Well, I got a few little updates for you! Indiana is still leading (woo hoo! Hoosiers ROCK!!). Also, Tennessee has moved into second place on the leader board. Secondly, Texas is now a participating state (thank you Denise!!). ;)
I am almost half-way to my $1,000 goal. Please, help me meet it! I have had several people pledge $5.00. I even had a person give me $3.00. No amount is too small! It all adds up!! Please, pledge whatever you can (at the very least, can you pledge your prayers?). Like I said, if everyone that read my blog pledged AT LEAST five bucks, I would be well over my goal by now!! Please, don't just read this blog, think it's nice, and forget about it. Please read and be moved to action!! Please?? Just five bucks to save some lives?? Did I mention that your contributions are tax-deductible? ;)
Additionally, I only have 6 states currently participating. America, I KNOW we can do better than that!!! ;) As Mike Huckabee said, NOW is the best time to give! The economy may be tough, but investing in things like this is more than worth your money because the impact will last forever!! Store up treasures in heaven ya'll (Matthew 6:20).
The leader boards are at the bottom of this blog (as well as my contact information for those of you wanting to inform me of your pledge). I eagerly await your responses!! Please, flood me with pledges!! But first, please read this poem I wrote two years ago. May your heart be softened and primed to give generously after reading! *NOTE* This poem is based on real life situations, but is not an actual account of anyone's story.
Hearing Their Hearts’ Cry
Her hands are shaking as she sits in her car. She nervously gazes at the clinic from afar. Nervous and scared, she wipes the tears off of her face. Never did she dream that she would be coming to this place.
She braves her fears as she decides to venture out. Embarrassed and ashamed, she looks self-consciously about. What if someone saw her? What would they say? What would her parents think if they knew she had come here today?
She timidly approaches the clinic door. She takes a deep breath as she tries to visualize what might be in store. Then, she gasps, because much to her dismay, she realizes that this small little clinic is not even open today. The clinic is tiny, but they do the best they can. Yet, with their limited budget, they can’t always meet demand. Their resources are sometimes limited and their hours can be too. They desperately depend on the kindness of others. Oh, if they only knew!
In a panic, she wonders what to do. Tears well up in her eyes as she wonders, “God, where are you? Can anybody help me? Does anybody care? If this baby isn’t a mistake, then why isn’t anybody here? I need to talk to someone! I can’t do this alone.” Then, she gets an idea, and reaches for her cell-phone. She walks to a nearby phone booth so she can search for answers in the phone book. Surely there must be another place she can go. All she had to do was look.
She stands there searching; searching for hope. She says to herself, “There must be someplace out there that can help me cope.” She fights to remember the name of a place she had heard about at school; a place that so many kids seemed to think was cool. She had heard this place provides help and can take all your problems away; a place that always knew the right words to say. They care about your health and your life and make every effort to minimize your burdens and strife. “Oh if only I could remember! I really wish I could!” Then, she did remember. The name was “Planned Parenthood.”
She looked up the phone number and called it right away. Oh, what joy! They were open today!! Though the voice didn’t sound that welcoming, she knew what to do. She had had a glimmer of hope when the woman said, “Come on in. We’ll take care of things for you.”
She got in her car and got onto the highway. She drove to Planned Parenthood to see what they would have to say. When she got there, she was a little surprised. Unlike the clinic, this was much bigger in size. They have very little trouble getting financial aid. In fact, the funds they have raised, over the years, total hundreds of millions of dollars made. Celebrities and everyday citizens contribute. The government does too! They donate to Planned Parenthoods with tax dollars that come from you!
She gets out of her car, and strolls up to the door. She is surprised to find protesters galore. What are they talking about? This clinic does WHAT?! She is now scared to go in, but feels stuck in a rut. The pregnancy center was closed, so this is her only option, right? So, why was everyone around her putting up such a fight?
Shaky and confused, she decides to go in. She registers, sits down, and tries to brave the turmoil within. There is chaos outside, and chaos in her heart. She tries to make sense of things, but doesn’t know where to start.
