Posted on 03/04/2014 9:31:00 PM PST by Salvation
If there’s a 40 Days for Life campaign going on, I’m either visiting a local vigil … getting ready to travel to one … or just getting home from one. Today, I’m at home. But yes, that only means there will be another trip before Day 40!
Here’s a look at some of my recent stops in Ohio and South Carolina.
Columbus, Ohio
The abortion center in Columbus is a father and son operation. And they do not like 40 Days for Life. In fact, they covered the windows so there is no way for patients to see the volunteers praying outside.
Abortion facilities usually look sterile … but this one takes it to a whole new level. The building may be cold on the inside but outside there was hope and joy – and strong Ohio winds!
Beth, the local leader, has brought many groups together through the campaign and has helped train sidewalk counselors, who stand at the driveway and offer free alternatives.
While I was there, I met some seminarians who came out to the 40 Days for Life vigil to pray. They hold a regular time slot during the campaign. These young men are an inspiration to everyone at the vigil!
Greenville, South Carolina
It’s the 11th 40 Days for Life campaign in Greenville, where the abortion center is right next door to the pregnancy help center. It’s always a blessing when such assistance is so readily available.
Columbia, South Carolina
The vigil in Columbia takes place in front of a Planned Parenthood center that does around 40 abortions every week.
The Southern hospitality was amazing … but not everyone I met was a native of the area. When I arrived at the vigil in Columbia, the leader, Sharon, said, “I met you last year when you spoke in Green Bay, Wisconsin.” When her husband was transferred from Green Bay to Columbia, Sharon decided to get involved in the local 40 Days for Life campaign.
Charleston, South Carolina
As I drove to the Charleston campaign, I saw a huge billboard in the distance with a scripture verse on it. As I got closer, I saw the 40 Days for Life logo … on a big sign that invited people to join the campaign!
That evening, close to 200 came out to the vigil, where Sarah, the young local leader, spoke and shared the amazing history Charleston has had since their first 40 Days for Life effort back in 2007.
Devotional for Day 36, April 9, 2014
Vera Faith Lord, Director, Alpha/Omega Life Ministry
Intention: Pray that those who have forgotten their purpose may discover it in God and therefore have the courage to choose life.
Scripture: These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season, what you give them they gather in; you open your hand they are filled with good. You hide your face, they are troubled; you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth your Spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth. — Psalm 104:27-30
Reflection: “I am a feather on the breath of God.”
As the quote above portrays, we are upheld by the power and purpose of God. Our very existence on earth, from our body’s first breath to its last, when we leave it to return home, is our Father’s choice and happens only by His willing to do so.
He who created the universe also created that which is “me.” I do not “have” a soul – I AM a soul, as well as a body.
My entire purpose in this life is to find my way back to my Creator.
Prayer: Beloved Father, remind us today that there is no truth but you.
Do not let us fall prey to the evil one’s lie that we may choose death.
Remind us right now that you, who created all life, are in control of all life, and let us know right now that you who created all life, are in control of all life, and let us choose life always.
Father, please let us hear your voice more today than yesterday.
Keep lighting the pathway home, for us and for all who participate in this 40 Days for Life campaign.
Father, we’re on our way. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.
The 40 Days for Life campaigns in the United Kingdom continue to get media attention. However, much of it is less than complimentary. Even the headlines reflect the abortion industry’s claim that vigil participants “harass” their clients.
Of course, a picture is worth a thousand words – and the pictures always show the harassment claim is a pure fabrication.
Robert Colquhoun, our international outreach director, takes a look at a couple of UK campaigns today.
London, England
First of all, here’s a brief video report on behalf of the 40 Days for Life vigil in London’s Ealing section. This is a very successful campaign which is led by Iulia, who came to London from Romania.
To see the video, click the image below:
Or you may go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=5875
The vigil takes place outside an abortion business located in a building that formerly served as a Christian house of healing, which is why there is still an image of the archangel Michael on the outside wall.
