Welcome to 40 Days for Life: September 26

40 Days for Life opens September 26 in 316 locations

It's official! This 40 Days for Life campaign will be a record-setter! The campaign, from September 26 - November 4, will be the largest and longest internationally coordinated pro-life mobilization in history ... and you can help save lives by getting involved TODAY!

Here's a quick rundown:

316 locations -- the most ever!
49 US states -- plus Washington, DC
7 Canadian provinces
Australia, England, Spain and -- for the first time -- Uganda
Many NEW cities ... 46 first-time campaigns

The full list of locations for the 40 Days for Life campaign has just been posted. Click on the site that is closest to where you live. You will be redirected to the web page for that local 40 Days for Life campaign. On that local web page, sign up with your name and e-mail address to get involved and help save lives!

Take the leap of faith and get involved with 40 Days for Life

Have you been to pray at a 40 Days for Life vigil yet? You may ask, “What do I do?” or “What sign should I bring?” The answer is simple; the only sign you really need to bring is yourself, for you represent God’s love.

Last night it was my computer that was slow. So here is today's devotional.

Day 10 - October 5

Intention:

Pray for your local pregnancy help center: for those who answer calls from women considering abortion, those who provide ultrasounds, and those who personally help mothers prepare to parent or place for adoption.

Scripture:

Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

--Psalm 82:4

Reflection:

When a woman arrives at her local pregnancy help center, the hard work of "rescuing the weak" begins. They listen to her. What desperate circumstance is driving her? They act. A professional ultrasound and medical care is provided. They pray, "God use us." Then, they take up her burdens and work towards life. It is cross-bearing for the child-bearing.

Recently, I prayed for one volunteer who was working with one mother in her struggle. Here is what "rescue the weak" looked like in this one case:

Aug 3: She made an appoint-ment for Thursday to get an abortion and while she feels terrible about it, she also feels like she has no choice. Pray that her heart is changed!
Aug 10: She is 12 weeks along but missed her appointment. She had some good conversa-tions with people at the preg-nancy center. She is now considering adoption.
Aug 13: Things are down again. She now has an abortion scheduled for Monday. Pray!
Aug 17: Missed appointment! God is working in her life.
Sept 1: We've hit another rocky period. She has an abortion scheduled for tomorrow. She found out today that her parents are planning a trip to visit her and she is panicking.
Sept 15: Missed third appointment. But feels like she has no choice. Please pray today.
Sept 20: She fears her parents but has agreed to another ultrasound (a breakthrough).
Sept 22: I was there with her for her ultrasound. She saw her baby moving and made the realization that she wants to carry her baby.

Please keep praying against attack by the enemy. We are overwhelmed by seeing God's hand move in this situation and are so very thankful for the prayers lifted up by each one of you. God is good!

Prayer:

Father, we praise you for this one sister who gave herself, heart and soul, to rescue this one mother and baby. O may you empower the hundreds more today who are serving in our pregnancy help centers. Grant those answering calls, providing ultrasound and following up with a bold spirit of truth, love and perseverance.

Rev. John Ensor
Vice President, Heartbeat International

I’m boarding a plane to visit the 40 Days for Life
campaign in Rockland County, New York — and later
tonight, I’m speaking at a pregnancy center event.

This location is a great example of collaboration
because the pregnancy resource center is across the
street from the Planned Parenthood abortion facility
and they work closely with the 40 Days for Life
volunteers to help women find loving alternatives.

This is the second location for 40 Days for Life
in Rockland County — the first abortion facility
CLOSED after a 40 Days for Life campaign a few
years back!

Praying in front of an abortion center makes a
difference — in New York or anywhere else. Like most
people, I was a bit fearful the first time I did it.
But that fear is no match for the peace and hope that
prayer brings to what seems like a hopeless situation.

If you have never done it, now is the time! But don’t
take my word for it — here are some personal prayer
experiences that vigil participants shared on the
40 Days for Life blog.

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

One volunteer wrote about his first time as a 40 Days
for Life participant at the Raleigh vigil. During his
90 minutes of prayer, he watched people come and go.
“The thing that struck me the most was how everyone
who went in and came out was trying very hard not to
look at me,” he said.

He watched as a worker came out with letters to put
in the mail. “She had to walk by me to get to the
mailbox. The whole time to the mailbox and back ...
she walked with her head down and turned away.”

