The Life Sentinel Building a Culture of Life One Community at a Time

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Spencer O’Brien’
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1 July 2010 Volume I, Number I Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Prov. 3: Southpoint Center Blvd. Fredericksburg, VA nifla@aol.com The Life Sentinel Building a Culture of Life One Community at a Time Dear Supporter, I am excited to introduce you to the first issue of The Life Sentinel a quarterly newsletter that will provide information about what is happening around the nation. A Sentinel is defined as one that watches or guards. Each individual who works in a pregnancy resource center is clearly a Life Sentinel, as they guard the lives of mothers in crisis pregnancies and their unborn children. Abortion is a cancer that has divided our nation, destroyed our families and continues to wreak havoc among both men and women. NIFLA is honored to partner with you to stand in the gap building a culture of life in every community in the nation. Undoubtedly there are moments of discouragement. This may be particularly true in today s economy that is in deep recession. Financial resources are tight and PRCs are reporting a tightening of their belts as well. We must continue to work together. William Wilberforce was the great English politician who brought down the institution of slavery in the British Empire. He labored more than fifty years to see the end to this hideous institution. Slavery, like abortion, denied the image of God in certain human beings who were deemed unworthy of life. During a time of discouragement John Wesley, the English evangelist, wrote Wilberforce as follows: Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of his might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it. Remember if God is for you (and He most assuredly is) no power on earth or in the spiritual realm can defeat our ministry. Be encouraged! Our God, the Author of life, will be victorious. In Christ and for Life, Thomas A. Glessner President

You can be a part of the ministry by praying with us for abortion-minded women across the country. Daily women are making difficult decisions and often feel alone and overwhelmed.

2 Keeping In Touch Through News and Prayer NIFLA is beginning a quarterly newsletter to help keep you informed about what is happening, both at NIFLA and at our pregnancy resource centers around the country. You are an important part of this ministry. Many times we would like to take a more active role but do not know where to start. Here are a three ways that you can partner with us. 1. You can be a part of the ministry by praying with us for abortion-minded women across the country. Daily women are making difficult decisions and often feel alone and overwhelmed. Pray for the centers that are working on the front lines; that they can continue to be encouraging and supportive during this difficult time. 2. You can become active with your local pregnancy resource center. In August, our new website will have a map with the NIFLA member centers locations and contact information. 3. You can become a financial partner with NIFLA, as we provide pregnancy resource centers the best legal education, consultation, and training possible. Visit to make a financial donation. AUCTION NIFLA has already begun planning for the NILFA 2011 Auction. We are excited about getting an earlier start, in hopes that the auction will grow and reach more people. We would like to have as many people as possible actively participate in the auction. The easiest way to be involved is to pass the word along to your family and friends. It takes only minutes to forward an or tack a flyer on a community bulletin board. If you have an item or service to donate for the auction, visit the auction homepage, auction, and click on Donate Item, or contact me directly, robinatnifla@aol.com. We are looking forward to YOU being a part of the auction this year. NIFLA 2010 Auction Display Quote: I am feeling so much more confident as we move forward in this process (of becoming a medical clinic) and that is all due to the NIFLA training we are receiving. I just want to thank you and your team so very much! You have taken what would be an overwhelming task and allowed it to become manageable and systematic. We consider NIFLA to be such a blessing and we pray for you regularly! Thank you for all you do!! Carol Lenhard, Ex. Director, HOPE Resource Center of McKinney, Texas True Story: Yesterday two ladies with a small baby dropped by the center and asked for me. They wanted to show me the miracle baby. Her mom was very determined to have an abortion even at seven months. And then the ultrasound photos changed her mind. We had referred her to a physician, and she wouldn t go for a long time. And then she wouldn t view the ultrasound. But her friend grabbed the photos and said, your baby girl looks like you. And she chose life! The baby girl is absolutely darling. She a precious gift! Lucy Wykoff, Sage Center, LaFayette, Georgia

What Is Happening Around Us Montgomery, Alabama, First Choice Women s Medical Center continues giving life-affirming support to women who come through their door.

