Dear Friend of Life:
It has been nearly a month since I have been privileged enough to start working for Sidewalk Advocates for Life in the important ministry of saving lives from abortion. I sensed a true calling in my heart to get further involved in this ministry, and God truly provides for those that follow His calling.
In the past month, I haven’t had much interaction with those outside of some of our locations and wanted the opportunity to really say hello to all of our friends in the ministry. I want to thank every single person who has been involved with Sidewalk Advocates for Life on every level because you help make it all possible. All things are possible through God, but your support is very much the instrument God uses to help us fulfill this mission.
One thing that our ministry gives those of us on the National Team is a unique view of what God is doing to save lives. Last week, Lauren spoke about the “numbers” not being important. This is very true, for there is no real score card on how many lives we have saved or impacted through our work. Even when we post the number of saves, the point is to celebrate known victories and use it as encouragement to show what He is doing to change hearts and minds. There are plenty of us who work on the sidewalk that may never personally experience a save, but know that your work and witness is still making a profound difference in your community. In fact, it took five years of me being on the sidewalk for me to be directly involved with my first confirmed save. I have been involved with many “turnaways” from Planned Parenthood regarding “non-abortion services,” but never had I witnessed to someone choosing life until recently. Some people will never have that experience, and that is okay. Many times, God works through us and our work in ways unseen. He is still working through us even when we cannot witness all of the effects of our prayers and presence.
God is giving us a gift when we are involved with this ministry in that we have a front row seat to see how He can work through us on the sidewalk. Again, if you never see a save, this does not affect the gifts God has given you or us. Yes, when we witness those who choose life, it is an affirmation of the power of God to reach in and change those hearts through Christian love. But we also witness many other beautiful things on the sidewalk: the tenacious spirit in other pro-lifers to persevere in prayer, communities built up and strengthened in the ministry, and how God provides for those-in-need of real healthcare alternatives. Sometimes these things may seem small compared to the miracle of an abortion-minded woman choosing life, but we must never discount the great miracle of how God works to bring us all together — from different walks of life and parts of the country — for His work in a multitude of ways. Through God all things are possible, and it is through Him that we have all come together for the vital mission He has called us to.
When saves happen, please share them with us, and we are happy to rejoice together in what is being accomplished. Also, if you ever have had an experience from Sidewalk Advocacy that you want to share, please e-mailstoriesfromthesidewalk@gmail.com. We would love to hear testimonies about the powerful nature of loving Sidewalk Advocacy to encourage others on our blog athttp://storiesfromthesidewalk.com. The power of technology allows us to join together as a pro-life community across the world to celebrate each small victory for life, and we want to rejoice in the ways that you have witnessed God’s grace working in your own communities. But it is the small day-to-day work that we all do that makes room for God to work through us.
In closing, I want to once again say “thank you” to everyone involved in our Sidewalk Advocates for Life family and community. Whether you are a donor, a prayer partner, or a Sidewalk Advocate, you are all part of God’s plan to bring an end to abortion. I am thankful to God for each and every one of you because you have answered “yes” to God’s call to help bring an end to abortion through Christian love.
In Christ,
Jenna Scott
Program Assistant
Sidewalk Advocates for Life
Weekly Devotional (September 7-13, 2014)
by Jenna Scott, Program Assistant, Sidewalk Advocates for Life
Verse(s): “This is the day that the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24
Reflection: No matter how bad a day looks, no matter what obstacles are seemingly in our way, today is a gift from God. It is His creation and that deserves rejoicing. Often, it is easy to focus on the negatives, especially in our ministry. It easy to say, “I didn’t stop a car today” or “I wasn’t able to get anyone to dialogue with me” and only see the negative. However, each day brings new opportunities to love and serve the Lord. Each day even brings its own challenges and opportunities — and let us rejoice in that. Keep in mind that every day you are affecting hearts and minds by just having a presence in your local community and making a stand for life.
Faith Challenge: Every day is a blessing, and how we choose to go about our day — both mentally and in our words and actions — either affirms or denies this. Let us all affirm that every day is a blessing with new opportunities, even if the opportunities are unseen by us. Let us rejoice and be glad in every day because every day is a day the Lord has made.