Finding out you’re pregnant can bring a lot of emotions. And for a single mom facing an unexpected pregnancy, it can also bring a lot of questions.

What am I going to do? What does this mean for my future? Who can I talk to? Am I going to have to do this alone?

At Shoal Creek, we want the answer to that last question to be clear:

No. You are not alone.

That’s the heart behind Embrace Grace, a new ministry at Shoal Creek created to come alongside single, expectant moms with practical support, genuine relationships, and most importantly, the hope of Jesus.

And for Sharee Hileman, the desire to bring Embrace Grace to The Creek comes from years of seeing firsthand just how much that kind of relationship and support is needed.

So, what is Embrace Grace?
Embrace Grace is a 12-week support group for single and pregnant women. Throughout the program, moms hear biblical teaching, listen to stories from women who have walked through similar circumstances, build relationships, and find a place where they can be honest about what they’re experiencing.

Sharee describes it as a place designed to help expecting mothers “find a place of hope and belonging.”

At the end of the program, our church gets the opportunity to celebrate these moms through a special baby shower and other moments designed to remind each woman of something we hope she has heard over and over again throughout the program:

You are seen. You are loved. And you have a place here.

For Sharee, this ministry is personal.

For nearly 10 years, Sharee has worked with Life on Wheels, a mobile ministry that provides free ultrasounds to women who need an ultrasound before an abortion appointment.

Through that work, she has met women at an incredibly important and often overwhelming moment in their lives. She has seen the fear and uncertainty that can come with an unexpected pregnancy—and she has seen how alone some women feel as they try to figure out what comes next.

Those encounters have given Sharee a desire to do more.

Not simply to meet a woman during one moment of her story, but to have an opportunity to build a relationship with her. To continue showing up. To help meet practical needs. To introduce her to a church family. And ultimately, to point her toward Jesus.

“I have worked with Life on Wheels for about 10 years and have experienced many single women who found out they were pregnant,” Sharee said. “Some of them seem so alone.”

That’s a feeling she hopes Embrace Grace can begin to change.

“I want them all to experience the love and support I have found in the Church. I want them to know that they aren’t alone. I want them to find Jesus in the process.”

We don’t want to simply tell women in our community that we care about them. We want to be willing to walk with them.

Sometimes the needs are the ones we don’t see.

For a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy, the needs aren’t always obvious.

“A common invisible fear is that having a child means sacrificing their education, career, or future dreams,” Sharee explained.

She may be wondering if she can still finish school, pursue a career, afford childcare, find transportation, or continue working toward the future she had imagined.

Sometimes she needs resources.
Sometimes she needs advice.
Sometimes she needs someone to sit beside her on Sunday morning.

And sometimes she just needs someone who will answer the phone and remind her that she doesn’t have to figure everything out by herself.

That’s why Embrace Grace is about more than meeting needs for a few weeks. It’s about building relationships that can continue beyond the program.

This is where the Church gets to be the Church.

Embrace Grace meets needs in several different ways.
There are practical things like Love Boxes, baby supplies, transportation, childcare, financial assistance when possible, and a church-wide baby shower at the end of the program.

There’s emotional support through relationships with other women, mentors, leaders, and church buddies who can simply be a friend through the process.

And Sharee hopes women will find something else here too: a shame-free place where they know they are genuinely wanted.

When asked what she hopes a woman knows the moment she walks through the doors of Embrace Grace, Sharee’s answer was simple:

“That she is not alone and that we are truly interested in helping her and giving her the support she may not have at home.”

But ultimately, our greatest hope is that these women encounter Jesus.

Sharee describes the spiritual goal of Embrace Grace as helping women find their “identity in Christ,” become part of a spiritual family, and continue in discipleship after the program ends.

Because Embrace Grace isn’t just about helping someone through a pregnancy.

It’s about walking with people.
And there’s a place for you in that.

One of the things we love about Embrace Grace is that you don’t have to lead the group or become a mentor to be part of it.

You can pray.
You can write an encouraging letter.
You can help with transportation or childcare.
You can help us throw a baby shower.
You can become a church buddy—someone willing to meet a woman when she comes to church, sit with her, show her around, and make walking into a new place feel a little less intimidating.

There are a lot of ways to serve. The important thing is that when a woman walks through our doors, she sees what we hope is true about The Creek:

There are people here who genuinely care about her.

Maybe you know someone who needs this.

If you know a woman who is single and pregnant, tell her about Embrace Grace. Help her take that first step and get connected with Sharee and our Embrace Grace team.

And if you’re reading this and wondering if you should reach out, we hope you will.
Sharee said it best:

“You are not alone, your baby is a miracle, and this community is here to walk this journey with you without judgment.”

You don’t have to have everything figured out.
You don’t have to clean up your story first.
And you don’t have to walk through this season alone.

You are loved. And there is a community at The Creek ready to walk with you.