Dear Mike,
Today marks the half-way point of the fall 40 Days for
Life campaign and, as a special treat, I just posted a
brand-new short video from the Augusta, Maine, 40 Days
for Life mid-point rally where I spoke yesterday and
my family met many heroic prayer warriors:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=363
I'll warn you in advance -- this video was shot with a
little pocket camcorder clipped to a sign and the wind
was gusting during parts of the rally. The picture and
sound are far from perfect, but I hope you still find
it inspiring. :-)
If you have a dial-up Internet connection and cannot
watch videos online, we also uploaded the audio from
the event which can be heard or downloaded on the same
web page:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=363
Now for a few of the great reports pouring in at this
mid-point of 40 Days for Life...
Brian in Norwich, Connecticut put out the call to the
40 Days for Life team. "This Saturday, Planned
Parenthood is holding their annual two-hour
demonstration against us," he wrote. "Please come and
show your support for life."
A small handful of Planned Parenthood demonstrators --
some of them paid Planned Parenthood employees -- did
indeed show up. But they were vastly outnumbered by
people who answered the call to pray for an end to
abortion.
The Norwich Bulletin published one photo of the event
that is quite telling. In the foreground there are a
few people holding pink Planned Parenthood signs.
Behind them, however -- and stretching far into the
distance along the sidewalk -- are people peacefully
praying.
To see the amazing Norwich Bulletin photo, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/ygolyub
The woman holding the "I regret my abortion" sign is
Nicole, who has been a strong voice and leader with
the 40 Days for Life effort in Norwich and a real
blessing to our work nationally.
Another blessing is the number of families who come
out to pray at 40 Days for Life vigils.
One example is the McIntyre family in El Paso, Texas
-- Mike, Laura and their nine children. Six of the
children took part in the vigil just last week.
Bethani, the 8-year-old, was singing "Jesus Loves Me"
as a young woman arrived.
She approached the clinic, but did not go inside. She
just sat down for about 15 minutes -- listening, as
Bethani sang.
Eventually, the woman got up and walked over to the
McIntyres and told them she had decided to keep her
baby. All it took to change her mind was the voice of
a young child singing praise to Lord from her heart.
The child had saved the child. One of the McIntyre
children noted, "So this is why we come here!"
Yvonne in California's San Gabriel Valley watched a
woman walk into the abortion center -- and leave a
short time later. Yvonne noticed the young woman was
holding a map with directions to a location that does
second-trimester abortions.
"She is five months pregnant," Yvonne said. "After
informing her of services available through local
pregnancy centers, churches -- as well as support from
all of us -- she decided to choose life for her baby."
And those are just two of the 219 children -- and
mothers -- spared from abortion during this 40 Days
for Life campaign so far!
Yet another blessing for 40 Days for Life is the
number of people who've had experiences with abortion
who deeply appreciate what you're doing.
Stan in Buffalo, New York was praying at the 40 Days
for Life vigil when a woman walked out of the nearby
dry cleaning shop and came over to talk. "She said
that her favorite sign was the one that offered
post-abortion hope and healing," he said. She confided
that she'd had a past abortion, but had found healing
and forgiveness in Jesus, and had been born again.
"She asked that we display more signs like that," Stan
said, "because so many women suffer so much from past
abortions. Please pray for those who live with regret
for a decision they can never undo. May they find what
this woman found."
Speaking of post-abortion healing, 40 Days for Life
will be joining with Operation Outcry for a special
outreach to those suffering in the wake of abortion.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 24. I'll be
bringing you more information in the days ahead.
Here's today's devotional from Rev. John Brown, the
Director of United Friends for Life (United Church of
Christ)...
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DAY 20 INTENTION
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May God's justice sober our society, and may mercy
triumph over judgment.
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SCRIPTURE
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Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning;
from the hand of every beast I will require it, and
from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's
brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds
man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in
the image of God He made man.
- Genesis 9:5-6
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REFLECTION by Rev. John Brown
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The value of every human being can hardly be seen
more clearly than with this verse. God, the King of
the universe, has created all human beings in his
image, and declares forthrightly that shedding the
blood of any individual will require the blood of the
one who shed it.
God's concern for human beings is not limited to any
particular group. Indeed, his concern is universal,
and includes male and female, young and old, born and
unborn, disabled and able-bodied, the citizens of
every nation on earth.
Abortion, the deliberate killing of the unborn, is
the shedding of innocent blood. Surely the blood of
millions upon millions of innocent children cries out
to God. It is true that we live in an age of grace,
and yet this passage (among many other texts which
express similar sentiments) should give every
thinking Christian pause.
Christians of all people, entrusted with the Word of
God as we are, must take a stand. We must speak out.
We must do all that we can to protect the innocent,
to pursue justice, and to encourage the repentance of
all those who bear responsibility for this great
evil. Only in this manner can we hope to forestall
the judgment that must otherwise surely come.
This passage should also be seen as an encouragement
to educate and disciple our children and
grandchildren about what it means to be human, and
the responsibility that will become theirs in this
ongoing struggle.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
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O Father, forgive us for our lack of courage and our
want of compassion for the unborn and for those lost
and hurt by abortion. Fill us anew with your Spirit.
Renew our minds, strengthen us in righteousness, help
us be people of salt and light within our nation. May
every human being, from conception to natural death,
be treated with the respect due those made in your
image. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends:
http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day20print.pdf
-----------------------------------------------------
For Life,
David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life
P.S.- After you watch the mid-point rally video, let
us know how 40 Days for Life has blessed YOU thus far
by posting a reply at the bottom of this web page:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=363
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