Well, here we are! The first week of the fall 40 Days for Life campaign is complete.

Since it’s been a most incredible week, I’d like to share some “most incredible” happenings, in categories large and small.

Weather-wise, we’ve seen a bit of everything — warm in the south, cool in the north, a lot of rain in the east. But clearly, the honor for Most Incredible Weather Report goes to Colorado Springs for Day 1 of the campaign.

“Colorado Springs woke up this morning to a howling wind,” Michele told me. “I looked outside and there was blowing snow.” Snow! The wind died down and the snow stopped, but it was still pretty cold. But more than 60 people showed up — in winter coats, hats and mittens — for the opening event of the 40 Days for Life campaign. “No,” Michele said, “the cold won’t keep us away!”

We’ve seen tons of great pictures from many local efforts, but the Most Incredible Picture of a 40 Days for Life Banner Hanging from a Church Bell Tower is definitely from Pensacola, Florida, where Sacred Heart Cathedral’s very tall banner features the 40 Days for Life logo and a scripture verse, John 10:10 – “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

We also have photographic evidence for the Most Incredible Falsehood from Planned Parenthood — the banner hanging from the walls of an abortion center in St. Louis with the message, “Defend the truth.”

Defending the truth? That’s what YOU are doing!

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest abortion chain and despite the constant claim that Planned Parenthood somehow “reduces abortions,” this organization’s latest annual report shows a record total of 305,310 abortions for the previous year — numbers that continue to go up.

That’s indefensible.

Local campaigns had many good TV news reports thus far (you can check them out through the links on our news page at http://40daysforlife.com/news.cfm?selected=tv)

But I thought the Most Incredible TV News Report came from WFMZ-TV, whose report on 40 Days for Life in Phillipsburg, New Jersey gives a fair, objective view of the campaign — and an interesting look at those who “defend” the abortion business.

Click the photo below to watch the report (it will open in a new window; please note that there’s a commercial before the news story begins), and please pray for the lone “pro-choice” supporter. You’ll see what I mean:

While I’m mentioning incredible things, an incredible pro-life event that takes place during this fall’s 40 Days for Life is the annual Life Chain. It’s happening this Sunday, October 4. People will line the sidewalks in communities across North America to stand up for life. You can find out much more at:

http://nationallifechain.org

If you’ve never taken a public stand for an end to abortion, please consider this invitation. It will give you a first taste for pro-life activity that will whet your appetite for doing even more — like taking part in the nearest 40 Days for Life vigil, for instance!

Without a doubt, however, even in a most eventful week of lives saved, hearts consoled and prayers answered, my Most Incredible Inspiration is — YOU!

YOU are the ones who answer God’s call to speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves. It has been genuinely amazing to watch you in action. And I can’t wait to see what happens these next 33 days!

Here’s today’s devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life…

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DAY 8 INTENTION
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May the spirit and example of the Good Samaritan fill the hearts and minds of all our citizens.

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SCRIPTURE
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Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So, too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.”

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’”

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

– Luke 10:30-37

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REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
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Here Jesus commands us to show mercy to the victims of the culture of violence and death.

But why did the priest and Levite fail to show mercy? Perhaps they feared that the robbers were hiding just around the next corner to attack them. They asked themselves, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?”

The Samaritan, however, reversed the question, and asked, “If I don’t stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”

In working to save the unborn, let’s not worry about what will happen to us if we act; let’s worry about what will happen to the unborn if we don’t.

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PRAYER
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Father, we are moved by the lesson of the Good Samaritan, who allowed compassion to influence him more than fear. Give us the same heart.

Grant that we may never count the cost of standing up and speaking out for the unborn. We pray through Christ our Lord, Amen.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day08print.pdf

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For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

I received a report from Houston that was both eye-opening and heartbreaking.

People participating in the 40 Days for Life vigil watched as a young man who appeared to be in tears walked into Planned Parenthood with his girlfriend and her mother.

When they left some time later, he was most certainly crying — and obviously quite upset.

I’ll let one of the prayer vigil participants pick up the story…

I watched him head down the street, alternating between wiping the tears from his face and punching the buildings in anger and frustration as he passed them. Eventually he headed back toward the parking lot. As he approached, I went to him first. All I could think to say was that I was so very sorry for his loss. He began to cry again.

Then a truck pulled up leaving the parking lot with his girlfriend and her mother inside. The girl’s mother yelled at him to get in and cursed him as he opened the door. He had one foot inside, then stepped back out and closed the door. As she drove away he promptly sat down on the curb and cried like a baby. Three of us sat down beside him — all men — and cried with him.

Eventually, he began to talk. He was probably in his very early twenties. He told us that his girlfriend did not want to keep the child because she feared they would not be able to provide for him. He asked her how she could destroy a life based on a hunch. He told her this child had a heartbeat and a soul and deserved to live. He even tried to convince her to, at the very least, put the child up for adoption.

