40 Days For Life: Reflections, readings and updates

Anygma · Sep 29, 2009

I will start posting the reflections, readings, updates and prayers from today but you can also find the previous days reflections and updates by following this link

Day 7: Not just moms and babies

September 29th, 2009 by

admin
I received a report from Houston that was both eye-opening and heartbreaking.
People participating in the 40 Days for Life vigil watched as a young man who appeared to be in tears walked into Planned Parenthood with his girlfriend and her mother.
When they left some time later, he was most certainly crying and obviously quite upset.
Ill let one of the prayer vigil participants pick up the story
I watched him head down the street, alternating between wiping the tears from his face and punching the buildings in anger and frustration as he passed them. Eventually he headed back toward the parking lot. As he approached, I went to him first. All I could think to say was that I was so very sorry for his loss. He began to cry again.
Then a truck pulled up leaving the parking lot with his girlfriend and her mother inside. The girls mother yelled at him to get in and cursed him as he opened the door. He had one foot inside, then stepped back out and closed the door. As she drove away he promptly sat down on the curb and cried like a baby. Three of us sat down beside him all men and cried with him.
Eventually, he began to talk. He was probably in his very early twenties. He told us that his girlfriend did not want to keep the child because she feared they would not be able to provide for him. He asked her how she could destroy a life based on a hunch. He told her this child had a heartbeat and a soul and deserved to live. He even tried to convince her to, at the very least, put the child up for adoption.
I was struck by the fact that this young man knew all this simply because his heart told him it was true. He was wise well beyond his years and he was hurting terribly.
I was struck by the clear reality that fathers have so little to do with whether their own children live or die. I also couldnt help but notice that despite the high volume of Planned Parenthood volunteers around, none of them approached him.
Before I left him, he stood up to hug me. All I could tell him was what I truly believed that today, his child knows that his/her father fought for it. That to his child, he is a hero and that someday he would know that also.

Please pray for this young man and others like him. The tragedy of abortion is real and happening every day. No one knows that better than he.
I sincerely hope this young man comes to embrace the exceptional advice he was given; but that will most certainly take time. I cannot even begin to imagine the anguish.
This is a first-person account of what abortion does to fathers. Who knows how many others have walked in his shoes, as there are more than a million abortions every year and more than 50 million since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that opened the floodgates to abortion on demand.
Lets pray even harder!
*****************************************************
EWTN NETWORK TO AIR 40 DAYS FOR LIFE SPECIAL TONIGHT!
*****************************************************
The second installment of the Being Human television series, hosted by 40 Days for Life campaign director Shawn Carney, airs on the EWTN network at 6:30 PM Eastern TODAY!
EWTN is on many cable and satellite systems, so please look for this outstanding account of 40 Days for Life, filmed by an Emmy-award-winning director.
* WHAT: Being Human: 40 Days for Life
* DATE: TONIGHT! Tuesday, September 29
* TIME: 6:30 PM Eastern (3:30 PM Pacific)
* WHERE: Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) available in most markets
Watch a short preview online at:
http://www.beinghumanshow.com
Dont have cable or dont get EWTN?
You can watch the 30-minute documentary online at the start time by visiting http://www.ewtn.com and then selecting Television > Live TV English from the navigation menu at the top of the page.
Spread the word to all your friends, co-workers, family members, and fellow believers about this exciting show!
And now heres todays devotional from Fr. Terry Gensemer, the National Director of the Charismatic Episcopal Church for Life

DAY 7 INTENTION

May we have a heart and a zeal to save the poor and release the oppressed.

SCRIPTURE

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.
Luke 4:18-19

REFLECTION by Fr. Terry Gensemer

This passage is a very familiar one. It has been preached on many occasions, even made popular in books and songs. Though the quote is about Jesus, all Christians take this commission seriously as a directive on how to reach the world with the gospel.
We, like our Savior, are to bring the good news to the poor, the broken hearted, those in captivity, those who cannot see, and the oppressed.
The commission given to us in this passage is clearly a charge to care for those for whom God cares the most. I wonder though, whom do we look for to be touched by the Holy Spirit as we go out into the world?
Who are the poor, if not those unborn children who have been abandoned by their parents before they ever leave the womb?
Who are the broken hearted, if not those unborn children whose only example of love is having their mother take them to an abortion clinic to be destroyed, or the mother of a child who has been deceived by everyone around her into believing that what she is doing is best for her and her child?
Who are the captives, if not those unborn children who are bound over to death by the choice of abortion?
Who is more blind than an unborn child in the darkness of a womb that has become a waiting room for their death?
And who is more oppressed than those unborn children whose oppression has been legitimized by their government, their church and even their family and loved ones?

PRAYER

Lord, You empower us with Your Spirit to do your will in the earth. Send us to the poorest, the most broken, the most captive, the most blind and the most oppressed in the world, the innocent pre-born children in their mothers wombs that are scheduled for destruction. Help us to bring them healing, liberty, sight and justice through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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At the end of the blog post, you can find the link to a printable .pdf link to the devotional of the day to share with friends

Anygma · Sep 29, 2009

Heres todays devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life

DAY 8 INTENTION

May the spirit and example of the Good Samaritan fill the hearts and minds of all our citizens.

SCRIPTURE

Jesus said: A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So, too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. Look after him, he said, and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.
Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, The one who had mercy on him. Jesus told him, Go and do likewise.
Luke 10:30-37

REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life

Here Jesus commands us to show mercy to the victims of the culture of violence and death.
But why did the priest and Levite fail to show mercy? Perhaps they feared that the robbers were hiding just around the next corner to attack them. They asked themselves, If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?
The Samaritan, however, reversed the question, and asked, If I dont stop to help this man, what will happen to him?
In working to save the unborn, lets not worry about what will happen to us if we act; lets worry about what will happen to the unborn if we dont.

PRAYER

Father, we are moved by the lesson of the Good Samaritan, who allowed compassion to influence him more than fear. Give us the same heart.
Grant that we may never count the cost of standing up and speaking out for the unborn. We pray through Christ our Lord, Amen.

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Please visit the blog post to read the update details as it has images and a video that i can't just copy here easily.

God bless you and thank you for praying

Anygma · Oct 1, 2009

Day 9: Thanks to all first-timers

October 1st, 2009 by admin
Ill have to admit it going out to stand and pray in front of an abortion facility is not exactly an appealing proposition.
It isnt easy, especially if its something youve never done before.
The first time I went to pray outside an abortion facility I was very worried about what could happen and who might see me there.
But please trust me; when you make the commitment, God will provide every ounce of grace that youll need to answer His call.
Weve gotten notes from people who had never taken part in 40 Days for Life until this past week.
Hopefully, these notes will encourage you to step out in faith if you have not yet signed up for a time to pray at the abortion center.
I did my first hour Friday night at 10 as part of my churchs adopted day. I could sense such evil, wrote one first-timer. It was powerful to pray there for the end to abortion and the conversion of the
doctor.
Another first-time participant writes, This issue has been close to my heart for a long time, but to be honest, participating in the vigil Friday has put this front and center in my heart now.
I wish there was a way I could bottle the experience and send a copy to each of you so you could experience it fully right from the comfort of your living room, but this is something youll simply need to experience for yourself, said Carol Marie of the 40 Days for Life campaign in the Reno/Tahoe area of Nevada and California.
I believe that when we go to the sidewalk and pray to end abortion we each are given a special grace so that we can better address the issue, she added.
Because we are each called to play our own particular role in this effort, that grace varies from person to person, and thus the experience also differs. How is God calling you to help? What role are you meant to play?
Pamela is another person who had never taken part in 40 Days for Life or even participated in any visible pro-life activities until this campaign. I have to tell you, she said, it was an eye opening and powerful experience.
She prayed that God would give her courage. I have to admit that I was scared, she said. The knowledge that I could potentially watch a woman walk into a facility carrying a baby and watch her come out without one brought me to tears.
Pamela arrived late and nervous. I felt an overwhelming need to pray; and there in the grass I wept and prayed for the men and women who entered the facility to work and receive services.
She prayed for everything she could possibly think of that God could offer these people to change their hearts and minds.
What I observed this morning was a demonstration of grace and truth, she said. If anyone feels the same hesitation and uncertainty I did, please consider coming to the event with another group or a group of friends. I am certain you will be blessed and awakened by the experience.
Brian Westbrook of the St. Louis 40 Days for Life campaign said if people like Pamela can find the courage to stand for Life on the sidewalk, then so can you. We will not end abortion by sitting at home, he said, but we must proclaim the truth from our roof tops and on the street corners.
Ready to give it a try? Visit the list of all 212 communities participating in this 40 Days for Life:
40 Days for Life
Then, if you possibly can, go out and pray at the vigil closest to you!
Heres todays devotional from Day Gardner, President of the National Black Pro-life Union

DAY 9 INTENTION

May we grow in joy, knowing we serve a living God.

SCRIPTURE

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

REFLECTION by Day Gardner

The Word of God came to us in human form in Jesus Christ. Every time I contemplate this fact I get chills! And I think it is something that we, as Christians, tend to gloss over. I can only imagine how the first disciples felt when they were looking into the eyes of the one and only Almighty God who created them.
The first disciples developed a close relationship with Him as they daily walked and talked with Him. They ate with Him, prayed with Him and rested when He rested. As they listened to the Word of God, who was and is Jesus.they believed and beheld His glory.
Today, this is something we can still do because we serve a living God. Remember, Jesus died on the cross but rose from the dead in victory! Jesus is every bit as real and alive for all of us as He was to the first disciples. He wants us to develop a close relationship with Him in the very same way. Jesus wants us to know Him personally. He wants us to walk with Him and talk with Him on a daily basis.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your love and saving grace in Christ Jesus. Help us to realize every day the great blessing we have in our Savior.
I pray that we will rise every morning with excitement and zeal, looking forward to walking another day in your footsteps fully knowing that you continue to dwell among us. Amen.