He said that the workers and clients alike didn’t
look angry, and didn’t look like they were trying
to ignore him. No, he said, “they looked ashamed.”

He prayed that all these people would come to know
Jesus, that they would “turn from the very thought”
of aborting babies and become advocates for life. “I
didn’t want to leave,” he said. “I hope to get back
to pray ... during this 40 Days for Life campaign.”

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

Another writer said that as she prayed during the
vigil at a Long Beach Planned Parenthood location,
she also handed out information about pro-life
pregnancy resources in the area.

“Most took the info from me because I wore a smile,”
she said, “and couldn’t look mean if I tried to!”

One woman in particular left a strong impression.
“She got out of her car right in front of the front
door, and she looked as if she had been crying, she
was so distraught,” the volunteer said.

“She wouldn’t talk to me or take my info — but
went into the building.”

The woman was still inside two hours later when
this vigil participant left. “The hopelessness
and devastation on her face I will never forget.
I prayed for her and her baby, that she would
change her mind as God spoke to her heart.”

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Two women were praying outside the abortion facility
in Melbourne when a young couple drove up. They got
out of their car quickly — and walked hurriedly
towards the building.

As they reached the door, “the young woman looked
back at us,” one of the volunteers said. “We lifted
the intensity of our prayer. About 15-20 minutes later,
they came out again.”

She said the man was very angry and spoke to the woman
rather aggressively. They got into their car and drove
off. It appeared the man was all in favor of abortion,
but the woman was not.

“We have been praying for them ever since,” she said.
“Please continue to pray for this young couple. May
40 Days for Life be successful in ending abortion
around the world!”

The 40 Days for Life team in Melbourne has put together
a short but powerful video about the local campaign.
It’s sure to be impressive wherever you’re watching!

You can check it out at:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3367

Day 11 - October 6

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:

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

-- Ephesians 4:1-2

Reflection:

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 Christ's ambassador to help others. We too have been sent by Christ as an ambassador to love unconditionally those God seeks to "get out" of their bondage and sin.

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.

Carmen Pate
40 Days for Life board of directors

Today’s email

There is no other way to say it — abortion is an
ugly business.

That’s why abortion advocates attempt to justify it
by dehumanizing the baby or giving vague arguments
about “choice.” This makes abortion less personal.

The abortion industry wants you to think that the
termination of a human being’s life is a “simple
medical procedure.”

They can’t let you know the truth — that abortion
is always deadly for the baby (in fact, if the
abortion doesn’t end the baby’s life, it is
considered unsuccessful), and risky for the mother.

One thing you come to understand if you spend time
in prayer outside of an abortion facility is that
these are simply places of death.

This is a grim reality — but one that points us to
recognize the need for prayer and God’s mercy.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

As people prayed at the 40 Days for Life vigil outside
the abortion center in Charlotte, an ambulance drove
up. There were no sirens, giving the impression there
wasn’t an actual emergency. Abortion facilities usually
instruct ambulance drivers to keep the sirens off.

But there was in fact an emergency — a woman was
brought out of the building on a stretcher and taken
to the hospital.

A similar scenario played out at Charlotte’s other
40 Days for Life location during the last campaign.
In that situation, “An ambulance took a woman to the
hospital after being wheeled out of the back door of
the abortion clinic curled up in a fetal position on
a stretcher,” said one of the prayer volunteers.

The abortion centers try to keep these things quiet,
but the 40 Days for Life team in Charlotte says it’s
important to spread the word.

“We do this so more people can be aware that abortion
is not safe,” said Gretchen in Charlotte. “Making
abortion legal does not make abortion safe.”

ITHACA, NEW YORK

Mary Anne prayed at the 40 Days for Life vigil and
watched as a truck arrived. A man got out and made
two trips inside the abortion center. He returned
to his truck with five boxes.

The truck belongs to a hazardous waste disposal firm
that serves medical facilities. I don’t know how else
to put this. The boxes the man brought to his truck
most likely contained the remains of aborted babies.

“I could not shake that image of babies made in the
image of God being hauled away like that off my mind,”
Mary Anne said. “It gives me all the more reason to
be out here praying and asking God to have mercy on
us all. It was a serene day of prayer.”

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

There are, of course, signs of hope.

Two pastors helped lead prayer outside the abortion
center on a Thursday — a day when normally, about
25 abortions are done. “However,” said Julie, “on
this day the number was much closer to 15 or 16.”

