Now that the weather is warming up, we're starting to see some more interaction with folks! These little glimpses we get to see of the work God is doing in the hearts of those driving by encourage me, and I pray that He will see fit to set up more divine appointments.
Pastor Josh from Mt View Baptist shared this experience he had while praying last week . . .
Last Friday, a large pickup with a man driving pulled out of the Planned Parenthood parking lot, to my left. He drove close to the curb, where I was, the window went down. My first thought was, "Uh oh...."
Immediately, I saw that the man's face was not full of animosity, but pinched in pain. He looked like he could have been 30, and was extremely fit. He leaned toward the passenger window and said, "I fully support your sign..."
Not expecting that and not sure I heard it right, I replied, "What?"
"I support your sign," he repeated. "My girlfriend has been cheating on me. She's had three abortions. I just got tested. I agree with your sign." At that point, he had to drive on. I was left thinking of all I would like to say. That wasn't God's plan. Our presence and the signs had said enough.
Ponder the pain that man was going through. It brought him to a point where he felt it necessary to confess his agreement with our message. I don't know if the three lives now in heaven were his. God knows. My prayer for this man is that his pain--the betrayal, the fear of STD's, the regret of the abortions--will lead him to call out as he did on the curbside. I pray that his calling out will go from, "I agree with your sign," to "I agree with God--I need Jesus." There is forgiveness and healing at the foot of the cross.
How many different ways will God use the presence of prayer warriors and sign holders? Most of what God is doing we don't see, but I thank God for the young man who needed to share his pain with me last week. It is the tip of the iceberg--a glimpse of the large work God silently does in the hearts of each person who passes.
Denny and Connie T. are my faithful church contacts at Napavine AG and I'm so grateful for their efforts in inspiring many folks to participate for the first time this year! To know Denny and Connie is to love them. Their love for the Lord and compassion for others is evidenced in every interaction I have with them! Here are some updates from them . . .
Yesterday, (March 2nd) was a real positive day on the corner. I was tracking supportive
responses to negative ones for a while but lost track at 80+ and 10-. At one
point a young lady named Beverly with a babe in stroller came from an
appointment at Possibilities and chatted with us. She said she had some
time and could she hold a sign for a while - which she did.
Another time a car pulled up, window down and the lady offered me an
apple and said she appreciated us being there and praying - she had three
children whom she dearly loved and thanked us for standing to defend life.
This update, was from Denny Feb. 16th, a few days after the start of 40 Days. . .
One young lady showed up on the Baxter Auto Parts
corner with a sign about "Responsible Healthcare
Reduces Abortions". I waited a bit then went over to
speak with her to hear her story. I told her (Sarah)
that I agreed with her sign completely (who wouldn't).
She said she supports PP and gets all her healthcare
from them. I listened and she shared some more until
she got exasperated (with herself?) and said, I don't
have time for this...so I excused myself and thanked
her for talking to me. She left after about 20 minutes.
Amen!!
Juliana S. is one of our faithful prayer warriors from New Beginnings Church, and she was there to experience a conversation we had with a young man visiting the area from Las Angeles, CA. This young man had some questions, particularly the question of rape/incest. We shared our concern for women who have experienced the horrible tragedy and injustice of rape/incest and shared that we both know friends who have been hurt terribly by these horrible circumstances. I then asked, "Do you think the tragic violence of rape, justifies the tragic violence of abortion?" He replied, "Oh, no I didn't say that at all!' After those words came out of his mouth, he realized what he said and back-pedaled with other objections that he thought would justify abortion. After 20 minutes of conversation with my dad, myself and Juliana, it was obvious he was not ready to change his mind on abortion yet, at least not in front of us. But, we're praying he will consider what he said, and that he will have a change of heart later on!
Just yesterday, Wednesday the 7th, I was standing on the sidewalk in front of PP's parking lot, when a young lady with a little boy in the back of her car pulled up. I positioned the sign (Pregnant/Need Help? With the 24/7 hotline pregnancy help number) to where she could easily see it. She had a troubled expression on her face and immediately started looking at her phone. My dad and I began praying fervently for her. She never got out of the car, but after 20 minutes of sitting there backed up and pulled away!!!
If she had come for anything other than an abortion would she have left without getting it? I can't help but think that a little life might have been saved. That is my hope and prayer at least - but I know He knows and so I entrust this situation to Him!
Pray for her that the situations that caused her to consider abortion will be resolved and that she will find the help and support she needs at Possibilities.
Kind of a funny thing that happened yesterday as well. . . a young man pulled up into PP's parking lot and walked in. After coming out, his car would not even turn over. I noticed and asked if he could use some help. He said he dealt with it all the time and promptly pulled a battery with jumper cables attached to it out of his trunk. We laughed about it, and he joked about the condition of his car - starting it with a screwdriver,
the beat up condition of the metal, the stripped tires etc.
Turns out even that battery AND using my car to try to jump it did not work. So my dad and another vigil volunteer gave it a push out of the parking spot, and sure enough it started ok once it got some momentum.
Dad does such a great job making folks feel loved and cared about, and I know that happened for a reason. I was grateful my dad was able to have that brief time to talk with him, and let him know we cared about him!
Well, those are some of the stories I've heard about. There have been more interactions but you'll just have to come to the closing rally on the 25th to hear more of them!! Mark your calendar for that. EVERYONE is welcome to attend this and you won't want to miss it. We all gather for 1 hr of prayer on the sidewalk outside Planned Parenthood from 5-6PM, and then head over to Mt. View Baptist Church for a pizza party, sharing testimonies of God's goodness to work in and through us through 40 days, AND we will also have a SUPER SPECIAL visit from Tibor Baksy who is flying in to visit us from Pennsylvania as a "thank-you" to us and at no cost to us! Wow!
Tibor is on the board of 40 Days for Life and has an encouraging story to share, as well as news of what God is doing in the nation and around the world through 40 Days for Life! Can't wait!! So mark your calendars now for the closing rally Sunday, March 25th, from 5-8 PM starting at PP and then heading over to Mt. View Baptist Church.
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