Chapter 1 - The Power of Prayer.

PREFACE

“In Catholic teaching an omission is a failure to do

something one can and ought to do. If this happens

advertently and freely, it is considered a sin.”

When over a billion babies are murdered and the

sidewalks in front of the altars of human sacrifice are

empty and the clergy is absent this passage comes to

mind:

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a

stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited

me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst,

or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer

them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did

it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life

eternal." Matt. 25:42-46

INTRODUCTION

The most difficult part of a long journey is often the first step. That's certainly true of this book.

It's complicated by the fact that so much of the content was already written and none of it

organized.

The stories occur all over the United States, but they seem to be saying the same thing. They all

head in the same direction -- like a compass pointing north.

This journey begins with prayer.

The first chapter takes place in Dallas, TX not too long ago ... but it's shaped by the hand of God

working in Charlottesville, VA, Houston, TX, Lansing, MI, and other sidewalks all over

America. Many of the references will be to the places I've stood in the past. I lived in Houston,

TX for three years and that's when I became an active pro lifer standing on Fannin Street in front

of Planned Parenthood.

I didn't show up to the sidewalk a perfect person (far, far from it). If I waited until I became a

perfect person before serving God I would still be holding the remote control and staring at the

television. I hadn't been to church in decades. I had no special training or qualifications.

And to be honest I didn't really have a purpose. I had been focused on making money and getting

famous in Los Angeles for many years before I arrived in Houston, TX. And I had rejected God.

I wanted to be a good person, but I wanted to accomplish that goal without any coaching from

God. And the results as you might imagine were disastrous.

I didn't reject God outright because that would have been a difficult pill to swallow. I was like all

the people in the cars driving by the clinics. I wanted to be in the "God club"-- but I didn't want

to walk with God, talk with God, or obey Him. The only difference is that I didn't bother with the

pretense of attending church.

I reached a crossroads where I had to make a final decision. And for reasons that only God

knows I decided to serve Him (not really even knowing what it meant). I wasn't alone since my

business partner was going through a similar struggle and we decided to make a list of things

God might want us to do. It was a list of things God must hate. I don't remember all of the things

we wrote down but abortion was on the list -- surely God hated abortion.

So we picked abortion. But how do you serve God in the battle to end abortion?

We had no idea what God wanted us to do so we went online to locate the nearest abortion clinic.

We drove to the abortion clinic and got out of the car and stood on the sidewalk. I was surprised

that the building didn't look sinister or foreboding. There were no markings on the building to

indicate that horrible things were happening inside. It looked like any other office building in the

area.

It was a Sunday and the abortion clinic was closed. And so we just stared at the building in

silence. Maybe we were waiting for a voice to erupt from the heavens giving us instructions on

where to go and what to do next?

Coincidentally there was something called "40 Days for Life" taking place at the same location.

Whether we would have continued to come back and stare at the building until something

clicked is open for debate -- but the presence of 40 Days for Life made our decision easy: join

them and see what happens!

And this book is what happened.

-Steve

CHAPTER 1

THE POWER OF PRAYER

The Power of Prayer 1

God sends a boy

Last Saturday was a special day, although it didn’t start out that way. I woke up at 9 a.m. intent

on heading off to the late-term abortuary in Dallas, TX to stand alongside my pro life friends. I

had been up late the previous night so I turned off the alarm to “rest my eyes” for a few more

minutes.

Eventually the sound of my wife going to work woke me up.

I slowly got dressed and prepared to drive to the clinic. I didn’t check the time until I was

heading toward my car -- I had rested my eyes for more than a few minutes! I was running late

and the best I could hope for was to catch the pro lifers as they were leaving.

I arrived at the church at 10:55 a.m. and the pro lifers had already left. Dallas is one of the few

cities where an empty sidewalk is a rare sight. The local pro life committee has full time

sidewalk counselors at all the Dallas abortion clinics during the “killing hours”. Although I

noticed the abortionists were modifying their schedule based on when the pro lifers left the

sidewalk.