The day before, Julie and another volunteer were
just ending their prayer time when a young woman
approached the building. She said she had come for
a pregnancy test.

“She came out soon after and told us they wouldn’t
give her one,” Julie said. “She said she would never
have an abortion, although her boyfriend was abortion-
minded.” The young woman was given information about
pro-life pregnancy help centers.

She told the two volunteers, “I’m so glad you were
here!” and gave them a hug. It made Julie realize
how important it is for Christians to be outside the
abortion center every day of the week, not just on
abortion days.

“We must persevere in prayer,” she said, “and trust
God completely.”

Many of the 316 cities participating in 40 Days for
Life this fall are holding 24-hour vigils. That’s
960 total hours!

It is a very powerful witness to know that before
any couples show up for an abortion and long after
the last abortion worker leaves, there is someone
there praying and bearing witness to the community.

For me, praying at the abortion facility in the middle
of the night is very moving. It may sound a bit
different at first, but it has been a time of peace,
silence and solidarity for the thousands of volunteers
who do it.

And as one of these 24-hour communities has found,
you’re guaranteed to see a little bit of everything.

LONDON, ENGLAND

“It’s been an interesting week at Whitfield Street
40 Days for Life!” So said Claire, who’s leading one
of three London-area campaigns.

Volunteers are praying outside a Marie Stopes abortion
facility, which is directly across the street from a
residence building for University College London
students. “This leads to a variety of colourful
meetings and incidents with the students,” she said.

[Note to US readers: Yes, there are some words that
our British cousins spell differently. I’ve made no
changes to the original text.]

One of the students has been putting up posters in
residence hall windows. One sign simply announces,
“Pro-choice.” This student was also moved to add a
second sign telling vigil participants, “You can’t
sing, either!”

You can take a look at those hand-drawn signs at:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3397

Clare said one of the other signs wasn’t nearly as
complimentary, so she chose not to post a photo of
that one.

As this is a 24-hour vigil, there are many interesting
discussions with students on Friday evenings who’ve
been out for a night on the town. There have also been
students who asked for prayer, that they might be able
to keep their faith strong in the university environment.

“Saturday morning is a different matter,” Clare said.
“It’s so quiet you would think no-one lived on
Whitfield Street.” It was cool but sunny, and the
peace and quiet continued until the students started
to wake up and prepare breakfast — around midday.

There’s a picture of the Saturday morning vigil at:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3397

“Early Tuesday morning, about 7:15 am, we were
suddenly joined by a peaceful presence of about
200 students who had obviously been inspired to join
the vigil,” Clare noted. “So keen were they that they
had all come in their pyjamas.”

They all remained well-behaved, even as one of the
vigil participants read aloud a prayer for purity.

“It didn’t take us long to realise that their
presence had been inspired by the fire alarm going
off and their good behaviour encouraged by the
presence of the managers of the residence,” she
said, but noted that she “didn’t have the heart to
take a picture.”

Wednesday brought great encouragement — a turnaround
on Whitfield Street, and word of another possible
turnaround at the vigil at London’s Bedford Square.
“Both need your prayers,” she said.

Daytime hours are busy but hassle-free, although
there is the occasional critic who will shout things
such as, “You idiots are putting the women’s rights
movement back 25 years” ... with a bit of cursing
tossed in.

So, Clare said, “whether you like to pray in the
quiet, in the dead of night, in the sunshine or
the rain, in the face of abuse, or just in season
or out of season, we have a time slot for you!”

She called 40 Days for Life a great opportunity.
“It takes commitment and sacrifice though, so let’s
give some commitment and get going on the prayer and
fasting. Don’t let us waste this opportunity.”

Have you had a chance to take part in a peaceful
40 Days for Life prayer vigil yet? If not, here’s
the link to the list of campaign locations:

http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

Day 13 - October 8

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:

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 father's 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 God's 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. You'll 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 mother's 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 mother's 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.

Randolph Sly
National Pro-life Religious Council

As we start a new week, let's rejoice at all the good
that God has done!

So far, there have been ...

... 112 babies ...

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

And that means that since 40 Days for Life began as
a coordinated campaign five years ago, there have now
been, through God's grace, MORE THAN 6,000 LIVES SAVED!

Here are just a few of those babies' stories.

-----------------------------------------------------
DALLAS, TEXAS
-----------------------------------------------------

"Today is a day that I will never forget," said one
of the 40 Days for Life volunteers in Dallas. "Today,
for the first time, I stood in front of an abortion
clinic with other Christians and prayed for an end
to abortion."

