DAY 20: 209 miracles … that we know of
I just returned home from Oklahoma. Early tomorrow morning I’ll be back on a plane, this time heading to California, where I’ll get to visit several more 40 Days for Life campaigns.
In between flights, praying at vigils, speaking at events, long road trips, and short nights of sleep, whenever I check e-mail, my in box is overflowing with more reports of lives saved.
I still think it’s a miracle any time 40 Days for Life prayer vigil participants are blessed with the knowledge that a mother has changed her mind about aborting a child.
And today, as we reach the halfway point of this campaign — it’s already happened …
… 209 times that we know of!
That’s 102 more lives spared — over THE LAST WEEK.
Here are just a few of those miracles:
- Jacksonville, Florida:
A woman and her daughter spent about an hour in the parking lot at the abortion center, entering and leaving the business several times. Finally, they drove out of the lot. The young woman rolled down her window and said, “I am not going to have an abortion.”
“We were there at the critical time,” said Trudy in Jacksonville. “We were there at the entrance of the driveway, offering her hope in her desperate situation.
She saw strangers praying for her; she saw signs that gave her options; she experienced the ultimate, unconditional love from people whom she may never see again in this world. And her miraculous decision gave us peace and joy this world can not give!”
- Yakima, Washington:
A 40 Days for Life participant described his boss as “a good Christian man,” so it shocked him when his boss said his 16-year-old daughter was pregnant and planning to have an abortion. So, the man just prayed harder.
Two weeks later, his boss returned to say that when his daughter went to Planned Parenthood for her abortion, prayer volunteers convinced her not to go through with it. She went to a pro-life resource center instead.
- Phoenix, Arizona:
Beth in Phoenix reports at least eleven babies have been spared from abortion during this 40 Days for Life campaign. “I praise God for our prayer warriors and gifted sidewalk counselors,” she said.
In addition, two volunteer escorts at the Phoenix abortion center have quit! One of them shared her gratitude for the vigil participants’ presence.
- Pensacola, Florida:
One of the prayer volunteers spoke with two women in their vehicle outside the abortion center. He handed one of them a brochure about abortion alternatives and what abortion does to women.
“Two hours later the women drove past us, giving us the thumbs up and pointing that she kept her baby,” said Ernie in Pensacola. “What would have happened if the prayer vigil participant had not been there to hand these women this information?”
Here’s a photo of the 40 Days for Life vigil in Pensacola:
I also have news on how 40 Days for Life is gathering momentum in Australia. The team in Brisbane, which is conducting its second 40 Days for Life campaign, recently had a great opportunity to spread the word about this life-saving ministry.
Daniel, who serves as Brisbane’s media and communications coordinator, was interviewed on the Vision Radio Network, a nationwide Christian broadcaster in Australia.
Listen to this 10-minute audio online (click arrow to start):
Download MP3 (right-click to save file to your computer):
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/audio/brisbane2010.mp3
Today’s devotional is from Ernest Ohlhoff, outreach director at National Right to Life.
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DAY 20 INTENTION
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We pray for humility in our work for God’s Kingdom.
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SCRIPTURE
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Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
– Philippians 2:5-8
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REFLECTION by Ernest Ohlhoff, National Right to Life
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There is no limit to what we can accomplish when we don’t care who gets the credit.
Jesus Christ’s life on earth exemplifies a total submission to the will of the Father. His humility, compassion, gentleness and thoughtfulness are reflected over and over again in the New Testament.
He was God incarnate, yet He chose to be born to a humble, working class home.
How absurd it must have seemed to the rich and powerful that the Son of God, the Messiah, the one foretold by the prophets, the ‘King of the Jews’ was born and raised as a simple peasant.
During His thirty-three years on earth, He sought no riches, claimed no secular power and gathered no possessions.
His short time on earth changed more lives, softened more hearts, and gave hope to more people, than all the rich and powerful human ‘kings’ combined.
And, at the end of His life on earth, by dying on the cross, He opened the door to eternal life for those who heed his words and follow in his footsteps.
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PRAYER
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O Lord, help us follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Let us humbly and diligently work to restore legal protection for the unborn, the disabled, the medically dependent and all innocent children of God whose lives are threatened.
Let us remember the old adage that “He can never lead who has not first learned to obey.”
And, Lord, grant us a peaceful heart as we labor in your name, 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/spring2010day20print.pdf
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As we hit the midway point of this 40 Days for Life, let’s double our efforts and finish strong!
Yours for Life,
David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life
PS: What great things are happening with the 40 Days for Life campaign in your community? Please share the good news by replying below.
March 8th, 2010 at 7:47 am
Let us all pray for an end to abortion in the world.
March 8th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Matthew 25: 40
” The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
Father, today we pray that the eyes and hearts of our nation would be opened to see that the injustice of abortion affects all of us. It is a human rights issue.
Under God’s law each one of us is valued. Every human being is endowed by our creator with the right to life. He has designed each one of us and prepared a plan for our life before our physical birth. His work in the womb is disrupted by abortion.
