At the Mill: 5.04.13

Chilly morning, but it warmed up after a while. I forgot to take pictures, sorry.

We were spread thin with sidewalk counselors. Kim, Angie, Mary Beth, Greg and Jeremy.
4 or 5 Friars came out with Diane to pray.

There was more traffic going in and out of the building than had been the past few weeks. :(

More rejection, more people ignoring us.

One young lady that was coming out of the building had already had an abortion. This was her follow up appointment. I offered her some post-abortive healing info. She said, "I'm alright, I'll forget about it" and got inside her car.

One man came out several times to smoke while his girlfriend was inside having their child killed. I walked up to him and started to ask if his baby was inside there. He told me he didn't appreciate me talking to him and judging him. I told him I'm not here to judge, I want to help you. He went on to say, "If this becomes illegal, do you know how many back alley abortions there are going to be? Please don't talk to me." He had his sunglasses on and seemed to be sad.

I never know how much to press people.

Probably the most memorable/dramatic part of the day is when a small entourage of people pulled up in a small white car. Out came three adult women, and a young girl with a young boy. What appeared to be the mom, put her arm up against the young girl, blocking her from us.
The girl was pregnant at 13, her boyfriend was 15.As she and her boyfriend walked in I called out to her, telling her about adoption. The mother of the 13 year old was very, very angry. She was screaming, yelling, cussing at us. I knew she wasn't angry with any of us. She has had a horrible life. Got pregnant at 14, 16, 17 and 19 ( or something like that). At 14 she was forced to marry the 19 year old that got her pregnant. He beat her until she was in a coma. She said her daughter's life would be over if she had this baby. And if she wasn't bringing her daughter in, she would be out on the sidewalk "protesting" with us.
Angie took some video of it. I'm unable to put it up yet, but hopefully I will have it up soon.

The mom went out to her car to smoke. Her daughter and boyfriend came out to the car briefly. As they were walking back up, I handed her a ministry packet ( graciously provided to me by Patte Smith ) that included the Tiny Hands
booklet. Her boyfriend was trying to pull her away, but she stopped to take the information. Gah! I was stumped as to what to say to her, the whole situation was so intense! I told her what was in the booklet and to please read the information.

Oh please pray for this young girl and her family. My heart aches for this girl. Her life will be forever changed and I pray she cries out to Jesus and repents of her sins and finds hope and healing that can only come from Jesus Christ!

On the up side, I did have the opportunity for a young lady, "K" to follow me down to Kinder Women's Center! She is pregnant, doesn't know how far along she is, has one other child. Kim had talked to her initially. "K" was only there for a consultation. Kim told her to save her money and go down to Kinder, everything there is free and they will truly help her. She said Founders makes its money off of killing babies. "K" looked at her friend and I offered for her to follow me down to Kinder. They both got in their car and followed me down.
The counselors at Kinder were having a parenting class and there were at least 20 women in the class! I was so glad "K" and her friend got to see all the support these women were getting. The counselor, Molly, that greeted us wanted to talk with me privately about "K"'s situation. I told her I wasn't the one primarily talking to her. By the time I got back down to the lobby, another counselor had taken "K" and her friend back to a room. I asked Molly to give my number to her.

It wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be. Maybe just because I was only the one that provided the directions. And, I will have no idea what will happen with "K". Kinder likes to protect the privacy of the women they see, so they will not be able to disclose any information to me. Please pray for her.

After I got back to Founders, I began reading God's Word. I took great comfort knowing that even though these people did not want to talk to me, they were hearing God's Powerful Words being spoken. The angry mom as she smoked in her car, the man that came out several times to smoke, they heard God's Word, and hopefully saw that I was there to love them, and not to judge. But, even if they didn't, I'm not there to appease them.

I read Psalm 139, then (inspired by the performance of Nathan Clark George at my church the night before) from Isaiah 58-60:

True and False Fasting

 “Cry aloud; do not hold back;
    lift up your voice like a trumpet;
declare to my people their transgression,
    to the house of Jacob their sins.
² Yet they seek me daily
    and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that did righteousness
    and did not forsake the judgment of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments;
    they delight to draw near to God.
³ ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
    Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
    and oppress all your workers.
⁴ Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
    and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
    will not make your voice to be heard on high.
⁵ Is such the fast that I choose,
    a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
    and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
    and a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶ “Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of wickedness,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
    and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
⁸ Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
    the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
¹⁰ if you pour yourself out for the hungry
    and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be as the noonday.
¹¹ And the Lord will guide you continually
    and satisfy your desire in scorched places
    and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water,
    whose waters do not fail.
¹² And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
    you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
    the restorer of streets to dwell in.