There was a heaviness all around her, she said, yet
"it quickly became apparent to me that God Himself
was there among us, in a very real way."

She kept her head down, "trying to block out the
traffic noise and focus on why I was there."

It was at that point that one of the counselors
came up and said, "A woman just chose life!"

The woman had come for an abortion, but couldn't
bring herself to go through with it. She was weeping
as she spoke with the counselor.

"Wow! God was already answering our prayers," the
volunteer said, "as we stood there on that sidewalk."

To see pictures of the Dallas vigil, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3404

-----------------------------------------------------
DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA
-----------------------------------------------------

Patti, the local leader in Downey, knows of several
women who've chosen life for their babies during
this campaign. "God is answering in mighty ways,"
she said.

In a posting on the 40 Days for Life blog, another
volunteer tells of a young woman who walked up to
vigil participants and introduced herself. She was
holding a small child as she told them her story.

During last fall’s campaign, she was at this very
same facility as a client -- she was going to have
an RU-486 abortion. As she was walking in, she
noticed the people praying. It was a thought she
couldn't get out her mind.

When she was given the first abortion pill to take,
she walked out, telling the staff, "I can't do this!"

After finishing her story, she told the volunteers
that she would be taking her infant son to church the
following Sunday for a dedication ceremony.

Some of the people listening to all of this then took
her to a nearby Christian pregnancy help center, where
she picked up some much-needed baby supplies -- and a
new outfit for her son.

Said one of the volunteers, "To God be the glory!"

-----------------------------------------------------
BUFFALO, NEW YORK
-----------------------------------------------------

Peter tells the story of a young woman who left the
abortion center and walked up to three prayer
volunteers and struck up a conversation. The three
soon found out that the woman was pregnant.

Before long, she simply said, "I don't want to have
the abortion."

The prayer volunteers got her in touch with a
counselor, who had a long discussion with her. The
woman, Peter said, "had come to the realization from
seeing a her sonogram that it was truly a baby
growing in her womb and NOT just a 'fetus' as noted
to her by clinic staff."

Peter later had a chance to speak with her "and
assured her that she will have all of our prayers
... and we will guide her to receive all the support
she needs from the Buffalo pro-life community."

To see pictures of the Buffalo vigil, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3404

Day 14 - October 9

Intention:

Abortion is the great "no." May all of God's 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 mother's 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:

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.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life

Todays’s email.

I am headed, along with our national director, David
Bereit, to Nashville, to speak at a prayer rally that
will kick off the 2012 Care Net pregnancy center
conference. Pregnancy centers have a huge impact at
the local level — and they now outnumber abortion
facilities in the United States 3 to 1.

Speaking of impact at the local level, I have some
great news to share ... plus some prayer requests
for some 40 Days for Life campaigns:

* One group believes big changes may be taking place
at the abortion center where numerous 40 Days for
Life vigils are been held. The local team is asking
for extra prayer because this situation involves
“an especially notorious and aggressive abortionist.”

* Several campaigns are having parking issues. With no
public parking nearby, campaigns must find business
owners willing to offer parking spots for vigil
participants. It may not sound like much, but lack
of parking could significantly cut into vigil
attendance and limit these campaigns’ effectiveness.

Please keep these situations — and the many local
40 Days for Life leadership teams who are making
tremendous personal sacrifices during this campaign
— in your prayers.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

“It’s just heartbreaking to see them go in,” said one
40 Days for Life volunteer, who watched as women were
dropped off at the abortion facility. But, she said,
“We had one lady leave without going in. Praise God!”

Ernie, the local coordinator, also sent some pictures
of a candlelight vigil that drew more than 300 people.
Bishop Gregory Parkes led the group in prayer.

“When people go and peacefully pray in front of local
abortion facilities, lives are spared,” said Ernie.
“God works through us. We just have to go and be His
loving witness! Have you signed up to go and pray?”

To see the pictures of this 40 Days for Life event
in Pensacola, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3427

SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN

“It’s amazing that perfect strangers will pull into
the parking lot where we are praying,” said Mike, the
local 40 Days for Life director, “and trust us enough
to share their personal stories.”

A young woman drove up and told prayer volunteers
that was pregnant with her second child. She said
her boyfriend had told her, “If you love me, you
will abort the baby.”

