This entry is dedicated to a college-age young man that I met (actually, for the second time) while praying at the abortion center during the late evening hours this last week.
My husband and I were just finishing up a 10:00 - 11:00 p.m. prayer hour at the late-term abortion center, and we were greeting another friend, Chris, who had just shown up for his 11:00 p.m. time to pray and keep vigil. Somewhere in the parking lot across the street, we saw a young man get out of the car with a large case. As he got closer, I quickly realized it was a guitar.
The shadows of the night and some of the dim street lights made it hard to really see his features once he arrived on the sidewalk, after crossing the street.
"Hi, welcome, what's your name?" I asked him.
My husband blurted out his name...
"Ah, Kevin! I didn't recognize you!" I said.
I realized this young man and his family had attended our wedding, just a year earlier because of their friendship with my husband's family. I then asked him what brought him out to pray this evening.
Kevin informed me that he had been at the 40 Days for Life-Dallas Kickoff Rally, and he heard the speech by David Bereit, founder and National Director of 40 Days for Life, and he took up David's suggestion. David had said to the crowd, "We go to work for 40 hours a week...school for 40 hours a week...why couldn't we go to the abortion center over these 40 days, for just 40 hours? That's one hour a day...."
He proceeded to tell us that he decided to come out every evening and play his guitar and pray for the unborn, just one hour, over each of the 40 Days. I was blown away by this meaningful, but simple, commitment, from a young guy who had just started college here in Dallas. He knew it was important. He knew it was worth it. He knew it made a difference to God and to His little ones, in ways unseen.
He sheepishly told us that he was "no Matt Maher..." but would play and sing for us. We joined him in prayer and song. And I stepped back to marvel at how this young guy -- with many so much older and 'more mature' than him -- had made a simple commitment of 40 hours for these 40 days.
I pray that we can try to challenge ourselves the way that this young man has challenged himself. If we all had his faith and love and devotion, I can see Dallas moving mountains.
Thank you, Kevin, for your meaningful, but simple, commitment to Life.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Attention All Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust....
If you were born after January 22, 1973, you are a survivor of the American Abortion Holocaust. As a survivor, you have great power against the evil of abortion. There is great urgency for all of us to unite and storm heaven with prayers in memory of the 52 million victims who did not survive and on behalf of the 3,000 who continue to die each day in our country and cannot speak for themselves. In response to this urgent call to action, 40 Days for Life-Dallas is standing strong against the killing of babies up to 6 months of pregnancy at the Southwestern late-term abortion center.
The presence of our youth prayerfully standing witness against the killing of the unborn is a powerful and awe-inspiring message! Experience this peaceful, prayerful and powerful vigil on our first-ever
Youth Day
Saturday, October 9th
7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Southwestern late-term abortion center
8616 Greenville Ave. at Royal Ln. (NE corner)
To sign your youth group up for the day, half day, or even an hour, please contact Vigil Coordinator Susan Platt at 214-392-7545 or email 40days@prolifedallas.org. For more information, visit www.prolifedallas.org/40days.
**Please note: All Youth under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a Safe Environment Cleared Chaperone or Parent.**
Also on October 9th: Respect Life Month Mass, Adoration and Procession beginning with 8 a.m. Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Doug Deshotel at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 9635 Ferndale Rd., Dallas and the 40 Days for Life- Dallas MIDWAY RALLY at noon at Harry S. Moss Park (across from the vigil site).
Don't miss this great day of pro-life witness!
***We welcome youth volunteers to assist at the Midway Rally. If interested, please contact campaign coordinators Joanne Underwood or Lauren Muzyka at 40days@prolifedallas.org or 214-509-7195.***
Flyer Insert/Bulletin Daytime Vigil Guidelines
Map and Directions
Sign up for an independent hour of prayer.
SAVE THE DATE...the Midway Rally is coming up!
SAVE-THE-DATE!
It's the...
40 Days for Life-Dallas Midway Rally!
Saturday, October 9
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Harry S. Moss Park (corner of Royal & Greenville in Dallas)
Please bring your blankets, chairs, & a picnic lunch!
Speakers include...
Mark Crutcher (President of Life Dynamics in Denton)
Carmen Pate (Board Secretary of 40 Days for Life, Former President of Concerned Women for America, Former Co-Host of National Christian Radio Program Point of View)
Fr. Douglas Zavala, Parochial Vicar of Immaculate Conception Parish, Grand Prairie
...and some 40 Days-Dallas TESTIMONIES!
Music provided by Praises for Life!
COME GET RE-FUELED and
READY TO CONTINUE THE AMAZING 40 DAYS!
READY TO CONTINUE THE AMAZING 40 DAYS!