¹³ “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath,
    from doing your pleasure on my holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight
    and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
    or seeking your own pleasure,or talking idly;
¹⁴ then you shall take delight in the Lord,
    and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Evil and Oppression

59 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
    or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
² but your iniquities have made a separation
    between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
    so that he does not hear.
³ For your hands are defiled with blood
    and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies;
    your tongue mutters wickedness.
⁴ No one enters suit justly;
    no one goes to law honestly;
they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,
    they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
⁵ They hatch adders' eggs;
    they weave the spider's web;
he who eats their eggs dies,
    and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
⁶ Their webs will not serve as clothing;
    men will not cover themselves with what they make.
Their works are works of iniquity,
    and deeds of violence are in their hands.
⁷ Their feet run to evil,
    and they are swift to shed innocent blood;
their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
    desolation and destruction are in their highways.
⁸ The way of peace they do not know,
    and there is no justice in their paths;
they have made their roads crooked;
    no one who treads on them knows peace.

⁹ Therefore justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not overtake us;
we hope for light, and behold, darkness,
    and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
¹⁰ We grope for the wall like the blind;
    we grope like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
    among those in full vigor we are like dead men.
¹¹ We all growl like bears;
    we moan and moan like doves;
we hope for justice, but there is none;
    for salvation, but it is far from us.
¹² For our transgressions are multiplied before you,
    and our sins testify against us;
for our transgressions are with us,
    and we know our iniquities:
¹³ transgressing, and denying the Lord,
    and turning back from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt,
    conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.

Judgment and Redemption

¹⁴ Justice is turned back,
    and righteousness stands far away;
for truth has stumbled in the public squares,
    and uprightness cannot enter.
¹⁵ Truth is lacking,
    and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

The Lord saw it, and it displeased him
    that there was no justice.
¹⁶ He saw that there was no man,
    and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation,
    and his righteousness upheld him.
¹⁷ He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
    and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
    and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.
¹⁸ According to their deeds, so will he repay,
    wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies;
    to the coastlands he will render repayment.
¹⁹ So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west,
    and his glory from the rising of the sun;
for he will come like a rushing stream,
    which the wind of the Lord drives.

²⁰ “And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
    to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.

²¹ “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

The Future Glory of Israel

60 Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
² For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
    and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
    and his glory will be seen upon you.
³ And nations shall come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your rising.

⁴ Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
    they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
    and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
⁵ Then you shall see and be radiant;
    your heart shall thrill and exult,
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
    the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
⁶ A multitude of camels shall cover you,
    the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
    all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
    and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.
⁷ All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you;
    the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
they shall come up with acceptance on my altar,
    and I will beautify my beautiful house.

⁸ Who are these that fly like a cloud,
    and like doves to their windows?
⁹ For the coastlands shall hope for me,
    the ships of Tarshish first,
to bring your children from afar,
    their silver and gold with them,
for the name of the Lord your God,
    and for the Holy One of Israel,
    because he has made you beautiful.

¹⁰ Foreigners shall build up your walls,
    and their kings shall minister to you;
for in my wrath I struck you,
    but in my favor I have had mercy on you.
¹¹ Your gates shall be open continually;
    day and night they shall not be shut,
that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
    with their kings led in procession.
¹² For the nation and kingdom
    that will not serve you shall perish;
    those nations shall be utterly laid waste.
¹³ The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
    the cypress, the plane, and the pine,
to beautify the place of my sanctuary,
    and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
¹⁴ The sons of those who afflicted you
    shall come bending low to you,
and all who despised you
    shall bow down at your feet;
they shall call you the City of the Lord,
    the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁵ Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
    with no one passing through,
I will make you majestic forever,
    a joy from age to age.
¹⁶ You shall suck the milk of nations;
    you shall nurse at the breast of kings;
and you shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior
    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

¹⁷ Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
    and instead of iron I will bring silver;
instead of wood, bronze,
    instead of stones, iron.
I will make your overseers peace
    and your taskmasters righteousness.
¹⁸ Violence shall no more be heard in your land,
    devastation or destruction within your borders;
you shall call your walls Salvation,
    and your gates Praise.

