God Empowers And Uses The Broken

(Picture provided by Orae Dominguez)

As we step out in faith onto a sidewalk outside an abortion clinic I am continually amazed and inspired. I am learning more about God’s ability to move through his body and his power that is exercised through prayer. This week on Wednesday, the first day of 40 Days For Life, there was a larger than usual presence of people united with a common love and urgency to minister to the women, babies, and families going into the late-term abortion clinic Southwestern Women’s Options (SWO). My friend and faithful pro-life advocate Lorenzo reminds me every day that each day is new and that each person we encounter at the abortion clinic has their own unique set of trials.

A vehicle pulled up and an entire family of several people got out and walked into SWO. As they walked in a few people were able to offer kind words of hope and help, words of compassion, and words of urgency about the dangers posed at this specific clinic, how it is currently under investigation by the New Mexico Medical Board. The family had their heads down, and they did not stop to speak to anyone. A young man escorted a young woman dressed in sweats, he had head phones on and he obviously did not want to talk to anyone. After several minutes, he came back outside and he seemed visually upset. He suddenly ran across the street weeping and he fell prostrate on the ground in front of a house that has a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe on it. He stayed there for several minutes weeping and praying.

As we reach out each day, people respond in various ways to conviction. Some respond in anger, some with excuses. We desire them all to respond with brokenness. This young man responded in the appropriate way, he was truly broken. He spoke broken English, but he told us that it was his girlfriend there for an abortion, his child. He went back inside and neither he nor the family came back outside before we all left for the day.

There was one sidewalk counselor who was speaking to him in Spanish and very fervently praying for him, she mentioned how emotionally drained she was and she cried with another sidewalk counselor for several minutes before we all left.

I will always have the image of this young man in my mind when I think about what it means to be truly broken. However, this is not the end of this story! The next day, Thursday, instead of reaching out at late-term SWO, a group of us reach out at another local abortion clinic, UNMCRH. When I went back out to SWO on Friday, I was told that the young man came back out to SWO on Thursday to personally thank all of us and to share his joy that he was able to talk his girlfriend, and the entire family out of the abortion! He shared that he was a very proud papa!

He mentioned that he was Catholic but that he had not been taking his faith very seriously for quite a while. He was just going along with his girlfriend and family and did not really care that his girlfriend was going to have the abortion…That was until he encountered all of us and he was convicted and empowered to do all he could to save the life of his child.

When we step out in faith at the local abortion clinics in our community God uses even our mustard seed sized faith to move mountains! We even witness miracles! We are able to see that it is the Holy Spirit that convicts hearts as we make ourselves available to the lost and truly desperate! As the Holy Spirit convicts peoples hearts, they are not simply left in their brokenness. God is able to empower each one of us for the burden of responsibility that he awakens our hearts to. This young man stood up from his knees and then stepped out and God was able to use him to save a life…the life of his child!

This is how God can and wants to use each one of us!

Welcome to, Eden

Tara, Tirzah, and I welcomed Eden Shaver into our family Friday, September 7, 2012 at 1:23am. He was 7lbs exactly and 20 5/8 inches long. He was born at home (our plan). Mom and baby are healthy and strong and doing well. We had wonderful help from a midwife and another doula/midwife in training. Thank you for your prayers, they were powerful and effective!

We have truly been blessed by this precious gift, sent from above! Our hope is that Eden will live his life to be a blessing in this world by advancing God's kingdom and serving others. That is what Eden's name represents. Eden was where God created humanity to dwell with Him in perfect relationship. This marred and broken world is not what God intends for humanity. Eden represents our prayer for this world, and our hope that our new son (and daughter) will one day experience that perfect reality. Until that day, our prayer is that he will be used by God as a mighty light for Him to push back and overcome the darkness. Join us as we say: "Welcome, to Eden."