3 What Is Happening Around Us Montgomery, Alabama, First Choice Women s Medical Center continues giving life-affirming support to women who come through their door. They are thankful for the help of sidewalk counselors, staff, and the community for their help and encouragement. Recently, an abortion clinic, The Beacon Women s Center in Montgomery, closed because of violations cited in a 68 page report by the Alabama Department of Health. First Choice had a number of women tell them of the dirty conditions in the abortion clinic, along with many procedure violations. The Alabama Department of Health reported that 17 abortions were performed on one day this year without medication because the key to unlock the cabinet holding the medication was not in the office. When a woman comes to the First Choice Women s Medical Clinic they are treated respectfully and are very impressed with the staff, as well as the conditions of the clinic. Last year, the clinic counseled 1,175 young women. Hats off to the clinic s staff for their faithfulness in reaching out to the women who are in need of honest answers and loving support during a difficult time. First Choice Women s Medical Clinic, Montgomery, AL NIFLA s New Website We have been working all summer getting our new website up and running. Our hope is to make it more user friendly and more helpful to you. We have the same information as before, but have added an interactive map, with the locations and contact information of participating centers. Please visit the site and let us know what you think.

Separating the Idea of Abortion from Killing... The following are excerpts from an editorial that appeared in California Medicine, the official journal of the California Medical Association (Sept.

4 Separating the Idea of Abortion from Killing... The following are excerpts from an editorial that appeared in California Medicine, the official journal of the California Medical Association (Sept., 1970; Vol 113, No. 3), speaking about the linguistic strategy that would have to be used for the acceptance of abortion on demand in this country. The traditional Western ethic has always placed great emphasis on the intrinsic worth and equal value of every human life regardless of its stage or condition. This ethic has had the blessing of the Judeo-Christian heritage and has been the basis for most of our laws and much of our social policy. The reverence for each and every human life has also been a keystone of Western medicine and is the ethic which has caused physicians to try to preserve, protect, repair, prolong, and enhance every human life which comes under their surveillance. This traditional ethic is still clearly dominant, but there is much to suggest that it is being eroded at its core and may eventually even be abandoned. This of course will produce profound changes in Western medicine and in Western society. The process of eroding the old ethic and substituting the new has already begun. It may be seen most clearly in changing attitudes toward human abortion. In defiance of the long held Western ethic of intrinsic and equal value for every human life regardless of its stage, condition, or status, abortion is becoming accepted by society as moral, right, and even necessary. It is worth noting that this shift in public attitude has affected the churches, the laws, and public policy rather than the reverse. Since the old ethic has not yet been fully displaced it has been necessary to separate the idea of abortion from the idea of killing, which continues to be socially abhorrent. The result has been a curious avoidance of the scientific fact, which everyone really knows, that human life begins at conception and is continuous whether intra- or extra-uterine until death. The very considerable semantic gymnastics that are required to rationalize abortion as anything but taking a human life would be ludicrous if they were not often put forth under socially impeccable auspices. It is suggested that this schizophrenic sort of subterfuge is necessary because while a new ethic is being accepted the old one has not yet been rejected. Defending Life & Justice for All

5 July 2010 Volume I, Number I Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Prov. 3: Southpoint Center Blvd. Fredericksburg, VA nifla@aol.com The Life Sentinel Building a Culture of Life One Community at a Time Dear NIFLA Member. I am excited to introduce you to the first issue of The Life Sentinel a quarterly newsletter that will provide information about what is happening around the nation. A Sentinel is defined as one that watches or guards. You are a Life Sentinel guarding lives of mothers and their unborn children. We desire your input and welcome stories, anecdotes, praises, and announcements to include in future issues. Abortion has divided our nation, destroyed our families and continues to wreak havoc. NIFLA is honored to partner with you in building a culture of life in every community. Undoubtedly you have moments of discouragement as financial resources are tight. I want to encourage you. William Wilberforce, the great English politician who brought down slavery in the British Empire, labored more than fifty years to see the end to this hideous institution. Slavery, like abortion, denied the image of God in certain human beings who were deemed unworthy of life. During a time of discouragement John Wesley, the English evangelist, wrote Wilberforce as follows: I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that execrable villainy which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of his might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it. Remember if God is for you (and He most assuredly is) no power on earth or in the spiritual realm can defeat your work. Be encouraged! Our God, the Author of life, will be victorious. In Christ and for Life, Thomas A. Glessner, President

I Peter 4:13. Union with the Suffering Christ. Suffering leads to Joy Death to Life

I Peter 4:13. Union with the Suffering Christ. Suffering leads to Joy Death to Life Union with the Suffering Christ I Peter 4:13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. Suffering leads to Joy Death to Life