The campaign has witnessed 19 children spared from abortion thus far. One of those mothers told counsellors that she was moved to seek their advice after seeing people kneeling in prayer opposite the Marie Stopes abortion facility.
“The couple is Christian and in a very difficult financial situation,” Iulia told me. “I talked to them for one hour, telling them about the help we offer … but they could not believe me, as no one has ever helped them. They were very touched by the thought that someone they’ve never seen before could love them so much!”
Another vigil participant spoke of an older woman who approached with a plastic bag.
From this bag, she took out handfuls of white cherry blossom petals, and scattered them near the abortion facility’s entrance. “She knelt down, said a prayer, and quietly left without a single glance,” the volunteer said. “It lasted all of two minutes, but her actions spoke volumes.”
Cardiff, Wales
The Cardiff campaign has faced more than its share of opposition, both on the pavement and in the media. A couple of stories from their local press showed what the volunteers must contend with.
One article featured the headline, “Pro-life campaign accused of harassing women as they visit Cardiff abortion clinic.” But the photo accompanying the story showed a more accurate picture of the vigil, as about a half dozen volunteers stood in a peaceful circle of prayer.
The same newspaper featured a commentary called “Those who stand in judgement should take a look at themselves.” The writer actually put these words into print: “Each lunchtime I find myself resisting the urge to lob my sandwiches at them, or simply shout in their self-righteous faces, ‘WHY?’”
This is a sign the prayer volunteers are doing excellent work, when you have silly articles in the secular press. They are a solid campaign!
Thanks to Robert Colquhoun for today's international update!
Devotional for Day 37, April 10, 2014
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life
Intention: We are the defenders of true freedom. May our witness unveil the deception of the “pro-choice” slogan.
Scripture: Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. — 2 Corinthians 3:17
Reflection: Norma McCorvey (the former Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade) used to work at an abortion mill named “A Choice for Women.” She now realizes what a cruel irony that title was. She saw first hand, just as pregnancy resource center counselors see, that women don’t get abortions because of freedom of choice, but rather because they feel they have no freedom and no choice. They feel trapped, abandoned, desperate and afraid, and have been led to believe that abortion is their only option. As Frederica Mathewes-Green has written, no want wants an abortion like she wants a Porsche or an ice cream; rather, she wants it like an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg.
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” That doesn’t mean that the Spirit allows us to do whatever we want or to decide for ourselves what’s right and wrong. Rather, it means that the Spirit gives us the freedom to do what is right, the power to choose what is good, when we see it before us and yet feel pulled in the opposite direction. Liberty means that we no longer have to feel doomed to do what we know is wrong. We are the people of the Spirit of the Lord, and when we take action on be- half of life, especially by being present at abortion mills, we are acting on be- half of true freedom, and imparting to those who are in bondage the power to do what is right.
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. You are the Spirit of freedom, the source of all that is good, the power to do what is right. Fill us, and fill those who are in bondage to- day, feeling doomed to do what is wrong. Set them free, and help us to hasten them on the road to freedom, where your grace overcomes every temptation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
There have been 88 abortion workers who have had a change of heart and left their jobs during 40 Days for Life campaigns. Many of these workers leave during the last two weeks of the campaign … and today, we ask for prayers for one abortionist who is struggling with his conscience.
A prayer volunteer has spoken to one of the abortionists at a facility where the 40 Days for Life vigil is in progress. I’m keeping the location confidential for now. They’ve had several conversations, and the volunteer says the man has told him, “I can’t do this anymore. I need to talk to a priest.”
I can only echo the request of the campaign coordinator in this city – please pray that this man … and any others in a similar position … may have the faith and courage to trust God and leave the abortion industry.
Now … here’s the latest from Steve Karlen, our North American outreach director … who’s been on the road in Michigan.
Brighton, Michigan
I arrived in Brighton early to tour the local pregnancy center. As I drove in, I passed the vigil site and saw a volunteer hunkered down with a chair and an umbrella—enduring the rain.
