I found this video while perusing some pro-life blogs, and thought it summed up why we march perfectly! Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Images from the March for Life
The weekend for Life culminated Monday with the March for Life, one of the largest organized protests in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers from around the nation (and the world!) marched from Capitol Hill to the Supreme Court, along Constitution Ave. to protest abortion and mark the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. Words cannot really express how powerful it was to see wave after wave of people standing together for the most underrepresented and exploited population in history: the unborn. Here are a few images from the event to give you an idea. Despite the cold, rainy conditions, there was still a great turnout and I know that even if we don't hear about it, a difference was made by our presence.
 | |
| Panoramic view of the pre-March Rally crowd |
 | |
| Look! Even the Canadians showed up! |
 | |
| My buddy group did such a great job... I'm so proud! |
Sunday, January 22, 2012
The Generation to End Abortion
Today we attended the 2012 Students for Life of America National Conference. I have been actively involved in the pro-life movement for almost five years now, but I have never been as inspired as I was today. There was something so powerful about seeing 2,000 youth taking the time to learn about all the opportunities out there to save lives and effect change. The conference is now officially the largest national pro-life conference and it was attended primarily by students in high school and college. The day-long event was a roller coaster of emotions for me. There were moments when I was convicted, moments when I sorrowed, and moments when I was so filled with joy and hope that my eyes filled with tears and I couldn't help but smile. We heard stories from post-abortive women, former abortionists and clinic workers, doctors, pastors, lawyers and leaders of pro-life nonprofits from throughout the country. Each had a specific reason for joining the movement and a unique approach to ending abortion. Through workshops and presentations, the students were given the opportunity to hear about real work being done and the successes that have been made.
I attended a workshop that focused on the work that would still need to be done even after Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton are finally overturned. The panel included representatives from Care Net, Feminists for Life, Room at the Inn, and Students for Life's Pregnant on Campus initiative. There was definitely an emphasis put on pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes and, since that is where a lot of my passion lies, I was particularly inspired by their stories. I was blown away by all the innovation going on in the field and the new ways in which centers, like those affiliated by Care Net, are reaching out to the most vulnerable, abortion-minded populations: college-age women. It was amazing to hear about the success we can have if we are willing to reach out to women where they are, by providing the resources they need and delivering our message in new and innovative ways. For example, instead of focusing on pregnancy, one clinic is being pro-active and opened a sexual health center, providing free STI testing. Their theory is that by reaching students before they get pregnant, they can prevent the need to even consider an abortion or, if a pregnancy does occur, establish relationships that the women know that can turn to for help. It is ideas like this that will help bring this movement forward and continue the momentum of progress.
One of the most successful aspects of the conference, in my opinion, was that it presented a great variety of opportunities for getting involved in the pro-life movement. There was literally a place for everyone and an approach that resonated with them individually. This is a great truth of the pro-life movement. No matter what your gifts are, no matter where you are in your life, there is a unique way in which you can work to end abortion. If your gifts are in your ability to build relationships, you can reach out to women facing an unplanned pregnancy simply by lending an ear to hear and a shoulder to cry on. If your gift is with words, you can help by effectively sharing the message of life with those who need to hear it most. No matter what God has called you to in your life, there is something you can do. Today I saw a group of young people begin to believe their ability to do great things, through the power of Christ. I saw a generation ready to take up the call and mobilize to end the injustice of abortion and I believe that we are poised for success in this fight. I pray that you, too, will find your place within this wonderful cause and that you will answer that call with a resounding "YES!"
I attended a workshop that focused on the work that would still need to be done even after Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton are finally overturned. The panel included representatives from Care Net, Feminists for Life, Room at the Inn, and Students for Life's Pregnant on Campus initiative. There was definitely an emphasis put on pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes and, since that is where a lot of my passion lies, I was particularly inspired by their stories. I was blown away by all the innovation going on in the field and the new ways in which centers, like those affiliated by Care Net, are reaching out to the most vulnerable, abortion-minded populations: college-age women. It was amazing to hear about the success we can have if we are willing to reach out to women where they are, by providing the resources they need and delivering our message in new and innovative ways. For example, instead of focusing on pregnancy, one clinic is being pro-active and opened a sexual health center, providing free STI testing. Their theory is that by reaching students before they get pregnant, they can prevent the need to even consider an abortion or, if a pregnancy does occur, establish relationships that the women know that can turn to for help. It is ideas like this that will help bring this movement forward and continue the momentum of progress.
One of the most successful aspects of the conference, in my opinion, was that it presented a great variety of opportunities for getting involved in the pro-life movement. There was literally a place for everyone and an approach that resonated with them individually. This is a great truth of the pro-life movement. No matter what your gifts are, no matter where you are in your life, there is a unique way in which you can work to end abortion. If your gifts are in your ability to build relationships, you can reach out to women facing an unplanned pregnancy simply by lending an ear to hear and a shoulder to cry on. If your gift is with words, you can help by effectively sharing the message of life with those who need to hear it most. No matter what God has called you to in your life, there is something you can do. Today I saw a group of young people begin to believe their ability to do great things, through the power of Christ. I saw a generation ready to take up the call and mobilize to end the injustice of abortion and I believe that we are poised for success in this fight. I pray that you, too, will find your place within this wonderful cause and that you will answer that call with a resounding "YES!"
