Dear Deacon, Are you ready for another serving of Monday morning
good news? Here it is! So far during this 40 Days for Life campaign, we now
know of ... ... 417 babies whose mothers decided to reject abortion! Here are some of the stories we've received from local
40 Days for Life teams.
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PENSACOLA, FLORIDA
------------------------------------------------------- A woman left smiling as she spoke to those praying in
front of the abortion facility. She told them, "I can't
go through with this!" The prayer volunteers all
rejoiced in her decision to choose life. The very next day, said Ernie in Pensacola, three more
women changed their minds about abortion. "That's four
witnessed turnarounds! Praise be to God!" Ernie also reports that a former worker at the abortion
facility has now found a new job as a medical assistant.
"Thank you for all your prayers for her," he said. "We were with her last evening and she expressed how
seeing our peaceful, prayerful presence made all the
difference in her life. It is truly beautiful how God
uses this simple act to draw hearts and minds to him."
-------------------------------------------------------
POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------- Maureen in Poughkeepsie tells the story of two women
who changed their minds. In one instance, a woman walked into Planned Parenthood,
followed a few minutes later by a man. The man had
accepted some pro-life information from prayer
volunteers. A short time later, he left the building
and got in his car. A few minutes later, the woman also left the building
and got into the car with him. They hugged, then drove
away with relieved looks on their faces. Later, two women drove past Planned Parenthood twice
-- slowly. The younger woman in the passenger's seat
was crying. They pulled over and talked briefly, then left. Ten
minutes later, they came back. This time, they stopped
and went inside. As they walked towards the building,
the volunteers offered information and help. They were inside for only ten minutes before they came
back out. They waved to the volunteers, got into their
car and left -- for good.
-------------------------------------------------------
SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN
------------------------------------------------------- A young couple walked out of the abortion center with a
handful of paperwork. "They had just found out she was
farther than they thought -- 17 weeks," said a 40 Days
for Life volunteer. "And after paying $150 for the
ultrasound, they didn't have the $775 to complete the
abortion." The volunteers mentioned a pro-life center that would
do another ultrasound -- free -- to see if they were
told the truth. The couple accepted the offer. "There's NO WAY we're having the abortion now," the
father said, after seeing the ultrasound. "I thought
the baby was the size of a quarter from the picture
they gave us." "We are so joyful to see God's blessings for our
prayerful presence on the sidewalk in front of the
abortion facility," said Mike in Southfield. "This
is such a simple plan. We show up and pray in public.
God changes hearts, mothers and babies are saved from
abortion. What could be easier?"
Here's today's devotional from Rev. Paul Stallsworth,
President of Lifewatch (United Methodist Church)...
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DAY 34 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- May we come to know that divine life, in
relationship, creates human life.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning
with God. All things were made through Him, and
without Him nothing was made that was made. --John 1:1-3
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Rev. Paul Stallsworth
----------------------------------------------------- "In the beginning" was God. Always, before all times,
there was God. This particular God -- the God of the
Bible, the God of St. John's Gospel -- is different
from all other gods. This God is alive and full of
life. This God is not the picture of deadness and
death, aloneness and isolation. This God is the
picture of life, relationship, and unity. For within this God, within this one God, there are
three divine persons who live, who love, and who work
-- together. This is the glorious mystery of the
Trinity. The Trinity means divine life. The Trinity
means three, living Persons -- Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit -- who relate to each other. The Trinity means
mutual love and service among three Persons. The Word was always with God the Father. This Word
was, is, and will be the Trinity's second person. The
Word is also the Son of God or, as revealed in time,
Jesus Christ. God the Father and God the Son live,
love, and work for each other. As one, they create
"all things" together: the Father creates all things,
including all human life, through the Son. So the Father, through the Son, creates all human
lives. The little one swimming in his mother's womb,
the infant smiling in his father's arms, the child
crying in pain in a hospital bed, the energetic teen
running another mile, the old man gasping for his
last breath -- all were created, at their beginning,
by the Father through the Son. No exceptions. Divine
life creates human life.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- O God, may we always be quick to call you Father. And
when we call you father, let your Spirit remind us
that we, and all people, from their beginning to
their last day, are your children. We praise you,
Father, that you sent your Son to reveal to the world
that all people are His brothers and sisters, that
all people are your children. Through Jesus Christ we
pray, Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2011day34print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: What has impressed you most about your 40 Days
for Life experience this fall? Please let us know
by leaving a comment on today's blog posting at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2500 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