At the vigil site, I learned that her name was Pat, and she had been at the vigil site all day! In fact, she has been there nearly all day, every day for the last five days as she’s coordinated a five-day block adopted by her church.
Tom, the Brighton campaign leader, told me that she has been a big part of the campaign even on days that her church has not committed to. I was also joined by a group that included a number of folks from Silent No More. Their message is always powerful.
Traverse City, Michigan
Apparently, the snow was so high for most of the campaign that there was nowhere to stand! Lillian, the campaign coordinator in Traverse City, said she prayed from her office, which has a window facing Planned Parenthood. One elderly gentleman drove up and came out to greet us and thank us for being out on the sidewalk.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
The event I spoke at in Grand Rapids took place in frigid rain and wind. Lisa, the local coordinator, told me that the number of abortions in Kent County has dropped by more than 40% since 40 Days for Life started in 2007.
There is a house next door to the abortion facility that is owned by a group of sidewalk counselors. These counselors initially allowed the 40 Days for Life participants to park on their property. But that arrangement was ended because the city said the house was not licensed as a church. Fortunately, the campaign team got creative and came up with alternative arrangements.
Thanks to Steve Karlen for today's update from Michigan!
Devotional for Day 38, April 11, 2014
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life
Intention: Pray that we become vessels of hope to all around us, especially to those who minister in the pro-life movement.
Scripture: On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the ord esus. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen” — Luke 24:1-5
Reflection: This meditation, based on a sermon I once heard, is adapted for pro-life concerns. It’s Friday. Jesus is on the cross. e has been killed by his enemies; he is off the scene. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’ It’s Friday. Abortionists continue their work 3,300 times a day, tearing off the arms and legs of little babies and crushing their heads. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’ It’s Friday. Pro-abortion groups receive blood money from billionaires who are as deceived as they are. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday. Liars attempt to speak for all women and hide the pain of abortion, and ignore the evidence of how it harms women, and call abortion a blessing. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’ It’s Friday. People of hardened hearts guard the clinics and usher desperate women in to have their abortions, while keeping them from the pro-life people who want to give them hope. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’ Hope does not mean that we ignore or minimize the evils around us. It means, rather, that we see the whole picture, which is that evil is conquered because of what happened one Sunday morning. We are called to proclaim, celebrate, and serve that victory, waiting in joyful hope for Christ’s return and the full flowering of the Culture of Life! Indeed Sunday’s comin’
Prayer: Lord, fill your people with new hope. Make us vessels of hope to all around us, especially to those who minister in the pro-life movement, that as we en- gage in the difficult work ahead, we may experience the peace and joy that come only from you and that nobody can take away from us. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
I’m speaking at an event in Beaumont, Texas today … celebrating the closing of the abortion facility there. We pray for more closures — around the globe — this final Saturday of the campaign ... as we take a world tour!
Robert Colquhoun, our international outreach director, has collected a few stories from leaders in England, Australia, Spain and Russia who are praying — and working — to end abortion where they live.
Sydney, Australia
“Down here in Sydney, Australia, our 40 Days campaign has been a true success story!” said Andrew, the local coordinator.
“The great news is that no abortions have taken place on either Thursday or Friday for five out of the six weeks of the campaign,” he said. “When we began praying there, they were doing abortions on four days … and now only two! Thanks be to God that our presence is having a significant impact!”
Madrid, Spain
One of the vigil participants in Madrid wrote about her experiences outside the abortion center.
“At the beginning, there were seven of us praying,” she said. “A woman and man came over and started to berate us.” They clearly wanted the prayers to stop. But the volunteer noticed that the woman had tears in her eyes.
In her grief, this woman said that she had not wanted to have an abortion, but that she didn’t have the means to keep the baby.
“We were able to tell her that help is available for mothers who have aborted,” the vigil participant said. But the woman’s companions moved between her and the people praying, insisting that they leave.
