Dear Deacon, We're halfway through this 40 Days for Life campaign
-- and it's clear that God has used YOU to help save
lives through these peaceful efforts. Local campaign leaders report that so far ... ... 198 babies (and their mothers) have been spared
from abortion -- that we know of! Praise God!!! Here are just a few of their stories.
-----------------------------------------------------
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
----------------------------------------------------- A man walked up to the prayer volunteers at the
40 Days for Life vigil and said he had a story to tell. "I have taught my daughter moral values all her life,"
he said. "She heard y'all out here praying when she
came here today. She heard y'all when she came out.
She has decided to have my grandchild. Thank you!" "This is God's notice that your prayers are heard and
that your work is most worthy," said Eileen in Raleigh. To see a photo of the vigil location in Raleigh,
please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3476
-----------------------------------------------------
GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS
----------------------------------------------------- Josephine watched as a woman left the abortion center
and walked towards her car. She looked at Josephine
and said, "I didn't do it." The woman said that she had heard God’s voice and was
hoping that the prayer volunteers would still be there
when she left. "She shared with me she has twins,"
Josephine said. She also said that she had other
children already. "I will always remember the smile on her face knowing
that God aided her toward making the right choice,"
Josephine said, "and for her awareness that others
had been praying for her."
-----------------------------------------------------
McMINNVILLE, OREGON
----------------------------------------------------- "We have a confirmed baby saved at our site!" said
Elisha in McMinnville. Volunteers prayed as two young
women went into Planned Parenthood. When they left the
parking lot a half hour later, one of the girls
rolled down the car window and said to the vigil
participants, "I chose life!"
-----------------------------------------------------
LONDON, ENGLAND
----------------------------------------------------- Dave from London's Brixton location said volunteers
from St. Bede's were on their knees in prayer outside
the abortion center when two women went over to the
prayer volunteers’ information stand and asked for
some literature. One of the women was pregnant. She and her friend had
gone into the Marie Stopes abortion facility, but said
while she was inside, she had changed her mind. "After shedding a few tears," Dave said, "the ladies
left promising to keep her baby."
-----------------------------------------------------
ALEXANDRIA, MINNESOTA
----------------------------------------------------- In Alexandria, there's a pregnancy help center right
across the street from Planned Parenthood. One of the
volunteers there told of a couple who walked in and
said they had an appointment. The woman was in tears. The volunteer was curious -- the pregnancy help center
doesn't require appointments, so she guessed that the
appointment was really at the place across the street. The woman thought she was pregnant -- and frightened.
She was over 40, had never been pregnant and was not
sure she wanted to have the baby. The volunteer explained all of the support that was
available and the couple left in much higher spirits.
"Hopefully," said Debbie in Alexandria, "another
precious baby saved!"
Here's today's devotional from Rev. John Brown, the
Director of United Friends for Life (United Church of
Christ)...
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 20 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- May God's justice sober our society, and may mercy
triumph over judgment.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning;
from the hand of every beast I will require it, and
from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's
brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds
man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in
the image of God He made man. - Genesis 9:5-6
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Rev. John Brown
----------------------------------------------------- The value of every human being can hardly be seen
more clearly than with this verse. God, the King of
the universe, has created all human beings in his
image, and declares forthrightly that shedding the
blood of any individual will require the blood of the
one who shed it. God's concern for human beings is not limited to any
particular group. Indeed, his concern is universal,
and includes male and female, young and old, born and
unborn, disabled and able-bodied, the citizens of
every nation on earth. Abortion, the deliberate killing of the unborn, is
the shedding of innocent blood. Surely the blood of
millions upon millions of innocent children cries out
to God. It is true that we live in an age of grace,
and yet this passage (among many other texts which
express similar sentiments) should give every
thinking Christian pause. Christians of all people, entrusted with the Word of
God as we are, must take a stand. We must speak out.
We must do all that we can to protect the innocent,
to pursue justice, and to encourage the repentance of
all those who bear responsibility for this great
evil. Only in this manner can we hope to forestall
the judgment that must otherwise surely come. This passage should also be seen as an encouragement
to educate and disciple our children and
grandchildren about what it means to be human, and
the responsibility that will become theirs in this
ongoing struggle.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- O Father, forgive us for our lack of courage and our
want of compassion for the unborn and for those lost
and hurt by abortion. Fill us anew with your Spirit. Renew our minds, strengthen us in righteousness, help
us be people of salt and light within our nation. May
every human being, from conception to natural death,
be treated with the respect due those made in your
image. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2012day20print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: Heard any good stories about 40 Days for Life
activities in your community? I hope so! Please
share the good news by leaving a comment at
today's blog entry: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3476 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
-- and it's clear that God has used YOU to help save
lives through these peaceful efforts. Local campaign leaders report that so far ... ... 198 babies (and their mothers) have been spared
from abortion -- that we know of! Praise God!!! Here are just a few of their stories.
