Crisis Pregnancy Centers

Key Scripture: Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV)

 ¹³ For you created my inmost being;
       you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
 ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
       your works are wonderful,
       I know that full well.
 ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
       when I was made in the secret place.
       When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
 ¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.
       All the days ordained for me
       were written in your book
       before one of them came to be.

General Prayer Focus: LIFE/Abortion

Specific Prayer Focus: Crisis Pregnancy Centers

Tidbit of Information: Crisis Pregnancy Centers exist to provide pro life counseling to pregnant women, as well as provide emotional, physical, spiritual and financial assistance to mothers.  They teach clients about fetal development, give them information on abortion (procedures and risks), adoption, nutrition, pre and post natal care and parenting skills.  They offer infant loss and post abortion counseling, a 24-hour crisis phone line, school and youth presentations on healthy sexuality, community programs, maternity and baby clothing and supplies and more!  These services are offered free of charge and are funded solely by donations.

Prayer:  Father, what a wonder and mystery how You form us in our mothers’ wombs and knit us together by Your own hands! I thank You for the beauty of creation and that You are intimately involved in the forming of every single new human life. Today, I pray for Crisis Pregnancy Centers as they seek to communicate to pregnant women how precious their unborn baby’s life is as well as their own great worth and value to You. I pray that You would strengthen and empower the staff and volunteers at these centers and equip them with everything they need to show unconditional love to every women who enters their doors and to provide them with the emotional, physical and spiritual care they need. I pray that You would use these amazing organizations to minister to pregnant women, as well as women who have lost a baby to miscarriage or abortion. Father, would You reveal to each woman who goes to these centers Your amazing love for them and that You formed them in their mother’s womb and are now forming a beautiful life in their own womb. I ask that You would show these women that You are there for them in the midst of their struggle and pain, as they face uncertain futures with many questions and fears. I pray that You would provide the necessary resources to these centers so that they can give these women everything they need to choose life for their babies, in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Sources/Links: Crisis Pregnancy Centre of Winnipeg handout

Sexual Purity in Young Women

Key Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 

General Prayer Focus: Under-30 Generation/LIFE

Specific Prayer Focus: Sexual Purity in Young Women

Tidbit of Information: According to a Chuck Colson daily broadcast discussed on the Bound4Life blog, ”The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts hosted a panel in New York, part of the annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. According to the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, the Girl Scouts allowed Planned Parenthood ‘to distribute brochures containing sexually explicit material to the young girls’…As the guide blithely puts it, ‘There is no right or wrong way to have sex. Just have fun, explore and be yourself!’  It also tells girls that ‘some people have sex when they have been drinking alcohol or using drugs. This is your choice.’  Clearly, nothing is off limits—even for children below the age of consent.” 

The Bound4Life blog went on to say that ”Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women of America said, ‘that Planned Parenthood, the nation’s number one abortion provider, works with girls’ organizations in order to profit from encouraging kids to be sexually active.’ It’s obvious—the more sexually active, the more abortions.” (Source)

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You love and care for every young woman and that Your ways and Your plans are higher and better than the ways of man.  Father, in a world where young people are encouraged to satisfy every craving and desire, I pray that You would call this generation to a higher standard that values purity and holiness above self-gratification. Father, I pray that You would reveal to young women their immense value and worth to You, that they would be confident and secure in Your love and wouldn’t need to seek out the affections of men in order to feel loved.  I pray that young women would see that they are daughters of the Most High God and that there is great honor and dignity in preserving their sexual purity for the holy union of marriage.  I pray that they would be strengthened with power by Your Holy Spirit to pursue righteousness, faith and love out of a pure heart and to turn away from impure desires that would lead them away from You.  I also pray for the young women who have already chosen to be sexually active and I ask that You would cause their hearts to long for purity and to choose to change the way they’re living.  I pray that You would restore all that may have been lost or stolen from them and redeem their purity once again.  Lastly, for those young women who have found themselves with an unplanned pregnancy, I pray that You would speak to their hearts by Your Holy Spirit and lead them to choose life for their unborn baby, recognizing its incredible worth and value to You, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen! 

