Commentary by David Bereit, National Director, 40 Days for Life
September 24, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – You know 40 Days for Life is off to a great start when there's a report of a baby saved from abortion—at a pre-campaign kickoff event!
The 40 Days for Life team in St. Louis began a day of preparation prior to the campaign with prayer at a local church, followed by more prayer on the sidewalk in front of the Planned Parenthood abortion center—prayer that was joined by more than 100 people.
At the St. Louis kickoff rally that evening, “we sang, prayed and had a chance to meet many new people,” said local coordinator Brian Westbrook. “God truly blessed us with an exciting night.”
But the excitement was just beginning. At the end of the long day, Brian went home, checked his e-mail and found this message:
“I just wanted to let you know that today just before we left the clinic, as we were wrapping up and praying together, one of the sidewalk counselors came over and let us know that a couple who had gone into the clinic in the morning had just left and decided to keep their baby. So praise God, I believe that's the first fruits of what's to come over the next 40 days.”
Brian said, “What an incredible start to these 40 Days for Life. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us this fall. Keep praying and fasting and one day we will see an end to abortion.”
Positive reports from kickoff events and news stories about 40 Days for Life are pouring in from across North America as the campaign is getting off to an incredible start in over 200 locations.
Some of these locations have just been visited by 40 Days for Life's campaign director Shawn Carney, who got to meet many enthusiastic people in South Bend, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Indiana, before heading back home to help kick off his local 40 Days for Life campaign in Bryan/College Station, Texas.
Yes, this 40 Days for Life campaign is indeed getting off to a fast start. But 40 Days for Life is also getting off to a small start. And that's a good thing, too.
Let me explain …
God is already providing what a member of our Buffalo, New York team calls “small successes.”
Liz's pastor permitted her to speak about 40 Days for Life at church last Sunday. After she finished, the pastor added his own endorsement of 40 Days for Life.
After church, about 80 people signed up to pray and fast for an end to abortion—including ten people who registered for a prayer shift at the vigil outside the abortion center.
Imagine if that happened at every church in every 40 Days for Life community. And it could!
Why not ask your pastor if information about 40 Days for Life can be presented to your church? Those small successes could add up pretty quickly!
I am confident that over the course of these 40 days, that God's victories will multiply over and over again. Please continue to hold this 40 Days for Life effort in your prayers.
Find out more about 40 Days for Life here.