DAY 33: Changed lives
I’m in Galesburg, Illinois this morning. Over the last 48 hours, I’ve been to 40 Days for Life vigils in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as Glen Ellyn, Downers Grove, and Chicago, Illinois. Later today I’ll be driving over to the Peoria campaign.
Everywhere I go, I continue to be encouraged by the stories of change brought about through 40 Days for Life — not just changes for women and their babies, or clinic workers and abortion supporters, but deep, lasting, spiritual changes in the hearts of those who answer the call to pray, fast, and stand vigil for an end to abortion.
Such is the case with a man my family and I had the privilege of meeting during our New England 40 Days for Life visits just over a week ago. His name is Tom Dwyer of Hartford, Connecticut — one of more than 250,000 people who’ve prayed with 40 Days for Life.
Tom first heard about 40 Days for Life in the fall of 2007, when the first coordinated national campaign was just about to begin. “I felt that I could participate in the prayer and fasting,” he said, “but I did not feel the need to go to the abortion clinic.”
Tom went through most of the 40 days and faithfully prayed and fasted, but had the feeling that he wasn’t really doing all he should. “I asked my wife, Joyce, if she was willing to go to the abortion clinic,” he said. “She agreed to go.”
He e-mailed the coordinator in Norwich — it’s an hour from his home in Hartford, but it was the closest location — saying that he and his wife wanted to pray on a specific day from 10 to noon. “I received an e-mail back stating that ‘God must have sent you to us.’ They had no coverage for the hours that we selected.”
So Tom and Joyce drove to Norwich. “Since this was my first time at an abortion clinic I was a little apprehensive,” Tom admitted, “but after I saw a car go by and give a thumbs-up, I felt better.”
Joyce had to leave the vigil for a few minutes, leaving Tom as the only person praying.
“I experienced a feeling unlike any I had ever experienced before,” he said. “I had never been to an abortion clinic and now I was the only person there witnessing for the unborn babies. I felt a great deal of responsibility and at the same time a great surge of strength that made me want to publicly state my opposition to abortion. At that one point in time and at that location, I was the sole representative publicly proclaiming that abortion is wrong. I knew from that point on, that witnessing at abortion clinics was something I needed to do.”
Here’s a picture of Tom taken by my 7-year-old son Patrick:
In 2008, Tom took part in a new 40 Days for Life campaign in Hartford. And he didn’t stop there. “Joyce and I now spend two days a week, year round, at the abortion clinic in Hartford,” he said.
“When I retired in 2007, I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to spend time working on my golf game,” Tom said. “I had planned to spend a few days a week practicing and lowering my golf handicap significantly. But 40 Days for Life made me go in a different direction.” Tom now spends most of his free time on pro-life activities.
“40 Days for Life has changed my life,” he said, “and I am so grateful.”
Here’s my wife and children with Tom and other members of the Hartford 40 Days for Life team:
There are many more stories just like Tom’s — people who have come to profoundly understand the importance of humbly, peacefully, prayerfully standing witness.
Have you gone out to pray at a vigil yet?
There’s still one week left in this fall’s 40 Days for Life campaign. Like Tom, you can join a vigil even in the final days.
There are 212 cities participating. To find the location nearest to you, visit:
http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm
Here’s today’s devotional from Fr. Terry Gensemer, National Director of the Charismatic Episcopal Church for Life…
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DAY 33 INTENTION
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May we absorb the truth that God is paying attention to us, and to each human life, personally and individually.
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SCRIPTURE
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When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.
– Psalm 8:3-9
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REFLECTION by Fr. Terry Gensemer
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How often we ignore the phrase, “stop and smell the roses” and instead submit to the all too “urgent” task at hand. Is this tendency what keeps us, at least in part, from acknowledging that God’s care for His sacred creation is paramount in His own mind?
The Psalmist speaks of God’s handiwork: the heavens, the work of his “fingers,” and then points to God’s masterpiece – human life. He declares to us that God is mindful of us. God keeps His masterpiece in His thoughts.
God, the creator of the awe-inspiring heavens, is not distracted by the tasks before Him. He is not pulled away, as we might be, by thoughts of something “more important.”
God is paying attention to and attending to His crowning glory, His masterpiece of creation, which cannot be duplicated or replaced, which surpasses the beauty of all other created things — the human being.
There is no way to adequately describe how God feels about us as human beings. There are no words to fully portray His love, compassion or desire to be in communion with us.
Perhaps, the closest we can come, is to contemplate the thoughts of a mother as she gazes for the first time at her newborn child. God cares for Life.
We, as His followers, should take time to consider the life He has created and called upon us to love and protect.
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PRAYER
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Lord, you are the creator of all things. Guide my thoughts to consider your creation in all of its majesty, beauty and holiness. Guide my heart especially to your creation of precious human life.
Help me to comprehend how essential life is in your own heart. Teach me to appreciate, love and protect all human life through your son, 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/fall2009day33print.pdf
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Have a blessed Lord’s Day!
For Life,
David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life
October 25th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Let us all pray for an end to abortion.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Dear David, Last night I met you in Galesburg. I will continue to pray for you and your loved ones as you say yes to the call from our Lord. we’ll never cease praying for a restoration of respect for all human life. What an amazing inspiration you are to all of us. Pat Regnier
October 25th, 2009 at 11:20 am
David… you bless us all with your presence and devotion to the cause of saving these preciously created children. You following in the Foot Steps of Your Master, give them huge eternal value, when you stand against those who would destroy them for insignificant worldly reasons.
May God continue to Bless you with the “Voice of Elijah” who in Malachi
4:6 says:”His preaching will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the (STILL BEATING) hearts of the children to their fathers.
Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse. (ABORTION)
David, you are a warrior against this curse!”
May God continue to bless you and all who support this very critical
impass in the lives of those that God has chosen, to give the Gift of Life
for His Pleasure, and not their convenience!
May they recognize in you “His Voice of Protection” for those lives!
Amen!
October 25th, 2009 at 11:40 am
God Bless you Tom Dwyer! I too felt the same way when I prayed for the first time in front of the Planned Parenthood in Norwich CT. I felt so alone, with my husband and I being the only two praying and I being the only one holding a sign. I felt at first very vulnerable and alone and it was indeed a huge responsibility to be the voice and face of Christ on that cold and unwelcoming sidewalk. But as the hour progressed I felt the Holy Spirit strengthen me and a protective barrier encompass me. It was a true peace that was with me, I knew what we were doing was so necessary. And we did get a couple of folks slow down and wave and one person honk in positive way.
This year I was there praying in the same location with three other women from our parish and I felt more confident. I pray that in the future we won’t need to do any more 40 days for life, that abortion will stop! But until that time we all must pray continuously for the end of abortion, and for the unborn as well as the moms, dads and medical people affected by this atrocity.
October 25th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Oh, Heavenly Father, we are all truly blessed that YOU have connected so many like-minded brothers & sisters together here at this site. We are all soooo very pleased to know that YOU have moved our brother, David, to be The Glue that holds YOUR children tightly together for YOUR most vulnerable gifts called, LIFE. As YOU have moved each and every Saint into the position that YOU desire, we all will continue to just say: “YES, Here I am” THY WILL BE DONE…so move us all forward into YOUR light Abba, Father, in JESUS name, pray we continue on in THE GOOD FIGHT FOR LIFE!!! as the end is much nearer than we might of first believed, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! Amen & Amen.
October 25th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
You look great Tom, God bless you. Let’s pray to end abortion.
October 25th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
GOD bless Tom and all pro-life children of God praying for an end to this evil. We don’t know God’s mind or His plans, but we are faithful to pray. In my prayer a few years ago, the Lord spoke to my heart and told me that His Body was broken and that the Body of Christ must be restored. I told my husband that unless we as Christians united in this prayer effort, we would not bear the fruit that God wanted us to produce. Then God inspired David, and he answered the call, and now God’s children of every race and creed gather all over this country and in Canada, Ireland and Australia, standing as a powerful witness of the love of God and unity in Christ. And the campaign is bearing tremendous fruit–seen and unseen. Praise God! We serve a Mighty and Merciful God, Who in His Infinite Wisdom and Mercy guides and gives us what we truly need, not what we truly deserve. I truly believe that many of the people who are inspired and drawn to pray each have a need that God is meeting and fulfilling for each one of us, as well as for the abortionists and the moms and dads who erroneously believe this is the answer to their situation. God bless all and keep praying, fasting, and standing!
October 25th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
The first time I went out to pray at the abortion facility, my sister and I were greeted by a woman and her 3 sons who were there praying. About 15 minutes later, she and her children left, leaving my sister and I all alone. It was a little intimidating to say the least. But we stuck it out, and the Lord strengthened us both. We received many waves, thumbs us, and a couple of honks. Only one passerby gave me a thumbs down, which prompted me to pray for her. I hope the Lord changes her heart one day. We were later joined by more volunteers, but the Lord was so gracious in using that time we were alone to personally energize me and remove the fears I had. I am 24 and my sister is 22, and I think it was beneficial for the people passing by to see two young women who were publicily displaying their opposition to abortion. 40 Days For Life has sparked a desire in me to do more for the pro-life cause, to be more involved and to pray for those who support abortion. I’ve seen pictures of aborted children and cannot fathom how anyone could justify such horribly violent acts against innocent children. It is purely satanic and has got to stop. Thank you 40 Days For Life for taking a stand and speaking the truth about the reality of abortion and it’s affects on women. God Bless you all!
Narobi
Dallas 40 Days For Life
P.S.- Any plans on coming to the Dallas location?
October 26th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
God bless Tom and all men like him. It’s beautiful to hear stories about these wonderful men. Think about how great it would be if all men were more concerned about the unborn than their golf scores!
October 27th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
When I first started praying in front of an abortion clinic many years ago, it was with a group of people. That went on for a number of years, and then the clinic changed location. It was still in the same city, but it was relocated a few miles from the original site. Initially, we could walk there from the Cathedral. The new location was too far away, though. That’s when the numbers of people coming to pray dwindled.
There are many times when I am all alone (’cept for my guardian angel) praying out there with a sign that says: “Mommy, please let me live.” I hold my rosary beads in full view of the passersby so they realize I am praying. I’m probably not intimated at the thought of being alone there because I’ve done this for so long. There are times when someone will display animosity towards me, but I am undaunted. As some of you have stated, I am helped by knowing it’s something that needs to be done because this is a battle with Satan. We don’t want him to have the victory, now do we?
November 4th, 2009 at 10:10 am
I want to talk about CHOICE
46 years ago I was pregnant and umarried, if someone had a pill that would of changed that I would of taken it.
I didn’t understand life at the time I just wanted things to go back to the way they were.
THANK YOU GOD for NO CHOICE
Or I would not have had these 45 years of my beautiful Daughter Mary
When I look at her and how much love there is in this family because of her, I think I could be looking into space if that pill was available then.
We are both Praying everyday for these unborn Children and the right to LIFE for all. SAVE OUR PEOPLE
November 4th, 2009 at 10:25 am
What one person and prayer can accomplish! God bless you all
I know I will never give up!