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Today’s email from Shawn Carney”

It’s always great to start your Monday with good news,
so here it is:

So far, we are aware of at least ...

... 101 lives saved from abortion during this 40 Days for
Life campaign — that we know of!

Here are just a few of the blessings that God has
provided in answer to your prayers!

COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND

A tall man and a visibly pregnant woman walked up to
the abortion center, only to find the door was locked.

“It’s closed,” said a 40 Days for Life vigil participant,
“but I have information on free pregnancy help.”

The woman took information on fetal development, but
the couple walked around to the back of the building to
try another door. It, too, was locked. So they sat on
the steps and looked through the brochure they were given.

Eventually, the building opened, and the couple went in.

Two hours later, they came out — to get more information.
“Can I ask you a personal question?” the volunteer said to
the woman. “Were you thinking about getting an abortion?”

“Yes, I was thinking about it. But now I’m not going to
get one,” she answered.

What changed her mind?

“That booklet,” she said. “I didn’t know the baby
looked like that and was that size.”

BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

A woman walked out of the abortion center, saying she
needed a bite to eat. “But it was obvious she was
reconsidering,” said Kathy, one of the 40 Days for Life
prayer volunteers.

It turns out that the woman decided not to go through
with her abortion — and she phoned her boyfriend to
come pick her up.

“This is the second time she has made an appointment to
abort this child and not followed through,” said Kathy.
“She really needs our prayer support in particular for
the financial problems facing the family. But at least
she will not have to deal with the guilt.”

As she left, she expressed her gratitude — and so did
her boyfriend. Said Kathy, “God is good and merciful.”

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

There are many, many situations where your prayers are
still needed.

40 Days for Life volunteers were able to speak to a
woman who had arrived for an RU-486 abortion.

“She sat in her car quite a while, counting money,”
said Betty in Manchester, “but it was obvious she was
reluctant to go in.”

After speaking to her for a while, Betty invited her
to visit a pregnancy resource center for an ultrasound.
This woman is eight weeks pregnant and she has two
children. Her husband is insisting on an abortion that
she does not want.

“She cried all night and begged God to give her a sign,”
Betty said. “When she saw pro-lifers praying, she knew
that was His reply. Please pray that her husband has a
change of heart.”

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS

Outside the abortion center, 40 Days for Life vigil
participants were able to talk with a couple — but
couldn’t convince them to turn away. As they walked
in, the volunteers resumed their prayers.

A short time later, they came out of the building.
The young woman raised her hands in the air and said,
“I didn’t do it!”

“They were so happy,” said one of the volunteers, “and
they begged us to pray for them.

“Prayers — and the vigil — work,” she said. “Amen!”

Day 13 - March 21

Intention:

We pray for the strength to love those who do not love us.

Scripture:

But the Lord said "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in the night and perished in the night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left, and much livestock? Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

-- Jonah 4:10-11

Reflection:

God doesn't value people and things like we do. Jonah loved a shade tree more than an entire city of sinful people. We love our dogs more than a terrorist. We love our cars more than a beggar on the side of the road. And sometimes, we love our money more than a child growing in a desperate teenager's womb.

But God isn't like us. Genesis 1 tells us that humans were the capstone of God's creation. We were created on the sixth day after God had completed the land, the stars, the plants and the animals. Therefore, His love for us is greater than His love for a plant, an animal, or any other created thing. And the book of Jonah tells us that He loves even the most sinful people and seeks to bring them into His merciful arms. And it's a love that seeks to touch all of his created children: that desperate teenager, the baby growing in her womb, even tyrants and terrorists. So it's up to us to imitate God's merciful love by helping and praying for those who persecute us, and those who don't love us back.

Prayer:

Gracious God, loving our enemies seems like one of most difficult things you could ask of us. Please remind us that this is how you love and that if you ask it of us then you will give us the grace to do it. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dennis DiMauro
Lutherans for Life representative to the National Pro-life Religious Council