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Day 9: Thanks to all first-timers | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 2, 2009

Day 10: Defending the truth

October 2nd, 2009 by admin
Yesterday I visited the Toledo, Ohio 40 Days for Life campaign and in a few hours Ill be jumping on an airplane to Jacksonville, Florida, where Ill be joining the 40 Days for Life volunteers on the streets as part of their vigil.
It always amazes me to see so many people speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
While running across the country visiting 40 Days for Life locations, I have to admit that I keep thinking about the banner at the Planned Parenthood abortion center in St. Louis that I told you about earlier this week the one that says defend the truth.
I keep waiting for the day when everyone knows the truth and theres no one left to defend what goes on at Planned Parenthood and hundreds of other abortion centers in North America and throughout the world.
The good news is that more people are learning the truth thanks to you!
In Riverside, California, people who were praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil watched as a young woman entered the Planned Parenthood abortion center. A couple of hours later, she came out. A pastor who was praying with the group met her and asked if she needed anything.
She told him she had come for an abortion, but changed her mind. The Planned Parenthood staff told her they would give her a shot that would stop her babys heart. She said, WHAT?
The young woman knew right away she could not go through with the abortion, so she got up and left. In her heart, she knew the truth.
In Kalispell, Montana, one of the vigil participants had a chance to talk with a man whose company provided contract services for All Families Healthcare. It was news to this man that All Families Healthcare was in the abortion business. He said he would have never signed a contract with the clinic if he had known the truth.
He thanked the people praying for taking part in 40 Days for Life and assured them that he would not be renewing his contract with the clinic.
The reality of abortion in most communities is that many people are simply unaware that its going on in their city. Abortion is somebody elses problem or a political issue, perhaps. It doesnt seem real.
People seem to act like its something that involves people you dont know and places youve never been. But of course, that isnt the truth.
Thats one of the reasons why community outreach is a key component of 40 Days for Life.
In Halifax, Nova Scotia, the 40 Days for Life team went door-to-door to let people in their city know about the campaign and to ask them to pray.
Most people are a little surprised at such a request, said Julie. And most are polite probably thinking that if they are nice, we will leave quickly.
The volunteers offer a fact sheet about 40 Days for Life that also includes information about abortion that people generally do not know.
This went much better than I anticipated, she said. No one I met had even heard of the vigil or noticed it, so this really is a way to raise community awareness of the prayer vigil and to bring the neglected issue of abortion before the public.
The truth will ALWAYS triumph over the big lie of abortion. So lets spread more of the truth!
Heres todays devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life

DAY 10 INTENTION

Let us affirm the unborn by our language.

SCRIPTURE

Anyone who says to his brother, Raca, is answerable to the Sanhedrin; anyone who says, You fool! will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Matthew 5:22

REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life

Before the schoolyard bully beats up his victim, he calls him names. This is a way to dehumanize the victim, and therefore make it easier to justify attacking him.
In this verse from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that using dehumanizing language is sinful. Raca was an Aramaic term of contempt. The respect and love we are called to have for other human lives is not limited to action alone; it also has to manifest itself in language.
Professor William Brennan, in his book Dehumanizing the Vulnerable: When Word Games Take Lives, traces the dehumanizing language used to oppress various groups of people in history, such as our African-American brothers and sisters, or our Jewish brothers and sisters in the Holocaust.
He then shows that the same kind of dehumanizing language is used against the unborn, who have been called parasites, tissue, and medical waste, among other things.
What are we to do instead? We are to affirm one another, including the unborn, with ennobling language that inspires respect and love. The unborn are precious children, they are our brothers and sisters, they are the image of God. Let us multiply the language of affirmation, as we hasten to the day of their protection!

PRAYER

Lord, we ask your forgiveness for any times our words have dehumanized our brothers and sisters.
We also ask you to send your grace to those who speak and write in degrading terms about the children in the womb. Convert those who do not see the dignity of these children. Loosen the tongues of those who do not know how to acknowledge the humanity and sacredness of these tiny lives.
Keep us all aware of the power of language, and help us to use it rightly in the cause of life and justice. We pray through Christ our Lord, Amen.

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Day 10: Defending the truth | 40 Days for Life

So far there are 102 babies saved :clap:

lets keep praying strong :crossrc:

Anygma · Oct 2, 2009

Day 11: Ambassadors of Christ

October 2nd, 2009 by admin
Todays devotional speaks of being ambassadors of Christ. Thats exactly what each of us is called to do during this 40 Days for Life campaign and I am so gratified to see how many of you are taking this call to heart.
But it isnt always easy.
More than in any previous campaign, there is strong opposition to what you are and others are doing on the sidewalks of 212 cities. And in a couple of minutes, Im going to ask you to watch a 38-second video that shows the challenge and the proper response to that challenge that demonstrates to the whole world exactly what sets 40 Days for Life apart.
Carol Marie in Reno, Nevada reports that 40 Days for Life vigil participants often have to deal with tirades, nasty comments and empty threats from the abortionist, who clearly wishes the prayer presence outside his offices would go away.
The people praying at the vigil do not respond; they just keep praying. I am happy to learn that we continue to demonstrate that we are there to share the love of Christ with those who come to the abortion site, Carol Marie said, regardless of their reason for being there, regardless of the role they are playing in this tragedy.
Paul in Lake Jackson, Texas said 40 Days for Life vigil participants there had a most challenging time recently. We were visited by an angry protester that spent 45 minutes shouting at us and trying to argue with us right in front of our vigil space, he said. By the grace of God, we were cool headed and tried not to engage her in any conversation but she was very persistent.
It got to the point where one of the vigil participants had to call the police. The officer that spent some time with the woman and told us afterward she wouldnt be back, Paul said. Even the mayor came later to offer his support. Through it all we kept praying.
Clair in Kalamazoo, Michigan notes that a water bottle and a nearly-empty drink can were thrown at 40 Days for Life vigil participants from passing vehicles. Thankfully, no one was hurt. The individuals who threw these items would like it very much if we stopped coming out, she said. But Kalamazoo is committed to press on with their 40 Days for Life campaign.
The group did file a police report, and the officers promised to help. They have told us there will be more patrols going past the Planed Parenthood facility, said Clair.
A slight increase in the incidents of taunting and heckling have been reported, as pro-choice bloggers are furiously attempting to rally abortion advocates to go out to abortion centers and demonstrate against the 40 Days for Life prayer vigils.
The 38-second video Id like you to watch is one that I discovered on YouTube. It was recorded outside Dr. Emilys Womens Health Center in The Bronx, New York one of the countrys busiest abortion facilities, that ends the lives of thousands of children yearly.
Youll see a small 40 Days for Life group, including several Catholic nuns, standing in a circle praying peacefully and quietly. You wont see the abortion demonstrators, but youll certainly hear them as they angrily chant slogans in an attempt to drown out the vigil participants prayers.

YouTube - 40 Days For Life Rosary Amidst Loud Pro-Choice Protests

This, in a 38-second nutshell, is what 40 Days for Life is all about. We stand up for those who have no voice, in a world that doesnt want to listen, where people yell in an effort to drown out the truth.
But never forget Jesus told us to expect this: Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12).
40 Days for Life gives us the opportunity to live that out in a unique way. And, to be honest, if we arent being persecuted for our faith at times are we really living out the fullness of the gospel?
Thank you for being prayerful and peaceful and for living the gospel.
Heres todays devotional from Carmen Pate, co-host of the Point of View talk radio show

DAY 11 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 we represent Him.

SCRIPTURE

Ibeseech 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 4:1-2

REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, Point of View

When a former abortionist and post-abortive woman, Carol Everett, was asked what turned her heart from death to life in Christ, she replied, It was unconditional love shown by a man who prayed daily for her in front of the facility 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 Christs 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.
In his book, Fishers of Men, Dr. Sumner Wemp describes what it means to be an ambassador of 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)
* 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. It is a calling much higher and grander than our finite minds can imagine.
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 onto those who desperately need Your saving grace. In the name of Christ who is worthy, Amen.

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Day 11: Ambassadors of Christ | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 3, 2009

Day 12: Praying in the rain

October 3rd, 2009 by admin
It wouldnt be 40 Days for Life without reports of wet weather. But a bit of rain hasnt discouraged people from coming out to pray. In fact, not even a LOT of rain has dampened the desire to go to the sidewalks outside abortion centers to ask for Gods grace and mercy.
It was before 6 in the morning well before sunrise when people gathered to pray at a 40 Days for Life prayer vigil outside a Nashville abortion center. And it was pouring.
Advocates braved torrential rains and a dark night sky to speak for the helpless and vulnerable, said Jane. Of special encouragement was the enormous courage of a pregnant mom who refused to be forced into an abortion she did not want.
Clearly the sight of people praying in the rain helped inspire her courage. Heres what the people approaching that clinic saw on a stormy day in Nashville:

The rain also didnt stop a group of sixth and eight graders from St. Michael School from praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Dallas.
As the children prayed, a woman arrived for an abortion appointment. Counselors met her and learned she was 12 weeks pregnant. The counselor, Joanne, asked one of the other volunteers to bring a fetal model of a 12-week baby to show the young woman.
Milissa brought the model along with her 8-month old baby. Joanne told the woman, The only difference between your baby and Milissas baby is time.
The woman who had arrived for an abortion began to cry. She had seen the truth.
The volunteers walked with her to the pro-life pregnancy center across the street. And the school children kept praying in the rain:

Its also been rainy in Denmark, where Susanne Westh Larsen is coordinating that countrys first 40 Days for Life campaign outside a hospital where abortions are performed.
Susanne reports strong wind, some rain and dark skies over the hospital. Sometimes I have had to hold very strongly onto the signboard so not to have it fly away from me. It illustrates the anger that is obviously directed against the campaign both on inner and outer planes.
Newspaper articles about 40 Days for Life in Denmark are not too positive, and many of the comments are outright hostile. But there have been positive reactions also, Susanne added.
Susanne has put up 40 Days for Life posters and a cross-shaped display of photos of unborn babies that her husband put together:

The poster says Let me live! Below the image of an unborn child, theres scripture: Harden not your hearts.
A 4-year-old boy took great interest, so Susanne asked his mother if the child could have a copy of the picture. His mom agreed. Six teenagers also took the pictures. It certainly makes my day when small children and teenagers see and recognize and love these little unborn babies, Susanne said.
If youve followed any 40 Days for Life campaign before, you may expect this report about rainy weather to end with a rainbow. It does!

