Thank you who came out this morning and throughout the day as we launch into the 25th 40 Days for Life Prayer Campaign in Houston coordinated by Houston Coalition for Life! We are very glad that this prayer campaign, from March 6 – April 14,is being co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston! As Houston pro-lifers gather from many different faith backgrounds, and different walks of life, and different journeys within the pro-life movement, we are united in our defense of the unborn and their mothers against the threat of abortion.
We know that even as we gather on this chilly morning, this weather is NOTHING to the chilling introduction and passage of pro-abortion and pro-death legislation that we are seeing sweep across this nation. We watched as NY legislated a legal denial of assistance to a dying child who is physically separated from their mother. Their death outside the womb is legally permitted because they are a child who survived an abortion. We hear the Governor of Virginia encouraging doctors to birth the child, make the child comfortable and THEN discuss with the parent as to whether that child’s life should be ended. We see Illinois aiming to compete with New York to become the abortion state of preference. And we even see a NY abortionist advertising her plan to bring her political abortion tactics to change policies here in Texas. And the people from all over the Great State of Texas and even thousands in New York say “NO!” This nation is rising up to reclaim legal victories and frame laws that PROTECT the vulnerable, neglected and abused!
We will stand firm in defense of the unborn and their mothers. We are not going away. We will rise up as a nation and act to stop infanticide, and this destruction of the vulnerable women who are in a moment of crisis looking for a way out and vulnerable children who cannot speak or flee from impending danger.
And we will begin with our eyes and our hearts lifted to heaven, to the God Who is the Creator and Sustainer of all life and the Source of all that is Good! And we begin by saying “God protect us from evil and bring our nation back to YOU.”
During this 40 Days for Life, we unite in prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil and community outreach with 376 other locations around the world through 40 Days for Life International. At Houston Coalition for Life, we begin once again the longest series of 40 Days for Life Campaigns of any other location in the world. We begin again to stand firm in the victory we have through Salvation in Christ and we offer the cause of our hope to these women. We stand as candles carrying the light of Christ into the darkness of sin and pain and confusion. And as the light of Christ shatters the darkness, the devil must flee. So we pray God will open the minds and hearts of those entering this place of darkness, and they will see clearly that God is calling them out of darkness into His own wonderful life of Grace!
We also offer these women practical aid and support to help them find life affirming solutions, to stabilize, and to become empowered healthy parents.
While we see so much negative legislation, we are seeing progress here in Houston through our 40 Days for Life Campaign.
During at least the last 5 prayer campaigns we have seen over 100 women choose life. And since 2011, the number of abortions of women who reside in Harris County have continued to drop. There were over 17,600 abortions done in 2011 between the eleven abortion facilities. By 2016, there were less were less than 14,000 between the six abortion facilities in Houston. We still have a long way to go, but we are seeing progress.
And we not only pray for women to choose life, we pray for the abortion workers to also find a new beginning.
We can look at Abby Johnson, who worked in the abortion industry and who passed pro-lifers every day, for 8 years – 8 years before she finally came out after seeing a 12 week old baby struggle and lose its life during an ultrasound guided abortion. Abby was planning to work at this particular Planned Parenthood, here in Houston; there was an office to be constructed for her here when it was scheduled to open in 2008. But thanks to local Houston pro-lifers interaction and the grace of God, the construction was delayed and this place could not open until 2010. During that window of time, in 2009, Abby turned away from abortion and her passion for women led her to become one of the most powerful pro-life voices today. Her movie, titled UNPLANNED, will come out at the end of this month (March 29, 2019). You are encouraged to see it.
And I hope you will encourage friends to join us throughout these 40 Days as we pray for a conversion of our society and for an end to abortion. This coming Saturday,we will have a prayer gathering from 10-11!
During 40 Days for Life, all we ask you to do is sign up to pray for an hour as you stand on the sidewalk and see how God works through you to help save lives.
Please sign a Statement of Peace
Learn more about 40 Days for Life at http://www.houstoncoalition.com/stand-and-pray or https://40daysforlife.com/local-campaigns/houston/
