40 Days for Life: Vision and Mission, February 13

Vision and mission

40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion.

The mission of the campaign is to bring together the body of Christ in a spirit of unity during a focused 40 day campaign of prayer, fasting, and peaceful activism, with the purpose of repentance, to seek God’s favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion.

The 40 Days for Life campaign

40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of a three-point program:

40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families. It puts into action a desire to cooperate with God in the carrying out of His plan for the end of abortion.

The 40-day campaign tracks Biblical history, where God used 40-day periods to transform individuals, communities ... and the entire world. From Noah in the flood to Moses on the mountain to the disciples after Christ's resurrection, it is clear that God sees the transformative value of His people accepting and meeting a 40-day challenge.

As hard as it may seem to believe, the number of
abortion centers open on Sunday is increasing. So ...
the need for prayer is increasing as well.

Even at locations that are closed on Sundays, God
is providing blessings for those who answer the call
to pray and fast for an end to abortion — and cover
these places with prayer on the Lord’s Day.

Here’s an example from one of those campaigns.

HANOVER, PENNSYLVANIA

“Sundays have typically been a hard day to fill on
the vigil calendar,” said Chris in Hanover.

As last weekend approached, there were prayer times
with no volunteers. So she sent out invitations by
email and posted information on Facebook. That helped
draw in a few volunteers, but there were still hours
where no one had signed up.

On Saturday, a local newspaper, the Evening Sun,
featured a story about the campaign. Chris hoped
that would draw more volunteers. But when she left
for church on Sunday morning, the midday and
afternoon hours were still not covered.

“At that point there wasn’t much more I could do, so
I just asked God to please touch someone’s heart to
come and be at the vigil during the missing hours,”
she said. “And God provides!”

When she got home, she learned that people had made
commitments to go out and pray. “So now on our first
Sunday of the campaign, with temperatures barely
reaching 29 degrees and wind factors making it feel
like 15 degrees, we finally had all our hours covered.”

At one point that afternoon, there were TEN people
praying in front of Planned Parenthood. And God didn’t
just provide volunteers; He provided testimonies about
choosing life.

A family participating in the vigil told of their
daughter’s pregnancy. Because of a physical condition,
there was concern that she could not survive the
delivery. Doctors encouraged abortion — advice that
the young woman soundly rejected.

“Today, 14 years later,” Chris said, “both mother
and daughter are well. Praise God!”

Later, a couple arrived at the vigil site. The woman
got out of the car, bringing hot chocolate and coffee
to the prayer volunteers. She also told her story.

Eight years ago, she had an abortion. “She said that
if people like us were standing out and showing their
care and concern then as we are now, she is sure she
would not have had the abortion,” Chris said. “But
she knows God has forgiven her, and she is now
blessed with three small children who were along in
the car with her husband.”

As the volunteers thanked them for stopping, the
woman’s husband assured them that “God is watching
over you.”

Chris was reminded of something her grandchildren
had learned at vacation bible school:

God is great ... all the time!
All the time ... God is great!

“And boy, does it express the feelings for this past
weekend!” she said. “God loves us, He provides for us,
He hears and answers us — all the time!”

Dennis DiMauro, Lutherans for Life

Intention:

We pray for the strength to love those

who do not love us.

Scripture:

But the Lord said “You have had pity on

the plant for which you have not labored,

nor made it grow, which came

up in the night and perished in the

night. And should I not pity Nineveh,

that great city, in which are more than

one hundred and twenty thousand persons

who cannot discern between their

right hand and their left, and much

livestock? Should I not be concerned

about that great city?”

—Jonah 4:10-11

Reflection:

God doesn’t value people and things

like we do. Jonah loved a shade tree

more than an entire city of sinful people.

We love our dogs more than a terrorist.

We love our cars more than a

beggar on the side of the road. And

sometimes, we love our money more

than a child growing in a desperate

teenager’s womb. But God isn’t like us.

Genesis 1 tells us that humans were the

capstone of God's creation.

We were created on the sixth day after

God had completed the land, the

stars, the plants and the animals.

Therefore, His love for us is greater

than His love for a plant, an animal, or

any other created thing.

And the book of Jonah tells us that He

loves even the most sinful people and

seeks to bring them into His merciful

arms. And it’s a love that seeks to touch

all of his created children: that desperate

teenager, the baby growing in her

womb, even tyrants and terrorists.

So it’s up to us to imitate God's merciful

love by helping and praying for those

who persecute us, and those who don’t

love us back.

Prayer:

Gracious God, loving our enemies

seems like one of most difficult things

you could ask of us.

