DAY 18: Fewer cars, fewer abortions
On average, there are 3,300 abortions EVERY DAY in the United States — but that daily number goes up on Saturdays, the busiest day of the week at many abortion centers.
As we near the midpoint of this campaign, today — Saturday — is an excellent day to participate in 40 Days for Life. Click this link to find the location nearest you:
When you pray at the vigil, you realize two things:
- The abortionist doesn’t want us out there.
- Christ does.
Here’s what I mean …
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA
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Feminist Women’s Health Center is a second-trimester abortion center where women come from neighboring states for abortions. The staff is used to people praying outside every week. “But they get particularly nervous when 40 Days for Life rolls around,” said Lauren in Atlanta, “as they know our numbers jump exponentially.”
On one day recently, two women changed their minds. One was 17 weeks pregnant; the other was 22. “These women were met with love and acceptance from the moment they drove onto the clinic property and it was this love that drew them to us,” Lauren said. Volunteers assured them they would not abandon them, but would walk with them through their pregnancies.
One of the women responded by text, “I’m just glad to have some support. Thank you!”
The abortion center has lined the right-of-way, where the volunteers can legally stand, with prickly yucca plants in an obvious attempt to deter them. Lauren sent photographic proof that the plan is not working.
“We had eleven prayer warriors from all over Atlanta in front of the clinic this morning,” she said. “We just figure it’s a sign that we are frustrating the clinic and if God wants us to put up with the yucca plants, so be it.”
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FORT WORTH, TEXAS
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One of the volunteers in Fort Worth, a youth director at a local church, wrote on the 40 Days for Life blog about recruiting new people to pray at the vigil.
One Saturday morning, a woman she invited to the vigil arrived with her daughter. It was cold and drizzling, but they prayed for an hour. “I could tell she and her daughter were very moved,” said the volunteer.
The following Saturday, the same woman returned — this time, with her husband. “Wow, there are a lot less cars than last week,” she said. “She knew something had happened from last week to this week,” the youth director observed. Fewer cars means fewer abortions.
Later, this woman gave a short testimony to a group at church — and now there are about half a dozen others who promised to pray at the vigil the next weekend.
“God is so good,” said the youth director. “I know we have saved some lives. Praise be to God!”
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MANKATO, MINNESOTA
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“I am still in awe of our awesome God,” a prayer volunteer in Mankato wrote on the 40 Days for Life blog. “I had never been involved with this campaign before, and I didn’t know what to expect.”
While praying at the vigil, “I was overwhelmed with the presence of the Holy Spirit that morning, and wept in worship of the Lord.” People drove by, yelling negative comments, honking their horns and expressing support for Planned Parenthood. But she just continued to pray quietly.
“I watched at least 15 people come and go in the time I was there,” she wrote. “I don’t know what they were there for, but God does, and it was an honor to pray for each of them. I encourage anyone who can go, even for just one hour, to be a voice for the unborn. It will change your life.”
Here’s the link to today’s devotional.
For Life,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: Has 40 Days for Life affected you? If it has, please leave a comment below.
October 13th, 2012 at 6:12 am
Our Lord honors His faithful servants. Praise Him for these many wonderful reports! May His name be glorified many times over at each prayer vigil.
October 13th, 2012 at 6:47 am
This is great…as a Day Captain for 40 Days for Life in Austin, Tx, I am encouraged by the testimonies from Stand and Pray volunteers- especially from the volunteers who are new to 40 Days for Life. I pray that their involvement in 40 Days for Life will continue until all the abortion facilities in their city or county have closed their doors permanently. Yeah Stand and Pray volunteers! We need you, but most of all our unborn brothers and sisters need you! Vivat Jesus
October 13th, 2012 at 7:52 am
Thank you David and Shawn for calling all of us to prayer through the Holy Spirit. Always being pro-life, I was not fully involved until 40 Days came to be. Through this twice yearly vigil my heart and those of so many have been set on fire for the babies and the mothers. It is an honor to be a small part of this movement for Life. The daily prayer devotionals are one way we can all connect in prayer each day. Thank you for listening to the working of the Holy Spirit and for all the sacrafices you and so many make to awaken the world to this tragedy of abortion. Thank you also to Ann Barrick our leader here in Northwest Ohio. May God richily bless all of you.
