Dear Deacon, It's Day 40 -- you made it! As we close the largest 40 Days for Life campaign
in history ... the following things can be said
about what God can do in just 40 days: 40 days ago ...
... there were children scheduled to be aborted who
are alive today. 40 days ago ...
... women were making abortion appointments -- but
now, they're preparing their lives to welcome a new
baby boy or baby girl. 40 days ago ...
... cold hearts that were annoyed at your peaceful
presence at the abortion facility are now open to
joining you in prayer. 40 days ago ...
... you may have doubted what God could accomplish;
and yet through your prayer, fasting and vigil ...
YOU have been spiritually blessed.
-----------------------------------------------------
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
----------------------------------------------------- Gordon in Nashville tells of an abortion-minded woman
who arrived at the abortion center -- with two young
children. Fortunately, the business was closed that
day -- so prayer volunteers encouraged her to visit
the pregnancy help center just down the street. "They gave her very different information than she
got from her other doctor," he said, "and she changed
her mind." Saturdays are usually very busy at this abortion
facility. But one Saturday during this 40 Days for
Life campaign, only about half of the usual number
of clients arrived. "One of them, a young college student, entered the
clinic and exited a short while later," Gordon said.
"She talked with one of the sidewalk counselors
afterwards and stated that she could not go through
with an abortion."
-----------------------------------------------------
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
----------------------------------------------------- A woman approached the prayer volunteers outside the
abortion center in Baltimore to express appreciation.
She had had an abortion at that very building many
years ago when she was a teenager. But she thinks about the child she aborted every day
of her life -- and it was very painful for her to be
there. She understood that God had forgiven her --
but the prayer volunteers sensed that she had never
forgiven herself. They prayed with her ... and gave her information about
Rachel's Vineyard (http://rachelsvineyard.org), a
ministry offering retreats for healing after abortion. To see a photo of the Baltimore vigil, go to:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3781
-----------------------------------------------------
SIOUX CITY, IOWA
----------------------------------------------------- Prayer volunteers got good news from a woman leaving
Planned Parenthood -- she was pregnant ... and she
was keeping the baby. Planned Parenthood’s business has been off -- and the
40 Days for Life vigil has something to do with it. Planned Parenthood recently built a big fence between
their building and the parking lot of the pro-life
pregnancy center next door. "Counselors often stood in the parking lot to talk to
women going into Planned Parenthood," said one of the
leaders in Sioux City. "I guess we're getting to them!" To see a picture of the Sioux City vigil -- and the
fence -- go to:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3781
-----------------------------------------------------
BEAUMONT, TEXAS
----------------------------------------------------- A young woman from out of town arrived at the abortion
center in Beaumont -- with her father, who was totally
opposed to the idea of an abortion. "Would you please
talk some sense into her?" he asked prayer volunteers,
who had never quite heard anything like that before. The girl was pregnant and had insisted that he drive
her to the abortion facility. But a short discussion
with volunteers showed that by this point, even the
man's daughter was well on her way to favoring an
option that did not include abortion. "When I called the clinic, they were just too eager
for me," the girl said. "I was leery -- it was like
a bunch of hungry lions. I felt so much evil over
the phone." The prayer volunteers recommended a pro-life pregnancy
help center in her home town, and she agreed to visit
them. Father and daughter left happy, with new-found
freedom, after following the voice of conscience.
Here's today's devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone,
national director of Priests for Life.
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 40 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- Let us keep our eyes fixed on the New Jerusalem,
where death will be no more.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will
be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for
the old order of things has passed away." He who was
seated on the throne said, "I am making everything
new!" --Revelation 21:4-5
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone
----------------------------------------------------- Every activity we undertake in defense of the
sanctity of life is prophetic, inasmuch as it points
to the day when "death will be no more." Every victory we have when an act of abortion is
prevented is prophetic of that day when death itself
will be definitively conquered. Every triumph of grace in this world, whereby someone
is brought to see the value of life and given the
strength to welcome it, is a breaking into our
history of that definitive future in which the old
order of things will have passed, and all things will
be made new. As pro-life warriors, we must keep our eyes fixed on
heaven, and our hearts secure in the hope that the
day is coming when all evil will be conquered. It is
the future that shapes the present; it is victory
that informs the battle; it is the destination that
determines the journey. Daily, we are called to reflect on heaven. When we
weep, we are to think of the day when every tear will
be wiped away. When we face the destructive power of death, we are
to think of the day when death is swallowed up in
victory.
When we labor against abortion, we are to think of
the day when we will have the rest and peace of the
final triumph of life. Heaven is as real as earth, and its joys will be as
real as our present sorrows.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- Father, you are the God of hope. Your word fills us
with the vision of the world to come, when every tear
will be wiped away, and death will be no more.
Father, how we need that hope, how we are
strengthened by that vision! Keep our hearts focused on heaven, and diligent in
the labors of earth. As we struggle against the
culture of death, root our souls in the assurance of
victory. We pray through Christ our Lord, Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2012day40print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: What is the greatest blessing you have received
during this 40 Days for Life campaign? Please leave
your response at today's blog entry: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3781 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
in history ... the following things can be said
about what God can do in just 40 days: 40 days ago ...