Please remind us that this is how you

love and that if you ask it of us then

you will give us the grace to do it. This

we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

On Monday mornings during the campaign, we start the
week with the best news I can think of.

During this 40 Days for Life campaign, God is answering
prayers. So far, there have been ...

... 142 babies saved from abortion -- that we know of!

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TACOMA, WASHINGTON
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"Your prayers were answered as a young mother was
leaving Planned Parenthood," said John in Tacoma.
"She stopped in the driveway to talk with the sidewalk
counselor."

The young woman explained that she had decided not
to go through with the abortion. "Her boyfriend and
all parents were pressuring her to abort and she was
going to, but she explained that she had been in a
Christian school and knew that it was wrong so she
was changing her mind," John said.

He noted another day recently when Planned Parenthood
closed early -- and no one is sure why. "Two young
girls called across the parking lot to ask if we
knew why it was closed," he said.

"I noticed a white sheet of paper on the door and
asked them what it said. They replied that it just
said Planned Parenthood was closed." The prayer
volunteers gave the girls directions to a pro-life
pregnancy center.

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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
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A volunteer in Pittsburgh spent a good while talking
to a young girl and her boyfriend. "I gave her the
list of places to go for help and two other items.
Finally she hugged me and told me that she would
not have the abortion."

She and her boyfriend continued to hang around and
talk for quite a while. They left the area, but then
returned to eat lunch at a sandwich shop nearby.

"Each time she saw me she waved to me," the volunteer
said. "Please pray for her to keep her promise not to
abort. The guy was very quiet, but I could sense that
he was not really happy about how things turned out,
so he might try to pressure her."

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FOREVER GRATEFUL
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Here's a personal thank-you note a 40 Days for Life
team recently received:

"I wanted to thank you all for the 40 Days for Life.
My sister has been having a really hard time in her
life and then found out she was pregnant. She made a
hard decision that I was against -- to have an abortion.

"I tried everything to talk her out of it and she said
she felt like she didn't have any other options ... She
was scared about going through another pregnancy and
also raising another baby.

"She went to the clinic yesterday and when she pulled
up everyone was out there with signs and their own
children and it made her think about the decision she
had made to have an abortion and about the two little
girls she had at home.

"I just wanted to thank each and every one of you for
the time and effort you put in to saving lives and I
wanted to let you know you saved a life yesterday and
I am forever grateful."

Rev. John Ensor, Vice President, Heartbeat International

Intention:

Pray for the mothers going into pregnancy

help centers. The personal care,

the free ultrasound, the ongoing practical

help is designed to deliver them

from those who profit in shedding innocent

blood.

Scripture:

Come to me, all who labor and are

heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

—Matthew 11:28

Reflection:

“You have twins. That will be another

$350.” She did not speak English. But

she finally understood that they were

telling her to go get more money and

return for her abortion.

She had already given them her rent

money. But they were not about to

give her a two-for-one deal. They told

her to get dressed and return with

more cash.

A couple, who was praying outside,

comforted her. They brought her to

their local pregnancy help center.

The staff quickly saw that her personal

circumstances were so desperate, and

immediate, that they would need direct

and ongoing help from local Christians

and churches. They started making

calls.

Then they did the ultrasound. It

showed there was only one baby, not

two. This abandoned, immigrant, powerless

mother was being exploited. She

would do whatever she was told. Who

would know? Who would care?

God calls us to “Rescue the weak and

the needy; and deliver them from the

hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:4).

When you provide an alternative to

abortion you are not only rescuing innocent

babies, you are delivering

mothers from the wicked: those who

profit in the shedding of innocent

blood. Pray for those who rescue and

deliver daily at your local pregnancy

help center.

Prayer:

Father, hear our prayer!

Snatch desperate mothers from the

fire. Bring them out of our abortion

businesses and into our pregnancy

help centers. Deliver them from evil.

Use us to help them chose life and see

your hand of provision.

The U.S. Marines have traditionally put out the call
for “a few good men.” Good men in many cities are
responding to the call to pray and fast.

Many of the local 40 Days for Life vigils have active
and retired military men and women participating. We
even have a few retired colonels that lead local
campaigns. Their commitment to service and country is
inspiring. When you attend the vigil at one location
— you just may be joining the navy on the sidewalks!

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND

A woman in Annapolis left a note on the 40 Days for
Life blog describing her husband’s prayer time at
the vigil.

It was cold and rainy. When he got there he was alone.
But he was there to pray, so that’s what he did.