I was struck by the fact that this young man knew all this simply because his heart told him it was true. He was wise well beyond his years and he was hurting terribly.

I was struck by the clear reality that fathers have so little to do with whether their own children live or die. I also couldn’t help but notice that despite the high volume of Planned Parenthood volunteers around, none of them approached him.

Before I left him, he stood up to hug me. All I could tell him was what I truly believed — that today, his child knows that his/her father fought for it. That to his child, he is a hero and that someday he would know that also.

Please pray for this young man and others like him. The tragedy of abortion is real and happening every day. No one knows that better than he.

I sincerely hope this young man comes to embrace the exceptional advice he was given; but that will most certainly take time. I cannot even begin to imagine the anguish.

This is a first-person account of what abortion does to fathers. Who knows how many others have walked in his shoes, as there are more than a million abortions every year — and more than 50 million since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that opened the floodgates to abortion on demand.

Let’s pray even harder!

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EWTN NETWORK TO AIR 40 DAYS FOR LIFE SPECIAL TONIGHT!
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The second installment of the Being Human television series, hosted by 40 Days for Life campaign director Shawn Carney, airs on the EWTN network at 6:30 PM Eastern TODAY!

EWTN is on many cable and satellite systems, so please look for this outstanding account of 40 Days for Life, filmed by an Emmy-award-winning director.

* WHAT: “Being Human: 40 Days for Life”

* DATE: TONIGHT! Tuesday, September 29

* TIME: 6:30 PM Eastern (3:30 PM Pacific)

* WHERE: Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) — available in most markets

Watch a short preview online at:

http://www.beinghumanshow.com

Don’t have cable or don’t get EWTN?

You can watch the 30-minute documentary online at the start time by visiting http://www.ewtn.com and then selecting “Television” > “Live TV – English” from the navigation menu at the top of the page.

Spread the word to all your friends, co-workers, family members, and fellow believers about this exciting show!

And now here’s today’s devotional from Fr. Terry Gensemer, the National Director of the Charismatic Episcopal Church for Life…

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DAY 7 INTENTION
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May we have a heart and a zeal to save the poor and release the oppressed.

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SCRIPTURE
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The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.

– Luke 4:18-19

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REFLECTION by Fr. Terry Gensemer
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This passage is a very familiar one. It has been preached on many occasions, even made popular in books and songs. Though the quote is about Jesus, all Christians take this commission seriously as a directive on how to reach the world with the gospel.

We, like our Savior, are to bring the good news to the poor, the broken hearted, those in captivity, those who cannot see, and the oppressed.

The commission given to us in this passage is clearly a charge to care for those for whom God cares the most. I wonder though, whom do we look for to be touched by the Holy Spirit as we go out into the world?

Who are the poor, if not those unborn children who have been abandoned by their parents before they ever leave the womb?

Who are the broken hearted, if not those unborn children whose only example of love is having their mother take them to an abortion clinic to be destroyed, or the mother of a child who has been deceived by everyone around her into believing that what she is doing is best for her and her child?

Who are the captives, if not those unborn children who are bound over to death by the “choice” of abortion?

Who is more blind than an unborn child in the darkness of a womb that has become a waiting room for their death?

And who is more oppressed than those unborn children whose oppression has been legitimized by their government, their church and even their family and loved ones?

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PRAYER
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Lord, You empower us with Your Spirit to do your will in the earth. Send us to the poorest, the most broken, the most captive, the most blind and the most oppressed in the world, the innocent pre-born children in their mother’s wombs that are scheduled for destruction. Help us to bring them healing, liberty, sight and justice through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day07print.pdf

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For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

While Jackie was praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil in GREENLAND, NEW HAMPSHIRE, a car slowly pulled up in front of the clinic. The driver rolled down the window and said, “I don’t know what you’re doing here; but whatever it is, it’s working!” The driver went on to say the abortion center had let employees go because business was off.

All Jackie could say was, “Praise God for victories!”

The staff at yet another abortion center has shrunk by at least one. But this wasn’t a layoff. This was a clinic nurse who walked out and quit!

Angela of the 40 Days for Life team in GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS said the abortion facility nurse came out and hugged her. “Thank you for praying for me,” she told Angela. “Your witness has been powerful to me. This is my last day! I’m going off to do what real nurses should be doing.” With that, she walked to her car and drove away.

This is the SECOND abortion worker to quit during this 40 Days for Life campaign!

And yes, there are amazing stories to share about babies saved from abortion as well.

Thus far in this fall 40 Days for Life campaign, we’ve received reports of 38 mothers who changed their minds and chose life. And of course, those are just the ones we know of!

Here are just a few of those stories:

In HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, Al reported that while people were praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil across from the abortion center, a man came over with a simple message: “Thank you!” His niece had been scheduled for an abortion. But after seeing the group praying, she simply could not go through with it.