I was late by their standards, but perhaps God had a different time table?

This particular abortion clinic was built across the street from a Baptist church, one place that

has them beat is Charlottesville where three churches surround the local Planned Parenthood.

Thankfully this church is actively pro life -- something I hadn’t seen near an abortion clinic.

[I think it’s interesting that abortion doctors build their clinics so close to the churches. What

does that say about the church? I suppose that’s another story.]

I walked across the street with my “pray to end abortion” signs and prepared to stand alone for a

few hours. I was saddened to see the parking lot of the abortion clinic filled. From where I stood

I could clearly see two parking lots: the church, and the abortion clinic.

The church parking lot was empty, except for my car and the church van.

And that’s when I repeated the prayer I’ve said so many times before. “Lord send your best

warriors to this abortion clinic. Send down your spirit to this clinic and this city and bring an end

to abortion.”

A few minutes later a vehicle pulled into the church parking lot and a boy and his mother got out.

The boy was holding a piece of paper and my first thought was that they were going to try and

get me to sign a petition. I quickly conjured up a nice, but firm, rejection speech as they crossed

the street.


The boy and his mother approached me and the young man said, “My name is Miguel and I’m

here to do an hour of Christian service and I’d like to do it with you. Would you be willing to

sponsor me and sign this sheet to confirm I was here?”

Wow... I wasn’t expecting God to answer the prayer so quickly! And I certainly wasn’t expecting

God to send a boy.

I was reminded of the story of King David’s anointing by Samuel. The name Samuel means

“God has heard”. When Samuel went out to anoint the next King of Israel he was looking for

someone that appeared outwardly impressive. And when he saw a young man named Eliab that

very much looked the part he was immediately convinced he had found the next King of Israel,

but God said, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have

refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but

the Lord looketh on the heart.” - I Samuel 16:7

And then Jesse marched out the rest of his sons, but none of them were to be the King of Israel.

As you probably know it was a boy tending the sheep that was to be anointed the King of Israel.

The church often repeats the mistakes of Samuel, we want heroes and we often choose them

based on our flawed human standards, but God calls the leaders based on their hearts and not on

their outward appearance or their resume.

One of my favorite sayings is, “When others see a shepherd boy, God sees a King.”

Until a few years ago I would have been writing that I was shocked that God answered the prayer

at all. I didn’t used to believe in the power of prayer. If prayer worked then why was abortion

still around? Surely the prayers of the righteous were heard by God and yet so much suffering

took place. I still prayed back then, but those prayers were rote and without any faith behind

them.

I wasn’t a prayer warrior.

That all changed when I moved to the college town of Charlottesville, VA. Among the first

people I met standing outside of the Planned Parenthood was a Catholic gentleman named Mark

and all he did was pray. He didn’t hold signs and he rarely spoke to anyone. He stood far away

from the abortion clinic entrance and prayed facing the building. And he prayed all the time …

nearly every time I showed up, there was Mark praying.

Finally curiosity got the best of me one day and I asked him, “Why are you here praying all the

time?”

Mark said he was praying because God had sent him to pray. He told me that he was diagnosed

with terminal cancer and had only a few months to live according to his doctor. And then he had

a dream where God told him to drive to Charlottesville (an hour away) and pray outside of the

abortion clinic. And that was five years ago!


And then he said, “My biggest struggle is that there isn’t much positive reinforcement.”

Mark had been praying for five years without any signs of those prayers working. He reinforced

what I already believed to be the case about prayer, but I tried to console him anyway, “You

never know, you’re standing with your back to the road so maybe you’re having an effect and

you don’t know it?”

“Maybe.” he said, and then he walked across the street to head home.

As I watched Mark walk toward his car I felt a bit sorry for him. All of those years of praying

and nothing happening had to be very discouraging and yet he was still obedient. I wondered if

maybe the whole point was to be a modern day Jeremiah, the weeping prophet?

That thought was interrupted by a lady yelling at me from the Planned Parenthood parking lot.