The Mid-Knights in Shining Armor
13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. -- Ephesians 6:13-18
So, they may not carry swords or shields or heavy armor...but they are clothed in something much better, much more lasting than that...the Holy Spirit. They are men (and women) who cover the early morning hours of the prayer vigil at 40 Days for Life-Dallas and all around the country. They are servants of prayer who keep watch with Our Lord, during the night, peacefully & prayerfully, knowing that the abortion center will be open that coming morning without fail.
The traditional night hours at those 40 Days for Life locations, like Dallas, committed to a 24 hour prayer vigil are 7:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. And for obvious reasons, they can be the toughest hours to recruit prayer volunteers -- especially midnight to 7:00 a.m. Most people are gathering with family after a long day of work, at home relaxing with a favorite pet or roommate, or getting ready for bed in the early evening...and most people are asleep by midnight, let alone 3 a.m.! We all have obligations that require us to be well-rested for the day ahead.
But those who make an extra sacrifice to come out to the site and pray during the early morning hours, also report that these end up being some of the most memorable and rewarding prayer times. Many men's church groups have purposefully adopted shifts throughout the 40 Days, specifically midnight to 7:00 a.m. not only because they know it will be tough to fill, but also, they know that they will be blessed in unimaginable ways, keeping watch with Our Lord....sitting with him in the silence and the stillness of the evening, knowing that in just a few hours, women will start coming for their early morning appointments. They know that if they fill that whole night with prayer, seeking to cover that time period in grace, maybe they will unknowingly touch the hearts of those who are having trouble sleeping, thinking about what they 'have to do' the next morning.
We want to thank those who arm themselves with the belt of truth buckled around their waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with their feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition ...the shield of faith, with which they can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one ....and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God...
...to the men from the Young Serrans group who kept vigil with Our Lord last night & lost sleep in order to pray for His little ones & women-in-crisis... Darryl who took Midnight to 2 am... Mike who took 2-4 am...and Johnny who took 4-6 am...
...and the countless Knights of Columbus men who are constantly filling the night hours for us, thanks in good part to Tom (Texas Pro-Life Director of the Knights) & his leadership in the 40 Days...
....and to Rob (from Blessed Sacrament Church in Oak Cliff), as well as Mike (from the Young Serrans & part of our 40 Days-Dallas team) who has covered numerous night hours already in this 40 Days-Dallas campaign...
...and for those who have covered early morning hours, that we have yet to thank...
They KNEW that it made a difference that they were out there... and we know that it will change hearts & minds in ways, yet unseen. Eye has not seen...ear has not heard...what God has ready for those who love Him. -- (ref.) 1 Corinthians 2:9
If you would like to volunteer to cover some of the nighttime hours that still need prayer volunteers, please email us at 40days@prolifedallas.org.
So, they may not carry swords or shields or heavy armor...but they are clothed in something much better, much more lasting than that...the Holy Spirit. They are men (and women) who cover the early morning hours of the prayer vigil at 40 Days for Life-Dallas and all around the country. They are servants of prayer who keep watch with Our Lord, during the night, peacefully & prayerfully, knowing that the abortion center will be open that coming morning without fail.
The traditional night hours at those 40 Days for Life locations, like Dallas, committed to a 24 hour prayer vigil are 7:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. And for obvious reasons, they can be the toughest hours to recruit prayer volunteers -- especially midnight to 7:00 a.m. Most people are gathering with family after a long day of work, at home relaxing with a favorite pet or roommate, or getting ready for bed in the early evening...and most people are asleep by midnight, let alone 3 a.m.! We all have obligations that require us to be well-rested for the day ahead.
But those who make an extra sacrifice to come out to the site and pray during the early morning hours, also report that these end up being some of the most memorable and rewarding prayer times. Many men's church groups have purposefully adopted shifts throughout the 40 Days, specifically midnight to 7:00 a.m. not only because they know it will be tough to fill, but also, they know that they will be blessed in unimaginable ways, keeping watch with Our Lord....sitting with him in the silence and the stillness of the evening, knowing that in just a few hours, women will start coming for their early morning appointments. They know that if they fill that whole night with prayer, seeking to cover that time period in grace, maybe they will unknowingly touch the hearts of those who are having trouble sleeping, thinking about what they 'have to do' the next morning.
We want to thank those who arm themselves with the belt of truth buckled around their waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with their feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition ...the shield of faith, with which they can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one ....and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God...
...to the men from the Young Serrans group who kept vigil with Our Lord last night & lost sleep in order to pray for His little ones & women-in-crisis... Darryl who took Midnight to 2 am... Mike who took 2-4 am...and Johnny who took 4-6 am...
...and the countless Knights of Columbus men who are constantly filling the night hours for us, thanks in good part to Tom (Texas Pro-Life Director of the Knights) & his leadership in the 40 Days...