After a while, two young men walked up and asked if
he was praying. Yes, he said, so they asked if they
could join him. They did — with one of them even
kneeling on the sidewalk in the rain. A third young
man soon came to pray with the others.

The first prayer volunteer asked if the three were
from a nearby church that is heavily involved in
the campaign. No, they told him — they were all
from the U.S. Naval Academy.

“Those midshipmen are real men,” said the volunteer’s
wife. “What a contrast to the ‘men’ in so many of the
young women’s lives, who feel compelled to seek
abortion for lack of support.”

Stories like this, she said, and the many others we
share, are certainly “good news in a darkened world.”

AUSTIN, TEXAS

Heather in Austin shared some good news about the
40 Days for Life vigil there.

Two prayer volunteers watched as a young couple
entered the abortion center — and then left after
being inside for only about half an hour.

The woman seemed a bit reluctant to introduce herself,
but the man encouraged her to speak. She shared the
news that they had decided not to go through with the
abortion ... and then hugged one of the volunteers.

The couple walked back to their truck and kissed each
other. Prayer volunteers were in tears by this point.

The very next day, another couple walked out of the
abortion center — smiling! The young man told one of
the volunteers, “We have had a change of heart, and
we’re not going to go through with the procedure.”

To see a picture of the Austin 40 Days for Life vigil,
go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=4070

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA

It was cold and raining in Columbia, but that didn’t
keep eight people from standing in prayer at the
40 Days for Life vigil as the Planned Parenthood
abortion center opened for the day.

A while later, the prayer team noticed a young couple.
They had been waiting in their car for some time —
debating whether or not to go in.

One of the men who was praying walked over and gave
the young man information about pro-life pregnancy
resources ... and the couple drove off.

Later in the day, the young man returned, looking for
the guy he had talked to earlier — but that man had
completed his prayer time and gone home.

The couple asked the volunteers to deliver a message
to him — they’d made an appointment at the pro-life
pregnancy center and would not be having an abortion!

To see photos of the 40 Days for Life vigil in
Columbia, go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=4070

Carmen Pate, 40 Days for Life board of directors

Intention:

Pray that we will not become defeated

by the enemy’s attacks but rather call

on the name of the Lord who is on our

side and our help in time of trouble.

Scripture:

What if the Lord had not been on our

side when people attacked us? They

would have swallowed us alive in their

burning anger. Praise the Lord, who

did not let their teeth tear us apart! Our

help is from the Lord, who made heaven

and earth.

— Psalm 124:2,3,6,8

Reflection:

The enemy attacks in many ways, but

one of his favorites is to slander us

with hopes of tarnishing our reputation

and character, and ultimately to defeat

our good work for the Lord.

It is interesting to note however that it

is usually not the slander that causes

harm to our testimony, but our response

to the slander. Proverbs 24:10

says, “If you faint in the day of adversity

your strength is small.”

If we are applying God’s truths to our

lives moment by moment, we are not

swayed by the lies of the enemy and we

will be strong. Standing on the front

lines, armed with God’s truth, places

you in the battlefield for the mind.

As you are prepared to present words

of love, for the sake of the unborn and

for the distraught and confused women

and men who are entering the abortion

facilities, know that the enemy has

prepared his forces to attack your

mind.

Unkind words from a protester, or vicious

lies in the local paper about who

you are and what your mission is, can

indeed be hurtful.

But rather than give in to defeat, that is

the time to shine for the Lord, standing

firm, as you call on Him to defeat the

enemy.

Remember the words of Romans 8:31,

“If God is for us, who can be against

us?” Let’s stand strong for those who

need us most.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, help us to ignore the verbal

attacks of the enemy and instead turn

to You, our refuge and strength.

Help us to find shelter in the blessed

promises and provisions of Your Word.

Thank you that no enemy can defeat us,

and we praise You knowing that nothing

can separate us from Your love. In

the name of Jesus, we come to You,

amen.

There’s a theme that ties together today’s update -- God hears your prayer ... and He answers.

Here’s what I mean….

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EUGENE, OREGON
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“I want to spread some very awesome news!!!”

That’s the email I received from Lynda in Eugene – complete with all three exclamation marks. The Bours Health Center – the abortion facility where faithful volunteers have prayed during EIGHT 40 Days for Life campaigns – has shut its doors.

Vigil participants watched as signs, drapes and banners came down. Later that day, “we rejoiced, praising the Lord and hugging and high-fiving during our 40 Days for Life meeting,” Lynda said.

The center’s web site announces its closing – and refers any potential clients to a Planned Parenthood facility in town. So, the Eugene team is planning to move its prayer vigil – to Planned Parenthood!