The Spiritual War for Life
For the first day of our Pro-Life adventure in Washington, D.C, I expected a lot of things. I expected to meet a large group of people fired-up and passionate about life, I expected to hear from and be inspired by some of the leaders of the pro-life movement, and I expected to end the day full of hope for the future. Although all of these expectations were realized, the way in which they occurred were far from my original thoughts. Some unexpected events left me with a new appreciation for the true battle we are fighting and renewed resolve to continue in the fight and, more importantly, to fight in the right way.
The first event on our itinerary for the weekend was the first ever March for Life Youth Rally. The event started out great. We had already heard several passionate speeches and presentations from some prominent pro-life leaders and the crowd of around one thousand people was really starting to get fired-up. But something would happen that would quickly change the course of the evening. In the middle of one of the presentations, a group of pro-choice protesters, who had been hiding throughout the audience, stood up and began yelling and chanting things such as "its my body, my right," and "pro-life, what a lie, you don't care if women die."
At first, I thought the demonstration was a joke, or some kind of skit to teach us a lesson or make a point. It quickly became apparent, however, that this was no joke and with that realization came a whole slew of emotions: angry, fear, and sadness. Just seconds after the demonstration began, someone in the audience yelled out "Start praying!" Almost instantaneously, the crowd began praying, led by Lila Rose (founder of Live Action), who could barely be heard above the protesters' cries. As soon as the praying began, I was struck by an awesome feeling that something deeper was going on within the room and that we were witnessing an event of spiritual warfare. The most powerful thing, however, came as the crowd erupted in cheers and the protesters left the room (some escorted out, others by their own choice). In that moment, there was a sense of victory in the room, that a battle had been fought and the power of prayer had prevailed.
When the group debriefed later in the evening, there seemed to be a new appreciation for just how intense the fight for life can be at times and for how high the stakes are. Many of the students were upset and disturbed by the anger and hatred displayed by the protesters. Some even recalled fearing that a violent confrontation may occur. I remember feeling sorry for the protesters, who had so much misguided anger. However, the response of the pro-life crowd showed a key difference between the two groups. When faced with hatred and anger, we responded with prayer. When placed in direct confrontation with the very cause that had brought us together, we did not respond with hate, but rather with love. The result was an invigorated crowd, ready to take up our cause by changing hearts and minds. As one student put it, who found the experience particularly powerful in a positive way, "we talk about what we’re fighting against…., but we’re fighting against spiritual powers…. And we’re winning!”
The first event on our itinerary for the weekend was the first ever March for Life Youth Rally. The event started out great. We had already heard several passionate speeches and presentations from some prominent pro-life leaders and the crowd of around one thousand people was really starting to get fired-up. But something would happen that would quickly change the course of the evening. In the middle of one of the presentations, a group of pro-choice protesters, who had been hiding throughout the audience, stood up and began yelling and chanting things such as "its my body, my right," and "pro-life, what a lie, you don't care if women die."
At first, I thought the demonstration was a joke, or some kind of skit to teach us a lesson or make a point. It quickly became apparent, however, that this was no joke and with that realization came a whole slew of emotions: angry, fear, and sadness. Just seconds after the demonstration began, someone in the audience yelled out "Start praying!" Almost instantaneously, the crowd began praying, led by Lila Rose (founder of Live Action), who could barely be heard above the protesters' cries. As soon as the praying began, I was struck by an awesome feeling that something deeper was going on within the room and that we were witnessing an event of spiritual warfare. The most powerful thing, however, came as the crowd erupted in cheers and the protesters left the room (some escorted out, others by their own choice). In that moment, there was a sense of victory in the room, that a battle had been fought and the power of prayer had prevailed.
When the group debriefed later in the evening, there seemed to be a new appreciation for just how intense the fight for life can be at times and for how high the stakes are. Many of the students were upset and disturbed by the anger and hatred displayed by the protesters. Some even recalled fearing that a violent confrontation may occur. I remember feeling sorry for the protesters, who had so much misguided anger. However, the response of the pro-life crowd showed a key difference between the two groups. When faced with hatred and anger, we responded with prayer. When placed in direct confrontation with the very cause that had brought us together, we did not respond with hate, but rather with love. The result was an invigorated crowd, ready to take up our cause by changing hearts and minds. As one student put it, who found the experience particularly powerful in a positive way, "we talk about what we’re fighting against…., but we’re fighting against spiritual powers…. And we’re winning!”
Sometimes in the fight for Life we are faced with circumstances and confrontations that draw strong emotional responses. We are human and oftentimes our first reaction is to lash out in anger and frustration. It is so important to remember, however, to respond with love, to not rise to anger, and to pray for those who persecute us. One student expressed it this way: "The more time I spend around pro-choice people, the sorrier I feel for them. If you don’t have God, you only have whatever strength you can get from yourself… it's really sad.” Praise God that our strength comes from our Heavenly Father and that through His strength we have the power to win this battle and see an end to this evil!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)