A Ray of Light for Charlottesville

Hello everyone,

40 Days for Life is almost upon us and sometimes it's hard to muster the courage and energy to confront the dark cloud of abortion that hangs over this nation. However, occasionally a ray of light shines through the darkness to remind us that God is still there and His love is triumphant.

When I moved to Charlottesville this summer I met a couple men who had been standing outside of Planned Parenthood for years. In fact, one of them had been standing for so long that he was starting to question his service. He said to me, "It's very rare that I get any positive feedback." I told him that it was a small town, but I knew from my experience in Houston that lives were being changed simply by the presence of men and women outside of the abortion clinic praying and handing out literature.

No sooner had he crossed the street than a woman pulled up into the Planned Parenthood parking lot and started yelling at me. At first I thought she angry with me... but then she told me she wanted to tell me something. She pointed to the backseat of her car and said she had a grandson in a car seat that was alive because people were standing outside of the clinic and she wanted to say "thank you".

I ran across the street to the parking lot where my friend was parked to tell him the good news... but God wasn't done!

A week later a young woman pulled off the side of the road to tell me that she too had changed her mind because people were standing outside of the clinic. This time I was prepared and I asked if I could get pictures of her baby so that we could see with our own eyes why we stand. All the pictures are of her beautiful baby girl.

I'm also including the email she sent me (see below) since it was intended for everyone who stands in the rain and in the hot sun and suffers the slings and arrows of those who wish to persecute the innocent. So when your feet start to hurt and your back begins to ache just remember this sweet baby is alive today because a group of people overcame their fears, anxieties, and personal plans to help others.

And not just the babies... but the mothers and fathers whose lives are forever changed by the miracle of childbirth. And the generations of Americans who we will never meet that will trace their family tree to ancestors who survived abortion because God sent his very best into the battlefield.

-Steve

Hello Steve,

I remember speaking with you that day. I'm not sure why I was so inclined to stop and speak to you but remember feeling like I needed to tell someone my story, someone who changed my thought process when I was trying to decide whether or not I should carry my child to term.

I cannot thank you and others like you enough for standing up for what you believe in, because had it not been for you all I may have made a horrible decision and terminated my pregnancy. My girl is my entire world, and everything I do now is so that I can create a better life for her.

Please, do not stop doing what you are doing. I know it may seem like your messages are falling on deaf eyes and blind eyes, but I can assure you that me and my daughter are proof of the power that you all have. I am attaching some pictures of her, so enjoy! She just turned 4 months old.

”Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.” -Orison Swett Marden