“God bless!” Lynda said. “And share the good news!!!”

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PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLOSURES
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One year ago this Friday, our national director David Bereit and I boarded a plane for Iowa – where it was quite frigid.

We were on our way to Storm Lake, Iowa – where a former Planned Parenthood manager, who was forced out of her job after 17 years, had prayed long and hard before deciding to do the unthinkable ...

… she led a 40 Days for Life campaign outside her former workplace!

As a result of this prayerful campaign and her leadership, Planned Parenthood was forced to close that location on March 1, 2012. The closure was an embarrassment for Planned Parenthood, which tried its best to downplay the impact of this courageous former worker.

Their plan was to just send their clients to their center down the road in Spencer, Iowa.

Not quite a full year after closing the Storm Lake facility, Planned Parenthood just announced they are now closing that location in Spencer!

In fact, Planned Parenthood has just announced its intention to close six of its facilities – Spencer plus another location in Iowa, as well as four others in Wisconsin.

These are not locations where 40 Days for Life vigils have taken place, but it’s certainly good news. It’s a huge blessing … and proof – to me and many faithful volunteers – that prayer is effective.

There have been numerous 40 Days for Life campaigns in both of these states, and these closures show momentum is continuing to build – momentum directly related to this movement of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion.

The former worker in Storm Lake is Sue Thayer. She is now a leading voice against the controversial new procedure known as webcam abortions, where an abortionist in one location “examines” a client over the internet before pressing a button that dispenses the abortion pill for the woman in a distant facility.

Sue’s courage and this controversial new abortion technique both challenge us to do more.

Her journey shows what God has done and acts as an invitation to us. Sue’s invitation to trust God is featured in Chapter 37 of the 40 Days for Life book.

http://40daysforlife.com/book

Randolph Sly, National Pro-life Religious Council

Intention:

May the mystery of the Incarnation increase

our zeal for defending life.

Scripture:

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor

with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a

Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son

of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there

will be no end.”

— Luke 1:30-33

Reflection:

“God has assumed Humanity, joining it with Divinity, and kindled in men’s

hearts new love of me.” These words were written by a Roman poet in the

Fourth Century. He spent his life finding ways to express the greatest mystery

of the world: the incarnation, in which God became man.

The womb has been referred to as the “first home of the whole human race.”

It is the place where life begins, where our stories start. In the womb the great

men and women of history began their magnificent march through life. In the

womb Divinity met humanity, and God the Son was born into the world.

As one of the Fathers of the early church, St. Leo the Great, declared,

“Within her spotless womb Wisdom built itself a house and the Word became

flesh.”

Recently, I was at the hospital for the birth of my fourth grandchild. Looking

through the nursery window at the rows of newly born babies, I began to

think of the great stories that would be written about these tiny lives.

During his visitation with the Virgin Mary, the angel prophesied to Mary

about the life of her child. Here in this hospital, I pondered, what would he

say about each of these? Would they meet the one who also came from His

mother’s womb to redeem the world and kindle our hearts afresh for God? I

thanked God for each baby alive and prayed for each story yet to be written.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you have made the womb of each woman a very special place. Help us to hold fast to the sanctity of this first home of humanity, remembering the wonderful mystery, that God inhabited the womb of a young woman and came forth as the savior and deliverer of the world. We ask this in the Name of the one who came forth, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

When you peacefully pray outside an abortion center … your presence there matters.

When we pray at the 40 Days for Life vigil, we all yearn to be there when a baby is saved from abortion. Sometimes, we get to see it happen. On occasion, two babies are saved in one day. In one local campaign, though … THREE babies were saved recently on the same day!

It’s just a reminder that God can work through us … in what can, at times, feel like a hopeless effort.

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COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
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“We had never had three babies saved in one day!” said Rachael in Columbus. “Praise the Lord!”

The first took place when a woman pulled in right next to where one of the prayer volunteers was standing. It didn’t take long for her to show the woman that there were far better options for both her and her baby.

A bit later, a volunteer noticed a woman sitting alone in a red SUV. The woman explained she was waiting for her sister, who was in for an abortion. And she herself was a single mom – pregnant and considering abortion.

The volunteers prayed. The woman in the truck never went into the building – and her sister came out. She didn’t have the abortion.

Later, a man told prayer volunteers he was there with his ex-wife, who was pregnant with another man’s child. Abortion was a possibility – but he admitted that she might consider adoption.

The volunteers directed him to a local group that could help. So he went into the abortion center and came out with his ex-wife. No abortion!

