We arrived at Hebron on time this morning, which turned out to be a blessing to Flip, who was late and lamenting. "The problem is," he told me, "I hear the Lord telling me to get up because I have a lot to do, but somehow I find myself rolling over and just going back to sleep." I told him how it was a blessing to know that even he struggles with this. And I shared that one of the things God has been working on me about lately is to learn to listen to that "still, small voice" of the Holy Spirit and to obey Him.
Growing up in a very non-charismatic environment, the Holy Spirit was probably unintentionally minimized as a reactionary response. But as I've grown in my spiritual walk, I've realized more and more how dependent I am upon the Holy Spirit. We are told, after all, that "without me, you can do nothing." What makes us think that we can simply muster up enough strength or spiritual fortitude to do anything in our own power? That we can depend on our own wisdom (which is, as the Bible says, foolishness to God)? Even much of our spirituality can lead us into relying on our actions...what we DO to become more sanctified and pleasing to the Lord. We do, do, do and forget that our "doing" is impossible without Him!
As I sit here writing these words, I am reminded that I can't even write without Him! And I pray for the words to effectively communicate...for the Holy Spirit to fill me so that my words are His words and not my own.
Since going out to the abortion mill regularly, the Holy Spirit and His work has become so much more familiar to me. All the phrases I would hear about listening to the Holy Spirit and simply allowing Him to speak through us suddenly have become very real. It is one thing to hear these common Christian phrases and yet another to experience them so vividly every week. To literally not know what I will say as I grab that microphone, set aside my "notes," and pray for Him to fill me. And, just as He promises, He does just that. I open my mouth and things come out that I did not plan, thoughts and whole outlines flow into my head like a steady, dependable stream of refreshing water. And the more I taste them, the more I crave them! I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit! Not in some mystical, flop-on-the-floor showy kind of way, but in a way that is real and genuine. A way that is quiet just as is the nature of that still, small voice. I want God to be glorified and me to stand back in amazement at His presence once again.
And so it surprises me somewhat when those feelings come. The feelings that should not, logically, be there.
"I don't want to go to the mill today."
"What if I get on the mic and don't have anything to say?"
"Maybe I should take a break from ministry."
I've dealt with them often enough to know that they are usually not even true feelings, but the inevitable spiritual struggle in the battleground of my mind. I am thankful that as quickly as they come, they usually leave just as fast. Today, I had flashes of all these thoughts, but the one that caught me most off-guard was the second one. Me? Not want to speak on the mic? It is just not typical. From the first day I went to the mill, I have been speaking on the microphone. This is my comfort zone. And I have experienced amazing moments of supernatural clarity and speech. But today I felt mild apprehension, which I expressed to Flip. He prayed over me and, in obedience to that still, small voice, I grabbed the mic and began to speak. And as I read the Scripture the Holy Spirit led me to, that refreshing stream trickled and then poured. Out flowed everything He wanted me to say. And the ones to whom He was speaking walked out moments later and told Flip and the others in the driveway that they had chosen life!
That still, small voice was faithfully at work this morning and we listened. And as we prayed for faith "above all," as Ephesians 6:16 commands, we know that He was at work in other hearts, as well. We may not see results here, but we have faith that we will see them someday in eternity!
Showing posts with label pro-life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pro-life. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Three Saves!
Today was a wonderful day. I was finally able to get back out on the sidewalk and minister to the abortion-determined moms. God emptied me out of my self, as He so faithfully does, and allowed me to speak with both compassion and hard truth...words that could only come from His Spirit. I never even saw Jeannette today, as she was counseling on the mobile ultrasound unit all morning and had the privilege of being involved with two saves!
While I was on the mic, one couple drove away, stopping long enough to say that they chose life! It is amazing to be used by God to save a human life...a baby! Truly, He does the work, not any of us. It is a humbling experience. Never am I as close to God and as in-tune with His Spirit as when I am serving on the front lines of this ministry. The fact is, when you jump into a spiritual battle so intense that you can almost physically FEEL it, you simply can't go into it without confession and repentance. You must put on every piece of the spiritual armor (Eph. 6:10-18) and, in so doing, you must also hold onto that shield of faith, knowing that your preparation in the Lord will "extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."
Along these lines, I must say that our long drive down to the mill is a blessing. It gives us the opportunity to really focus on where we are going and why. It gives us 35-40 focused minutes of prayer to confess our sins and plead on behalf of the babies. This morning, Elleina and I prayed through each verse of Ephesians 6:10-18, she reading a verse aloud and me following each verse with specific prayer. We continue to pray each week that God would awaken His church to the violent infanticide that is going on every day, just as it went on in the days of Israel when babies were sacrificed to Molek. There really is no difference except that these babies are not seen or heard as they suffer excruciating pain for the sake of the god of materialism and convenience (for the most part). (However, if they could cry audibly, I suspect we as Christians would be no less apathetic as their cries simply became our version of "normal." I'm reminded of this as we've been reading the story of George Muller. Even he was fairly immune to the orphans roaming the streets in his time until God got a hold of his heart and he saw reality for what it was.) Flip Benham stopped by this morning to encourage the "troops" and was sharing how God is moving among the church and "clinics" are continuing to close. Praise the Lord! Please keep praying with us for God to awaken His church!
I also met a lady named Jill who came out for the first time this morning and was visibly moved by what she saw. I sometimes forget how burdened and stomach-sick I felt the first time I dared to tread in front of the "gates of hell." Even hell on earth can become "normal" if we forget the reality of what goes on there. I never thought I could...and yet I now find myself in that place more than I'd like. I guess that is why sometimes I take time to refresh my memory by looking at images, watching videos, and reading articles that jolt me back to reality...that even cause me to weep...that remind me why we fight to end the atrocity of abortion and to offer hope to the lost, enslaved souls. I want to feel something when I think of abortion! I want to be broken-hearted, as Jesus certainly is. I want no more of the complacency I "enjoyed" for too much of my life. I want to faithfully hate (and yet love) going where I must go each week!
But what we do with those feelings is just as important as experiencing them. Anger must be righteous and it must be directed at the proper target. This morning, a lady whom I had seen drive by a couple times in a minivan, came walking across the street to the other end of the sidewalk to talk to Jennifer. She appeared angry, even from a distance. Unsure if I should go over (or if it was just a needless distraction), I asked Eliana if she knew what was going on. "I don't know. Go find out!" I took that as God's leading and did so.
This lady, whose son had an appointment at the psychiatric facility across the street (fitting location, huh?) was angered by our signs because of the impact they had on her 11-year-old son. I gently told her that these signs have literally saved lives and that we are told in the Bible to expose the darkness for what it truly is. "I'm an atheist, so that doesn't matter to me!" She was not interested in the fact that literal human lives have been saved. She belittled the value of the lives of others, caring only for the emotional state of her son. I told her I was sorry for her son's difficulties and that I would pray for both her and him. She stormed off, angrily accusing us of only caring for the unborn and not her child.
I will admit that one of the hardest things is that children have to be exposed to this at times, but many mothers have been completely unaffected by the images of a developing fetus, yet are stunned to see the gruesome reality of abortion and choose life solely because of it! And God protects they eyes of the little ones. In the experience of most of the counselors with children, He sovereignly allows them a simple understanding that this is a "broken" baby and protects them from any sort of trauma. I'm afraid this lady's child's mental issues have more to do with growing up with an atheistic mother than anything else. After all, without God, how do you handle such realities? If only this lady's anger would spur her to do something to end the reality that these pictures portray, rather than getting angry about truth being exposed.
