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1. Be open minded.
Pro-life does not mean anti-choice.
Not everyone with an abortion appointment is a person with no faith in God.
Some people walking into the clinic were told it was best to terminate the pregnancy by a doctor and do not know about organizations like Be Not Afraid or Lily’s Gift.
The people standing outside the clinic are not pro-birth. They offer real help for after the child is born as well as during the pregnancy.
Don’t be afraid to listen to the other side and truly act and think – lovingly.
2. Give of yourself. Donate your time.
Go on the March for Life. Before you say, “I can’t” . . .think about it, pray about it and consider it. People have marched in Washington for extremely meaningful causes and made history. This is definitely a meaningful cause and you could help make history.
Go on a “mission trip” . . . . for an hour . . . in your own community. Stand in front of a clinic and pray. Pray the Rosary. Pray, “Jesus, help them to hear Your voice”. Pray for the moms, the dads and the grandmothers. Pray for the employees that work there. Hold a sign. Don’t hold a sign. Pray with others. Pray alone. But GO. It matters. It helps. Women have been helped and feel eternally grateful for witnesses standing outside the clinics. Lives have been saved.
3. Buy Hot Chocolate.
Yes, you read that right.
An amazing thing happened last winter . . .
It was an extremely cold day. I had a million things to do and an hour and a half to do them in.
Still, it was Friday, and I knew full well what happens on Friday at the Planned Parenthood just 10 minutes from me.
I knew some people would be standing outside praying. I thought, I’d like to go . . . but I just can’t. I don’t have the time.
But, I really felt compelled to do something. It was so cold . . . I thought the least I could do is buy a big thing of hot chocolate. I thought, I’ll give it to those who are praying, and suggest they offer it to the women walking in for an appointment.
So that’s what I did.
I bought hot chocolate and gave it to my friend who regularly stands outside the PP.
I bought a huge container and a stack of cups and gave it to the men who were praying there, and I got a large personal one for my friend Mary.
I suggested they offer it to the women they were hoping to speak with before they entered the clinic. I thought, maybe that will be an ice breaker, and maybe it will lift the spirits of my friend freezing her butt off in the hopes of helping a young woman choose life.
Well guess what . . . it did.
Mary, my friend who was outside the clinic, called to a woman entering after I left.
She shouted, “My friend who just brought me hot chocolate will adopt your baby – you only have to take care of the baby for 7 more months”.
That woman came down to Mary on the sidewalk and spoke to her.
She ended up choosing life.
She ended up choosing to parent.
I couldn’t stand with Mary that day, but I brought the hot chocolate.
I suggest you bring the hot chocolate too . . .
or the lemonade, or just stop and say keep up the prayers, or ask them how you can help and deliver.
Your actions, no matter how small, matter.
4. Give time and resources to crisis pregnancy centers and other pro-life organizations.
The Pregnancy Center I work the most with, A Baby’s Breath, operates solely through volunteers and donations. Find a “crisis pregnancy center” or “pro-life union” in your area. Offer to give your time. If time is not possible, ask the centers what they need! They might need diapers, or they might need help with marketing. They may need a new website – donate the money or if you are a website designer, offer your services.
They may need to know who’s hiring for the families they support looking for work.
They may need gift cards to give to clients going through a rough time.
These centers and organizations are vital. I was so unaware of all the help and love that is provided by these organizations.
Women and children need support and connection. So many of these places truly empower the women and families they serve.
They need volunteers. They need you. They need your friends. It could be an hour a week. It can be more than that. It could be one box of diapers, or it could be a few thousand dollars. You know what you have and what you can offer . . . bring what you are able.
5. Spiritually Adopt an Unborn Baby . . . or Two.
This prayer, authored by Fulton Sheen I believe, takes about 20 seconds to say. It is SO POWERFUL! The miracles my family has witnessed (God Hears Us: A Spiritual Adoption Miracle) have compelled me to share this prayer with anyone and everyone. We pray it as a family every night after Grace Before Meals. We now do so every 9 months.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you very much. I beg of you to spare the life of (name your child), the unborn baby I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion. Amen
That’s it. That prayer saves lives.
6. Stop being silent.
A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
“In some causes silence is dangerous.”
–Saint Ambrose
Speak up in loving, but couragous ways.
Speaking up doesn’t mean pointing fingers or getting political.
Speaking up can mean sharing a post about Project Rachel, running a diaper drive for a crisis pregnancy center, inviting a friend to pray in front of a clinic with you or posting a picture of you at the March for Life.
Stress mercy. Offer solutions that empower women and cultivate love.
7. Support change.
No matter what political party you belong to – tell your representative that you are pro-life and what that means to you. Can’t go to the March for Life? Take an hour that day to write and send a letter to your local, state and federal representatives.
Share articles about non-profit organizations like And Then There Were None,
which helps people working in abortion clinics get different employment.
Let the world know about people who are very active in the pro-life community and adopt special needs children or from foster care. Make a donation to Reese’s Rainbow or Special Angels Adoption.
Stress hope and love.
More Pro-life from prayerwinechocolate:
Dear Beautiful Woman Considering an Abortion
Dear Brave Soul Standing Outside of Planned Parenthood/
Pursuing Adoption Without an Agency: What We Did Right
The Rose Garden: A Baby’s Breath Adoption Group
Terminate, Interrupt or Choose Life?
Ellie says
Amy, you helped me to change my thoughts on abortion. You know how liberal I am, but through lots of thought on this, and many convos with you, I know now that I am in the right camp on this one. Thanks for not giving up .
Laura Durant says
This is beautiful. And I love #1. These are all wonderful ways to support the pro-life movement. Thank you for writing this!
Sara @ To Jesus Sincerely says
Wow! I’m getting tingles from that hot chocolate story. We always appreciated when people brought us hot chocolate on the frigid days we prayed outside the clinic. We didn’t get many opportunities to talk to people though.
Jeanie Egolf says
Another beautiful post, Amy. Keep on writing!
Chloe says
Number 5! I love spiritually adopting littles!
Rosie says
That hot chocolate story is so amazing!!! You are awesome for showing up, and for encouraging others ❤❤❤
Dariush says
Great to see people write what they live and Love. Thank you so.much sharing this right 7 useful meaning full steps.
God bless you
Ginny says
These are all great, but I think the first is my fave. So many people are confused about what pro-life means.
Katherine Grimm Bowers says
Can you explain the spiritual adoption prayer? Do you make up the name?
Miranda says
I was wondering the same thing. When I pray that prayer, it’s basically for a baby I don’t know (or a baby who has no name!), so I usually just say “my adopted baby”. How do you do it in your house, Amy?
Amy says
We pick a name for the baby – it’s my favorite part! We just got done praying for twins (we named them Jennifer and David). Now, we are praying for Darius Anthony!
Amy says
Yes, you name the child. Have fun with it! And when you get a chance, read the miracle my family experienced with it (it’s called God Hears Us: A Spiritual Adoption Miracle) . I am pretty sure I put the link in this article 🙂
Michelle Gelineau says
Great ideas and resources! Thank you for putting this together and reminding us that everyone can do their part to help.
Amy says
Thank you Michelle! I hope it inspires a lot of people!!