Standing in the Gap - June 25, 2013

 

Planned Parenthood – Bedford

Big storms were forecasted today as I headed out to the abortion mill in Bedford.  It looked ominous and began to sprinkle a bit as I arrived, but then stopped.   As I was coming out of Burger King with my bottle of water, Jillian and her children were arriving. 

We walked across the street and took our place in front of the mill and I continued praying as I had been on the drive over.  There were many cars in the parking lot when we arrived; some were workers and some clients.  As the first cars pulled in they continued to the back of the parking lot.  It was frustrating to not be able to talk to them or give them the info, but we tried. 

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. ~James 1:27

Bob, the lawyer, showed up; and as we continued to watch cars pull in and pull to the back, Jillian’s daughter (15 years old) said, “Let’s go around the back.”  That meant going down the driveway of the apartment complex that sits behind the Planned Parenthood.   Bob, Hannah and I went behind and tried to give pre-abortion packets to the women entering.  None of them would talk to us, but a woman who came out to smoke started yelling at us and telling us that sex was good and that we shouldn’t be ashamed of sex and that we should focus on birth control for women so they didn’t end up here for abortions.  I agreed with her that sex is good because God created it to be good and explained that if women respected themselves and did what God says and had sex within the bounds of marriage they wouldn’t need to come here for abortions.   She threw her cigarette on the ground and went back in.  We tried to give pre-abortion packets to others who were arriving, but most could not find a space and just drove out of the parking lot.
 

Shortly after, a worker from PP came out and told us we had to get off the property.  I told her we were not on PP property and just wanted to give info. She said we could not be on that property and she was calling the police. I told her that if the owner of the building came out and told us to get off the property, I would, but that she had no authority to tell me to leave; and that if they would quit killing babies I wouldn’t have to be there at all. She said again she was calling the police. She obviously called the property manager because shortly after she went back in, a man from the apartments on a golf cart came driving up and said we couldn’t be there.   Bob told him he was a lawyer representing us and we talked to him for a while and found out his name is Rich Blessing.  Crazy, right?    Bob asked him if he was pro-life and he said he wouldn’t answer  and asked us to leave, so we did.   Just as we were walking back down the driveway to the get to the sidewalk again Jillian came and said the police had just pulled in and were circling the parking lot. I'm not sure what they could have done as I was never on PP property and left the other when asked. I wasn’t worried. The sad thing is several police kept driving up and down the road and two sat at opposite ends of the road and watched us. We were not doing anything illegal, so again wasn’t concerned. I just found it really sad that they are worried about us giving out information to women and sharing the gospel with them, but not concerned that the people inside are murdering children. What a totally upside down world we live in. God, help us.

 

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" ~Isaiah 5:20  

We handed out tracts to many people walking past and, at one point, a man named Lamar stopped to voice his disapproval of the posters of aborted babies.   He was getting a little heated talking to one of the other men; so I walked over and introduced myself.  I told him I overheard what he was saying and that I am totally disgusted by the pictures of aborted babies and that they make me feel sick and I cry knowing that this is happening in the building behind ust and that people need to know.  He said he understands but that he didn’t want to have to see them and explain to his kids about stuff like this.  I explained to him that I didn’t want my kids to see pictures like this either or to have to explain that people think it’s ok to murder babies, but that is the sad reality of our culture.  I told him that God says we are not to kill and asked him if he would have been upset at the abolitionists that showed what was happening to slaves or those who exposed the horrors of the Nazis by showing pictures of what happened in concentration camps.  He didn’t really know what to say to that.  He continued to be distressed by the pictures and I assured him I am distressed by them as well, but until they stop murdering babies inside that building the pictures are necessary to show people the truth.  He said he was pro-life and appreciated what we were trying to do though he didn’t agree with the pictures.  He wouldn’t let me give him a tract, but please pray for Lamar.  He is another “pro-life” person who doesn’t want to be confronted by the truth of abortion.

 


A lady walked down the driveway of PP towards us and crossed in front of us on the sidewalk.  She was middle-aged and stopped to look at our signs and said, “You got any information I can have?”  I said, “Yes, Maam, I surely do,” and gave her the pre-abortion packet that includes many good resources on human development, abortion, adoption and the gospel.   Jillian and I were in shock.  We’ve never had anyone ASK us for information!   That made me smile.

Another lady walking down the street stopped to talk to one of the men and he was giving her a gospel tract and speaking with her.  She gave a big thumbs up for what we were doing.  I introduced myself and asked her for her name and if I could take a picture of her smiling and giving thumbs-up since most people are yelling at us and being unkind.  She was so sweet and was concerned about how she looked, but I assured her she looked beautiful and made me smile.  She was in a hurry to get somewhere but we had a quick discussion about birth control and she said she didn’t know some of the facts we shared with her.  Please pray for Janice.



As I reflect on the day, I am overwhelmed by the number of cars that drove in, which was 30-40.  I lost count with the steady flow.    The parking lot was so full that cars were leaving and looking for other places to park.  We tried to share God’s word and the pre-abortion packs with people but with not much success.

Thank you so much for those of you who partner with us through prayers and resources.  Your support means so much to us.  We know the battle is the Lord's. 

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might."  ~Ephesians 6:10

Joyful in Jesus,

Laura

1. Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
   Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
   Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
   Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.
   
    Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
   Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.
   
2. Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting,
   Waiting the penitent child to receive;
   Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
   He will forgive if they only believe.
3. Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
   Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
   Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
   Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.
4. Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
   Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
   Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
   Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.
   
   Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
   Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.