Prior to their kickoff event, Amy in St. Petersburg, Florida said it rained for two hours. I was receiving phone calls inquiring if the prayer vigil would be canceled! Right on schedule, the rain stopped. As the people began to arrive, Amy said, we were blessed with a beautiful sign from God!
Yes, the rainbow is a sign; but so are Gods people, who faithfully answer His call.
Heres todays devotional from Kevin Burke, executive director of Rachels Vineyard Ministries

DAY 12 INTENTION

May the King of the Universe, who entered this world as a helpless infant, give us the humility to be healed.

SCRIPTURE

My power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9

REFLECTION by Kevin Burke, Rachels Vineyard

The great mystery of the Humility of God is very near and dear to the mission of those serving in pro life and in a special way, post abortion ministries across this nation.
For those wounded by their participation in abortion, the door to healing often feels like crossing an abyss of great fear: fear of judgment, fear of being torn apart by the pain, by self hatred and rage at those who hurt and abandoned you, and manipulated you in your time of temptation.
For men in particular, entering the unknown waters of emotional vulnerability, so necessary to healing calls for a different kind of courage that feels deceptively like weakness.
The door to healing is humility. It is born in the inability to no longer control the pain, to live with the consequences of that tragic decision to reject life. The hearts cries out, I have committed a grave offense against my Creator and I am consumed by regret, grief and sorrow!
During these forty days let us pray for all who have participated in abortion and with love call them to healing and reconciliation. With healing these women and men can become as John Paul II proclaimed in the Gospel of Life, the most eloquent defenders of everyones right to life.
Jesus proclaimed, I am the Vine, you are the branches (John 15:5). To bear the greatest fruit, the branches must be pruned. Each level of pruning of the vine requires a deeper level of humility so that we can abandon ourselves to His will.
This is not a lofty theological concept as much as it is an earthy experience of pulling weeds, tilling rocky soil, pruning and healing the vines. If a man wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross, and begin to follow in my footsteps (Matthew 16:24).

PRAYER

Lord, during these forty days, we ask that with each day of this sacred vigil, everything in us that separates us from your perfect will would be pruned from our hearts and souls.
In this blessed freedom may we experience a powerful anointing of your Holy Spirit. Filled with confidence and trust may we proclaim with the mother of Jesus, Let it be done to me, according to your Word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Day 12: Praying in the rain | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 4, 2009

Day 13: 123 babies saved so far!

October 4th, 2009 by admin
Judging from the hundreds of e-mail messages I get daily, you like to hear stories about babies saved from abortion, and you like to see pictures of 40 Days for Life in action. So, today I bring you both!
Kristina and Michele in Syracuse, New York were praying in front of Planned Parenthood when two young women stopped to talk. One of the young women said she was pregnant and going to Planned Parenthood for an abortion.
Instead, she was encouraged to visit a pro-life pregnancy resource center where she was offered a free ultrasound. Long story short, said Kristina, the girl decided against having the abortion. Praise the Lord!
To all those who are there with us in spirit and praying at home, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Michele added. It is because of your prayers and Gods love and mercy that this young womans baby was saved.
Heres a look at some of the 40 Days for Life participants in Syracuse:

Sandy in Toms River, New Jersey reported that a young couple drove into the abortion center parking lot. The woman got out and walked towards the clinic; the man stayed in the car.
A counselor asked if the young woman needed any help. She told the counselor she was pregnant and couldnt take care of another baby because she already had a young child. The woman went back to the car, looked at the pro-life literature she was given, and then entered the building.
An hour later, she left the clinic and went back to the sidewalk to tell the counselor she had decided to keep the baby.
I am convinced that all the prayers and sacrifices being offered to God since the start of the campaign had a part in this miracle, Sandy said. In a spectacular display of religious unity in our belief in the sanctity of life, a group of women from the Pentecostal Church of Grace and Peace prayed at the front of the clinic while a group of Catholic women prayed by the entrance. This is what 40 Days for Life is all about!
Here are some of the faithful people taking part in 40 Days for Life in Toms River:

Melissa in Charlotte, North Carolina found out firsthand that because of its widespread availability, abortion can even tempt people of faith. At the 40 Days for Life vigil, she met a woman who was at the clinic to schedule an abortion.
She broke down crying and revealed that she was a Christian, who had fallen into sin, Melissa said. The childs father, a married leader in her church, was pressuring her to have an abortion. She knew it was wrong, but she didnt know what to do. She had spoken to her pastor, but had not received any definitive counsel.
Still, it was obvious the woman knew the truth; her car had a let God have his way sticker and the bible was sitting on the passenger seat. We hugged her and listened to her as she poured her heart out and wept on our shoulder. After baring her soul, Melissa said, she chose life!
Melissa asks for your prayers for this woman. She has a very difficult road ahead and she is obviously going to be ostracized by those closest to her for making the decision to carry this child to term.
Heres a picture of the 40 Days for Life team in Charlotte, standing alongside a mobile ultrasound unit:

Those are just a FEW of the stories of at least 123 lives saved so far by your prayers and participation in this 40 Days for Life.
I cant wait to share even more stories and pictures with you in the coming days!
Heres todays devotional from Randolph Sly of the National Pro-life Religious Council

DAY 13 INTENTION

For all fathers who are terrified of being fathers.

SCRIPTURE

A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.
Psalm 68:5

REFLECTION by Randolph Sly

I had a friend many years ago who confided in me that he was terrified of being a father. He and his wife already had two children when this revelation came forth. I never knew my father, he explained, and I have no idea what a father is supposed to do.
We continued to share about this, as well as pray together. He began to see he had a fathers heart for his children. His biggest problem was not a limitation on love but not knowing how to act out this love.
One day we talked about the verse quoted at the top of this page. I shared that he did know his Father not his biological father but his Heavenly Father, who had rescued him from a life of destruction not many years before.
How did your Heavenly Father guide you? I asked. He talked about the ways he had seen Gods love offered to him and the way the Lord had used circumstances and the Scriptures to mold him and mature him. Well, the Lord wants to do the same thing through you for your children. Be available to His love and available to your kids. Youll do fine.
How wonderful it is to know that God takes a personal interest in each of us, many times using His faithful people the Church as channels of this love. No one is fatherless who lives in the Lord. His fatherly care begins at the moment of our conception, as it is written, you knit me together in my mothers womb (Psalm 139:12), and continues to be poured upon us throughout our lives.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we thank you for caring about each of us so deeply. Help us to see and know you as our Father in heaven each and every day of our lives.
Your loving hand also rests on every child today carried in its mothers womb. May they be born into this world and come to know fully and personally your endless love. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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Day 13: 123 babies saved so far! | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 6, 2009

DAY 14: The tide is turning

October 6th, 2009 by admin
The headline on the brand new Pew Research Center report reads: Support for abortion slips.
Interesting finding especially DURING a 40 Days for Life campaign!
Specifically, the Pew survey revealed that support for legal abortion plummeted from 54% in 2007 to only 47% in 2009.
Then the study reports: No single reason for the shift in opinions is apparent
With tens of thousands of faithful people praying and fasting together for an end to abortion, I can think of one possible reason!
Whatever the cause, we praise God for this shift and for all of you who have been praying and fasting for an end to abortion.
Ive noticed that the YouTube video of 40 Days for Life vigil participants in New York City being heckled by abortion advocates has spread far and wide through blogs and e-mail. If you havent seen it yet, its definitely worth a look:

YouTube - 40 Days For Life Rosary Amidst Loud Pro-Choice Protests

Such counter-demonstrations seem to be more heavily concentrated in larger cities. And even there, the opposition effort isnt quite what the abortion advocates might have you believe.
A pro-choice blogger in New York City urged more like-minded people to stand up and fight back against 40 Days for Life. So how do they counter 40 Days for Lifes all-day, 40-day prayer effort? By inviting people to show up for a mere four hours on Saturday.
Jim in Los Angeles said people praying at an abortion center there had a similar welcoming committee. But the prayer continued through all the noise.
Under such conditions, the sound and feel of taunting and intimidation were ever in the air, Jim said, but I so experienced the peace of God, which he freely gave. For all the hate and insults we endured today, there was a victory from the Lord.
The victory? A baby was saved from abortion!
Heres a story that hits close to home for me
This past weekend, abortion supporters targeted the 40 Days for Life vigil in Manassas, Virginia not far from Washington, D.C.
On Saturday the morning my home church was signed up to cover the vigil the abortion advocates got a permit to conduct a demonstration against 40 Days for Life at the place the vigil usually takes place.
But when the day came, there were 197 pro-life people praying at the clinic and only THREE abortion demonstrators. Demoralized, they didnt stay long.
Here are just a few of the people who came to stand up for life:

And heres the rest of the story
While all those people were out there praying, a woman walked towards the clinic for an abortion appointment. After people on the sidewalk spoke to her, she entered the nearby pro-life pregnancy center instead.
The lady who was about to have the abortion told the counselor she started to shiver when she saw so many people praying, said Ken Groves of the Manassas
40 Days for Life campaign. At that moment she said she felt God wanted her to have her baby. A precious baby was saved! It was an amazing Saturday in Manassas.
In New Jersey, a newspaper report on the 40 Days for Life vigil in Woodbridge contained a shocking revelation showing that the abortion industry even knows theyre losing.
The manager of the clinic where the vigil is in progress told a reporter that the sight of people praying outside makes an impact on women arriving for abortions. To a lot of patients, it changed their mind right away and they never come back, she said. It happens a lot.
People KNOW abortion is wrong; we just need to get them to think about it.
And thats exactly the thing 40 Days for Life prayerfully, peacefully insists that people do.
Heres todays devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone, the National Director of Priests for Life

DAY 14 INTENTION

Abortion is the great no. May all of Gods people have the freedom and grace to say yes to His marvelous plans.