Another aspect of Eden's birth to share is that our doula was able to have a glimpse of Eden two years ago thanks to the ministry of Project Defending Life (PDL) www.defendinglife.org. During a time in her life when she needed help, she was served by the Mom's Ministry at PDL. God placed PDL in her life and when we stepped into ministry at PDL (two years ago), God placed her into our life. She was able to return the blessing of service God had provided her by being a blessing to our family. God used her to serve our family and share our joy of welcoming Eden into the world. God is already answering our prayer...Welcome to, Eden!


We were created for Eden...

"We were never meant for this, somewhere it all went wrong...
We are not the cause of this, these things were broke before."-- Ever Stays Red (lyrics from their song Run) Click here to listen to it.


Welcome to, Eden:


Tirzah Meet's Eden for the First Time!

Welcome to, Eden...

Sept. Newsletter: Ignorant & Idiotic...Modern Day Fools For Christ

This month we learned that as we step out in faith, God can use us to Light Up the Darkness and deal with people's brokenness, those who are carrying heavy burdens. We can represent Jesus to them as he says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) As we lead them to Jesus...He will do the rest!

Thanks for your continued prayers and support! Prayers can move mountains, so please continue to keep us in your prayers...and let us know how we can pray for you!

The Calvary has arrived...Literally Calvary Chapel, ABQ!

Simply Being Present Is All It Takes To Save A Life...

This month the largest Christian Church in New Mexico, Calvary ABQ offered a second round of Pro-Life apologetics training “A Case For Life: Stand To Answer.” This has produced much fruit already as we have had many new people join us as we stand for life out at local abortion clinics in Albuquerque! Praise God for answered prayers!

Also, because Calvary ABQ is becoming active and equipping the body of Christ for works of service, Tara led a training course for those interested in volunteering at Project Defending Life. The training consisted of pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and sidewalk counseling. Around twenty women went through the training! Project Defending Life has two locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico one located 20 feet from Planned Parenthood and the other located across the street from the UNM abortion mill UNMCRH!

Please visit: www.lateterm.com and share this information with others!

This month while out at Late-Term mill SWO sidewalk counselor Bobby, was able to talk to a young girl (still in high school) after she went in and came back out. He asked her if she was there for an abortion and she said "Yes" and burst into tears. We were able to share with her all the help PDL offers. Bobby shared with her mom about his church and a new food ministry they have just started, she left with a flier about the ministry. The young girl left with her baby! This is how Christ's love is lived out! This was the third late-term Tuesday in a row with a confirmed baby saved. Bobby and I joked that the new people coming out (thanks to the Calvary ABQ class "Stand To Answer") would think all these babies being saved was normal...Welcome to the new normal!

Our God is Mighty to Save...as we step out in faith to be used by Him! We are ending abortion one woman, one child, one day at a time...and to God be the Glory!

God is obviously blessing the faithfulness of his Body as they step out in faith...some for the first time: There were 10 turnarounds/babies saved this month...that we know about! To God Be The Glory!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Ignorant & Idiotic...Modern Day Fools For Christ (Click title to read the entire article)

When we step out in faith and publicly Stand For Life, the world may deem us foolish, but we are making a difference..."Making Friends With Our Enemies"...and ending abortion one woman, one child, one day at a time!

Showing Christ’s Love Saves The Unborn And Comforts Those In Need

By Monte Harms of Stand For Life– Read the rest of this article and others at www.standforlife.net

Having Christ's love flow through those on the sidewalk have saved lives and comforted those after they had their abortions. Bud Shaver shares recent encounters from the sidewalk of Southwestern Women's Options in Albuquerque, NM:

Everyone has a picture, concept...stereotype of what a public presence at a abortion clinic is. Let me share with you what I witnessed and experienced today out at late-term mill SWO. A woman came out of the abortion clinic after she had her abortion. Also, a college student from UNM was waiting while his girlfriend was inside having an abortion (his child). Jennifer and others were able to wave them over to talk with them...they didn't just talk to these people, they were able to hug, weep, minister to, pray and love them! This is more than a snap-shot of pro-life ministry...This is what grace, mercy, love...Christ looks like. We have an opportunity to live out Christ's love and share Him with those who desperately need to find Him! We love because He first loved us...We have been lost and broken until we found the healer! I witnessed what Christianity is...I witnessed Christ being lifted up and drawing the lost to Him! I was also able to talk to the abortion clinic manager. Orae gave her our latest handout (from HLA) so she would know what help and information the women received from us. (A UPS driver told us that they have a sign posted inside the clinic stating "Pray to end sidewalk harassment!") I was able to tell her we cared and were praying for her too. She told us they were "Having a hard time keeping up”...with us! We have had several turnarounds and saves this month...that we know about! We have the opportunity to be His hands, feet, body...and heart to these men and women!

Many who go in to have an abortion know what they are destroying, but they often feel that abortion is the only alternative for them. Unfortunately, the outside pressure from others to abort is tremendous. But when an alternative is displayed that shows Christ's love for them and help for their situation, their eyes are sometimes opened. Project Defending Life (PDL) in Albuquerque, NM and other organizations throughout the country give sidewalk counselors the necessary tools to assist the needy. PDL offers all types of assistance to those that feel backed into a corner with no way out. Often when the woman and man involved sees an ultrasound of their baby at PDL or another pregnancy center, they feel there isn't any reason for them to destroy that life. Also, if they know there is someone there to assist them financially and with moral or spiritual support, they can see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Thousands of sidewalk counselors and pregnancy centers across America are that beacon of light for the unborn and those who want to abort.

Please Pray :
~For an end to abortion in New Mexico.
~For the conversion of every abortion doctor and clinic worker.
~For softened hearts of the women we speak to each day at abortion clinics.
~For the moms who have already chosen life and for the means to continue to serve them.
~For a continued grace filled and Christ centered ministry focus.
~For more opportunities to share the truth about abortion and it’s effects with the Christian community.
~For the Christian community to rise up out of apathy and a spiritual awakening.
~For more workers for this ripe harvest.
~For our safety in this spiritual battle.

We are full-time Pro-Life Missionaries and raise our own support from individuals who have a heart for our life saving work!

All donations made out to Project Defending Life, earmarked for “Bud or Tara Shaver” are tax deductible and can be mailed to:

Bud and Tara Shaver
P.O. Box 50351
Albuquerque, NM 87181

You can also make a tax deductible donation on-line by Clicking Here: Prayer and a Pro-Life Witness

(Cornerstone is a Pro-Life alternative to PayPal)

Your generous support makes our work possible!

Please visit our blog: prayerandaprolifewitness.blogspot.com for news interviews, news articles, and for our latest updates throughout the month.

Here are some of the highlights of our ministry from this past month...(Click on the highlighted links to read the articles)

Pro-Life Missionaries are Pushing Back the Abortion Cartel in New Mexico (Operation Rescue sent this out to help us continue our life saving work in NM!)

MAKING FRIENDS WITH OUR ENEMIES!


In Light of the Empty Sidewalks, History Will be the Final Arbiter!(This is an article that Bud wrote for Stand For Life)

In Light of the Empty Sidewalks, History Will be the Final Arbiter!

By Bud Shaver - Prayer and a Pro-Life Witness
(This post originally appeared on www.standforlife.net)

Injustice taints and forever mars the ability to play the moral card. History records and reveals to the world what was done on behalf of those forever scarred.

When you think of a father convicted of a heinous sexual crime that he did to his child, we don’t really care if he provided food, shelter, a good education, or even brought that child to church. One act of injustice forever mars his ability to claim that he was a good father.

When you think of Christians who lived in the deep South in America during the time of slavery who owned slaves, we don’t really care if they fed the poor, did other acts of service, or attended church regularly and tithed. One act of injustice forever taints their legacy.

