• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Prayer Wine Chocolate

a spiritual journey to motherhood & beyond

  • Home
  • Wine and Chocolate
  • Faith
  • CSMI
  • Adoption
  • Life
  • Prayer Journaling
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • Be Yourself!: A Journal for Catholic Girls
  • Donate a Be Yourself Journal
  • Catholic Coloring Pages
  • Shop

Oct 7, 2015
Adoption· Catholic Influencers· Faith· Life· The Little Things

A Miracle and a Lollypop

For the past year or so, I’ve been thinking a lot about the choice of abortion. Maybe it’s because I have longed to see a positive pregnancy test for ten years now. But honestly, I believe that’s only part of the reason. I have always been sad that abortion is a thing. The truth is, I know women that have had abortions. I also know it really wasn’t a choice they wanted to make. Another truth is, I love people that have very different views if the topic comes up. And honestly, I see us all looking to love the woman as well as the child. Maybe we are confused about love.

One thing I do know is this: when I love people, I pray for them. So, I started to pray for all women considering abortion. I prayed for the babies too, but I prayed for the women more.

After a month or so of me making up my own prayers at night, I saw something online that I had not seen since high school – a “Spiritual Adoption Prayer”.  A website called Holy Heroes was advertising a Spiritual Adoption Prayer Adventure. The “adventure” was geared for a younger audience, but I printed out the paper. The print out had the Spiritual Adoption Prayer on it, as well as a place to write the name you chose to give your baby and the date of when you started to pray for the child. My husband and I named the child and wrote the date on the paper. Then, I hung up the paper on our refrigerator. Each night after we pray Grace Before Meals, we pray this prayer.spiritualadoption1

Meanwhile, my husband, Matt, and I are praying and hoping to expand our family through adoption again. We are constantly trying to think of ways to let the world know that our home and hearts are more than ready for another child. At one point, I started to think, maybe I should stand outside of an abortion clinic and hold up a sign that says, “’Unplanned Pregnancy? We want to adopt’ Check us out on Facebook”. I thought . . . if a young woman does see my sign, and finds us on Facebook looking at her phone in the waiting room, maybe she will reconsider the abortion. Maybe she’ll place the baby with an adoptive family – or maybe she’ll parent. Either way, it would be a life giving choice. I began to really think about this idea. Even though I was in the Respect Life club in high school and the Pro-life club in college, I honestly had never stood outside an abortion clinic before. I knew if I acted upon this idea, I didn’t want to go alone. So I started looking into when Pro-Life groups prayed outside of the local Planned Parenthood. After doing some research, I found a group that prayed once a week, and decided to follow my gut one day and just do it. I made a sign. It was pathetic. My handwriting was nice – but it was a sign with my handwriting in marker. My son woke up late, and of course, didn’t really want to move. I wasn’t sure how long the group who would be praying there would stay. So, I packed up his breakfast and away we went.

When I pulled into the parking lot, my nerves were on edge. I started to get out of the car. I made sure I was holding my rosaries, because a friend of mine said if I don’t have them in my hand, an escort may think I’m there for an appointment and start walking me into the building (that would be a little awkward). I felt like I was walking onto a spiritual battlefield.  I said hello to a priest who was standing alone and quietly. I took out the bag of cereal I brought for our son and gave it to him. I held my pathetic sign – but not high, because, as I mentioned, it looked pathetic. I started introducing myself to a woman there. Her name was Mary. I introduced her to my son, and told her that my husband and I hoped to adopt again. I showed her my sign. She seemed very touched. But then, in the middle of our conversation, she said hold on, and started walking away. I asked her as she walked away if she was sidewalk counseling. By the time she answered she was ten yards away. She yelled “I try”. Then, she picked up a bullhorn and started talking through it. She was saying things like “you don’t have to go in there, we can help you”. I was mortified and embarrassed. I thought, “a bull horn, really?” I grabbed my son’s hand and started walking away with as much speed as his little legs allowed.  I wanted to run. I made a face to a total stranger walking up the street that kind of said a silent “yixe”. I thought to myself, who is going to respond to a person talking to them through a bullhorn? I thought, there has to be a better way. After Mary spoke through the bullhorn (and I remember her saying, “we have someone here that will adopt your child”), she came back to me and we continued our conversation. I questioned her about the megaphone. She explained how we are not allowed any closer and it is difficult to yell, so the bullhorn makes it easier. Another woman there was quietly holding rosaries. She chimed in, saying she felt the same way about the bullhorn at first, but then a priest said to her, some of these girls are praying for a sign on the way here. This may be her sign. I felt sad but I decided to stay and just pray. However, before I could join the group who was praying, something very unexpected happened . . .miraclelollypop

