Dear Deacon John,
It all starts today! Prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil are powerful ... and needed ... now more than ever in our culture.
Right now, there are babies scheduled to be aborted close to where you live – and your peaceful presence could be the difference. Find your nearest vigil here:
Moms do turn around at the last moment. For the abortion industry, that means one thing – lost income.
We start this 40 Days for Life campaign with good news ... as we’re now aware of two more abortion facilities that have closed their doors following 40 Days for Life campaigns!
One was in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and the other in Roswell, Georgia.
Eight 40 Days for Life vigils were held outside the Oklahoma City center … and there were two in front of the Roswell facility.
This now makes 66 locations ... where people peacefully prayed outside during 40 Days for Life vigils … that have gone out of business.
To God be the glory!
As we praise God for these victories, ask yourself this question:
How can God use me to save lives where I live?
If you’ve never been to a 40 Days for Life vigil … you can overcome any natural fear and serve as a peaceful sign of Christ’s hope – at the very place where the abortions actually happen.
Pray about going out ... and then find one of the 273 locations taking part in 40 Days for Life – starting today – and continuing through March 20.
Glasgow, Scotland
I was blessed to meet with 40 Days for Life leaders and volunteers for this, the first-ever 40 Days for Life campaign in Scotland.
I traveled there with Robert Colquhoun, our director of international
campaigns, and Matt Britton, 40 Days for Life’s board chairman.
One of the women I met lost her job as a midwife at the local hospital for refusing to be involved with abortions in any way. You’ll hear much more about Scotland in a future podcast!
Glasgow’s opening rally drew about 150 people to the city’s main square despite very chilly, very damp conditions.
“We had so much support and goodwill
from the folk who came along,” said Rose, the local coordinator, “and
many hung around afterwards to chat with us and say how much they had
enjoyed the event. We had a team of young students there who set about
recruiting more vigil sign-ups.”
Robert says we expect to hear much more good news from 40 Days for Life in Scotland.
Fayetteville, North Carolina
The team in Fayetteville took a bit of a Super Bowl
approach to their opening rally this past weekend. After all, we call
these events kickoffs, so there’s an obvious tie-in to football right
away.
Amie in
Fayetteville says a local pastor offered an inspirational pre-game talk,
“regarding the opposition at hand. He encouraged us to sign up for
vigil hours, to remember our commitment to Christ-like behavior and not
to grow weary in this battle.”
She referred to the campaign’s most faithful volunteers as “hall of famers,”
and noted one couple who surprised her by arriving in Green Bay Packers
attire – and not the gear of the home-state Carolina Panthers. Others
displayed “score cards,” showing the international total of 11,165 babies reported saved during 40 Days for Life efforts.
“During the rally,” Amie said, “a young soldier approached us to share his dismay that the mainstream media portrays our actions as hostile, when he has witnessed the exact opposite.”
She said the rally left local volunteers energized – and ready, through teamwork, to work towards victory.
Here’s today’s devotional from David Brandao, the communications director for 40 Days for Life.
Day 1 intention
That we may use these 40 Days for Life to plead for God's mercy and grace upon all those involved in the sin of abortion.
Scripture
Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly. Gather the people, notify the congregation. Assemble the elders; gather the children and the infants at the breast... Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, "Spare, O Lord, your people."
— Joel 2:15-17
Reflection
The toll of abortion cannot be measured. We hear estimates of almost 50 million innocent victims, but that's only one aspect of the harm that has unfolded in abortion's wake. There are also the mothers and fathers of these millions, as well as the grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins. Unborn lives destroyed. Lives of the living shattered.
It's overwhelming and depressing, but even in the midst of such unfathomable darkness, the church teaches us to have hope. Yes, it was indeed Calvary that followed Christ's 40 days in the desert, but without Calvary there would have been no Resurrection -- His victory over death that opened the gates of heaven to those who believe in and follow Him.
The psalmist encourages us to go humbly before God as we seek His will: "A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me... Give me back the joy of your salvation and a willing spirit sustain in me... O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise" (Psalm 51:12, 14, 17).
We are called to be God's messengers; or as the Apostle Paul told the Corinthians: "We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20).
That is the true message to all we encounter at the abortion centers and in our communities who have been deceived by the Culture of Death. We don't bring condemnation; we bring God's good news.
The toll of abortion cannot be measured. We hear estimates of almost 50 million innocent victims, but that's only one aspect of the harm that has unfolded in abortion's wake. There are also the mothers and fathers of these millions, as well as the grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins. Unborn lives destroyed. Lives of the living shattered.
It's overwhelming and depressing, but even in the midst of such unfathomable darkness, the church teaches us to have hope. Yes, it was indeed Calvary that followed Christ's 40 days in the desert, but without Calvary there would have been no Resurrection -- His victory over death that opened the gates of heaven to those who believe in and follow Him.
The psalmist encourages us to go humbly before God as we seek His will: "A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me... Give me back the joy of your salvation and a willing spirit sustain in me... O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise" (Psalm 51:12, 14, 17).
We are called to be God's messengers; or as the Apostle Paul told the Corinthians: "We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20).
That is the true message to all we encounter at the abortion centers and in our communities who have been deceived by the Culture of Death. We don't bring condemnation; we bring God's good news.
Prayer
Lord, we ask for the strength, courage, wisdom, determination and stamina to carry out this mission according to Your will.
Guide us, we pray, as we go forth and proclaim Your truth, always doing so with a spirit of love and compassion, as was demonstrated to us by Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.
Guide us, we pray, as we go forth and proclaim Your truth, always doing so with a spirit of love and compassion, as was demonstrated to us by Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.
Printable devotional
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For life,
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SHAWN CARNEY
President
40 Days for Life
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