Ultimately, there were three confirmed babies saved today! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness! I did not, however, remember to call the abortion mill at Wendover and I am irritated with myself for that. Prayerfully I will remember tomorrow. We need to know when they are open, as their schedule seems random, and our team has not been able to minister there for over a month as we want to be as effective as possible and use our ministry time wisely.
Well, I am awfully chatty tonight. There is a reason I don't blog much. ;) Shifting topics, my afternoon wrapped up with a great phone conversation with a random dad who is considering homeschooling and had heard I was the "homeschooling expert" (ha! I truly think any parent who homeschools is an expert in their own right!!) Nothing excites me more than sparking excitement for homeschooling in others! This dad is slowly realizing that there is another way to educate that does not include uncomfortable desks and seemingly-pointless assignments taught by factory-method for 6-7 hours a day, as though individuality did not exist and every child must learn "X" by grade "Y" or they are not "normal." Please. Oh to be a part of setting minds free! How exciting it is to see the lightbulbs come on!
His son simply does not learn like others and has had a self-esteem-destroying label slapped on him. I encouraged the dad that if God is in this, He will direct him and to not be afraid of all the unknowns. I encouraged him to find his son's interests...things that truly excite him...and look for learning opportunities to tailor his education to meet his needs. Perhaps starting a business would help make math meaningful so that it would make sense to him! It will give this dad more time with his son and pursuing something of value, such as a business, will then put more value on his education in his son's mind. I'm excited for this family as they set out on this new, uncharted path, trusting in God to guide them through the learning curve!
Well, I really must be done now. I'm sure you've heard enough of me for one night!
While I was on the mic, one couple drove away, stopping long enough to say that they chose life! It is amazing to be used by God to save a human life...a baby! Truly, He does the work, not any of us. It is a humbling experience. Never am I as close to God and as in-tune with His Spirit as when I am serving on the front lines of this ministry. The fact is, when you jump into a spiritual battle so intense that you can almost physically FEEL it, you simply can't go into it without confession and repentance. You must put on every piece of the spiritual armor (Eph. 6:10-18) and, in so doing, you must also hold onto that shield of faith, knowing that your preparation in the Lord will "extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."
Along these lines, I must say that our long drive down to the mill is a blessing. It gives us the opportunity to really focus on where we are going and why. It gives us 35-40 focused minutes of prayer to confess our sins and plead on behalf of the babies. This morning, Elleina and I prayed through each verse of Ephesians 6:10-18, she reading a verse aloud and me following each verse with specific prayer. We continue to pray each week that God would awaken His church to the violent infanticide that is going on every day, just as it went on in the days of Israel when babies were sacrificed to Molek. There really is no difference except that these babies are not seen or heard as they suffer excruciating pain for the sake of the god of materialism and convenience (for the most part). (However, if they could cry audibly, I suspect we as Christians would be no less apathetic as their cries simply became our version of "normal." I'm reminded of this as we've been reading the story of George Muller. Even he was fairly immune to the orphans roaming the streets in his time until God got a hold of his heart and he saw reality for what it was.) Flip Benham stopped by this morning to encourage the "troops" and was sharing how God is moving among the church and "clinics" are continuing to close. Praise the Lord! Please keep praying with us for God to awaken His church!
I also met a lady named Jill who came out for the first time this morning and was visibly moved by what she saw. I sometimes forget how burdened and stomach-sick I felt the first time I dared to tread in front of the "gates of hell." Even hell on earth can become "normal" if we forget the reality of what goes on there. I never thought I could...and yet I now find myself in that place more than I'd like. I guess that is why sometimes I take time to refresh my memory by looking at images, watching videos, and reading articles that jolt me back to reality...that even cause me to weep...that remind me why we fight to end the atrocity of abortion and to offer hope to the lost, enslaved souls. I want to feel something when I think of abortion! I want to be broken-hearted, as Jesus certainly is. I want no more of the complacency I "enjoyed" for too much of my life. I want to faithfully hate (and yet love) going where I must go each week!
But what we do with those feelings is just as important as experiencing them. Anger must be righteous and it must be directed at the proper target. This morning, a lady whom I had seen drive by a couple times in a minivan, came walking across the street to the other end of the sidewalk to talk to Jennifer. She appeared angry, even from a distance. Unsure if I should go over (or if it was just a needless distraction), I asked Eliana if she knew what was going on. "I don't know. Go find out!" I took that as God's leading and did so.
This lady, whose son had an appointment at the psychiatric facility across the street (fitting location, huh?) was angered by our signs because of the impact they had on her 11-year-old son. I gently told her that these signs have literally saved lives and that we are told in the Bible to expose the darkness for what it truly is. "I'm an atheist, so that doesn't matter to me!" She was not interested in the fact that literal human lives have been saved. She belittled the value of the lives of others, caring only for the emotional state of her son. I told her I was sorry for her son's difficulties and that I would pray for both her and him. She stormed off, angrily accusing us of only caring for the unborn and not her child.
I will admit that one of the hardest things is that children have to be exposed to this at times, but many mothers have been completely unaffected by the images of a developing fetus, yet are stunned to see the gruesome reality of abortion and choose life solely because of it! And God protects they eyes of the little ones. In the experience of most of the counselors with children, He sovereignly allows them a simple understanding that this is a "broken" baby and protects them from any sort of trauma. I'm afraid this lady's child's mental issues have more to do with growing up with an atheistic mother than anything else. After all, without God, how do you handle such realities? If only this lady's anger would spur her to do something to end the reality that these pictures portray, rather than getting angry about truth being exposed.
Ultimately, there were three confirmed babies saved today! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness! I did not, however, remember to call the abortion mill at Wendover and I am irritated with myself for that. Prayerfully I will remember tomorrow. We need to know when they are open, as their schedule seems random, and our team has not been able to minister there for over a month as we want to be as effective as possible and use our ministry time wisely.
Well, I am awfully chatty tonight. There is a reason I don't blog much. ;) Shifting topics, my afternoon wrapped up with a great phone conversation with a random dad who is considering homeschooling and had heard I was the "homeschooling expert" (ha! I truly think any parent who homeschools is an expert in their own right!!) Nothing excites me more than sparking excitement for homeschooling in others! This dad is slowly realizing that there is another way to educate that does not include uncomfortable desks and seemingly-pointless assignments taught by factory-method for 6-7 hours a day, as though individuality did not exist and every child must learn "X" by grade "Y" or they are not "normal." Please. Oh to be a part of setting minds free! How exciting it is to see the lightbulbs come on!
His son simply does not learn like others and has had a self-esteem-destroying label slapped on him. I encouraged the dad that if God is in this, He will direct him and to not be afraid of all the unknowns. I encouraged him to find his son's interests...things that truly excite him...and look for learning opportunities to tailor his education to meet his needs. Perhaps starting a business would help make math meaningful so that it would make sense to him! It will give this dad more time with his son and pursuing something of value, such as a business, will then put more value on his education in his son's mind. I'm excited for this family as they set out on this new, uncharted path, trusting in God to guide them through the learning curve!
Well, I really must be done now. I'm sure you've heard enough of me for one night!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Ministry at the Expense of Ministering
This morning God reiterated to me how important it is to never become so "ministry-minded" that I'm no good for truly ministering. As I made the long trek down to Wendover Road, I felt very unprepared. I normally like to spend a good portion of the evening the night before in prayer and Bible study, but I had been trying to refocus priorities yesterday. I had spent the day listening to praise and worship music while accomplishing many household things I knew would bless my husband and family. The list of tasks demanded my attention on into the evening, completely bullying out any extra time to spend with Jesus.
