Posted By cmbuuck on May 14, 2016

 

Life Affirming News

 

Happy Mother’s Day

“Lutherans For Life humbly and heartily thanks God our Heavenly Father for all our mothers whose love for their children serves as one of the strongest and sweetest Gospel-motivated voices For Life. Mothers, you have not labored in vain, since in belief of God’s Word and appreciation of His gifts, you are serving the Lord Christ …” To learn more about Lutherans For Life please visit www.lutheransforlife.org.

 

Sperm Bank Sued

Center for Bioethics and Culture  / April 22, 2016

A civil lawsuit has been filed against Xytex Cryo International, a Georgia-based sperm bank. Three families in the lawsuit allege that the sperm bank failed to properly vet their donors, which led to a schizophrenic college dropout with a felony conviction being allowed to donate sperm. The man in question, donor #9623, was profiled as a man with an IQ of 160, multiple degrees in neuroscience, and a clean bill of health.

 

PAS in the Empire State

New York State hosted a debate on a bill, which, if passed, would legalize Physician Assisted Suicide in the state. While it is promoted as the “Death with Dignity” act, it uses the practice of medicine to intentionally take the life of a human being.

 

 3D Printed Ovaries

Scientists at Northwestern University have created a prosthetic ovary in mice, using 3D printing technology. This engineered ovary implant restored the fertility of mice, allowing them to reproduce new life. Perhaps this will have positive impact for women who have compromised fertility.

 

Capturing the moment that life begins

Sarah Knapton, science editor, The Telegraph /  April 26, 2016

Human life begins in bright flash of light as a sperm meets an egg, scientists have shown for the first time, after capturing the astonishing ‘fireworks’ on film.

An explosion of tiny sparks erupts from the egg at the exact moment of conception.

Scientists had seen the phenomenon occur in other animals but it is the first time is has been also shown to happen in humans.

“To see the zinc radiate out in a burst from each human egg was breathtaking.”

Professor Teresa Woodruff, Northwestern University

Not only is it an incredible spectacle, highlighting the very moment that a new life begins, the size of the flash can be used to determine the quality of the fertilized egg.

Researchers from Northwestern University, in Chicago, noticed that some of the eggs burn brighter than others, showing that they are more likely to produce a healthy baby.

Eggs flash as they meet sperm enzyme, capturing the moment that life begins could help fertility doctors pick the best fertilized eggs to transfer during in vitro fertilization.

“It was remarkable,” said Professor Teresa Woodruff, one of the study’s two senior authors and an expert in ovarian biology at Northwestern.

“We discovered the zinc spark just five years ago in the mouse, and to see the zinc radiate out in a burst from each human egg was breathtaking.

“This means if you can look at the zinc spark at the time of fertilization, you will know immediately which eggs are the good ones to transfer in in vitro fertilization.

“It’s a way of sorting egg quality in a way we’ve never been able to assess before. “All of biology starts at the time of fertilization, yet we know next to nothing about the events that occur in the human.”

“This is an important discovery because it may give us a non-invasive and easily visible way to assess the health of an egg and eventually an embryo before implantation,” said co-author Dr Eve Feinberg, who took care of the patients who provided eggs for the basic science study and collaborated with the research team.

“There are no tools currently available that tell us if it’s a good quality egg. Often we don’t know whether the egg or embryo is truly viable until we see if a pregnancy ensues.

“That’s the reason this is so transformative. If we have the ability up front to see what is a good egg and what’s not, it will help us know which embryo to transfer, avoid a lot of heartache and achieve pregnancy much more quickly.”

 

Legislators Seek Answers from FDA on New Chemical Abortion Standards

LifeWire / April 27, 2016

Lawmakers ask for documents behind FDA change in protocols for administering drugs for chemical abortions.

On Monday, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Senator James Lankford (R-OK) sent a letter to the federal Food and Drug Administration questioning the agency’s recent move to relax its protocols for administering the RU-486 abortion drug.

The letter, which was signed by a total of 75 members of Congress, says the signatories are “deeply disappointed to learn that you have loosened FDA standards governing use of the abortion drug mifepristone,” which “has been associated with serious adverse events including hemorrhaging, severe infections and even deaths of mothers who have taken it.”

The new standards issued last month allow Mifeprex (one of the two pills RU-486 entails) to be prescribed in 200 milligram doses instead of 600, 70 days after the start of a woman’s last menstrual period instead of 49, and with one fewer trip to an abortionist’s office.

Pro-lifers suspect the change was made for political reasons rather than sound medicine because chemical abortion drugs have been linked to several deaths by sepsis and many personal accounts of negative experiences, particularly in a 2011 study finding that chemical abortions carry substantially higher rates of medical complications than surgical abortions.

 

U.S. Suicides Increasing at Alarming Rates

Live Action News  / April 26,2016

Assisted suicide advocacy is at least partly to blame.

There has been a huge and alarming increase in the U.S. suicide rate. From the CDC announcement:

From 1999 through 2014, the age-adjusted suicide rate in the United States increased 24%, from 10.5 to 13.0 per 100,000 population, with the pace of increase greater after 2006…

Suicide is increasing against the backdrop of generally declining mortality, and is currently one of the 10 leading causes of death overall and within each age group 10-64…

This report highlights increases in suicide mortality from 1999 through 2014 and shows that while the rate increased almost steadily over the period, the average annual percent increase was greater for the second half of this period (2006-2014) than for the first half (1999-2006).

Color me decidedly not surprised.* We are becoming a pro-suicide culture.