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FORT WAYNE, INDIANA
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“Thursday is the only day they do abortions here in Fort Wayne,” said Evelyn, “but the customers come in for counseling on Mondays and Tuesdays as well, so we have worked hard to get an even larger presence on those days.”

The Fort Wayne team has a tent where people can gather to pray. Just recently, students from a local school arrived by bus to join the vigil.

“Despite the cold they bundled up and prayed at the site and their presence was a wonderful reminder of the youth that are stepping up to try and end this blight of our time,” Evelyn said.

The group has a display of crosses that represent the number of abortions for each day. “We have been told that some of the cars driving by who cannot stop often look to see how many crosses are out and say a prayer,” she said. “Thanks for all you do and keep up the good work!”

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TEMPE, ARIZONA
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Lisa in Tempe recalled the verse, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

“The last two days on the sidewalk have done exactly that,” she said. Two churches took full days at the vigil and three different ministries each took multiple hours.

“We have seen people reach out for information, ask questions and request prayers,” she said. “We praise and glorify God for sending these prayer warriors to be the light to those in darkness.”

Lisa is thankful for “all who felt the call to stand witness and … show the love and passion so many have for our unborn sisters, brothers and their parents. Continue to pray for all involved in the abortion industry.”

Dr. Jim Lamb, Executive Director, Lutherans for Life

Intention:

May the Lord of Light and Life unite us, shine in us and through us to make a difference in the darkness.

Scripture:

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as

children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and

true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful

works of darkness, but instead expose them.

— Ephesians 5:8-11

Reflection:

For centuries physicists debated the nature of light. Two theories surfaced. The “corpuscular theory” maintained that light consisted of particles emitted from a light source. This explained some properties of light, but not all. The “wave theory” stated that light emitted from its source as waves.

Again, this explained some properties of light but not all. So, the debate continued.

Did light consist of particles or waves?

In the early twentieth century, Albert Einstein answered the question—“Yes!” (Andyou thought Einstein was complicated!)

He showed that light consists of “particles,” little bundles of energy called “photons.” However, when all of these photons zip along together, they behave as a wave. Sometimes pro-life Christians can feel like a photon, a little particle of light, and we wonder if we can possibly make a difference in a world of darkness and death.

The Bible, however, never talks about a “child of light” only “children of light.” When Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world,” “You” is plural. When you and I shine in the darkness, others shine with us. We are pro-life “photons” that form a wave of light that can and does make a difference in the darkness.

We are compelled to do so. Jesus hung and suffered on the darkness of the cross and paid the bloody price for our sins. Now the light of His empty tomb shines upon us through His Spirit cleansing us and declaring us “children of light.”

But we are called to be more than “glow in the dark” children of light. We are to walk as children of light” and take no part in the “unfruitful works of darkness.” But it does not stop with passive restraint. We “photons” are called to action, to “expose” the works of darkness.

40 Days for Life epitomizes this. Our prayer, witness, and truth spoken in love seeks to expose the darkness of death and bring others into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ. When we stand and pray, we never stand alone. The Light of the World is here and He joins you with your fellow “lights of the world.” The wave of light He produces shatters the darkness. It changes and saves lives. Shine on fellow photons!

Prayer:

Shine Jesus, shine in us and through us into the darkness and upon those struggling in the darkness that they might be drawn to the Light of Life. Amen.

40 Days for Life vigils bring Christians together -- but they can also attract a few people who don't see the vigil as a positive thing. At times, those in opposition may want to "share the sidewalk.”

When this happens, though, it lends the opportunity for those who disagree with us to see what the peaceful vigil is really about.

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EVERETT, WASHINGTON
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The 40 Days for Life vigil in Everett had some visitors – a pro-abortion group called Seattle Clinic Defense came out to protest the peaceful prayer presence.

The prayer volunteers knew the demonstrators were coming, so they turned out in great number. “We had a very large crowd of people with lots of balloons and tons of prayer going on,” one of them said.

Another prayer volunteer asked a group of about eight of them “what exactly they were protesting, since abortion on demand has been a legal reality for forty years (longer than the majority of the ‘clinic defenders’ have been alive )? Why should our prayers bother them? In my spirit I knew the real reason,” he said. “It is the shame and guilt that they are protesting.”

“One lady was yelling at us … then I spoke with her and told her my abortion story,” said yet another vigil participant, who’d had an abortion at this facility a number of years ago. “She ended up taking one of our balloons and hugging me and crying and left with lots more information about better services.”

Overall, she said, “today was a day for miracles … if only we could get this many people to come out every day ... it would be the end of Planned Parenthood in Everett!”