Sources/Links: Bound4Life Blog

Healing for Women Who’ve Had an Abortion

Key Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)

¹⁴May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

General Prayer Focus: LIFE/Abortion

Specific Prayer Focus: Healing for women who’ve had an abortion in Canada

Tidbit of Information: “As many as 80-90% of women testify that they struggle with depression and anxiety after having an abortion and MOST women say the quality of their lives is NOT enhanced but reduced after their abortion. Every study that we have seen indicates that most women deeply regret their abortion and wish they would have known 1) the stage that their baby was at when they were terminated and 2) what the potential emotional and psychological outcomes for their lives would be.” (Source)

Prayer: Father, today I bring to You in prayer the women in Canada who have had an abortion and I ask that You would pour out the grace of Jesus upon them.  Father, where they feel weak and broken, would Your grace bring healing to their hearts and their bodies.  Father, I ask that You would lavish Your great love upon them, that they might know Your mercy and forgiveness and be set free from depression and self-hatred.  I ask that in their pain that they would turn to You and seek Your face and be washed clean and completely restored by the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross for them.  Would You fill them with Your Holy Spirit and would they enter into fellowship with Him, receiving a revelation of Your heart towards them as they walk with the Holy Spirit in communion and friendship.  I ask that You would minister to the void that they may be feeling after losing their baby and bring complete healing to their emotions, bodies, and any psychological effects of having an abortion.  Would You set them free from shame and condemnation and replace it with Your love and a love for the lives of the unborn, in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

Sources/Links: Bound4Life Canada

Pro-Abortion Motion Defeated!

Praise Report: Just 3 days ago, I posted the prayer request to pray about the Canadian Liberal Pro-Abortion Motion.  Today, we thank God for His intervention while this motion was being voted on for Canada’s G8 summit agenda.  According to 4myCanada.ca‘s email newsletter, the motion was defeated 144 to 138, partially in thanks to everyone’s prayers, fasting and emails they sent to the members of parliament. Praise God!

Canadian Liberal Pro-Abortion Motion

Key Scripture: Amos 5:24 (NIV)

²⁴ But let justice roll on like a river,
       righteousness like a never-failing stream! 

General Prayer Focus: LIFE

Specific Prayer Focus: Canadian Liberal Pro-Abortion Motion

Tidbit of Information: Faytene Kryskow, with 4myCanada.ca and Bound4Life.ca, is calling a 3 day period of fasting and prayer from March 21-23, 2010 in response to the Canadian Liberal party’s expected motion to include the topic of abortion in Canada’s agenda at the G8 summit.  This motion is expected to be brought forward for a vote on Tuesday, March 23rd, at 5:30pm.  While Prime Minister Stephan Harper’s plan has been to bring up the issue of global infant and maternal mortality at the G8, the Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has been pushing to include providing access to abortion in this platform, claiming botched abortions as an issue that threatens women.  For more information about this motion and how you can both pray and take action, read the recent email newsletter here.

Prayer: Father, today we intercede and stand in the gap on behalf of unborn babies across the world and we pray that Your justice would roll on like a river, Your righteousness like a never-failing stream.  Father, we repent for the great bloodshed that has already occurred in Canada with our complete lack of regulations or laws against abortion.  Jesus, we bleed Your blood over our sins and the sins of our nation and we ask for both Your mercy and Your justice.  Would You spare our nation from Your judgment by sending Your Spirit for a great revival that would cause justice to flow abundantly on behalf of the unborn babies.  Father, we pray that You would cause the political leaders in our country to take a stand for righteousness and truth and justice and that You would cause a great uprising of men and women who are willing to be a strong and relentless voice for life!  Let Canada be known as a nation that seeks to promote life not only in our land, but in the nations of the earth.  We ask that You would fulfill the prophetic promises You have spoken over Canada, that she would be like the tree whose leaves bring healing to the nations.  We ask that Canada would not promote abortion as a solution to the problems of women and children across the earth, but that Canada would promote justice and life-giving aid.  Would You turn the hearts of the leaders of our land toward You and Your ways.  God end abortion and send revival to Canada, in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

Sources/Links: 4MyCanada.ca
Bound4Life.ca

American Health Care Bill

Key Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-4

¹I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 

General Prayer Focus: LIFE/Abortion

Specific Prayer Focus: American Health Care Bill

Tidbit of Information: According to LifeNews.com, the proposed health care bill could “pay for perhaps hundreds of thousands of abortions” and the House is considering “passing the pro-abortion Senate health care bill and possibly using a procedural trick to do so that would pass the bill without taking a vote on it”.  (March 14, 2010 Email Newsletter)

Prayer: Father, I thank You that it is Your desire for all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  Today, I pray for all those in authority who have the power to influence whether or not the proposed health care bill gets passed and I ask that You would give them supernatural revelation of Your truth.  I ask that they would see the value of the life of an unborn baby and be compelled to protect that life, even if it causes repercussions for their reputations or careers.  For the senators who are pro-life, I pray that You would fill them with strength in their inner man to not give way to the pressures coming against them to change their vote.  Empower them to not compromise their beliefs and what they know to be truth – that life begins at conception and we must protect it!  