In WASHINGTON, DC, Dick tells of a young couple who walked into the Planned Parenthood abortion facility. Volunteers at the 40 Days for Life vigil didn’t have much time to talk with them on their way in. But after an hour or so, they came back out. “They said they changed their minds about having an abortion.”

In PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, there was another situation in which just the sight of people praying outside made a profound impact. Ernie said an SUV had pulled up to the clinic entrance, where the 40 Days for Life vigil was in progress. The couple inside just stopped, took another look, and drove away without ever going in.

The 40 Days for Life team in EL PASO, TEXAS received a special blessing. Sandra said a woman drove up to the vigil and wanted to talk about the day she decided not to have an abortion. At the time, she saw her pregnancy as something that would just get in the way of her promising career.

But the day of her appointment, people had been praying outside the clinic. When she saw that, she stopped and asked herself, “What am I doing here? This is not right!”

As she continued her story, the young woman rolled down her car window, pointed to the child in the car seat and began to cry. “Thanks to you all,” she said, “I have this beautiful son!”

“You could imagine the feeling,” Sandra said. “I believe at that moment everybody was crying with her.” The group prayed for the mother, her child and for all her family. “We ask God to continue blessing them and thank Him for this wonderful gift of life.”

Prayer DOES work. And sometimes, you don’t have to say a word.

Let’s keep it up!

Here’s today’s devotional from Rev. Paul Stallsworth, President of Lifewatch (United Methodist Church)…

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DAY 6 INTENTION
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That knowing the shortness of life, all may value it more deeply.

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SCRIPTURE
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Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

– Ecclesiastes 12:6-7

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REFLECTION by Rev. Paul Stallsworth, Lifewatch
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God is giver of all life. Short lived or long lived, human lives are lived out in this world. The metaphors for death are many. But their meaning is clear and singular: all will die. Even so, death is not the absolute end. It is not the end of the story. For as certainly as God gave life, at death the life or spirit that God gave returns to God.

By God, we are created. For God, we live our given days. To God, we return at the end of our earthly days. And with God, we live through eternity. Clearly, all along the way, this gracious, loving God is with us. No human life is random or alone. No human life was created without purpose. Not one human life is without destiny.

All human lives, acknowledged or not, are related to God — from beginning, to end, throughout eternity. Therefore, in this world, all human lives are to be respected and protected, for their lives are signs of God’s sovereignty.

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PRAYER
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O God, we too often try to live in ways that ignore our coming death. We forget that our days are numbered by You, that at the end of our days your judgment awaits, that You are the Lord of our destiny.

Help us to repent daily, and then to live each day in joyful obedience. Lead us to live in the light and promise of eternity. Prepare us to live fully and sacrificially. Prepare us to die faithfully and hopefully, so that we might live forever with You. Through Jesus Christ, who has gone before us, we trust and hope and love and pray, Amen.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day06print.pdf

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For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

“God is working in more ways than we can imagine.”

That subject line jumped out from the hundreds of e-mail messages that pour in to my inbox every day.

The story that followed certainly offered proof!

The writer told of her daughter, who was raised in the church and grew into a young teenager who “was more spiritual than I ever thought I could be. She was so mature in her faith and her relationship with Christ. It amazed me how someone so young could ‘get it’ even more than I. She used to drag her friends to church activities and pray for them all the time. She even went on a mission trip.”

As is the unfortunate case with many young people, there also came a time of rebellion. In the 11th grade, she got involved with a group at school that didn’t exactly practice Christian principles. “It influenced her walk with God and she drew away from Him,” this mother wrote, “to the point of leaving church and moving in with her boyfriend at the end of her junior year.”

This young man “does not approve of our deep faith in God and we do not get along with him very well at all,” she wrote. But her daughter did finish school.

Later, she and her boyfriend got married. Soon afterward, the young wife became pregnant, and the couple’s financial situation was pretty shaky. They even had to turn to charitable assistance to make it through this time.

The mother who wrote this story is now a grandmother — her daughter’s little girl is an incredible blessing, but she said her son-in-law hasn’t been much help. With the arrival of the new baby, however, the mother and daughter have been spending more time together, repairing their broken relationship.

So what does this have to do with 40 Days for Life?

Well, the woman who shared this story is a vigil coordinator for one of the local campaigns, and her daughter saw her working on the vigil schedule. The young woman noticed blank spaces on the schedule.

She looked up and asked, “What will you all do for these blank spots?”

“I told her God will send His people to fill those slots. She looked at me and said, ‘Well, maybe you and I could go together sometimes. I’d like to take the baby up there on the day they do the abortions and pray. Maybe seeing my precious baby will make one girl stop and think twice about what she’s getting ready to do and she’ll change her mind.’”

