Week 1!

Hard to believe it's already been a full week since the start of 40 Days! I'm so grateful for everyone who is participating this year, praying on the sidewalk and at home. I look so forward to seeing what God will continue to do in our community through your presence and prayers.

I wanted to share a couple verses that were meaningful to me this morning. I don't know if you all feel this way, but when I am out on the sidewalk, the angry shouts can be quite difficult to cope with. I've wondered,"what causes so much anger?" I'm sure the answers and reasons are endless. These verses really stuck out to me this morning. . . perfect timing!

"God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way." Mtt 5:11-12 NLT

I found that last part of the verse especially encouraging. That this is how it has always been. When Christians do what Christians are meant to do, there will always be those who disagree with, mock and scorn us.

Perhaps they feel judged by us. Even though that is not our heart or intention to cause this feeling, that's often what happens when sin is exposed. I know when a sin in my life is exposed even lovingly by someone else, it sure doesn't make me feel good! I may even feel judged or condemned by the person who loves me enough to expose my sin. But, it's for my best. In the same way, it sure doesn't feel good on either side to expose abortion and bring it to light, but it's for the ultimate good of those who support it and those who seek it. And it must be done for the sake of the unborn.

May we win their hearts by responding in love, patience and mercy towards them!

Since yesterday afternoon we have been joined by a few counter protesters. Two ladies came out with their own handmade signs yesterday, and at least 1 lady came today.

When I first saw the two ladies that came out yesterday, I saw my dad was conversing with them. He was able to talk with them for 15 minutes or so before he had to leave for my brother's basketball practice. He kindly introduced himself, heard their reasons for why they support abortion, and asked some clarifying questions. However, one of the ladies was quite hostile towards him so it was a bit hard to engage.

Later that evening after work, I went over to talk to them and hear their stories.  I thanked them for being there and exercising their right to free speech. I asked them why they were there and why they support abortion. Both listed their reasons mostly relating to their personal health. Angie* had a genetic disorder that would cause the baby to be born with defects. Ellie* had struggled with horrible OCD since she was 15. (Not just a need for orderliness. Her OCD includes intrusive thoughts of personal harm/suicide or potential harm to others around her.) Both women experienced abortion personally with no regrets (they claimed). They felt it was better to stop the pregnancies early, before letting their babies be born into a possibly harmful home, or with poor quality of life. (*names changed for privacy)

I mostly listened and asked questions, trying to understand exactly where they were coming from.I expressed sympathy for their health struggles, and that they experienced abortion. I wanted to feel out if they could take some questions and push-back. Since they were upfront about experiencing abortion, I didn't want to add insult to injury. However, as they talked it was obvious they had no regrets (at least that they let on) and were advocating for late term abortions and advocating that the unborn are not sentient, or self-aware so therefore are not persons. (It was funny while discussing one point that I can't remember now one of the ladies said, "that's exactly what that man said earlier. . . are you reading the same pamphlets? I had to bite my tongue from laughing and played dumb!)

I was able to engage on several issues with them. I started by asking if they thought there should ever be a line drawn for abortion, or if they would support abortion up until birth. Angie said that late term abortions should be legal in cases when the mother's life is in danger. I responded, "I agree there are many serious health issues a pregnant mother could have that would constitute a need to end the pregnancy. However, with all the research I have done on this, I am confident there is no medical reason to intentionally kill the baby to save the mother's life." Angie asked, "what if a woman is experiencing horrible pre-clampsia or perhaps she has cancer. Do you expect her to suffer and possibly die for the sake of the fetus?" I responded,"I actually agree with you that in those cases an early delivery might be needed. However, listening to testimonies of former late term abortion doctors and high-risk OB GYNS, they all agree there is NOT ONE medical reason to intentionally kill the baby before it is born. In some cases like this though, the baby HAS to be delivered early. In those cases, the woman would undergo a C-Section to remove the baby alive and give it the best chance at life. No matter what, the mother will need to deliver, and since late term abortion takes 24-46 hours to prepare the cervix, abortion could actually cause more harm to the mother in extreme cases."

Angie, at this point turned her back to me and did this often throughout our conversation. Her friend Ellie brought up again that it would be better to stop the pregnancy than allow a baby to be born in an abusive family/situation. I empathized, saying no child deserves that and it is a very real problem in our society. She shared of her family growing up, and of families she knew that abused their children. I shared about my adopted siblings and how their lives started in not ideal circumstances, and the joy and quality of life they have now. To make a long story short, I continued to empathize, but then asked, "suppose you discover your neighbor is abusing her two-year old, what would you do? Would you stop the abuse, or put the two-year old out of her misery? Of course you would stop the abuse right? In the same way the baby is already in the world, in the womb, the answer isn't to kill the baby, but to stop the abuse. Right?"

Angie, came back around and brought up the point of sentience, or self-awareness. I asked gently, "so self-awareness determines if you are human being worthy of rights? How much self-awareness?" She thought for a second and then said, "well yes, when someone does not have brain activity, they are considered dead, so if a fetus doesn't have brain activity it's not an alive person."
I responded, "Well, when someone is brain dead usually it means they are at the end of life. The embryo is at a different stage of development, it doesn't need a brain at that point to be alive. All it needs is time to develop." I then walked her through the science of embryology, that at the moment of conception the embryo is a distinct, living and whole human being, driving it's own development. That the four differences (size, level of development, environment, and dependency) from the embryo she used to be, and the adult she is now, don't justify killing her at that earliest stage of her development. Somewhere in there I shared my story of being a quadruplet, doctors telling my parents to abort two of the "pregnancies", their defense of our lives and how each of us are here alive and well now. (Amazingly these ladies were open to listening to me share so much. They were really quite pleasant to talk to.)

Sadly, Ellie responded saying she would not blame her mother if she had had an abortion with her. Even stating she wished at times she wasn't alive. Goodness. So heartbreaking. At this point the conversation changed to talking about Christianity. I was able to share a little of the hope I have in Christ, the hope that even when life is hard and horrible things happen, that God is still good, loving and faithful. That is the hope that we have as Christians that God is with us through suffering, and that one day all suffering will one day be no more in heaven. She could not wrap her head around why an all-powerful, all-loving God would not intervene when horrible things happen. I don't blame her, and I'm still learning how to respond to that one. All I could say was how original sin brought in the suffering, pain and death, but that His character is still the same: just, good, loving, merciful, faithful.

Before I knew it an hour had passed, and the other participants had left. The ladies were obviously very cold physically, so I thanked them for talking, listening and sharing their stories with me. I wished them well, told them to get warm and we walked to our cars.

Ellie (the girl who has OCD) genuinely seemed to be searching. She never turned her back to me, and stayed engaged through the entire conversation. I'm praying perhaps some seeds were planted in her heart. So heartbreaking to see the hopelessness she has. Be praying for them!

Today (Tuesday) I heard there was at least 1 counter protester there for a few hours. I didn't see her, and was not able to talk with her. But I'm thankful there were some lovely folks there most of the day! Thank you friends!

As for coverage this week - I recently had the shocking realization ;-) that I didn't assign a church to Friday afternoons! Not sure how that slipped past my notice. So if you are reading this and are able to come out sometime between 1:30-6:00 pm feel free to do so. Other than that though, 12 other churches are coming together to fill the hours on the sidewalk they have been assigned to so I think we should be mostly ok.

I think that's all for now! Thank you all so much. May God continue to strengthen and embolden you all. As you pray this week, please keep these ladies in your prayers!