40 Days for Life Party: Subs, Stories, Stats, & Sundaes

Amidst a sea of light pink and blue, preachers, ministers, prayer warriors, and their families came together to celebrate the success of the Spring 40 Days for Life campaign in Richmond, VA, and 246 other locations throughout the world last week. We had subs for supper, listened to some truly miraculous stories about how God worked in and through people praying at the vigil, were caught up on the most recent stats for the 40 Days for Life campaign since it began in September 2007, and then we had ice cream sundaes.

    
As a gift to the two national leaders and co-founders of 40 Days for Life, David Bereit and Shawn Carney, our local campaign leader (aka my mom), put together a binder filled with the names and hours people had prayed at our local vigil. During the evening, we were invited to write about our personal experiences at the vigil in the book, so it would serve as a nice memento for our fearless leaders that their discernment to pray for the end of abortion many years ago continues to reap blessings thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.

    
It was wonderful to see and catch up with the people who had come together many weeks ago to plan the local Spring campaign, and who have been praying at the vigil faithfully, though usually at other times from when I could be there.

    
“For those who hesitate for whatever reason, the gift of saving these unborn babies we get back tenfold just by being there,” my husband said. This from the man who reluctantly first became involved in our local prayer vigil a few years ago. He also has pointed out how being involved in 40 Days for Life has strengthened old friendships and created new ones.

    
All participants I’ve spoken with who prayed at the vigil regularly mentioned something about how God used the time to bring them closer to Him. I’ve found that to be the case this year as much as it has been true in previous campaigns. I guess that makes sense since time in prayer, time in communion with the Lord, when we’re open to His will and “still small voice” will bring us closer to Him and transform us from the inside out to become more loving.

   
 Lord, thank You for the countless miracles and many blessings You have brought about in our lives through 40 Days for Life. Amen.

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