The mother held back her tears and suggested they all go pray together every Thursday.

She is thankful that God is using the prayer vigil to save babies, that He is using 40 Days for Life to restore relationships, and that He is drawing her daughter back to His heart.

“We serve such a mighty and awesome God,” she said. “I know it’s not quite a ‘baby is saved’ story, but I believe eternally it will be.”

Please hold this family in your prayers. Who knows what amazing work God will do next?

Here’s today’s devotional from Rev. Ben Sheldon, President Emeritus, Presbyterians Pro-Life…

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DAY 5 INTENTION
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May the truth of the final judgment shape our thoughts, priorities, and choices here on earth.

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SCRIPTURE
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The King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”

– Matthew 25:31-46

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REFLECTION by Rev. Ben Sheldon
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Caring for others is not optional.

Jesus’ picture of the final judgment concludes with this sobering word: the wicked, who failed to care for others in their various needs (e.g., the hungry, the thirsty, the aliens, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned) will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous who did seek to meet those needs will end up with him, enjoying eternal life.

We know that this was no parable! Jesus has given us fair warning! Everything in God’s Word points to the truth that compassionate concern and practical care for all people, especially for the poor, the destitute, the weak and needy is required of us, if indeed we hope to escape the punishment of the fire of hell.

And who are the poor and needy, if not helpless, unborn babies, as well as the aged and infirm at the other end of life? Surely the “least of these” embraces not only those at both ends of the continuum of life, but all others in between.

Just how we, as Christ’s true followers, respond to his admonition “inasmuch as you did it to the least of these, you did it to me” will determine whether we enjoy eternal bliss in his presence or the bleak and dreadful reality of eternal punishment in hell. Nothing in God’s Word could be clearer!

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PRAYER
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Gracious and merciful Father, we gladly embrace your Word that counsels us to care for the least of your children, and we renew our dedication to defending the unborn and all whose right to life is compromised by our godless society’s selfish lack of concern. Free us from our own failures and sins so that we will be truly pro-life in every area of our lives. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day05print.pdf

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David, have a blessed Sunday!

For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

One of the unexpected blessings of this 40 Days for Life campaign thus far is the unprecedented number of media stories about local campaigns — and it’s not just the number of stories but the tone of those reports. Many of them have been highly positive!

An extremely favorable article about the 40 Days for Life kickoff appeared in the Journal Star, the daily newspaper in Peoria, Illinois. Here’s the first part of that story:

Cathy Trowbridge had an abortion and lived to tell about it. Not overnight, mind you. But after 34 soul-searching years, the Princeton resident is silent no more.

“Not everybody can do this,” Trowbridge said Tuesday night at a rally at Riverfront Park to launch the 40 Days for Life campaign. “Not everyone that has had an abortion can stand here and be able to face a crowd. But that courage comes from Him who selects those that can do it.”

Trowbridge told a crowd of about 80 how she paid no attention 34 years ago to those praying in front of a clinic at 7405 N. University St. in Peoria and entered what is now National Health Care and had her pregnancy terminated.

“I didn’t know what they were there for,” Trowbridge said of the group whose successors intend to be in front of the clinic around the clock from Wednesday through Nov. 1. “I didn’t allow myself to look at their signs and figure out what they said.

“I just knew that I was full of fear and desperation,” Trowbridge continued. “And the people that counseled me told me that this is what I should do and this is where I should go. And because it was legal and lawful and because I usually did what I was told, I did. It wasn’t until much later that I found out the truth.”

Read the whole story at:

http://tinyurl.com/ydhfowq

What a powerful account — and in a secular newspaper! It’s a valuable insight into the mind of the woman who seeks abortion, and something to keep in mind as you pray.

Abortion clearly leaves a lasting negative impact.

You even may meet someone at the 40 Days for Life vigil in your own community who has a story similar to Cathy’s. The 40 Days for Life team in Bakersfield, California knows it is more common than you might think. Here’s a posting from their blog:

During Saturday’s kickoff rally, a volunteer noticed a forlorn woman standing near the vigil signup sheets. “I sensed that God wanted me to talk to her,” the volunteer said.

“Can I help you sign up for a time to pray at the vigil?” the volunteer asked. The woman seemed reluctant at first. As the volunteer continued to talk to her, eventually she opened up to share the internal struggle she was experiencing.

“Twenty-five years ago,” she began, “I aborted my baby. Maybe if people like you had been there, my baby’s life could have been saved.”

During this 40-day prayer vigil, as you meet new people joining you in prayer along the sidewalks outside abortion facilities and Planned Parenthood offices, remember that some of the vigil participants themselves are still struggling with their own private pain, and pray that they will experience the fullness of God’s healing grace.