When she hears her name, she goes in for a consultation. The staff assures her that they understand her frustration. “We know it’s a burden to be in your shoes. We’ll help you. We’ll fix your problems. We’ll show you what to do.” Before she knows what is happening, they advise her to abort. She had never really considered it. It was always the last resort. They were right. She wasn’t really ready for a baby. However, she just couldn’t seem to grasp the words coming from this lady. “It’s really ok,” she says, “It’s just a blob of tissue.” But deep inside her heart, she knew that she shouldn’t even be talking about this issue. She was starting to feel uncomfortable. She had thought they were going to understand. But, with growing uncertainty, she was realizing the problem at hand. They were pushing her to abort a life that she knew she shouldn’t kill. She didn’t want to do it, but she didn’t know what to feel.
After the consultation, they wanted to make a return appointment for her. But, in her heart, she was most decidedly unsure. She told them she would think about it. “This whole thing,” she said, “is so scary and new.” “Don’t worry,” they said, “we know what’s best and we are here for you.”
As she stepped out the door, wondering what they really meant, she wondered where all the protestors went. She shrugged her shoulders and decided to go home. As she drove, tears filled her eyes, “I feel so all alone!” She decided to stop at her friend’s house, “Maybe she’ll have some advice for me.” She didn’t know if her friend would be home, but she decided to go and see.
She went to her friend’s house to talk things out. It was then that she learned something she had not known about. Her friend said that, like her, she had had a choice to make. But, unfortunately for her, she had a different fate. “I too went to Planned Parenthood,” her friend said. “They convinced me to abort my child, and now, my baby’s dead. I wish I hadn’t done it. If only I had known! There are people that could have truly helped me. I wouldn’t have had to go through it alone. I was deceived by their agenda, and taken in by all the lies. They make things look so easy, and they have a clever disguise. But since then, I have learned, that God provides a better way. You don’t have to suffer like I did. Choose LIFE for yourself, and your child, today! You’ll be sorry if you don’t, because the pain is so intense. It will break your heart and scar you deeply. It’s a pain that’s most immense! Since then, I have accepted Christ and asked forgiveness for my sins. If you really want a solution, let’s just go to Him!”
As they bowed their heads and prayed, something amazing occurred! It was then, in that moment, that she thought she heard a spoken word. As she prayed for the Lord to come into her heart, and help her know what to do, she felt a tug within her heart and a still small voice say, “I love you.” A peace began to grow deep inside her heart and her fears seemed to melt away. The tears flowed down as she began experiencing her “rebirth” day.
The next day, she and her friend, went to the clinic - their minds made up for “life.“ The clinic was open, and ready to help her shoulder the burden of her strife. “We love you and we’re here for you. We’ll help you as much as we can. Our funds aren’t much but we always try hard to lend a helping hand.”
Their reassurance brought her peace. She knew everything would be alright. More stories could have endings like this if more people would hear her plight. We need to help shoulder the burdens. We need to care enough to be a voice. We need to be there to help and tell them that “Life” is the only choice! We do that by providing counsel. We do that by providing aid. Pro-life organizations and CPCs need our help!! Just think of the lives you’ll help save! Share your hearts and share your wealth. Show the people in these situations that you care for their lives and health. Pour out your hearts to God; and offer up your prayers. Let’s rally for life and show the world, that GOD’S CHURCH REALLY CARES!
Financial Pledges
1. Indiana
2. Tennessee
3. South Carolina
4. Ohio
5. Texas
Prayer Pledges
1. Indiana - 10
2. South Carolina - 2
3. Oklahoma and Tennessee - 1 each
14 Prayer Warriors!
Men Vs. Women
Men = 2 pledgers and 1 prayer warrior! ;)
Women = 19 pledgers and 13 prayer warriors!
THE WOMEN ARE LEADING!!
Participating States 6/50
Indiana
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
**Please contact me at melissawalksforlife@gmail.com if you would like to pledge your dollars and/or your prayers! Even five bucks will help!! All I need is your name and address and The Hope Clinic will send you a letter in the mail AFTER the walk on the 19th to collect your pledge!! Thank you so much and God bless you!!**
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