A Good Kind of Busy

It has been many weeks since the last time I blogged. I wanted to, and I had lots to say, but simply was too busy. But it has been a very good kind of busy. The reason for my busy-ness: the Fall 40 Days for Life campaign. Twice a year, in the spring and in the fall, I help lead a 40 Days for Life campaign in our town. My perfectionist tendencies make it a very stressful and busy time of the year for me, but I can't imagine NOT doing it. I truly feel God has called me to this life-saving ministry, and He is blessing it in ways that makes me feel so humbled and happy to be "a pencil in His hand," as Mother Teresa would say. A short, stubby, needing-to-be-sharpened-pencil is what I am, but thrilled to be used by the Maker nonetheless! :)

This particular campaign has been extra exciting because we were able to have the national directors and founders of 40 Days for Life, David Bereit and Shawn Carney, come speak at our Kick-Off Rally. I was also one of the speakers, so I was crazy-stressed-out (as in, notsleepingatnightnearlyhavingapanicattackstressedout) to share the stage with such dynamically pro-life and godly men! If you want to hear their incredible speeches at our rally, you can click on this link (http://40daysforlife.com/blog/). But BE WARNED...their words will inspire you to be more pro-actively pro-life!!! :)

I wish I could share every detail of what is on my heart regarding 40 Days for Life...what it has done for my relationship with Christ, how it is positively impacting others who are involved, every story of mothers and babies spared from the pain of abortion, the tears I've witnessed of post-abortive women who are finding healing through this ministry, the number of abortion workers who have been converted like Abby Johnson was... Speaking of Abby Johnson, she also came to Helena the day after our Kick-Off rally to speak at the Affirming the Culture of Life Conference. Wow, is that girl feisty, sassy, and just plain hilarious!!! God is using her conversion story (poignantly told in her book "unPlanned") to touch so many souls! I am thrilled that I got to meet her and spend time with her... Oh, there is just so much I want to share, but I don't know where I would begin, nor do I know if my words would ever find an end. Truly, this ministry is a never-ending story of God at work in so many hearts in so many ways. So, to spare you a novel, I guess I will just share the basics. I recently wrote an article for our Catholic Diocesan newspaper that hopefully will give you an overview of what 40 Days for Life is about, and I pray it inspires you to get involved in a 40 Days for Life campaign near you---or at the very least to unite with other pro-lifers in praying and fasting like you've never done before during the rest of the campaign! (There are 29 days left and already 109 babies have been saved in the last 11 days!!!)

Pro-lifers from around Montana were inspired to be more pro-active at the 40 Days for Life Kick-Off Rally that was held in Helena on September 29th at Memorial Park. Much of the inspiration came from the keynote speakers, David Bereit and Shawn Carney, the co-founders and national directors of the 40 Days for Life movement. It was a huge blessing to have such nationally renowned speakers to share their contagious pro-life energy with those in attendance.

Since 40 Days for Life began in 2007, over 4300 babies have been spared from abortion, 43 clinic workers have quit their jobs, and 14 abortion clinics have closed. In his keynote speech, David Bereit reminded the crowd that the Planned Parenthood in Kalispell, MT closed right after a 40 Days for Life campaign was held on their sidewalk in 2009, and he believes Helena’s Planned Parenthood could be the next clinic to close its doors for good. Shawn Carney challenged everyone to fast and pray, and to take their prayers to the places where hope, love, and mercy are needed most: abortion clinics. He explained how it is the visible presence of the prayer volunteers on the sidewalk of abortion clinics that most effectively changes mothers’ hearts at the last second to choose life. Ben Seitz, the coordinator of Helena’s 40 Days for Life campaign said, “With a peaceful, prayerful, loving witness, women coming to Planned Parenthood will see us as a sign of hope, a ray of light, in an otherwise very troubling, hopeless situation, and that they can reach out to us to find alternatives to abortion.”

40 Days for Life goes beyond reaching out to women in crisis pregnancies; the prayer volunteers strive to share Christ’s love to women who need post-abortion healing, to the employees at the clinic, and even to people driving by in their cars. That is the beauty and power of 40 Days for Life—it is not a protest movement; it is a prayer vigil that taps into God’s grace to change hearts towards truth and life.

The Kick-Off Rally concluded with a prayerful procession from Memorial Park to Helena’s Planned Parenthood where the group sang hymns and offered prayers for an end to abortion, healing for all those affected by abortion, and conversion of all those who work in the abortion industry. To learn more about 40 Days for Life or to sign up for the prayer vigil in Helena, visit:
www.40daysforlife.com/helena.

Me and my friend Cheline (the dynamic red-head duo!) at the Kick-Off rally, helping people sign up for times to pray on the vigil calendar.

Shawn Carney and David Bereit---co-founders of 40 Days for Life---truly amazing men of God who are turning our culture back into a culture of life by tapping into the gospel messages of prayer, fasting, mercy, and trust in the Lord.

David Bereit on the stage at Memorial Park.

Shawn Carney lit up the stage with his smile, his southern accent, and his passion for the precious unborn and all those affected by abortion.

Me, feeling very unworthy to be on the same stage as the two men pictured above. Thankfully, God took away all of my nervousness right before my speech and I was able to share my message of how important it is to be a visible, prayerful presence outside Planned Parenthood. I am the Vigil Coordinator of the campaign, so it is my job to help people sign up for their hours to pray. I have been doing this for the past 5 years, and I am so encouraged this campaign because more people than ever before are finding the courage to go out and pray at PP.

This is Shawn Carney, David Bereit with his wife and 2 kids, and a few other 40DFL leaders from around Montana standing outside Planned Parenthood where we sang and prayed after the Kick-Off speeches. The director of PP was waiting for us and called the police. Thankfully, we had already told the police ahead of time that we would be there, and the police told the PP director that we had the legal right to be there praying. Legal victory was ours that night, but we need to contanstly pray because a real spiritual battle is certainly underway daily!