Just this morning, at the 40 Days for Life vigil I was visiting in Lexington, Kentucky, two different women told me that 40 Days for Life was the vehicle that helped them to begin the healing process from their past abortions. One lady even told me that 40 Days for Life saved her from committing suicide.

Wow. We never know how God can work through our prayers and faithful participation in this effort.

Please take time to pray at the nearest 40 Days for Life vigil. To find the one nearest to you, visit:

http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

Your prayers and presence DO make a difference!

Here’s your devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life…

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DAY 4 INTENTION
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We ask God that we may understand the concept of justice, as a gift he gives and as a responsibility that shapes our work.

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SCRIPTURE
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Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

– Amos 5:24

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REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
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Justice, a key theme of the Scriptures, is something God does and that we too must do.

When God intervenes to save his people when they are helpless and in slavery in Egypt, he “does justice.” He manifested his justice in the plagues that were sent upon Egypt, whereby Pharaoh was convinced that he must let the people go. Justice is manifested as, in awe and wonder, God’s people see the Red Sea open before them, allow them to pass without even getting their feet wet, and then close again to drown their powerful enemies.

God is a God of Justice; he rescues us when we cannot save ourselves. His justice, above all, is seen in Jesus Christ, who, when we could not save ourselves, rescued us from the kingdom of sin, Satan, death, and hell. The mighty work of Christ on the cross and in the resurrection is the perfect manifestation of God as the God of justice.

We, then, are to be the people of justice; we are to “do justice” by intervening to save the helpless in the name and by the power of the God who saves us who are helpless ourselves. That’s why we have a pro-life movement; that’s why we have a 40 Days for Life Campaign; that’s why saving the unborn is our business.

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PRAYER
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God of Justice, you heard the cry of your people when they were being oppressed in Egypt, and you proved yourself to be the God of justice, who rescues the helpless. You likewise rescued us from the kingdom of darkness, and brought us into the Kingdom of your Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who saves us from the power of Satan, sin, death, and hell.

Make us people of justice, ready to intervene to save the helpless. Indeed, as your prophets have announced, let justice roll on like a mighty river, to save all who are in need, especially the unborn. We pray through Christ our Lord, Amen.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day04print.pdf

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For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

In my message to you on Tuesday, I said, “When it comes to 40 Days for Life, expect the unexpected!”

And yes, even though I said that, the e-mail message I received from Tim Palmquist with the 40 Days for Life team in Bakersfield, California was REALLY unexpected.

Tim wrote, “An employee of the Bakersfield Family Planning Association abortion center has just quit!”

The woman walked out of the building and spoke to Rosa, who was taking part in the prayer vigil, and told her, “I’m done with this place!” The woman also said she had turned in her uniform. Rosa quickly offered a hug, which the former employee accepted.

All this time, another vigil participant was watching. It was the first time she had ever gone to pray at an abortion center. Rosa turned to her and said, “Do you see the power of prayer?” After seeing this amazing turn of events, the new volunteer said she wants to spend much more time at the vigil during these 40 days.

This happened Wednesday — yes, the FIRST DAY of this 40 Days for Life campaign!

WOW!

Jim in Green Bay, Wisconsin writes, “Michael and I just walked the first shift of this year’s vigil.” He and Michael really didn’t know each other well at first. “But now we do. 40 Days for Life has a way of bringing folks together.”

Jim describes the late night/early morning scene as warm, slightly muggy, but beautifully quiet. “We counted three horn honks with thumbs-up signals,” he noted. “We also spoke to a young couple who were walking across the hospital parking lot. The young woman saw our signs and shouted encouragement saying, ‘We’re not aborting! We’re having a baby!’ Michael and I shouted back our approval and encouragement.

Michael observed how we never, ever know how our presence impacts people. This vigil, like the prayer that it is, reaches far beyond those whom we can see and feel and touch — which is just how the hand of God operates.

And that is so true!

You can almost feel it, just by looking at the pictures I received from the first day of the 40 Days for Life vigil in Houston…

… and the kickoff event for 40 Days for Life in Dallas:

As a former resident of Texas (who is married to a native Texan) I’m really not trying to single out the Lone Star State, but the hand of God is also evident in Lubbock, where Day 1 of 40 Days for Life dawned with a feature article in the local newspaper:

When Eric Lopez found out he was going to be an uncle, he was overjoyed. The thought never crossed his mind that his sister would choose not to have the baby as planned, and would instead choose to have an abortion. “I think about my unborn nephew, and how old he should be now,” the Texas Tech business student said. “We can take things for granted.” That’s why nearly six years later, Lopez is working to inform the community about his family’s experience with abortions through the 40 Days for Life campaign…

You can read the whole article from the Lubbock Avalanche Journal at:

http://tinyurl.com/yb6kreh

I just have this feeling that this is going to be an especially powerful 40 Days for Life campaign because of the amazing way hearts and minds are already being changed — one at a time.