SCRIPTURE

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mothers womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed and in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
Psalm 139:13-16

REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life

Unlike the rest of creation, we are capable of a personal relationship with God. Not only did God create us, but created us according to a plan devised from all eternity. No matter how far back we go in our imagination, there was never a time when God did not know each of us, in every detail of our being.
There was not a particular time when God decided to make us. The decision to make us has been in the mind of God from all eternity. All our days were written in His book.
To dare to say that a human being, developing in the womb, should not be born is as wrong as to say that a born person should not continue to grow and live. In each case, an attack on human life is an attack on the God who formed and made us. Jesus Christ is the great yes to the promises of God; abortion is the great no.

PRAYER

Lord, I pray today for every unborn child. The beauty of the bodies and souls of these children flows from your hands and your eternal plan.
Awaken in every human conscience a profound reverence for human life, and grant us grace to defend our smallest and most defenseless brothers and sisters, those still being formed in the secret places of their mothers womb. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

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DAY 14: The tide is turning | 40 Days for Life
141 babies saved to date :clap:

Anygma · Oct 7, 2009

Day 15: Overcoming the darkness

October 6th, 2009 by admin
Most 40 Days for Life prayer vigils are conducted outside abortion facilities that are either in stand-alone buildings or in medical office parks. There are, of course, some exceptions.
One of those exceptions is in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where abortions are performed in a hospital. So its hard to know who among the many hundreds of women entering the hospital are there for an abortion, and good news about lives changed through prayer is hard to come by.
Still, local coordinator Julie Culshaw has always been convinced that prayer works. Vigil participants were asked to pray for specific people in the hospital, including a woman who worked part-time as a counselor in the abortion unit. Julie just learned that this woman has given up that position and has asked for a transfer to another ward.
She said she felt such darkness when she had to work in the Pregnancy Termination Unit, as it is called, Julie said. Praise God; this is an answer to prayer!
At another 40 Days for Life vigil location this one will have to remain anonymous, for reasons you will see a local business had been helping the campaign. The business owners serve as agents for a prominent national company.
Abortion advocates have continually harassed the local agents and pressured the national corporation to mandate that they disassociate from our 40 Days for Life campaign, said the local 40 Days for Life coordinator. I cannot in good conscience ask them to place their livelihood as risk.
Its really too bad. 40 Days for Life had been good for this companys business. Still, the local campaign coordinator is optimistic. My heart rejoices that we were honored with this level of persecution and the opportunity to persevere and witness to Gods truth and pray for His glory to be revealed in the strength and sustenance He provides for us to continue onward.
Sometimes, the truth is revealed in other ways.
It isnt often that anyone from Planned Parenthood agrees to publicly debate abortion; but in Lubbock, Texas, a Planned Parenthood representative agreed to take part in a discussion organized by a group of pro-life medical students at Texas Tech.
But once a notice of the event was published in the newspaper, the Planned Parenthood spokesperson backed out, reportedly saying he would be unable to participate in anything related to 40 Days for Life.
The question is, asked Dan in Lubbock, if abortion is such a good thing, in their view, why isnt it robustly defensible 24/7?
The answer is simple: They cannot argue the facts. There is no defense for abortion
And thats something even children understand.
It was a dark, rainy day in Richmond, Virginia. Becca was headed to the
abortion facility to pray at the 40 Days for Life vigil with her 3-year-old daughter, Anna. As we drove to the clinic, she said, I explained to her why we were going, what we would be doing there, and who we would be praying for.
While they were standing in the rain, Becca took Annas picture. Its the only time Becca can ever recall that Anna didnt smile for a picture.

Anna is only 3 years old, but she understands. Please continue to pray that all may see, with a childs eyes, the darkness that must be overcome.
Heres todays devotional from Rev. Rob Schenck, president of Faith and Action

DAY 15 INTENTION

May Gods people awaken to the fact that we are our brothers keepers.

SCRIPTURE

Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? He said, I do not know. Am I my brothers keeper? And He said, What have you done? The voice of your brothers blood cries out to me from the ground.
Genesis 4:8-10

REFLECTION by Rev. Rob Schenck, Faith and Action

Methinks he doth protest too much
The Bible is filled with passages that speak to our obligation to care for our fellow human beings. From the many commands in the books of Moses enjoining love of family, neighbors and even strangers, to Jesus parable of the Good Samaritan, the injunction to care for others is inescapable.
In this account, the guilt-stricken Cain tries to shrug off his obligation to his own kin by dismissing it as an unreasonable duty. A la Shakespeare, though, methinks he doth protest too much. Cains objection doesnt stem from his sense of proper boundaries of responsibility, but from his own self-centered sense of self-preservation.
Christ said, Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down ones life for his friends (John 15:13). This is the standard of divine love. It required God to sacrifice what was most precious to Him for the temporal and eternal well being of all humankind (see John 3:16). Though on a much-reduced scale, he expects us to do the same.
Trying to duck our obligation to others is futile. We cant get away with simply dismissing others, especially the most vulnerable among us: the pre-born, the disabled, the sick and the aged. As with Cain, God sees and hears their suffering and will call us to account for what we do or do not do for them.

PRAYER

Father, help us to embrace the fact that we are our brothers keeper. When, due to selfish motives, we try to cast off this responsibility please call to us to account. We would be pleasing to you and to our brother. Through the help and grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Day 15: Overcoming the darkness | 40 Days for Life
 154 babies saved

Anygma · Oct 8, 2009

Day 16: Action needed; 40 Days for Life under attack

October 8th, 2009 by admin
In a direct attack on 40 Days for Life and the rights of local pro-life sidewalk counselors, the Chicago city council on Wednesday passed a new ordinance intended to cripple 40 Days for Life and silence pro-life free speech within a 50-foot bubble zone around abortion facilities.
The new city ordinance will not only block sidewalk counseling and pro-life signs within 50 feet of all entrances to an abortion facility, it would also prevent any pro-lifer from being within eight feet of an abortion customer without getting that persons permission. Anyone found in violation could be fined up to $500.
The law is such a clear violation of First Amendment constitutional rights that even the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) no friend of the pro-life movement sided with local pro-life interests in opposing aspects of the ordinance.
According to observers at the council meetings, a Planned Parenthood representative testified that pro-life vigils make it difficult for women to reach their services, while a representative from a local late-term abortion facility (that has seen business detrimentally affected by 40 Days for Life) directly mentioned the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil as reason to pass the ordinance.
While this is a setback for the Chicago 40 Days for Life, I want to emphasize that this is NOT merely a Chicago issue. Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry are working aggressively to implement bubble zone laws like this across the country.
Thats the bad news. But heres the good news:
** WE CAN STILL DEFEAT THIS BUBBLE ZONE **
Before this bad law goes into effect, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has to approve it. We have a narrow window of time to convince the mayor to VETO the bubble zone ordinance.
PLEASE call Mayor Daleys office immediately at 312-744-3300 to say: Mayor Daley, please dont restrict freedom of speech in Chicago. VETO the bubble zone ordinance!
So many calls have already been flooding into the mayors office that theyve set up an automated system for the public to speak out on the bubble zone. If you get the automated system, here are the steps to follow:
1.) CALL Mayor Daleys office at 312-744-3300
2.) PRESS 1 to submit your opinion on the bubble zone ordinance
3.) Then PRESS 2 to vote NO on the bubble zone
To send the mayor a fax instead: 312-744-8045
If we dont push back hard against this clearly unconstitutional law, Planned Parenthood and the rest of the abortion industry will feel empowered to trample on the rights of pro-life free speech all across the country.
Please act now while theres still time!
Heres todays devotional from Carmen Pate, co-host of the nationally syndicated Point of View radio talk show

DAY 16 INTENTION

Pray that as young couples or single moms choose life for their child, the church will come alongside them physically, emotionally, and spiritually to help bear their burdens.

SCRIPTURE

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:1-2

REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, Point of View

Restoring those who are broken from sexual sin and who desire to live life differently a life focused on Christ is a burden the church must share. What an awesome opportunity for a spiritually mature woman to come alongside a single mom as a mentor and friend.
A regular time together praying and studying Gods Word will help her mature in her walk with the Lord. Allowing her opportunity to observe life as you live it meal preparation, family time, and providing wholesome conversation and wise counsel on a frequent basis can provide teaching moments that will benefit her for a lifetime. Introducing her to a small group or class in the church where she and her baby are welcomed and plugged in will be vital to her restoration.
These are just a few examples of things the body of Christ can do. Staying connected with young couples or single moms who have chosen life should continue beyond the celebration of the childs birth if we truly desire to fulfill the law of Christ in bearing one anothers burdens.
You will find it is not a burden after all, but a tremendous blessing as your family line extends to include these precious souls as part of your own.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, as our Shepherd You so tenderly care for us pulling us from the miry pit, guiding and directing us safely along the path of life, protecting us from the dangers that are ahead and taking us to pastures that are green.
Lord, use us as Your vessels to shepherd these young men and women who have honored you by choosing life for their child.
Give us wisdom and discernment along with Your love and compassion so that we are never a stumbling block but rather a guide that always takes them to You, the true Shepherd. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
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Day 16: Action needed; 40 Days for Life under attack | 40 Days for Life
 174 babies saved

Anygma · Oct 9, 2009

DAY 17: What does God have in store?

