I ask because an initiative near and dear to my heart kicks off its spring campaign this Wednesday, February 17th. It is a campaign called 40 Days for Life and it is simply 40 days of intense focus on prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil, and community outreach to inform about the damage that abortion causes. Most of us will immediately think of the obvious, ultimate damage inflicted upon the innocent baby; however, sometimes we overlook that there is damage inflicted upon each person involved. This includes the mother, the father, the grandparents, the abortionists and clinic workers, etc. Those involved in 40 Days for Life are intentional about praying for all those affected by abortion.
40 Days for Life is a ministry that was started with a group of just 4 people sitting around a kitchen table praying about what more they could do in the fight against this sad practice in our nation. They asked and God delivered a very big answer! They stepped out in faith and the Lord has grown this ministry to the point that there will be campaigns in 165 cities across the United States – as well as locations in Canada, Australia and Northern Ireland this spring.
You may have heard of 40 Days for Life when news hit last fall that an abortion worker named Abby Johnson (she was the director of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic) became convicted that abortion was wrong and left her job and became involved in 40 Days for Life. What a powerful statement that is; my thinking is that it could only be “a God thing”! Other amazing statistics that have come out of the 40 Days for Life campaigns to date are 2,168 babies lives saved, 27 abortion workers leaving their jobs, and 5 abortion facilities that have closed their businesses! Many prayers have indeed been answered.
I know from being a 40 Days for Life participant in my local campaign here in Colorado that we would love to have you join us! The locations for the spring campaign are all listed on the national website with information about how you can get involved. I believe that God is calling His church to “stand in the gap” for those vulnerable to abortion and for those who have already been touched by it. 40 Days for Life is there for the body of Christ to join together with one voice for 40 days and shine the light of Christ on the very dark practice of abortion.
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” ( Hebrews 4:16, ESV)