She, in turn, told him, “I don’t love you that much!”
She said she was keeping the baby, and then took some
information to share with her boyfriend.

Mike says it appears this woman just needed moral
support and practical information. “Praise God that
we were there to be of service to her,” he said. “We
will continue to pray for her and her unborn child.”

BRYAN / COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS

The local team in Bryan / College Station is taking
a fresh approach to the “community outreach” portion
of 40 Days for Life.

“We have five vehicles sporting huge 40 Days for Life
decals on both sides of their car,” said Bobby, the
local coordinator. The campaign team had these decals
made up, then offered them to people who spend a lot
of time on the road — guaranteeing that thousands
of people will see them.

In addition, 40 Days for Life yard signs are popping
up in high-traffic areas around the community, and
people are being encouraged to wear 40 Days for Life
shirts on Wednesdays.

As a result, more people are now asking, “I keep
seeing this 40 Days for Life everywhere. What is
that?” It provides a great opportunity to talk about
the campaign — and why it’s so important.

To see pictures of these rolling 40 Days for Life
billboards-on-wheels, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3427

Day 15 - October 10

Intention:

May God's 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 brother's keeper?" And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground."

-- Genesis 4:8-10

Reflection:

"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." Cain's objection doesn't 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 one's 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 can't 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 "brother's 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.

Rev. Rob Schenck
President, Faith and Action

A comical email, but it could also happen to us.

A 40 Days for Life campaign can be very intense ...
but we often find there is at least one moment that
lets us laugh at ourselves. My moment came last week.

If you’ve been following these messages, you know
that both David Bereit — 40 Days for Life’s national
director — and I are on the road a lot. We live in
the same city, but with full travel schedules, we
don’t see each other very often during the campaigns.
Many times, we even forget where the other one is.

But this time around, we’ve taken that to whole new
levels. Last week, I got off an airplane in Richmond,
Virginia and sat waiting for my bag at the gate. I
then noticed somebody walking off the plane I was on,
and he looked really familiar. It was David Bereit!

We were on the same plane and didn’t know it! And to
make things even worse, it was a very small plane.

We had been in different parts of the country, flying
home on the same connecting flight from Cleveland ...
and still didn’t know it until after we landed.

We were even e-mailing each other in the Cleveland
airport — unaware that we were sitting at the same
gate just yards from each other waiting on our flight.

We laughed at ourselves ... and you should certainly
feel free to do the same!

We take our work very seriously — but we do give
thanks for lighthearted moments like this one.

Here are some great reports from local 40 Days for
Life campaigns ...

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

Dan, a local 40 Days for Life coordinator in
Milwaukee, is one of those people willing to put his
entire heart and soul into standing in peaceful
witness outside the abortion center. We get frequent
e-mail notes from Dan — usually short and sweet, but
packed with something to celebrate:

* “God showed us two saves today!”
* “Three saves today within 19 minutes of each other!”
* “News of two saves today — twins!”

He also sends pictures. It seems like there’s always
something special going on at the vigil. Dan’s photos
include a church group participating in a “silent
solidarity” event, a group from the Sons of Mercy
motorcycle club (yes, pro-life bike enthusiasts) —
and a picture that Dan captioned “puppies for life.”

To see the photos from Milwaukee, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3444

WALKER, MINNESOTA

The 40 Days for Life vigil is back at the county
courthouse in Walker — a town with no abortion center,
but with people who are eager to stand up for life.

Pastor Michael Bitz from Immanuel Lutheran Church led
a group in prayer recently — teaching, singing ...
and even helping to inflate 40 Days for Life balloons.

He reminded vigil participants of John 14:13-14, when
Christ said that whatever we ask of Him in His name,
He will do.

“As we prayed silently, our balloons were released
to fly into the sky above as a sweet spirit flowed
among us,” said one of the volunteers. “It was a
good day.”

To see a picture from the Walker vigil, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3444

LANSING, MICHIGAN

Many of the 40 Days for Life teams are telling of how
their campaigns are energized whenever local pastors
visit vigil sites. Wherever the pastors go — their
churches follow.

On a rainy morning, Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing’s
Catholic diocese led about 50 people in prayer at the
vigil outside the local abortion center.

Chris, the local coordinator in Lansing, said the
bishop asked the group to pray for the women considering
abortion, that they may understand that they have much
better options. He also thanked them for their constant
prayers and continuous vigil.