October 8th, 2009 by admin
One of the questions we hear often is, Why do we need to pray at the abortion clinic when its closed? There are several answers, but the part Ill focus on today is this
You never know what God has in store!
Brian was praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Hackensack, New Jersey around 6 one morning before the abortion facility opened. A couple got out of a taxi and walked towards the building and waited.
Brian spoke to them, and they were still waiting when he had to leave. A short time later, a group of friars arrived to pray. The clinic was still locked tight. The couple, however, had left. Brian hopes they called another cab and simply went back home.
Click here to see some of the many people praying at the abortion center in Hackensack, including some of the friars who are frequently present at the vigil:

Beth in Phoenix knows of babies saved from abortion because people were praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil while the clinic was closed.
Women often arrive at the abortion facility without realizing it is not open every day. Beth said thats why it is important to be there praying every day of the 40 Days for Life campaign including the times the center is closed.
Christine and three friends were praying at the vigil, and the place was deserted. After a while, they noticed that two young women had arrived. They tried to open the clinic door, and it was locked.
The women went back to their car and sat for about five minutes. Christine walked over and handed them a flyer with information about pregnancy resource centers. They were very grateful, she said.
Beth and James spent time praying at Planned Parenthood in Phoenix when the facility was closed. We were the only ones there, said James, just praying quietly by ourselves.
Two teenage girls walked by, and James asked if they knew the building was an abortion center. But they just kept walking. A few minutes later, however, the girls came back.
One of them started by asking us if we were going to adopt and raise the babies we were trying to save from abortion, and saying how awful the foster care system is for kids, he said. It was clear they came back just to challenge us.
Right about that time, a man walked up and offered cold drinks to Beth and James (this is Phoenix, and its still very hot there). The man had heard the conversation, and began to tell the girls that he had been born in a home for unwed mothers and was adopted. That opened the way for further discussion, and this time the girls were all ears.
These two girls listened to everything we, and the gentleman, had to say, said James. They said they respected us and what we were doing and believed; you could see their whole outlook had changed.
As the girls walked away, James and Beth knew why the Lord had brought us out there at that time, on a day when there was no real compelling reason to be there, except for obedience; for two girls to whom we could have easily not reached out, except for a still, small voice.
Heres todays devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life

DAY 17 INTENTION

May all understand more deeply that the pro-life message is rooted in the two basic truths of life:
There is a God; He isnt me

SCRIPTURE

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Genesis 2:7

REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life

From the beginning of the Bible until the end, the theme is echoed that God alone has dominion over human life. He made it; shared it; died to save it; will raise it up forever.
The act of creation described in Genesis 2:7, and earlier in Genesis 1:26-27, is a sovereign act. God did not have to do it, and would have been happy forever without us.
Yet without our asking for it or earning it, God brought us out of nothingness and into life, and sustains our existence at every moment. And He does so in Christ. For by Him all things were createdin Him all things exist (Colossians 1:16-17).
You are not your own, Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 6. God alone owns us. While He entrusts us to the care of one another, He does not allow any human being to own another.
A Southern California abortionist, James McMahon, once explained how he justified killing children after 20 weeks gestation by partial-birth abortion. He did not deny that this was a child, but rather asked, Who owns the child? Its got to be the mother.
The struggle over abortion is really a struggle over the dominion of God. The Christian individual, and the Christian Church, cannot sit idly by when others declare that God is not God.

PRAYER

Lord, we are yours. Thank you for breathing into us the breath of life. Thank you for claiming us as your own. May our words and actions in defense of human life proclaim to all the world that you alone are Lord of life and death, Lord of our freedom and of our choices. We pray in Jesus Name. Amen.

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DAY 17: What does God have in store? | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 9, 2009

DAY 18: Never give up

October 9th, 2009 by admin
Its Saturday, so you may find some unexpected guests at the Days for Life vigil sites today. In previous messages, Ive mentioned some of the abortion supporters who feel obliged to challenge our prayer vigils, and Saturday seems to be the one day of the week they find time to come out.
Sarah left a note on the 40 Days for Life blog that sums up pretty well how to properly respond to these highly vocal critics. When I get ridiculed for telling the truth, it only makes me pray more and encourages me to tell the truth, she said. Lets never give up this good fight.
On a recent Saturday, a California abortion advocate wrote in her blog that she went out to protest the
40 Days for Life vigil in Riverside. But when she arrived, I was told by the security guards that I was the first counter protester theyve seen this whole two weeks! She stayed for an hour and a half and then gave up and went home.
The abortion groups and their supporters are driven by ideology. The pro-life people are driven by faith. Theres no question that faith is stronger!
Please keep it up!
Speaking of Riverside, Pam one of the local campaign leaders told me that volunteers for the local 40 Days for Life participated in a community Walk for Life, setting up a booth and distributing pro-life information. It was a great way to get the word out and tell everyone about our midway event, she said. There were 1,000 people at the park.
Here are some of the 40 Days for Life team members in Riverside:

Rita expected company the first time she went to pray at a 40 Days for Life vigil at a Planned Parenthood facility. But she had none. No protesters, which was good; but nobody else to pray with, which was at first disappointing.
I wished someone would come, she said, but God put it on my heart that it was a strong statement to see one person, no picket signs, peacefully praying, wearing a black shirt with bold white letters spelling out, I Pray. He was with me and that is all that matters.
It was, to say the least, an emotional experience for Rita, especially when I thought about the fact that behind those walls babies die a horrible death. Afterwards, I held my one-month-old grandson and wept.
Kelly in Southgate, Michigan said its very rare for the parking lot of the abortion center to be absolutely empty on a Saturday, but thats exactly what happened. The vigil participants were thankful that no abortions were being done, and continued to pray as planned.
But then a young, professionally-dressed woman pulled up on the side street next to the vigil, parked her car and approached quickly. She had her cell phone in hand and started scrolling through the pictures on her phone.
I was here 10 years ago, she said. I was going to have an abortion. I mean I was in there and on the table. But because someone like you was out here praying, I just couldnt go through with it.
Then she found the picture she had been searching for. This is my son. There wasnt a dry eye among the volunteers who were listening to her story.
I just wanted to say thank you, she said. What you are doing here is SO worth it!
As my family and I drive all across New England visiting 40 Days for Life locations over the next few days, we wanted to wish you a very blessed weekend!
What you are doing is indeed worth every moment, every effort, every sacrifice.
Heres todays devotional from Randolph Sly of the National Pro-life Religious Council

DAY 18 INTENTION

We pray for a flowering of the joy of parenthood.

SCRIPTURE

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of ones youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
Psalm 127:3-5

REFLECTION by Randolph Sly

I still vividly remember the day my first child was born. As she came into the world I gazed upon the most beautiful little baby Id ever seen.
Later I was driving home from the hospital for a shower and a fresh change of clothes when a song came on the radio, The Men in My Little Girls Life a ballad about being a father as he watches his daughter grow through childhood to womanhood.
I wept as I listened, knowing those years would go by very fast and they did.
Being a father, whenever I read the Psalm quoted above Im always captivated by one word heritage. It basically means something passed down from a preceding generation.
That little girl I watched being born and wept for is not mine to give to God like a product of our fertility, but rather His, which he has entrusted to us. So are all her siblings.
My wife and I share a great treasure: precious lives, which are placed in our lineage that His life with us might be perpetuated.
To the psalmist, this was a blessing from the Lawgiver, God Himself, who blessed Israel with another generation intended to continue their covenantal promise.
For us in Christ, it is his gift of succeeding generations for His Church and her families.
These days Im looking upon my grandchildren, and rejoicing that my children and their spouses will pass on the greatness of Christs gospel to them and thus will continue the work of God in the world. What a blessing. What a heritage!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, please keep me from taking for granted the gift of children. Help us to remember this heritage that you have given us. Make us faithful stewards of these precious lives, that each generation might be raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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DAY 18: Never give up | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 10, 2009

DAY 19: Watching God at work

October 10th, 2009 by admin
Today my family and I visited 40 Days for Life locations in Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as Manchester and Greenland, New Hampshire. During those visits we were told about five more lives saved from abortion due to the prayers and faithful participation of local 40 Days for Life volunteers. Praise God!
With 40 Days for Life campaigns going on in 212 different communities, its hard to focus on any one. But I keep hearing success stories from Lake Jackson, Texas small victories, for the most part; but those blessings add up.
Lake Jackson is a community about 45 minutes south of Houston that is holding its first 40 Days for Life campaign this fall even though there is NO abortion facility there.
As we ventured into this ministry, we had no idea where God was going to plant us, said Shannon Hunt, a local coordinator. The group eventually found a spot
to hold its vigil on a corner near a school.
It must indeed be a good place. People are certainly noticing 40 Days for Life. Linda, one of the vigil volunteers in Lake Jackson, said we had many people honk and wave in support of life. The Lords presence was felt and His power was seen.
One woman rolled down her window and shouted to Linda, My baby is alive because of you. The message delivered on a street corner in Texas is indeed having an impact.
Heres a picture from Lake Jacksons first 40 Days for Life:

As is the case in many cities, the Lake Jackson campaign is attracting numerous new people to pro-life activity for the first time. This is the first time I am participating in something like this, and it is awesome to share this experience, said Gabriella, who noted the vigil has received very good feedback from people driving by.
40 Days for Life is giving people something to talk about and think about.
Tim said one of his co-workers was grateful for their efforts. It gave him a moment to reflect that he was adopted and may not be here if laws 40-50 years ago are what they are today. It was a great message of validation.
The most amazing validation, however, is the fact that three babies have been saved from abortion through this community effort in a city that does not even have an abortion clinic.
Shannon met a young couple who asked what the group was doing. It did not turn long for the conversation to turn to the young womans pregnancy. Abortion had been suggested. They had already visited a clinic in Houston. But after talking with Shannon, the woman said, I cant go through with it.
Shannon thinks they were already turning away from abortion when they stopped to talk. But they needed one more person to be excited for them; one more person to affirm the direction they were heading; one more person, maybe even a pregnant woman, to speak Gods truth one more time so they could finally make up their mind, she said. Grace had brought all of us together.
You may have guessed that the pregnant woman sharing the truth is the speaker, Shannon. (Congratulations, Shannon!!) There was no one signed up for the vigil at this particular hour, so even though she wasnt feeling especially well, Shannon went out to pray.
I was very, very sick the second I got home that day, and did not get out of bed for the next three days, she said. Gods grace got me to that vigil site during that empty hour. Imagine if no one had made it.
As Shannon noted, even in a town with no abortion clinic, God is making a difference.
Heres todays devotional from Rev. Rob Schenck, President of Faith and Action and National Clergy Council

DAY 19 INTENTION

We pray for a renewal of our zeal to offer generous help to the unborn and their families.

