Found Through Grace

When Anabel Aldavaz realized she was about to become a single mom, she felt a heavy weight and uncertainty about the future. While scrolling through Facebook Marketplace, she came across an ad for a free baby shower through the Embrace Grace Ministry at First Baptist Dallas. 

She reached out to the church, not knowing that her search for support would lead her to finding her Savior. On the other end of that message was Marti Dunton, a longtime church member who has served with Embrace Grace since the ministry launched three years ago.

Embrace Grace is designed to support women facing unplanned pregnancies, combining practical care with evangelism. “I tell people Embrace Grace is nine weeks of sharing the gospel,” Marti says. 

Each semester, women gather for meals and biblical teaching in community with one another. Many come from difficult circumstances and have never experienced the kind of support they find through the ministry. “These girls have never been told how valuable they are,” Marti said. “They have never been told that God loves them.”

That message is reinforced not only by Marti and the other leaders who serve in the ministry, but also by our broader church family. Sunday School classes and church members sponsor women throughout the semester, providing encouragement, prayer, mentorship, and practical support. The ministry culminates with a baby shower where each woman receives essentials for her baby, including a car seat, stroller, diapers, wipes, and other necessities. “I felt so much support and love,” Anabel said. “They went above and beyond. All the members made me feel welcomed and loved.”

For Anabel, Embrace Grace became much more than a way to get resources for her baby. The love shown by the church opened her heart to the gospel. After the third session, Anabel explained, “I couldn’t stop crying. Everything we talked about, I could relate to in a certain way, and it touched me.” 

After class, she talked with Marti and shared some of the struggles and trauma she had been carrying. Anabel admitted she was tired of trying to do life on her own. That evening, Marti asked her a simple question: Was she ready to give everything in her life over to Christ? Anabel said, “Yes.”

Since making a decision for Christ, Anabel has seen the Lord transform her life in ways she never expected. “My faith has grown a lot,” she said. “I feel like I move with purpose and direction. Even my thoughts have changed.” Stories like Anabel’s are powerful examples of how ministries like Embrace Grace help accomplish the Great Commission. As Marti said, “This ministry is 100% outreach.”

Recently, Anabel welcomed her baby girl and plans to attend Embrace Life, the ministry’s next phase. She will learn how to navigate parenting, finances, relationships, and everyday discipleship. Anabel is one life transformed by Christ through the ministries of First Baptist Dallas. When we are on mission, faithfully opening our doors and sharing the hope of the gospel, God’s grace can transform lives now and for eternity.