... there were children scheduled to be aborted who
are alive today. 40 days ago ...
... women were making abortion appointments -- but
now, they're preparing their lives to welcome a new
baby boy or baby girl. 40 days ago ...
... cold hearts that were annoyed at your peaceful
presence at the abortion facility are now open to
joining you in prayer. 40 days ago ...
... you may have doubted what God could accomplish;
and yet through your prayer, fasting and vigil ...
YOU have been spiritually blessed.
-----------------------------------------------------
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
----------------------------------------------------- Gordon in Nashville tells of an abortion-minded woman
who arrived at the abortion center -- with two young
children. Fortunately, the business was closed that
day -- so prayer volunteers encouraged her to visit
the pregnancy help center just down the street. "They gave her very different information than she
got from her other doctor," he said, "and she changed
her mind." Saturdays are usually very busy at this abortion
facility. But one Saturday during this 40 Days for
Life campaign, only about half of the usual number
of clients arrived. "One of them, a young college student, entered the
clinic and exited a short while later," Gordon said.
"She talked with one of the sidewalk counselors
afterwards and stated that she could not go through
with an abortion."
-----------------------------------------------------
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
----------------------------------------------------- A woman approached the prayer volunteers outside the
abortion center in Baltimore to express appreciation.
She had had an abortion at that very building many
years ago when she was a teenager. But she thinks about the child she aborted every day
of her life -- and it was very painful for her to be
there. She understood that God had forgiven her --
but the prayer volunteers sensed that she had never
forgiven herself. They prayed with her ... and gave her information about
Rachel's Vineyard (http://rachelsvineyard.org), a
ministry offering retreats for healing after abortion. To see a photo of the Baltimore vigil, go to:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3781
-----------------------------------------------------
SIOUX CITY, IOWA
----------------------------------------------------- Prayer volunteers got good news from a woman leaving
Planned Parenthood -- she was pregnant ... and she
was keeping the baby. Planned Parenthood’s business has been off -- and the
40 Days for Life vigil has something to do with it. Planned Parenthood recently built a big fence between
their building and the parking lot of the pro-life
pregnancy center next door. "Counselors often stood in the parking lot to talk to
women going into Planned Parenthood," said one of the
leaders in Sioux City. "I guess we're getting to them!" To see a picture of the Sioux City vigil -- and the
fence -- go to:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3781
-----------------------------------------------------
BEAUMONT, TEXAS
----------------------------------------------------- A young woman from out of town arrived at the abortion
center in Beaumont -- with her father, who was totally
opposed to the idea of an abortion. "Would you please
talk some sense into her?" he asked prayer volunteers,
who had never quite heard anything like that before. The girl was pregnant and had insisted that he drive
her to the abortion facility. But a short discussion
with volunteers showed that by this point, even the
man's daughter was well on her way to favoring an
option that did not include abortion. "When I called the clinic, they were just too eager
for me," the girl said. "I was leery -- it was like
a bunch of hungry lions. I felt so much evil over
the phone." The prayer volunteers recommended a pro-life pregnancy
help center in her home town, and she agreed to visit
them. Father and daughter left happy, with new-found
freedom, after following the voice of conscience.
Here's today's devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone,
national director of Priests for Life.
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 40 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- Let us keep our eyes fixed on the New Jerusalem,
where death will be no more.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will
be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for
the old order of things has passed away." He who was
seated on the throne said, "I am making everything
new!" --Revelation 21:4-5
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone
----------------------------------------------------- Every activity we undertake in defense of the
sanctity of life is prophetic, inasmuch as it points
to the day when "death will be no more." Every victory we have when an act of abortion is
prevented is prophetic of that day when death itself
will be definitively conquered. Every triumph of grace in this world, whereby someone
is brought to see the value of life and given the
strength to welcome it, is a breaking into our
history of that definitive future in which the old
order of things will have passed, and all things will
be made new. As pro-life warriors, we must keep our eyes fixed on
heaven, and our hearts secure in the hope that the
day is coming when all evil will be conquered. It is
the future that shapes the present; it is victory
that informs the battle; it is the destination that
determines the journey. Daily, we are called to reflect on heaven. When we
weep, we are to think of the day when every tear will
be wiped away. When we face the destructive power of death, we are
to think of the day when death is swallowed up in
victory.
When we labor against abortion, we are to think of
the day when we will have the rest and peace of the
final triumph of life. Heaven is as real as earth, and its joys will be as
real as our present sorrows.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- Father, you are the God of hope. Your word fills us
with the vision of the world to come, when every tear
will be wiped away, and death will be no more.
Father, how we need that hope, how we are
strengthened by that vision! Keep our hearts focused on heaven, and diligent in
the labors of earth. As we struggle against the
culture of death, root our souls in the assurance of
victory. We pray through Christ our Lord, Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2012day40print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: What is the greatest blessing you have received
during this 40 Days for Life campaign? Please leave
your response at today's blog entry: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3781 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