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BUFFALO, NEW YORK
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“It was the first time participating in something like this,” a new prayer volunteer wrote to the 40 Days for Life coordinator in Buffalo. This volunteer’s entire family had “a very positive experience” at the vigil, and “we are planning to tell our friends about it.”

The volunteer noted that where sin abounds, God's grace abounds more, and that was very evident during the peaceful singing and prayer liturgy.

“Please keep up the great work in organizing these events,” the volunteer wrote. “Our prayers are with you and all those in the pro-life movement. Before we left on Saturday, our 13-year-old daughter asked if we could come again … praise God! God bless you for all you do for the unborn and their mothers.”

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PRAYER REQUEST UPDATE
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Thanks for your prayers and kind comments about Dr. Royal Benson, who I asked you to pray for last week. Dr. Benson passed away on Tuesday with his family praying at his side.

May God -- and the many babies he spoke up for during his 56 years on earth -- welcome him to his eternal reward.

Dr. Benson was an OB-GYN and served on the board of directors for the Coalition for Life in Bryan / College Station, Texas, where 40 Days for Life began. He was instrumental in helping to expand 40 Days for Life beyond his home community.

He was a dear friend to me, David Bereit, and our wives. We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for getting us more involved in the pro-life movement.

He leaves behind a wife and daughter and they appreciate all of your prayers and comments over the past week. A true pro-life hero and man of God, may Dr. Royal Benson rest in peace.

Fr. Terry Gensemer, National Director, Charismatic Episcopal Church for Life

Intention:

May we absorb the truth that God is paying attention to us, and to each human life, personally and individually.

Scripture:

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.

— Psalm 8:3-9

Reflection:

How often we ignore the phrase, “stop and smell the roses” and instead submit to the all too “urgent” task at hand.

Is this tendency what keeps us, at least in part, from acknowledging that God’s care for His sacred creation is paramount in His own mind?

The Psalmist speaks of God’s handiwork:

the heavens, the work of his “fingers,” and then points to God’s masterpiece – human life. He declares to us that God is mindful of us. God keeps His masterpiece in His thoughts.

God, the creator of the awe-inspiring heavens, is not distracted by the tasks before Him. He is not pulled away, as we might be, by thoughts of something “more important.” God is paying attention to and attending to His crowning glory, His masterpiece of creation, which cannot be duplicated or replaced, which surpasses the beauty of all other created things – the human being.

There is no way to adequately describe how God feels about us as human beings. There are no words to fully portray His love, compassion or desire to be in communion with us. Perhaps, the closest we can come, is to contemplate the thoughts of a mother as she gazes for the first time at her newborn child. God cares for Life. We, as His followers, should take time to consider the life He has created and called upon us to love and protect.

Prayer:

Lord, you are the creator of all things. Guide my thoughts to consider your creation in all of its majesty, beauty and holiness. Guide my heart especially to your creation of precious human life. Help me to comprehend how essential life is in your own heart. Teach me to appreciate, love and protect all human life through your son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today’s update almost sounds like a weather report. We have wind, blowing snow, freezing cold, hail and lightning – and finally, sunshine.

We pray that just as the sun will come, so will the end of abortion come. And we know it will!

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MONTREAL, QUEBEC
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“Artic temperatures, snow, wind, blowing snow have all challenged those having visited the vigil location,” said Brian in Montreal. “My heartfelt thanks goes to all who have braved these conditions, suffering numb toes and frozen finger tips.”

Each day has seen about 20 people praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil – more would be great, but Brian says “the weather dominated the proceedings.”

Still, there have been special prayer hours as part of the campaign. “Prayers were recited, meditations read, and hymns chanted,” he said, with extra thanks going to two members of an order of religious sisters who led the singing.

Prayer has continued after the end of the daily vigil – in church, where the warmth was no doubt welcome.

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McKINNEY, TEXAS
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“It was an amazing day!” said one of the 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers in McKinney.

“A guy came by around 2:30 and insisted that we have coffee and pastries, which he brought,” the vigil participant said. “He saw us out there and decided to come pray with us. He had no idea what 40 Days for Life was."

Not long after that, a woman with a camera came running up – insisting on taking a picture of the folks praying so she could send the photo to her daughter-in-law, who is considering having an abortion.

“She was quite distraught about it and we told her we will pray for her, which the four of us did right after she left,” the volunteer said. The woman said that finding the vigil was “a total God thing” -- that He had brought her there.

“Just when I was asking myself what difference are we making,” the prayer volunteer said, “God sends not one sign but two – how great is He? I am so inspired to press on and continue making a difference.”