Here’s today’s devotional from Dennis DiMauro, of Lutherans for Life…

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DAY 3 INTENTION
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We pray for God’s gift of strength as we strive to protect human life during these 40 Days for Life.

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SCRIPTURE
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Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

– Matthew 6:25-26

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REFLECTION by Dennis DiMauro, Lutherans for Life
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Billions of dollars are spent each year on diet plans. But Jesus tells us to stop worrying so much about our bodies, and instead to trust in God’s care for our physical needs.

What would happen if the people who had started on a low-carb diet this year had instead gone on a diet of heavenly food? For non-believers that diet would include trusting in Christ for their salvation, and for believers it would include a renewed prayer life, a new Bible study, or even a spiritual fast. This diet doesn’t include giving up on certain kinds of foods. What this diet includes is giving up on anxiety by resting in the loving arms of Christ, trusting that He will provide.

Such a spiritual diet also frees us from our worries, and allows us to freely praise Him and serve others. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

This promised provision teaches us the inestimable worth of our lives. He will not allow us to go without. This intimate knowledge and care for human life on the part of our gracious God is what motivates us to seek for the preservation of human life in all its stages.

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PRAYER
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Loving heavenly Father, help us to see the worth of all human beings by the way in which you provide for us. We would ask that you provide also the faith, grace and courage to enable us to protect that which is so precious to you. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day03print.pdf

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For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

You know 40 Days for Life is off to a great start when there’s a report of a baby saved from abortion — at a pre-campaign kickoff event!

The 40 Days for Life team in St. Louis began a day of preparation prior to the campaign with prayer at a local church, followed by more prayer on the sidewalk in front of the Planned Parenthood abortion center — prayer that was joined by more than 100 people.

At the St. Louis kickoff rally that evening, “we sang, prayed and had a chance to meet many new people,” said local coordinator Brian Westbrook. “God truly blessed us with an exciting night.”

But the excitement was just beginning. At the end of the long day, Brian went home, checked his e-mail and found this message:

I just wanted to let you know that today just before we left the clinic, as we were wrapping up and praying together, one of the sidewalk counselors came over and let us know that a couple who had gone into the clinic in the morning had just left and decided to keep their baby. So praise God, I believe that’s the first fruits of what’s to come over the next 40 days.

Brian said, “What an incredible start to these 40 Days for Life. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us this fall. Keep praying and fasting and one day we will see an end to abortion.”

Positive reports from kickoff events and news stories about 40 Days for Life are pouring in from across North America as the campaign is getting off to an incredible start in over 200 locations.

Some of these locations have just been visited by 40 Days for Life’s campaign director Shawn Carney, who got to meet many enthusiastic people in South Bend, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Indiana, before heading back home to help kick off his local 40 Days for Life campaign in Bryan/College Station, Texas.

Here’s a picture of Shawn and his wife, Marilisa, flanked by members of the 40 Days for Life team in Indianapolis:

And be sure to listen to the recording of the electrifying talk Shawn gave at the kickoff event in South Bend…

Listen to the Audio Online (click “Play” button to start):

Download MP3 (right-click to save file to your computer):
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/audio/fall09southbend.mp3

If you’re not charged up about 40 Days for Life yet, you surely will be after listening to Shawn!

Yes, this 40 Days for Life campaign is indeed getting off to a fast start …

… But 40 Days for Life is also getting off to a small start. And that’s a good thing, too.

Let me explain …

God is already providing what a member of our Buffalo, New York team calls “small successes.”

Liz’s pastor permitted her to speak about 40 Days for Life at church last Sunday. After she finished, the pastor added his own endorsement of 40 Days for Life.

After church, about 80 people signed up to pray and fast for an end to abortion — including ten people who registered for a prayer shift at the vigil outside the abortion center.

Imagine if that happened at every church in every 40 Days for Life community. And it could!

Why not ask your pastor if information about 40 Days for Life can be presented to your church? Those small successes could add up pretty quickly!

I am confident that over the course of these 40 days, that God’s victories will multiply over and over again. Please continue to hold this 40 Days for Life effort in your prayers.

Here’s today’s devotional from Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life…

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DAY 2 INTENTION
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Pray for those who work in the abortion industry, and for those who have repented of committing abortions and have resolved to defend life.

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SCRIPTURE
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Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

– Luke 23:46-47

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REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
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“Those of us who have participated in the killing of unborn children are the Centurions of today. We have dropped our swords against the unborn child. Now we must recognize the depth of our guilt and deal with the ramifications… To revitalize our humanity we need to forgive and be forgiven, to reconcile and be healed.”

These words come from a brochure of the Society of Centurions, an organization for former abortion providers. These words convey in a beautiful and moving way what is happening across the nation as hundreds of abortionists and their staff members experience repentance, conversion, and healing.

