Dear Deacon John,
This email’s subject line comes from a young father in Texas who was all for abortion – until he got a good look at a fetal development brochure.
That’s just one of the stories we’re sharing today.
So far during this 40 Days for Life campaign, we have reports of …
… 265 babies spared from abortion. And those are just the ones we know of!
We start today in the Lone Star State of Texas …
Austin, Texas
A counselor in Austin talked to a couple as they left the abortion center. They’d been there for a sonogram appointment – that’s required 24 hours prior to an abortion.
The mother did not want the abortion … but her boyfriend did. And she thought she would be unable to continue the pregnancy without his support.
“Thankfully,” said Heather in Austin, “the counselor had a brochure showing the stages of development of the unborn child. They couldn’t believe it!”
That really got the boyfriend’s attention. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea!”
They quickly called the pregnancy help center … then canceled the abortion!
Heather tells of another woman who was in the abortion facility’s waiting room. She was unsure about her decision. As she looked out the window, she saw that a large tree branch had fallen on her car!
“This was a sign that this was not the right choice,” Heather said. “She left and went straight to the pregnancy center, where she saw her baby on a sonogram. She chose life! God is good!”
Morristown, New Jersey
Before heading to the 40 Days for Life vigil outside Planned Parenthood, volunteers stopped at a pregnancy help center to pick up pamphlets.
Staff members told them those pamphlets are a big help on the sidewalk, as just a few days earlier a young woman had come in – with the information she was given at the vigil.
After she talked with the counselors, she decided to keep her baby.
When the volunteers arrived at Planned Parenthood, they stood near the driveway, praying and offering those pamphlets from the pregnancy help center.
Two young women stopped – and were shocked to learn that Planned Parenthood did abortions. They were there for checkups, not abortions. But after learning what happened there, both said they wouldn’t go back.
Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Green Bay team recently received an appreciative note from a worker at the pregnancy help center.
“I want to thank you for all the prayers and sacrifices, especially enduring the cold weather and wind,” she wrote. “Know that there are fruits to all that you do.”
She then told of a young woman who came in for a pregnancy test last year. She broke down when she learned she was pregnant – and even after seeing the ultrasound image, she was still terribly afraid. “I told her we would be with her all the way through it,” the counselor said, “and told her about the prayer warriors of 40 Days for Life who were praying for all mothers and their unborn babies. It was a tough pregnancy for her, but I always reminded her of the prayers being said for her.”
Not long ago, her baby was born.
“There was such joy and love in the room for that baby,” she said. “Your prayers certainly changed a heart, and a little boy not only has life, he is loved. I consider all of you godparents.”
Here’s today’s devotional from Ernest Ohlhoff, Outreach Director for National Right to Life.
Day 27 intention
We pray for humility in our work for God’s Kingdom.
Scripture
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
— Philippians 2:5-8
Reflection from Ernest Ohlhoff
There is no limit to what we can accomplish when we don’t care who gets the credit.
Jesus Christ’s life on earth exemplifies a total submission to the will of the Father. His humility, compassion, gentleness and thoughtfulness are reflected over and over again in the New Testament. He was God incarnate, yet He chose to be born to a humble, working class home.
How absurd it must have seemed to the rich and powerful that the Son of God, the Messiah, the one foretold by the prophets, the “King of the Jews” was born and raised as a simple peasant.
During His thirty-three years on earth, He sought no riches, claimed no secular power and gathered no possessions. Yet, His short time on earth changed more lives, softened more hearts, and gave hope to more people, than all the rich and powerful human kings combined.
And, at the end of His life on earth, by dying on the cross, He opened the door to eternal life for those who heed his words and follow in his footsteps.
Prayer
O Lord, help us follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Let us humbly and diligently work to restore legal protection for the unborn, the disabled, the medically dependent and all innocent children of God whose lives are threatened. Let us remember the old adage that “He can never lead who has not first learned to obey.” And, Lord, grant us a peaceful heart as we labor in your name. Amen.
Printable devotional
To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:
http://40daysforlife.com/media/day27.pdf
For life,
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SHAWN CARNEY
President
40 Days for Life
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