The volunteer asked for prayers for this suffering woman. “I am asking Jesus that she may not experience 40 years of post-abortive depression … like those of a family member of mine … before finding the true consolation that only Christ gives.”
Moscow, Russia
Arevik in Moscow said a woman arrived for an abortion “because she was not ready for a second baby.” However, the woman told vigil participants she had changed her mind and canceled the appointment.
Arevik said the volunteers have also heard about an abortion worker with a troubled conscience. “We are praying,” the Moscow leader said, “and we believe that God is doing something here!”
Birmingham, England
40 Days for Life is a Christian outreach. And the volunteers in Birmingham have been able to show Christ’s love to many who are non-Christian.
Isabel spoke to a Muslim couple, who had an appointment for an abortion. After a visit to a counseling office in London, they skipped the abortion appointment and are looking at other options.
They were very grateful to all who helped. “We have never come across anything like this before where people help each other for free,” they said. “Do all these Christians know we’re Muslim? Why would Christians help Muslims?”
“They still need lots of prayer,” Isabel said, “but they were truly amazed.”
Devotional for Day 39, April 12, 2014
Carmen Pate, Alliance Ministries
Intention: Pray that volunteers will replace exhaustion or discouragement with rejoicing over the miracles we have seen thus far, and enthusiastic service as God takes us on to victory!
Scripture: In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. — 1 Peter 1:6-7
Reflection: We have reason to rejoice when we consider the many babies whose lives have been saved during the 40 Days for Life campaign. Add to those lives, the women and men who have been spared from a devastating decision and now have opportunity to make a plan for their baby that is both life affirming and God honoring. Whether directly, or indirectly, you have contributed to these testimonies of praise with your sacrificial service. Perhaps you have been grieved by various trials during your commitment to 40 days.
The attacks of the enemy come in many forms -- difficulties in relationships, finances, health. Or maybe you are physically and mentally exhausted and have been marking off the days on your calendar, eagerly waiting for Day 40. Consider these trials in light of God’s plan for you. The Apostle Paul understood the big picture when he said in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” This is our Hope and our victory. Let us rejoice in the opportunity to give that Hope to others in our path.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we sing to You a new song, for You have done marvelous things. Forgive us when we allow circumstances to defeat us. You give power to the faint and You increase strength in those who have no might. We rest in You dear Lord, and ask You to empower us again for Your service as You work out Your plan for us and through us. May You receive glory through our vic- tory in Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.
As this 40 Days for Life campaign comes to the end, we are reminded that the injustice of abortion is not an isolated occurrence that has no impact on us. It not only impacts us ... but generations to come.
I want to thank you for all you’ve done these past 40 days to pray, fast and act to end abortion in 253 locations (including these volunteers in Canton, Ohio).
The children who were scheduled to be aborted this campaign — and are alive today — will be living witnesses in a culture that has forgotten that life is sacred. Here are a couple of stories that illustrate this point.
Alexandria, Virginia
A woman pulled into an empty parking lot near the 40 Days for Life vigil in Alexandria – and waited there for about 30 minutes. Finally, she got out of the car … and approached one of the vigil participants.
She said she knew exactly why people were there praying. When she was 21, she had a low-income job, had little money – and learned she was pregnant. The child’s father was supportive, however – and asked her to pray about it. He said it was they who had made a mistake – it certainly wasn’t the baby’s fault – and they could get through this.
The woman was shaking as she spoke. She then took out her phone and showed a picture of her daughter, who is now 21 years old herself. This was her only child – she was never able to have others. “She is so grateful and happy for having chosen life,” the vigil participant said.
“She works in the area and has been watching us during the campaign,” the volunteer said. “She wanted us to know that what we are doing there on the sidewalk really matters.”
Nashville, Tennessee
A woman drove up to the 40 Days for Life vigil in Nashville and rolled down her window. She noted that people had prayed outside this abortion center for quite some time, and that was a good thing.
