40 Days for Life launches record-shattering campaign. March 9 to April 17

Day 39 - April 16

Intention:

Pray that volunteers will replace exhaustion or discouragement with rejoicing over the miracles we have seen thus far, and enthusiastic service as God takes us on to victory!

Scripture:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

-- 1 Peter 1:6-7

Reflection:

We have reason to rejoice when we consider the many babies whose lives have been saved during the 40 Days for Life campaign. Add to those lives, the women and men who have been spared from a devastating decision and now have opportunity to make a plan for their baby that is both life affirming and God honoring.

Whether directly, or indirectly, you have contributed to these testimonies of praise with your sacrificial service. Perhaps you have been grieved by various trials during your commitment to 40 days. The attacks of the enemy come in many forms -- difficulties in relationships, finances, health. Or maybe you are physically and mentally exhausted and have been marking off the days on your calendar, eagerly waiting for Day 40.

Consider these trials in light of God's plan for you. The Apostle Paul understood the big picture when he said in Romans 8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." This is our Hope and our victory. Let us rejoice in the opportunity to give that Hope to others in our path.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, We sing to You a new song, for You have done marvelous things. Forgive us when we allow circumstances to defeat us. You give power to the faint and You increase strength in those who have no might. We rest in You dear Lord, and ask You to empower us again for Your service as You work out Your plan for us and through us. May You receive glory through our victory in Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.

Carmen Pate
40 Days for Life board of directors

Holy God,

We praise You and thank You for hearing our petitions over the past 40 days, for we know that You have used these prayers to do great and mighty things. Thank You for the lives You have saved and for hearts that have been changed! Help us to continue to pray for the unborn regardless of where we are. Let us never forget their needs nor turn a blind eye toward their helplessness. Place Your prayers in our hearts each and every day as we commit these precious innocents to You. May this nation be a better place because of the people who come together in prayer, seeking Your Will, and demonstrating a respect for life. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Today’s email from Shawn Carney. Final numbers will come in later.

Well, here we are ... the final day of the first 40 Days
for Life campaign of 2011. And what an amazing campaign
it has been with a record 247 locations!

But that’s not the milestone.

So far during this campaign, we are aware of ...

... 483 babies who have been saved from abortion. (And
reports from local teams will still be coming in for the
next week or so. So we hope and pray that number will
continue to grow.)

But that’s not the milestone.

Since 40 Days for Life started these coordinated
campaigns in September of 2007, we now know of ...

... MORE THAN FOUR THOUSAND BABIES SPARED FROM ABORTION!

And yes, THAT is the milestone!

The current total is 4,082!

4,082 people is a lot of folks. If you’ve ever heard of
Centerville, Tennessee or Lathrop, Missouri — those are
towns whose populations are around 4,082.

Through your prayers, God has spared enough human beings
to fill a WHOLE TOWN.

WOW!!!

I can only wonder what our Lord will do next!

Today we start in Manassas, Virginia and the AMAZING
witness of a mom with her three young daughters by
her side.

MANASSAS, VIRGINIA

The abortion industry REALLY doesn’t like 40 Days for
Life! Here’s what I mean.

A mom and her three daughters were praying at the vigil
when the abortionist angrily approached them, cursing
at them and shouting, “You’re going to hell!”

The mother was astonished. When she was able to get a
word in, she responded, “YOU’RE killing babies in there!”

“Yeah?” replied the abortionist.

“AND I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!”

After that shocking display, she took her daughters
into the nearby pregnancy resource center.

This story takes the mask off “choice” and is a sobering
reminder of the evil were are fighting in the abortion
industry. Please keep praying!

FROM THE 40 DAYS FOR LIFE BLOG

Emily says she and a friend had a similar experience.

While they were praying quietly, a woman came storming
out of the abortion center, ran up to them and started
screaming, practically in their faces.

“You can’t be here! This is illegal,” she said. “You’re
breaking the law! You’re protesters! This is illegal!”

Well, obviously, it was not illegal.

When the woman finally stopped yelling and began walking
back to the building, Emily’s friend said, “God bless
you, ma’am.”

The woman turned around to scream once more: “He already
does! And YOU work for the DEVIL!”

“This experience left me more determined than ever that
our presence outside the abortion clinic is not only a
good idea, but an absolute necessity,” Emily said.

