All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (“God with us”). – Matthew 1: 22 & 23
Immanuel, God with us. How reassuring are those words?! The struggles of life, personally and professionally, often take us to the edge of an emotional cliff. Thankfully, there is One to whom we can reach out and call out to for help. We are not alone – God is with us every step of the way in our personal and our professional lives.
The pregnancy help movement has experienced a flurry of activity of late. From increasing numbers of maternity homes to fighting pro-abortion lawmakers in court, from more lives saved through Abortion Pill Reversal to expanding fatherhood programs, we see God at work on behalf of women, unborn children, and the pro-life pregnancy help organizations that help them. Although battles continue to rage, including within conservative states such as North Dakota and Wyoming, prayers are answered, one woman, one family, one project, one day at a time.
The pregnancy help movement is built on a foundation of prayer. God works through His people and their prayers.
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Scripture encourages us to be persistent in prayer and to expect God to listen and to act. We must allow His will to be done, so we may not always receive the answer we want, or the answer may come at a later time. But, praying without ceasing, and waiting and watching for Him to work in our organizations and in our lives provides that opportunity for the Holy Spirit to move, to lead, and to guide.
I recall when working at True Care Women’s Resource Center the daily corporate prayer we had as paid and volunteer staff. We lifted one another up as well as prayed for family members, donors, and patients. We would also stop our work and bring a specific patient before the Lord, whether that person was a test/ultrasound patient or a person taking part in one of our programs. We saw a mom choose adoption instead of abortion. We learned a woman who had left intending to abort changed her mind and committed her life to Christ. We witnessed our donor community come alongside a mom who lost her home in a fire and provide new housing, furniture, household goods, and clothing. We often saw God work quickly but there were also times when days or weeks would first pass.
True Care now works in partnership with Sidewalk Advocates for Life after an abortion facility opened in Casper a few years ago. I recently learned from True Care’s executive director that a woman in the community was driving near the abortion facility, and she suddenly felt compelled to stop and pray. She pulled up to the area where the Sidewalk Advocates were standing and praying, and she joined them. They had been praying specifically for a young woman they saw go into the abortion facility just a few minutes before. When the woman in the car joined them in praying for that young lady, they witnessed her rush out from the building, get into her car, and drive away. Everyone rejoiced, believing God worked in both women’s lives.
When we faithfully pray and do the work God calls us to do and obey the promptings of His Holy Spirit, we will continue to witness His higher ways and miraculous works.
Tweet This: When we faithfully pray and do the work God calls us to do, we will continue to witness His higher ways and miraculous works.
Immanuel – God with us, through the good and the bad, the joys and the challenges. As we move closer to the day we celebrate Jesus, the Son of God, coming to Earth, may we continue to seek God’s will for our lives and our ministries. May we invite Him to always be with us, for Jesus promised His disciples, and those who follow Him today, “Take heart – I have overcome the world” - John 16:33, and “… surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” - Matthew 28:20.
God promises to not leave us. He promises to be with us. He promises to return, and He promises to overcome. Because of His promises and His work, we can take heart, and we can allow Him to work through us. Our prayers go to the throne of God – how heartwarming and magnificent is that? – and we witness His work.
As we end 2024 and prepare for 2025, let us hold fast to the Lord’s promises and continue to pray, knowing He is our Immanuel, and then watch Him work.
“May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” – Psalm 141:2