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TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
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Fran in Tallahassee was glad to see some sunshine return to the Sunshine State – praying in the rain is one thing, but being outside in a thunderstorm is another matter altogether. She passed along a note from a prayer volunteer that shows a true servant’s heart.

“She gave me permission to share this,” Fran said. “God is so good!”

“I just wanted to thank you for organizing the 40 Days for Life in Tallahassee,” this vigil participant said.

“My husband and I prayed from 5-6 this evening. I am 40 weeks pregnant today – our due date – and it was especially wonderful to be able to pray with 40 Days for Life on this day,” she wrote. “Because of the hail and lightning, we had to pray from our car. I hope that’s OK! We’ll try to sign up for another time closer to Easter after the baby is here.”

Now THAT’S answering God’s call to pray! (And yes, if there’s hail and lightning, it’s OK to pray in your car.)

Carmen Pate, 40 Days for Life board of directors

Intention:

Pray that when those representing Planned Parenthood and other abortion groups see volunteers for 40 Days for Life, they see ambassadors of Christ, and may each volunteer be consciously aware at all times of Whom we represent.

Scripture:

I ... beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness, and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.

— Ephesians 4:1b-2

Reflection:

When Carol Everett, a former abortionist and post-abortive woman, was asked what turned her heart from death to life in Christ, she said, “It was unconditional love,” shown by a man who prayed daily for her in front of the abortion clinic where she worked.

He told Carol that “God had sent him” because there was someone in there that God wanted out. She left 27 days later and now serves as Christ’s ambassador to help others. We too have been sent by Christ as an ambassador to love unconditionally those God seeks to “get out” of their bondage and sin.

What a high calling it is -- much higher than any presidential appointment to another country. In his book, Fishers of Men, Dr. Sumner Wemp describes what it means to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings:

 God has chosen us (John 15:16)

 We are sent into a world that is not our home (1 Peter 2:11)

 Our walk must match our talk (1 Timothy 3:7)

 We must abide in Him for daily instruction (John 15:5)

 Know our purpose -- to seek and to save that which is lost (Luke 19:10)

 We are to reconcile others to God with His authority (Matthew 28:19-20)

 Do not let kindness and truth leave you (Proverbs 3:3-4)

 Our service is to be grounded and rooted in love (Ephesians 3:17)

Pray that we each will walk worthy of the calling with which we were called!

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we are humbled that you have called us and appointed us to be ambassadors of Christ in a world that is not our home. We pray that your Holy Spirit will empower us to walk worthy of the calling. We pray that Your unconditional love will flow through us to those who desperately need Your saving grace. In the name of Christ who is worthy, amen.

Just one item today – a report from Brad Taylor, the 40 Days for Life leader in Perth, on Australia’s west coast. Brad’s words show the challenges posed by abortion are worldwide; but so is Christ’s love and mercy.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA
It’s been an amazing start to this 40 Days for Life in Perth. Sometimes when we are on the very frontlines of the battle, we don’t hear all the encouraging news, or really comprehend the tremendous impact of our actions.

Many of us are aware of the strident opposition we have faced, not only to the conduct of the 40-day vigil at all (especially the first time), but in particular to the display of any sort of signage at the vigil site.
This is not surprising given how effective such signs are in conveying the truth about abortion and the alternatives available, and in dissuading women from making a choice they will later regret, at the last possible moment to do so. The signs we use are of course not gratuitous, but life affirming, offering real hope and free help to anyone who wants it.

The battle of the signs is one it seems we have to have - and win - every year, and this year has been no exception. Once again, senior police have stepped in to rule that we do in fact have the right to display life-affirming images and slogans outside a place of death.
The fact that this is so offensive to some in the community speaks much more to their values and agendas, than it does to any innate offensiveness contained in our G-rated images. How else could someone take offense at a sign offering free medical and financial assistance, crisis accommodation and other help to those members of our society who may be at that moment most in need?

Opposition comes in many forms. The opposition I personally hate the most is that passive, apathetic spirit that manifests itself so frequently in the Church in relation to critical issues such as abortion.
By contrast, copping some abuse yelled out the window of a passing car is a positive encouragement. I personally experienced no less than six such occurrences in one morning this week; the best one being a young man who stopped to berate me: “Why don’t you go and do something productive with your time instead of making young girls upset and stuff.”
I can’t say how encouraging this was for me, expletives and all, because this young man understood something that most of our fellow Christians have not: women are being hurt in that place, and it is our responsibility as fellow citizens to address the injustice. Sure, the young man hadn’t figured out the real nature of the injustice or the damage being done, but after allowing for that, his response was awesome. When the blinkers come off these men they will be powerful advocates for life.
As Jesus said in Revelation, I would rather you were hot or cold. It is a tremendous privilege to work with a team of prayer volunteers who truly are “hot” – moved by the things that move the heart of God, willing to put their own comfort and reputation at stake, and to take a stand in the public square. No matter the cost. It is a privilege to stand with you in prayer, and before the throne of God.
The fact is that your presence outside the abortion clinic, and your prayers, and your signs, are having a powerful effect. Pregnancy resource centres in the city are reporting significantly higher numbers of women accessing their services, and going on to choose life.
We don’t know their details; chances are as we stand outside the abortion centre through the heat of the day we are even unaware that anyone has even been affected; and yet lives are being saved through your commitment every day.

