March for Life 2013

Zoe and Christina at the March for Life 2013

While at the March For Life in Washington DC this year I encountered many, many amazing pro-life speakers and apostolates. However there was one person in particular that moved me to tears and made my heart rise into my throat as she spoke. "I survived Roe Vs. Wade but Roe Vs. Wade will NOT survive me!" were the words proclaimed by a young 12-year-old girl named Zoe.

As I listened to her passionate cry for an end to abortion and listened to the cheers of the huge crowd united in purpose and passion echoing her, I asked myself this question. What can we do to ensure that Zoe's children do not have to grow up in a country that does not protect unborn children? This is the answer I came up with.

We must Unite, Encourage and Unify In Our Purpose. The opposite of that is to Divide, Discourage and Distract, which is what the enemy does to pro-life ministries and apostolates.

We Must Unite

The enemy divides us using Selfishness. It causes persons to say “do it my way or no way” because my way is best. Lack of Fellowship says you go your way and I’ll go my way because I will not share any of my resources. This is why we still have not found a cure for breast cancer. The labs have patented their research; they do not share their work or their findings or their resources to accomplish their common goal. They are competitors and not co-workers. However, I would propose that it is in sharing that we would cover more ground and get faster results. Together we can be much more powerful than working alone.

Let us be Co-workers not competitors. When we disassociate ourselves because someone has hurt our feelings or slighted us, we allow ourselves to separate from the pack. It's like a lion that separates a gazelle from the pack. It is easier to attack when it is on it's own. We are divided and eventually we fall from disappointments, discouragements, distractions and division. We are all flawed, so it is not easy to work together but if we want to overturn Roe Vs Wade, we must find a way.

Blessed Mother Theresa said that when Christ draws us close to Himself, the thorns on His crown will pierce our forehead as He leans in to kiss our cheek. There is suffering in this life and I am guessing that in Pro-life ministry there is a lot of suffering. Why? There are two reasons. One, many people in the pro-life movement are part of the walking wounded. They know the pain and ache of abortion and that’s why they want to help bring an end to it. Secondly, because Christ suffers in seeing the murder of the innocent unborn and the lack of reverence for life by those that participate in it. If you give your life to be with Him in this battle, your going to suffer with Him. So what are we to do? Bear one another’s shortcomings patiently, love one another and He loves us and finally we should embrace the suffering that comes from this work, knowing that we are perfected in suffering.

We Must Encourage

It is in the encouraging of one another's success and helping others that we become encouraged. It is in giving that we receive. Each ministry and apostolate plays a part, no matter how different, and that part is crucial in this battle. We are many parts but we are all one body. My leg cannot hear and toes cannot see but I need my legs and I need my toes. There are so many ministries involved in this pro-life movement and all of them are necessary and none are more important or better or worse than another.

Well, actually they are all the "best" in their area. Those fighting in the political arena are much better at it than a sidewalk counselor and a ministry training side walk counselor is better at that than a ministry that works with politicians to create pro-life legislature, both are important and necessary.

Wherever God has called you to fight this fight, be encouraged because it is the MOST IMPORTANT PLACE YOU CAN BE. We need you all right where you are at, but we need to unite so we can encourage one another and help one another in our fight.

We Must Unify In Purpose

Finally, we need to unify in purpose. What is the goal? It should be to save souls. Our goal is to bring Christ to others in and through our own life. Each and every person is a unique and unrepeatable person, created by God, with an immortal soul. Isn't our goal to save souls? When we realize the goal is to save souls we remember to be charitable in every thought action and deed.

When we remember the goal is to save souls, we remember that Shawn Carney of 40 days for life sat in his kitchen with David Bereit and said "what can we do to bring down the number of abortions?" Through their exploration of that question they began an apostolate that is one of the most successful initiatives I have ever seen cross denominational lines as well as borders to countries, in closing down abortion clinics. Their focus on the goal of saving souls, allowed their hearts to love Abby Johnson right out of being a director of Planned Parenthood. Now, the fruit of their efforts has brought Abby into the pro-life movement and she is now focusing on the goal. She too is now working to bring more souls out of the abortion industry.

Does it matter if there are abortion clinics on every corner in America if no works in them and no one ever goes in? We must Unite, encourage and unify in our purpose and then we will become the Culture of Life, Love and Truth that accurately reflects the face of God.

Thank you Zoe, you reminded me that God raises up people every day to fight for Him and I am confident that Roe Vs. Wade will NOT survive your generation just so long as we all work together toward our common goal.