When you think of church leaders who lived in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, we don’t really care how many gospel presentations they proclaimed, how many baptisms they did; we care about what they did or did not do on behalf of the Jews being led to the slaughter. One leader’s heroic actions and words of opposition to the injustice during that generation live on and history remembers Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

In the light of injustice we get clarity. All that matters is our participation with our generation’s injustice and whether we are striving to end that injustice. History is the ultimate arbiter.

The greatest injustice of our generation is abortion! 54 million (+) children have been legally slaughtered in the name of “choice." 65% of those obtaining abortions claim to be Christian/Catholic[i]! Whatever is being said or done from our churches and church leaders is not producing much of a difference for the children being led to the slaughter!

In light of the empty sidewalks, deafening silence from the pulpits, and pews filled with post-abortive women and men (1/3rd of American women over 45 have had at least one abortion[ii]), history is already documenting the American church of the 21st century! In the light of injustice the legacy we leave behind will be forever tainted and determined by what we do and have done to end this barbaric killing!

Posterity will not ask you about your giving, how many times you read through the Bible in a year, how many missionaries you sent around the globe, or how many soup kitchens you started. You will be asked what you did to end the open genocide being perpetrated across the street from our churches and in the midst of our communities!

How to Start a Pro-Life Ministry at Your Church

Start a prayer group at your church. Seek to build a core group of people who are pro-life to pray about the direction of a ministry to the pre-born and their mothers within your church.


Educate. Host a pro-life presentation/training with local organizations and/or pastors who are already involved in local pro-life ministry to find out what is taking place with regard to abortion in your community.
a. These presentations could be tailored to a midweek Bible study, men’s or women’s Bible studies, or a Sunday or midweek whole church service.
b. If there are no local organizations start one! If your pastors are not involved pray for them and meet with them to encourage their involvement and support!


Become Active. Decide how active you want your church to be and what types of events/activities you want to participate in. There are many opportunities to get involved such as:
a. Praying at an abortion clinic once a week or once a month or more.
b. Volunteering at or open a local pregnancy resource center.
c. Hosting a series of pro-life "apologetics/sidewalk ministry” training classes.
d. Post-abortion healing training.
e. Donate to local pregnancy centers. Host a clothing/diaper/formula drive.
f. Outreach at local universities or other outside venues.
g. Come up with your own ideas to reach out, educate, and serve the pregnant women in your community.


Find out about other local/national Pro-life organizations.

a. Sign up for e-mails and newsletters to stay informed about their events.
b. 40 Days for Life

The main reason to start a pro-life group in your church is to make a difference in your community. There are many ways to get involved. Together we can end abortion one woman, one child, one day at a time! The end to abortion begins with the churches in America!

www.prayerandaprolifewitness.blogspot.com

Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?
Proverbs 24:11-12

[i] http://www.guttmacher.org/presentations/abort_slides.pdf
[ii] Henshaw SK, Unintended pregnancy in the United States, Family Planning Perspectives, 1998, 30(1):24–29 & 46.
Jones RK and Kavanaugh ML, Changes in abortion rates between 2000 and 2008 and lifetime incidence of abortion, Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2011, 117(6):pp-pp.

We Are At War...Not Against Individuals, But Against Pretensions!

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood...We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God!" Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 10:5


(No audio, If you doubt we are in a battle for hearts and minds...Check this out!)

"We see [Jesus] who abhors both passivity and violence and teaches us a new way forward that is neither submission nor assault, neither fight nor flight. He shows us a way to oppose evil without mirroring it, where oppressors can be resisted without being emulated and neutralized without being destroyed." ~Shane Claiborne


(You can watch portions of our actual conversation and see how we eventually found common ground...and became friends!)

This video footage was taken on August 8, 2012 out at Late-Term abortion clinic Southwestern Women's Options (www.lateterm.com) This was this woman's (and children's) first time peacefully witnessing and offering help out at SWO! What an introduction to the hostility intolerance, and hatred from the "Pro-Choice" community!

