40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God's power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion in America
Hope is something that is often in short supply in today's world. But it need not be. With God, there is always hope and an everlasting love that should encourage us to persevere-even when it seems like things will never change and there is no point in trying. But God hears our cries and God works miracles.40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God's power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion in America.
STAFFORD, VA. (American Life League) -Hope is something that is often in short supply in today's world. But it need not be. With God, there is always hope and an everlasting love that should encourage us to persevere-even when it seems like things will never change and there is no point in trying. But God hears our cries and God works miracles. This hope is the reason behind the 40 Days for Life campaign that began on Ash Wednesday. Read today's guest commentary for more information on 40 Days for Life and be inspired to take part. God is listening:
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By Connie Beckman
For years, I've felt a call to raise awareness of the tragedy of abortion, and to offer hope to those tempted to make that deadly choice and those wounded by doing so. Sometimes, I've felt alone in the fight. At times, I've pictured myself on the battlefield for life all by myself, completely encompassed by the enemy. But even though I felt alone, I knew Jesus was by my side as I continued to trudge forward. It seemed no one wanted to talk about the big "A-word" from the pulpit, or in conversations with my sisters and brothers in Christ. It made people uncomfortable to talk about it. But Jesus shared truth- which sometimes made people uncomfortable. Doesn't Jesus call us to do the same?
One day, during my prayer time, I began to ponder the times that Jesus felt alone and abandoned during His ministry. This gave me courage to continue to share my message of hope with others when the opportunity presented itself-even though it took courage to stand up and speak out. Meditating on how Jesus conveyed His message of truth, I realized He always offered His mercy, love and forgiveness. Each day, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me be honest, gentle, kind and merciful when I share with others. It has been said that we should be gentle and kind to one another, because we are all fighting a difficult battle.
40 days of real hope and change
If we persevere in prayer, God is sure to answer the desires of our hearts. When the 40 Days for Life campaign first came to Helena (Montana's state capital) in the fall of 2008, I felt a sense of renewed hope, and I'm sure many others praying for the end of abortion did also. According to the organization's web site, 40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of a three-point program:
- Prayer and fasting
- Constant vigil
- Community outreach
40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families. .
40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God's power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion in America. The mission of the campaign is to bring together the body of Christ in a spirit of unity during a focused 40-day campaign of prayer, fasting and peaceful activism, with the purpose of repentance, to seek God's favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion in America.
If there is no abortion mill in your town, you can still pray and fast in solidarity with other 40 Days participants, knowing that God will use your commitment somehow. The 40-day duration is significant because it reflects biblical history, which is replete with accounts of significant events and transformations occurring during periods of 40 days or 40 years in both the Old and New Testaments.
Montana's first-ever 40 Days for Life campaign took place in Great Falls in the spring of 2008. Kalispell hosted its first in the spring of 2009. The fall of 2009 campaign was a time of great rejoicing for pro-lifers nationwide because Kalispell's Planned Parenthood facility closed its doors for good, as did an abortion mill in Pensacola, Florida; and Abby Johnson, Planned Parenthood's director in Bryan/College Station, Texas, quit her job. Proof that praying, fasting and standing up for life works!
This year's spring 40 Days for Life campaign will be the largest 40 Days event thus far. It will take place from March 9, Ash Wednesday, through April 17, Palm Sunday, in the United States, Canada, Belize, Australia, England, Ireland, Spain, Georgia and Armenia. In the United States, 247 cities from coast to coast will participate. We are particularly joyful and hopeful in Montana because, for the first time, there will be a 40 Days campaign in every city where there is an abortion mill: Helena, Great Falls, Billings, Missoula and Livingston. The first campaign in Billings took place last fall. Missoula and Livingston will be hosting their first campaigns.
SOURCE: http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=40651
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