As I talked to the Lord on the way to ministry this morning, He gently encouraged me that I was doing my best. My family and husband need me and it is difficult to learn to balance all of life's demands, especially when dealing with the additional demands my husband's chronic illness puts on me. And I had felt pretty accomplished yesterday finishing with so many check-marks on my mental list! I had not lived the day perfectly, but I had lived it well and to the best of my ability.
And so I prayed for the Holy Spirit to empty me of myself and fill me with Himself. I prayed for protection and wisdom. I prayed, as always, for the mothers, some deceived and some simply full of hate, and for the tiny little ones who would feel every agonizing cut, pull, or burn as their final moments were stolen away. (Oh, Lord, let me never forget what abortion truly is!) And I marched into the battle, believing that it is better to march forward somewhat unprepared than to retreat altogether from the battle. David himself went to battle on a "whim" with no armor or sword, but only the strength of God behind a slingshot (1 Samuel 17).
"And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands" (1 Samuel 17:47).
As we stood there, holding the sign of precious baby Malachi, murdered at 21 weeks gestation, my co-laborer and I began to talk. Normally I stand next to the driveway entrance and stop cars coming into the parking lot to ask them if they realize that abortions are taking place just steps away. But today I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to stay put. She began asking me how I was doing, how Jon was feeling. And this led to a long conversation about some personal difficulties she and her husband are having, including unemployment and, basically, broken dreams. I listened, sensing that I was simply there to be "an ear" for her. It was an encouragement to both of us to just listen and share and contemplate why God allows these trials in our lives.
By the end of the time, I realized that my mission this morning was more than shining a light on abortion in our city or even saving babies. Ministry for me this morning was being flexible enough to listen and obey when God directed me against my routine. Did we still follow God and minister? Yes, absolutely. Just not in the way we normally would have. In fact, at the end of the morning, God sent one of his servants as a wonderful reassurance to us. Up walked a lady who introduced herself as "Phyllis." She is a Southern Baptist missionary who just wanted to come over to thank us. "I know you probably have many people honking and cursing you. But you may never know all the babies you have saved by holding that sign until you get to heaven and meet them!" She then told us of her own granddaughter who, after seeing a graphic sign like ours, fled an abortion mill and saved the life of her now four-year-old daughter, Phyllis' great-granddaughter! Before she walked off, she took a moment to put her arms around us and pray over us.
Isn't God good? What a tender and gentle shepherd, who knows we are just dust and uses each of us just where we are. Trust Him and listen in the quietness of your heart. Ministry should never take place at the expense of ministering. Regular ministry should never become routine ministry...something that requires us to follow a rigid method...or we may miss opportunities to truly minister to those God brings into our paths right now.
As I talked to the Lord on the way to ministry this morning, He gently encouraged me that I was doing my best. My family and husband need me and it is difficult to learn to balance all of life's demands, especially when dealing with the additional demands my husband's chronic illness puts on me. And I had felt pretty accomplished yesterday finishing with so many check-marks on my mental list! I had not lived the day perfectly, but I had lived it well and to the best of my ability.
And so I prayed for the Holy Spirit to empty me of myself and fill me with Himself. I prayed for protection and wisdom. I prayed, as always, for the mothers, some deceived and some simply full of hate, and for the tiny little ones who would feel every agonizing cut, pull, or burn as their final moments were stolen away. (Oh, Lord, let me never forget what abortion truly is!) And I marched into the battle, believing that it is better to march forward somewhat unprepared than to retreat altogether from the battle. David himself went to battle on a "whim" with no armor or sword, but only the strength of God behind a slingshot (1 Samuel 17).
"And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands" (1 Samuel 17:47).
As we stood there, holding the sign of precious baby Malachi, murdered at 21 weeks gestation, my co-laborer and I began to talk. Normally I stand next to the driveway entrance and stop cars coming into the parking lot to ask them if they realize that abortions are taking place just steps away. But today I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to stay put. She began asking me how I was doing, how Jon was feeling. And this led to a long conversation about some personal difficulties she and her husband are having, including unemployment and, basically, broken dreams. I listened, sensing that I was simply there to be "an ear" for her. It was an encouragement to both of us to just listen and share and contemplate why God allows these trials in our lives.
By the end of the time, I realized that my mission this morning was more than shining a light on abortion in our city or even saving babies. Ministry for me this morning was being flexible enough to listen and obey when God directed me against my routine. Did we still follow God and minister? Yes, absolutely. Just not in the way we normally would have. In fact, at the end of the morning, God sent one of his servants as a wonderful reassurance to us. Up walked a lady who introduced herself as "Phyllis." She is a Southern Baptist missionary who just wanted to come over to thank us. "I know you probably have many people honking and cursing you. But you may never know all the babies you have saved by holding that sign until you get to heaven and meet them!" She then told us of her own granddaughter who, after seeing a graphic sign like ours, fled an abortion mill and saved the life of her now four-year-old daughter, Phyllis' great-granddaughter! Before she walked off, she took a moment to put her arms around us and pray over us.
Isn't God good? What a tender and gentle shepherd, who knows we are just dust and uses each of us just where we are. Trust Him and listen in the quietness of your heart. Ministry should never take place at the expense of ministering. Regular ministry should never become routine ministry...something that requires us to follow a rigid method...or we may miss opportunities to truly minister to those God brings into our paths right now.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Exposing the Darkness Once Again
Today was another pretty typical early morning at Wendover. We had the angry honks and the supportive horn taps; the hate-filled yelling and cursing and the grateful thanks for information; the irritation and the appreciation. That is one thing about this ministry...it usually incites some type of reaction. And shouldn't it do just that? When we talk of innocent babies being murdered in such brutal ways, people should react as the darkness is exposed and their consciences are at work. In fact, I often say that the apathetic ones are the ones that concern me most...the ones who take a tract or Tiny Hands booklet with a dead look on their faces, as dead spiritually as their tiny baby will soon be physically. But God raised dead bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14)! Even the oldest and driest dead bones can live again when Jesus redeems a heart! And oh, how we need such a revival in this spiritually dead wasteland of a "Christian" nation. So we carry on and pray on for all who are given the opportunity to see and hear the message.
We spoke to several people who were saddened and disturbed to find out that their dentist, physical therapist, etc. were practicing in the same building as a baby murderer...that while their teeth are being cleaned, a baby is suffering through his or her final moments at the hands of a killer right next door. We urged these people to talk to the businesses they patron and ask if they would be willing to move to a different location. We told them to consider that they are helping an abortionist by patronizing these businesses, as the abortionist owns the building. I believe this could be a very effective means of working toward shutting the baby-killing practice down! Please pray for that.
The memorable moments today...A lady who, as I approached her vehicle with a smile, screamed through her window with a look of anger suppressing pain, "F*** you!!!" How many times we see this same expression. I am always sad to think that if they would simply humble themselves and admit their sin, confess it to God, and repent, they could experience true peace and forgiveness. Then there was the man who honked to get in the driveway as we talked to a vehicle in front of his, then said, "I agree with you, but this is very dangerous." He seemed like a nice man and genuinely concerned, but as I said to him, "We're trying to save the lives of babies!" We cannot let anything stop us from carrying out God's will. We simply need to find means of accomplishing it. Please pray for our safety and for us to be able to know how to balance the legitimate safety concerns on this busy highway with the safety concerns of the unborn. Lives are literally at stake here. Another memorable moment was when I handed a tract to a lady who rolled her window down only to realize it was my old neighbor coming to work at one of the other offices! It was a blessing to see her smiling face. Then there was the man who drove through once and got a tract, then came back through later asking for more to give to his friends. Amen! We handed him a stack.