This guy admitted to being post-abortive. He was carrying around all this baggage, abortion does not just effect women and children...it also effects men! We eventually found common ground and we actually became...friends! (This is just some excerpts the actual conversation was over an hour long!)

Also, there were two babies and two women saved from the horror called abortion this day! One of the women was able to receive help from Project Defending Life! (www.defendinglife.org)

We are making friend's with God-Haters, and ending abortion one woman, one child, one day at a time!

Showing Christ's Love Saves The Unborn And Comforts Those In Need

By Monte Harms- standforlife.net

This originally appeared on Stand For Life

I am standing in front of an abortion facility to be a defender of the unborn. A woman goes in to have an abortion and totally ignores those standing on the sidewalk. Sometimes her boyfriend, father, mother, or friend who brought her will be verbally combative with the defenders. It's spiritual warfare at its core.

Part of my human nature urges me (unsuccessfully, I might add) to say or even yell:

"You do know you're killing your own baby."
"Are you out of your mind?"
"Who in the world would kill their own baby?"

... or tell the boyfriend or whoever brought her:

"Do you know you are an accessory to this killing?"
"You are having your own baby (or grandbaby) killed!"
"You call yourself a friend by helping her kill her own baby!"

... or after an abortion my human nature tells me that I shouldn't have anything nice to say to her or those who brought her. I should ignore them because they just had a fellow human killed.

A few have used the human nature methods, but what has been effective at the late-term abortion facility in Albuquerque and across the country is not using your human nature, but Christ's nature.

Having Christ's love flow through those on the sidewalk have saved lives and comforted those after they had their abortions. Bud Shaver shares recent encounters from the sidewalk of Southwestern Women's Options in Albuquerque, NM:

Everyone has a picture, concept...stereotype of what a public presence at a abortion clinic is. Let me share with you what I witnessed and experienced today out at late-term mill SWO. A woman came out of the abortion clinic after she had her abortion. Also, a college student from UNM was waiting while his girlfriend was inside having an abortion (his child). Jennifer and others were able to wave them over to talk with them...they didn't just talk to these people, they were able to hug, weep, minister to, pray and love them! This is more than a snap-shot of pro-life ministry...This is what grace, mercy, love...Christ looks like. We have an opportunity to live out Christ's love and share Him with those who desperately need to find Him! We love because He first loved us...We have been lost and broken until we found the healer! I witnessed what Christianity is...I witnessed Christ being lifted up and drawing the lost to Him! I was also able to talk to the abortion clinic manager. Orae gave her our latest handout (from HLA) so she would know what help and information the women received from us. (A UPS driver told us that they have a sign posted inside the clinic stating "Pray to end sidewalk harassment!") I was able to tell her we cared and were praying for her too. She told us they were "Having a hard time keeping up with us!" We have had several turnarounds and saves this month...that we know about! We have the opportunity to be His hands, feet, body...and heart to these men and women!

Bud shares other interactions:

Pretty intense spiritual battle today out at Late-Term mill SWO (learn more at www.lateterm.com)! A woman got out of a taxi with all her luggage and as she headed into SWO. I told her that we cared about her and were willing to help her with whatever she needed. She stopped and asked if I had $3,000...I told her Yes, if that's what it would take to save her baby, I would come up with the 3 grand! Bobby Coffman Jr and Collette Pacheco-Coffman spoke with her for 5 minutes as she had the door to SWO open. She eventually went inside. After 10-15 minutes she came back out to talk with us and see if we really were willing to help her. She told us that she was from Washington, and her husband left her and she was all alone...We told her that she was not alone...We were here for her! She did not believe us, so I told her to put us to the test! After a lot of tears, talking with the executive director of Project Defending Life (PDL) who arranged a couple of days in a hotel so she could just think more about everything, trying to get her husband on the phone...she went back inside SWO. A half hour later she came back out with all her luggage and left SWO with Jennifer Jacobson Bresett and headed up to PDL...the battle still rages! She would not give us her name, but please keep her and this situation in your prayers!