Since Mark normally stood as far away from the entrance as possible I couldn’t understand what

she was saying, but she was sure screaming it loudly.

I walked toward the entrance as she waved me into the parking lot. I told her, “I can’t come

down there because it’s private property.”

“I’m trying to tell you something!” she said, pointing toward her red sub-compact car.

“Okay?” I said, walking as close to her as I could without trespassing on Planned Parenthood

property.

“I’m trying to thank you. There is a little boy in the backseat of my car, my grandson. He’s alive

because my daughter saw someone praying and she changed her mind.”

It’s in those moments that I expect to wake up from a dream. God doesn’t answer prayer, but

here is a grandmother trying to thank me for the prayers of Mark?

“I’m not the one who was praying, but I know who was... I’ll be right back!” I said, and ran

across the street hoping to catch Mark before he drove off.

I was in luck and he was still in the church parking lot and so I repeated the good news,

“Remember you said you weren’t getting any positive reinforcement? You see that red car down

there in the parking lot... there is a little boy in the backseat whose alive because his mother saw

you praying and she changed her mind. And the grandmother wanted to thank you.”

An important lesson was learned that day.

My problem was that I thought the story of God was completed in a book written a thousand

years ago. I was a cynic when it came to God and his power even though I was standing outside

of abortion clinics regularly. I thought the final word on God was the Bible and I didn’t realize it

was still being written. God was real and working through his servants.


I was witnessing a modern day book of Mark being written before my very eyes.

I thought I had learned my lesson, but God wasn’t done yet. A couple weeks later I was standing

at a stoplight down the street from the Planned Parenthood with my pro life sign and a young

woman pulled over and rolled her window down, “Are you that guy who is always praying in

front of Planned Parenthood?”

“No, but I know who you’re talking about.” I answered.

She told me she wanted to thank him because when she came to get an abortion and saw him

praying on the sidewalk she changed her mind and couldn’t do it. And then she pulled out her

smartphone to show me pictures of her newborn daughter as tears streamed down her cheeks, “I

hate myself.”

I asked her why and she said, “Because I love her more than anything I’ve ever loved in this

world… and to think I ever thought of hurting her.“

I asked if she could send me those pictures so that I could share them with Mark and the other

pro lifers to encourage them. And I’m attaching those pictures to this letter. She also shared a

short note for all the pro lifers who question whether they’re having a positive impact on the

community.


The very thought of hurting her daughter brought tears to her eyes – imagine how different her

life would have been if the sidewalk was empty. The faithfulness of God through his servant had

spared this young mother years of torment.

I’ve thought back on that experience and wondered what I would have done if a doctor told me I

only had a few months to live. Would I have spent those days in front of an abortion clinic rather

than chasing down my own selfish goals and dreams while I still had time?

I struggle to devote an hour or two when I’m perfectly healthy; and here was a man giving the

last days of his life to God. And how would I have reacted when it didn’t seem like my sacrifice

was having much positive effect?

I think I know why God spared Mark and asked him to pray without ceasing in front of an

abortion clinic in Charlottesville, VA. I believe he was spared so that we could see a living,

breathing example of the scripture verse, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and

whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” - Matt. 16:25

Every day we make a choice on whether to serve God or rebel. The healthy pastors and

parishioners need only look to the men and women giving their dying breath to God on the

spiritual battlefield to find inspiration.

I thought I’d gotten the message.

No longer would I question the power of prayer, but God wasn’t done making his point. Perhaps

he knew that I’m the kind of guy with a selective memory? I needed to be taught in triplicate to

make sure I remembered and didn’t forget.

When I was getting ready to leave Charlottesville and move to Dallas I had a conversation with

one of the local pro life leaders. She was a co-leader of the 40 Days for Life as well as the local

leader for Silent No More. For some reason I never discussed with her how she became a pro

lifer and so when I asked her to share her story I was shocked by her answer.

“One day I was going to lunch with some of my co-workers and we drove past the Planned

Parenthood and I saw a man praying. I told my friends that someday I’d like to be like him and a

huge argument erupted over abortion. And that’s when I decided to become an active pro lifer.”