Please help us as individuals, and as a nation to return to being a nation that brings honor to you by honoring the life that you created. We ask these things in the name of your precious son who died that we might have abundant life. Amen.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:06 am
I have been sharing your updates with others in my church and another woman and I are trying to put together a group to go and do a peaceful pray protest at a Planned Parenthood in Iowa City before the 40 Days for Life is over. This is such a wonderful experience for me to be a voice for the Lord and for my much regretted aborted child. Please pray for a moving of the Holy Spirit among the Sumner, IA community to take a stand for life!! Thank you!
March 8th, 2010 at 11:13 am
Just to let you know that we are praying The 40 Days for Life here in Plattsburgh, NY. Everyday someone is praying at some hour of each day and sometimes at multiple times during a day.
Planned Parenthood employees call in “escorts’ when they see us appear. Escorts in their minds are needed to “safely” bring in the clients, as they feel the need to “protect” them from the peaceful pro-life prayers!!! It’s quite a “show” on their part.
This is the first time we have done this in Plattsburgh. Nancy Belzile and Margaret Smith are to be commended for arranging and encouraging the program here. However, for many years a faithful gathering has prayed weekly in front of PP. I wish more clergy would support these efforts by their presence!
March 8th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
I would be interested to hear from women & men who have given their child up for adoption, and from the adoptive parents. That has to be a very hard decision to make (to give your child up), but what a gift of life to your child and to the adoptive parents!! I think some pro-choice people think that these saved children are destin for a life of poverty and pain, and that parents are not doing what is in the best interest of the child by giving birth (yeah – I know, I don’t understand that thinking either, but I have heard it – usually I just tell people to repeat that statement and listen to what they just said). I just think it would be great to hear about the wonderful gifts these saved people bring to the world.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
I’ve not been able to participate in the 40 days for life, but I am able to give out Precious Feet pins to college students. I’ve had students take vows of purity in front of their classmates when they hold the pin in their hands. I also give a pin to students who stop by my office for a conference. It is amazing to see how something so tiny can educate someone in just two minutes!
I have been following the exciting events of lives saved during this campaign. You have my prayers daily!
Dr. Darci Hill
Professor of English
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, Texas
March 8th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
Dear All,
I am asking for prayer support for Daja, a 15 year old who is pregnant. A woman stopped and asked what to do for a 15 year old who is pregnant and wanted an abortion referral number. Fortunately, she was receptive to the pro-life help I had to offer for her. I pray that she use the info I gave her for the life of that baby!
March 8th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
God Bless All You Prayer Warriors!
I believe that God is working in a mighty way during this 40 days for life campaign. Ask Jesus to send his warrior angels to surround every abortion clinic in the whole world and protect the doctors, the nurses, the personnel and the women, girls, families and especially the unborn from the evil one. Ask and you shall receive. Amen
March 8th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
Having this 40 days for life campaign during the 40 days of Lent is just perfect timing. Seeing many lives spared and changed during Our Lord’s time in the desert is such a blessing. These stories are inspirational. Thanks for sharing them. I have not participated yet in a 40 days for life vigil but I should. And to think that I purchased a pro-life Rosary. Time to start using it.
March 8th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Wow, half way through our prayer and sacrifice (Day 20 out of 40 Days for LIFE)
and this is what I behold!
When I arrived there was a car that had pulled into the strip mall where Planned Parenthood (in the way back because evil loves to hide) is located that is owned by Susan Shapiro, a Planned Parenthood supporter. The young woman rolled her window down and asked for help for a crisis pregnancy.
As you can see by this picture, Joe’s sign said it all:
“Life Begins at Conception and Ends at Planned Parenthood”
We told her to go to Care Net directly across the street.
http://www.carenetrockland.com/
It is not a coincidence that where there is great evil, Planned Parenthood, God sent even greater goodness directly across- Care Net. So on Perlman Drive in Spring Valley you can turn to death or turn to LIFE.
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New American Standard Bible (©1995)
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,
Thank you Ann, Joe, Joe and Joe!!!
Father Bob came to join us on this gorgeous day. It seemed as if all of creation was praying along!
As I walked across that 16 way intersection there was a young Mom with two small children that nodded in agreement with my “El Aborto Mata Ninos” (Abortion Kills Children) sign I had and is the living example of what love does. Love keeps safe. Love protects. Love endures. Where there is life, there is hope and on this day we were humbled by the living examples of LOVE.
For Life,
Eileen Peterson
March 10th, 2010 at 10:27 am
I got involved in this 40 days project only one week before it started, but took it to my community – a retirement area- and shared with my parish and also neighboring churches of other denominations. The idea that we may not be marchers or sign carriers but we can certainly pray for God’s healing, mercy and forgiveness for all those suffering from the effects of abortion has really caught on. I believe that prayer is the most important ingredient to changing hearts and minds as the first step. Week one, I delivered about 30 flyers to those willing to accept them. Last week I printed 100 flyers and ran out! I am committed to making a continued effort to work on Pro Life issues and stop sitting on the sidelines! I will make my first trip to Little Rock on Thursday to pray in front of the abortion mill. God has shown me my purpose.
March 17th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
At Mass this morning, this was the reading: Isaiah 7:15
Does a woman forget her baby at the breast,
or fail to cherish the son of her womb?
Yet even if these forget,
I will never forget you.
It just seemed so appropriate for us praying these ‘40 days’.