“So He said to them, ‘This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’” (Mark 9:29, NKJV).
Dear Friends,
40 Days for Life Meridian begins this month—and you have the opportunity to get involved as a pro-life prayer warrior!
The movement began in 2004 when concerned residents of Bryan, Texas, came together to pray and fast for an end to abortion after seeing an abortion clinic open in their community. Soon after, other communities began imitating the prayerful and peaceful approach modeled by those faithful witnesses standing for life outside the Bryan abortion clinic.
The first nationwide 40 Days for Life campaign began in 2007, and its annual campaigns have been remarkably successful. As a result of campaign efforts, over 18,000 women have decided not to get an abortion and more than 100 abortion centers have closed.
Nearly 200 abortion workers have quit their jobs, too—most notably, Abby Johnson, the director of the Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan, Texas, who now prays with other 40 DFL volunteers outside of the clinic she left. Abby Johnson is the subject of the blockbuster movie, Unplanned, which has touched the hearts of millions of Americans and changed the minds of untold numbers of people who were formerly pro-abortion.
Last year I spoke with Emily Naugle, who shares the coordinator role for the Meridian campaign with her husband, Scott. Emily recalled a heartwarming encounter she had a few years back while participating in the 40 DFL vigil outside the Meridian Planned Parenthood clinic.
As Emily tells it, a woman driving down the adjacent road pulled over and approached Emily. The woman shared that when she was in high school, she had made an appointment to receive an abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic in California. She arrived at the clinic, only to see 40 DFL volunteers praying outside. The woman couldn’t bring herself to go ahead with procedure. Now, years later, she was showing pictures of her six-year-old son to Emily—a reminder that all the praying and fasting was not in vain.
How Can I Get Involved?
Participate in the prayer vigil. The 40-day prayer vigil runs from February 17th through March 28th on the public right-of-way outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Franklin Road in Meridian. Sign up for hour-long shifts (between 7am and 7pm) on the 40 DFL Meridian page.
The 40 DFL Meridian coordinators are praying for full coverage during all hours this campaign, so please consider participating! For those who haven’t done something like this in past, feel free to contact the campaign coordinators. They can set you up with experienced prayer warriors if schedules allow.
Pray and fast wherever you are. For those unable to attend the prayer vigil, don’t worry—your prayers and fasting will be used of God wherever you are! 40 DFL publishes daily devotionals to help guide your prayer time. And consider committing to some type of fast during the duration of the campaign. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:17).
40 DFL Meridian Contact Information:
Meridian coordinator: Scott Naugle
[email protected]
https://www.40daysforlife.com/meridian
Please consider participating in this ecumenical effort to pray and fast for the end of abortion!
Standing with you for life,
Blaine Conzatti
Executive Director