I ask that You would hear the many prayers going up to You from all those who love and defend the rights of the unborn and that You would intervene in this situation in answer to their cries.  Would You also hear the cries of the many babies who have been aborted and bring justice on their behalf, changing the political tide from pro-abortion to pro-life!  I pray that no procedural trickery would advance the cause of abortion and that You would oppose the schemes of the enemy.  Even as You are already changing the hearts of the people in the nation of America on the issue of life, would You cause it to make it’s way into the laws of this land as well.  I pray for salvations in the government and for revival to sweep across this nation, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sources/Links:  LifeNews.com

The Spirit of Adoption

Key Scripture: Romans 8:14-17 (NKJV)

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…

General Prayer Focus: Spirit of Adoption

Specific Prayer Focus: Christian families who are adopting

Prayer: Father, I thank you that you have adopted us into your family and that you have called us your children!  In the same incredible way that you have given us the Spirit of adoption to call you “Father”, I ask that today you would give this spirit to many in such a way that they would be moved to adopt children into their own families.  God, I ask that many believers in Jesus would receive a revelation of your love for the abandoned and unwanted children of the world who are in desperate need of loving parents.  I ask that you would cause your church to rise up in answer to the issue of abortion by declaring that she is willing to accept and embrace the babies that others would wish to eradicate. 

Father, I also pray for those Christian families who are both now in the process of adopting a child or who have recently adopted, that you would send supernatural provision their way to pay for all the paperwork, social and legal services, and travel expenses.  Lord, would you move on the hearts of people to give generously to these incredible families who are sacrificially opening their hearts and homes to these children.  For those still in the process, I pray that you would go ahead of them to prepare the way, that any hindrances or barriers to the adoption process would be removed and that you would grant them divine favor with all officials and organizations who need to approve their applications.  I also ask that you would grant these parents and families patience, trust, and deep stores of love – that through the difficulties and challenges of adopting, that their hearts would be kept in the palm of your hand, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Prayer Resources for the Ending of Abortion

Many people and ministries take the opportunity to pray for the ending of abortion on January 22nd, which is the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade in 1973 when abortion became legal in the United States.  Here are a few of the various activities and prayer events that are taking place which you can partner with or use as a resource for your own prayers regarding the ending of abortion.

March for Life
The March for Life has been taking place in Washington, DC ever since January 22, 1974, the first anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, to remember this day and to take a stand for the lives of the unborn.  Since that first march where approximately 20,000 people attended, it has grown to about 200,000 in recent years.   

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
All the dioceses are called to observe January 22nd as a day of “penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life.”  Listed on this page are several Catholic pro-life liturgies that can be used for intercession.  In Washington, they also hold the National Prayer Vigil for Life, which starts tonight and goes through the night, leading up to the March for Life that also takes place in Washington.

“A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer.”
-Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, no. 100

Priests for Life
The Priests for Life organization called for a Novena of Reparation, which is basically nine days of prayer, beginning on January 14th and leading up to January 22nd, inviting people to pray each day for the ending of abortion.  On their site are also several prayer resources such as the Daily Prayer to End Abortion, a list of Pro-Life Prayers, and a 30-Day Prayer Devotional for Life.

22 Prayers for Life
I also took some time & picked out 22 Prayers for Life from a couple of the Catholic sites and put them in one document as a resource for you!  I must say, I was totally blessed to read about the Catholic’s strong stance for life and their strong focus and push for prayer for this issue.  To see the way they unite in prayer and how they gather together for this cause was greatly encouraging to my heart.  May a passion and a heart and prayers for the issue of life continue to grow in the hearts of Christians across North America!

22 Prayers for Life.doc
22 Prayers for Life.pdf

**Note about these prayers: Most of the prayers have been copied word for word from either the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website (http://www.usccb.org/) or the Priests for Life website (http://www.priestsforlife.org/). I tried to note that a prayer was “Adapted” if I made any changes. Most changes were only to make the prayers applicable to both the United States and Canada or to make the prayers more non-denominational in nature and adaptable to all Christians – Catholic or not. For the most part, the prayers remained unchanged, but you can also view the original sources by clicking on the provided links.

If you know of any other events or great prayer resources for the ending of abortion, please leave a comment with the links.