Children who were scheduled to be aborted are alive today … because over these past 40 days, God blessed your prayers and peaceful vigil.

 

In fact, we know of … 402 babies saved from abortion during this 40 Days for Life campaign! 
  
As we enter what’s often called “the week that changed the world,” we journey through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our Lord and Savior’s victory over death is the source of our hope – hope for ourselves … and hope for our culture. 
  
Thank you for being that witness of hope in a culture of death! This campaign showed how brightly light can shine when it is courageously brought into the darkness. 

We have a final devotional for this campaign today … and, as always, a few stories to share.Grand Rapids Michigan

 

“It worked!” Those were the words of a young woman who had been sitting in her car in the parking lot of the abortion center in Grand Rapids, talking with a friend who had an abortion appointment.

Lisa, the local coordinator in Grand Rapids, said this woman then went to tell the sidewalk counselors that her friend was not going to keep her appointment. “After picking up a baby gift bag,” she said, “they simply drove away … which was the answer to so many prayers.”

What exactly was it that worked? “The prayer volunteers were praying, the sidewalk counselors were standing by, the friends were talking in the car … and the Holy Spirit somehow used it all to touch the heart of this young mother,” Lisa explained. “What joyful news and what an awesome God!”

 

Michelle, the 40 Days for Life leader in Montgomery, said prayer volunteers witnessed two saves on one day. One of them did not come easily.

“This had to be the hardest fight I think I had fought here,” a sidewalk counselor said. “This young woman kept going in and out as her boyfriend tried to stop her, only to end up crying at the side of his car. You don’t see many dads this brave at this place.”

Eventually, the woman walked out to the car where her boyfriend was crying. “Facing each other,” Michelle said, “he gently reached for her hands.”

As they talked quietly with the counselors, a man whose child was being aborted inside the building angrily approached the couple and insisted that she go through with the abortion.

“We have no idea why he was interfering and so adamant,” Michelle said. “All we know is that when the sidewalk counselor said ‘in the name of Jesus, get away,’ he fled immediately.” Finally, the couple drove away. They did not have the abortion.

“Continue to pray for this new family,” Michelle said, that they may “love their baby … and be not afraid.”

 

Unfortunately, not every story has a happy ending. But God is in control.

Sean in Roanoke says the 40 Days for Life team was asked to pray for a woman planning to abort twins. But a few days later, the woman went through with the abortion.

“I am mourning this great loss,” he said.

But there is hope in the fact that God turns mourning into joy. “Though the sorrow may last for a night, God’s joy comes in the morning. Even in the midst of darkness,” Sean said, “we celebrate the light.”

On that note, we end this campaign but continue the battle, knowing in the end that Christ has already claimed the victory.