The Power of Forgiveness- An October Baby Review

I have never written a movie review before, so just bear with me a bit as I make my first attempt. :)

Before reading this, you should watch the trailer to get a little bit of context:

Leaving this movie, my head was full of so many emotions, I had a hard time sorting them all out. I felt joy at the movie's message and conclusion and sorrow at the pain that makes this kind of film necessary in the first place. Most of all I felt thankful for having a loving and merciful God who blesses me beyond belief.

I want to talk a little bit about what this movie got right, what made it special, and why I think everyone who cares about the issue of abortion or who has questions about it should see this movie.

First of all, the film was wonderfully written with a talented and passionate cast. So often when you think of "Christian" films, we picture low budget quality production and actors. This was definitely not the case with October Baby. The writing was great, the production quality impressive, and the cast was incredible. I was truly impressed by how everything was brought together. It was simply a great and entertaining movie. For that reason alone it is worth watching.

Secondly, October Baby was not "preachy." It didn't have any rhetoric or condemning language. Although it was obviously written by those with a passion for Life and with the intent of changing hearts and minds about the abortion issue, the power of this movie is that it simply told a story. It shared the story of issues and struggles that, unfortunately, many men, women, and families have gone through before. It humanized the issue, taking it from one of arguments and political talking points, and putting it into the perspective of the men and women who are affected the deepest by abortion.

Lastly, the film was centered on the idea of forgiveness. I think this is something many struggle with in the pro-life movement. I know that sometimes I have a hard time understanding what motivates a women to make a certain choice or what drives someone to work at an abortion facility. Sometimes my lack of understanding can turns to anger and I find it hard to love others the way I should. This film reminded me that we are all sinners and are all in need of forgiveness. God has been gracious enough to give me a second chance and to forgive me and, in response, I should love and forgive others in the same way, through Christ.

I left October Baby with a renewed sense of purpose and an even stronger passion to work for Life. It's amazing what an impact a simply story can have when it is full of truth, love, and hope. I pray that each of you has an opportunity to see this film and share in this wonderful and inspiring experience.

On a side note, I found the story of the actress who played the main character's birth mother to be especially inspiring. It was a great reminder that God truly works in mysterious ways and leads us to exactly where we need to be. Check it out!

Jarrod and Laura Live @ Chicken Oil!!

And now for something totally different.....

My friend Jarrod and I did our first open mic on Thursday. We had been talking about doing something like this for years and finally decided that now was the time! Here is a few songs from the end of our set. We will probably do it again soon and work on recording some stuff without all the background noise :) Enjoy!

If our God is for us... who could stand against!

This is a fantastic video created by my friend Josh of our trip to March for Life. The images and experiences he captured fit perfectly with the words of song. It was just what I needed to remind myself once again that God is on our side and that He has already won the ultimate victory! At the same time, he calls each of us to fight the good fight and press on towards the goal of a society that respects and honors life at all stages! Thank you so much for joining me in this fight!

LFL Statement on the Mandate of the Department of Health and Human Services

"Lutherans For Life stands firmly with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the Roman Catholic Bishops, the Southern Baptist Convention, other Evangelical leaders, and other religious organizations in strongly opposing the recently-promulgated Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rules requiring that religious organizations provide contraception and abortifacients to their employees.

The morality of contraception is not the issue. The issue is religious freedom as given by God and secured by the First Amendment to the Constitution. The proposed HHS rules directly infringe free exercise of religion by requiring religious groups to do what many believe God forbids them to do. Not only Roman Catholics, but many others as well, oppose contraception; and many Lutherans oppose on religious grounds any so called “contraceptive” that in reality is an abortifacient in nature and could destroy a developing human being. These religious groups, and the many individuals who support them, should not be compelled to subsidize a practice they believe to be immoral and, in some instances, murder.

The Obama Administration’s “compromise,” by which religious organizations’ insurance companies will pay for contraception, is no compromise at all and is totally unacceptable. This is a matter of religious conviction, and that which we must not pay for directly, we must not subsidize indirectly.

The Administration’s offer of additional time for compliance reflects a gross misunderstanding of our objection. This is not a matter of time; it is a matter of conscience and obedience to God. We cannot and will not disobey God, neither now nor later.

No one is compelled to work for a religious organization. Those who choose to do so are fully aware of the religious nature of the organization. Those who find the compensation package unacceptable are free to work elsewhere.

We urge the Obama Administration to repeal these proposed regulations; we urge Congress to enact legislation requiring the repeal of these proposed regulations; and we will join with religious organizations who refuse to follow these regulations if they become law. Like the Hebrew midwives of Exodus 1 who refused to obey the Pharaoh’s command to slay Hebrew babies, as stated in Acts 5:29 and the Augsburg Confession, “We must obey God rather than men.”

Fantastic Summary of the March for Life

I found this video while perusing some pro-life blogs, and thought it summed up why we march perfectly! Enjoy!

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!

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!"