Dear Deacon John,
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 ...
... 371 babies whose mothers decided to reject abortion!
Here are the stories of two of those babies ... their parents ... and grandparents.
Little Rock, Arkansas
... 371 babies whose mothers decided to reject abortion!
Here are the stories of two of those babies ... their parents ... and grandparents.
Little Rock, Arkansas
On
a typical Saturday morning, there are around two dozen people praying
outside the abortion center in Little Rock. But the volunteers have a
new obstacle now.
"Water
sprinklers were installed on top of the privacy fence and constantly
spray the sidewalk and driveway," said Mary in Little Rock. That makes
it much harder to talk to women entering the building.
"We have suggested the sidewalk counselors wear rain gear now," she said.
The sprinklers can't stop the prayers. A woman walked through the curtain of water to tell Mary that her 16-year-old daughter would not be getting an abortion.
"She hugged the three of us praying and I directed her to the pregnancy care center across the street for help," Mary said. "Praise God!"
"We have suggested the sidewalk counselors wear rain gear now," she said.
The sprinklers can't stop the prayers. A woman walked through the curtain of water to tell Mary that her 16-year-old daughter would not be getting an abortion.
"She hugged the three of us praying and I directed her to the pregnancy care center across the street for help," Mary said. "Praise God!"
Mary asked the abortion center's security guard "if he really thought a little water would keep us away. He did not respond."
Newburgh, New York
Newburgh, New York
A
young lady arrived at Planned Parenthood along with her boyfriend and
sister. "Although her boyfriend and sister did not support her decision
to have the abortion," said Wendy in Newburgh, "her mother was
pressuring her."
The boyfriend was upset over this decision, but felt he had no say in the matter. "He said that she was nine weeks pregnant and she even had an ultrasound picture of the baby," she said. "He couldn't bring himself to look at that picture knowing the fate of his baby."
The prayer volunteers encouraged him to go inside Planned Parenthood and get his girlfriend out. They told him to not give up on that baby because they certainly refused to do so. As he went inside, they prayed fervently.
Finally, they all came out. "This young man looked like he had the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders," Wendy said. As he drove off, he smiled and gave a thumbs-up.
"Don't ever doubt that your prayers and presence make a difference," said Wendy.
The boyfriend was upset over this decision, but felt he had no say in the matter. "He said that she was nine weeks pregnant and she even had an ultrasound picture of the baby," she said. "He couldn't bring himself to look at that picture knowing the fate of his baby."
The prayer volunteers encouraged him to go inside Planned Parenthood and get his girlfriend out. They told him to not give up on that baby because they certainly refused to do so. As he went inside, they prayed fervently.
Finally, they all came out. "This young man looked like he had the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders," Wendy said. As he drove off, he smiled and gave a thumbs-up.
"Don't ever doubt that your prayers and presence make a difference," said Wendy.
Here's today's devotional from Rev. Paul Stallsworth, President of Lifewatch (United Methodist Church).
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/fall2013day34print.pdf
For Life,
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SHAWN CARNEY
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
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http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=5068
