Dear Deacon,
Yesterday I was at the Flagstaff, Arizona 40 Days for
Life campaign -- where they have gotten some excellent
coverage from local media.
In fact, 40 Days for Life continues to get great media
coverage from local newspapers and TV stations.
These reports are getting the word out to people who
otherwise might not know about the campaign -- and who
might not even know that abortion is such a serious
problem in their own home towns.
Here’s a rundown of several of those stories.
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LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
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Mary Pate, the 40 Days for Life coordinator for Little
Rock, was part of a lengthy live report aired by KHTV,
the local CBS affiliate.
She called 40 Days for Life a peaceful attempt to
change people's hearts and minds.
"There are many victims to abortion; it's not just the
child," she said. "Women are hurt by abortion as well
and we feel like that once women learn that there are
alternatives to abortion when they are in a crisis
situation, they will make a better decision."
Mary also countered the pro-abortion argument that
abortion is healthcare. "It's not a simple procedure
and the pain doesn't end the day they leave the abortion
clinic," she said. "There could be a lifetime of pain
and regret and guilt."
For a link to the KHTV video, please go to:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2393
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LUFKIN, TEXAS
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Local coordinator Michelle Reynolds was quoted in a
Lufkin News story about 40 Days for Life.
"I'm a normal person just like everyone else, but I've
seen the effects of abortion -- my friends, my past
experiences with Planned Parenthood and myself -- they
bring them to a clinic to get help and they're not
getting the help that is needed. I've seen the hurt
they can cause," she said.
Rev. Mark O'Neill, pastor of Lufkin's Covenant
Presbyterian Church, told the reporter, "Planned
Parenthood is the largest provider in the country.
We want to pray here and pray that the Lord would have
mercy on our country and cause people to see that
abortion is the taking of another human life."
For a link to the Lufkin News article, please see:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2393
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FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA
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The Flagstaff Daily Sun spoke to Sam Copeland, who
heads up the local 40 Days for Life campaign, at their
vigil location outside Planned Parenthood.
"It's a spiritual issue. It's not a political battle,"
Sam said. "It's peaceful."
He said for the most part, participants are members of
local evangelical Christian churches. They would like
to see Planned Parenthood stop performing abortions --
and in the case of locations that do not actually
perform abortions, to stop referring women to other
locations that do.
For a link to the Flagstaff Daily Sun coverage, go to:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2393
Here's today's devotional from Randolph Sly of the
National Pro-life Religious Council...
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DAY 18 INTENTION
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We pray for a flowering of the joy of parenthood.
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SCRIPTURE
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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
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REFLECTION by Randolph Sly
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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!
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PRAYER
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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.
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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends:
http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2011day18print.pdf
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For Life,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: Has 40 Days for Life affected you? If it has,
please leave a comment on today's blog entry:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2393
40 Days for Life
10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
