DAY 21: The Lord provides His grace
Let’s face it. We need the full armor of God! With some of the things people have had to deal with while peacefully praying for an end to abortion, it’s important to remember that this is a spiritual battle.
People praying at the vigil have seen the occasional negative reaction — rude words and gestures from people driving by, for instance. But thankfully, the Lord provides His grace so we may respond to such anger with Christ-like love.
—————————————————–
CANTON, OHIO
—————————————————–
There’s a sign-carrying protester who yells at vigil participants in Canton. Among other things, he insists that Planned Parenthood does not do abortions.
True, Planned Parenthood does not do abortions at all of its facilities — but the nation’s largest abortion chain most certainly refers abortion-minded women to other locations, and its annual abortion toll is 330,000.
Volunteers tried to explain Planned Parenthood’s agenda, but he wouldn’t listen. “The devil is lying to you,” he screamed. “They do good things here.” He refused to take literature — “propaganda,” he called it — and shouted that people praying outside the abortion center faced eternal punishment “for bearing false witness.”
When a large prayer group’s vigil time ended and they were preparing to go, he yelled at them, “Is your party over?”
Linda, the coordinator in Canton, said this man clearly “needs our prayers. We pray that the Holy Spirit will enlighten him to the true purpose of Planned Parenthood,” she said. “Pray that we continue to show the love of Jesus with everyone we meet at Planned Parenthood.”
—————————————————–
SEVILLE, SPAIN
—————————————————–
A woman walked up to one of the prayer volunteers and looked at her “pray for an end to abortion” sign. “How brutal,” she said. “The law is the law.”
The woman grabbed the sign, snarled that this was harassment — and broke the sign. “I said that I was not harassing anybody, but was only peacefully praying,” the volunteer said.
As she went into the abortion center, the angry woman said she was going to call the police. “I called the police,” said the vigil participant, “and they told me I wasn’t infringing any law.”
After a while, the woman came out. “She told me she was a psychologist and that we were inflicting a lot of damage on women who were going to freely abort their children with defects,” said the 40 Days for Life participant.
“In Seville we are very much alone,” she said. “I saw the devil in the eyes of those people and in the people at the doorway who laughed at me while shaking their heads with hateful grimaces.”
—————————————————–
RENO, NEVADA
—————————————————–
Last week, I mentioned the pointy yucca plants outside an abortion center in Atlanta. That reminded me that the abortionist in Reno has a row of very prickly cactus plants along the fence at his business.
Despite the cactus — and professionally-printed signs with messages such as “Pray to end sidewalk bullying” — praying, even at this place, can be a very peaceful experience. The presence of the Holy Spirit can be felt despite it all.
Here’s the link to today’s devotional.
For Life,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: Please keep the stories coming! If something great is happening with your 40 Days for Life campaign, please leave a comment below.
October 16th, 2012 at 4:40 am
Let us pray that Roe vs Wade is overturned!
October 16th, 2012 at 6:23 am
Your “Full Amor of God” message and the accounts of people being rude and hateful toward people that pray to save the lives of unborn babies has been helpful to me today. I have been dealing with some conflict and your email reminds me to pray peacefully before and doing the confrontation and to speak the Word of God. I am printing the devotional and posting it on the wall where I can see it daily when I wake up.
October 16th, 2012 at 8:34 am
I am on my way to a crisis preg center to volunteer which I do weekly. I first get fortified by the Eucharist so I will include you in my prayers at Mass
God bless
October 16th, 2012 at 9:17 am
Thank you for these fantastic reports & devotionals. We need prayer in York for unity within our team; listening, humble ears amongst all of us. We also need prayer for our Mid-Point Rally tonight – that God would be glorified & we would know how to listen to Him! How to pray, sometimes, seems a great mystery to me.
October 16th, 2012 at 10:04 am
No wonder our God has removed a hedge of protection on this country. So many Americans have been misguided by the media, TV programs and Hollywood. Using prayer that is a conversation with their Creator for their misguided beliefs. How lost they are. I pray every night for their conversion. God bless all you do for our babies.
October 16th, 2012 at 10:15 am
Victory in the name of Jesus! Amen.
October 16th, 2012 at 10:43 am
I wanted to share some hope with other vigil participants and leaders about the power of a continuous prayerful presence. We continue to come out even between vigils and have built a relationship with commuters. This was what I shared with our Charlotte Participants on Day One…here at Day 21 it still holds true…
Hebron’s 24 hour a day-7 day a week vigil began at 12 am this morning. There
was and still is a peaceful serenity out here (it is about 5 am as I am
writing this before the morning traffic rush begins) the area is well lit
and there has been a constant multiplying traffic flow with each hour – from
every 10-15 minutes a car or two to now several cars every 5-10 minutes.