How does this conversion begin? Dr. Philip Ney writes, “The factors that changed their opinion on performing abortions, in the following order of frequency, were: evidence of the infant’s humanity, a spiritual experience, personal distress, evidence of the mother’s distress, scientific articles, being accepted as a person, a personal relationship with a pro-lifer, pro-life pickets.” (The Centurion’s Pathway, p. 77).

The journey is not easy. But the Jesus who heals us calls us to face the truth of what we’ve done, make restitution where possible, and engage in the hard work of mending relationships. Let’s pray for the Centurions; may their numbers increase!

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PRAYER
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Lord, we thank you for those who have repented of committing abortions and have resolved to defend life. We too repent and resolve.

We repent of every instance in which fear has made us silent when we should have spoken. We repent of the ongoing bloodshed in our land, and for thinking that we can deprive the unborn of protection but keep it for ourselves.

We resolve that we will advance the cause of righteous candidates for public office, and that we will be more afraid of offending you by our silence than of offending others by our speech. We resolve that we will proclaim your name to the nations, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day02print.pdf

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On the eve of the kickoff of this 40 Days for Life, I was at an exciting event with numerous 40 Days for Life people from Maryland and Delaware. In a few hours I’ll be on a plane heading to Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky where I’ll be visiting 40 Days for Life locations.

I’ve never seen the intensity of excitement that we’re seeing this early in a campaign — this is going to be a GREAT 40 Days for Life!

For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

P.S.- WOW! I just finished listening to Shawn’s South Bend talk while typing this message to you. As an old Texas friend of mine says, “if that don’t light your fire, then your wood’s wet!” Listen to this right away — you’ll be glad you did!

The Day 1 devotional (below) begins with the words of Scripture, “Blow the trumpet in Zion!” Well, the trumpet has sounded and the fall 40 Days for Life campaign has officially begun.

These next 40 days will be an awesome journey as, together, we embark on the largest single coordinated pro-life mission ever conducted.

Tens of thousands of people across 212 cities are uniting in this prayerful effort — as well as countless others in places from coast to coast who will be praying from their homes and churches — imploring God to end the scourge of abortion.

For this effort to have grown to such an amazing size  — and to have already saved 1,561 children from abortion over the last two years — is, to me, proof that this is God’s work.

HE is the answer to this crisis of abortion, so let’s pray harder than we’ve ever prayed before!

And speaking of blowing the trumpet, I can’t help but mention how effectively many of the local 40 Days for Life campaigns are “tooting their horns” about this effort. Media outlets across the country are buzzing with news reports about this fall’s campaign.

Here are just a few examples…

In Dayton, Ohio –- The Dayton Daily News covered the local campaign’s kickoff event. Rev. Mike Spencer of Grace Missionary Church told the crowd about learning the truth about abortion after he became a Christian and decided to be “a voice for the unborn.” Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk led prayer and added, “If we don’t have reverence for human life, we are easing ourselves into a society in which nobody is safe. If you can kill little babies, you can kill anybody.”

In Columbia, Missouri –- Kathy Forck is helping lead that community’s first 40 Days for Life campaign. “All we want are prayers,” she told the reporter for the Columbia Missourian. “We just encourage people of faith to come out here and stand up for the little ones that can’t stand up for themselves.” A friend had invited Kathy to pray at the clinic last spring and she quickly realized she had to do more. “We can’t just stop,” she said.

In the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area — Local leaders for two campaigns appeared on Dave Palmer’s KATH-AM radio talk show to spread the word about 40 Days for Life. Milissa Kukla is the Dallas coordinator, and Jeff Williams handles the Fort Worth campaign. They were also joined by Laura Barker, who was part of the first-ever 40 Days for Life campaign in Bryan/College Station, Texas in 2004.

Listen to part of that interview online here:

Download mp3 (right-click to save file to your computer):
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/audio/kath.mp3

40 Days for Life is the collective effort of ordinary people asking the Lord to act in an extraordinary way.

What will He do through YOUR prayers, fasting, and participation in 40 Days for Life this fall?

I don’t know, but I can’t wait for you to let us know!

Here’s today’s devotional from David Brandao, the communications director for 40 Days for Life…

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DAY 1 INTENTION
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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.

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SCRIPTURE
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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

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REFLECTION by David Brandao, 40 Days for Life
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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.

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PRAYER
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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.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day01print.pdf

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For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

Today we prepare; tomorrow it begins: 40 days of focused prayer, fasting, vigil and outreach to help bring an end to the injustice of abortion.

Whether you’ve participated in 40 Days for Life before, or you’re along on this journey for the very first time, thank you taking the step of faith to join this prayerful effort.

What is 40 Days for Life? Bishop Richard Malone of Portland, Maine offered about the best one-sentence answer I’ve yet seen: “40 Days for Life is the work of the Holy Spirit, a divine inspiration in the ongoing effort to end the plague of abortion.”

