WHAT IS BRAVEHEART?

We live in a sex-saturated culture. As a result, today’s teens face temptations and pressures to engage in premarital sex. Unfortunately, this act can result in consequences that teens just are not ready to deal with. BRAVEheart is here to encourage teens to take a different route – to save sex for marriage.

It is our goal for today’s youth to realize that they are loved. We desire to claim the truth of God’s unfailing love for them. From this, we hope that teens will no longer have the desire to seek out love in sexual relationships, but rather know that God’s love for them is sufficient.

BRAVEheart Teen Initiative is a non-profit Christ-centered organization that promotes a pure lifestyle to reduce the risks of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and emotional trauma. We believe that purity paves the way to TRUE intimacy. BRAVEheart uses the participation of teens and young adults in the form of teams to encourage today’s youth and single adults to make healthy decisions in regard to their sexuality.

BRAVEheart is funded by its parent organization, Skylark Clinic, Inc. We are a Christ- centered organization but are not affiliated with any one denomination.

HISTORY

In the mid 90’s, Patrick Eades, Executive Director of Skylark, saw a huge need in our community. He was made humbly aware that many of the clients that came into Skylark were sexually active as teens. Some told counselors at Skylark that they wished someone would have given them the information and encouragement they needed in order to stay sexually pure before marriage. To Patrick, this was a call to action.

In response, Patrick started BRAVEheart in the Fall of 1996. He began speaking to schools, churches, and community groups about sexual purity. This was so effective that teens began taking stands against premarital sex and wanted to know how they could let others know of the benefits of abstinence. To give these teens a medium for conveying the message, Patrick founded BRAVEheart Teen Initiative of Glynn County in the Summer of 1998.

STAFF

PATRICK EADES, SRAS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CERTIFIED ABSTINENCE EDUCATOR

E-mail:patrick[at]braveheart.org
Since October of 1992, Patrick has served as the executive director of Skylark Clinic, Inc. His daily experiences provide a first hand understanding of the pressures adolescents face. His speaking engagements have focused on helping our young people develop strong moral values that will encourage them to build quality relationships. After completing a Pastoral Care and Counseling degree from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Patrick and his wife, Natalie returned to Glynn County in 1990. In the Fall of that year, he began serving on the steering committee of the Crisis Pregnancy Center.
In mid 1992, he was appointed to his current role as executive director. He is the Founder and Executive Director of BRAVEheart Teen Initiative and has been conducting abstinence presentations since 1997. His credentials are impressive and accurately show his ability to conduct abstinence education and direct the BRAVEheart program. (see his credentials here)
The Eades have four adult children, Alyssa, Kevin, Hannah, and Victoria, and three grandchildren, Lenox, Olivia, and William. View Patrick’s personal blog here for more thoughts on purity, leadership, and sacred life.

Patrick passed his certification as a Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialist in 2015, adding an additional credential to his already well-established experience.