I witnessed a young girl leaving the clinic with her mother and walking down to talk to us. The mother and daughter were holding hands and crying. Mary, I, and my son walked towards them once they got close. The young woman whom Mary was talking to through the bullhorn, “Anne”, decided to not go through with the abortion!  We all hugged – and we all cried. It was such an emotional, amazing moment.  The mother of “Anne” said, “she needs a place to stay”. Then explained how she couldn’t stay with her and how she was living with her uncle, but her uncle was trying to help her get “her life back on track”. Mary immediately picked up the phone and started making some calls. It was a blessing to see how quickly a sidewalk counselor could make a phone call to a hotline and find help. As Mary was finding housing options for “Anne”, I talked to her. I asked her where she was from. When she answered, she said a place that I knew was at least an hour drive from where we were. I asked her why she had come so far. She answered that the facility near her wouldn’t perform an abortion after 13 weeks, 6 days and she was in her 14th week. We talked more and all the while my three year old son was saying “Mom, Mom . . . Mom . . . Mom”. So finally I said I’m sorry to “Anne” and said “What?” to him.  He said, “I want to go to A Baby’s Breath (the crisis pregnancy center that shares the parking lot with PP)”.I asked him if he wanted to go there because they have lollypops. He said yes.  At that moment, “Anne” reached into her purse and took out two lollypops, one for my son . . . and one for her. To say the least, it was an incredible experience.

But wait – there is another layer to this miracle. A few days later, I began thinking about the baby our family had “spiritually adopted.” I wondered how long ago our family had “spiritually adopted” our baby. I looked at the date of when we began praying the spiritual adoption prayer – May 7, 2015- 14 weeks and one day before I witnessed “Anne” leaving the clinic. My jaw dropped. I think I picked it up off my kitchen floor. Then another memory hit me. One day when I was carrying a laundry basket upstairs a question entered my mind; “How can my prayers matter? I know I don’t love these women or these babies as much as God loves them . . .” The Lord heard my question, and wanted to answer it. He let me know our prayers for these children and women are heard, appreciated, valued and answered.

Wow.

The whole experience makes me say, wow.

Here is the link to the “Spiritual Adoption Prayer Adventure”: https://www.holyheroes.com/Default.asp

Please pray this prayer and remember the mothers in prayer as well!  Please comment below the name you chose for your “spiritually adopted” baby!

‘Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I love you very much. I beg of you to spare the life of (give the baby a name), the unborn baby I have spiritually adopted, who is in danger of abortion. Amen.” —Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Share287
Tweet
Pin4
Share
291 Shares
Previous Post: « Waiting Without Worrying
Next Post: Pursuing an Adoption Without an Agency: Part 1 »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tara C. says

    October 21, 2015 at 10:55 pm

    What a totally amazing story of the power of prayer! I am loving your blog, btw 🙂

    • Amy says

      October 22, 2015 at 11:19 am

      Thank you Tara! You just made my heart smile 🙂

Primary Sidebar

       

Amy is the Co-Founder of CatholicsOnline.net

10 Free resources

10 Free resources

10 free resources for subscribers!

10 free resources for subscribers!

GUIDE: How to Plan your Own Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat

Be Yourself! Journal

Journal for tweens and teens

prayerwinechocolate

I started reading it because Donnie was my favorit I started reading it because Donnie was my favorite New Kid and I’m a big fan of Mark Wahlberg-within pages I was reading it because it’s truly an incredible testimony. God bless you and your family @jimbow36 ! 

#ad I was given a copy of this book by @osvcatholic in exchange for an honest review. 

#Catholic #CatholicChristian
Pray, hope and don’t worry “ Saint Padre Pio # Pray, hope and don’t worry “ Saint Padre Pio
#Pray #hope #dontworry
Can you tell I’m wearing a “Catholic “ scarf Can you tell I’m wearing a “Catholic “ scarf? It’s from @studio_senn and it’s so perfect for Fall! Last year I tied it to my purse and that looked great too!

What makes me it “Catholic”?
The scarf has a pelican design. The pelican has been a Christian symbol for centuries.