I also talked to a man who claimed to (and appeared to by his countenance) be a Christian, but was genuinely concerned about the signs we hold. "I don't want my children to see that. Please don't hold that up." I told him I understood and used to feel the same way. But I told him how we are commanded in Proverbs (oops...it's Ephesians, actually), to "expose the unfruitful works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:11). I told him that many people don't understand what abortion is and seeing the picture shows the reality and truth. I told him that many women change their minds because of the signs. I said that we don't force it in our children's faces, but that unfortunately we live in a culture where we have to use these signs to expose the darkness. I'm not sure if he was totally convinced, but he listened respectfully and I did see some softening by the end. He seemed thankful that we were at least out there. Pray that he and other Christians will come to understand why we believe it is biblical to use such a "shock and awe" form of confrontation of sin. I believe many Christians don't understand how this can be loving and many see it as "ineffective," which couldn't be further from the truth.
After this conversation, I spoke with another man who claimed to be a Christian, but seemed to be a false convert. He used the classic "judge not" approach to say that what we were doing was wrong. He also went straight to the rape and incest argument, which is not only a rare circumstance among abortion-determined women, but also still not an excuse to violate God's command, "Do not murder." I told him we are there to help these women to not make the biggest mistake of their lives. I said that just as I would run after my daughter if she was headed toward the busy highway, we were there to keep those women from danger. However, he was not interested in listening, but argued and talked over me as he tried to prove his points. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). The proud never listen to reason or biblical counsel (Proverbs 1:7) and as a natural result, they are left to their own foolishness and their evil hearts are darkened (Ephesians 4:18).
We left in good spirits for the work that God is doing! There were no babies rescued today that we know of, but God knows every detail of each situation and each heart. We pray that our presence alone was enough to point people away from the place of death and that they will find Jesus. On a positive note, I don't think many of the cars that came were coming for abortions. We can often tell just by the looks on the faces and, of course, the gender. ;) Please pray for each of these situations and that God would work on each and every heart to bring people to him!
We spoke to several people who were saddened and disturbed to find out that their dentist, physical therapist, etc. were practicing in the same building as a baby murderer...that while their teeth are being cleaned, a baby is suffering through his or her final moments at the hands of a killer right next door. We urged these people to talk to the businesses they patron and ask if they would be willing to move to a different location. We told them to consider that they are helping an abortionist by patronizing these businesses, as the abortionist owns the building. I believe this could be a very effective means of working toward shutting the baby-killing practice down! Please pray for that.
The memorable moments today...A lady who, as I approached her vehicle with a smile, screamed through her window with a look of anger suppressing pain, "F*** you!!!" How many times we see this same expression. I am always sad to think that if they would simply humble themselves and admit their sin, confess it to God, and repent, they could experience true peace and forgiveness. Then there was the man who honked to get in the driveway as we talked to a vehicle in front of his, then said, "I agree with you, but this is very dangerous." He seemed like a nice man and genuinely concerned, but as I said to him, "We're trying to save the lives of babies!" We cannot let anything stop us from carrying out God's will. We simply need to find means of accomplishing it. Please pray for our safety and for us to be able to know how to balance the legitimate safety concerns on this busy highway with the safety concerns of the unborn. Lives are literally at stake here. Another memorable moment was when I handed a tract to a lady who rolled her window down only to realize it was my old neighbor coming to work at one of the other offices! It was a blessing to see her smiling face. Then there was the man who drove through once and got a tract, then came back through later asking for more to give to his friends. Amen! We handed him a stack.
I also talked to a man who claimed to (and appeared to by his countenance) be a Christian, but was genuinely concerned about the signs we hold. "I don't want my children to see that. Please don't hold that up." I told him I understood and used to feel the same way. But I told him how we are commanded in Proverbs (oops...it's Ephesians, actually), to "expose the unfruitful works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:11). I told him that many people don't understand what abortion is and seeing the picture shows the reality and truth. I told him that many women change their minds because of the signs. I said that we don't force it in our children's faces, but that unfortunately we live in a culture where we have to use these signs to expose the darkness. I'm not sure if he was totally convinced, but he listened respectfully and I did see some softening by the end. He seemed thankful that we were at least out there. Pray that he and other Christians will come to understand why we believe it is biblical to use such a "shock and awe" form of confrontation of sin. I believe many Christians don't understand how this can be loving and many see it as "ineffective," which couldn't be further from the truth.
After this conversation, I spoke with another man who claimed to be a Christian, but seemed to be a false convert. He used the classic "judge not" approach to say that what we were doing was wrong. He also went straight to the rape and incest argument, which is not only a rare circumstance among abortion-determined women, but also still not an excuse to violate God's command, "Do not murder." I told him we are there to help these women to not make the biggest mistake of their lives. I said that just as I would run after my daughter if she was headed toward the busy highway, we were there to keep those women from danger. However, he was not interested in listening, but argued and talked over me as he tried to prove his points. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). The proud never listen to reason or biblical counsel (Proverbs 1:7) and as a natural result, they are left to their own foolishness and their evil hearts are darkened (Ephesians 4:18).
We left in good spirits for the work that God is doing! There were no babies rescued today that we know of, but God knows every detail of each situation and each heart. We pray that our presence alone was enough to point people away from the place of death and that they will find Jesus. On a positive note, I don't think many of the cars that came were coming for abortions. We can often tell just by the looks on the faces and, of course, the gender. ;) Please pray for each of these situations and that God would work on each and every heart to bring people to him!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
First Day at Hebron
What an eventful and exciting first day I had at Hebron yesterday with Eliana Smith! God truly prepared the way before us.
I showed up and parked on a side street, but was unsure of where the building actually was. After a quick, "Lord, show me where this place is" prayer, I saw Eliana pull around the corner. It's always nice to see God in the details. She pointed out the building across the street and, materials and signage in hand, we walked over together. We were saddened to see a lot packed with cars and wondered if perhaps they had changed the time to keep us guessing, but within a few seconds, a car was already pulling out. We stopped it, and the lady told us she had decided not to go through with it! Praise the Lord! It was a wonderful reminder that He is the one who truly does the work and that prayer is far more effective than we sometimes even realize. We took a moment to give God glory and pray that she would remain firm in her decision.
Throughout the time, I got to get to know Eliana better and I feel like I truly found a new friend! What a blessing her tenacity and passion was to me! We shared many of the same joys and frustrations and it was such an encouragement to know that I am not alone in many of my feelings. We had a wonderful iron-sharpening-iron session right there in the midst of ministry. And as we talked, I found out that she also grew up in Greenville, SC! This was exciting to me because I have felt God impressing on me the need for people to go out to the abortion mill in Greenville. God seems to be bringing more and more Greenville connections my way! Maybe someday we will be able to start a team there, too.
