DAY 9: 40 Days for Life book top rated
We have gotten a lot of emails asking, “What kind of impact is the 40 Days for Life book having?”
Most importantly, the feedback has been very moving from everyone — from those who’ve had abortions … to volunteers … to people who had never before heard of 40 Days for Life and are now getting involved in a pro-life activity for the first time.
A recent report from Amazon.com displayed YOUR enthusiasm for the new book. It’s currently listed as top-rated in five categories…
- Christian Living: #2
- Christianity: #2
- Religion & Spirituality: #3
- Non-fiction: #4
- ALL Kindle e-books: #5
The success of the book continues to inspire hearts and send a strong message to the abortion industry. To build upon this momentum, you can do a few things:
- Participate in your local campaign
- Get the book from major book outlets or at
http://40daysforlife.com/book - Call your local bookstores and ask them to carry the book
The book reveals what can happen through prayer when there is both hope and mercy in the most unexpected places –- the sidewalks outside abortion facilities.
Today’s devotional focuses on mercy … as do these stories from the sidewalk.
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FORT COLLNS, COLORADO
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“What do you get out of this?”
The question, from a young man smoking a cigarette outside the Planned Parenthood building, was directed at the volunteers who offered him an information card.
“We do not get anything,” replied Scott, one of the volunteers. “We are here to help you.”
So the man told his story. He has a two-year-old daughter … but his wife was inside for an abortion. “Everyone should have a choice,” the man insisted — throughout all nine months of pregnancy.
As the two men continued to talk, the young father said, “I have seen other protesters, but you are different.”
The man finally took the card Scott had offered him — it includes information about post-abortive help.
“When his wife came over to get him,” said Linda in Fort Collins, “her eyes revealed the pain in her soul. It is this pain that we so much pray to prevent from happening.”
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ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA
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Paula shared some thoughts after arriving back home after prayer in front of Planned Parenthood.
“The temperature says 12 degrees, but it feels like -3,” she said. “Cold fingers, cold nose, cold toes — but nothing is as cold and numb as what is happening behind closed doors.”
More babies died. More women were permanently scarred. “And the world seemingly, unknowingly, continues on … rushing by in traffic, shopping, eating, exercising and working right in close proximity to the destruction.”
Paula said it breaks her heart to see the women’s faces when they come out of those doors — changed forever. “Lord, I pray they find healing someday,” she said. “When will this destruction of life come to an end?”
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CANTON, OHIO
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“Sometimes I get frustrated and wonder why I go to Planned Parenthood,” said Linda in Canton. “It is like, what have I accomplished? Then God, in His great wisdom, gives me a clue.”
Linda was praying with two other volunteers when one began telling a personal story about an abortion experience. “We could see the pain in their eyes,” she said. “Although many years have passed, the pain was still there, the loss remained.”
Linda had just been praying — and trying to keep her feet warm. “And then a person shared a part of their past — and I was there to reach out and hug a fellow pro-lifer in need of understanding.”
She felt that God put the three of them there together that day to fulfill His plan. “What is God’s plan for you this week?”
For information about healing after abortion, see Rachel’s Vineyard.
Here’s the link to today’s devotional.
Yours for Life,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: If you have stories to share about the 40 Days for Life campaign in your town, please leave a comment below.
February 21st, 2013 at 8:46 am
Having been involved in pro-life work and not always see the “results” I too recently asked myself “why?” Why do I/we do this? Why don’t I see any change? Why?
I received my answer 3 days later while attending mass at my local church. The reading that day, as well as the day before had been about the Pharisees questioning Jesus, asking him “why” this and “why” that?
The priest in his homily said we are too often focused on the “why” of doing things, when we should be focused on the “what.” What do we do these things for? To draw into a deeper relationship with Christ. Plain, and simple. Beautiful.
February 21st, 2013 at 9:39 am
Friday February 15 and Saturday Feb. 16 was blessed to join Naples 40 Days For Life. A hideous sight-elderly man wearing a PP vest sitting on lawn chair in PP parking lot holding a closed umbrella. When women get out of their cars, he opens his very large umbrella and escorts them to PP, shielding them from pro-life prayer warriors, only a few yards away. Naples has a lot of retired folk. This man volunteers for the Culture of Death. Where are all the retired folk who should be praying at the 40 Days? I prayed with some-I know there are many, many more! God bless 40 Days Naples! Keep up the great work! There was a dead squirrel on the sidewalk on Saturday. A messenger perhaps.
February 21st, 2013 at 12:50 pm
On my first day of sidewalk counseling, a young man came out of the clinic very distraught. He didn’t want his girl to go through with the abortion. My fellow counselor and I encouraged him to go in and get her. We told him about the Lighthouse clinic around the corner that could offer them free services, and help them think through their decision. He called his girl on his cell phone, and she came out with her mother. Apparently her mother was encouraging her to abort. The three of them began arguing right in front of me, blaming each other, crying, yelling. The young man began weeping and begging his girlfriend, “Please, baby, don’t do this! I can support you and the baby! Don’t do it! It’s wrong, it’s wrong! We’ve both made mistakes, and I’m really sorry. I want to change – and I’m gonna get help. But adding this wrong on top of all our other mistakes doesn’t make it right!” The girl responded, “I’m so confused, I don’t know if I love you, I don’t know what I feel!” She had her mother on one side urging her to abort, and the father of her baby on the other side, urging her with tears to trust him and give their baby life.