SCRIPTURE

If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me, What then shall I do when God rises up? When He punishes, how shall I answer Him? Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
Job 31:13-15

REFLECTION by Rev. Rob Schenck

The ground is level as we stand before God.
Job lived with an awe provoking sense of Gods expectation of him, particularly regarding his obligation to care for the weak and needy. He knew that in Gods economy everyone stands on level ground when it comes to our status as Gods creatures. Because of that central truth, we must take care of each other.
Job also knew that he didnt deserve any of the good things God gave to him. Instead, those blessings came to Job from Gods benevolent heart. As an extension of that knowledge, Job instinctively linked his obligation to be generous to others to Gods kindness toward him.
As in Jesus parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-35), Job knew that it is an egregious sin to deny to others what we enjoy ourselves. He actually calls down on his own head severe condemnation and even punishment should he fail to share with others out of his own abundance (see verses 16-23).
Proverbs 3:27 reads, Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so. Some things are so obvious that we dont even need to pray except to ask of God forgiveness and the power to do what so obviously needs doing.

PRAYER

God, forgive us when we try to explain away the obligation we have to help others who need help. Enable us to not devalue them because they are in the circumstance that they are in, but to see them for what they are, those, who like us, were formed by your hand in their mothers womb. Amen.

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DAY 19: Watching God at work | 40 Days for Life
 206 babies saved !!!

Anygma · Oct 12, 2009

DAY 20: 219 saves, mid-point video

October 12th, 2009 by admin
Today marks the half-way point of the fall 40 Days for Life campaign and, as a special treat, here is a brand-new short video from the Augusta, Maine, 40 Days for Life mid-point rally where I spoke yesterday and my family met many heroic prayer warriors:

Ill warn you in advance this video was shot with a little pocket camcorder clipped to a sign and the wind was gusting during parts of the rally. The picture and sound are far from perfect, but I hope you still find it inspiring. 40 Days for Life Fall 2009 Mid-Point Rally on Vimeo
If you have a dial-up Internet connection and cannot watch videos online, here is the audio from the event
Listen to the Audio Online: DAY 20: 219 saves, mid-point video | 40 Days for Life
Download MP3 (right-click to save file to your computer):
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/audio/midpoint.mp3
Now for a few of the great reports pouring in at this mid-point of 40 Days for Life
Brian in Norwich, Connecticut put out the call to the 40 Days for Life team. This Saturday, Planned Parenthood is holding their annual two-hour demonstration against us, he wrote. Please come and show your support for life.
A small handful of Planned Parenthood demonstrators some of them paid Planned Parenthood employees did indeed show up. But they were vastly outnumbered by people who answered the call to pray for an end to abortion.
The Norwich Bulletin published one photo of the event that is quite telling. In the foreground there are a few people holding pink Planned Parenthood signs. Behind them, however and stretching far into the distance along the sidewalk are people peacefully praying.
To see the amazing Norwich Bulletin photo, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/ygolyub
The woman holding the I regret my abortion sign is Nicole, who has been a strong voice and leader with the 40 Days for Life effort in Norwich and a real blessing to our work nationally.
Another blessing is the number of families who come out to pray at 40 Days for Life vigils.
One example is the McIntyre family in El Paso, Texas Mike, Laura and their nine children. Six of the children took part in the vigil just last week. Bethani, the 8-year-old, was singing Jesus Loves Me as a young woman arrived.
She approached the clinic, but did not go inside. She just sat down for about 15 minutes listening, as Bethani sang.
Eventually, the woman got up and walked over to the McIntyres and told them she had decided to keep her baby. All it took to change her mind was the voice of a young child singing praise to Lord from her heart.
The child had saved the child. One of the McIntyre children noted, So this is why we come here!
Yvonne in Californias San Gabriel Valley watched a woman walk into the abortion center and leave a short time later. Yvonne noticed the young woman was holding a map with directions to a location that does second-trimester abortions.
She is five months pregnant, Yvonne said. After informing her of services available through local pregnancy centers, churches as well as support from all of us she decided to choose life for her baby.
And those are just two of the 219 children and mothers spared from abortion during this 40 Days for Life campaign so far!
Yet another blessing for 40 Days for Life is the number of people whove had experiences with abortion who deeply appreciate what youre doing.
Stan in Buffalo, New York was praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil when a woman walked out of the nearby dry cleaning shop and came over to talk. She said that her favorite sign was the one that offered post-abortion hope and healing, he said. She confided that shed had a past abortion, but had found healing and forgiveness in Jesus, and had been born again.
She asked that we display more signs like that, Stan said, because so many women suffer so much from past abortions. Please pray for those who live with regret for a decision they can never undo. May they find what this woman found.
Speaking of post-abortion healing, 40 Days for Life will be joining with Operation Outcry for a special outreach to those suffering in the wake of abortion. Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 24. Ill be bringing you more information in the days ahead.
Heres todays devotional from Rev. John Brown, the Director of United Friends for Life (United Church of Christ)

DAY 20 INTENTION

May Gods 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 mans brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds mans blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.
- Genesis 9:5-6

REFLECTION by Rev. John Brown

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.
Gods 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.

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DAY 20: 219 saves, mid-point video | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 13, 2009

Day 21: No matter the cost

October 13th, 2009 by admin
Today, Id like to tell you about a Christian business owner who has a serious challenge on his hands. I dont want to divulge any names or locations, as I dont want any undue publicity to complicate the situation. But I share his story so we may all lift him up in prayer and ask for God to provide strength and guidance.
This businessman owns a small shopping center in a Hispanic neighborhood, which is also the location of his specialty supermarket. About a year ago, he was approached by an ob/gyn who wanted to lease office space for a clinic.
The owners only concern was whether the doctor planned to do abortions. She assured him that she would not, so he agreed to a three-year lease.
The local 40 Days for Life coordinator reports that several months later, the health department cited the clinic for various violations and shut the office temporarily. Among the citations performing unsafe abortions.
The doctor denied that abortions were performed at her clinic, but independent investigations found convincing evidence that the clinic offered both chemical and surgical abortions. That evidence was then presented to the shopping center owner.
The 40 Days for Life coordinator told the businessman, I do not envy you. And I do not understand why God has you in this position. But this I do know. God has promised in Corinthians that with every temptation, He will provide away of escape. This is a promise from God!
The 40 Days for Life team went to pray at the clinic early one Monday and found that although the clinic was open, it had no clients all morning. The doctors receptionist even came out and told the people praying that she is going to quit my disgusting job in two weeks.
One week later, the clinic did not open its doors all day.
The business owner told the clinic operator, You rented from me under false pretenses. I asked you if you do abortions here and you said no. Now I find out that you have been doing them all along. Now I want something in writing from you that you will no longer perform abortions here or you will have to take your business elsewhere!
The clinic owner complained that she has spent a lot of money on renovations, so the landlord offered to cut a deal if the abortions were stopped: If you tell me what percentage of your business is from abortions, I will decrease your rent by that amount.
So far, theres been no response from the doctor, and the doors remain locked. Phone calls to the clinic are apparently being forwarded to another location, where callers are told that no abortions will be done at that clinic until November 6.
Its good news that this clinic is closed and not performing abortions. Its good news that the receptionist is seeking other employment. Its great news that theres a business owner willing to stand up for his convictions, regardless of the personal cost. And this battle is taking its toll on him.
Breaking the lease would of course have a financial price, plus theres the possibility that all of this will end up in court.
The clinic does have a signed three-year lease after all, said the local 40 Days for Life coordinator. But the shopping center owner has taken a stand. I told him twice when he told me this story, God is going to bless you!
So please pray!
Heres todays devotional from Carmen Pate, co-host of the Point of View radio talk show

DAY 21 INTENTION

Pray that we each will daily put on the full armor of God, so that we are strong in the Lord and the power of His might.

SCRIPTURE

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand.
- Ephesians 6:12-13

REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, Point of View

I am confounded to see how the battle over the issue of life is perceived more often in churches today as political rather than spiritual. Ironically, the enemy has used this twisted perception to silence many in the body of Christ.
We must see the battle for what it is and if we are to be prepared to face the spiritual enemy on the issue of abortion, we must daily put on the armor God has given us:
Gird your waist with Truth (vs. 14) Commit your emotions to believe truth and to speak truth, regardless of the repercussions.
Put on the breastplate of Righteousness (vs. 14) It will protect our hearts the innermost springs of our beings from all unrighteousness so evident in this fallen world.
Shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. (vs. 15) Preparation is vital if we are to be effective in Gods work.
Taking the shield of faith (vs.16) The Accuser will instill doubt, fear, and guilt. Faith acts as an invisible shield that deflects such false accusations.
Taking the Helmet of salvation (vs.17) A helmet protects the head, the brain and in turn our mind and thoughts. Satan hopes we will set aside divine revelation for human reasoning.
Taking the sword of the Spirit (vs.17) The Word of God, the only offensive weapon in this armor, was used by the Lord Jesus against Satan. The living Word is powerful and effective.
Our armor is complete. We are ready to wage war, and the next verse tells us how, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit. (vs.18)

PRAYER

Dear Lord, as you lead us into the spiritual battle of abortion may we be reminded that the battle is truly Yours. We thank you for equipping us with Your armor. Lead us daily to put it on!
Thank you for allowing us to serve under your command, and for hearing our requests for direction and protection. Thank you for the victory that is ours because of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.