It was exciting to see how God is using Eliana and her Spanish-speaking ability. I would say 90 percent of the people we talked to were counselled by Eliana in Spanish! As a "newbie," she was understandably not yet completely comfortable with counselling and I was tickled on several occasions when she would look at me and in an almost panicked way ask, "What do I say?!" I said, "I have no idea what you have said, so I don't know!" :) Plus, I am usually on the mic and counselling is pretty new to me, too. So I just prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill her and I know God used her words, as it was evident the instant connection she had with each person, simply because she spoke their native tongue. Clearly Spanish-speaking counsellors are a definite need and that made one particular encounter all the more exciting. A lady in a minivan pulled into the lot and Eliana called out to her in Spanish. Without hesitation, she walked over with a calm, peaceful look on her face (rare for anyone headed to abort their baby).
Eliana spoke with her at length and updated me halfway through: "This lady is not here for an abortion. She just wanted to know if they were still doing them here. She had two abortions here and suffered horrible depression. That is what led her ultimately to Christ and now she just really wants to help other women." Wow! What a divine appointment! Eliana told me that the lady was quoting Scripture left and right and just truly seemed to love the Lord! How exciting that we may have one more Spanish-speaking counsellor whom we met right out on the frontlines, already eager to fight in this spiritual battle! We gave her a Cities4Life brochure so she can know better about the ministry.
Later we saw a fancy new car start to pull in the lot and as we approached, we saw an older man driving. We assumed it must be the abortionist until he rolled his window down and said, "I just love seeing you girls out here holding that sign!" We thanked him and I said, "Let me get you a brochure so you know who we are with." He gladly took it and said, "Well, let me give you one of mine, too!" It turned out that he is with a home called Lois' Lodge for women with unplanned pregnancies. What an encouragement to meet another warrior who is working on a complimentary front of the battle!
Most of the women and men we (or rather Eliana!) talked to seemed open and receptive. One man went back in to try to get his wife out, but I don't think he succeeded. He used the excuse that they don't even know if it was his baby. Of course, every baby is a valuable human life, made in God's image! And the baby should never be murdered to cover the sins of the mother. We saw many women reclining in the passenger seat in obvious pain, physically and emotionally. I spoke to a woman who had already aborted and she seemed open to hear us and took a Tiny Hands booklet and tract, but how difficult it is to speak with someone who has already murdered! It is so hard to know what to say. I pray she repents and sees what she did as evil. Overall, I was surprised how many booklets we were able to hand out and how receptive people were. There were several who would not talk to us and seemed to be so troubled, but only one young couple stood out to me as truly cold, hard, and completely God-hating. We tried to talk to them as they waited to pull out, but they didn't even look at us and only scoffed and laughed with each other when I pleaded with them and told them how their baby had been dismembered. Only God knows if it was a cover for their guilty consciences or if it was true hatred for God and anything to do with righteousness. Only God knows if there is still hope for them, and we just have to pray!
Of course, we also had the usual angry honks and profanity. But it seemed to be less than at Wendover and we just were on such a "spiritual high" that it didn't phase us in the least. One man hung out the passenger window of his car and yelled at us "F*** you!" along with a string of demonically-angry insults which I couldn't hear, so I just prayed for him and thought what a small way to take part in Christ's suffering this was. Being yelled at is nothing compared to what Jesus endured! Another man yelled out his window at me to "get a life," which I found ironic. If only the babies being murdered steps away had that choice. A few people waved at us and a couple delivery guys made small talk and seemed supportive of our work.
More and more, I realize the importance of preparation in this battle. It is so crucial to put on the "spiritual armor," as Ephesians 6:10-18 instructs us. I spent an hour in prayer and Bible reading before I left and I believe it made a big difference. In addition, I prayed whenever I thought about it in the days before and also on the way to the mill. It is usually so hard for me to discipline myself to spend this kind of time preparing, but I am seeing that it is crucial!
Going through the passage in a practical way may be helpful here:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. A reminder that it is GOD'S power through us. We do not have to be strong in ourselves. In fact, His strength is made perfect in our weakness, as Paul tells us (2 Corinthians 12:9)! 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Don't forget any one piece. They are all crucial to the battle. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Those of us not raised in charismatic circles forget this truth too easily. There is a hierarchy in Satan's kingdom and he is active in this world. At the abortion mill, that becomes very evident. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Again, a reminder to completely prepare! 14 Stand firm then, The phrase "stand firm" jumps out at me. If we go by feelings, none of us would be back out there after the first one or two times. Those times seem to be most intense as we are spiritually attacked for taking a stand. Our commitment to "go" is challenged heavily. I never felt that more than at Wendover! But stand firm! That is a command. with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, You know the Truth of Scripture. Have it handy so you can "hold yourself together" with it. with the breastplate of righteousness in place, Confess your sins so that God can fully use you for His glory. 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Be ready to share your faith, "in season" and "out of season" (2 Timothy 4:3)! Those on their way toward murdering their children definitely need the gospel and what better time to share it! The conscience is in overdrive and they know they are sinners. But always "wear your shoes" and be ready to "give an answer for the hope that lies within you" (1 Peter 3:15), no matter where you are. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Faith! Oh how much we need it on the frontlines when we are mocked, yelled at, and threatened...where we sometimes see no visible results. But faith that God is always glorified when we obey Him and that we will someday in eternity see the fruit of our labor is the only thing that truly brings peace and comfort on the darkest days. It is ALL about Him! 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The helmet of salvation protects us from any mortal wounds, and the sword of the Spirit is our true weapon! We do not fight with our own words and reasoning, but with the words of the Holy Spirit Himself, speaking through us! I will always be amused and amazed by this. When I start to think, "What am I going to say next? Oh no! Am I going to fail?" I suddenly stumble over my words and say stupid things. But when I get out of the way, pray for God to empty me of myself and of my pride and fill me with His Spirit, the words flow from my mouth in an organized, eloquent way that is totally beyond my own ability! It is not false humility to say that it is truly not me speaking, but God through me! What a privilege. And that power is available to anyone who asks.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. When? All the time. What? Everything! Be in a spirit of prayer! He is with us always and we should be in an ongoing conversation with Him, praying on behalf of all God's people and all those who need Him.
So, it was a great day yesterday! One of the memorable ones. One save, two divine appointments, encouraging words, and uplifting conversations. God is good! Please continue to pray for us and if you haven't seen firsthand what you are praying for, consider coming out at least one time! This is the holocaust of our time and we all can and should be involved in some way to put a stop to it. Some day, when abortion is outlawed in our nation, what part will you, a Christian saved by God's grace and spared from abortion yourself, have played?
I showed up and parked on a side street, but was unsure of where the building actually was. After a quick, "Lord, show me where this place is" prayer, I saw Eliana pull around the corner. It's always nice to see God in the details. She pointed out the building across the street and, materials and signage in hand, we walked over together. We were saddened to see a lot packed with cars and wondered if perhaps they had changed the time to keep us guessing, but within a few seconds, a car was already pulling out. We stopped it, and the lady told us she had decided not to go through with it! Praise the Lord! It was a wonderful reminder that He is the one who truly does the work and that prayer is far more effective than we sometimes even realize. We took a moment to give God glory and pray that she would remain firm in her decision.
Throughout the time, I got to get to know Eliana better and I feel like I truly found a new friend! What a blessing her tenacity and passion was to me! We shared many of the same joys and frustrations and it was such an encouragement to know that I am not alone in many of my feelings. We had a wonderful iron-sharpening-iron session right there in the midst of ministry. And as we talked, I found out that she also grew up in Greenville, SC! This was exciting to me because I have felt God impressing on me the need for people to go out to the abortion mill in Greenville. God seems to be bringing more and more Greenville connections my way! Maybe someday we will be able to start a team there, too.
