54,559,615

Yesterday we celebrated that all men were created equal on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Today is the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade where the rights of the unborn have been stripped away.

54,559,615. That is the sickening number of estimated abortions since the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973 (lifesitenews.com). Take time to let that number sink in. That's over 3,000 abortions per day, nearly 137 dead per hour, or one baby dead every thirty seconds. According to this article on breitbart.com, Planned Parenthood released that 333,964 babies were aborted in 2011 alone (and they're making big bucks on it too).


Be Informed

This "abortion counter" is an interesting website that clocks the estimated number of abortions based on statistics-- in the U.S., worldwide, by Planned Parenthood, today, and even more.

R.C. Sproul's Abortion is available for free on Kindle.

9 Things You Should Know About Roe vs. Wade

Is the Pro-Life Cause Winning?

Get Involved

I've had several friends who have been to the Justice for All training "camp" in Texas. They told me all about how after the training they would set up booths on college campuses with graphic pictures about the reality of abortion. From the JFA website:

Training continues on a public university campus where JFA, at the invitation of a campus club, uses one or more of its visual tools to create a debate about abortion on campus.  These tools include a museum-quality exhibit that’s two stories high, an 8-foot version of the same exhibit, free speech boards, and poll tables (“Should Abortion Remain Legal?”). As seminar participants, you become volunteers at the outreach, and you have one job: Turn the debate about abortion into a dialogue.

My friends told me so many stories about the people they were able to talk to, how so many students changed their minds about the Bible, and (even more importantly) how they were able to share the gospel  throughout their conversations!

Sign up for their newsletter, find a date when you can attend the training, and go to the website to browse their videos.


Also, you can share the 180 Video with your friends:

expectantly

One thing I've definitely learned this past year is that life is full of disappointments. No matter how hard I try not to, I will always have expectations and make assumptions that are incorrect.  Consequently, there will always be those things which I eagerly anticipate, yet in reality they just turn out to disappoint me. As wonderful as high expectations are, I've come to realize that they won't always be met.

Sometimes, I have high expectations for myself.

I expect to get good grades, to get along with those around me, to get in better shape, to prioritize my schedule, to succeed in things I attempt, to be a good friend, to make the right decisions, to respect my parents, to be bold and courageous, to encourage those around me, to grow in my relationship with God and to faithfully follow Christ. But frankly, I fall short of my expectations. Often. I get frustrated when I fail and discouraged when my good intentions fall through. Sometimes, I disappoint myself.

Sometimes, I have high expectations for others.

I expect others to be considerate, to be friendly, to understand my feelings, to show compassion, to include others in their activities, to give their best effort, to be honest, and to be faithful and keep their promises. Unfortunately, people fall short of my expectations too. People are sinners just like I am. Because no one is perfect, including myself, sometimes people disappoint me.

In a world where people fail me or betray me, and where my shortcomings consistently disappoint me, it's easy to lower my expectations and let my standards down. It's safer to expect less when expecting more means risking the chance of disappointment.

But unlike imperfect human beings who constantly fail and fall short, God never falls short; in fact, he consistently exceeds any expectations we could ever have for him! In the midst of my failings and disappointments, Ephesians 3:20-21 is full of hope and anticipation: "him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." God is faithful, he does not fail. We should never put limitations on what God can do. God desires to magnify himself and glorify his name, and he will always succeed in what he does. Although we may not always know God's purpose or intentions, we can always expect that they are greater than we could ever ask for or imagine! 

 Always, we should expect great things of God.

This new year, 2013, you and I both have goals, expectations for what this year holds and what it will be like. While there are sure to be joys and successes, there are certain to be disappointments as well. However, no matter the circumstances, no matter the situation, let's make this a year where we expect great things of God. Let's not put limits on what he can do in our lives and in the lives around us. God doesn't always move like we expect him to, but he certainly never disappoints. Don't you think he would delight in doing far more abundantly than anything we could ask or think this year?!

 A new season, a new year, and a faithful God.

Lord, we wait expectantly.