All of this was translated in my mind into a simple teaching, “Stop doubting me.”

Because Mark was obedient to God, even when there were no signs of those prayers working, the

city of Charlottesville was changed. Mark had no idea why God had sent him to pray, but God

had a very specific plan. I’m thankful that Mark had the faith to stand for years and simply pray

without knowing the specifics of God’s plan or how it was unfolding in the city of

Charlottesville.


And because he was there I was fortunate enough to see the power of prayer. Ironically, God

chose someone like me who doubted Him and secretly believed the world was a lost cause to

share a message of hope that is only made possible through effectual, fervent prayer.

We all know the scripture verse, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another,

that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” - James

5:16

This scripture verse always made me nervous because I am not a righteous man. However, I

want to be a righteous man! And that brings us to the next Bible verse, “If my people, who are

called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their

wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” -

2 Chronicles 7:14

Aha! Turn from our wicked ways. That’s the tricky part.

God loved Charlottesville so much that he sent a prayer warrior to rescue His people and turn

their hearts toward Him. And I knew that God must love all cities where human sacrifice is legal

and the fallen church ignores it -- even when it takes place outside of their windows.

And that brings me back to a boy God had sent in answer to my prayer on Saturday. It wasn’t

what I was expecting because I’m like Samuel who was distracted by outward appearances when

seeking the next King of Israel. I was expecting a priest or maybe a rabbi to join me on the

sidewalk, but not a boy. And this story wasn’t just about a boy named Miguel, because a few

moments later his mother told me that his siblings wanted him to join him and to my delight

more people exited the vehicle: his sister, his brother, his aunt, and her newborn baby.

And before I knew it I was standing with God’s army. And I asked them, “Have you ever

wondered who the Generals in God’s army are?”

They didn’t have an answer so I told them, “You’re it... you’re God’s army!”

Except this army of God didn’t have any signs and so it occurred to me that I needed to give

them my “pray to end abortion” signs. I handed them to Miguel and his sister. I had been holding

those signs religiously for years. It felt strange standing without a sign.

It was like standing without my shield.

I remember the day I started holding signs. Just like prayer I didn’t think signs worked. I

personally never paid attention to the signs people held on the sidewalks and I would certainly

not be swayed by them. In my opinion signs were a waste of time.

I believed the only way to reach the masses was through modern technology such as videos and

social media. A sign that simply admonished people to “pray to end abortion” would have a

minimal effect at best.


And then a man in Houston, TX holding a “pray to end abortion” sign asked if I could hold it

while he went to the bathroom.

It would be rude to say no, so I held it loosely at my side -- not even reading it. And since I

wasn’t holding it up to be read by anyone I was quite surprised when a vehicle pulled over and a

woman rolled down the window with tears streaming down her face. I asked what was wrong

and she said, “I read your sign!”

I lifted up the sign, surprised. “This sign?”

She nodded and said, “I came here to get an abortion fifteen years ago and I prayed for a sign,

but the sidewalk was empty. If you someone like you had been here I am sure I would have

changed my mind.”

And then she looked over at her son that was in a car seat beside her and said, “Now I realize

what I’ve done. And I wanted to thank you for holding that sign.”

As I stitch these stories together I realize now that I’d been shown two sides of the same coin. I’d

seen what happens when God’s people are obedient and stand on the sidewalk and pray and what

happens when the sidewalks are empty, but thankfully even a terrible tragedy like an abortion

can work together for good as the Bible says, “And we know that all things work together for

good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28

I thought for sure I would never see her again because something as simple as a sign couldn’t

change someone radically. A few months later she showed up … but this time she had a sign she

had written in Spanish around her neck.

I was wrong again.

She became an awesome pro lifer going to churches and schools sharing her testimony and her

transformation reminded me that I needed to have faith in God. Many of you know the scripture

verse, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26

I had become a critic of God and my worldview was the polar opposite of what the scripture

teaches. In fact, I jokingly tell people, “With Steve all things are impossible.” Fortunately,

standing on the sidewalks in the midst of a spiritual battle has taught me the overwhelming

power of God.

