Friday, September 28, 2012

40 Days for Life: DAY 3: Small but mighty

Fall2012dover

Dear Deacon,

I'm just back from speaking to a HUGE crowd at the
40 Days for Life kickoff in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Their vigil moved to a new site for 2012 -- a
Planned Parenthood location. That's because last
year, the site where the volunteers had been praying
previously STOPPED DOING ABORTIONS!

In this short video report, local leader Brian Gibson
outlines 40 Days for Life's focus on prayer for SEVEN
campaigns ... and Regions Hospital's decision to get
out of the abortion business.

To watch this encouraging video, go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3285


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DOVER, DELAWARE
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The kickoff events I attend may draw hundreds, but
the vigils themselves usually see just a few people
at a time. Passersby may shrug and say, "There's not
much to it, is there?"

But as you know ... there’s more going on than
meets the eye!

"Small but mighty" is the subject line on a picture
the Dover team e-mailed me. It shows a few people at
the peaceful vigil on public grounds outside Planned
Parenthood during Dover's ninth 40 Days for Life
campaign.

As Jesus told us in Matthew 18:20, "Where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I
in their midst."

To see the picture from the Dover campaign, please
go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3285


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FINLAND
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Even if by chance you are outside the abortion center
by yourself, you are certainly not alone. There are
others also standing vigil, at every hour of each of
these 40 days, at some place around the world

"Here in Finland, we don’t have 40 Days for Life yet,"
wrote someone only identified as Foreigner, "but at
least one person is praying over the daily devotionals
with you and following your blog."

Foreigner describes a country where any sort of
physical punishment for children is forbidden. "But
abortion (most before 12 weeks by drugs) is seen as
something so normal that there aren't even done in
separate abortion facilities, but in every hospital,
even in maternity wards, in every health center, by
almost every doctor and nurse."

Foreigner held her own one-person candlelight prayer
vigil outside a hospital on Day 1 as two women came
out. One was wearing a nightgown and robe. An abortion
patient, Foreigner wondered? If so, "I hope and pray
God will help them see what they have done, so they
can be saved and healed, and save others from making
the horrible 'choice.'"


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FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA
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Fall2012fortlauderdale

The abortion center in Fort Lauderdale was closed on
Wednesday -- it may have been because of Yom Kippur,
the Jewish holy day known as the Day of Atonement. "But
we made an impact as we stood and prayed," said John.

One driver saw their signs, stopped and called out
through her open window. She wanted to know if
abortion was okay in cases of incest. John's wife
had a 20-minute conversation with her and made some
headway in explaining why abortion is always wrong.

"Standing and praying at the abortion center brings
the buried issue of abortion to the surface," John
said, "and that can lead to changed minds -- and
changed hearts."

If you haven't joined the vigil yet, he added, please
do so! Here's the link to the list of locations:

http://40daysforlife.com/location

To see a photo from the 40 Days for Life vigil in
Fort Lauderdale, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3285

Here's today's devotional from Dennis DiMauro of
Lutherans for Life...


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DAY 3 INTENTION
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We pray for God's gift of strength as we strive to
protect human life during these 40 Days for Life.


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SCRIPTURE
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Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what
you will wear. Is not life more important than food,
and the body more important than clothes? Look at the
birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store
away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

-- Matthew 6:25-26


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REFLECTION by Dennis DiMauro, Lutherans for Life
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Billions of dollars are spent each year on diet
plans. But Jesus tells us to stop worrying so much
about our bodies, and instead to trust in God's care
for our physical needs.

What would happen if the people who had started on a
low-carb diet this year had instead gone on a diet of
heavenly food? For non-believers that diet would
include trusting in Christ for their salvation, and
for believers it would include a renewed prayer life,
a new Bible study, or even a spiritual fast. This
diet doesn't include giving up on certain kinds of
foods. What this diet includes is giving up on
anxiety by resting in the loving arms of Christ,
trusting that He will provide.

Such a spiritual diet also frees us from our worries,
and allows us to freely praise Him and serve others.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what
you will wear. Is not life more important than food,
and the body more important than clothes? Look at the
birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store
away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

This promised provision teaches us the inestimable
worth of our lives. He will not allow us to go
without. This intimate knowledge and care for human
life on the part of our gracious God is what
motivates us to seek for the preservation of human
life in all its stages.


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PRAYER
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Loving heavenly Father, help us to see the worth of
all human beings by the way in which you provide for
us. We would ask that you provide also the faith,
grace and courage to enable us to protect that which
is so precious to you. Through 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/fall2012day03print.pdf


For Life,

Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life

PS: Please let me know what's new in your local
40 Days for Life campaign! You may leave a comment
at today's blog entry:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3285


40 Days for Life

10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US