Reflecting on 28 Years with JFA
My journey at Justice For All (JFA) began because of my desire to do God’s will and save the lives of His precious unborn children. But what motivated me to leave my job at a law firm and become a full-time missionary? The answer is that it wasn’t just my love and tender heart for babies, but also my strong desire to right the wrongs of injustice. I may have an outward gentle spirit, but beneath the surface lies a passion to advocate for victims of injustice. What a joy it has been to be an advocate for the unborn, as well as their mothers, fathers, and families.
That passion still remains after 28 years, and I plan to always speak up for the unborn. But now it is time to give my body a rest. It is time for retirement, and time to pass the baton to others. My employment with JFA is coming to a close on October 30 and this is my farewell letter. It is bittersweet. After volunteering for JFA starting in 1993, I’m grateful that I trusted God and took a leap of faith to join the staff in 1996. He has taught me so many beautiful lessons.
I discovered a passion for conversations with college students. This became a two-way learning process for me and the students. As my knowledge about pro-choice beliefs increased, I gained a deeper understanding. This allowed me to relate more effectively to pro-choice students, resulting in changed hearts. It was humbling to witness transformations right in front of me. Here are just a few examples of the many lives that were changed because of your partnership with me and JFA.
Chase: We often used a poll question on campus to get students to stop and talk. When I spoke to Chase at WSU, he had just voted yes on our question, “Should Abortion Remain Legal?” He said he was pro-choice. By using JFA’s Three Essential Skills (asking questions, listening, and finding common ground), I saw his pro-choice position slowly fade. After a 30-minute conversation he proclaimed, Okay, you convinced me! I’m against abortion 100%!
Christina: I met Christina in 2004 at a campus in Colorado. She was incredibly angry with me at first. I learned that she had had three abortions. It was a tough conversation, but she slowly opened up and shared about years of emotional pain. Two days later, though, she came back and gave me a big hug saying, Thank you for giving me my life back.
Talking with Dixon at Colorado State -- I never wear sunglasses so I can have eye-to-eye conversations.
Dixon: Dixon’s first statement to me was, I don’t think I have a say. We can’t tell other people what to do [regarding abortion]. He was personally against abortion, but in favor of abortion staying legal. I asked Dixon to picture two buckets, and I proceeded to ask questions about choices that are merely personal preferences versus moral wrongs. This became my Two Buckets story. By the end of the conversation, Dixon said, Wow! This has been enlightening. You’ve given me a lot to think about. What if I hear of someone who is thinking about having an abortion? What should I do? Amazing! In just a short 15-minute conversation, Dixon had a change of heart that also changed his life.
It has been a joy to see many other JFA trainers and volunteers bear similar fruit by using the Two Buckets story.
Some conversations never leave me. I think of Harper. He was one of about 25 protesters on a Texas campus in Spring 2020. He was adamantly pro-choice. The conversation lasted the better part of three hours. We made a genuine connection in the first hour, and this allowed him to feel safe enough to become vulnerable. Harper revealed the agony of his girlfriend’s rape and subsequent abortion two years earlier and how helpless he had felt. I was able to empathize with Harper, and he was deeply moved. He told me that my kindness was completely unexpected. I went on to share the positive impact that God had had in my life during times of suffering. And by the end, he had changed his position from abortion being legal for any reason to abortion only in the case of rape, or life of the mother, which amount to a very small percentage of abortions.
What did I do to help Harper change? I sought to find out WHY he believed abortion should be legal. I discovered it was personal to him. Honestly, I have found that it is personal to most people. Look for the root cause of someone’s belief. Ask the question, How did you come to believe the way you do? I’m confident this could open doors in your conversations.
It has been an honor to have a respectful dialogue with thousands of college students since my first campus outreach in 1998. I enjoyed sharing my gifts of compassion, love, and the hope that we have in Jesus.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. ”
One of the greatest areas of growth that I experienced was my time as a speaker and mentor in JFA’s training program. I never dreamed of being comfortable speaking to large groups. This was a profound accomplishment. My excitement grew when I became a certified mentor. This allowed me to go deeper with the people I was mentoring in our seminars and campus outreach events. This increased their confidence when they were ready to step out to start their own conversations on campus. I saw many of those same people blossom right in front of me as they ministered to souls thirsting for connection. I had the privilege of mentoring over 700 volunteers. The impact that I was able to see God making through me, however, was not limited to volunteers. JFA has employed over 40 trainers and interns during my time with JFA which means that I had the honor of sharing many of my personal lessons with them as they became trainers.
Over the years, I have taught in over a hundred JFA workshops, seminars, and presentations. Here are just a few of the encouraging words that I received from participants:
Tammy, you are amazing! This training helped me understand the human heart. We all want to be seen, loved, and accepted as we are. I cannot imagine anyone who would not benefit from your training. I especially love how you kept referring to the three core strategies. Bravo! - Lori (2020)
I would highly recommend finding time to attend one of Tammy's training sessions … The techniques that you learn on how to have meaningful discussions, especially with traditionally polarizing topics, are invaluable. I have actually used the skills taught when talking with my older kids when we are at odds and have been amazed at how well those conversations have gone. - Katie (2021)
Very informative session today. Tammy has a gift. So compassionate. - Sharon (2021)
Developing a caring conversation on common ground is a skill that will change the world! Thank you for living the Gospel and teaching others. - Brenda (2020)
JFA’s website is a gold mine of beautiful stories. To read more about the stories that I’ve mentioned in this letter, and stories about the lives of others that I had the privilege of impacting, see the links below.
You can see how your support has helped to impact lives like Christina, Dixon, Harper, Chase, Landon, Hudson, and so many more.
