Prayer spares and truly changes lives

Recently on Facebook, a cousin's grandchild caught my eye. In fact, that little blond sitting with two siblings and his parents made my eyes misty.
In the “comment” box, I jotted down that we'd prayed for the safe arrival of that little blessing, and the life of his mother.    
During Erin's third pregnancy, doctors discovered she had cancer. They wanted Erin to begin treatments immediately. However, treatments would risk her unborn child's health and life.    
There was never a question in Erin's mind. She would not risk her child's life. If delay meant not surviving, so be it. She refused treatments.
The young family asked for prayer.
In time, their healthy blond boy arrived safely. Erin's cancer was treated.
Consequently, the family of five, soon to be six, celebrated more Christmases together.
Not all “Mother Risks Life for Child” stories end with both lives spared. Some moms lose their lives to save their babies' lives. Some accounts are published posthumously.
Carrying a baby to term vs. sparing a mother's life is seldom a choice necessitated by medical conditions, given medical capabilities today.
Over 53 million little ones in the U.S. have lost their lives since January 1973.
Abby Johnson, former director of a Planned Parenthood Federation of America facility in Bryan/College Station, Texas, has written a book entitled, “Unplanned”. To read or hear Unplanned's first chapter, go to www.unplannedbook.com.
Released last week, “Unplanned” is already “unavailable” as it climbs its way up the charts. Apparently, Planned Parenthood inadvertently contributed to the book's popularity by trying to silence Johnson's comments about her work at Planned Parenthood.  
Johnson had first volunteered for Planned Parenthood during college, impressed by the pleasant people staffing a booth at her college. She learned of free non-abortion services provided to women whom Planned Parenthood indicated might otherwise not receive medical care.
But she, and her parents, had been politely pro-life.
“Never trust a decision you don't want your mother to hear about” is now advice Johnson passes to others. She kept her volunteer work a secret for over a year.
In time, she became staff, then clinic director. She counseled, promoted, marketed Planned Parenthood's services, knowing, even assisting as they continued to perform one-third of the nation's abortions. She was “Employee of the Year” in 2008.
Across from her clinic, a non-confrontational “40 Days for Life” group of pleasant people prayed round-the-clock for workers, moms, and the preborn babies.
In 2009, as Johnson assisted in an ultrasound abortion, she saw, to her horror, a 13-week fetus did feel, and did try to escape pain. Until then, she believed, had even told hundreds of women, a fetus could not feel pain until about 28 weeks.
She felt betrayed by Planned Parenthood's training.   
Within days, Johnson crossed the street, asking the prayer group's leaders to help her leave Planned Parenthood.
When she refused Planned Parenthood's offer of more money to come back, they sued to keep her from speaking of information she gleaned during her eight years with their organization. The court sided with Johnson.  
Visual truth had changed Johnson's mind. Prayer, and friendship, helped her courageously switch sides.  
Now pro-life, Johnson prays for sincere people who have not reached her same conclusions about what's best for unborn children.
Because of “40 Days” prayer groups, 3,599 lives were spared, 43 workers left Planned Parenthood, nine clinics closed, and post-abortion healing has come to many.
This year's official “40 Days of Prayer for Life” is March 9-April 17.
Johnson's book may help prayers start earlier. 

Marge Warder is a freelance reporter and a columnist for the Red Oak Express. She can be contacted at mawarder@yahoo.com.