Dear Deacon,
I'm on the road again today, after speaking at 40 Days
for Life kickoff events in Jacksonville and Pensacola,
Florida. The campaign officially starts TOMORROW ...
so NOW is the time for us all to make a decision.
40 Days for Life is merely an invitation. This campaign
cannot happen without a response to that invitation from
people like you. And that leaves just one question:
What will God do over these next 40 days in your
community ... and will you be part of it?
It is our hope that you will join hundreds of thousands
of others who have taken this journey of prayer and
fasting ... peaceful vigil ... and community outreach.
There are 261 locations in all, so please follow this
link and get involved in the closest campaign:
http://40daysforlife.com/location
Thousands of abortions are scheduled across the nation
and around the world -- tomorrow ... and the next
day ... and the next. There is something we all can
do. We can pray and stand vigil.
Over these past few weeks, our local leaders have been
filling schedules with volunteers who will be a witness
to hope on the sidewalks.
Will you join them?
http://40daysforlife.com/location
These prayer vigils work ... as seen in Aurora,
Illinois, where an ex-Planned Parenthood employee
spoke -- and a baby was saved -- all at a 40 Days
for Life kickoff event!
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AURORA, ILLINOIS
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The local leaders in Aurora said they were "amazed
and humbled" at their kickoff rally on a very chilly
morning as they listened to one particular guest
share her testimony -- former Planned Parenthood
manager Ramona Trevino!
Ramona had a change of heart and quit her job at a
Planned Parenthood facility in Texas after a single
40 Days for Life campaign was held outside of her
office just two years ago!
They couldn't have asked for a better start. During
the event, one of the sidewalk counselors told the
group that a woman they had spoken to had decided
not to go into the abortion center after all.
She had changed her mind!
"We will only triumph over the evil of abortion by
changing hearts," said one of the volunteers, "which
we can only do by a loving, peaceful approach."
To see the photos of the Aurora kickoff, please go to:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/
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TEMPE, ARIZONA
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The abortion industry is responding aggressively to
the threat to their profits. The vigil in Tempe will
be held outside a Planned Parenthood facility that
has increased its hours of operation by 40% ... and
has apparently added additional abortion days to its
weekly schedule.
"Now is the time to bring a cloud of witness," said
Lisa in Tempe. "We need to lift up our prayers and
put all our trust in Jesus." If more people stand
witness, others will see this display of faith --
and they in turn will join the vigil as well.
"I pray that God will call you to take at least one
hour for each week of this campaign," she said. "One
hour, once a week, for 40 days can save lives ...
and souls."
As we always put prayer first in this campaign, here's
a special devotional from Carmen Pate, a member of the
40 Days for Life board of directors, to help you
spiritually prepare for the 40-day journey ahead.
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PRE-KICKOFF INTENTION
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For God’s blessing upon the coming 40 Days for Life
campaign.
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SCRIPTURE
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"If My people who are called by My name will humble
themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from
their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and
forgive their sin and heal their land."
-- 2 Chronicles 7:14
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REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, 40 Days for Life
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Not unlike God's chosen people of Israel, we must
humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from
our wicked ways, if we expect God to hear from heaven,
forgive our sin, and heal our land. The need for
repentance has not been greater since the Supreme
Court decision of Roe vs. Wade in 1973.
The number one cause of death in America is the
needless sacrifice of our children at the altar of
convenience called abortion. Conservative estimates
put the number of deaths at nearly 55 million.
And lest we think this is an issue outside the church
walls, 43 percent of women obtaining abortions
identify themselves as Protestant, and 27 percent
identify themselves as Catholic. One in four women has
at least one abortion by the age of 45 -- both
non-Christian and Christian alike. Where was the voice
of Truth -- the church?
Mary Comm of In Our Midst Ministries, Inc. sums up the
issue best as she writes, "We (the church) have been
an unintentional accomplice to the millions of lives
lost and to the multiplied millions of lives
devastated by abortion. We didn't want them to abort.
We didn't mean for them to abort. But, because of our
lack of knowledge, because of our fear, we have
continued to stand by and do nothing."
"We, God's hands and feet in this dark and hurting
world, have been unintentional, unknowledgeable
accomplice, but an accomplice nonetheless."
May today mark the beginning of change within the
church, as God's people, in unity, seek His
forgiveness.
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PRAYER
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Heavenly Father, we have turned our backs on you and
your principles in your Word. We have allowed man to
usurp Your role as God over life and the number of our
days. But we come to you in brokenness and repentance
over our sin.
We cry out for Your mercy and ask you to remove the
scourge of abortion from our land.
Use us as your vessels, Lord, to bring the light of
Your Truth to our nation once again. Because of Christ
we pray, 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/spring2013day00print.pdf
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Let's pray, fast, and shape history together starting
tomorrow!
In Christ,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: In case you missed yesterday's email, you can get
your copy of the new book, "40 Days for Life," at the
lowest online price NOW!
To have this book during the campaign, go to:
http://www.40daysforlife.com/book
PPS: Amazon.com has named the book a "Hot New Release"!
Read the 130+ reviews here:
40 Days for Life
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