The pelican was believed to pierce its own breast with its beak and feed its young of its blood. It became a symbol of Christ sacrificing himself for man – and because of this was frequently represented in Christian art.

What a beautiful reminder of Christ’s love and potential conversation piece!

This news of the Pelican was completely new to me when I was introduced to this scarf!
Did you ever hear about the Pelican being a Christian symbol?

Studio Senn sent me this scarf last year at my request. I wanted to include it in my Christmas gift guide. Did you see it there?
 
#theology #catholicfashion
Interested in attending this year’s Prayer Wine Interested in attending this year’s Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat?
If yes, sign go up for my newsletter! I am about to send an email today with details!!!
Let’s gather together to pray and rejuvenate our souls!

Photos taken by @nadiapittmanphoto 
#Catholic #catholicretreat
Matt and I watched Nefarious last night. And when Matt and I watched Nefarious last night.
And when it was over we sat in silence for a noticeable amount of time.

If you are unfamiliar with the movie, it’s a fictitious story but at least one Catholic exorcist has stated that is really does depict the intelligence of demons and the way a person can become possessed. 

The same exorcist said the other recently released movie, The Pope’s Exorcist, is NOT a good or true portrayal of demonic possession.

Friends, we need the Sacraments.
We need prayer.
We need to fast and we need to be aware of what our culture claims to be acceptable or harmless.
The battle is real.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle…

#Catholic #Catholiccontent
Check out @catholicsonline for more info #Catholic Check out @catholicsonline for more info
#Catholics #Catholicinfluencers #catholicinstagram
We almost didn’t go. There were a score of reaso We almost didn’t go. There were a score of reasons that cited being responsible. I’m so glad we went.
#CSLewis #Catholic
Hi friends! For those of you that don’t know, my Hi friends! For those of you that don’t know, my name is Amy Brooks and I started the Prayer Wine Chocolate blog about 7 years ago!
I’m so happy to know that you also enjoy Prayer 🙏 Wine 🍷 and of course Chocolate 🍫!
I sent out a newsletter to subscribers today. In case you missed it, here’s a glimpse of what was in the newsletter:
1. Today’s my birthday 🥳 so I put all digital products in my shop on sale!!!!
One day only- don’t miss it!

2. I read Jim Wahlberg’s book The Big Hustle in one day! I mean, it might have been a slight hustle on my part when I asked OSV to send it to me (I had one poster hung up in my room as a teen- that poster was Donnie Wahlberg) and I’m a huge Mark Wahlberg fan (have you seen Father Stu yet?!???) but WOW. I enjoyed this book for so many reasons. Much of what he shared about his family- was very close to home. I also have to share that there is an incredible community that helps addicts that I heard about twice this week. Not only from Jim Wahlberg’s book, but also Father Donald Calloway’s testimony- it’s called Communita Cenacola. I highly recommend we all get to know more about this organization.
@jimbow36 @fr.donaldh.c 

3. I’m booking speaking events! I already have one booked for 2024! If you think I could inspire your community in some way, let’s chat! Just send me a message, I’m happy to talk 🙂

4. Anyone going to see Jen Fulwiler in Philly? Perhaps it could be a Prayer Wine Chocolate gathering?! Let me know!
@jenniferfulwiler 

