Get Inspired!

Well, here we are…just days away from our TWENTY-NINTH 40 Days for Life campaign in front of Planned Parenthood in Pittsburgh!

Whew! Are we there yet?

Seriously, we have been at this for a LONG time…but we just keep going.

I think the danger of doing the same thing year after year is that we can forget what an incredible IMPACT we actually have, when we all UNITE for 40 days!

So…my technologically challenged self has put on her big girl pants and decided to learn how to make a video on Canva. I have created a video using photos from our most recent campaign (last Lent), in the hope that it will inspire you and encourage you to continue to participate in 40 Days for Life. I hope you will watch it…(you might be in it!)

I tell you, you don’t realize how LONG 40 days is…until you have compiled a video with photos from all 40 days. Don’t worry, even though it took me hours to create, it only takes 5 minutes to watch.

WATCH IT HERE!

STAYING INSPIRED…

So now that we are inspired to begin another campaign, how do we keep from getting discouraged…as we pray on those dirty sidewalks, helpless to stop the killing that is happening inside?

I was making some phone calls this past week to some of our PCUC supporters, to ask them to consider attending our fall fundraiser Luncheon, and ended up getting into an extended conversation one of them. He thanked me for the call, but told me that he was no longer able to be involved in pro-life work. When I asked why, he said that he had done sidewalk outreach back in the 80’s and 90’s, and in his words: “It totally destroyed me”.

He didn’t go into detail about how that happened, but as we continued to talk, he shared with me that he is an atheist. I expressed my surprise that he would be pro-life if he didn’t believe in God, since in my experience, everyone that I know who is involved is very religious. He agreed that most pro-lifers are religious, but defended himself by saying: “You don’t have to believe in God to believe that abortion is wrong”. I think I made a comment to him asking him why a baby’s life would matter more than a dog’s life if there was no God…but we agreed not to argue and didn’t pursue that line of reasoning.

I have kept him in my prayers ever since, that God will show him that He is real and that He loves him. Please say a prayer for him. But that got me thinking…can we be pro-life without being pro-God?

Can we be pro-life without being pro-God?

The answer, obviously, is yes. It is easy to be pro-life if you are against the killing of human beings. You don’t need to be religious to understand the scientific fact that a human embryo or fetus is a living, unique human being…and if we say it is okay to kill them, then why can’t someone more powerful than us decide that it is okay to kill us? So being prolife is actually a very intelligent position to take. It is a self-preservation attitude, actually.

But here is where the difference is: Although we can be pro-life without believing in God…we cannot fight the battle to end abortion without faith in Him. The reason is simple. When we go to the sidewalk in front of abortion clinics, we are going up against demons. This is a spiritual battle between good and evil, and we must choose our side and fight. Someone who does not believe in God can show up and hold a sign…sure. But he won’t last long. It would be like showing up on a battlefield naked, with no weapon. The enemy will simply chew him up and spit him out. He will be, “completely destroyed“.

Put on your armor, and get ready for the battle!

Here are some ways that YOU can prepare for this upcoming campaign:

• Sign up on our 40 day fasting calendar HERE! We seek to have at least three people every day who are fasting for the people who are on the sidewalk and for the moms and babies who are entering. There is nothing like fasting to chase away the demons!
• Attend one, or both, of our kick off events! September 22nd at 3:30 – Jericho walk around PP, led by Pastor Joe Stump. And Tuesday, Sept. 24th – Kick-off Mass & Eucharistic Procession to PP, led by Fr. Chris Donley. (Bring a pack of diapers to support our diaper drive!)
• Begin praying now about how the Lord wants you to be involved these 40 days. Is He calling you to make a weekly prayer commitment on the sidewalk? If so, we have some hours that are the most in need, specifically SUNDAYS from 11-1 or 1-2 ; MONDAYS from 7:30-9, 9-11 or 1-3 & 1-2 ; WEDNESDAYS from 9-11 or 11-1. Contact Jen at pghsaland365@gmail.com if you can help!

Update on security fundraiser:

Thanks to all of you who attended last Sunday’s fundraiser showing of Abby Johnson’s documentary film, “Unthinkable”, and for all who have donated to help us raise money for security! I am happy to say that we now have $12,000 in the bank, which is enough to get us through to Day 30! I have faith that if God wants us to have security, that more will come in by the time we need it. We are still $6,000 short of being able to cover the entire 40 days, so if you feel led to help in this way, you can mail a check made out to “40 Days for Life Pittsburgh”, and mail to: PCUC, 3050 Pioneer Ave., Pittsburgh 15226. Thank you and God bless you!