-----------------------------------------------------
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
----------------------------------------------------- A man walked up to the prayer volunteers at the
40 Days for Life vigil and said he had a story to tell. "I have taught my daughter moral values all her life,"
he said. "She heard y'all out here praying when she
came here today. She heard y'all when she came out.
She has decided to have my grandchild. Thank you!" "This is God's notice that your prayers are heard and
that your work is most worthy," said Eileen in Raleigh. To see a photo of the vigil location in Raleigh,
please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3476
-----------------------------------------------------
GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS
----------------------------------------------------- Josephine watched as a woman left the abortion center
and walked towards her car. She looked at Josephine
and said, "I didn't do it." The woman said that she had heard God’s voice and was
hoping that the prayer volunteers would still be there
when she left. "She shared with me she has twins,"
Josephine said. She also said that she had other
children already. "I will always remember the smile on her face knowing
that God aided her toward making the right choice,"
Josephine said, "and for her awareness that others
had been praying for her."
-----------------------------------------------------
McMINNVILLE, OREGON
----------------------------------------------------- "We have a confirmed baby saved at our site!" said
Elisha in McMinnville. Volunteers prayed as two young
women went into Planned Parenthood. When they left the
parking lot a half hour later, one of the girls
rolled down the car window and said to the vigil
participants, "I chose life!"
-----------------------------------------------------
LONDON, ENGLAND
----------------------------------------------------- Dave from London's Brixton location said volunteers
from St. Bede's were on their knees in prayer outside
the abortion center when two women went over to the
prayer volunteers’ information stand and asked for
some literature. One of the women was pregnant. She and her friend had
gone into the Marie Stopes abortion facility, but said
while she was inside, she had changed her mind. "After shedding a few tears," Dave said, "the ladies
left promising to keep her baby."
-----------------------------------------------------
ALEXANDRIA, MINNESOTA
----------------------------------------------------- In Alexandria, there's a pregnancy help center right
across the street from Planned Parenthood. One of the
volunteers there told of a couple who walked in and
said they had an appointment. The woman was in tears. The volunteer was curious -- the pregnancy help center
doesn't require appointments, so she guessed that the
appointment was really at the place across the street. The woman thought she was pregnant -- and frightened.
She was over 40, had never been pregnant and was not
sure she wanted to have the baby. The volunteer explained all of the support that was
available and the couple left in much higher spirits.
"Hopefully," said Debbie in Alexandria, "another
precious baby saved!"
Here's today's devotional from Rev. John Brown, the
Director of United Friends for Life (United Church of
Christ)...
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 20 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- May God's justice sober our society, and may mercy
triumph over judgment.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning;
from the hand of every beast I will require it, and
from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's
brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds
man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in
the image of God He made man. - Genesis 9:5-6
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Rev. John Brown
----------------------------------------------------- The value of every human being can hardly be seen
more clearly than with this verse. God, the King of
the universe, has created all human beings in his
image, and declares forthrightly that shedding the
blood of any individual will require the blood of the
one who shed it. God's concern for human beings is not limited to any
particular group. Indeed, his concern is universal,
and includes male and female, young and old, born and
unborn, disabled and able-bodied, the citizens of
every nation on earth. Abortion, the deliberate killing of the unborn, is
the shedding of innocent blood. Surely the blood of
millions upon millions of innocent children cries out
to God. It is true that we live in an age of grace,
and yet this passage (among many other texts which
express similar sentiments) should give every
thinking Christian pause. Christians of all people, entrusted with the Word of
God as we are, must take a stand. We must speak out.
We must do all that we can to protect the innocent,
to pursue justice, and to encourage the repentance of
all those who bear responsibility for this great
evil. Only in this manner can we hope to forestall
the judgment that must otherwise surely come. This passage should also be seen as an encouragement
to educate and disciple our children and
grandchildren about what it means to be human, and
the responsibility that will become theirs in this
ongoing struggle.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- O Father, forgive us for our lack of courage and our
want of compassion for the unborn and for those lost
and hurt by abortion. Fill us anew with your Spirit. Renew our minds, strengthen us in righteousness, help
us be people of salt and light within our nation. May
every human being, from conception to natural death,
be treated with the respect due those made in your
image. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2012day20print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: Heard any good stories about 40 Days for Life
activities in your community? I hope so! Please
share the good news by leaving a comment at
today's blog entry: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3476 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