At one point in her life, abortion seemed like the right thing to do. “I came here a couple of years ago,” she said, “and because of the people praying here … I now have him.”
“She turned to the back seat,” said one of the vigil participants, “where a little toddler was making sweet noises. I was so astonished. This joyful news was in such contrast to the gloom and ugliness that is the abortion center.”
Beyond that, this volunteer was pretty much speechless. “All I could do was thank her. The young woman had a beautiful smile; she was lovely and happy and full of appreciation for those of you who were here about two years ago. May the Lord Jesus be praised forever and ever!”
Devotional for Day 40, April 13, 2014
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life
Intention: Let us keep our eyes fixed on the New Jerusalem, where death will be no more.
Scripture: He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who as seated on the throne said “I am making everything new.” — Revelation 21:4-5
Reflection: Every activity we undertake in defense of the sanctity of life is prophetic, inasmuch as it points to the day when “death will be no more.” Every victory we have when an act of abortion is prevented is prophetic of that day when death itself will be definitively conquered. Every triumph of grace in this world, whereby someone is brought to see the value of life and given the strength to welcome it, is a breaking into our history of that definitive future in which the old order of things will have passed, and all things will be made new. As pro-life warriors, we must keep our eyes fixed on heaven, and our hearts secure in the hope that the day is coming when all evil will be conquered.
It is the future that shapes the present; it is victory that informs the battle; it is the destination that determines the journey. Daily, we are called to reflect on heaven. When we weep, we are to think of the day when every tear will be wiped away. When we face the destructive power of death, we are to think of the day when death is swallowed up in victory. When we labor against abortion, we are to think of the day when we will have the rest and peace of the final triumph of life. Heaven is as real as earth, and its joys will be as real as our present sorrows.
Prayer: Father, you are the God of hope. Your word fills us with the vision of the world to come, when every tear will be wiped away, and death will be no more. Father, how we need that hope, how we are strengthened by that vision! Keep our hearts focused on heaven, and diligent in the labors of earth. As we struggle against the culture of death, root our souls in the assurance of victory. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Another 40 Days for Life campaign is now complete, and we’re still counting the blessings God has provided!
More of our local campaign leaders will be sending in their reports soon … but so far, we are aware of …
... 547 babies whose lives have been spared from abortion during this campaign!
And as always, those are only the ones we know about. Here are some of those stories.
El Paso, Texas
“Exciting news from the sidewalk!” said one of the El Paso volunteers. “A woman rejects abortion! “
When the woman arrived with her sister, there was a group of people praying on the sidewalk. One of the counselors talked to them, and provided information about positive options.
They continued on their way inside the abortion center … but came out soon after. “With a smile on her face,” the volunteer said, “the woman said she had changed her mind.” She was thinking about abortion because she feared her husband’s response to the pregnancy. But after talking with the counselors, she no longer felt afraid.
“We believe the prayers of everyone united helped give this woman the courage she needed to say yes to life,” the El Paso volunteer said. “Praise the Lord!”
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
A couple parked near the abortion facility in Tuscaloosa – close to the location where 40 Days for Life volunteers were praying. As they walked towards the building, vigil participants offered them information, but they didn’t take it.
They weren’t inside for long before they exited ... and said they couldn’t go through with the abortion. The woman said she couldn’t do it “because of all the young girls inside.”
The two were visibly shaken by what they had seen inside the abortion center. This time, they took the information the volunteers had offered.
Pensacola, Florida
The Pensacola team asks for prayers for a woman who was abortion-minded … until the baby’s father convinced her not to go through with it.
The woman is still struggling, however. She has had a number of abortions in the past and feels she is incapable of mothering a child. She does, however, seem open to adoption … and there is a couple that stands ready and willing to adopt the baby.
“Please pray,” said one of the Pensacola volunteers, “that God will give them all the strength, love, mercy, and healing that they need to proceed with these adoption plans and provide a most beautiful future for this baby.”
