ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
After receiving a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Oklahoma City University, Rhonda Kinser’s Christian walk became more purpose driven, and in her latest part of the journey, that purpose is becoming more evident.
Kinser was recently hired as the client services director at Liberal’s Grace Place Pregnancy Care Center, and that hire comes after some other work in the Christian faith.
After getting her degree, Kinser worked as a therapist and case manager with the Bair Foundation, which uses a Christ-centered approach to meet the needs of children who find themselves in therapeutic foster care.
Kinser was ordained as a minister in 1999, and following that, she said the Holy Spirit has opened doors for her to serve the community and surrounding region as a Christian counselor for 25 years.
Kinser has likewise held various roles in higher education, and in 2015, years after she had an abortion, she began Rochelle’s Place, a ministry to women who have had abortions. She said because of her experience, the pro-life movement has become important to her, and this is just part of what brought her to Grace Place.
“My husband and I have been supporters of Grace Place Pregnancy Care Center since its inception, serving on a steering committee that organized the ministry,” she said.
Because of her abortion experience, in 2003, Kinser was invited to take part in the “Forgiven and Set Free” Bible study hosted by the ABC Pregnancy Center in Garden City, and through the study, she said the Holy Spirit revealed to her the name of her unborn baby, a girl, was Rochelle. This is how Rochelle’s Place was born.
“In 2015, I felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to begin publicly sharing my testimony of how God had set me free from the guilt and shame of my abortion at 16 years old,” she said.
As director of client services, Kinser oversees many of Grace Place’s administrative tasks for its ministry clients, among other duties.
“I make prayer an integral part of the day-to-day operations,” she said. “I manage data entry of client information, and I’m in charge of grant writing for the center’s funding needs. I also participate in meetings with other organizations related to the needs of our clients, and I’m also involved with advertising and recruiting volunteers.”
In September, former Client Services Director Letty Hernandez resigned, and Kinser said when she heard the position was available, she felt God had led her to apply.
Grace Place has added its new Limited Medical Clinic, and Kinser said the center has seen an uptick in its clientele since then. She said her top priority is to undergird this influx of clients with structure in scheduling.
“Another goal is to connect our clients to the local church,” she said. “We currently have 13 churches who regularly support Grace Place. I want to further develop those connections for ongoing discipleship and community that our young clients need.”
Lastly, with volunteers being essential to the success of a non-profit, Kinser said she wants to share Grace Place’s purpose and mission with everyone.
As Kinser looks to bring new programs to the center, she returned to 2015 when she said the Holy Spirit inspired her with boldness and courage to begin sharing her testimony.
“The main scripture He spoke to me at that time was I John 2:28 – ‘And now little children abide in Him so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink be ashamed before Him at His coming,’” she said. “I really felt impressed that there are women who have had an abortion who truly believe it is the unpardonable sin, but God assured me in this moment He loved them, and through the work Jesus had done on the cross, He had forgiven them, and He had deliverance for them from the guilt and the shame a lot of women who’ve had an abortion experience.”
With that being said, Kinser’s main passion is still for women who have had an abortion, but to be able to work at a pregnancy center to be able to come alongside girls and help them choose life because she sees the alternative.
“I’ve already began to implement the Forgiven and Set Free Bible study for post-abortive women at Grace Place,” she said. That was before I even started as the director of client services.”
The first class of the Bible study wrapped up in mid-November with three in attendance, and Kinser said the next class is scheduled to start in January 2026.
“We also foresee adding the same curriculum for men who have participated in an abortion and are struggling with shame and guilt themselves,” she said. “Also in January, Grace Place board member Michelle Jacobs will be teaching ‘Know Your Body’ and ‘The Baby Birthing Academy.’”
Grace Place will continue its two annual car safety checks with certified car seat safety technician Michelle Jacobs.
“It’s about a two or three-door training, and it’s a great program to ensure parents have correctly installed seats for their children,” Kinser said. “To date, we’ve given out more than 70 car seats to parents who could not afford them on their own. We feel this is a worthwhile program that fits perfectly into our mission.”
Also on its yearly schedule, Grace Place hosts its 5K fundraiser, the Run Baby Run, in the spring, with a teen rally and an annual banquet in September. Kinser said she would to see increased participation in the teen rally in particular.
“The speakers Grace Place has brought in the last two years have been impactful and powerful,” she said. “Pam Stenzel came two years ago. She is a national speaker, and she spoke powerfully on ‘Why Wait’ and ‘The Reparation of Not Waiting,’ especially have to do with STDs. Ryan Bomgardner, his testimony was powerful, and I think if more people knew who these speakers and the motive of why we bring them in, that is to empower our teens to know the truth and walk in the truth so they can choose not just regarding sexual reproduction, but in every area of their life.”
Kinser said other programs have discussed, but center officials are not ready to release the details yet. With the addition of the Limited Medical Clinic and an ultrasound machine, however, she feels she can make a big impact at Grace Place.
“No one really knows what the future holds, but we are confident God will use all He has built at Grace Place with all these additions, all these additional services to fulfill in His purpose,” she said.
Kinser is excited to see what happens with this latest chapter in her journey.
“My enthusiasm for this new opportunity to serve is highlighted by the chance to work alongside a group of women who are passionate about the promotion of pro-life,” she said. “They are passionate and dedicated. I don’t know how many people in our community are aware we are in the middle of a building project. This is so we can make room for various donations and a space for the men’s ministry.”
With the work being done in the center, Kinser said there has been much in the way of noise at times, and she has likewise felt overwhelmed by the learning curve of her new position.
“I usually go home physically spent,” she said. “However, this is the first job I’ve had where I’ve experienced a peace within my spirit that supersedes all that’s going on around me. Maria, one of my coworkers, stated it this way. I think it’s because we all know Jesus. We have a personal relationship with Him, and that bond creates an atmosphere of peace and unity.”
Kinser said the few weeks she had been on the job as client services director have already made an impression on her.
“When I walk into this place, I literally feel the presence of the Lord, and I’ve never had that at a workplace before, so I’m excited about what God has in store,” she said.
