

Severloh says, "When Ryan talked to me about the Bible initiative, I was thrilled, and so was the current board of Pregnancy Care Canada."

Soon, the Crisis Centre will be able to hand out New Testament Bibles that include testimonies from women who faced the same situation. 

Nothing like this previously available

Rempel says the idea came after being approached in recent years for such a Bible and not finding anything. "The last number of years we've been asked two times if there is a Bible geared towards women who are facing unplanned pregnancies or women who have terminated their pregnancy in the past but have found forgiveness through Christ."

Severloh says, "I think it will be a beautiful and meaningful ‘venue’ for women to see the value of their own lives and existence, as well as the intrinsic value of their own pre-born child. Especially in this weird time of ‘existential’ anxiety and our depressed understanding of our own personal value and purpose."

One woman who asked about a version of the Bible geared towards these women actually kick-started the project with a $10,000 donation.

Ryan Rempel provides Bibles to ministries throughout Canada, through his own ministry, Give The Word. (Supplied)

"It's kind of come together effortlessly and we're expecting God to do big things," Rempel says. "Our goal is to print 20,000 copies minimum that will go to all 80 centres across Canada."

To complete this project, it will cost $115,000, Rempel says. "We would like to have it all funded by the end of the year."

Testimony of teen pregnancy

A woman from Kitchener, Ontario who runs a strip club ministry is sharing her testimony that will be used in the new version of the Bible. 

As she has already been in contact with Rempel at Give the Word, giving away Bibles to women in the club, Jenny Johnson was talking to Rempel one day when he shared about the new project. 

Johnson says, "I guess he wasn't aware but I was pregnant at 16. I thought it was such an amazing opportunity, so that's when I shared a bit of my testimony with Ryan."

At 15, Johnson was struggling with mental health issues, and while she grew up in a Christian home, she stayed in a shelter system to try to get help. But she was on and off the streets for a year, at which time she found out about the pregnancy. 

"The man I was pregnant with was not a very good person. He actually offered me a significant amount of money to have an abortion," she says. "At that time it would have been very life-changing for me to have that money but something in my heart said that this was a pivotal moment for me."

Instead of moving forward with termination, Johnson decided to carry her pregnancy to term.

"I knew that this pregnancy was not just about me saving a child's life, but this child was going to save my life."

Johnson went to a maternity home, where she heard about the option of open adoption. 

"I knew if I could still be apart of my child's life, it would give me the opportunity to change my life and have her grow up in a family that desires to have children but unfortunately can't have any."

The adoptive parents met Johnson when she was only three months pregnant and the three got to know each other well. The process has been a story of many families coming together to raise and love Johnson's daughter. 

"We see each other typically every couple of months. Open adoption is different for everyone. I firmly believe that God meant for our daughter to be in [the adoptive couples] life."

As for the effect a project like this can have on women in this vulnerable situation, Severloh says, "Understanding that the mom and her child are made in the image of God (imago Dei), that they are important to their Creator can be life-changing."

This version of the Bible will be the New Living Translation (NLT) from Tyndale and include: 

1. Stories of women who have chosen life for their baby in the midst of uncertainty.

2. Woman who have experienced a termination of their pregnancy and found peace and forgiveness through knowing Christ.

3. All the info and help that Pregnancy Care Canada offers women and families.

4. The New Testament, sharing the love of Christ and the life saving Gospel that only Jesus can offer.

"This book will be compassionate, loving and hopeful. We want this book to be a conversation starter about faith," Rempel says.