{{first_name|Friend}},
May we never take our freedom for granted.
Last night, my daughter and I were talking about the case of Rose Docherty, a 75-year-old grandmother in Glasgow, Scotland, who was arrested for standing outside a hospital holding a sign that read:
“Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want.”
Thankfully, the charges against her were dismissed in April of this year.
My daughter, who spent time living in Glasgow while serving as a NET missionary, shared with me the many stories she had heard of people being harassed and even arrested simply for quietly praying for mothers outside abortion facilities. She told me how much people there long for the freedom we sometimes take for granted here in America: the freedom to stand peacefully, pray, and offer hope to a mother in need.
And it made me realize how incredibly blessed we are right here in our Borderland!
In Santa Teresa, not only can we peacefully pray outside the abortion facility, but God has blessed us with a chapel that shares a wall with it!
On one side of that wall, babies are losing their lives. On the other, we can kneel before Our Lord, place our hands on that wall, and pray for the mothers, their babies, Dr. Theard, and his entire team. We pray for conversions, healing, and mercy.
We combat what happens on the other side of that wall with prayer.
And in Las Cruces, we have the freedom to gather in prayer outside the UNM abortion center build site, where a $10 million taxpayer-funded facility is being constructed.
And look at everything God has allowed us to do!
Right in front of the abortion facilities, we celebrate Holy Mass, organize Marches for Life and Jericho Marches, and gather publicly in prayer. We've even had our Mayor, Bishop, and pastors from different churches standing alongside us, leading our community in prayer right outside these facilities!
What an incredible blessing to publicly profess our faith and pray for mothers and their babies in the very places where our prayers are needed most!
What an extraordinary freedom we have, and what a responsibility to use it!
WE'RE NOT FINISHED PRAYING!
We are just over a week past the midpoint of our 40 Days for Life campaign, and there is still time to sign up and join us!
And remember, our commitment doesn't end when these 40 days are over!
Santa Teresa, the Pink House in Las Cruces, and the UNM abortion center build sites are now 365-day prayer locations!
That means establishing a faithful presence of peaceful prayer every single day of the year, not just during our spring and fall campaigns.
Imagine someone praying outside these locations every day, offering hope to mothers, praying for their babies, and asking God to change hearts!
But we cannot do this without you.
Please sign up for an hour of prayer in the days ahead, and prayerfully consider joining our year-round 365 prayer commitment.
Bring your family, invite a friend, or encourage your parish to join us.
Let those sidewalks be filled with people praying! Not with anger, but with love, compassion, and hope for mothers and their babies.
Let's not wait until our freedom is threatened to recognize how precious it is.
We have the chapel. We have the sidewalks. We have the freedom to pray. And most importantly, we have Our Lord!
Let's use these blessings, not just for 40 days, but all 365!
BOOTS, BABIES & BIG DREAMS!
And speaking of blessings, I hope you'll join us for our upcoming Southwest Coalition Gala! We have so much to celebrate, so many beautiful stories of lives saved and mothers helped, and some very exciting plans to share with you!
December 2 | Las Cruces Convention Center
December 3 | El Paso Starlight Event Center
Our special guest speaker will be Riley Gaines, and for the first time, we're adding a Western dance after the program!
Come for the mission, stay for the celebration!
Thank you for your prayers, your presence, and for helping Southwest Coalition continue offering hope and practical support to mothers and their children.
For Life. For Love. For Both.
With love and gratitude,
Jessica Sifuentes
President & CEO
Southwest Coalition, Inc.
Devotional for Day 26
Intention: For Christians throughout the world whose ability to publicly live and express their faith is restricted, and that we will never take our own religious freedom for granted.
Scripture: “For freedom Christ set us free.” — Galatians 5:1
Reflection: Freedom is a gift, but a gift can begin to feel ordinary when we forget its value. Today, we have the freedom to gather, pray, speak, and peacefully stand for life. May we never become so comfortable with that freedom that we fail to use it for good.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the freedom to worship You and to peacefully stand for what we believe. Protect those throughout the world who do not share these freedoms. Give us the courage and gratitude to use the freedoms You have given us to serve others and bring Your light into difficult places. Amen.Intention: Intention
Challenge: Pray about joining the 365 prayer team!