It was exciting to see how God is using Eliana and her Spanish-speaking ability. I would say 90 percent of the people we talked to were counselled by Eliana in Spanish! As a "newbie," she was understandably not yet completely comfortable with counselling and I was tickled on several occasions when she would look at me and in an almost panicked way ask, "What do I say?!" I said, "I have no idea what you have said, so I don't know!" :) Plus, I am usually on the mic and counselling is pretty new to me, too. So I just prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill her and I know God used her words, as it was evident the instant connection she had with each person, simply because she spoke their native tongue. Clearly Spanish-speaking counsellors are a definite need and that made one particular encounter all the more exciting. A lady in a minivan pulled into the lot and Eliana called out to her in Spanish. Without hesitation, she walked over with a calm, peaceful look on her face (rare for anyone headed to abort their baby).
Eliana spoke with her at length and updated me halfway through: "This lady is not here for an abortion. She just wanted to know if they were still doing them here. She had two abortions here and suffered horrible depression. That is what led her ultimately to Christ and now she just really wants to help other women." Wow! What a divine appointment! Eliana told me that the lady was quoting Scripture left and right and just truly seemed to love the Lord! How exciting that we may have one more Spanish-speaking counsellor whom we met right out on the frontlines, already eager to fight in this spiritual battle! We gave her a Cities4Life brochure so she can know better about the ministry.
Later we saw a fancy new car start to pull in the lot and as we approached, we saw an older man driving. We assumed it must be the abortionist until he rolled his window down and said, "I just love seeing you girls out here holding that sign!" We thanked him and I said, "Let me get you a brochure so you know who we are with." He gladly took it and said, "Well, let me give you one of mine, too!" It turned out that he is with a home called Lois' Lodge for women with unplanned pregnancies. What an encouragement to meet another warrior who is working on a complimentary front of the battle!
Most of the women and men we (or rather Eliana!) talked to seemed open and receptive. One man went back in to try to get his wife out, but I don't think he succeeded. He used the excuse that they don't even know if it was his baby. Of course, every baby is a valuable human life, made in God's image! And the baby should never be murdered to cover the sins of the mother. We saw many women reclining in the passenger seat in obvious pain, physically and emotionally. I spoke to a woman who had already aborted and she seemed open to hear us and took a Tiny Hands booklet and tract, but how difficult it is to speak with someone who has already murdered! It is so hard to know what to say. I pray she repents and sees what she did as evil. Overall, I was surprised how many booklets we were able to hand out and how receptive people were. There were several who would not talk to us and seemed to be so troubled, but only one young couple stood out to me as truly cold, hard, and completely God-hating. We tried to talk to them as they waited to pull out, but they didn't even look at us and only scoffed and laughed with each other when I pleaded with them and told them how their baby had been dismembered. Only God knows if it was a cover for their guilty consciences or if it was true hatred for God and anything to do with righteousness. Only God knows if there is still hope for them, and we just have to pray!
Of course, we also had the usual angry honks and profanity. But it seemed to be less than at Wendover and we just were on such a "spiritual high" that it didn't phase us in the least. One man hung out the passenger window of his car and yelled at us "F*** you!" along with a string of demonically-angry insults which I couldn't hear, so I just prayed for him and thought what a small way to take part in Christ's suffering this was. Being yelled at is nothing compared to what Jesus endured! Another man yelled out his window at me to "get a life," which I found ironic. If only the babies being murdered steps away had that choice. A few people waved at us and a couple delivery guys made small talk and seemed supportive of our work.
More and more, I realize the importance of preparation in this battle. It is so crucial to put on the "spiritual armor," as Ephesians 6:10-18 instructs us. I spent an hour in prayer and Bible reading before I left and I believe it made a big difference. In addition, I prayed whenever I thought about it in the days before and also on the way to the mill. It is usually so hard for me to discipline myself to spend this kind of time preparing, but I am seeing that it is crucial!
Going through the passage in a practical way may be helpful here:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. A reminder that it is GOD'S power through us. We do not have to be strong in ourselves. In fact, His strength is made perfect in our weakness, as Paul tells us (2 Corinthians 12:9)! 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Don't forget any one piece. They are all crucial to the battle. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Those of us not raised in charismatic circles forget this truth too easily. There is a hierarchy in Satan's kingdom and he is active in this world. At the abortion mill, that becomes very evident. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Again, a reminder to completely prepare! 14 Stand firm then, The phrase "stand firm" jumps out at me. If we go by feelings, none of us would be back out there after the first one or two times. Those times seem to be most intense as we are spiritually attacked for taking a stand. Our commitment to "go" is challenged heavily. I never felt that more than at Wendover! But stand firm! That is a command. with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, You know the Truth of Scripture. Have it handy so you can "hold yourself together" with it. with the breastplate of righteousness in place, Confess your sins so that God can fully use you for His glory. 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Be ready to share your faith, "in season" and "out of season" (2 Timothy 4:3)! Those on their way toward murdering their children definitely need the gospel and what better time to share it! The conscience is in overdrive and they know they are sinners. But always "wear your shoes" and be ready to "give an answer for the hope that lies within you" (1 Peter 3:15), no matter where you are. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Faith! Oh how much we need it on the frontlines when we are mocked, yelled at, and threatened...where we sometimes see no visible results. But faith that God is always glorified when we obey Him and that we will someday in eternity see the fruit of our labor is the only thing that truly brings peace and comfort on the darkest days. It is ALL about Him! 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The helmet of salvation protects us from any mortal wounds, and the sword of the Spirit is our true weapon! We do not fight with our own words and reasoning, but with the words of the Holy Spirit Himself, speaking through us! I will always be amused and amazed by this. When I start to think, "What am I going to say next? Oh no! Am I going to fail?" I suddenly stumble over my words and say stupid things. But when I get out of the way, pray for God to empty me of myself and of my pride and fill me with His Spirit, the words flow from my mouth in an organized, eloquent way that is totally beyond my own ability! It is not false humility to say that it is truly not me speaking, but God through me! What a privilege. And that power is available to anyone who asks.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. When? All the time. What? Everything! Be in a spirit of prayer! He is with us always and we should be in an ongoing conversation with Him, praying on behalf of all God's people and all those who need Him.
So, it was a great day yesterday! One of the memorable ones. One save, two divine appointments, encouraging words, and uplifting conversations. God is good! Please continue to pray for us and if you haven't seen firsthand what you are praying for, consider coming out at least one time! This is the holocaust of our time and we all can and should be involved in some way to put a stop to it. Some day, when abortion is outlawed in our nation, what part will you, a Christian saved by God's grace and spared from abortion yourself, have played?
Friday, April 12, 2013
A Mounting Spiritual Battle
Today was a heavy day. I feel beaten down in my spirit for no particular reason. It is not that today's spiritual battle was so highly unusual or uniquely intense. Intense, yes. Unique, yes in the sense that they all are. But today was nothing that should throw my spirit down in the "body slam" that it has. It was just another untypically typical day down at the abortion mill, standing on the sidewalk offering hope, love, and judgement (yes, God speaks of that, too) to the women, and fighting on behalf of those "being led away to slaughter". But I believe what made today different was the spiritual warfare that is happening on a broader scale now in our nation, due to the horrific case of Kermitt Gosnell. And Satan's attacks are ramping up. It is a sign that he is feeling the threat to his vile kingdom. I ask that all Christians keep the sidewalk counsellors/missionaries in their prayers! I have spoken to others who are feeling equally beaten down. And I have heard that the tactic that the mainstream news will take is to claim that pro-life missionaries ("protesters" as they like to call us) are what is driving these women into such "houses of horror". Can you imagine anything so absurd and illogical? But now that they feel the pressure to actually cover the story of this mass murderer, they must spin it in a way that does not disparage their sacred cow.
