Praying for a Hard Person in the Call for Life

Do you know this woman? Do you know who she is? What her profession is?

Cecile Richards

If you are apart of the pro-life movement, or even follow it remotely, you know who she is. 
Cecile Richards. Since 2006 she has been the president of Planned Parenthood. Later this year she plans to step down from that position. Now that does sound like a reason to celebrate, especially if it meant that Planned Parenthood was finally shut down. But alas, no she is stepping down to further her ambitions as a writer. Her book, "Make Trouble," has the tag line of, "Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead."

I do not like who this woman is or what she "stands" for. I believe it is an absolute sign of the depravity and fallenness of this world when a woman leads an organization known for murdering millions of babies before birth. Thirteen months ago my husband and I lost a child, just weeks after finding out we had conceived. That time was hard. We cried, I yelled, I begged, I prayed, I pleaded with God - save Charli. It was not to be. Barely 3 weeks after discovering we were pregant with #3, we lost our sweet baby. And we have mourned - not always the prettiest or even the nicest, but thirteen months later, we have come out stronger together. As much as I could, I fought to save that life, that baby.

If you are friends with me personally, or follow the Facebook page for this blog (link), you know that a week ago, my husband and I found out that once again we are expecting #4. I am just barely 5 1/2 weeks pregnant, but pregnant is pregnant. Something my OB noted on the medical portal has irked me, "Very early pregnant." Maybe the hormones (which are doubling like they need to) have me sensitive, but "early" pregnant? That seems like double speak to me. I am sorry, but you are either pregnant or you are not. Not just a little pregnant or a lot pregnant. Pregnancy is an absolute. Yes you are. Or no you are not.

The woman above, she thinks, no, believes to her core, that I have every right to get rid of this child if:

• it is not convenient to have a baby right now
• to call my baby a lump of cells if the notion of aborting a "baby"is offensive
• if there is something "genetically" wrong with my fetus, by all means get rid of it
• that what I am carrying inside me isn't a baby, it is a lump of cells, or at most a fetus, but not a human being worth the dignity of having someone fight for it.

She is a mother and that baffles me to the core. How can a woman who has children fight for women to murder their own? 

I digress. I am not here to judge her, that is God's job. My job and your job is to pray for her. But not only her. She is stepping down from the butcher shop. She is going to be replaced. People have been selected to head the committee to replace her. My conviction is that her replacement will be more depraved, more inhuman than she could even imagine. Evil doesn't tame its self, evil doesn't dilute it's poison, it ramps it up. Evil spreads like cockroaches. 

Since Roe v. Wade (1973) over 50 million babies have been murdered. The blood of our land has been polluted by the murder of our young. They are crying for justice, and some day soon God will avenge them. Until then, until the Rapture, you and I need to pray. But not just for our friends, community, pastor's, loved one's. We need to pray for people like Cecile Richards and those like her. 

Matthew 5:43-48  (NASB)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

If you are pro-life, a defender of God's creation, Satan and his ilk, those he uses for his wickedness will persecute you. Mrs. Richards was recently reported as saying, in response to President Trump wanting protections for Christians apposed to abortion who are in the medical field, she wants them to not have any protection, but be forced to give the abortions.

Brothers and Sisters, join me in prayer. We need to pray for the unborn, for the women who are at risk of manipulation of murdering their own child, pray for the individuals who are on the committee to replace Mrs. Richards, pray for her. Let heart's be changed, lives be saved. I leave you with some verses to pray for the situation at hand.

• 1 John 4:4 Dear children, you belong to God. So you have won the victory over these people, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 
• 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen
• Proverbs 1:33-34 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
• Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life; one will sleep at night without danger. you and guard you from the evil one.
• Proverbs 12:21 No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
• Ecclesiastes 8:5 Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
• Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
• Psalm 46:1-2 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
• Psalm 9:9-10 The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you.
• Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Tragedy in Texas

Yesterday morning, while my family was at church, learning God's word, singing praises to His Holy name, a few hours away, another church, was devastated. As that church congregation gathered to do what I was doing with several hundred others, an evil man came in with a gun, and fired on that congregation.

Yesterday, 26 saints of God went to heaven. The youngest an 18 month old; 12 to 14 of the victims were children; and the pastor's own 14 year old daughter in that number. Roughly 20 others were injured, at least half of those are still in critical condition.

Friends, nothing is sacred, nothing is holy anymore. When I go to church, to worship, praise, and study the word of God, I leave the world behind. I do all I can to leave my worries at the door, at the cross, so I can focus on God. But last night, when I went to church, I was watchful, I was leery. The choir sang a phenomenal song, we have practiced it for weeks. But there was a weight on my heart, and I feel on the hearts of many because of the news we received after leaving church that morning.

I reference the Sandy Hook incident often in my writings, due to it happening right after the birth of my daughter Abigail. I was new to motherhood, and the flood of emotions of having a life to care for, to tend to, to protect...Sandy Hook stirred those even more. And I felt that the little bubble I had created at home with her was pricked when I finally turned on the news that December day. I was in a hormonal haze that had me thinking the world was perfect. I knew, and know, that the world is not perfect. But, there was an innocence to that chapter of my life, that abruptly ended with the devastation of that school shooting.

And yesterday...I feel we are in the last seconds of this current age, and I know things are ramping up as a woman in labor, but I was shocked by the events of yesterday. This isn't the first church shooting in recent years, and not the first shooting incident period. In the past few months there was Las Vegas, and even the terror in New York just a week or so ago. We barely have time to recover, reestablish a new sense of normal, and there is another incident, lives taken, communities shattered. Upon hearing about the death of the pastor's child, my heart just hurt. The entire event is a travesty, but lets think about that man and his life. He is a pastor, the shepherd to his flock. He needs to tend to them, the families that have lost loved ones. And he needs to do that all while he is in mourning, his baby was taken from him suddenly, and he wasn't there. It is almost too much to endure. I am praying for that poor man, that he will endure, he will have strength, and that he will live out a testimony for Christ, that even though he is dealing with a loss, he will still serve, be faithful, and help others.

I hugged my children a bit more yesterday, cuddled longer than normal, breathed them in. We are not promised tomorrow, and we do not know how our time will end. We need to do as much as we can each day we are blessed to have.  Let us remember this:

Psalm 34:18 (ESV)

 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

And this:

Right now we need to pray for those who lost loved ones, the pastor to have strength, the first responders to be brave and to recover, and that the light of Jesus will shine bright in this situation.