....and to Rob (from Blessed Sacrament Church in Oak Cliff), as well as Mike (from the Young Serrans & part of our 40 Days-Dallas team) who has covered numerous night hours already in this 40 Days-Dallas campaign...
...and for those who have covered early morning hours, that we have yet to thank...
They KNEW that it made a difference that they were out there... and we know that it will change hearts & minds in ways, yet unseen. Eye has not seen...ear has not heard...what God has ready for those who love Him. -- (ref.) 1 Corinthians 2:9
If you would like to volunteer to cover some of the nighttime hours that still need prayer volunteers, please email us at 40days@prolifedallas.org.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
And the word is getting out...
Lauren Muzyka, 40 Days for Life-Dallas Co-Director, will be on the Scott Wilder Radio Show today, around 4 or 4:15 pm! Find the Wilder Show at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scott-wilder.
The Wilder Show provides current events from a Christian Worldview/Perspective. Incredibly informative! It promises to be a wonderful time to share 40 Days... join us & tune in online!
Update: to see the interview, recorded live yesterday, go to the link above, click on the 9/28/10 segment, and start from 12:24 on the time bar. Enjoy a bit about 40 Days for Life!
And in the recent past...
Lauren also substitute hosted the "Good News Show" on Catholic Radio (KATH) 910 AM in the DFW listening area on Monday, September 20. She interviewed some of the leaders of local pro-life events, including part of the 40 Days for Life-Dallas team, just a day before the campaign kicked off. To listen to the show, click here:
http://www.grnonlinearchive.com/podcasts/SoundBites-20100920.mp3
The Wilder Show provides current events from a Christian Worldview/Perspective. Incredibly informative! It promises to be a wonderful time to share 40 Days... join us & tune in online!
Update: to see the interview, recorded live yesterday, go to the link above, click on the 9/28/10 segment, and start from 12:24 on the time bar. Enjoy a bit about 40 Days for Life!
And in the recent past...
Lauren also substitute hosted the "Good News Show" on Catholic Radio (KATH) 910 AM in the DFW listening area on Monday, September 20. She interviewed some of the leaders of local pro-life events, including part of the 40 Days for Life-Dallas team, just a day before the campaign kicked off. To listen to the show, click here:
http://www.grnonlinearchive.com/podcasts/SoundBites-20100920.mp3
Monday, September 27, 2010
350 Prayer Volunteers!!! ... and Police
Day 3 Friday, September 24, 2010
The buses came... five of them... filled with people from all over the country attending Couples for Christ Handmaids for Family and Life USA National Conference in Dallas. This group is staunchly Pro-Life... and came to pray as part of the conference activities!
More than 350 people gathered in Harry S. Moss Park, processed across Royal Lane at Greenville and lined-up to pray outside Southwestern late-term abortion center with others. As night began to fall, the candles each person held illuminated beautiful solemn faces... and they prayed... and sang... and prayed... to end abortion... to build a Culture of Life.
An impressive witness.
It seemed there were a gagillion Dallas police (uniformed/ plain clothes detectives), helping people safely across streets, blocking the right lane traffic next to the sidewalk with flares... flashing lights (also impressive). Some onlookers parked in Gaston Oaks Baptist Church parking lot across Greenville Avenue. By the way, Gaston Oaks Baptist Church has graciously opened the use of the parking lot to 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers during most hours of the day. (THANK YOU, Gaston Oaks!!) The police stood guard and when it was time for the buses to load-up from the church parking lot, they also blocked traffic with police cars for the caravan. God bless the Dallas police!
One of the ladies from the procession/prayer vigil remarked as she climbed onto one of the busses to leave, "Dallas is nice! We were in Chicago and the people threw stuff at us. And the police didn't do anything... anything. Thank you!"
Yes, THANK YOU, Dallas Police Department, for your presence, your protection... and any private prayers you offer for the protection and defense of the unborn.
We thank Holy Almighty God for your sacrifice and service to keep peace... and will remember you in our prayers as well.
The buses came... five of them... filled with people from all over the country attending Couples for Christ Handmaids for Family and Life USA National Conference in Dallas. This group is staunchly Pro-Life... and came to pray as part of the conference activities!More than 350 people gathered in Harry S. Moss Park, processed across Royal Lane at Greenville and lined-up to pray outside Southwestern late-term abortion center with others. As night began to fall, the candles each person held illuminated beautiful solemn faces... and they prayed... and sang... and prayed... to end abortion... to build a Culture of Life.
An impressive witness.
It seemed there were a gagillion Dallas police (uniformed/ plain clothes detectives), helping people safely across streets, blocking the right lane traffic next to the sidewalk with flares... flashing lights (also impressive). Some onlookers parked in Gaston Oaks Baptist Church parking lot across Greenville Avenue. By the way, Gaston Oaks Baptist Church has graciously opened the use of the parking lot to 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers during most hours of the day. (THANK YOU, Gaston Oaks!!) The police stood guard and when it was time for the buses to load-up from the church parking lot, they also blocked traffic with police cars for the caravan. God bless the Dallas police!
