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Today’s email:

First of all today, please know that everyone affected
by Hurricane Sandy remains in our prayers. Some 40 Days
for Life prayer vigils have been suspended because of
the weather, so please check with your local campaign
coordinators before heading out to pray.

At the end of this week, 46 cities will be completing
their first-ever 40 Days for Life campaigns.

But whether a city is conducting its first campaign
or its tenth, there are profound effects on the people
praying ... the people they’re praying for ... and the
entire community.

Prayers are being answered! Here are some examples.

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

“So far, we’ve been very blessed with eight babies
saved,” the Baton Rouge team reported. There also
seems to be less activity inside the abortion center
since the 40 Days for Life vigil has been under way.

“The Delta abortion facility has only seen patients
two times each week for the last two weeks, which
is a big change,” said Charlotte in Baton Rouge.
“The new abortionist had been, at times, coming up
to four times per week.”

She also shared the good news that a pro-life
pregnancy center is opening next door to the abortion
facility, “hopefully with an ultrasound machine in
place very soon.”

This is the second 40 Days for Life campaign in
Baton Rouge. Charlotte said people are boldly
stepping forward in ways the community has never
seen before.

To see a picture from the Baton Rouge vigil, go to:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3703

DUBUQUE, IOWA

Tina, the local 40 Days for Life coordinator in
Dubuque, became worried about the people at the vigil
when a huge rainstorm broke out, so she drove by to
check on the volunteers outside Planned Parenthood
to see if they should take shelter.

But no one wanted to leave. “They had umbrellas,” she
said, “and they were soaked. But despite that, they
had great big smiles on their faces.”

A bit later, one of the soaking wet volunteers stopped
off at the local right to life office to drop off a
donation — the profits from a garage sale she had held
the previous weekend.

“The prayer at the clinic has been such a great blessing,
not just on those going into the clinic, but also to
those on the front line and those passing by us on the
street,” Tina said. “We are so grateful to have this
wonderful event in our city and by God’s grace, we are
praying for the clinic to close quickly.”

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

Ed in Birmingham says this city’s ninth 40 Days for
Life campaign has seen “some very interesting days.”

As always, there are days where just a few people are
praying at any one time — but there was one day when
a local church adopted every hour and the sidewalk
was full.

This was a day when Planned Parenthood expected a
high number of clients for their pre-abortion visit.
“Alabama has a 24-hour waiting period,” Ed explained,
“and before 8:00 am, they began to arrive. But on
this day, God showed us His grace.”

It seems a number of the women were willing to talk
to the pro-life volunteers — and even to accompany
them to the nearby pregnancy help center.

“Before lunch, we delivered six women away from
Planned Parenthood and to a chance at choosing life.
When the day was done, four of those women chose life
for their child,” he said. “Thanks be to God!”

To see a picture of the vigil in Birmingham, go to:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3703

Day 36 - October 31

Intention:

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

Scripture:

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

-- Ephesians 5:8-13

Reflection:

For centuries physicists debated the nature of light. Two theories surfaced. The "corpuscular theory" maintained that light consisted of particles emitted from a light source. This explained some properties of light, but not all. The "wave theory" stated that light emitted from its source as waves. Again, this explained some properties of light but not all. So, the debate continued. Did light consist of particles or waves?

In the early twentieth century, Albert Einstein answered the question-"Yes!" (And you thought Einstein was complicated!) He showed that light consists of "particles," little bundles of energy called "photons." However, when all of these photons zip along together, they behave as a wave.

Sometimes pro-life Christians can feel like a photon, a little particle of light, and we wonder if we can possibly make a difference in a world of darkness and death. The Bible, however, never talks about a "child of light" only "children of light." When Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, "You are the light of the world," "You" is plural. When you and I shine in the darkness, others shine with us. We are pro-life "photons" that form a wave of light that can and does make a difference in the darkness.

We are compelled to do so. Jesus hung and suffered on the darkness of the cross and paid the bloody price for our sins. Now the light of His empty tomb shines upon us through His Spirit cleansing us and declaring us "children of light." But we are called to be more than "glow in the dark" children of light. We are to "walk as children of light" and take no part in the "unfruitful works of darkness." But it does not stop with passive restraint. We "photons" are called to action, to "expose" the works of darkness.

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

Prayer:

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

Rev. Dr. James I. Lamb
Executive Director, Lutherans for Life and President, National Pro-life Religious Council