For photos from the vigil in Lansing, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3444

Day 16 - October 11

Intention:

Pray for the mothers going into pregnancy help centers. The personal care, the free ultrasound, the ongoing practical help is designed to deliver them from those who profit in shedding innocent blood.

Scripture:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

-- Matthew 11:28

Reflection:

"You have twins. That will be another $350." She did not speak English. But she finally understood that they were telling her to go get more money and return for her abortion.

She had already given them her rent money. But they were not about to give her a two-for-one deal. They told her to get dressed and return with more cash. A couple, who was praying outside, comforted her. They brought her to their local pregnancy help center.

The staff quickly saw that her personal circumstances were so desperate, and immediate, that they would need direct and ongoing help from local Christians and churches. They started making calls.

Then they did the ultrasound. It showed there was only one baby, not two. This abandoned, immigrant, powerless mother was being exploited. She would do whatever she was told. Who would know? Who would care?

God calls us to "Rescue the weak and the needy; and deliver them from the hand of the wicked" (Psalm 82:4).

When you provide an alternative to abortion you are not only rescuing innocent babies, you are delivering mothers from the wicked: those who profit in the shedding of innocent blood. Pray for those who rescue and deliver daily at your local pregnancy help center.

Prayer:

Father, hear our prayer! Snatch desperate mothers from the fire. Bring them out of our abortion businesses and into our pregnancy help centers. Deliver them from evil. Use us to help them chose life and see your hand of provision.

Rev. John Ensor
Vice President, Heartbeat International

Roday’s email:

I’m in Texas today ... but I would like to turn my
attention westward — to California. I’ve been to
California during nearly every 40 Days for Life
campaign — and I’ll be there again in two weeks.

“West coast” and “pro-life” don’t often go together
in most people’s minds. But ... they really do!
And California continues to show what God can do,
no matter where you live.

California now has 37 campaigns currently under way
— more 40 Days for Life locations than any other
state in America. There are voices for life standing
witness from one end of the state to the other. And
people are listening!

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA

Rebecca says Thursday is typically a surgical abortion
day at Planned Parenthood in San Luis Obispo — and it
appeared this would be the case as usual. “Young women
showed up for abortions,” she said, “although in
drastically reduced numbers than we’ve seen in the past.”

One woman came out, got in her car and left. It was
clear she had not been inside long enough for an
abortion. Then another woman came out, accepted pro-life
information from one of the volunteers — and she also
left. One by one, these young women all went home.

The abortionist never showed up!

“Whatever the reason for no surgical abortions being
performed,” Rebecca said, “God is answering our prayers!
We’re now praying that no abortions are performed in
San Luis Obispo during the 40 Days for Life campaign.
To God be the glory!”

To see a picture of the vigil in San Luis Obispo,
please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3459

STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA

Janelle in Stockton says this campaign has brought
blessings in disguise. When the planning process began,
she was concerned that there would not be enough prayer
volunteers to be present for all of the hours Planned
Parenthood would be open.

But, she said, “God proved otherwise.”

Something happened at Planned Parenthood after
40 Days for Life started. They’ve been closing early.
Not only have they closed early, but on one Saturday,
they didn’t even open at all.

“When they are closed,” Janelle said, “we are there.
We’ve been able to help and offer information as an
alternative. So far we’ve taken three women to the
local pregnancy help center just down the street
where they can receive good, healthy counseling for
themselves and their children.”

Because Planned Parenthood was closed, she said,
several lives and souls were saved ... and there’s
less money for Planned Parenthood. “God is good,”
Janelle said, “all the time!”

MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

Mill Valley likes to be known for its tolerance —
but only, it seems, if you’re pro-abortion. At the
first-time 40 Days for Life vigil outside Planned
Parenthood, Ruth Ann says she’s been lectured on
overpopulation, on Planned Parenthood’s alleged
value to poor women — even on global warming.

“I was called judgmental, a bigot, stupid — and I
was told I was wasting my time,” Ruth Ann said. “I
was told to go home, as the locals were sure I wasn’t
from Mill Valley.”

But, she says, there have been blessings. A woman
stopped by to thank them for being there. A man who
arrived with his two sons asked what they were doing
— and praised God when he found out. “He said we were
in the belly of the beast,” she said, “and he has come
to pray with us every day.”

Ruth Ann’s volunteer list has continued to grow. “I
believe it is important,” she said, “for people to
know that not everyone believes abortion is good for
our society.”

