From 40 Days For Life: DAY 14: We're winning!

Dear Deacon John,

 

We ultimately know how the story ends ... and that life is victorious over death. But some days, that's hard to realize.

 

I was having one of those days five years ago when Abby Johnson walked into my office. At the time, Abby was the director of the Planned Parenthood abortion center in Bryan/College Station, Texas ... and I was leading the Coalition for Life there. Abby came in ... to announce she was resigning!

 

It's hard to believe it's been five years!

 

I'm posting a series of articles on “The top 5 things I know about Abby Johnson ... 5 years later.” You can read the first segment online.

 

Abby was the 26th abortion worker who had a conversion and quit after 40 Days for Life vigils outside their abortion businesses. That total has now reached 103! I just learned of two more recently ... we're keeping their locations confidential.

 

We are all sinners, of course, and these two examples show that the pro-life movement is a movement of converts — from women who have had abortions ... to men who have paid for abortions ... to the doctors that have done abortions.

 

The change of heart experienced by so many who are now defending life points to the love and forgiveness that are needed today ... and which will eventually win the culture war.

 

Green Bay, Wisconsin

 

 

“We’re winning!” said Jim Ball, the 40 Days for Life coordinator in Green Bay.

 

“The culture of death is on the run and it’s because you all have joined in peaceful, prayerful witness – for years. You walk and pray in the rain and the snow ... and the fog!”

 

The fog was a reference to the day when a group of 40 people from Lakewood – which is more than an hour’s drive from Green Bay – joined the vigil.

 

“We win, because Christ has already won,” he said. “But he has given us a choice. He doesn’t force us to carry his cross. But when we do, just look at what we can accomplish with Him. Be not afraid!”

 

Jim recently had an opportunity to talk about 40 Days for Life on Drew Mariani’s Relevant Radio program ... and did a wonderful job of talking about the campaign.

 

Here’s a link to a short clip of that interview.

 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

 

During most 40 Days for Life campaigns, Dan Miller, the local coordinator, sends along a non-stop report of babies saved from abortion in Milwaukee.

 

But not this time.

 

The abortion center is not doing abortions!

 

Dan heard the facility is not taking appointments right now. It was said that the business is “reorganizing.”

 

Last week, he watched as two workers carried boxes to their cars – “the kind your boss gives you along with a pink slip,” he said. “It appeared to me that they were filled with personal effects.”

 

The volunteers also saw two people arrive at the abortion center for job interviews. “The first went in,” Dan said, “but the second split when I told them it was an abortion facility. They were answering a blind ad – and had no idea what kind of place this was.”

 

Even though abortions may be on hold, he said, “prayer is needed now more than ever. Full steam ahead!”

 

Here's today's devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone, the national director of Priests for Life.

 

Day 14 intention

Abortion is the great "no." May all of God's people have the freedom and grace to say "yes" to His marvelous plans.

 

Scripture

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed and in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

— Psalm 139:13-16

 

Reflection

Unlike the rest of creation, we are capable of a personal relationship with God. Not only did God create us, but created us according to a plan devised from all eternity. No matter how far back we go in our imagination, there was never a time when God did not know each of us, in every detail of our being.

There was not a particular time when God decided to make us. The decision to make us has been in the mind of God from all eternity. All our days were written in His book.

To dare to say that a human being, developing in the womb, should not be born is as wrong as to say that a born person should not continue to grow and live. In each case, an attack on human life is an attack on  the God who formed and made us. Jesus Christ is the great "yes" to the promises of God; abortion is the great "no."

 

Prayer

Lord, I pray today for every unborn child. The beauty of the bodies and souls of these children flows from your hands and your eternal plan.

Awaken in every human conscience a profound reverence for human life, and grant us grace to defend our smallest and most defenseless brothers and sisters, those still being formed in the secret places of their mothers' womb. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

 

Printable devotional

To download today's devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:
http://40daysforlife.com/media/fall2014day14print.pdf

 

For Life,

 

SHAWN CARNEY Campaign Director 40 Days for Life www.40daysforlife.com