¹⁹ The sun shall be no more
    your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
    give you light;
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory.
²⁰ Your sun shall no more go down,
    nor your moon withdraw itself;
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your days of mourning shall be ended.
²¹ Your people shall all be righteous;
    they shall possess the land forever,
the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,
    that I might be glorified.
²² The least one shall become a clan,
    and the smallest one a mighty nation;
I am the Lord;
    in its time I will hasten it.

To God be ALL Glory, forever!

Genocide Awareness Project, 04.23.13 *WARNING* Graphic images

Well, I will be at a baby shower this Saturday, thus, unable to make it out to Founders this week.

TODAY, (Tuesday, April 23) I had the opportunity to take part in my FIRST Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) at Columbus State Community College! You can read more about GAP here.

Suited up in my armor. 

My friends Sarah Cleveland and Darius Hardwick were out there. I got to put faces with names among some of my Abolitionist friends on Facebook, and meet some more new people! One included a woman who brought her new baby girl she adopted from an abortion minded mom! It was great to be with a group of people committed to Christ and the work of fighting for pre-born babies.


It was a smaller scale than what I had seen online.

Photo Credit: Spencer Anderson

Basically, I passed out brochures regarding abortion that contained a Gospel Tract as well. If people stopped, or were looking at the display, I would ask what they thought about it,  what they thought about abortion. I did get the bird, BUT I also had quite a few encouraging conversations! The Lord knew I needed some encouragement, so He brought it to me. :)

When I first started handing out brochures and trying to talk to people, I had the anxious urgency I normally do when I'm at Founders. After a couple minutes, I realized I'm just here to educate people, I'm not standing between life and death for a preborn baby. So, once I got over that, I had a good time.

It was interesting how the people that were obviously for abortion had no interest in engaging in conversation. The people that were "pro-life" or against abortion were very open to talking.
One professor stormed by the display saying, "Don't you have anything else better to do with your time?! Just leave! No one wants to see this!"
Darius talked to a math professor who thinks human beings are just as equal in value as cows.......

Yea, college campus. You'll have that.

The first person I engaged with in conversation was a black woman with no top teeth, probably in her late 40's, early 50's. She takes care of her 5 grandchildren (I think that's right. The oldest is 16) and mother who is in diapers. And she's a student at Columbus State. It's hard work, but she says she wouldn't change it for anything. She was horrified by the display. We talked for quite some time. She spoke about all the options and resources out there for moms with unplanned pregnancies. Abortion is never an option in her mind. She said you can drop off your baby to a Police Station without having to worry about anything, so many people can't have children and would love to adopt! We got on the topic of sin and how messed up the world is. THEN, she said something I had never heard anyone say: "You know, so what if this child grows up to be a murderer, give him the opportunity."
That has just stuck so much with me.
I've heard people say, "what if my child grows up to be a criminal?". And of course, we try to throw a positive spin on in, " but your child could grow up to be a brain surgeon!!"
So what if they grow up to be a murderer, give them the opportunity.

Okay, moving on to conversation #2:
Alissa walked over to one of the tables in front of the display, cigarette in hand, getting out her laptop. I asked her what she thought about the display. She's pro-life.
She told me she has two children, one 5 1/2, the other 20 months old.
I said, "And you're going to school?"
"Yea, and working full time".
She said she thinks abortion is a cop-out. Her mom was single, worked, went to school. People are just lazy.
I gave her a high five.

Conversation #3:
I noticed a guy standing and starring at the display, so I walked over and asked what he was thinking.
"I think you need to get a new hobby."
I asked what he thought about abortion.
"It doesn't affect me. I don't have an opinion."
Well, I wasn't really sure how to respond to that, so I just walked away. Apathy...

Conversation #4:
 I think this was my favorite conversation!! I was elated after I talked to these women!
Two black women (probably around my age) were standing by looking at the signs, so I asked them what they thought about it. They said it was awful.
One of them told me she had 2 children. She got pregnant shortly after having her first. She went to an abortion clinic to have an abortion. She didn't want to. There were people out in front praying ( I assume, or sidewalk counseling), and she looked at the people walking in the building. They were yelling at the people on the sidewalk. She was in her car looking at those going in the building and thought, "I'm not like these people." And she left! Her 2nd child is 4 years old now and she is so glad she didn't get an abortion!! I told them I go down to Founders trying to offer help to women and her story just blessed me so much! We then talked about how women have a lot of emotional issues after an abortion. We talked about how we don't have the right to take a life, it's worth it to live with some embarassment in the begining, than a lifetime of regretting an abortion.
It was fantastic.

