encouraging during a 40 Days for Life campaign when we
see local abortion numbers DECREASE dramatically. After we did the first 40 Days for Life campaign in
Texas back in 2004, abortions dropped 28 percent in
our community that year. As 40 Days for Life has spread to other cities, we've
seen similar results. Today, we start with an AMAZING
example where abortion numbers keep falling!
------------------------------------------------------
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
------------------------------------------------------ Trudy sent me a graph showing Jacksonville's abortion
numbers over the past ten years. Abortions increased
from 2002 through 2006. Starting in 2007, however,
abortions have DECREASED every year. What happened in 2007? Well, in the fall of that year,
Jacksonville held its first 40 Days for Life campaign.
Then in 2009, volunteers started Family for Life --
daily prayer at the abortion centers Monday through
Saturday ... more than 300 days of prayer every year! In 2011, Jacksonville abortions reached a ten-year low. The Jacksonville team has already sponsored several
events this campaign, including a Jericho march, in
which prayer volunteers marched back and forth between
two abortion facilities seven times. To see the amazing chart of Jacksonville's abortion
numbers, plus photos from the campaign, please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2758
------------------------------------------------------
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
------------------------------------------------------ The sound of the shofar kicked off the second 40 Days
for Life in Asheville. Mary Ann in Asheville said 100
people took part in the opening prayer vigil and
procession, led by representatives of Catholic,
Methodist, Presbyterian and home churches. People sang hymns and heard inspirational messages
from a local pastor and a former abortion industry
employee. "Hearts were deeply touched," Mary Ann said. From a very small start last fall, the Asheville effort
has now expanded. Many churches now have members of
their congregations signing up for prayer at the vigil,
the leaders have gotten information about the campaign
in a number of publications and team members have been
able to speak about 40 Days for Life at meetings of
various local organizations. For photos of the Asheville campaign, please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2758
------------------------------------------------------
DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA
------------------------------------------------------ "God is moving big-time in Downey, California," Tim
wrote in the 40 Days for Life blog. "He is stirring the saints to come out of the pews
and onto the street to make a difference at the
Family Planning Associates abortion facility in
Downey," he said. Tim described how 40 college-age young adults stood
in prayer and worship from 9 pm to midnight recently,
and some of them were right back at the vigil outside
the abortion center at 7:30 the following morning. In just the first few days, eight babies were spared
from abortion in Downey. "God is pouring out His
Spirit," Tim wrote, "just as He said He would."
Today's devotional is from Carmen Pate, a member of
the 40 Days for Life board of directors.
------------------------------------------------------
DAY 7 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------ Pray that the abortionists and all workers in
abortion facilities would be troubled in their
souls regarding their work and would seek truth.
------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all
malice. And be kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake
has forgiven you. -- Ephesians 4:31-32
------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, 40 Days for Life
------------------------------------------------------ We see the evil and oppression in the world, the
arrogance of those who mock God, the millions of
innocent lives destroyed because of the greed of a
few. Our flesh tells us that we should take justice in our
own hands, but instead of vengeance, the Lord calls us
to love our enemy, to forgive others as we have been
forgiven. God loves the abortionist and the Planned Parenthood
advocate just as much as He loves you. It breaks His heart to see them in bondage to sin and
He is giving you this opportunity to introduce them to
the Savior who sets the captive free. Though you may not experience direct interaction with
these souls, your presence will not go unnoticed. Your
non-verbal communications speak volumes about the God
you serve. Forgiveness is an act of obedience to God (Colossians
3:13). Forgiveness is not condoning or overlooking the
wrong behavior of others, but rather it is freeing
ourselves so that God can work mightily through us to
touch their hearts for Him. Let's join our hearts with His in recognizing that
those in the abortion industry are not the enemy, but
rather they are blinded by the enemy. God desires that we bring them the message of truth
and hope found in Christ, but the messengers He will
use are those willing to forgive.
------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------ Dearest God, You tell us in Proverbs that the foolish
and the wicked lack wisdom and understanding. I pray
you will trouble the souls of those in the abortion
industry so that they hunger for truth and cry out for
freedom. I pray that my life would reflect my redemption so
others may see it and trust in You. In obedience to
You, and by your grace, I choose to forgive others as
you have forgiven me. In the name of Christ my
Redeemer I pray, Amen.
------------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
------------------------------------------------------ To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2012day07print.pdf
------------------------------------------------------ Yours for Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: Any miracles at your 40 Days for Life vigil?
Please share them with everyone by posting a comment
on today's blog entry: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2758
40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA
------------------------------------------------------ "God is moving big-time in Downey, California," Tim
wrote in the 40 Days for Life blog. "He is stirring the saints to come out of the pews
and onto the street to make a difference at the
Family Planning Associates abortion facility in
Downey," he said. Tim described how 40 college-age young adults stood
in prayer and worship from 9 pm to midnight recently,
and some of them were right back at the vigil outside
the abortion center at 7:30 the following morning. In just the first few days, eight babies were spared
from abortion in Downey. "God is pouring out His
Spirit," Tim wrote, "just as He said He would."
Today's devotional is from Carmen Pate, a member of
the 40 Days for Life board of directors.
------------------------------------------------------
DAY 7 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------ Pray that the abortionists and all workers in
abortion facilities would be troubled in their
souls regarding their work and would seek truth.
------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all
malice. And be kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake
has forgiven you. -- Ephesians 4:31-32
------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, 40 Days for Life
------------------------------------------------------ We see the evil and oppression in the world, the
arrogance of those who mock God, the millions of
innocent lives destroyed because of the greed of a
few. Our flesh tells us that we should take justice in our
own hands, but instead of vengeance, the Lord calls us
to love our enemy, to forgive others as we have been
forgiven. God loves the abortionist and the Planned Parenthood
advocate just as much as He loves you. It breaks His heart to see them in bondage to sin and
He is giving you this opportunity to introduce them to
the Savior who sets the captive free. Though you may not experience direct interaction with
these souls, your presence will not go unnoticed. Your
non-verbal communications speak volumes about the God
you serve. Forgiveness is an act of obedience to God (Colossians
3:13). Forgiveness is not condoning or overlooking the
wrong behavior of others, but rather it is freeing
ourselves so that God can work mightily through us to
touch their hearts for Him. Let's join our hearts with His in recognizing that
those in the abortion industry are not the enemy, but
rather they are blinded by the enemy. God desires that we bring them the message of truth
and hope found in Christ, but the messengers He will
use are those willing to forgive.
------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------ Dearest God, You tell us in Proverbs that the foolish
and the wicked lack wisdom and understanding. I pray
you will trouble the souls of those in the abortion
industry so that they hunger for truth and cry out for
freedom. I pray that my life would reflect my redemption so
others may see it and trust in You. In obedience to
You, and by your grace, I choose to forgive others as
you have forgiven me. In the name of Christ my
Redeemer I pray, Amen.
------------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
------------------------------------------------------ To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2012day07print.pdf
------------------------------------------------------ Yours for Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: Any miracles at your 40 Days for Life vigil?
Please share them with everyone by posting a comment
on today's blog entry: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2758
40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
