Our pastor was making a side-point the other day and mentioned, “They tell us that 80 percent of success is just . . .” and as he paused, almost all of us old enough to remember the phrase said in unison, “Showing up.”
Yep. It’s an adage we’ve known for years. If we just “show up” for school, the high likelihood is that somehow, some way we will graduate from whatever scholastic endeavor we attempt, if only because the teacher knows we are giving an effort.
Do we want to keep a job? Show up every day, and don’t be late. This is a simple proposition.
Not long ago my wife and I had to let go a caregiver who came into our home to work with my mother. You know why. She stopped showing up. There were excuses, some possibly valid reasons. But at some point we realized we had hired either the unluckiest person in the world regarding car problems, family issues, illness and whatever else . . . or she just wasn’t motivated enough to get to our home.
There is a point here for all of us in the pregnancy help community. We show up.
We open the doors when we are tired. We answer the phone calls late at night or early in the morning. When we believe we are missing clients and patients we must reach, we look for ways to expand our hours. We do not cut back; we look for more ways to show up.
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We don’t pretend to have all of the answers but at least we are on time and open. And showing up is 80 percent of what it takes to win.
If you want to know why Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry seems shriller these days, it is because we keep showing up.
If you want to know why Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards, while supporting Hillary Clinton last week, made one of the most outrageous remarks in the history of politics, it is because she is increasingly panicked over the fact that pro-life individuals and candidates have the audacity to keep showing up.
We show up by taking the hands of our patients and clients and saying in essence, “As long as you hang on to us, we will never let you go.” Planned Parenthood lets go the moment cash is in hand.
We show up by taking the fearful into our maternity homes and sometimes, our own homes. Do we have even one instance of the abortion industry taking in anyone for any reason? The fact is, when times get tough for someone, the Planned Parenthoods are a no-show. Not us.
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We show up by building families with mentoring initiatives for new moms. Just this week I was at a speaking engagement and as the hotel employees caught wind of who we were, one of the wait staff asked how she could sign up for parenting classes. This is what happens when you simply show up.
We reach out to dads, telling many that even though they’ve never had a father in their own lives, we will help as they seek to become a great provider, protector and leader for their children.
When someone is hurting from a past abortion, we don’t tell them “it is all in your head” or to “get over it” because we are somehow afraid of the truth. We show up and listen. We show up and tell our own stories when called upon. We show up and invite our friends to a journey of forgiveness and hope.
I note again; we never claim to be perfect. We make our mistakes; I’m sure any one of us can point to a moment when we felt like we said the wrong thing, didn’t have the best attitude or missed an opportunity.
But, we are transparent enough to admit we are still learning, still growing; still seeking to best represent our belief in the gift of life.
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This is why every week it seems, I’m hearing of a new center opening its doors, or an expansion of our vast network of maternity homes. This is why at this year’s Heartbeat International Conference the attendance set yet another record. We keep showing up.
Support for the abortion industry is dwindling. While those left are louder and angrier than ever, the number of abortion supporters and centers drops. Fact is, fewer are showing up.
And as we watch the abortion industry begin to crumble in front of us, we keep showing up. It is 80 percent of the battle, and 80 percent is mighty close to victory.
Kirk Walden is a senior writer with Pregnancy Help News, an Advancement Specialist with Heartbeat International and author of The Wall. For banquet speaking engagements,