Conversation #5
 Kim, a beautiful black woman, probably in her late 30's/early 40's.  She couldn't get over the pictures! She looked at the aborted baby and said how beautiful she was. We talked about our worth in Christ, we were bought at a high price, these precious babies are made in His image... just another wonderful conversation. I was so encouraged to hear another woman speak about her love for the Lord and how she wants to honor Him in her body. She just recently broke up with her boyfriend because he did not value her like God does. She knows her worth in Christ! She knows she has value, that she is a treasure and no man will take that from her until she is walking down the aisle, waiting to say "I do".

I was just SO encouraged by all these conversations!! Discouragement began to creep in as I faced constant rejection at the abortion mill on Saturdays. The Lord revived my soul and gave me some fuel to addd to my fire!!

GAP was awesome! I hope to do more of these type of events whenever possible. The abortion mill is the last and final stop for a woman and her child. Educating on the value of human life and the evil of abortion is a great way to fight for the end of aboriton!!

Created Equal and Greater Columbus Right to Life will be hosting an (free) Apologetics class on Saturday, June 1st from 8:30-12:30. If you want to learn how to build a strong case against abortion, you should attend the class.
You can contact the director of GCRTL Beth, beth@gcrtl.org.

Woot!

-Ashley

At the Mill, 04.20.13

Seriously! It's past mid April and there were snow flurries!! Windy and cold and miserable out there. The sun would make an appearance from time to time, but mainly hid behind the clouds.

We had several newbies out there today actively participating! We had the normal seasoned pack of sidewalk counselors there as well.

Because we're getting more folks out there, we are probably going to be able to have two shifts out  on the sidewalk! We haven't really been able to stay for when women come out after their abortions. Occasionally a couple will filter out, but we aren't able to talk to them all. So this is good news!! The Lord is raising up more sidewalk counselors to better serve these men and women!!

We all had a couple interesting interactions today.

Ezekiel 3:18-19 If I say to the wicked, You shall surely die—and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade the wicked from their evil conduct in order to save their lives—then they shall die for their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their blood. If, however, you warn the wicked and they still do not turn from their wickedness and evil conduct, they shall die for their sin, but you shall save your life.

When I got there, the "fill in" abortionist was already there and he was talking to quite a few of the sidewalk counselors. I had to step back. I'm not ready to face him or talk to him. I heard him quoting Scripture and twisting it to justify his actions. I just stared at him, seeing the innocent blodd dripping from his hands, knowing that once he walks past the door, he will proceed with his normal business of killing babies. It was surreal.
I can't remember if

Then, one of the newbies, Nikki (?) saw a woman walking in SHE KNEW! The woman worked at the library Nikki goes to. She and her boyfriend (I assume) came out after not being in there very long. She said she was here for a friend. Buuutt... as Nikki and Kim talked to her, it seemed more apparent she was just giving them a story. She had sun glasses on and you could tell she was crying. And, she had on loose fitting pants, flip flops and a couple bags with her.
SO, not entirely sure of the situation, but they did leave. And they weren't inside for any amount of time for anything to happen... turn away?
I told Nikki she has a wonderful opportunity to reach out to this woman and love on her.

I tried to talk to a mother/daughter when they went in and came out. I'm thinking it was a follow up appoitnment. The mom turned around and tols me it's none of my business and to please leave them alone.
I got spit at, that was a new experience. She was very far away from me, but as I'm asking to speak with her, offering her help, she turns and spits towards me.

I read Psalm 139 to the people in the waiting room. I told them even while they are in there, God is knitting their child together in their womb and they are still providing nourishment to their baby. We are here to help, God knows their situation.

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where shall I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light about me be night,”

even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

 

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

I awake, and I am still with you.

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!

O men of blood, depart from me!

They speak against you with malicious intent;

your enemies take your name in vain.

Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?

I hate them with complete hatred;

I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!

In closing, I'd like you to watch this video. John Barros who is full time out at Orlando Women's Center got the opportunity to talk with a woman who had aborted her twin babies. She speaks about how it has changed her life and she is so thankful for her beautiful son she now has. She would do anything to take back what she did.
Abortion is real. It hurts women and kills babies.

Hear her story

Go out to serve the Risen and Reigning Lord Jesus Christ!