Dear Friend of Life:
Two pieces of EXCITING news!
First, we received reports that THREE pairs of twins were saved this past week in different parts of the country — praise God! More details on our Facebook page HERE.
We are always so thrilled when one life is spared (and on average, by the grace of God, we see 1-2 children saved per day) …but twins make for double the excitement! Thank you for all your prayer support as our Sidewalk Advocates around the world work to end abortion by loving each mother into a decision for LIFE!
Second, our staff is growing! We are so pleased to introduce you to the newest member of the Sidewalk Advocates for Life National Team, Chantel Poisel!
Chantel is now serving as our Communications Coordinator, overseeing all of the external communications from our National Team. As our ministry has tripled since we began in April 2014, this need became more and more apparent. She comes to us after years of experience with another wonderful pro-life organization.
This is what Chantel wanted to share with all of you, our dear partners in this great work…
Hi! My name is Chantel Poisel, and I am so excited to be working with Sidewalk Advocates for Life. I’m a country girl who married my high school sweetheart, and together we are raising our four children on a small hobby farm in rural Indiana. Through the gift of technology, I am able to join Sidewalk Advocates for Life and serve in this new position!
I met Lauren when she and I worked together on the 40 Days for Life National Team. We shared a passion for saving lives and quickly became great friends. When Lauren left the 40 Days for Life team, I was sad to see her go, but so excited to see where God would lead her next. When she first began Sidewalk Advocates for Life, I couldn’t have been more thrilled! While we were working on different teams, we were still working “together” in the pro-life movement.
After years of amazing growth, 40 Days for Life underwent some restructuring, and I was no longer able to continue with the organization in the same capacity I had the past 8 years. I prayed for the Lord to show me where he could use me next to further His kingdom. It didn’t take Him long to answer that prayer — soon after, Lauren called to discuss a possible position with Sidewalk Advocates for Life. I knew it was an answer to prayer!
It has been my continual prayer that the Lord would bring an end to abortion, change hearts and minds back to Him, and protect those who are being led to slaughter. It has been such a blessing to see the work that He has already done, and I cannot wait to see what He will do next! It is a privilege to be His hands and feet in this mission, and to have the honor of working with so many dedicated volunteers with a true heart for this mission.
As you can tell, we are very blessed to have Chantel on our team! If you’d like to say hello, feel free to drop her a line at chantel@sidewalkadvocates.org!
Friends, thank you for supporting us in this work to save lives, transform hearts and end abortion through the grace of God!
Blessings,
Lauren Muzyka
Executive Director
Sidewalk Advocates for Life
lauren@sidewalkadvocates.org
www.sidewalkadvocates.org
BI-WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL (AUGUST 15 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2015): “PRAY FOR LABORERS”
by Chantel Poisel, Communications Coordinator, Sidewalk Advocates for LifeVerse(s): “Then saith he until his disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.” – Matthew 9:37,38
Reflection: Sometimes — at different seasons in our ministry — the laborers are few. That’s something most Sidewalk Advocates know all too well, isn’t it? We are reminded that the harvest is plentiful, but how daunting it can be when we know there is so much work to be done, and seemingly so few to do it! Jesus didn’t want us to get discouraged, and reminds us in this passage of what to do. So simple, and yet so often overlooked: He reminds us to pray! “Pray that the Lord will send forth laborers into his harvest.” The lives saved, the hearts and minds changed toward life, post-abortion healing – those are all part of the harvest of ministering on the sidewalk. The harvest is not ours. It is the Lord’s. No one could care more about this work than the Lord Himself. Remember to trust Him to provide the laborers needed to do His work. If we pray and stay faithful, He will always provide!
What should we pray for? We’re praying for wisdom as we reach out to these women. We’re praying for lives to be saved. We’re praying for hearts to be changed from a culture of death, to a culture of life. We’re praying for those in the abortion industry to have a conversion and to repent from their evil ways. And Jesus specifically tells us to pray that the Lord will send forth laborers into his harvest to do this great work. The Lord’s word never returns empty. We need to remember to pray specifically that He will send the right people, at the right time, to collect His harvest.
Faith Challenge: Pray! Pray that the Lord would call men and women of faith to sacrifice their time and to stand on the sidewalk ministering to women and men in need. Pray that those who are being called will listen to that still, small voice, and accept the task they are given. Pray specifically, “that the Lord will send forth laborers into his harvest.”
Are you just starting your ministry on the sidewalk? Pray for the Lord to send you laborers for the harvest. Have your numbers been dwindling from people growing weary in this work? Pray for the Lord to send in fresh volunteers. Are you discerning your role in this mission? Pray that the Lord will give you clarity and guide your steps as you walk in faith and heed his calling on you.