Abortion centers are places of death, despair, anger and
hatred — “epicenters of evil,” she called them.

“Although I don’t usually feel like I’m making a
difference by being there, just because I can’t see
any physical evidence,” said Emily, “I now know that
by simply being present, we are helping to counter
that evil with love, peace, truth and light!”

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA

Of course, there are many joyful things happening at
40 Days for Life vigils, too! It was a busy day at the
abortion center in South Bend where volunteers pray.

As the group prayed, they watched as a young woman
walked out of the facility and headed towards the cars.
But then she went back inside — then came out again.
The group took note, but just kept praying.

She went back inside once more — and then came out a
third time. This time, however, she got in her car and
drove up alongside the people praying.

In her left hand, she held a stack of money. In her
right hand, she held an ultrasound image. She leaned
out the window and announced, “I didn’t do it!”

“You could feel the peace and joy of God surrounding
that young mother,” said Sally in South Bend. “We were
all so moved. God is good!”

Yes, He is!

Day 40 - April 17

Intention:

Let us keep our eyes fixed on the New Jerusalem, where death will be no more.

Scripture:

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"

--Revelation 21:4-5

Reflection:

Every activity we undertake in defense of the sanctity of life is prophetic, inasmuch as it points to the day when "death will be no more." Every victory we have when an act of abortion is prevented is prophetic of that day when death itself will be definitively conquered. Every triumph of grace in this world, whereby someone is brought to see the value of life and given the strength to welcome it, is a breaking into our history of that definitive future in which the old order of things will have passed, and all things will be made new.

As pro-life warriors, we must keep our eyes fixed on heaven, and our hearts secure in the hope that the day is coming when all evil will be conquered. It is the future that shapes the present; it is victory that informs the battle; it is the destination that determines the journey.

Daily, we are called to reflect on heaven. When we weep, we are to think of the day when every tear will be wiped away. When we face the destructive power of death, we are to think of the day when death is swallowed up in victory. When we labor against abortion, we are to think of the day when we will have the rest and peace of the final triumph of life. Heaven is as real as earth, and its joys will be as real as our present sorrows.

Prayer:

Father, you are the God of hope. Your word fills us with the vision of the world to come, when every tear will be wiped away, and death will be no more. Father, how we need that hope, how we are strengthened by that vision! Keep our hearts focused on heaven, and diligent in the labors of earth. As we struggle against the culture of death, root our souls in the assurance of victory. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life and President, National Pro-life Religious Council

Today’s email from Shawn Carney. I’m sure there will be a couple more updates.

Well, the largest 40 Days for Life campaign ever is
history — for now!

What an amazing 40-day journey we’ve been on, as
247 cities in nine countries prayed, fasted, stood
vigil and conducted outreach to end abortion.

Thanks to YOU for responding to the Holy Spirit this
spring! These efforts have been richly blessed.

I just got home late last night from speaking at the
closing event in Germantown, Maryland. Before that,
I was in Los Angeles, California at a closing rally.

The L.A. rally lasted into the night. It was too
dark for my video camera — but I do have the audio
from that event for you.

As you listen to the audio recording, you’ll hear the
incredible story about how 40 Days for Life began for
me personally this spring ...

... and the HUGE blessing in how it ended for me —
meeting TWO of the babies saved from abortion during
previous campaigns in Orange, California!

Along with the audio, I’ve included a picture of me and
baby Patrick as a thanks to YOU for all you have done
over these 40 days ... and as a reminder of what this
campaign is really all about.

Here’s a link to the audio and the photo from
California:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2115

I hope you get lots of encouragement as we all discern
how to move forward from here!

40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that
recognizes abortion as a local problem ... and you have
shown the willingness to act on your faith to be the
local solution.

Many cities that have conducted 40 Days for Life
campaigns have asked ...

... “What’s next?”

Here are some of the things going on in just a few of
the cities that just wrapped up 40 Days for Life:

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

The Alexandria team recognizes that prayer at the
abortion center can’t stop. The local coordinators
are launching an effort to have people praying on
the sidewalks at least on the days that abortions
are performed. It’s a proven fact that this prayer
presence can change minds.

LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA

Local leaders in Lawrenceville have noted a decline
in activity at Planned Parenthood — fewer customers
obviously means fewer abortions. They know that means
they can’t stop. There are also plans to network with
other Georgia campaigns to increase opportunities for
sidewalk counseling.

BEAUMONT, TEXAS

The Beaumont campaign used its closing rally to invite
volunteers to keep praying at the abortion center —
and more. “We are more determined than ever for the
formation of a permanent group in our area for an
ongoing prayer group to diligently pray daily against
abortion,” said Eileen in Beaumont.

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE

In a posting on the 40 Days for Life blog, Rae summed
up this time of discernment very clearly.

“Our campaign has been marked by a growing awareness
that abortion is not a problem in a vacuum, but a
product of the despair and hopelessness that is a way
of life where Christ is not known,” Rae wrote.

The women and men entering the abortion center all
lacked hope. “We are finding ourselves more dedicated
than ever to being Christ for the world, here where
life and death are as palpable as on the streets of
Jerusalem when Jesus carried His cross and walked
through the clueless crowds towards His death.”

Rae said the group found, to their surprise, “that
trying to save the babies has led us to a more intimate
relationship with Christ and a thirst for helping Him
in His saving mission to the world.”

And that’s exactly why we carry on. We’ll have much
more to say in the weeks and months ahead, but for
now we’ll take a break from daily e-mail so we, too,
can refresh, recharge and renew.

Day 40 - April 17

Intention:

Let us keep our eyes fixed on the New Jerusalem, where death will be no more.

Scripture:

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"

--Revelation 21:4-5

Reflection:

Every activity we undertake in defense of the sanctity of life is prophetic, inasmuch as it points to the day when "death will be no more." Every victory we have when an act of abortion is prevented is prophetic of that day when death itself will be definitively conquered. Every triumph of grace in this world, whereby someone is brought to see the value of life and given the strength to welcome it, is a breaking into our history of that definitive future in which the old order of things will have passed, and all things will be made new.

As pro-life warriors, we must keep our eyes fixed on heaven, and our hearts secure in the hope that the day is coming when all evil will be conquered. It is the future that shapes the present; it is victory that informs the battle; it is the destination that determines the journey.

Daily, we are called to reflect on heaven. When we weep, we are to think of the day when every tear will be wiped away. When we face the destructive power of death, we are to think of the day when death is swallowed up in victory. When we labor against abortion, we are to think of the day when we will have the rest and peace of the final triumph of life. Heaven is as real as earth, and its joys will be as real as our present sorrows.

Prayer:

Father, you are the God of hope. Your word fills us with the vision of the world to come, when every tear will be wiped away, and death will be no more. Father, how we need that hope, how we are strengthened by that vision! Keep our hearts focused on heaven, and diligent in the labors of earth. As we struggle against the culture of death, root our souls in the assurance of victory. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life and President, National Pro-life Religious Council

Take part in the survey ping!

The largest 40 Days for Life campaign in history just
wrapped up with an amazing track record of blessings
... and YOU helped make that happen!

Thank you!!

Now, I need your advice, to ensure that this mission
continues to grow ... in the right direction.

Please fill out the short survey at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X7KBQ2X

Through your prayers and God’s blessings, 40 Days for
Life has accomplished a tremendous amount over the last
three years ...

... But with abortion continuing every day, we know
that much MORE must be done ...

... And we recognize the responsibility God has given
us to aggressively expand these efforts until abortion
finally ends.

The unprecedented growth and impact of 40 Days for Life
to date has come as a direct result of input received
from more than 28,000 people over the past four years.

Now it’s YOUR TURN to help map out the plan to win.

Regardless of your level of involvement in this spring’s
40 Days for Life campaign, please fill out the short
survey at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X7KBQ2X

It’s a simple survey of just a few questions with
yes-or-no and multiple choice answers that should only
take you about 3 minutes to complete.

I would really appreciate if you could make the time
to complete this survey today — or by this weekend,
if at all possible.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X7KBQ2X

———, thanks to you — and more than 450,000
people who have participated in 40 Days for Life — I
am more hopeful and optimistic than ever!

As we prepare to commemorate Christ’s death and
resurrection during this Easter season, we prepare
also for His coming victory over abortion.

May He bless you abundantly!

In Christ,

Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life

PS: Thanks in advance for your willingness to fill
out this short survey. Here’s that link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X7KBQ2X