One of the ladies from the procession/prayer vigil remarked as she climbed onto one of the busses to leave, "Dallas is nice! We were in Chicago and the people threw stuff at us. And the police didn't do anything... anything. Thank you!"Yes, THANK YOU, Dallas Police Department, for your presence, your protection... and any private prayers you offer for the protection and defense of the unborn.
We thank Holy Almighty God for your sacrifice and service to keep peace... and will remember you in our prayers as well.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Reflections on the Kickoff Event... and a Push to Save Lives
Reports thus far in Dallas from regular prayer volunteers are that traffic is WAY down at the late-term abortion facility, where our peaceful, prayerful vigil continues. Praise God! We are already seeing the incredible results from prayer...and that is, for an abortion center that typically sees a great amount of traffic, people are no doubt being moved to reconsider their decision. Even if we have not yet heard "first hand" of how people are being moved, we know that in the Kingdom of Heaven, it is making a remarkable difference. This is ultimately our goal -- to change & convert hearts for life, and as a result, we will save lives.
For a moment, I want to back up...and share a bit of the motivation & blessing going into this peaceful, prayerful vigil at the late-term abortion center.
Tuesday, September 21 -- the day of our Kickoff Rally-- began as a nice warm, early Fall day. Members of the 40 Days for Life-Dallas team all agreed that there was something 'special' in the air....we knew to expect great things that evening, as we prepared for the largest 40 Days Kickoff Event our city has ever seen.
Most people are unaware that Dallas was the second city to take up the 40 Days for Life campaign. Just after the founding city, Bryan/College Station, held its 40 Days for Life in 2004, Dallas decided to hold a Winter 40 Days for Life. And we know the result of that story!! Just a few years later -- the site of the first Dallas 40 Days for Life, Aaron's late-term abortion center -- was closed and leveled to the ground without a trace! We kept this in our hearts, as we listened to David. During David's talk, a light rain graced Dallas...and we continued to pray that this was a sign of blessing...and that the weather would clear for this evening's event!
After we said our goodbyes, we headed off to get ready for the Kickoff Rally The team, as well as Knights of Columbus & St. Michael's Youth Group (Garland), arrived to start putting together the site at Harry S. Moss Park. At one point, we stepped back and saw our plans coming to life, finally -- the stage, sound system, band, & ministry fair. Before we knew it, it was 6:00 pm, and our start time of 6:20 pm (for praise & worship), was rapidly approaching. Our team joined hands & prayed for God's blessing upon this event.
After announcements, Stephen Ward and his band (from the Community of God's Delight) were lifted their voices in song. People were coming...and coming...and coming! It was beautiful to see SO many filing in to participate! Before we knew it...Co-directors, Lauren Muzyka & Joanne Underwood, were on stage, welcoming all to the Dallas 40 Days for Life Kickoff Rally. Lauren reminded everyone that beginning that night, Dallas was starting its 40 Day journey of (1) prayer & fasting, (2) peaceful vigil in front of the Southwestern late-term abortion center, and (3) community outreach. Then, Pastor Ron Julian of the North Dallas Community Bible Fellowship Church opened us in prayer.
Karen Garnett, Executive Director of the Catholic Pro-Life Committee of North Texas -- our 40 Days for Life - Dallas sponsor -- welcomed the crowd, as well. Then, we heard from Fr. Paul Weinberger, Pastor of St. William the Confessor Catholic Church, who reminded us of saints who had gone before us to lay a foundation of faith & life. Aurora Tinajero, CPLC Spanish Ministry Director & Radio Host of "Celebrando La Vida," spoke in Spanish & fired up the crowd for life! And Pastor Ron Julian got back on the stage & reminded us that life itself belongs to God, and it is not ours to take.
David took the stage and reminded Dallas how KEY it was in the 40 Days for Life campaign! He told us that after several 40 Days for Life campaigns, he had a longing to see a child who had been saved from the 40 Days efforts all around the world. Finally, he got his chance -- at a another 40 Days event, someone came up to him and asked if he would like to meet a little boy that had been saved by his 40 Days for Life efforts. He remarked that it wasn't HE who did it -- it was the prayer volunteers, and ultimately, the Holy Spirit. Still, the
 |
| David with UTD Pro-Life Group |
We closed with sounds of the North Dallas Community Bible Fellowship Praise Team...and we resolved to do everything we could this 40 Days, to make a difference in our city.
We will not stand for this atrocity in our city. We will do what we can to effect change through the power of prayer, to save mothers-in-crisis & their unborn children, knowing that every life is precious.
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