35 years later . . .

We have had 35 years of contraceptive "education" and "safe" abortion, and what do we have? STI infection rates for young people through the roof.

Check out http://www.citizenlink.org/FOSI/abstinence/ppi/A000007556.cfm

That and 50 million abortions! Yeah, it's working great!

Did She Really Say This?

Pelosi: Fewer babies = stronger economy

by Charlie Butts and Jody Brown - OneNewsNow - 1/27/2009

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stirred up a hornet's nest by promoting the idea of spending of millions of dollars on birth control and abortion as part of the economic stimulus package.

"Contraception," argued Pelosi, "will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government." Her comments came on ABC's This Week when asked by host George Stephanopoulos how expanding "family-planning services" to the tune of millions of dollars will stimulate the economy. OneNewsNow sought reaction from Susan Fani, director of communications for the Catholic League.

"It's quite shocking, actually, that the Speaker of the House -- who claims to be Catholic -- would go on national television and claim that contraception would reduce the cost to the government," exclaims Fani. "It's just beyond words, really."

Catholic League president Bill Donohue finds her comments revealing. "We have reached a new low when high-ranking public office holders in the federal government cast children as the enemy," he offers in a press statement. "But at least it explains their enthusiasm for abortion-on-demand."

America needs to produce 2.1 children per couple to keep up with births to support the population -- and that rate is not being maintained. Economies in Europe have been especially hurt by a drop in birth rates.

MWC Comment: What happens when you terminate one in three future taxpayers for the past 35 years? The economy suffers! Those babies could have been using diapers, formula, clothing, daycare services, educational services (teachers and schools), buying cars, considering going to college, planning weddings, buying houses, and those who would have been turning 35 this year (had they not been aborted in the early 1970's) would now have been producing families of their own. Check out the book "The Cost of Abortion (An Analysis of the Social, Economic, and Demographic Effects of Abortion on the United States)" by Lawrence F. Roberge at www.amazon.com.

Welcome, Abigail Faith Sjerven!

Metro Women's Center sends our best wishes and congratulations to our new board member, Dave Sebald, on the birth of his granddaughter,
Abigail Faith Sjerven!

When you wonder why . . .

. . . you are going through at trial or difficulty in your life, remember that the Lord might be able to use it to help someone else along the way. That was my situation today with two different situations:

Because of my previous abortions, when a woman is considering having an abortion, I can talk to her about how it affected me and caused great emotional, spiritual, and yes, even some physical damage in my life. By sharing the truth of my experience with a woman today, I was able to encourage her to slow down and think through her decision BEFORE she made a permanent choice. I will never stay silent about abortion's devastation in my life and the restoration that came to me through the shed blood of Christ if it means that another person can be spared from experiencing an abortion and one child's life can be spared.

A relative of mine is being drawn into a religious cult, and it drove me to learn why the cult was wrong, biblically. Well, today, a person came to me for help on another matter and told me they were studying with this same "cult". Because I had previously studied the "cult", I was able to point out some dangers and encourage them to rethink their involvement. If I had not done that in an effort to help my relative see the truth, I would not have been prepared to share with the person today!

God does indeed work all things out for good!

Golden Agers

We had a lovely time sharing the ministry of MWC with the "Golden Agers" at Fourth Baptist Church in Plymouth today. The group meets on Wednesdays, and they are a tremendous gathering of "seasoned saints" who love to pray for our ministry. One of the ladies will be 97 year old soon, and she told me, "I'm still here because God must have something else for me to do." What a tremendous attitude to have and a great example of service with a great attitude!

St. Paul Bound

We are excited to be getting ready to speak at the capital on Thursday for Silent No More Minnesota. There will be 16 of us sharing our stories of our past abortions, how they affected our lives and the lives of our children, and how we have been forgiven and set free from our sin through the precious blood of Christ.

For information on how you too can have a personal relationship with Christ and be set free from sin's bondage, go to www.metrowomenscenter.org and click on the Spiritual Help tab. We would love the opportunity to share with you the way to be free!