Several people were across the street praying earnestly for this tense situation. I was standing with these three as they anguished over the decision. I didn’t know what to do; I just prayed. Mother and daughter moved aside to talk privately, but I heard every word. The breakthrough came. The mother said, “Honey, this is your decision. It’s your life. Whatever you decide, I love you. Maybe we can even think about adoption.” While they were off talking, I reminded the young father that the Lighthouse center around the corner would help them, and stick with them week after week, month after month for as long as they needed support, and they wouldn’t take a dime from them. His girlfriend’s mother left, and the girl rejoined us where we were talking. He said, “Baby, let’s take a walk around the corner. Take my hand. Let’s go see those people. We have nothing to lose by talking to them.” She agreed to go, and they walked off together, hand in hand. Counselors and prayer warriors rejoiced to see them go around the corner. Though many other couples went into the abortion clinic that day, rebuffing my offers of information and alternatives, it is humbling and satisfying to know that the Lord used me in a small way to steer this couple away from a decision they’d forever regret.
February 21st, 2013 at 3:15 pm
This is our 5th consecutive 40 Days for Life vigil in Wilmington, Delaware. Each campaign is like a slow snowball rolling down the hill catching more snow and building into a bigger ball. Last campaign, we saw a marvelous instance of healing that has now spilled over into the Spring campaign making our snowball grow larger. One of our core team members had issued invitation after invitation since 2010 to a Christian friend (let’s call her Barb) to come down to Planned Parenthood and pray. Finally last October, Barb accepted the invitation. On her way down, she disclosed a secret she had told to few people in her life. 30 years previously, she had come to Planned Parenthood in Wilmington to obtain an abortion. The abortion, which she sought without thinking twice about it, kicked off a 10 year period of darkness that included self-destructive activities that brought her to the brink of despair. Then, 20 years ago, she was pulled out of that dark period by grace, and she returned to The Lord with much rejoicing. She was forgiven. Now, 30 years after the abortion, Barb thought that she had put it all behind her. She was going to the sidewalk this day to pray, certainly not to talk about a private tragedy that she had put far behind her.
But the minute she got out on the sidewalk, she found herself overwhelmed with feeling. It all flooded back in a rush of emotion. Barb felt impelled to speak! She told her story to the group gathered on the sidewalk, prefacing it with, “I never ever expected I was going to tell you all what I am going to tell you!”
Prayers were shared. Tears were shed. We made an appointment for her to go right from her time on the sidewalk to Birthright of Delaware, to see a professional counselor. She texted us later to say that they had a wonderful session. She had no idea that the healing she was receiving was possible or even necessary — she didn’t know the wounds were still unhealed until she began to open up and speak about her abortion, which she had never done. She was amazed at the outpouring of love and generosity that she received, when all she thought she was doing was finally letting the Holy Spirit lead her out to pray at a 40 Days for Life campaign.
This campaign, guess who was our guest speaker for our 40 Days Kick-off out there on that very same sidewalk in front of Planned Parenthood of Delaware? It was Barb! And she has been coming out to pray just as often as she can.
Today it was bitter cold out there at Planned Parenthood. Snow flakes whirled and our chairs and signs kept falling over. A woman rolled down her car window and yelled out to us, “Why don’t you people get a life?!” Just as we were registering that, guess who drove up and parked and got out? It was Barb!
Barb calls us her “angels”, but she has been an Angel of Encouragement to every one of us who are out there day after day during the 40 Days for Life campaigns, and on surgical abortion days throughout the year.
February 21st, 2013 at 11:23 pm
Today my sister and I went together to pray at NOVA Women’s Healthcare in Fairfax, VA. It meant a lot to me to go because I have been praying against this particular facility for about two years now from my home. I live in a neighboring county, about 30 minutes away from Fairfax and though it had occurred to me to go and pray at the actual site, I was not sure how to go about it. I didn’t want to unwittingly break the law and I wasn’t sure where I would be allowed to park and stand or what I would be permitted to say. The tips, instructions and even the pledge which you have posted on the local website, helped me to understand what I should and shouldn’t do while participating in the vigil on site. I was also really encouraged to see a video about a baby that was saved during a previous campaign at this location. The video didn’t show the baby but a prayer warrior was being interviewed on the sidewalk in front of the building and explaining what happened. I was encouraged to realize that she is from here and was there praying, that this is real and not something distant happening somewhere else.
Today I prayed for about 90 minutes. My two boys (5 and 3) were playing at a friend’s house since it was my first time and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But it was so easy and non-confrontational that I think I will take them with me next time, though we may not be able to stay quite as long.