Day 17 - October 12

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 isn't 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:

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 created…in 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? It's 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.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life

Day 18 - October 13

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 one's 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:

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 I'd 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 Girl's 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 I'm 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 I'm looking upon my grandchildren, and rejoicing that my children and their spouses will pass on the greatness of Christ's 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.

Randolph Sly
National Pro-life Religious Council

On average, there are 3,300 abortions EVERY DAY in
the United States -- but that daily number goes up
on Saturdays, the busiest day of the week at many
abortion centers.

As we near the midpoint of this campaign, today --
Saturday -- is an excellent day to participate in
40 Days for Life. Click this link to find the location
nearest you:

http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

When you pray at the vigil, you realize two things:
1. The abortionist doesn't want us out there.
2. Christ does.

Here’s what I mean ...

-----------------------------------------------------
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
-----------------------------------------------------

Feminist Women's Health Center is a second-trimester
abortion center where women come from neighboring
states for abortions. The staff is used to people
praying outside every week. "But they get particularly
nervous when 40 Days for Life rolls around," said
Lauren in Atlanta, "as they know our numbers jump
exponentially."

On one day recently, two women changed their minds.
One was 17 weeks pregnant; the other was 22. "These
women were met with love and acceptance from the
moment they drove onto the clinic property and it
was this love that drew them to us," Lauren said.
Volunteers assured them they would not abandon them,
but would walk with them through their pregnancies.

One of the women responded by text, "I'm just glad
to have some support. Thank you!"

The abortion center has lined the right-of-way, where
the volunteers can legally stand, with prickly yucca
plants in an obvious attempt to deter them. Lauren
sent photographic proof that the plan is not working.

"We had eleven prayer warriors from all over Atlanta
in front of the clinic this morning," she said. "We
just figure it's a sign that we are frustrating the
clinic and if God wants us to put up with the yucca
plants, so be it."

To see a photo of the Atlanta volunteers, standing
vigil next to the new landscaping, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3462

-----------------------------------------------------
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
-----------------------------------------------------

One of the volunteers in Fort Worth, a youth director
at a local church, wrote on the 40 Days for Life blog
about recruiting new people to pray at the vigil.

One Saturday morning, a woman she invited to the vigil
arrived with her daughter. It was cold and drizzling,
but they prayed for an hour. "I could tell she and her
daughter were very moved," said the volunteer.

The following Saturday, the same woman returned -- this
time, with her husband. "Wow, there are a lot less cars
than last week," she said. "She knew something had
happened from last week to this week," the youth
director observed. Fewer cars means fewer abortions.

Later, this woman gave a short testimony to a group at
church -- and now there are about half a dozen others
who promised to pray at the vigil the next weekend.

"God is so good," said the youth director. "I know we
have saved some lives. Praise be to God!"

-----------------------------------------------------
MANKATO, MINNESOTA
-----------------------------------------------------

"I am still in awe of our awesome God," a prayer
volunteer in Mankato wrote on the 40 Days for Life
blog. "I had never been involved with this campaign
before, and I didn't know what to expect."

While praying at the vigil, "I was overwhelmed with
the presence of the Holy Spirit that morning, and
wept in worship of the Lord." People drove by, yelling
negative comments, honking their horns and expressing
support for Planned Parenthood. But she just continued
to pray quietly.

"I watched at least 15 people come and go in the time
I was there," she wrote. "I don't know what they were
there for, but God does, and it was an honor to pray
for each of them. I encourage anyone who can go, even
for just one hour, to be a voice for the unborn. It
will change your life."

Day 19 - October 14

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:

The ground is level as we stand before God.

Job lived with an awe provoking sense of God's expectation of him, particularly regarding his obligation to care for the weak and needy. He knew that in God's economy everyone stands on level ground when it comes to our status as God's creatures. Because of that central truth, we must take care of each other.

Job also knew that he didn't deserve any of the good things God gave to him. Instead, those blessings came to Job from God's benevolent heart. As an extension of that knowledge, Job instinctively linked his obligation to be generous to others to God's 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 don't 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 mother's womb. Amen.

Rev. Rob Schenck
President, Faith and Action, and National Clergy Council

Today’s email:

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

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

http://40daysforlife.com/location

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

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

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

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

To see the photo from the gathering, go to:

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

HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY

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

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

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

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

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

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA

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

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

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

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

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

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