The “pray to end abortion” signs are special and they reach people, but on this Saturday God had

taken the signs out of my hands for a reason, only I didn’t know why yet.


A spiritual symphony

So I decided to pray. What else was I supposed to do without any signs? And so I repeated the

same mantra, asking for God’s spirit to descend on this abortion clinic and this city and for

abortion to end.

I didn’t ask for the warriors because they were standing beside me! God had already answered

that prayer request.

And the first car that pulled up to leave the clinic rolled down the passenger side window and the

woman said, “I’m not here to have an abortion. I’m a hairstylist and a lot of my customers are

mistaken for women having abortions.”

Anyone who shares a parking lot with an abortion clinic has a special challenge on their hands

and so I asked her, “Did the landlord tell you there was an abortion clinic here when you signed

the lease?”

“No.” she said.

Since the Fall 40 Days for Life was about to start in a couple weeks another question occurred to

me, “Have you been through a 40 Days for Life yet?”

“Yes!” she said, not looking very pleased.

And then I asked the most important question, “Have you considered the possibility that God has

called you to this ministry?”

And then the look on her face changed as she considered the question, and after a few moments

of reflection she leaned toward the window to respond, “You’re probably right. My husband and

I are both Christians and we participate in a biker ministry. And God probably did send me

here.”

She had rolled her window down to complain about how we were effecting her business, but the

Holy Spirit opened her eyes to the ministry in front of her. The abortion industry was costing her

money, but God had something bigger in store for this hairstylist.

This woman was God’s hairstylist.

If only the pastors who have abortion clinics built next door and across the street from their

churches could see as clearly as this hairstylist the world would be a better place. I didn’t have

debate with her or search the scriptures. I just asked a very simple question.

Has God called you to this ministry?


Sadly, I’ve stood in churches and looked out the pastor’s office window at abortion clinics and

listened to excuse after excuse for their absence and open rebellion to God’s will. Why was this

hairstylist so willing to agree when so many pastors and priests are reluctant and defiant? I am

reminded of the scripture verse, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow

me.” - John 10: 27

I shook her hand and invited her to join us and as she drove off I smiled because I knew God was

in the facility. That hairdresser was God’s servant and there was going to be a series of blessings

that would flow because of her presence there.

And then the next car pulled up and rolled down the window. It was a man in his early thirties

with three young children in the backseat and he said, “My wife is here to get an abortion, but I

don’t want her to abort our baby.”

And so I asked him why she was getting an abortion and he replied, “She said she’s worn out and

doesn’t have the strength.”

I then noticed that he had tattoo of a cross on his face. And so I asked him, “I see that you have a

cross on your face, so you know about God?”

He nodded.

“Then you must know that God is bigger than you biggest problem and that God can give you

the strength.”

We hear that so often it sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. The more insurmountable the problem

the greater God’s glory when it is overcome. And not because of our great strength but because

of His strength, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up

with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” -

Isaiah 40:31

We talked at length and he gave me his email address to get more information and then he drove

off. The state of Texas has a 24 hour waiting period so the abortion wasn’t going to happen that

day.

About an hour later he came back to pick her up and he rolled her window down as he pulled up

to me. She looked very sad and very worn out. We told her about God’s great love for her and

his plan for her and the beautiful baby inside of her -- Miguel and his family were seeing

firsthand the real disease that causes abortion: being exhausted and afraid due to separation from

God.

What this husband and wife needed was a relationship with God. And that would heal all of the

symptoms that arise from a life lived isolated from Him. It’s the same medicine that will heal the

lukewarm church, a relationship with God.


Serving God is the opposite of being alone and afraid, “Who shall separate us from the love of

Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:35-

37

Before she left I shook her hand and she told us her name was Keishawna. And my final words

to her were, “Thousands of God’s servants are going to be praying for you Keishawna.”

