40 Days for Life: It all starts today! Prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil -- Ending March 20

40 Days for Life.com ^ | 02-10-16 | 40 Days for Life

[Salvation]

DAY 8: Planned Parenthood out … pro-life center in

February 17, 2016

Our 40 Days for Life headquarters is in the place where the first-ever campaign took place — the former Planned Parenthood abortion center in Bryan, Texas.

We also share the facility with Hope Pregnancy Center. This shows what God can do at the local level …

. . . and He continues to do it!

This time it's in Creston, Iowa … where the LC Clinic now operates in a former Planned Parenthood facility which once offered the controversial "webcam" abortions - and yes, it’s also a place where faithful Christians prayed outside during a 40 Days for Life campaign!

"This was all on the tail end of a 40 Days for Life campaign where a local pastor remembered joking with friends about the possibility of converting the Planned Parenthood building into a pro-life outpost," wrote reporter Jay Hobbs in Pregnancy Help News.

It was after that campaign that Planned Parenthood shut down; they failed to attract enough customers to remain in business.

"We had no intentions of ever moving into that Planned Parenthood building," said the pregnancy center's Ruth Fennessey. "Obviously, it's 100 percent God. There is no human way possible that this could ever have worked out."

This is what can happen when people pray! Will your town be next?

[Salvation]

Day 8 Devotional

https://40daysforlife.com/media/day08.pdf

[Salvation]

DAY 9: Sleep is overrated

February 18, 2016

Have you ever prayed outside an abortion facility at midnight? What about 2 am? Or 3 am?

Right now, there are many 40 Days for Life vigils that take place 24-hours every day. If you've never been to an overnight vigil . . . or just want to see what it's like . . . watch this short video, featuring Steve Karlen, our North American campaign director, that was recorded at a 24-hour vigil in Wisconsin.

The natural question can be, "What possible good are you doing out there in the middle of the night? The place is closed ... and nobody sees you!"

The abortion facility is closed . . . but God doesn’t hear or answer prayers based on their business hours. Abortion survives on distraction in our busy world . . . and there are no distractions in the still and silent hours of the night.

We saw the power of all-day, all-night prayer during the first 40 Days for Life campaign in Texas in 2004 . . . when the Knights of Columbus created the Knight Shift. They committed to pray on the sidewalks outside the abortion business -- every night -- from 11 pm to 7 am.

There's something special about the non-stop prayer witness that's hard to explain. I encourage you to watch this video … and if you're able, pray at your closest vigil -- night or day.

[Salvation]

Video — https://youtu.be/Y3NaYQqoYpA

[Salvation]

https://40daysforlife.com/media/day09.pdf

Day 9 devotional

[Salvation]

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

February 19, 2016

Nikki in Pittsburgh says she was humbled that volunteers vowed to keep their commitments in extreme cold conditions - especially one particular shift manager.

"I sent her a text message around 9 am, asking if she wanted to reconsider closing early," Nikki said, "and she texted me back that she is fine and would stay all day. Wow!"

The cold weather may be helping to warm hearts. Two passersby told vigil participants that they supported the "right" to abortion. One said she had never been able to discuss abortion so calmly and logically, and her talk with volunteers gave her something to think about. The other actually said he could be changing his mind on the issue.

"The most encouraging thing to happen today," said another volunteer, "was that a couple who were about to enter Planned Parenthood noticed us praying." They slowed down ... turned around ... and then left. "Thank God for this opportunity!"

[Salvation]

https://40daysforlife.com/media/day10.pdf

Day 10 devotional

[Salvation]

Bogota, Colombia

February 20, 2016

It was worth it!" said one of the team leaders in Bogota.

In the city's first campaign last year, vigil participants know of at least 12 babies that were saved from abortion. And now - they've learned of one child spared during the first week of this campaign.

Six volunteers were in prayer in front of the abortion center. As they stood below a "pray for an end to abortion" banner, they saw a young woman - perhaps in her mid-20s - leaving the building.

She held her head down. She carried a document in her hands ... and she had tears in her eyes.

One of the vigil participants stepped up to offer her information about life-affirming options that were available at pregnancy help centers in the area.

The young woman gratefully accepted a glass of water, and slowly started to calm down. She agreed to go to the help center for the assistance she needed to continue with her pregnancy in spite of the obstacles she was facing.

"For now," said the Bogota team member, "we give thanks to God for that baby that will bring blessings and changes to this young woman and her family - and in the future, for many people more. Human life is a gift from God. We pray that the whole world says yes to life!"

[Salvation]

Day 11 devotional

https://40daysforlife.com/media/day11.pdf

[Salvation]

Cardiff, Wales

February 21, 2016

A 40 Days for Life campaign can indeed be a vehicle of forgiveness and healing.

Vigil participants in Cardiff say a man showed up to say he was sorry ... for being one of the protesters who harassed prayer volunteers at an earlier vigil a couple of years ago.

He said he now realizes he'd been wrong ... and is now trying to find his way to God.

The man said three of his children have been aborted, and his aggressive behavior was a reaction to the hurt he felt over those abortions.

He has since returned to the vigil site ... stopping to speak to the current group of pro-abortion protesters. He is still in close contact with one of the women who comes to protest and shout abuse at the prayer volunteers, but was trying to dissuade her from coming.