Zagreb, Croatia
Lastly, a few words for this campaign in Croatian: 40 Dana Za ®ivot ... 40 Days for Life ... and they’re on a billboard above a row of buildings in Zagreb.
“They are an impressive group,” said Robert Colquhoun, our international outreach director, who visited Zagreb recently.
Dan Miller, the local 40 Days for Life director in Milwaukee, Wisconsin saw this photo and said, “this says awesome in any language!”
I think we can say that about all of the 40 Days for Life volunteers. You’re awesome! May God bless you richly!
Devotional for Day 41, April 14, 2014
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life
Intention: Pray that the witness of 40 Days for Life bears abundant fruit, and that we begin again each day to storm the gates of hell until God welcomes us into the gates of heaven.
Scripture: He will wipe every tear from their eyes. On this rock I will build my church; the gates of hell will not prevail against it. — Matthew 16:18
Reflection: When we read this verse, we usually think that the Lord is promising that the church, which is His Body, will withstand all the attacks launched against it. Of course, that is true. But when we think about it more carefully, we realize that in a battle, the gates do not run out into the battlefield to attack the enemy. Rather, they stand still to defend the city from the enemy attacking it. So when the Lord says that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church, who is doing the attacking? It is the church storming the gates! he church all of God’s people in Christ, is called to take the offensive, to run into enemy territory, and to gain ground for Jesus Christ. We do not wait for an invitation; we already have a command.
We prepare, but we do not wait for circumstances to be perfect; we already have one who has gone before us. During these 40 days, we have stormed the gates. We have taken the offensive. We have pushed forward the boundaries of the kingdom. And we must keep doing so, in numerous ways. Indeed, the gates of hell will not prevail. The gates of falsehood will flee in the presence of truth. The gates of sin will melt in the presence of grace. The gates of death will fall in the presence of the church, the People of Life!
Prayer: Father, we praise you. We have heard the voice of your Son, and therefore we can make our voices heard. We have done battle with the power of evil, and therefore we can have compassion on those still within its grip. We have been freed from the kingdom of darkness, and therefore we can bear witness to your Kingdom of Light. May the witness of all your people through these 40 Days for Life bear abundant fruit, and may we begin again each day to storm the gates of hell until You welcome us into the gates of heaven. We pray in the victorious name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Knowing what was at stake, our team took a risk and invested more time and money than ever before into completing this spring's highly successful 40 Days for Life — with eight closed abortion facilities since the previous campaign ...
... and I stand in awe of what you — and God — have achieved over these past six-and-a-half years:
• 625,000 participants ...
• 17,000 churches ...
• 3,039 local campaigns ...
• 539 cities ...
• 24 nations ...
• 8,973 lives saved ...
• 101 abortion workers quit ...
• 50 abortion centers closed ...
... and the life-saving momentum continues to build in many cities following the 40 days!
God has accomplished so much through 40 Days for Life — on a small budget — yet He continues to show us that He has even bigger plans that will require great faith.
So, with no idea about who might financially partner with us moving forward ...
... and with absolutely no guarantee of what the future will hold ...
... we've taken a huge leap of faith to dramatically expand this work by merging with the Coalition for Life, the internationally renowned local pro-life group that created 40 Days for Life as one of its many life-saving projects.
The abortion industry's legal arm described the efforts of the Coalition for Life as an "incubator for opposition tactics and site of new and aggressive strategies that, among other things, caused Planned Parenthood to have two complete turnovers of staff."
And Planned Parenthood verified the effectiveness of the Coalition for Life by labeling its home base as "the most anti-choice place in the nation."
Here's why we're taking this unprecedented step of joining forces at this critical time ...
... with our track record of replicating the 40 Days for Life campaign in hundreds of cities and towns around the globe — with staggering results — this unification will now enable us to repeat that process with additional proven programs and campaigns ... to save more lives, impact more souls, and help end abortion in your city.
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