As they drove off that cynical voice in my head started playing a familiar tune: Thousands?

Really? You don’t even know thousands of people!

As is turns out, you’re one of those thousands even though we might not know each other. Your

prayers and your presence make a difference. And together our voices become a spiritual

symphony in the heavens that rings in the ears of the Lord and His spirit moves.

When we pray to end abortion or for God to work in the life of Keishawna those prayers are

answered, but sometimes we don’t always see the results. I think many of us will be surprised

when we can see as God sees in the hereafter.

On that Saturday I knew that God had not only answered the prayer request for his best soldiers

to show up to the spiritual battlefield, but God had answered the entire prayer. The Spirit of Lord

was upon this clinic and we’d probably be talking to everybody.

A few minutes later Miguel walked up to me and said, “You know, when I first showed up it was

because I had to... but after the first person gave me the middle finger I realized I could only be

out here because I want to... and I want to participate in the 40 Days for Life.“

I smiled and said, “You were willing to give God an hour, and that’s awesome. But I’ve found

that when we’re willing to give God a little He’ll figure out a way for us to give Him the rest.”

I also told Miguel his name was appropriate for this spiritual battle because it’s the name of an

Arch Angel who protects God’s people. And that it would be his generation that would bring an

end to human sacrifice in our nation, “Our nation has turned its back on God, but a remnant, such

as yourself, remain to pray and be a presence for God.”

I thought the day was done when Miguel and his family prepared to head back home. Miguel’s

mother and his aunt both asked for information on how to become counselors at the Birth Choice

pregnancy center which in the same commercial complex as the abortuary by the grace of God.

They walked across the street and we waved goodbye. It was one of those days I would always

remember.

A few moments later, I saw a man wandering outside of the building. I mistook him for one of

the construction workers that were working inside the clinic so I waved him over to me. As he

approached I could see that he’d been crying.


He told me his sixteen year old daughter was inside getting information on abortion. We talked

about God and that as a father he needed to believe in her and give her encouragement that she

could be a good mother -- but he said he wasn’t sure if he believed in her.

And then Miguel showed up unexpectedly. He was bringing me two bottles of Gatorade before

they left... and so I told Miguel the situation and placed my hand on his shoulder and looked

back at the father and said, “You may have a grandson that one day may look a lot like Miguel

and if he were here he would tell you to go back in there and rescue your daughter and rescue

him.”

And to my surprise he gave us his phone number and asked for help. I was glad that Miguel got

to see with his own eyes the power of prayer and the power of our presence on the sidewalk as

messengers of God.

God is alive and well, and His spirit is moving across this fallen land. I know that these stories

will be shared with people who are not serving God and who are probably a lot like me before I

decided to see what would happen if I stopped worshipping myself and served God – even for

just one day. If you feel alone and abandoned then I invite to meet God by simply praying to

Him and asking Him to enter your life and change you from the inside out.

And God will lead you to a ministry on the spiritual battlefield, but you won’t be alone, Miguel

and his family will be there with you. And so will I...

I’ll see you out there!

***


Warrior of the Lord

This chapter was supposed to be done, but as I reflected on the power of prayer I recalled the

first time in Dallas, TX that God had directly answered a prayer. I was standing in front of Dr.

Robinson’s abortion clinic which is located in a bad part of town.

I hadn’t been there in a couple months since the 40 Days for Life had been held in another city.

A lot had changed in that short period of time. There are a mobile sonogram unit out front and a

whole bunch of new faces. And there was a security guard standing in front of the abortion clinic

-- he was definitely not there that last time I was there.

The sidewalk counselors told me they hired him shortly after the mobile sonogram unit had

arrived. He walked down and introduced himself as “Buddy” and he told me that he believed in

God and wanted to serve God. I tried to engage him in a discussion in the hopes of illustrating

that it’s impossible to serve two masters.

It became obvious that Buddy wasn’t going to listen to me. And so I prayed the prayer you’ve

heard before, “Send a warrior of the Lord to this abortion clinic... someone to minister to

Buddy.” And then I walked back to other pro lifers and held my “pray to end abortion” sign in

silence.