Some photos taken by @nadiapittmanphoto 

#Catholic #Catholicsonline #catholicinfluencers
Currently in the Top 100 on Amazon’s Children’ Currently in the Top 100 on Amazon’s Children’s Inspirational Books category!!!
Let’s celebrate with a SALE!
If you want the Bible Study Guide I wrote that pairs perfectly with this book for only $10.00 comment SOLD and I’ll send you a message! 
(Regular price is $39.50!)
#Catholicyouth #catholicidentity
Take a deep breath. Now thank God for that! What w Take a deep breath. Now thank God for that!
What was the last thing you ate or drank and you thought, this is good?! Thank God for that!
Who was the last person you smiled at? Thank God for her or him!
#Catholic
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of th In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
#CatholicChristian
We have mixed feelings about the start of school 😂 
But on a serious note…
When I started to blog… when I first began “Prayer Wine Chocolate “, my husband and I had one adorable little boy and the dream of a bigger family.
Now look! This week our 3 children started another school year!
I thought I was going to share a checklist about how to adopt without an agency… and God showed me how much more important it is to share the gift of faith and the importance of prayer.
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD!
And I just love how His mother- Our Blessed Mother- revealed her presence and love along the journey too.
Being a Christian is not easy at times… but this life is only the beginning…
Here’s the checklist:
✔️ Keep praying and dreaming BIG
✔️ Keep asking others to pray for you (on earth and in heaven)
✔️ Believe and stay faithful- our faith is a gift. The Sacraments are a gift. The Rosary is a gift. Wine and chocolate- also gifts
✔️ God’s power and love are greater than we could ever imagine.
Let’s keep praying together!
Drop you ur intentions in the comments… and let us pray for one another!
#keeppraying #JesusisLord #ChristtheKing #MostSacredHeartofJesus #DivineMercy
Being a good Christian… a good Catholic Christia Being a good Christian… a good Catholic Christian, requires confidence in Christ! Let’s help build confident young women who are assured they are LOVED!
#beyourselfjournal #Catholicmom
Buy a copy of Be Yourself: a Journal for Catholic Buy a copy of Be Yourself: a Journal for Catholic Boys from me today and get the Boy’s Bible Study (digital download) for FREE!
How? Type SOLD below and I’ll send you a message!
Can’t wait to give away this awesome Bible Study to a few people today!!!
#Catholic #Catholicyouth
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of th In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Lord, make an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred; let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt,faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
For the majority of my teaching career, I began every class with this prayer.
I started doing this because I heard a story about how one high school for boys had a problem with a growing number of fights happening between students. As a way to battle this, the administrators started praying this Peace Prayer every day over the school’s intercom system.
The results were dramatic- no more fights.
Perhaps we should all pray this prayer more often…
#Catholic #Prayerjournal
Friends- and family- enter the G I V E A W A Y S ! Friends- and family- enter the G I V E A W A Y S ! 
One thing I have always loved doing is hosting one every year around Christmas! I love gathering Catholic gifts and sharing them with you! I love sending out a huge box of gifts to a winner each year!
This year - I entered and WON a contest hosted by the sweetest blogger @conservamome !!
We won these tickets and had the best time as a family at @hersheypark and @hersheyschocolateworld !
I was so sad to leave!!!
What a blessing it was to see our children enjoying the rides with us and with one another! The loved @zooamerica too!
It was such a great day! Oh - 😂- and one of the workers noticed my shirt on that new Reece’s ride/experience… and watched him read my Prayer Wine Chocolate shirt and react with a smile 😂 
Love it!
Milton Hershey and I actually share the same birthday.
Him and his wife probably struggled with infertility… they actually started a school and home for orphans that still is open today.
Anyway- enter the G I V E A W A Y S! They help small businesses- and you might actually WIN!
Thank you Elia and Hershey!!!
#chocolateworld #Catholicblogger
1. Plan a DAYTIME date! I don’t know about you, 1. Plan a DAYTIME date! I don’t know about you, but I get tired pretty early. See if you can use a personal day from work and visit a winery or go into a quaint town for lunch.
2. Get tickets to see a comedian! Matt and I have seen @brianregancomedian and @officialkathleenmadigan in the past… @keithalby is on our list - we hope to see his show LIVE one day too!
3. Go “leafing” I asked my husband for an idea- this was what he said 😂 
4. Fire pit and stargazing.
5. Movie night! I highly recommend Father Stu. I actually still want to see Nefarious but that’s probably not the best date night idea… leave your movie suggestions below!
#Catholicwife #Catholicmom
Just sitting here holding onto every last moment o Just sitting here holding onto every last moment of summer ☀️!
#SaintQuotes #catholicreels
Kristin @onehailmaryatatime - I took a page out of Kristin @onehailmaryatatime - I took a page out of your “parent playbook “! After  Eucharistic Adoration I asked these two 6 year olds:
“What did God say to you?”
George answered: “Pray more”
Jaina answered: “Stay still and look at the altar”
Then I took a dozen pictures of them because Jaina doesn’t stay still…
 I’m really noticing how God speaks simply and in short sentences this year… for all his children, even the 40 something’s!
What has God say d to you lately?
#praymore #BeStill #Catholic #Christian
Dear Holy Trinity, Thank you for all the smiles, l Dear Holy Trinity,
Thank you for all the smiles, laughs and safe trips this summer.
Amen.
#shortprayer #stayprayedup
Load More Follow on Instagram

Footer

       
a spiritual journey to motherhood & beyond

Copyright © 2023 · Cultivate Theme theme by Restored 316