And how does the Holy Spirit work? Often, in the hearts of those who join this effort to pray for others. When it comes to 40 Days for Life, expect the unexpected!

That message is clear in what people are saying about 40 Days for Life.

A blogger just posted: “As I sit here tonight awaiting the kickoff rally tomorrow, while holding my precious sleeping infant, I praise God for the gift of life.” But she writes with mixed emotions. Six years ago, she became pregnant as the result of rape. She chose life for her son, and arranged for a loving couple to adopt her child.

“Six years later,” she writes, “I still know and feel I made the right decision, but I miss him. So, tonight as I write this, I think about the women who go in for an abortion and wonder how I can make a difference. I realize that I can make a difference by being there praying for them, praying to God that their mind changes away from abortion.”

She is thankful for 40 Days for Life “because I believe it truly touches the hearts of the women who come there for an abortion. I am eagerly anticipating the Lord’s goodness in this fall’s campaign.”

Then there’s Val in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who expressed her thoughts in a letter to the editor of the local newspaper:

Last spring I volunteered in the 40 Days for Life campaign. For 40 days I joined other volunteers to pray for the unborn in front of the Planned Parenthood clinic.

We didn’t pray only for the unborn. We also prayed for the women facing unplanned pregnancies. We prayed that those facing these circumstances would consider other alternatives such as adoption.

My family adopted a child whose mother once faced an unplanned pregnancy. After making an appointment to end her pregnancy, she changed her mind when she encountered volunteers who were present the day of her appointment, praying on behalf of the unborn.

This child has been such a blessing to our family. God has a plan for each one of us, and I’m seeing that, especially in the case of this child.

This fall from September 23 to November 1, another 40 Days for Life campaign will take place. I hope many will come and join us as we pray.

Miracles really do happen.”

If you haven’t yet signed up to participate in the prayer and fasting, vigil, and outreach for this fall’s campaign, please consider doing so. To find a 40 Days for Life location near you and get involved, you can visit:

http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

40 Days for Life is the work of the Holy Spirit — working in and through each of us.

May God richly bless you, and all those you will touch with Christ’s love, as you begin this 40-day journey!

Each of these next 40 days, I will send you a short update about what God is doing across America, Canada, and Denmark, along with a short devotional and prayer.

To help prepare, here’s a devotional from Carmen Pate, a 40 Days for Life board member and co-host of the nationally syndicated Point of View radio talk show:

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PRE-KICKOFF INTENTION
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For God’s blessing upon all participating in the fall 2009 40 Days for Life campaign.

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SCRIPTURE
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“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

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REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, Co-host, Point of View
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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 48 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.

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PRAYER
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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.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day00print.pdf

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Let’s pray, fast, and shape history together starting tomorrow!

For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

One week from today, on Wednesday, September 23, the largest 40 Days for Life campaign in history launches in 212 cities across 45 American states, 5 Canadian provinces, and Denmark.

For 40 intense days, tens of thousands of faithful volunteers will be praying, fasting, holding peaceful vigils outside abortion facilities, and spreading the pro-life message through community outreach.

Participation in 40 Days for Life is not always easy and can involve sacrifice.

So why are you and I about to do this?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so take a moment — right now — to look at this picture:

That’s Baby David (don’t you love his name?)

Last fall, on the third day of the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil in Sarasota, Florida, a nervous Hispanic woman went to the local Planned Parenthood abortion center with her mother and brother.

The 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers offered her literature, but she didn’t understand their English.

When a bilingual counselor arrived, she learned that the woman was in her 14th week of pregnancy and she was seeking a second-trimester abortion.

The counselor instead offered real help to get her to one of the local pregnancy resource centers.

As a result, she chose life for her baby.

When asked why she changed her mind and decided not to abort, the woman’s answer was, “Because you were here. I was looking for a sign from God.”

Throughout the remainder of her pregnancy, many volunteers helped her and her family with various needs, including spiritual and financial support.

Then, on March 25 of this year, 6-pound, 6-ounce baby David made his entrance into the world — where he was greeted by many of the dedicated volunteers and new found friends who have continued their faith journey with his mother and family.

A baby saved from abortion. A mother spared from a life of regrets.

That is why we do what we do.

This story represents just one of the 1,561 lives that have been spared from abortion due to 40 Days for Life campaigns over the last two years.

As you pray, fast, stand vigil, and conduct outreach during 40 Days for Life from September 23 through November 1, know that YOUR efforts could help to save the life of a child — like David — and could protect a mother from making a tragic abortion decision.

If you haven’t already, find the 40 Days for Life location nearest to you by visiting:

http://www.40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

Click on the link of the closest site, be sure to sign up for updates, and get involved.

Your humble, simple participation in 40 Days for Life can make a profound difference. YOU can help to change the world, one life at a time.

Yours For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life