Sadly, we did not have any confirmed saves today at the mill, though some did witness a woman crying for over 30 minutes and then leaving with her assumed boyfriend, who waved as they left. Believing in faith that this was a save is a comfort to this worn-out heart of mine. And I was also thankful today for the lack of rain! It blew over and left us with a sunny, breezy morning. Perfect outdoor weather! I was also blessed to have a great team today, despite Lisa and her family being sick and unable to come. A sidewalk preacher, Jesse Boyd, and his daughter came, along with a Daniel and Courtney Parks (?) who are regulars on Saturdays. We also had a new face out, as well as several others I had not yet met. It was especially encouraging to have strong men there to speak truth boldly. Sometimes the boldness seemed to me to cross a line and there was a time of intense back and forth between one man on our team and Lazarus (the bouncer who desperately needs to "rise from the dead"), but I know we were all praying for God to work through even that situation and I truly believe He did. And I am learning that even when we judge actions, we still do not fully know a heart and we must always give the benefit of the doubt while seeking to learn from both the positive and the negative interactions. Love can be the motivation for the too-extreme actions of both mercy and justice. I later saw it in reverse as another sidewalk counsellor (a lady this time) was far too understanding with a man who was claiming not all murder by abortion is wrong. All of us should be working to find that balance between mercy and justice, as God is a God of both mercy and justice and we seek to emulate Him, as He commands us to. But in our culture we tend to excuse the love that leans too heavily on the side of mercy...perhaps because our love for God and hatred for sin is just not strong enough. We have a serious problem understanding...or even wanting to understand...the incomprehensible holiness and righteousness of God!
One way that God used those "moments of raw humanity" today was to pull a man named Shamari outside to discuss abortion with us, as he felt we were being too judgemental. Poor, deceived Shamari talked in circles, obviously struggling with the Truth and not wanting to allow his conscience (or us) to "win" the argument. He was polite and kind, but so, so blinded! Caryn and I talked with him and finally had to leave the Holy Spirit to deal with him. But when I asked him to read Matthew 25 about the final judgement, he actually agreed and it was the first time he allowed me to speak freely and didn't interrupt with "reasoning". I felt the Holy Spirit was dealing with him strongly in that moment, so pray that the work is completed in his heart and that he will not continue to harden himself to the plain, simple truth.
Caryn shared with me her own heartbreak of today...a couple there to abort their baby due to doctor's "orders". She prayed with them and pleaded on behalf of the baby, but the father was apathetic and they were already convinced of the decision. After counselling them fruitlessly, she had to turn away and weep. How much will God hold these doctors accountable who tell these trusting women that their lives are in danger if they do not kill their own child! I do not believe that the circumstances are even usually as dire as they claim. However, even in such a case, who are doctors to "play God" and decide that the mother's life is more important than her helpless child's? Do any of us have the knowledge of God to be able to see His plans (Jeremiah 29:11)? Is it up to us to take on His role and decide who lives and who dies?
Another atrocity was the car that pulled in with their "Jesus fish" and cross firmly affixed to their trunk. When their hypocrisy was pointed out, they responded with obscene gestures and cursing. Despicable! These are the religious hypocrites Jesus condemned (Matthew 23)! They go to church on Sunday and sing lies of false praise to the idol-god made in their own image and then pull in the parking lot the next week to murder their innocent child! Their prayers are an abomination (Proverbs 28:9)! But, sadly, they are the rotten fruit of pastors that preach an "easy" gospel...a false "pray this prayer and you've got your golden ticket to heaven" gospel, which is contrary to what Jesus taught (Matthew 16:24-25). Every time they speak the precious name of my Savior, Jesus, they use His name in vain and break the third commandment because of the wicked testimony of their lives. May they repent and accept God's radical grace before it is too late for them!
Sadder still was the lady who came into the mobile ultrasound RV and saw her tiny twins on the monitor, but was apparently unmoved. Her car was seen back in the parking lot a few minutes later and she proceeded with her scheduled murder. Seeing her own flesh and blood on that screen did nothing to change her heart. Or perhaps it was pressure from her grandmother, who was also present, as many young women are told they have no choice and are horribly pressured into this horrific decision. It is sometimes hard to know the whole story, but we see the choice of murder and we grieve for the baby who had no choice whatsoever in the matter!
We left with heavy hearts, heavier than what is normal for all of us. Even my children felt the extra weight of the battle today. Again, I ask that you keep all of the sidewalk missionaries in your prayers in a special way over the next few weeks. We are under spiritual attack, as I believe the Gosnell case is a powerful testimony against abortion and gives support to the work we are doing. I believe this case could be a major spark in lighting a fire in the hearts of Christians across the country to put an end to the atrocity of abortion! Pray for faith to believe this can happen and then follow God's command to "rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter" (Proverbs 24:11).
Sadly, we did not have any confirmed saves today at the mill, though some did witness a woman crying for over 30 minutes and then leaving with her assumed boyfriend, who waved as they left. Believing in faith that this was a save is a comfort to this worn-out heart of mine. And I was also thankful today for the lack of rain! It blew over and left us with a sunny, breezy morning. Perfect outdoor weather! I was also blessed to have a great team today, despite Lisa and her family being sick and unable to come. A sidewalk preacher, Jesse Boyd, and his daughter came, along with a Daniel and Courtney Parks (?) who are regulars on Saturdays. We also had a new face out, as well as several others I had not yet met. It was especially encouraging to have strong men there to speak truth boldly. Sometimes the boldness seemed to me to cross a line and there was a time of intense back and forth between one man on our team and Lazarus (the bouncer who desperately needs to "rise from the dead"), but I know we were all praying for God to work through even that situation and I truly believe He did. And I am learning that even when we judge actions, we still do not fully know a heart and we must always give the benefit of the doubt while seeking to learn from both the positive and the negative interactions. Love can be the motivation for the too-extreme actions of both mercy and justice. I later saw it in reverse as another sidewalk counsellor (a lady this time) was far too understanding with a man who was claiming not all murder by abortion is wrong. All of us should be working to find that balance between mercy and justice, as God is a God of both mercy and justice and we seek to emulate Him, as He commands us to. But in our culture we tend to excuse the love that leans too heavily on the side of mercy...perhaps because our love for God and hatred for sin is just not strong enough. We have a serious problem understanding...or even wanting to understand...the incomprehensible holiness and righteousness of God!
One way that God used those "moments of raw humanity" today was to pull a man named Shamari outside to discuss abortion with us, as he felt we were being too judgemental. Poor, deceived Shamari talked in circles, obviously struggling with the Truth and not wanting to allow his conscience (or us) to "win" the argument. He was polite and kind, but so, so blinded! Caryn and I talked with him and finally had to leave the Holy Spirit to deal with him. But when I asked him to read Matthew 25 about the final judgement, he actually agreed and it was the first time he allowed me to speak freely and didn't interrupt with "reasoning". I felt the Holy Spirit was dealing with him strongly in that moment, so pray that the work is completed in his heart and that he will not continue to harden himself to the plain, simple truth.