October 13th, 2012 at 8:18 am
Has 40 Days for Life affected me? Yes, every time I read your blog, I am moved to tears by God’s love revealed in the 40 Days For Life volunteers; by the hope that comes in Christ; and by the powerful faith in action.
God bless you!
October 13th, 2012 at 8:53 am
3000 abortions per day. Think about that. That’s the equilavent of putting 120 teachers out of work (at 25 students per class).
Keep up the good work.
October 13th, 2012 at 10:06 am
Rev. E. Lauraine Acey-Coatesville, PA October 13, 2012
Three years ago, I was introduced to 40 Days for Life. Although I am physically physically unable to volunteer to go out and Stand and Pray, I do pray for I the various campaigns. What a blessing it is to read the reports submitted, and see the manner in which God uses His people to overcome the adversary. With Jesus 40 Days for Life will be victorious. With constant and continual prayer, we will eventually see Planned Parenthood and other abortion centers become a thing of the past. God bless Shown and all the 40 Days for Life Volunteers wherever they are located. Never give up.
October 13th, 2012 at 10:53 am
We are doing our second 40 Days for Life vigil and have kept our 12 hours filled each day. One of our prayer volunteers suffered a miscarriage yesterday so I went out to pray during her scheduled time. A man came and parked behind me and got out with a sign. Then a woman from a neighboring business pulled out and asked if he was with me (40 Days for Life). I said no but didn’t realize till then that his sign said “Pro-choice and I Vote” She pulled up and scolded him then left and came back and pulled up on the curb to scare him. They had a somewhat heated argument. I just kept praying and hoping that it wouldn’t get out of hand. When the woman drove away she asked me what I thought and I told her not to argue but to pray for him. When I left, I gave the man 3 brochures about Planned Parenthood and abortion. I told him that I respected his right to have a differing opinion, but I thought it should be an informed opinion. He took the materials, thanked me then said I was “classy.” Pray that he will read the materials, know the truth, and have a conversion.
October 13th, 2012 at 1:12 pm
The 1st week I went to the sidewalk at my allotted time there were 2 “40 days people” & 1 pro choice, sign carrying college student all on the same sidewalk. I greeted them & walked directly to the college student, said hi & started a conversation.
She was very pleasant & told her life story practically in the next few minutes. I heard her say “I can’t believe I am going to vote Democratic in my very 1st election!” So for the next hr. I walked & prayed for this young woman. By the time the hr. was over there were 12 sign carrying college kids.
I was asked “why did you talk to her”? My answer being “she is not the enemy, she is just blinded”.
October 13th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
A nurse at the Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins, CO hit me with her car today. I was standing on the sidewalk praying. She cut through the Qdoba parking lot, trying to make it between their sign and the sidewalk so she could cut through an adjoining parking lot and travel on through it to the PP parking lot. She honked, and as I was turning to see what was going on, hit me. My left knee was hit…about a foot into her bumper. The cop on duty talked to her. She claimed that I stepped onto the parking lot and that’s why she hit me. Neither of the restaurants there had security cameras running today, so the cop told me he couldn’t charge her with anything because it was my word against her. One of the Knights went with me to talk to the cop the third time he called me over. The Knight asked why the woman couldn’t be charged with avoiding an intersection or reckless driving. The cop said they can’t charge her if the incident was on private property. Is this right? I really don’t think I stepped onto the asphalt as I was turning around, but even if I did, shouldn’t she have had to stop long enough to let me see what was going on and move out of the way? The cop talked to her and the director of PP there. The director declined to talk to me, telling the cop that it isn’t their policy to talk to protestors. Another woman who arrived later said that this same nurse attempted to hit her last week. Just a warning…if you’re going to the Fort Collins PP, be aware that an older nurse with shoulder length gray hair driving a large gray car may attempt to run you over!
October 13th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
This morning,as I was prayingin front of the abortuary in Ottawa,Ontario, a young woman came up to me and suggested in quite a friendly manner that we “should not base our opinions on the Bible ” because we are probably “turning a lot of people off” (Our group reads scripture during the lunch hour as part of the prayer campaign).
I thanked her for her input but really… we are out here to pray, so who else can we pray to but the One God, who is the God of the Bible, and the author of all moral codes everywhere, whether they know it or not. He is the supreme authority who, having created the universe, is the one who speaks to our hearts and urges us to do right.