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Day 21: No matter the cost | 40 Days for Life
 236 babies saved

Anygma · Oct 15, 2009

DAY 22: Pray for those who are angry

October 14th, 2009 by admin
The last 36 hours have been a whirlwind as my family and I visited more 40 Days for Life campaigns in New England. We even encountered snow while driving from the Burlington, Vermont 40 Days for Life to the one in Hartford, Connecticut!
Heres a picture of my wife Margaret and our children Claire and Patrick all born in Texas amazed to be standing in snow on October 13th:

You know, there is great joy in this work we are doing together and the blessings God is providing.
But its also clear that theres much sadness and hostility in this world and thats honestly not surprising in a culture that tolerates the destruction of the unborn.
The night before last, while my wife Margaret was sharing words of encouragement with the assembled volunteers at the Burlington, Vermont 40 Days for Life vigil, a car load of college students drove by and repeatedly screamed at the top of their lungs: There is no God!
We pray for those who harbor such anger.
Guy in Ottawa, Ontario was praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil one morning as people walked to work. A couple of people said hello and discretely indicated their support for our prayers, he said. This was reassuring, yet I know deep down that there are many who do not appreciate our presence here.
He would soon find out how true that is. A man approached, mumbling something that Guy and his colleague couldnt understand. He then swung his fists in the air. Next thing we know, Guy said, he starts to kick the signs and equipment that were placed out for viewing and makes cursing remarks about the church and pro-lifers. The whole scene lasted about 20 seconds and seemed quite surreal.
Guy was ready to call the police, but the man turned and walked away. Although the experience left me somewhat frazzled interiorly for the rest of the hour, he said, it made me realize that the angry man was whom the Lord wanted us to pray for today. He is just a sample of the many very angry people who are living with a lot of interior pain and resentment. Jesus died for them and wants to heal them!
Here are some of the 40 Days for Life vigil participants in Ottawa:

There is also anger in the hearts of those who would pressure mothers to abort their children. Karen in Peoria, Illinois reminds us that we need to pray that God will protect them from those who are not happy with their decisions to choose life.
One of the prayer volunteers in Peoria talked to a woman whose boyfriend had threatened to kill her if she didnt abort their baby.
She had left her home in another city and her boyfriend had followed her. Her baby is alive, Karen said. She did not abort. She is not religious, but knew that abortion was wrong. Please keep this mother in your prayers.
Here are some of the 40 Days for Life vigil participants in Peoria:

Pray also, please, for a woman in Indianapolis, Indiana. She had just discovered she was pregnant and had come to take care of it. Fortunately, Planned Parenthood was closed.
Even more fortunately, Steve, one of the prayer volunteers, had a chance to speak to her. Steve told her Planned Parenthood did not take care of anyone. He took her name and phone number and told her he would contact people who could offer real help.
Eileen, the Indianapolis coordinator, said this choice to seek abortion was an act of desperation by a single mother. On the day she discovered that she was pregnant and before she could tell her boyfriend he told her he had just lost his job.
But now, knowing that local pro-lifers are willing to help, she has found a better choice for her baby: life!
With Gods grace, Eileen said, she picked one of the few days that Planned Parenthood is closed and it also happened to be during our 40 Days for Life vigil.
Nothing, of course, is a coincidence with God!
Heres todays devotional from Georgette Forney, President of Anglicans for Life

DAY 22 INTENTION

May those who hold life as trivial realize that we live because God wills it so.

SCRIPTURE

Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
Job 12:9-10

REFLECTION by Georgette Forney, Anglicans for Life

Job was a man acquainted with grief, trials and tribulation. He had everything taken from him, including his family. He endured sickness, ridicule and judgment from his friends. Everyone gave him advice about his situation, questioning his spirituality and his God.
Jobs circumstances were bad but he never loses faith. Why? Because the hand of the Lord has made all life. Created by God, he knows his life has meaning and purpose, regardless of the circumstances.
In our present culture, weve lost that basic truth; every life is made and allowed to live by Gods sovereign authority. As people who pride ourselves on our independence, we have a hard time acknowledging our dependence on God.
From our creation, when we were knit together in our mothers womb to our last breath, Gods word is clear that in His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
Its time for us as individuals, and as a society, to recognize that we exist by Gods grace and turn back to Him, honoring His word and His teachings. Why? Because our world is full of Jobs, people who are dealing with trials and tribulations and hurting desperately.
Jobs response should be ours as well. Regardless of what we face (even an unplanned pregnancy) God in His wisdom and mercy will redeem it.
How do I know? Jobs friends who doubted Gods sovereignty cry out to God asking for help, God instructs Job to pray for his friends and after he does, God restores all that Job had lost.
In other words, because Job never lost faith and knew and trusted His Creator, the Lord blessed Job.

PRAYER

Thank you Father God for being the Creator of my life and every life. Please give me, and the society in which I live, an appreciation for your gift of life. Please help us set aside our pride and acknowledge that we need you.
Show me how I can honor you today in response to all the blessings you bestow so freely. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DAY 22: Pray for those who are angry | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 15, 2009

DAY 23: Planned Parenthood abortion center closing!

October 14th, 2009 by admin
We just got word that a Planned Parenthood abortion center in Kalispell, Montana will be closing down for good next month.
CLOSING!!
And you guessed it that facility was the location of Kalispells 40 Days for Life vigil this past spring!
Planned Parenthood told the local media it is closing the center for economic reasons or as Stacy James, a Montana Planned Parenthood executive, admitted to the daily newspaper, Weve not had the patient numbers to keep the doors open.
She then went on to blame the economy, the recession, the health care crunch and a lack of government subsidies.
Ms. James said nothing at all, however, about the 40 days of prayer, fasting and constant vigil in front of the Kalispell facility this spring.

Karen, the local 40 Days for Life coordinator in Kalispell, had no doubt as to why the clinic is shutting its doors forever. Our heartfelt pleas to God for an end to abortion here in Kalispell are being answered, she said. Let us rejoice in our mighty God who has looked down upon His with such great favor.
The Kalispell team is currently holding a 40 Days for Life campaign outside another local abortion facility, but the first thing they did upon hearing the news about the closure was to return to the soon-to-be-closing Planned Parenthood facility to thank the Lord for this amazing victory.

This now makes FOUR abortion centers where 40 Days for Life vigils have been held that the doors have been shuttered and these businesses have CLOSED FOREVER. Praise God!
Where and when will the next closure come?
Ill trust the Lord to provide that information. But for now, Im hearing from a number of local teams that abortion centers that are the sites of 40 Days for Life prayer vigils are cutting their hours and even closing their doors on days when abortions are usually scheduled.
Could one of them be next to close? Lets pray!
When Ed arrived to pray at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Everett, Washington on a day when abortions are usually performed, he noticed a Planned Parenthood volunteer outside the clinic. A moment later, she left and the doors were locked, he said. I looked over at the sign where the hours are posted and it had changed.
The sign said: CLOSED TODAY.
Eds simple reaction: Praise God!
Prayer volunteers say business at this abortion center in Everett is most definitely OFF. The previous day had been very slow at Planned Parenthood, and it looked like the only people there were staff members.
As we have observed time and time again, Planned Parenthood is a business about making money. If women decide not to have abortions, they simply cant stay open in a community.
Clinic hours were also cut back in Canton, Ohio. Planned Parenthood in Canton has posted a letter on their door stating that they will be closed all Saturdays during October due to administrative needs, said Jill. The Saturdays, of course, all come during 40 Days for Life. Wow! she added. What a coincidence!
Obviously, it isnt really a coincidence. I have to wonder if administrative needs is just their cover story; could it be theyre closed because they, just like Planned Parenthood in Kalispell, are finding they dont have enough customers to stay in business?
I hope and pray that is the case.
God is so good!
Heres todays devotional from Dennis DiMauro of Lutherans for Life

DAY 23 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 by Dennis DiMauro

God doesnt 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 teenagers womb.
But God isnt like us. Genesis 1 tells us that humans were the capstone of Gods 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 its 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 its up to us to imitate Gods merciful love by helping and praying for those who persecute us, and those who dont 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.
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DAY 23: Planned Parenthood abortion center closing! | 40 Days for Life
 256 babies saved

Anygma · Oct 16, 2009

DAY 24: Closed for the day!