Soon Hebron will be bustling with morning commuters cutting through from
I-77, South Blvd, Nations For and Arrowood Roads as well as I-485. Our
impact here is immense. The businesses that neighbour Lance, RAM, Terminex,
CATO and Fibers to name a few have diverse employee demographics and to me show the American position on Life, from experience they have shown
overwhelming support by waves, honks, thumbs up, praying hands and other
gestures of alignment with Life. I can testify to an increasing number of
positive responses from those who previously drove by emotionless and a
staggering less than one percent who verbalize or otherwise indicate they
may be pro-abortion or they just enjoy heckling anyone. This is amazing and
I can’t wait for you to experience it.
October 16th, 2012 at 11:03 am
May God protect all of His children who pray in front of abortion clinics. And most especially those in foreign nations whose citizens don’t have the protection of our 1st Amendment to our Constitution.
October 16th, 2012 at 11:23 am
This a a War against the Holy Spirit and Heaven so it doesnt surprise me that there are attacks coming from a man who is obviously a Christian himself. He knows and quotes the Words of Jesus. May God change his mind and heart and get him to join in praying for the saving of Babies. Praise God. I prayed this morning that God would save hundreds of babies today. He will hear us
October 16th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Howdy! Chris from Fayetteville AR reporting. We experienced the physical and spiritual battle yesterday when we gathered together a group of 19 followers of Chris to pray in front of PP. It seems that the more gathered to pray, the more the enemy tries to demoralize us. I’m so thankful we can put on the full armor of God to protect us. Stay strong everyone!
-Chris
October 16th, 2012 at 12:26 pm
Is there a way to encourage the woman in Seville that she is not alone, although it may appear that way? 2Kings 6:15 recounts this story of the prophet Elisha and his servant:
When the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an army with horses and chariots was round about the city. His servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 He answered, Don’t be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. 17 Elisha prayed, and said, Yahweh, Please open his eyes, that he may see. Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
October 16th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Unfortunately I also see many people trying to destroy the Message of Life that we’re trying to send to everyone may we continue to pray for everyone trapped in the opinion that it is only the mother’s “choice.”
October 16th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
What a shot of inspiration and Holy Spirit it was to have David Bereit in La Crosse WI o Friday, Oct 12. We had an early mid-way event to commemorate one of our prayer warriors who died last year on Oct 13- and David was able to join us and give an awesome and inspiring talk to a crowd of over 120 people. We had more than 70 who came out to the vigil site-rivaling our kickoff rally with almost 100 people. Luckily the road construction in front of the hospital we pray at had not started yet. As of Monday the road in front of the Gundersen Lutheran COmmunity Hospital is closed and traffic is diverted to other major roads in the area. Luckily also, the people who live by the hospital and the workers can still get through – Coincidence the contruction is there during our campaign – I think not! Nice try – after David’s talk we have a surge of new prayer warriors and re-committed regulars. The prayers are still flowing even if the traffic is not! Big cranes and jack hammers can not compare to the power of prayer and witnessing to the Truth! Pray on unceasingly – God is listening!
October 16th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
God be glorified!
Mary’s Heart will Triumph over all evil and error!
October 16th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
What an opportunity in Canton Ohio. A committed Christian believes no abortions are done there. Even the reporter says “True, Planned Parenthood does not do abortions at all of its facilities.” But 7 to 11 times the number of surgical abrotions are done by chemical concoctions and mechanical devices. What a surprise awaits us when we meet Jesus and all those little ones we ignorantly aborted because we didn’t know. THE PILL KILLS!
1 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,
Terminology Bulletin (September 1965).
2 John Wilks, A Consumer’s Guide to the Pill and Other
Drugs, 3rd ed. (Mandaluyong, Philippines: National Book
Store, Inc., 2000).
3 “QuiverFull Pill Fact Sheet,” http://www.quiverfull.com/
birth_control/fact_sheet_on_pill_side_effect.html.
4 Bogomir M. Kuhar, PharmD, FASCP, Infant Homicides
through Contraceptives, 5th ed. (Bardstown, KY: Eternal
Life, 2003).
October 16th, 2012 at 2:48 pm
all hormonal contraceptives have an abortifacient potential:
(Preventing Pregnancy, Protecting Health: A New Look at Contraceptive Choices in the United States, Susan Harlap, Kathyrn Kost and Jacqueline Darroch Forrest, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1991, pp. 17-28.
Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions? Randy Alcorn, Eternal Perspective Ministries, 39085 Pioneer Blvd., Suite 206, Gresham, OR 97080, 1998).
Neither of these resources has anything to do with the Roman Catholic Church.
October 16th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Stay strong! We’re praying for you.
