Dear Deacon, Women have abortions because they have lost hope. Abortion centers are hopeless places. They survive on
fear and despair. When you are there praying, you are
the last sign of hope for the baby as the woman enters
to have the abortion ... and the first sign of hope --
and first impression of mercy -- as the woman exits
after the abortion. This hope and mercy come from Christ, in whom all things
are possible. Thank you for bringing His hope and mercy
to the places they are so desperately needed.
-------------------------------------------------------
DOVER, DELAWARE
------------------------------------------------------- It was cold and snowing outside Planned Parenthood in
Dover, and Darla and her two teenaged sons were thinking
about leaving early. They're glad they didn't. A woman came up to talk. She told them she had six
children ... but aborted her seventh. At the time, she
thought she couldn't handle another child. Now, she
considers that the worst mistake of her life. And she's
worried that a friend is about to make the same mistake. The friend is a teenager who is pregnant. Her family and
most of her friends are pressuring her to abort -- all
except this woman, who knows abortion's impact firsthand. The teenager walked out of Planned Parenthood, met her
friend, and spoke briefly. The woman then returned to
talk to Darla and her sons. "You ARE making a difference out here," the woman said.
"My teenaged friend has decided, because of your presence,
that she cannot go through with an abortion." Darla said, "I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit
prompted us to stay, despite the bad weather."
-------------------------------------------------------
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
------------------------------------------------------- Laura left a note on the 40 Days for Life blog. She
brings a group of families to pray at a San Jose
abortion center every week -- including a number
of children. "It breaks my heart to see how some people do not even
respect life after birth," she said, noting the escorts
that glare at them and the drivers who offer rude
gestures as they speed by. "But we get so many positive
responses from drivers too. They honk and wave, and
give us thumbs up." On a cold, windy day, a driver slowed down and shouted,
"Put your kids back in school!" The group just continued
to pray quietly, until a stranger walked up to shake
their hands and thank them for being there. "Never lose hope," Laura wrote, "and never stop fighting
for these precious babies, wounded mothers, boyfriends,
husbands, families, doctors, nurses, and everyone
involved in abortion. The tide is changing."
-------------------------------------------------------
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
------------------------------------------------------- "Did you know that our prayers at the vigil are just
the visible sign of 40 Days for Life?" asked Ann in
Richmond. "In the quiet places of our city, prayers
are being lifted to the Lord for an end to abortion." She listed just a few of those places: * In the evening hours at a small chapel
* In the rooms of elderly residents
* In the cells of inmates at a nearby prison
* In the classrooms of students
* In the homes and cars and churches of the community "We have great back-up at the vigil, great prayer cover,"
she said. "God sees all who join us and hears all of our
prayers. Thank you very much to everyone who prays for an
end to abortion, at the vigil and beyond."
Today's devotional is from Carmen Pate, a member of
the 40 Days for Life board of directors.
------------------------------------------------------
DAY 19 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------ Pray that when those representing Planned Parenthood
and other abortion groups see volunteers for 40 Days
for Life, they see ambassadors of Christ, and may each
volunteer be consciously aware at all times of Whom we
represent.
------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------ I...beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called, with all lowliness, and
gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one
another in love. -- Ephesians 4:1b-2
------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, 40 Days for Life
------------------------------------------------------ When Carol Everett, a former abortionist and
post-abortive woman, was asked what turned her heart
from death to life in Christ, she said, "Unconditional
love," shown by a man who prayed daily for her in
front of the abortion clinic where she worked. He told Carol that "God had sent him" because there
was someone in there that God wanted out. She left 27 days later and now serves as Christ's
ambassador to help others. We too have been sent by Christ as an ambassador to
love unconditionally those God seeks to "get out" of
their bondage and sin. What a high calling it is -- much higher than any
presidential appointment to another country. In his book, Fishers of Men, Dr. Sumner Wemp describes
what it means to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ, the
King of Kings: * God has chosen us (John 15:16) * We are sent into a world that is not our home
(1 Peter 2:11) * Our walk must match our talk (1 Timothy 3:7) * We must abide in Him for daily instruction
(John 15:5) * Know our purpose -- to seek and to save that
which is lost (Luke 19:10) * We are to reconcile others to God with His
authority (Matthew 28:19-20) * Do not let kindness and truth leave you
(Proverbs 3:3-4) * Our service is to be grounded and rooted in
love (Ephesians 3:17) Pray that we each will walk worthy of the calling with
which we were called!
------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------ Dear Heavenly Father, we are humbled that you have
called us and appointed us to be ambassadors of Christ
in a world that is not our home. We pray that your Holy Spirit will empower us to walk
worthy of the calling. We pray that Your unconditional
love will flow through us to those who desperately
need Your saving grace. In the name of Christ who is worthy, Amen.
------------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
------------------------------------------------------ To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2012day19print.pdf
------------------------------------------------------ May this Lord's day be filled with blessings for you
and all of your loved ones, Deacon! Yours In Christ, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: How has your prayer experience with 40 Days for
Life affected you? Please leave a comment with today's
blog entry at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2898 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
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May the Virgin Mary, with her loving Child, bless us!
"May the Lord grant all your prayers!" (Psalm 20)Deacon John