October 15th, 2009 by admin
Yesterday, I was able to share the amazing news that the Planned Parenthood abortion center in Kalispell, Montana would soon be closing its doors forever.
Theres even more good news today!
Okay, so it may not be quite as dramatic. But more clinic doors are remaining closed on days when babies are usually scheduled to die and thats good news!
Here are just a few of the reports Ive received.
Planned Parenthoods major abortion center just blocks from the White House in Washington, DC was reportedly closed on a Saturday highly unusual for its typically busiest day, to say the least. But not everyone knew the clinic was shut.
Dick spoke to a young woman whod come for an abortion. I counseled her as to why she should not have an abortion and about the help available, he said, and he gave her his card. She called me and said she had changed her mind about having an abortion. Thanks be to God!
The large Planned Parenthood abortion center that is the site of a 40 Days for Life vigil in Indianapolis, Indiana did no abortions for two weeks!
This facility is only open for counseling on Thursdays and abortions on Fridays. But if at least six women do not sign up for abortions on Thursday, Eileen said, they will be rescheduled for the next week because it is not cost-effective to fly a doctor in from another state to do fewer than six abortions.
Why do they have to bring a doctor in from out of state? Because, Eileen explained, no doctor in Indianapolis or even anywhere in Indiana has taken the job.
For two weeks in a row, there apparently were fewer than six women seeking abortions. So the abortionist stayed home, and the death toll for those two weeks was ZERO. Said Eileen, Praise God!
Heres a picture from the 40 Days for Life vigil in Indianapolis:

In other breaking news from Indiana, Planned Parenthood just announced that it is shutting down six facilities across the state and the abortion chain is laying off 25 employees. Pray that these displaced workers are able to find jobs that help and heal, rather than hurt and destroy lives.
And news from California Saturday is usually the busiest day of the week at a major abortion center in the San Fernando Valley. But this past Saturday?
CLOSED!!
This clinic, in Mission Hills, averages 40 abortions every Saturday. But last week, that number was ZERO!
Could it possibly be because of the prayerful presence there? asked Patti, the local 40 Days for Life coordinator, who then answered her own question: Very likely!
Heres a photo of people praying at a San Fernando Valley vigil:

At Planned Parenthood in Columbia, Missouri, business is certainly off. They usually perform 15-20 abortions every Thursday at this location, said Terra. But for the last two Thursdays they have averaged 6-10 abortions. Praise God! Our prayers are working!
Heres a look at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Columbia, Missouri:

In another location, the Planned Parenthood center is in an office complex. The building owners have complained about the 40 Days for Life vigil there. Dont you know that you are costing us money? You are costing our tenants customers, said an owners representative. People wont go into the building while youre here!
A peaceful, prayerful presence outside an abortion facility or Planned Parenthood office sends a very strong message and SAVES LIVES.
Thank you for faithfully answering the call to pray and fast for an end to abortion!
Heres todays devotional from Carmen Pate, co-host of the Point of View radio talk show

DAY 24 INTENTION

Pray that God will continue to bless the efforts that have gone into the 40 Days for Life campaign, as we trust Him for the results.

SCRIPTURE

Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name.
Nehemiah 1:10-11

REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, Point of View Talk Show

Nehemiah provides an awesome blueprint for volunteers in Gods service, particularly those responding to the devastation abortion has caused our nation.
Nehemiah grieved for Gods reputation as he witnessed the condition of the city walls of Jerusalem. The walls were broken down which was seen by neighboring people as a sign of weakness on the part of Jerusalems God. No wall meant no security for the city and its people.
We learn from his story that he covered every detail in prayer; inspired others to join the cause; organized others to help do the work; confronted opposition directly and turned to God when discouraged; and finally celebrated what was accomplished and gave God all the glory!
Like Nehemiah, we must acknowledge Gods sovereignty as we serve Him before a mocking world. We too need to be reminded that we are fighting for our families. We too must have an attitude of confession and repentance before a Holy God. We must pray for strength, refute slander, and not be diverted from our work.
Like Nehemiah, we will draw attention from the enemy when we are seeking to protect the well-being of Gods people. We too must stand firm and seek Gods help to persevere until the task is done. We too will be victorious.

PRAYER

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in heaven and in the earth is Yours. We pray for your continued guidance and protection throughout the remainder of this 40 day campaign.
May we be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in Your work, knowing that our labor will not be in vain. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.
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DAY 24: Closed for the day! | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 17, 2009

DAY 25: The truth always works

October 16th, 2009 by admin
Planned Parenthood slipped up.
Im often told that abortion facilities use ultrasound to let the abortionist know how far along the pregnancy is it apparently makes a difference in how the abortion will be performed.
But the images are for staff only not the mother of the child whose life is at risk. So please keep that in mind.
As a 40 Days for Life prayer vigil was under way, a young woman walked towards the Planned Parenthood facility in Sarasota, Florida with two friends. She accepted some information about abortion from a sidewalk counselor but she may have just taken it so the counselor would leave her alone.
As she entered the abortion center, she handed the packet to a Planned Parenthood staffer who quickly tossed it in the trash.
About 45 minutes later, however, the woman and her friends came back out. They made the mistake of letting her see the ultrasound picture, said one of the friends, and she couldnt go through with it.
The group then asked if they could have another information package. She wasnt planning on keeping the child, the friend explained, so now she needs someone to help her. Thats exactly what happened next. The counselor told them of several nearby pregnancy resource centers that could offer assistance for this mother and her baby.
As they left, said Jeanne in Sarasota, they seemed pleased. No direct action by any one of our sidewalk counselors helped save this baby. But the potential effect of the prayers of several people on the sidewalk cant be dismissed.
The truth and in this case it was an ultrasound picture that was worth much more than a thousand words cannot be denied.
40 Days for Life vigil participants in Winston-Salem, North Carolina didnt have to say much to the woman who arrived for an abortion appointment. She was still in the early stages of pregnancy, but a counselor told her that even at 21 days, her baby already had a heartbeat.
I had no idea, she said. I never thought of it that way. She immediately changed her mind.
Two girls drove up to the abortion center in the Tri-Cities, Washington area where 40 Days for Life participants were praying two were standing, a third was on his knees.
They both stared at us, said Debbie, who quickly figured out that the girl driving was bringing her friend in for an abortion. They sat for a while in their car after they parked and then got out I turned and showed them my sign. They both looked at it and walked into the clinic.
Debbies sign shared the truth: Abortion hurts women.
It wasnt two minutes later they came out and got into their car and drove off, she said. They smiled and waved to us as they drove off. You could tell they were a lot happier.
Terri in Bakersfield, California received an incredible blessing during this 40 Days for Life campaign she got to witness the birth of a baby whose mother rejected abortion during the spring 40 Days for Life effort.
A healthy baby girl was born, and the mother in tears thanked Terri for being there in her hour of need with the truth.
Heres a picture of this beautiful newborn child, who was saved by God working through a faithful volunteer during a 40 Days for Life campaign:

God bless you for standing strong in prayer and fasting, anticipating more miracles just like this one!
Heres todays devotional from Rev. J. Kirk van der Swaagh, Pastor, Conservative Congregational Christian Conference

DAY 25 INTENTION

We pray for the conversion of all those who refuse to acknowledge that human life belongs only to God.

SCRIPTURE

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

REFLECTION by Rev. J. Kirk van der Swaagh

To be or not to be? There is no question!
The question of being is something philosophers have long pondered.
What is the meaning of being and what is the source? In the passage before us, we have our answer. We have being because we are known by God.
For God to declare that he knows and sets apart the prophet Jeremiah even before he is conceived indicates that our being rests in Gods own being. Because He is and because He wills we, therefore, are and do.
The Apostle Paul says as much when he declares before the philosophers of his day, In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).
One of the tragedies of the abortion culture is that life in the womb has been so heartbreakingly devalued. To embrace the arguments of the pro-choice crowd one must conclude that the child in the womb doesnt exist, isnt there, has no being.
But nothing could be further from the truth. That child is known by God and, as such, has being.

PRAYER

Lord God, we confess that in You we live and move and have our being. Because You are, we are. May we find grace from You to affirm the being of every human and may we labor to make this truth known to the world around us. Amen.

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DAY 25: The truth always works | 40 Days for Life

Anygma · Oct 17, 2009

DAY 26: Its often personal

October 17th, 2009 by admin
Its a great joy for me to bring you stories about things that have happened at 40 Days for Life vigils and how prayers were answered.
Today, Id like to offer a slightly different look at how 40 Days for Life affects people.
People often tell about the profound personal impact they experience while praying at an abortion center as a part of 40 Days for Life. Here are just a few of those stories.
I found my first time in front of Planned Parenthood a bit daunting, wrote Melanie in Indianapolis. As she stood and prayed on a cloudy day, she simply couldnt help staring at the building.
I couldnt fathom that such horrific events as abortion could occur within those walls. I looked up into the sky, hoping for something from God to remind me that He was truly present, despite the place that stood before me, she said. I saw rays of sunshine beaming through the clouds onto the center and recalled that wherever there is darkness, there shall be light.
Melanie said she thanks God for the chance to be a witness of His love for life and pray that the mothers see how much He loves them and their unborn child.
There have been plenty of clouds at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Painesville, Ohio as well. Local coordinator Dawn Slike described one recent days weather as horrific.
She said the cold, relentless, pelting rain and wind made her question Gods purposes and led me to doubt and reexamine the pureness of my own hearts motives. Of course, then it became apparent to me in my solitary brokenness that that was exactly Gods intent, Dawn said. Focusing on Gods purposes within me made me forget how cold I was.
To take a quick look at the 40 Days for Life campaign in Painesville in this short video that was produced by the News-Herald, a local newspaper:[please visit the official website to view the video. I was not able to embed it]

In Kitchener, Ontario, faithful volunteers have kept the 40 Days for Life vigil going 24 hours a day.
One volunteer often takes the hours right before dawn. On this particular day, there was a determination to spend an hour kneeling in prayer. It was cold. It had been raining all night. An umbrella was a big help, but it did not protect the vigil participants legs, which got thoroughly soaked as the cold rain picked up and fell even harder.
I found myself wishing for the hour to hurry up. But thoughts suddenly turned to Christs suffering, and everything that Jesus endured for our salvation.
At this time, my experience of discomfort began changing. It struck me that I had set out that morning with the attitude that I would be providing a service to God. No; not at all. God did a service to me. He blessed me with an enriched prayer experience and understanding of Christs sacrificial love.
Soon, daylight began to appear. I literally watched darkness give way to the light of day all around me, and I could not help but see the metaphor for our societys culture of death. Was God showing me that he would use our 40 Days for Life to scatter the darkness of abortion in our nation with a new dawning light, and a culture of life? I hope so. I believe so. And I am grateful that he allowed me to take part in His mighty work.
Have YOU yet had the personal experience of praying at a 40 Days for Life vigil?
Find a location near you and get involved:
40 Days for Life
Heres todays devotional from Vera Faith Lord, Director of the Alpha/Omega Life Ministry and Representative of the Orthodox Church to the National Pro-life Religious Council

DAY 26 INTENTION

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 by Vera Faith Lord

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 bodys first breath to its last, when we leave it to return home, is our Fathers 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 ones 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, were on our way. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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DAY 26: Its often personal | 40 Days for Life

40 Days For Life: Reflections, readings and updates

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