October 16th, 2012 at 7:46 pm
Satan is alive in well for a short time longer; continue praying for conversion of EVERY SOUL from Adam & Eve to the very last SOUL created.
God’s in control so don’t worry! Just continue to be faithful!
October 17th, 2012 at 12:44 am
Tonight a well dressed lady approached us to tell us that she has a lot of respect for what we are doing. One of us, a man, had a sign that read “Men regret abortion” on one side, and “Women regret abortion” on the other. She seemed get teared up as she told us how much she respects our work.
Then added, as she walked away, “It’s been 20 (30?) years, and not a day has gone by when I don’t think about it.”
When she left, I realized that she was post abortive. Her words were very encouraging. I hope that we can engage her to join us and also to get some post abortive counseling. Or maybe get her to join 40DFL one day!
Later, another older lady approached me asking me what this was about. She asked about our abortion laws. That gave me time to explain. I asked her about her views. She said she was against abortion. But before 3 months that baby doesn’t have a soul. (I’m noticed this response a few times now… about various ages of the baby having a soul, and before that it’s OK.) I remembered Shawn’s response in Abby’s Book “Unplanned”. This gave me an opportunity to share with her some more. She told me about life in Iraq & her children & grandchildren here. Mentioning the child she had miscarried. And that she wasn’t for abortion.
October 17th, 2012 at 12:50 am
Sunday I joined the 40 Days for Life in Mississauga. Walking from the location with the signs to the building, a young couple passed us. A moment later they called to us. They wanted to ask us questions. They were not angry, but curious. They asked about the situation of rape, or how it would affect a child being a conceived in rape. Although I had never met the other 40 Days for Lifer that I was walking with, we both had stories to tell them. The young lady seemed very touched, almost to tears, as we told them some of the stories.
I wanted to thank all the pro-lifers that have gone before me, that have educated me in the answers to questions in the mind of the public.
October 18th, 2012 at 11:56 am
Our location in Central California does not perform surgical abortions, but does refer women to another Planned Parenthood that does. In addition, they do offer the Morning After pill anytime, without an appointment. So in our opinion, that means that any women entering the clinic could be abortion bound. I think sometimes we forget that this pill is an abortificient and produces the same result as a surgical abortion. So our presence at these clinics is just as important! God bless everyone who peacefully and prayerfully stands in opposition to the culture of death.
October 20th, 2012 at 12:18 am
Jesus said “If the world hated me, they will hate you also. But fear not I have overcome the world.” Blessed Pope John Paul 2nd said: ” A nation that kills it’s own children is a nation without hope.” May God give you a joyful peaceful spirit.
October 23rd, 2012 at 10:47 am
IT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS AND GRACE…
The playing field is there before us—not a football field nor a baseball diamond—but a field that has boundaries that vary according to which side you are on, a field where the players play hard and where lives are at stake and winning means death is eliminated forever from the game.
The field of which I speak is of course the sidewalk at Planned Parenthood, the players are the workers there and the opposing prayer volunteers, the boundary is the wall that separates us— a symbol that represents the huge difference in our beliefs, and the win is the save of a baby and its mother and father from the horror of abortion. The referee? God, of course, who judges and gives penalties and pours out rewards…God who loves unconditionally and without limits.
Today we who were at Planned Parenthood took part in this very fierce battle. There were the usual volunteers who worked hard and were successful in helping to convince six (6) women to turn away from PP and go to Her Choice, a local pregnancy center! Four decided to keep their babies. Four saves in one day!! Praise God! It was incredible and we thanked John Paul II whose feast day was today. We felt his prayers in all that we did.
Also, there were fifteen parishioners from St. James Catholic Church in Gadsden who came to pray and witness throughout the day as part of their Adopt a Day. They covered all the hours, experienced, many for the first time, the stark reality that abortion really happens. They watched as seasoned prayer volunteers poured out their hearts to persuade women to let their children be born, to let them have what God intended them to have and what they themselves had. Is that too much for which to ask?
And…as the final quarter came to its end with only minutes to play, the seven players who remained on the field were encountered by a very fierce competitor indeed, a woman who claimed to be an Alabama legislator. She drove up in her car, parked in the PP lot, rolled down her window, and proceeded to introduce herself. She said that she was there for a meeting at PP. The discussion began, and as we talked, we soon learned of the woman’s pro-choice stance. All seven of the prayer volunteers participated in a VERY HEATED discussion that lasted about twenty minutes. It was a discussion that I will not soon forget because of the intense passion expressed by both sides, and by yours truly. The reality of the battle was made evident to me, probably as never before, and I pray even more fervently that God will give us all the GUTS and GRACE to continue until the Culture of Life prevails.