About five minutes later a young man was walking down the street looking at us. And so I

shouted, “You should join us!”

I have to be honest. I’ve asked people to join us more times than I can remember and never once

had anyone ever taken me up on it.

He immediately crossed the street and asked, “What did you say to me?”

“I said you should join us.”

He then asked me what we were doing and I said, “This is an abortion clinic and we’re here

praying and standing up there is a security guard named Buddy that God loves and he needs to be

ministered to.”

I was thinking that someday in the future this young man might consider joining us and perhaps

even ministering to others. Instead he looked at me and said, “Well I have a few minutes...”

And then walked straight up to Buddy and the two began to speak. Buddy led the man down to

the sidewalk and it didn’t take long for Buddy to begin listing his reasons for being out there,

“I’m just trying to make a living. I make over $300 dollars a day standing here.”


The young man nodded and said, “I understand what you’re saying. I’ve said same thing. I used

to be a drug dealer.”

And then the young man lifted up his paint leg to expose a fresh bullet wound. It hadn’t

completely healed. And then he said to Buddy, “But you can’t serve two masters.”

The tone completely changed and Buddy said, “Look, I’ve lived a rough life. I was kicked out of

my house when I was twelve.”

And the young man said, “I was kicked out when I was fourteen.”

They talked for a long time. The young man shared his testimony of being declared dead at the

hospital from multiple gunshot wounds only a month prior, and he told Buddy he could still hear

the voices of his family crying after the sheet was pulled over his face. And lying there on his

death bed he gave his life to the Lord.

And in turn Buddy shared his story. Buddy was a former professional athlete and a loving father

who didn’t see any moral conflict being a security guard and opening the door for men and

women intent on killing their child.

Eventually Buddy looked at both of us and said, “All I hear are your voices telling me I

shouldn’t do this and your voices don’t matter to me, but the minute I hear God telling me not to

do this then I’m going to listen.”

They talked for so long that eventually Buddy’s shift was up. He thanked us for talking to him

and said that he enjoyed it.

After Buddy left I looked at the young man and said, “This is going to sound crazy, but five

minutes before you arrived I asked God to send a warrior of the Lord to this sidewalk to minister

to Buddy.”

He looked like he’d seen a ghost, “Are you kidding me? Are you sure you prayed for a Warrior

of the Lord?”

I nodded yes and then he pulled up his sleeve to show me a tattoo of angel of the Lord with a

scripture verse beneath it. “I call myself the Warrior of the Lord now.”

And then he said, “I never come down this street but my path was blocked by construction today

so I had to take a different route to the bus stop.”

In that moment I understood God’s great love for a security guard named Buddy. And over the

months that followed Buddy would see over and again how great God’s love was for him.


My last memory of Buddy was when Robinson’s abortuary was closed due to the pro life laws

that had been passed in TX. I was standing alone in front of the building and decided to film a

short video using my phone with a voice over praising the Lord for this great victory.

To my surprise, Buddy come out of the building and he was very upset. He was so upset he

motioned for a friend across the street to come over and he told her that I was filming the

building and doing him wrong, and she shook her head and said, “Oh no! I respect the sanctity of

life.”

Buddy looked at her confused. And that is when I knew that the mission was complete. Even his

friends who were supposed to come and defend his sinful choice proclaimed the love of God.

God was truly victorious. I still pray for Buddy and I hope you will too. Buddy knows that God

has a great plan for him – if only he will turn from his sinful life and allow God to begin a good

work and transform him into something beautiful.

There is more good news.

Before I left the abortuary that day another pro lifer showed up to celebrate the victory and share

the story of the great warriors who had preceded us on the sidewalk and I think her words are a

fitting end to this chapter: https://youtu.be/Oy8R59KjZMo

(click link to view video)

https://youtu.be/Oy8R59KjZMo

Chapter 1 - The Power of Prayer.

Documents

Transcript of Chapter 1 - The Power of Prayer.