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Today’s email:

Today, I’m speaking at events in Cincinnati and Dayton,
Ohio — tomorrow marks the halfway point of this
40 Days for Life campaign!

And that raises a question — have you been out to
pray yet? There’s still plenty of time! Here’s the
link to the list of locations. Click the one nearest
you and get involved:

http://40daysforlife.com/location

Here are some fresh reports from just a few of the
316 locations — including a great photo from the
campaign in Nashville!

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

While in Nashville to speak at the CareNet national
pregnancy center conference, David Bereit, 40 Days
for Life’s national director, visited the local
40 Days for Life campaign and brought along other
conference speakers, including former Planned
Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson and Rev.
Walter Hoye of the National Black Pro-Life Coalition.

Upon arriving, they joined an enthusiastic crowd of
more than 60 people, including the Survivors youth
pro-life team that was passing through Nashville on
their way back to California.

To see the photo from the gathering, go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3475

HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY

A prayer volunteer in Hackensack posted a note on the
40 Days for Life blog about her first time praying in
front of the abortion center.

“I didn’t get there early enough to see the customers
arriving, but I was there when they were exiting,”
she said. “Every woman was crying. Every one. I was
not prepared for that. And this is ‘women’s rights’?”

She had another profoundly sad realization as well.
“Every woman was brought in by a man. The parking lot
was full of men pacing, smoking or sitting in their
cars. For every abortion, there is a man — a father
— presiding over the death of his child.”

She recalled the TV shows of years ago, where nervous
fathers paced in hospital waiting rooms, reacting with
joy when the nurse came in to say, “It’s a girl!” or
“It’s a boy!”

“What a contrast to this scene,” she said, “where all
these men were waiting to hear one thing: ‘It’s over,’
which is followed by taking a weeping woman home.
God have mercy.”

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA

Jim in Cedar Rapids passed along some quick items
from people who prayed outside Planned Parenthood —
“three examples of the Holy Spirit at work,” as he
put it.

First, a man in a pickup truck stopped in the middle
of the street, despite the fact that the traffic light
had turned green. He rolled down the window to thank
the group for praying. “Because of you,” he said,
“I have a six-year-old son!”

Shortly after that, a man drove into the Planned
Parenthood parking lot, grumbling that instead of
praying, the volunteers should be working for the
local adoption agency.

“He was silenced as one of our members explained to
him that she had four adopted children,” Jim said.
“He left peacefully. It’s wonderful that we have so
many participants that have also adopted children
— often several children.”

Finally, a woman who’d had two abortions walked up
to the vigil participants — and led prayer. “The
prayer was beautiful and very heartfelt,” Jim said.
“She then received Father’s blessing and thanked us
for being brave enough to undergo the nasty
commentary from some passersby. In small ways, the
love we show by our presence at Planned Parenthood
is reaping a harvest!”

Day 20 - October 15

Intention:

May God's justice sober our society, and may mercy triumph over judgment.

Scripture:

Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.

- Genesis 9:5-6

Reflection:

The value of every human being can hardly be seen more clearly than with this verse. God, the King of the universe, has created all human beings in his image, and declares forthrightly that shedding the blood of any individual will require the blood of the one who shed it. God's concern for human beings is not limited to any particular group. Indeed, his concern is universal, and includes male and female, young and old, born and unborn, disabled and able-bodied, the citizens of every nation on earth.

Abortion, the deliberate killing of the unborn, is the shedding of innocent blood. Surely the blood of millions upon millions of innocent children cries out to God. It is true that we live in an age of grace, and yet this passage (among many other texts which express similar sentiments) should give every thinking Christian pause.

Christians of all people, entrusted with the Word of God as we are, must take a stand. We must speak out. We must do all that we can to protect the innocent, to pursue justice, and to encourage the repentance of all those who bear responsibility for this great evil. Only in this manner can we hope to forestall the judgment that must otherwise surely come.

This passage should also be seen as an encouragement to educate and disciple our children and grandchildren about what it means to be human, and the responsibility that will become theirs in this ongoing struggle.

Prayer:

O Father, forgive us for our lack of courage and our want of compassion for the unborn and for those lost and hurt by abortion. Fill us anew with your Spirit. Renew our minds, strengthen us in righteousness, help us be people of salt and light within our nation. May every human being, from conception to natural death, be treated with the respect due those made in your image. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Rev. John Brown
Director, United Friends for Life (United Church of Christ)