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Thanks to Brad Taylor for some great insights from Down Under!

Ernest Ohlhoff, Outreach Director, National Right to Life

Intention:

We pray for humility in our work for God’s Kingdom.

Scripture:

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

— Philippians 2:5-8

Reflection:

There is no limit to what we can accomplish when we don’t care who gets the credit. Jesus Christ’s life on earth exemplifies a total submission to the will of the Father. His humility, compassion, gentleness and thoughtfulness are reflected over and over again in the New Testament.

He was God incarnate, yet He chose to be born to a humble, working class home. How absurd it must have seemed to the rich and powerful that the Son of God, the Messiah, the one foretold by the prophets, the ‘King of the Jews’ was born and raised as a simple peasant. During His thirty-three years on earth, He sought no riches, claimed no secular power and gathered no possessions. His short time on earth changed more lives, softened more hearts, and gave hope to more people, than all the rich and powerful human ‘kings’ combined. And, at the end of His life on earth, by dying on the cross, He opened the door to eternal life for those who heed his words and follow in his footsteps.

Prayer:

O Lord, help us follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Let us humbly and diligently work to restore legal protection for the unborn, the disabled, the medically dependent and all innocent children of God whose lives are threatened. Let us remember the old adage that “He can never lead who has not first learned to obey.” And, Lord, grant us a peaceful heart as we labor in your name. Amen.

I just returned from a visit to the Memphis, Tennessee 40 Days for Life campaign and am getting ready for a trip to California, where there are currently 33 vigils -- the most of any US state!

40 Days for Life has spread to many places, as God took this effort from Texas to 481 cities. But there was one place I never imagined it would go -- the continent of Africa.

The first African campaign wrapped up in Uganda last November. This time, there are two on the continent -- Cape Town, South Africa and Abuja, Nigeria.

Don't miss these amazing details about the Nigerian campaign ... and some great pictures.

ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abortion is supposed to be illegal in Nigeria, but Marie Stopes – one of the world’s largest abortion businesses – has entered the country under the guise of “family planning” and has already made inroads in 9 of Nigeria’s 36 states.

“I can testify that abortion is common and practiced quite secretly. Several factors such as poverty and shame of being a single parent give rise to this,” said Kelechi Anyaghara, one of the people who brought 40 Days for Life to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Kelechi became aware of 40 Days for Life after seeing it action in Milton Keynes, England, where she was working as a volunteer for a British pro-life organization. She then joined with others to launch the Save the Unborn Babies Pro-Life Initiative in Nigeria, which just started in December. From that effort, the 40 Days for Life campaign began.

She was in England recently, where she talked about the group’s work – and met with 40 Days for Life’s national director, David Bereit, as well as 40 Days for Life leaders from across the UK.

“I noticed a few others were getting tissues out as Kelechi told us of her work in Nigeria, holding as many as four church talks per day to hundreds of people hungry to hear about abortion, purity and contraception,” said Andy Burton, who directs the Milton Keynes campaign. “Kelechi has many stories to tell of babies being saved and mothers helped.”

“Our group was invited by Dominion City Church in Abuja for two days pro-life training for their church members,” Kelechi said. They also visited Out Station – a rural area – for another training session.

The pharmacist there meets many young pregnant women in his job who come seeking abortion. The message of rejecting abortion and embracing abstinence is greatly needed, he told her.

“He linked us to a pregnant lady seeking abortion,” Kelechi said. “The coordinator in Nigeria said he is still trying to discourage her from abortion -- and by God's grace, this will be our fourth saved baby if we succeed.”

The educational effort will also be moving into schools in the area. They’ve received an invitation from one secondary school and are hoping to be approved for other visits.

After a series of four presentations at one church, she noted that "their positive response was very overwhelming, which shows that Nigerians love life.”

I am humbled by all of this … and grateful to God for all he has done – and all He continues to do.

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