Life Issues in the News

Obama Makes Schiavo's Lawyer Third-Ranking Justice Official

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Barack Obama has named the lawyer who represented Terri Schiavo’s husband Michael in his efforts to kill his disabled wife as the third highest attorney in the Justice Department. Thomas Perrelli, who won an award for representing Schiavo's former husband, had served on Obama's transition team. The incoming president made Perrelli an associate attorney general and his appointment is generating scorn from pro-life advocates. Perrelli provided Michael Schiavo with legal advice during his response to the Congressional bill that President Bush signed allowing the Schindler family to take their lawsuit seeking to prevent Terri’s euthanasia death from state to federal courts. He led the legal team that developed the legal briefs for Michael opposing appeals and he ultimately received the Albert E. Jenner, Jr. Pro Bono Award in October 2006 for representing Terri’s former husband at no cost. Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values Coalition, told the Washington Times Tuesday that Obama's appointment of Perrelli is "just another death-peddler Obama has added to his list of nominees." Full story at LifeNews.com.

2nd Black Pro-Life Leader Urges Obama to Oppose Abortion

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A second black pro-life leader has issued comments urging incoming president Barack Obama to reverse course on abortion and oppose instead of promoting it. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is leading a group of African Americans with a pro-life message for Obama. Her comments come on the heels of Day Gardner asking Obama to oppose abortion as president. King and a group of community leaders are gathering in Atlanta today to discuss an agenda to be presented to Obama regarding his first 100 days in office. They say they appreciate that Obama is the first black president to serve in the White House and say that is a milestone for America. However, they believe that achievement will be undone if Obama promotes abortion as he has said he would do. "African Americans, like many Americans, are pro-life," King told LifeNews.com. "As we see the dawn of a new year and a great milestone being passed, people across the country should let our new president know that we want babies in the womb protected," she added. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Two Dramas Now Available

Two pro-life dramas are now available: "Dad, Can You Hear Me" (addresses end of life issues) and "Answering the Call" (addresses abortion issues).

We enjoyed the opportunity on Sunday, January 11th to spend the day at Community Baptist Church in New Prague, MN. Baptists for Life Minnesota debuted its new drama, "Dad, Can You Hear Me". The 12-minute drama depicts the "end of life" struggles that a family faces as a father, in a coma, can't communicate his wishes about ongoing care to his son. The drama focuses on the challenges and conflict that these situations bring forward. As individuals' opinions are expressed about "pulling the plug" on a loved one, this drama tries to answer the hard questions and stirs us to think biblically and selflessly about caring for those at the end of life on this earth.

If you are interested in having the drama at your church or event, along with a message related to care for the elderly, please e-mail info@metrowomenscenter.org.

MWC also has a drama called "Answering the Call" featuring seven crisis phone calls to a pregnancy center showing the many different scenarios related to individuals seeking abortions. The calls illuminate the mentality behind the choice to abort and show how using compassion and scripture can help change a caller's thinking about abortion. Not every call ends in a changed mind, but sadly, that is the reality we face as we seek to provide life-affirming alternatives so both mom and baby can live.

The drama can be used as a fundraiser for pregnancy care centers or as a tool to educate your group about the issue of abortion. If you are interested in this 35-minute drama, please e-mail info@metrowomenscenter.org. Audio CDs are available if you would like to review the program. It can also be used as a radio broadcast.

FIGHT FOCA

Information courtesy of our friend, Jim White:

The attack of Satan on families, particularly in the abortion arena, is about to be kicked up a notch. The President-Elect, in a campaign speech, promised to sign this repugnant piece of legislation as one of his first acts as president. See the article below and go to the website for more information on this. Also see World Magazine published January 17 for some excellent articles on the abortion issue.

Special Prayer Need: Fight FOCA
Please join in the effort to fight the terrible piece of legislation called "The Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA).
FOCA would establish the right to abortion as a fundamental right (like the right to free speech) and wipe away every restriction on abortion nationwide. President-elect Barack Obama has vowed in a speech to Planned Parenthood that passing FOCA will be his first act as President.
FOCA will eradicate state and federal abortion laws the majority of Americans support and prevent states from enacting protective measures in the future.
FOCA will do away with state laws on parental involvement, on partial-birth abortion, and on all other protections.
FOCA will compel taxpayer funding of abortions.
FOCA will force faith-based hospitals and healthcare facilities to perform abortions.
Unbelievably, FOCA will even invalidate all health and safety abortion regulations, allowing non-physicians such as dentists and social workers to perform surgical abortions without training. Under FOCA, abortion providers will not be required to sterilize surgical instruments or to have functioning emergency equipment. FOCA endangers the health, lives and safety of American women.

Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition at http://www.FightFOCA.com.