The past 28 years have been very good, but also quite challenging. During travel weeks, most days began before sunrise and ended well after the sun had set. I experienced mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion, time and time again. I stood outside for hours at a time having conversations in all weather extremes, including unbearable cold. I was often away from my husband and children for a week or more. I endured health issues including surviving two life-threatening illnesses in 2010 and 2018.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ”
Through all of this, you made the difference. There were so many grace-filled moments during the most difficult of times. It was then that I could feel that God was there, and so were you. I clung to God’s word and your prayers as my safety net. Thank you for the thousands of prayers for me. They were a beautiful gift.
God always provided for me, especially in the darkest moments. Despite the numerous spiritual attacks, my faith and trust in God grew over the years. This has given me the gift for which I am most thankful: A deep and close personal relationship with God.
You also answered the call that God put on your heart when I invited you to join my support team. I am deeply honored by your support! Some of you have even been giving since before I began 28 years ago. I am speechless. This has been a true partnership—you were a much-needed support system. Your encouraging emails, handwritten notes, and cards were genuine lifelines. Thank you.
I am so thankful to God for such a dedicated spouse. Kevin has been incredible, lending support and encouragement through the years. When I was on the road, he cared for our children and the household, all while working a full-time job. They all made innumerable sacrifices, and I could not have done any of this without them. I am grateful for the love and support of our children and their spouses: Chad, Tierra, Brandon, Brittany, and Heath.
Please Join Us for this Event!
It has been an honor to partner with you. I would love to hear what it has meant to you to be a partner in this work. Please take a moment and send me a reflection through JFA’s contact page.
As I have reflected on these past 28 years, I feel one thing remains not quite done, and that is this: Would you allow me to say “thank you” personally one final time through a special event we’ve created just to allow me to express my appreciation to you in person? This is not a fundraising event. This will be a time to reminisce, show photos, and say thank you. I would enjoy seeing you if you can make it.
You are invited to a Donor Appreciation Open House to be held on Thursday, October 24. See the event page for details.
This is my final letter, but JFA will continue to update you. I will miss you all. You will be in my prayers … always. May God bless you for helping save lives. Farewell.
- Tammy Cook
— Additional Thoughts, Pictures, and Links —
A Special Note of Thanks
There is an important group of people to which I owe my deepest thanks. I would not be the pro-life advocate, speaker and trainer that I am today without the mentorship of key people in my life.
Gregg Cunningham
David Lee
Stephen Wagner
Scott Klusendorf
I was also impacted throughout the years by my fellow JFA team members. I learned innumerable lessons from them. Each of them left an imprint on my life. I will always cherish the wonderful memories created by working alongside some of the most Godly people I’ve been blessed to know in my life. Many past and present JFA co-workers are like family to me.
Highlights from My Work with JFA
Missy: (April 2022) Ten Minutes - Short Conversations CAN Make a Difference
Jack: (July 2018) Bearing Unexpected Fruit - A Conversation at Purdue University
Allie, Catie: (June 2018) “It’s My Life, My Choice” - Using JFA’s Three Essential Skills
Daniel: (January 2018) Invisible Pain - How Abortion Affects Men
Laci, Sean: (Nov. 2016) Giving Thanks - Stories of Changed Hearts and Minds
Louis: (July 2016) “I’m Personally Opposed to Abortion, but…”
Rhonda, Nick: (Aug. 2015) The Best Decision or Was It?
Sylvia: (January 2015) Time Travel, Dishwashing, and Biology
A BIT OF HISTORY OF HOW I CAME TO WORK AT JFA
A career in pro-life work was never on my radar 40 years ago, so how did I end up spending the bulk of my life as a pro-life missionary?
Maybe it was a distressing experience in college that had stayed with me? I had tried to persuade two friends not to have abortions. My roommates even helped pay for two of the three abortions. I failed at convincing them. Every. Single. Time. I felt helpless.
Life moved on. The 1980’s were a busy decade for me. I became a wife and a mother. In 1989, God began giving me a yearning to do something about abortion. Then in 1992, I saw a graphic video of abortion. I sobbed deeply. God must be heartbroken. I needed to do something. I started volunteering with JFA in 1993, and in 1995, the founder and Executive Director of JFA David Lee offered me a job. After months of prayerful discernment and discussions with my husband, God said yes, and so did I. This had always been in God’s plan. I prayed and took a huge leap of blind faith. You do know what you’re doing, right, God? I prayed for trust. And thus, my journey began to become a pro-life missionary for 28 years. God DID know what He was doing. Amen.
More Encouraging Words from Participants
I was SO impressed with the team! SO impressed by their hearts for both the unborn and those in front of them. Years ago, my husband and I volunteered at a booth at the state fair. It felt so unproductive. I like how JFA stresses relational aspects which, I guess, was the missing component at the fair. Thanks again for all you do. (2020)
The exhibit swayed me to the pro-life side. And the conversation with Tammy Cook made me certain that unborn babies are still babies, not just blobs. Thank you. - Willow Welter, journalism student who interviewed Tammy for the campus newspaper at Colorado State University (2004)
Words change hearts, good or bad. I am continuously seeking to learn skills using words that can and will move the heart for God. JFA does this! This training shows how to have a healthy conversation that speaks to the heart. Finding common ground could certainly help disarm a heated conversation. - Marilee (2020)
It was really helpful to see how to not challenge the person until you really took the time to see how they understood the topic at hand. I really thought the relational aspect of it was helpful as well. So thankful for Tammy’s bucket story. - Evelyn, Ellerslie Mission Society participant (2021)
“ Faith is not defined by moments when everything is going well—it is defined by those moments when you are most challenged. ”
Tammy Cook reflects on 28 years with JFA.