Caryn shared with me her own heartbreak of today...a couple there to abort their baby due to doctor's "orders". She prayed with them and pleaded on behalf of the baby, but the father was apathetic and they were already convinced of the decision. After counselling them fruitlessly, she had to turn away and weep. How much will God hold these doctors accountable who tell these trusting women that their lives are in danger if they do not kill their own child! I do not believe that the circumstances are even usually as dire as they claim. However, even in such a case, who are doctors to "play God" and decide that the mother's life is more important than her helpless child's? Do any of us have the knowledge of God to be able to see His plans (Jeremiah 29:11)? Is it up to us to take on His role and decide who lives and who dies?
Another atrocity was the car that pulled in with their "Jesus fish" and cross firmly affixed to their trunk. When their hypocrisy was pointed out, they responded with obscene gestures and cursing. Despicable! These are the religious hypocrites Jesus condemned (Matthew 23)! They go to church on Sunday and sing lies of false praise to the idol-god made in their own image and then pull in the parking lot the next week to murder their innocent child! Their prayers are an abomination (Proverbs 28:9)! But, sadly, they are the rotten fruit of pastors that preach an "easy" gospel...a false "pray this prayer and you've got your golden ticket to heaven" gospel, which is contrary to what Jesus taught (Matthew 16:24-25). Every time they speak the precious name of my Savior, Jesus, they use His name in vain and break the third commandment because of the wicked testimony of their lives. May they repent and accept God's radical grace before it is too late for them!
Sadder still was the lady who came into the mobile ultrasound RV and saw her tiny twins on the monitor, but was apparently unmoved. Her car was seen back in the parking lot a few minutes later and she proceeded with her scheduled murder. Seeing her own flesh and blood on that screen did nothing to change her heart. Or perhaps it was pressure from her grandmother, who was also present, as many young women are told they have no choice and are horribly pressured into this horrific decision. It is sometimes hard to know the whole story, but we see the choice of murder and we grieve for the baby who had no choice whatsoever in the matter!
We left with heavy hearts, heavier than what is normal for all of us. Even my children felt the extra weight of the battle today. Again, I ask that you keep all of the sidewalk missionaries in your prayers in a special way over the next few weeks. We are under spiritual attack, as I believe the Gosnell case is a powerful testimony against abortion and gives support to the work we are doing. I believe this case could be a major spark in lighting a fire in the hearts of Christians across the country to put an end to the atrocity of abortion! Pray for faith to believe this can happen and then follow God's command to "rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter" (Proverbs 24:11).
Friday, March 8, 2013
Crazy Day at Latrobe
Now, the promised status update from the mill:
This morning started off with a well-intentioned man getting on the mic who signed the statement of faith Lisa gave him, but who we do not believe truly agrees with the doctrines of Christianity, due to a number of reasons. It is always difficult when we work for the same cause, but our ultimate cause (the Gospel) is different! We were all very concerned with the situation, but praise the Lord he did not deviate from the facts of abortion into shaky theological territory or outright heresy. Pray that God would win these kind people from other religions into his "fold" and that we could all be completely of one mind and one spirit in Jesus Christ!
Next on the list of events was a car that Annalise was able to stop. She and a man named Dan were able to talk to the girls inside for a minute until Lazarus, the bouncer, came tearing out of the parking lot and pulled up beside them. He was yelling at them, then got out and shoved Dan a couple times and held a fist in his face. We called the police and filed papers for the assault, while Lazarus fled somewhere (likely in the building), leaving his SUV in the parking lot. On the positive side, we didn't have to deal with his loud music the rest of the morning! The police officer strongly hinted that Dan should press charges, so pray that this would be one more crack in the foundation of this evil place. God WILL bring it down in His time! Many of us who minister together feel this very strongly in our spirits and are praying for this.
I watched the car drive down the road, praying that it would just keep on going, but a minute or two later I saw it come back and pull over. I walked very quickly down the road to meet with the girl as she got out. I asked her if she was there for an abortion and she replied that she was. I asked, "Can I pray over you before you go in there?" I put my arm around her and prayed that she would not go through with the abortion and that she would realize it was murder. The Holy Spirit moved me to gentleness, so every truth spoken with love was in a gentle tone. She was appreciative, but set in what she was about to do. She told me she had a child and no money for another. I told her about all our resources, about adoption, etc., but that was not what she wanted to do.
As she determinedly walked down the sidewalk toward the slaughter house, I asked if she knew it was murder, to which she replied, "yes" in a tone that said she couldn't think about that ugly reality and then she asked me to just not show her any pictures because she "had a weak stomach". So, naturally, I showed her pictures! I showed her the reality of abortion by confronting her with the truth...the picture of a tiny baby not much bigger than a dime, cut into tiny pieces. She was disturbed, but would not be moved. Pray for that girl that the conviction she feels would not go away until she repents. (This was one of my first "real" counselling moments and I was nervous! I'm usually on the mic. How is it that a microphone doesn't intimidate me but talking to someone one-on-one does? God equips us each for different jobs, I guess! But he wants us available for whatever He needs us for at the moment.)
Another lady and her daughter took a booklet from Wendy and were receptive, but unsuccessful in getting the lady they brought to come out. As far as we know, she went through with the abortion. Pray for this lady.
Finally, we had a very interesting conversation with a psychology major who just wanted to talk to us because he "respected what we were doing" even though he disagreed...at least that is what he claimed. But his body language and his tone of voice betrayed his conscience and we could hear the cognitive dissonance (all the rest of us being former psych major or minors ourselves ;) ) spilling out of him! Even Konur (11) told me later that he didn't seem to believe his own words. Pray for him to stop ignoring his conscience and believing the lies he knows he is accepting! He had brought his girlfriend. We asked why she couldn't give the baby up for adoption and were told she wouldn't care for her baby while pregnant the baby would end up with fetal alcohol syndrome. He said a baby like that should not live, to which Lisa replied that her own daughter, Annalise, has FAS. She brought her over and introduced her, asking "Pete" if he believed she didn't deserve to live. It was an uncomfortable moment for Pete. ;) There were many other interesting moments in that conversation, including a brief deconstruction of relativism, as he claimed all our reasonings were just "your truth, but not mine", to which I replied that his green shirt was red because that was MY truth.
Well, one last "finally", actually. As we drove home and "debriefed", praying for all the varied situations we encountered today, we nearly got in another car accident in the SAME spot as last time! It's a very bad entry onto the highway that runs right into an exit ramp and another car couldn't decide what lane to be in and nearly caused an accident! I'm thankful I was alert enough to get out of the way and that God protected us.
Now this, my Christian friends, is what an exciting Friday looks like! Who wouldn't want to experience these stories? Are they tragic? Yes, many are. But the excitement of the one or two saves or hopeful cases outweighs it all! And even in the tragedies, when you know you are planting seeds and you truly have real hope in Jesus Christ, you know that you ARE making an eternal impact, whether you see it or not. If we focus on the death of babies, we are giving into Satan and allowing him to discourage us from this ministry. Our focus, even in the midst of so much death and tragedy, is the hope that lies within us (1 Peter 3:15)! It is the hope that is offered for these young moms, regardless of whether or not they go through with murder, that we have to cling to. And even the one or two saves a day which seem so insignificant compared with the losses will multiply, as those babies will someday have babies of their own. Who will we meet in heaven someday who is there because we stood up for life today? Praise the Lord he uses weak ones like us to do abundantly more than we could ask or think!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)