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act may eventually shut down thrift stores and other outlets for used items. Check it out and see what you think. Some regulations may be good, but does anyone else think this is a bit over the top? My friend Jon wrote me about this new development:

"Today is the first I heard details about the new law set to take effect on Feb. 10, 2009. It is the result of a tragic child lead poisoning in Minneapolis, and the upshot is a nation-wide law called the 'Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.'

This law will prohibit the sale of all items intended for use by children 12 years old and under which have not been tested and certified to be free of lead and certain chemicals. While the intent was to protect children, the effects could be far-reaching. Just think about it for a moment – everything from clothes to toys to books to sporting equipment and on and on will only be available brand new and at inflated prices jacked up to cover the mandated testing. Families will no longer be able to buy used items for their children at thrift stores or yard sales. The cost of outfitting and raising a family will rise dramatically in less than one month.

Thrift stores will have to ship large amounts of their stock to the landfill, and many will go out of business. Toys and clothing and other things donated to charities for the needy, though not for resale, still may have to be discarded en masse."

Here’s an observation from a hand-craft enthusiast:

“Another result of this act is that a multitude of people who make handmade goods for children are going to be forced out of business because they cannot afford the outrageous third-party testing and certification required to sell their products.

Grandmothers selling crocheted baby blankets at craft fairs, small businesses which produce natural wooden toys, stay-at-home moms with little online shops - we are all subject to the same law as the major corporations who can easily afford the testing for lead and phthalates.”

MWC NOTE: We don't yet know what effect this will have on individuals donating used items to our Center, but we will keep tabs on this as it develops.

Support Life at the State Capital on January 22!

by Deb Prokop, SNMM speaker

On behalf of Silent No More Minnesota, I would like to encourage all of you to be a part of and join the March for Life on January 22nd, 2009 at the State Capital. We have a wonderful opportunity this year to join MCCL in this important event.

I am very passionate about this because of my participation at the National March for Life in Washington, DC last January 2008. When I got to the stage area before the march, they handed the men and women involved with Silent No More a VIP badge and asked us to stand on and next to the stage before the march began. Then they told us they wanted us to lead the march. I can tell you I was very humbled by all of this. Here I was, someone who had taken the life of my child, being asked to lead a pro-life march of over 200,000 people! “Why me Lord?”, I asked. The reply was that we, the women and men who know first-hand the pain abortion causes, need to hold our signs up as shields of faith (Ephesians 6:15), faith in what Christ did in our lives and that He will use all for His good purpose and glory. Then we marched up to the Supreme Court building, where Roe vs. Wade was signed, and gave our testimonies. I knew He was with us, telling us that even though we are in the capital of the world's most powerful nation, that nation's power is nothing compared to His power.

So I ask that you join us this day, to stand in faith and give Him glory for what He has done in our lives, to be examples for others hurting from or considering abortion.

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” Philippians 2:13

Baby bottles are coming in!

We have had many baby bottles filled with funds returned to us in the past month. The funds in the bottles are dumped into a BIG bottle, and when it is full, I will take it to the bank and see how much is in it. The funds will be used to operate the "Amazing Grace Home" for pregnant women who need a place to live during their pregnancy. The goal is to raise $250,000 (we have about $150,000) for a home that will house five women during their pregnancies.

If you want to start helping with this project, contact me at info@metrowomenscenter.org, and I will get you some bottles. It would be a fun service project at a school or in a dorm (contests between the floors), or for an AWANA club or home school group.

Knowing the truth when the arguments make you weary

I got myself involved with an online thread (go all the way to the end--my posts start Jan. 2) over the holidays with a group of pro-choice folks, and it was very interesting.

The level of commitment to not acknowledging the simple truth about life beginning at conception or the consideration of anything getting in the way of a woman's "right" to choose was phenomenal. One writer questioned my query about abortion being rooted in selfishness, by responding that it was not selfish to "remove a 'being' from my body that never thought or felt". There was much back and forth about the science of fetal development and discussion of where rights come from. I shared my story and got blasted for it. It's interesting that there is judgment on that side for a woman who chose abortion more than once. Could that mean that even "choice" has limits? Interesting.

I have never done this type of conversation before; I learned a lot and would approach it a little differently if given the opportunity to be a part of one again.

My verse for today is:

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable." Isaiah 40:28

How appropriate! God never faints nor is weary of anything, and He has the ultimate answers to all of our questioning and conflicts.

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