Day 36 - after vigil ends?

Below is a memory from a "visit between vigils" - it's hard to fathom as we vigil at the abortion clinic that it was open before these 40 days began.  It has been open for far too long.
i heard a pastor ask a woman this past Sunday how he could pray for her.  She responded without hesitation, "You could pray Colossians 1:9 for me."
& although this passage was written about a group of believers, if you are lacking the words to pray, i invite you to pray Colossians 1:9 - for all those requiring rescuing from the horrendous hurt and death that abortion brings, and please pray too, for those Christ followers who can't be silent and so continue to vigil and pray at the abortion clinics during 40 Days for Life.
 
"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you.  We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance of patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.  For he has (*he CAN) rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of sins."  - Colossians 1:9-14

picnic in the park

My friend was already at the park when we pulled up. 
She was pushing her giggling son on the swing set in the green grassy playground across the street from the abortion clinic.   The big shady trees provided reprieve from the blazing sun.  Such a different scene from my first visit all those months ago when the icy cold still held the world in it's steel grip and the sidewalks were treacherous skating rinks. 
i can't drive down Crowchild now without my heart being pulled to that building.
We leave our children running and playing - pink cheeked and laughing at the park...
And each carrying our youngest, we walk to the corner to pray. 
Oh God - give me ears to hear Your Voice...
"Just stand there... and pray... and hurt... and weep...."  He seems to say. 
so i do. 

Day 35 - closed doors

Repost from a previous campaign - we are counting down the final days of our vigil. If you have a story to share, please send it using the "contact us" tab at the top of this blog. We are planning our closing celebration for Sunday, November 4th, 2012 from 2:30-4pm. We'd love to see you there to celebrate what God has done during these 40 Days and to encourage each other to continue until we see an end to abortion.

*please note - we are having some issues with the event page for our closing celebration on facebook. It is not displaying the correct date and time - please spread the word that the correct time is the one noted above.

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i didn't make it to the kensington clinic until late in the afternoon. When i got there, the last cars were pulling out of the parking lot. The Canadian flag fluttered in the breeze beside me as i stood on the grass to pray.
At 5pm, a man brought out the garbage bags, and others closed the heavy gate that blocks the parking lot.
And as that building closed it's doors for the day... nurses drove home, business completed, jobs accomplished...
i stood on the street corner and prayed... that i would see the day that they would never open again. 

Day 34 - 105 minutes, 40 Days

Beautiful post from an Ottawa vigiler.

 

*warning - there are graphic images on some of the webpages linked to in this post.

 

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by catholic mouse (ottawa vigil)

 

 

 

I find a spot on the sidewalk, next to three sisters with umbrellas and a man with a sign.

Already, I’m starting to freeze.

 

(Is it the temperature, or the knowledge of what has happened right under my nose?)

 

A stream of the everyday – cars, trucks, passersby – flows up and down the street.

 

(Cunningham’s “our streets run red” quote* comes to mind. I shiver.)

 

A girl about my age makes eye contact with me from the bus window.

 

(What could she be thinking?)

 

A pre-Halloween princess scrambles to catch up with her mother, across the road.

 

(You shouldn’t have to see this, sweetheart. Would that there was no need for…us.)

 

“Hail Mary, full of grace…” from the three beside me. Wet streaks down my nose and cheeks.

 

(Father, forgive us, for we know not what we’ve done.)

 

I feel like time has stopped for the few of us.

 

(Life goes on for the rest…can’t you see something is wrong!? We shouldn’t NEED to be here!)

 

I don’t need this…my biggest concern today should be grades and parties, not genocide!

 

(The apathy is killing me. But am I begging them to stand up so I don’t have to?)

 

A man in a silver car – he pauses, looks at us, shrugs and drives away.

 

(What does he know?)

 

Behind us, a little boy, so full of love for his life, laughs and runs from his big sister.

 

(How many more will be denied moments like this because WE can’t act?)

