DAY 14: Join the navy … on the sidewalk
The Marines have traditionally put out the call for “a few good men.” Good men in many cities are responding to the call to pray and fast.
Many of the local 40 Days for Life vigils have active and retired military men and women participating. We even have a few retired colonels that lead local campaigns. Their commitment to service and country is inspiring. When you attend the vigil at one location — you just may be joining the navy on the sidewalks!
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ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
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A woman in Annapolis left a note on the 40 Days for Life blog describing her husband’s prayer time at the vigil.
It was cold and rainy. When he got there he was alone. But, he was there to pray, so that’s what he did.
After a while, two young men walked up and asked if he was praying. Yes, he said, so they asked if they could join him. They did — with one of them even kneeling on the sidewalk in the rain. A third young man soon came to pray with the others.
The first prayer volunteer asked if the three were from a nearby church that is heavily involved in the campaign. No, they told him — they were all from the U.S. Naval Academy.
“Those midshipmen are real men,” said the volunteer’s wife. “What a contrast to the ‘men’ in so many of the young women’s lives who feel compelled to seek abortion for lack of support.”
Stories like this, she said, and the many others we share, are certainly “good news in a darkened world.”
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AUSTIN, TEXAS
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Heather in Austin shared some good news about the 40 Days for Life vigil there.
Two prayer volunteers watched as a young couple entered the abortion center — and then left after being inside for only about half an hour.
The woman seemed a bit reluctant to introduce herself, but the man encouraged her to speak. She shared the news that they had decided not to go through with the abortion … and then hugged one of the volunteers.
The couple walked back to their truck and kissed each other. Prayer volunteers were in tears by this point.
The very next day, another couple walked out of the abortion center — smiling! The young man told one of the volunteers, “We have had a change of heart, and we’re not going to go through with the procedure.”
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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA
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It was cold and raining in Columbia, but that didn’t keep eight people from standing in prayer at the 40 Days for Life vigil as the abortion center opened for the day.
A while later, the prayer team noticed a young couple. They had been waiting in their car for some time — debating whether or not to go in.
One of the men who was praying walked over and gave the young man information about pro-life pregnancy resources … and the couple drove off.
Later in the day, the young man returned, looking for the guy he had talked to earlier — but that man had completed his prayer time and gone home.
The couple asked the volunteers to deliver a message to him — they’d made an appointment at the pro-life pregnancy center and would not be having an abortion!
Here’s the link to today’s devotional.
Yours for Life,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: How is God providing blessings for the 40 Days for Life campaign in your community? Please let everyone know by posting a reply below.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:23 am
may God bless all of you for your sacrifices and firm commitments
to this sane and humane cause. You people represent all that is great
in America today.
February 26th, 2013 at 8:51 am
May God continue to bless those on the front lines of this spiritual war in our nation. Lord we pray that 2013 will be the year that legal abortion ends in America and all Americans once again have the Right to Life! We ask this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
February 26th, 2013 at 9:36 am
What wonderful heart warming stories. We will continue to pray for those who stand on the sidwalks and for the end of abortion.
February 26th, 2013 at 12:46 pm
Good afternoon 40 DAYS FOR LIFE Campaigners and Prayer Warriors !
It was raining the last several days in Tallahassee, Florida, but today is a beautiful sunny day! I wanted to share some inspiration with you that came to me by way of an email from one of our fearless prayer warriors, last Sunday night. God is so good! She gave me permission to share this:
Subject: Sunday Evening Prayer
Hello,
I just wanted to thank you for organizing the 40 Days for Life in Tallahassee. My husband and I prayed from 5-6 this evening. I am 40 weeks pregnant today (our due date) and it was especially wonderful to be able to pray with 40 Days on this day. Because of the hail and lightening, we had to pray from our car-I hope that’s ok! We’ll try to sign up for another time closer to Easter after the baby is here.
Thanks again!
Kaitlin
February 26th, 2013 at 6:06 pm
So excellent to see the man holding his baby passing out yellow roses to the moms going into the abortion mill. That most definitely will soften hardened hearts. Let us pray: Lord, please help more & more men to realize that WE WOMEN NEED THEM OUT THERE ON THE FRONT LINES to stand with us in this spiritual battle! ! ! I ask this of You in the name of our dear Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!!! Jenny P :o) 6pm Proud Prayer Warrior for the Precious, Helpless Unborn.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:11 pm
Kaitlin, We PW’s will be praying for you & your baby. How beautiful that you were there praying & pregnant :o)!!! It most definitely!!! is ok to pray from your car!!! When women feel uncomfortable out there alone or it is bad weather, I insist that they pray from there car just to be safe. Tonight because of freezing rain, I will be praying from home with my HPW husband for my 6pm Prayer Vigil for the unborn. God bless you & your husband & congrats!!! Love & hugs, Jenny P :o)
February 26th, 2013 at 8:15 pm
My husband and I pray in front of a Planned Parenthood facility in Newburg. Where would we get info for alternative care in that area and where could we get literature against abortion…also signs and placards? Thank you for your faithfulness! Lois & William Duquette
February 26th, 2013 at 9:12 pm
The temperature was in the low 30’s and a misty rain had begun to fall in the afternoon. Members of St. Gerard’s Church had been covering the clinic in prayer since early morning, even though it was closed.
Margaret and Jamie, two 40 Days for Life Lansing prayer participants, and Greg, a man visiting from South Carolina who is involved with 40 Days for Life there, were praying at the WomanCare abortion clinic Tuesday, when a woman drove her car into the parking lot and tried the front door.
Says Margaret, “We introduced ourselves to her and she said she needed a pregnancy test, asking us “When are they open?” I flipped the prayer sign over to the side with the Shared Pregnancy Women’s Center number and called them on my cell phone.
I directed her to 503 North Walnut in Lansing, a block or so past Capitol Street, assuring that there would be no charge. Sometime later, I stopped at Shared Pregnancy, and after comparing notes, we were certain that the pregnant woman found their office and is about 9 weeks along. They are confident that she will be coming back for their services and is not considering abortion.
Please pray for her, she is an older mother, so the typical doctor will be recommending the invasive amnio test. I do not know if she has a supportive husband. The passenger in the car appeared elderly, so perhaps she was the mother or grandmother.”
Praise God for the faithfulness of 40 Days for Life Lansing prayer warriors Margaret and Jamie, of St. Gerard’s Church, joined in prayer by a visitor who knew about the efforts in 261 cities around the USA and in 15 countries. Because this expectant mom was lead by those who value life to a loving women’s clinic, she was able to hear the message that motherhood is the greatest gift to a woman from God.
February 26th, 2013 at 9:18 pm
There was a winter storm advisory for the Madison WI area this afternoon, but I’d signed up. A storm advisory wouldn’t keep abortions from happening, so someone needed to be out there praying, and I was the only person signed up to pray outside planned parenthood. After being outside for about 40 minutes and not feeling my toes anymore, a lady driving by made eye contact with me and pulled into the mill parking lot. She approached me and she seemed like she wanted to argue with me. I just listened patiently as she said unwanted children are abused, and they can’t be adopted. I told her I knew about a pregnant teenager who had had seven couples offering to adopt her baby. She still maintained her position, and I was glad to be there and thankful for the Spirit’s help in being gentle and sharing about this young mom. God is faithful.