Another young girl pulled up in her car and had her young son with her. She was headed into SWO but came over to talk to us as we offered her help. She too left following another sidewalk counselor (today was her first time praying and offering help out at an abortion mill) heading up to PDL for an ultrasound and resources! The battle is raging, but in the midst of the storm, there is hope for the hopeless. We are lighting up the darkness...We are ending abortion one woman, one child, one day at a time...and to God be the Glory!

Many who go in to have an abortion know what they are destroying, but they often feel that abortion is the only alternative for them. Unfortunately, the outside pressure from others to abort is tremendous. But when an alternative is displayed that shows Christ's love for them and help for their situation, their eyes are sometimes opened. Project Defending Life in Albuquerque and other organizations throughout the country give sidewalk counselors the necessary tools to assist the needy. PDL offers all types of assistance to those that feel backed into a corner with no way out. Often when the woman and man involved sees an ultrasound of their baby at PDL or another pregnancy center, they feel there isn't any reason for them to destroy that life. Also, if they know there is someone there to assist them financially and with moral or spiritual support, they can see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Thousands of sidewalk counselors and pregnancy centers across America are that beacon of light for the unborn and those who want to abort.

Christ's love wins out while human nature often destroys the chance to save or comfort the most vulnerable unborn and born humans.

Read more of Bud Shaver's encounters from the sidewalk at Prayer and a Pro-Life Witness.

Ignorant & Idiotic...Modern Day Fool's For Christ

Today (August 23, 2012) out at UNM abortion mill UNMCRH, a guy came over to state how ignorant, idiotic, down right evil it was for us to be out in front of an abortion clinic. I asked him "Why?" He went on to say how hypocritical Christians are and he had his list of course! I told him "How about I concede everything you just stated about Christians, and allow me to ask you...How is it, that you are anti-war, anti-death penalty, anti-violence, pro-social justice, but you support the most brutal form of violence...abortion? Abortion has killed more people in our country than all the wars, violence, people executed by the death penalty, and all the other social injustices of our past...combined!" His response was, "The unborn aren't sentient, and therefore not persons."

I asked him, "Just suppose the unborn were equally human persons as you or I, then would you concede your own hypocrisy?" He said he could see my point...but then he went on another rant about Christians and their different interpretations of the Bible, "You just believe what you want to believe!" I replied "How about I concede that frustration with you...But why do you look at the empirical scientific data which unanimously and clearly states that the unborn are alive, biologically distinct from their mothers, and human, but through some philosophical leap (about sentience) come up with your own interpretation of the data and arbitrarily conclude that the unborn aren't persons..."You just believe what you want to believe!" He said he saw my point.

He then went on to say how useless it was to be out at the abortion clinics and that we were wasting our time and embarrassing ourselves. I said, "Really...? Just this week we were able to reach out to a young (High School) girl and because of our presence, she did not kill her child! Last week we were able to help a woman from Washington, who was 7 months pregnant and I know she did not kill her child either...because my wife Tara Shaver spoke to her today and is keeping in contact with her in case she needs more help! In fact, just this month alone...I know that our presence out at local abortion clinics saved 10 children from a violent and brutal death!" He said "Wow...! Of all of my talk and all that I have protested, I can't say that it has resulted in saving...one person!"

We talked about a few other things, but I then went on to tell him that we have documented and publicized how dangerous abortion clinics are including the one we were standing out in front of, in fact it is currently under investigation by the New Mexico medical board, based on our research and subsequent complaints! He said, "You should make some signs up about that and have those signs out here." I said, "How about you make some signs up and join us out here! He laughed and we shook hands and hugged!

What seemed idiotic, meaningless, foolish to him earlier was now...Commendable!

When we step out in faith and publicly Stand For Life, the world may deem us foolish, but we are making a difference..."Making Friends With Our Enemies"...and ending abortion one woman, one child, one day at a time!

To God be the Glory!