 

Another man looks out from his van…a split-second-glance, a dropped jaw, and he’s off.

 

(What is he unable to face?)

 

A young father stops his stroller in front of the door. He looks up…way up…to the third floor!

 

(Were they two of the lucky ones?)

 

A couple stops to peer into the window of the jewelry store.

 

(I want to shout at them – “Have you ever thought about the building next door?”)

 

A pair of teenage girls can hardly walk for laughing…at…whatever was on my mind at 15.

 

(How many of their sisters and friends have been inside?)

 

I close my eyes and try to pray again.

 

(All I can see are the tiny, crushed limbs…the faces I stand behind every week.)

 

Only I can hear an impassioned voice – “There’s friends we’re never going to get to meet…”

 

(Oh…God…how could this be happening?)

 

A few more tears…this may be the only time I have openly grieved for what the world has lost.

 

(And even more, for those who do not know enough to care, or care enough to know.)

 

 

 

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*"the sewers of our cities run red with the blood of our children.” - gregg cunningham

Day 33 - october baby

A bunch of us from my church went and saw the movie October Baby on Saturday night. i didn't know what to expect - but  the testimony at the end was a powerful story of God's forgiveness and redemptive love...
It was honestly - so - beautiful.
We'll be looking at having it play at another location in the near future - if you're interested, leave a comment and we'll keep you posted.

Day 32 - Do you believe?

Beautiful update and pictures from our midpoint rally! Mark our closing celebration on your calendar: Sunday, November 4th 2012 from 2:30-4 at the West Hillhurst Community Center. See you there!

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by fawne

This battle we face--the fight for life--is often hard and lonely and even downright discouraging at times. I stand on the small space of sidewalk across from the abortion clinic and wonder if my prayers are doing one single thing. Often, there is no evidence of change. Despite my begging prayers that this woman, the next woman, the woman after her, will not open that door and walk inside...most of the time the door still opens and shuts behind her. I am across the street and cannot hear the dull thud of it closing...but I do not need to be over there to feel it right down to my core. Bang. Another death. Bang. Another defeat. Bang. Another loss.

The other day you gathered....those of you who ache to see abortion end....





And you worshiped God together.....



And shared the joys you have experienced and the change you have seen through prayer.



And I witnessed your faithfulness...and today as I sit and pound out words I think about twelve men who are a lot like you.

These men were asked to go on a mission. Is it not the same with you? With me? Hasn't God asked us to go on a mission for the unborn? To be a voice? To intercede with prayer? To plead for justice and to show love and mercy? Did you begin this mission with zeal and excitement?

These twelve men did. They charged into their "calling" and were faithful for 40 days. 40 DAYS! And then ten of them stopped focusing on the greatness of God and started focusing on the seemingly insurmountable walls of the enemy. (Numbers 13, 14)

Can you relate to that feeling? I sure can.


Sometimes I want to quit. I don't want the weight on my shoulders anymore. I don't want to pray without seeing results any longer. The wall I am asked to scale seems to high. The burden I'm called to bear feels too heavy. I cannot see the greatness of God anymore because I'm focused on the impossible-ness of the mission.

I have forgotten who my God is. I have quickly forgotten the way He rescued me from my enemy. I have forgotten that I use to be in BONDAGE but now I am FREE. I have forgotten the miracles, the parting of the Red Sea, the manna on the ground and the water gushing from the rock.



And here....in this hard place....this place of decision....what will I do? Will I choose to believe that the God who sent me on this mission is accomplishing His purpose or will I only see the clinic door as it opens and shuts....yet again?!

I want to be a Joshua. I want to be a Caleb. I want to believe, to be fully confident that the God who sends people on missions (whether it is to spy out a land or whether it is to pray for a miracle across the street from an abortion clinic)....this God, is the God of the impossible.

Last Saturday, I saw some Calebs and some Joshuas....and I take courage from their example. The "walls" we attempt to scale may be high. The enemy we fight against may be strong. But all my fears and insecurities crumble in the presence of the great I AM!