October 13th, 2012 at 3:41 pm
I’ve been receiving emails from 40 days for Life for the last 4 or 5 campaigns, but it was this past Spring when I realized we had a local campaign where I go to school. I went once or twice to pray during that campaign, thought it was cool, but didn’t think much else of it.
Then this campaign I have gone out already twice and was fortunate enough to hear David Bereit speak-it helped completely give me that boost and push-I’ve always been pro-life, but why am I pro-life? What am I doing to promote life? Am I willing to stand up and witness even if persecuted?
Then today I was suppose to go out for an hour-it’s been rainy and stormy all day. I really didn’t want to go out, but I went. And God provided me with one of the best experiences ever, so many people honked and waved and gave thumbs-up signs. God knew that I needed that strength and that beautiful encouragement from others to know that what we are doing really, truly matters and is necessary.
Thank you 40 Days for Life!
October 13th, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Let us all pray for a pro life government! God Bless!
October 13th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
40 Days for Life has totally changed me. Before it, I was pro-life, but did nothing. Now i pray at the abortion mill in Granite City, IL. Today the Bishop was there! Yes, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki had a Mass for Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life. We had about 6 or 7 priests there and several deacons. After Mass, Bishop Paprocki lead us (approx 300 prayer warriors) with a police escort about 8 or 9 blocks from the church to the abortion mill, leading us in several rosaries. We prayed prayers at the abortion mill and sang several songs. Angela and Daniel Michael who are there EVERY day with their ultra-sound van thanked us for being there and told us there were two saves today. One 15 week old and one 20 week old baby were spared from abortion, praise be to God! And thanks be to God for 40 Days for LIFE!
October 13th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
40 Days for Life has moved me not only in the blog posts, but in the teens that I work with. I am an assistant director of a youth group in a town with no abortion facility within an hour drive, but we do have a Christian Crisis Pregnancy center who provide counseling, parenting classes, free prenatal care, etc. for women who are in crisis pregnancies. Our teens have really reached out to them in this 40 Days for Life and have been moved and touched by pro-life events. Seeing them so on fire for the Lord and for this cause has blessed me more than they could possible know and I thank God every day for placing me with these teens who are so willing to serve Him and challenge me to grow every day.
October 13th, 2012 at 6:01 pm
My first introduction and involvement in prolife ministry came through my involvement with 40 Days for Life in the fall of 2007. God has worked many miracles of healing in my life since that time.
Thank you David and Shawn for this wonderful ministry. Many lives have been saved and many women healed and set free because of your obedience to the calling of God in your life.
May God continue to bless you and your families and the increasing ministry of 40daysforlife.
We know that with God all things are possible, even the end of legal abortion! In Jesus name we ask that it would be so!
October 13th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
Last night I had the opportunity to sing and play guitar at a mid-way rally for the 40 Days for Life Antelope Valley. There were about 20 of us in attendance. Not big numbers, but God is at work and He gets all the glory just as He did with Gideon’s army. Among those who attended were one of my five-year-old granddaughters and my ninety-two-year-old mother. Also in attendance was a young lady who turned fifteen earlier this week. Her mother shared how she, at age fifteen, had considered abortion and was given a pamphlet by a teen girl who said nothing to her. That pamphlet had changed her life and saved her baby’s life. That was fifteen years ago. The baby was a girl, the one who turned fifteen this week. Wow! What can Almighty God do with one person who stands up offering hope and truth? Thanks to all participants in 40 Days for Life around the world, whether you are a leader, a prayer warrior on the front lines, or someone who fasts and takes the time to pray at home. The Lord Jesus is at work and he calls us to join Him in His work. Thank you for joining. May you all experience His Powerful Presence. May He get all the glory!
October 14th, 2012 at 8:56 pm
This is my first 40-days for Life campaign, but not my first time standing outside an abortion clinic being a witness. For those who find themselves alone standing in front of a clinic at any particular time, do not for a moment believe that you are not making a difference. Do not believe you are not making change. Yes, it would be fantastic if the secular world could see large numbers of people outside all the time, but God works through the one, the single, the humble. Don’t let the enemy make you think that at all. Press in! Press in! We must press in to the Kingdom of God! God hears our prayers and pleas and He will answer!