New Year's Resolutions?

Posted by Roger, January 1st, 2008

Ok, so what's it going to be this year? And how long is it going to last?

Are you going to (again) lose weight? Or start exercising? Or maybe you've decided to really get better at those "Thank You" notes?

Well, how about a "New Year's Resolution" that can really make a difference?

In 2007, Planned Parenthood crept into Aurora under the cover of darkness and deception. And they are still here, open for business, despite numerous violations of the Aurora's city codes. And while these legal battles (slowly) rage on, PP is operating it's killing business.

But we stand as a witness against this killing. When we physically go to the PP site to pray, we are a visible witness that the life of each and every unborn child, and the mother, and the father, matter. We say "You are loved, you are cared for, we are here to help."

I went to the Clinic Witness Seminars that FVFAPP and the Pro-Life Action League put on in November and December, and I've signed up to help be a "sidewalk counselor" at times. (If interested, call Elizabeth at the number listed here.) It's not that I feel that I can say the "right thing" or that I'm in any way special. I signed up because it is a good and right thing to do. To offer hope and a choice.I don't have all the answers, but I can help these women to get to the people who do have the answers, who do know, firsthand, what they are going through, and what they can do about it.

A couple weeks ago, when I was out there as the designated sidewalk counselor, a young black woman exited the clinic for a smoke. Now while I don't normally think that every woman coming out of the clinic just had an abortion, I felt fairly sure that this young woman had.

I did not know what to say to her. I didn't feel I could say "you have other options", because I felt that it was too late.

I silently prayed for her, that God would help her, both now and when the time came for her to grieve her decision.

But then, I thought about what I would say, standing before Jesus at my judgment. Would Jesus ask me, "Why didn't you say anything to her? Why didn't you offer her my love?". How could I NOT say something?

So, I talked to her while she was smoking. I was kind and loving, telling her that we had information to help, that we were not there to judge, but to offer assistance.

Maybe nothing I said will make any difference in her life. Maybe it will. But either way, I'm glad that I said something. I'm glad that I was there to be a witness to life, and to offer assistance.

What if no one was there? What if no one offered any assistance, any alternative to the "help" that PP offers? PP's idea of help is to terminate the problem. This year, why not make a resolution that will make an eternal impact?

Can you be a committed prayer witness once a week? Once a month? Can you attend a Clinic Witness Seminar to see if you are called to be a sidewalk counselor?

Each day that Planned Parenthood is open, life is being devalued. And while we may eventually win the legal battle (we WILL win the moral battle eternally), life hangs in the balance.

This year, resolve to be an active part in the battle once again. Sign up to pray, to be a visible witness to the eternal value of the human person. No matter how small. Born or unborn.

Together, we CAN make a difference!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 1st, 2008 at 8:19 am and is filed under Community Impact, Faith and Prayer, News, Outreach, The Front Lines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.