Dear Deacon John,
Tomorrow it begins ... the next 40 Days for Life campaign, which kicks off in 252 cities across 19 countries around the world. If you haven’t done so already ... it’s time to find the location nearest you and sign up for the vigil! 
God has provided many blessings through past 40 Days for Life campaigns:
- 9,699 babies saved from abortion
- 107 workers who have quit the abortion industry
- 60 closed abortion centers
What results could be achieved during this campaign? That will be determined primarily by two things:
- God, who can do all things. Please pray that our Heavenly Father will hear our prayers, forgive our sin of abortion, and heal our land.
- You, who are called in Scripture to “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?” (Proverbs 24:11-12)
Let’s work and pray that more lives will be spared from abortion, more workers will experience conversions, and more abortion centers will close their doors forever. If you weren’t able to join us on the webcast last night, former Planned Parenthood director Ramona Treviño shared her story of experiencing a conversion and then quitting her job following a 40 Days for Life campaign outside her workplace. The center she used to manage subsequently went out of business.
Ramona has now written a book about her experiences, unveiling the truth about what goes on behind the walls at Planned Parenthood … and how she was rescued from America’s largest abortion chain. To listen to the webcast … and find out more about Ramona’s book, Redeemed by Grace … go to: http://instantteleseminar.com/?eventid=64379352
In your own community, you may well witness facilities closing ... abortion workers leaving the industry ... and lives saved from abortion!
Speaking of babies spared from death ... here’s one story from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During the last 40 Days for Life campaign, a prayer volunteer told us about her time at the vigil. “I was surprised at how busy the abortion clinic was," she said.
She watched as a young woman left the building with her boyfriend and mother. At first, she feared the worst. But as she approached the three, the young woman’s mother told her, “She’s not having the abortion!” This woman then said that she’d had an abortion herself when she was young, and that she had terrible regrets about it. Vigil participants offered her information about healing after abortion, as it was clear that she was still deeply affected by her experience all those years ago. A bit later, they overheard the older woman as she made a phone call. She smiled broadly as she said, “I’m going to be a grandma!” “Praise God for this miraculous save!” the volunteer said. Please join together in prayer that God will show us many more miracles in the 40 days ahead! Each of these next 40 days, you’ll receive a daily email message – just like this one. Those updates will include a daily devotional at the end of each report.
As we prepare to start the campaign, here’s a special devotional from Carmen Pate of Alliance Ministries.
Pre-kickoff intention
For God’s blessing upon the coming 40 Days for Life campaign.
Scripture
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
Reflection
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.
Prayer
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.
Printable devotional
To download today's devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:
http://40daysforlife.com/media/day00.pdf
Let's pray, fast, and shape history together ... starting tomorrow!
For Life,
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SHAWN CARNEY
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
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