"This is a conversion story and an answer to prayer," said one of the Cardiff volunteers. "We have directed him towards post-abortion counselling services. May God bless him and give him the courage to persevere down this road."

[Salvation]

https://40daysforlife.com/media/day12.pdf

Day 12 devotional

[Salvation]

DAY 13: So far … 121 saved

February 22, 2016

Happy Monday! As the work week begins, here are some nuggets of good news to show you what God is doing in response to your prayer and fasting.

So far during this campaign, our local leaders report that . . .

. . . 121 babies have been saved from abortion (that we know of)!

That may seem like just a number. But each number represents a living human being, each of whom is now part of a story about the impact of prayer . . . . and God's inspiration.

[Salvation]

Day 13 devotional

https://40daysforlife.com/media/day13.pdf

[Salvation]

Sterling Heights, Michigan

February 23, 2016

Abortion center staffs often try to intimidate prayer volunteers by making up imaginary rules and regulations governing the sidewalk.

The 40 Days for Life team in Sterling Heights saw this recently - on two separate occasions. Two men whose girlfriends were inside the facility came over to chat with vigil participants.

In both cases, the security guard came over to tell the men they were forbidden to speak to the people praying outside. The men were also told if they continued to talk to the volunteers, they would have to move their cars from the abortion center's property.

"You'd think people would wonder about what kind of place this is if they won't let you talk to someone," said one of the 40 Days for Life team members. "Taking away your right to speak must be a prerequisite to taking away your right to life. We were able to give one of the men information about free resources ... please pray for them."

On another occasion, the security guard spoke to a woman who'd come to talk to the vigil participants. When she finally made her way over to the group that was praying, she told them she'd had a baby after 25 weeks of pregnancy. Her doctor had recommended an abortion - but she chose life, and both she and her baby were fine.

[Salvation]

Day 14 devotional

https://40daysforlife.com/media/day14.pdf

[Salvation]

Bucharest, Romania

February 24, 2016

The first 40 Days for Life campaign in Romania’s capital city features a display posted on a fence at the vigil site.

It’s called “Look How They Grow” – a series of fetal development posters that certainly dispel any of the “clump of cells” arguments put forward by abortion proponents.

The vigil participants are also letting people know about a local organization that offers life-affirming guidance for those who are told that abortion will solve their problems.

The bishop in Bucharest posted a message of support for the campaign. He noted that abortion is the central point around which moral civilization will either stand or collapse.

Why now? And why Bucharest? The bishop’s statement says there’s never a better time than the present.

[Salvation]

Day 15 devotional

https://40daysforlife.com/media/day15.pdf

[Salvation]

DAY 16: “I came to get my money back”

February 25, 2016

Abortion businesses often require payment in advance … and they sure don’t like to give refunds.

Please understand that abortion is a business. If there are no customers, they can’t keep their doors open. Some of the most recent closings have taken place for just that reason – there was no longer enough money coming in to cover expenses.

It’s a particular blessing when a mother decides against abortion and goes home. And it’s always especially encouraging when she is confident enough to walk back in and demand that they return her payment.

Greenville, South Carolina

Ingrid, one of the 40 Days for Life leaders in Greenville, said her prayer time ended and she was just getting ready to leave – but she noticed a car turning into the abortion center’s driveway.

“I waved for her to stop, and she did,” she said. “I asked if she had come for an abortion.”

“No,” the young woman answered. “I was going to have one … but I came to get my money back.”

Just to be sure of what she’d heard, Ingrid asked if she’d planned to have an abortion but changed her mind.

“Yes,” she said. “Babies are a blessing.”

“I told her she was absolutely right,” Ingrid said. “We hugged and she went inside to get her money.”

No one had spoken to this woman prior to her original abortion appointment. “The prayers and fasting are doing the work,” Ingrid said. “I was blessed to be there to hear her decision and pass it on to you.”

[Salvation]

Day 16 Devotional

https://40daysforlife.com/media/day16.pdf

[Salvation]

DAY 17: Know your rights … save lives

February 26, 2016

We need to know and exercise our rights as citizens to help save lives from abortion.

The Thomas More Society law firm has been on the front lines of protecting the rights of 40 Days for Life volunteers across the United States since the early days of the campaign … and they’ve just recorded another victory on behalf of a local vigil.

It is often the case that the abortion centers have friends in local government who are eager to do things that will discourage vigil participants. We covered this important topic in a recent podcast episode.

Not only does the Thomas More Law Society help 40 Days for Life … but they are also currently defending investigator David Daleiden. Thankfully, they are great at what they do. Here’s the latest example.

Hollywood, Florida

Early in the campaign, a city police officer told the people praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil that they were not permitted to stand on the sidewalk outside the abortion center.

He basically said the abortion business could decide who could or could not occupy the public sidewalk … and the center’s management didn’t want them there.

So the volunteers got in touch with the Thomas More Society’s team.

“Forbidding pro-lifers from standing on public property violates 75 years of clear Supreme Court precedent that gives broad protections to those engaging in free speech in public places,” said Corrina Konczal, Thomas More Society associate counsel.

The attorneys wrote to the city, challenging the officer’s directive. It didn’t take long to get a response. The police department’s lawyer wrote that the volunteers were indeed in the right, and “the participants in the vigil are entitled to remain on the public sidewalk.”

Thanks to the Thomas More Society for resolving this quickly … and thanks to the 40 Days for Life team in Hollywood for standing up for their free speech rights.