Boldly Speak Truth

LOCALLY SOURCED

Boldly Speak Truth

EMILY IVERSON

Conversations with those who don’t share our beliefs, whether it’s one-on-one, in a group, private or public is crucial to changing the culture. Silence doesn’t work. My husband and I recently were part of two events that helped facilitate conversations about abortion in different ways. The first event called Life Chain took place on April 9 in Wheaton. The Life Chain gathered around 100 people who displayed life-affirming messages to commuters on Roosevelt Road This event, hosted by St. Michael Catholic Church in Wheaton, was a great encouragement as people came together to share this simple, but important biblical truth printed on our signs: “Abortion takes a human life.” We received a lot of encouragement from cars passing by. However, some did not like our message, and they let us know that, too. We gave them the peace sign and continued to share our message.

The second event was called Speak Life 2022 on April 23 at the University of Chicago. Around 60 college students attended. Pro-Life Speaker Scott Klusendorf did a great job of reminding the students to remain calm when someone is antagonizing them, to ask questions, to understand the concerns of the pro-choicers and address them. If we know the foundational truths of the pro-life position, we can refer to them in every conversation on this topic. Recent developments in the Supreme Court make it more important than ever to understand and be able to articulate that every human life has value.

We pray that current and future conversations will be fruitful. One way you can boldly and publicly indicate that you are pro-life is to pray outside of an abortion facility. Sarah Lindquist leads this prayer time outside the Planned Parenthood in Aurora.

FROM A PRAYER VOLUNTEER AT THE 40 DAYS FOR LIFE PRAYER VIGIL SITE A woman who lives in the apartments across from Planned Parenthood was walking to Mariano’s and talking on her cell phone, when she stopped and asked me, “Does this really work? Does praying on this hill really do any good?”

I said an emphatic yes. And she replied, “When was the last time someone pulled out of that parking lot because you guys were here praying?” I took out by cell phone and looked at the time, “One hour and 11 minutes ago!”

As I told her the story of the couple who decided to exit Planned Parenthood earlier that day and she started to tear up. I then explained to her that we know three women who chose life for their babies since March 2—when the 40 Days for Life Spring vigil began.

She wanted to know more about what 40 Days for Life stood for as an organization. I explained that the visible, public centerpiece of 40 Days for Life is a focused, 40- day, twelve-hour prayer vigil Monday through Saturday outside abortion facilities. Our peaceful presence sends a powerful message to the community about the tragic reality of abortion.

I told her, “There are 588 vigils throughout 60 different countries just like the one here in Aurora. I pulled up the 40 Days for Life web page and showed her that there have been 370 babies known to be saved at vigil sites part way through this spring vigil—three of those babies were saved right here.

She quivered and said, “That gives me goose bumps!” I explained that our goal is for clients to leave Planned Parenthood’s darkness and death for Waterleaf pregnancy resource center’s life, hope and help. She said she understood and then agreed that I could pray with her. I thanked God for her and her inquisitiveness, for the babies spared from death, and the couple that had earlier left Planned Parenthood for Waterleaf’s help.

Join the Sanctity of Human Life Task Force in prayer across from Planned Parenthood. We pray in partnership with 40 Days for Life’s year-round peaceful prayer vigil for the vulnerable, abortion industry workers, and our culture.

Saturday, June 4, 1-2 p.m.

Park at Mariano’s or behind AutoZone and meet on Waterleaf pregnancy resource center’s property across from Planned Parenthood Aurora’s driveway.

Sign up at www.college-church.org/impact/sohl to receive SOHL monthly e-newsletter to receive events schedule and life-related news.