I believe the assisted suicide movement bears partial responsibility. Suicides have increased at the very time the assisted suicide movement has been vigorously and prominently promoting self-killing as a proper means to alleviate suffering.

 

 

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Posted By cmbuuck on April 7, 2016

 

Life Affirming News

 

Please join us in welcoming our new Fort Wayne Lutherans for Life officers :

President: Karen Blank

Vice President: Harriet Stennfeld

Secretary: Dennis Brink

Treasurer: Vicki Layman

We would also like to thank our outgoing president Dennis Brink for his dedication and service to our commitment in affirming and preserving life. And also keep him in your prayers during his recovery from hip surgery.

 

 

Women’s Care Center

Anne Koehl, Fort Wayne Director

Looking back on another busy year we would like to share with you the impact of your generosity and kindness. We were able to serve nearly 2,500 women last year and they made over 12,000 visits. Earning their coupons from attending parenting classes and birth preparation classes allowed our moms to have more than 5,400 shopping visits. In the next few months we will welcome nearly 800 new babies.

 

Adult Stem Cells Cure Blindness

LifeWire / March 30, 2016

Scientists at the University of California San Diego successfully use ethical stem cells to cure cataracts.

If this human breakthrough had occurred with embryonic stem cells, the front page stories would have screamed around the world.

But it was adult stem cells and so the reporting was muted. You see, the media still – after all these years – tend to judge the newsworthiness of a story based on whether a breakthrough is embryonic.

The story is sensational, nonetheless. Adult stem cells have cured blindness and may provide a splendid treatment for cataracts. From the Telegraph story:

“Cataracts can be cured by using a patient’s own stem cells to regrow a ‘living lens’ in their eye, restoring sight in just three months, scientists have shown. In research described as ‘remarkable,’ surgeons reversed blindness in 12 infants born with congenital cataracts by removing the damaged lens and coaxing nearby cells to repair the damage.”

This is great news. And the potential is really exciting…

 

First U.S. Uterus Transplant Fails:

Cleveland Clinic plans to continue with nine other womb transplants

National Review / March 9, 2016

The first womb transplant to take place in the U.S. has failed – under dramatic circumstances. The recipient of the transplant, who was operated on last month, appeared smiling and healthy with doctors at a media conference on Monday (March 7). Yet just a day later there was a sudden complication that required specialists to remove the transplanted uterus.

The clinic released a statement about the emergency operation:

“There is a known risk in solid organ transplantation that the transplanted organ may have to be removed should a complication arise. The medical team took all necessary precautions and measures to ensure the safety of our patient.”

The woman, known only as Lindsey, 26. of Texas said she was recovering well after the womb removal.

 

Irish Looking Abroad for Surrogacy

Since 2011, surrogacy has been on the rise in Ireland with over 80 children born by means of this practice. Of that number, over 60 were born via international surrogacy in India. The recent passage of same-sex marriage in Ireland will doubtlessly expand the surrogacy practice.

 

California Legislator Introduces Bill to Pay for Eggs for Research

A California state assembly leader has introduced new legislation that would compensate women to sell their eggs for research. Such attempts have been introduced in the past, but Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the last bill in 2013.

 

Adult Stem Cells Used to Create Human Heart

LifeWire / March 30, 2016

Scientific team uses scaffolding concept, combining it with ethical skin stem cells, to provide a foundation for new heart cells to be grown onto.

Scientists announced that they had successfully grown a human heart using stem cells. That in itself is a major development. But to the surprise of many these stem cells did not come from embryos, but rather skin cells, making this not only a major development, but an ethical one too.

The ability to create a human heart using stem cells could significantly benefit the over 4,000 people in the United States waiting for a heart transplant. According to the report:

After just two weeks, the networks of lab-grown heart cells already resembled immature but intricately structured hearts. The team gave them a burst of electricity, and the hearts actually started beating.

What was once thought of as a mere dream could very possibly become a reality.

 

Belgium Combines Organ Donation Presumed Consent, Euthanasia

Center for Bioethics and Culture / March 22, 2016

Possibility of donating organs following euthanasia raises ethical concerns with respect to the potential donor’s motivation.

A just published article in the Journal of Medical Ethics argues for allowing killing by organ removal as a form of euthanasia and organ donation.

The authors mention that Belgium has “presumed consent” for organ donation. From the piece:

When a patient is determined dead on the basis of either circulatory or neurological criteria, the treating physician is legally allowed to remove his organs for transplantation.

In case of donation, three non-treating physicians, who are not involved in the transplantation procedure, should independently determine death.

The law explicitly states that relatives should be enabled to say farewell to the deceased as soon as possible after the donation procedure.

In the immoral utilitarian milieu that now reigns in Belgium, this means that doctors could look upon all “suffering” patients as potential organ suppliers.

 

There are 471 reasons to celebrate now that this 40 Days for Life campaign has drawn to a close! That’s how many babies have been saved from abortion – that we know of!

LifeNews / March 16, 2016

Here are more reasons to celebrate – 40 Days for Life locations where abortion centers have closed!

Jacksonville, North Carolina celebrates the closing of an abortion facility that had been in business for decades.

Earlier in the campaign, two facilities in Georgia – in Augusta and Marietta – also shut down.

This was the 16th 40 Days for Life vigil outside the Women’s Pavilion in South Bend – and it should be the last.

In the final days of the campaign, it was announced that the business would shut down on March 18 – Day 38 of this campaign. And it did!

This center had been open for more than 30 years … and had been accused of having “little regard for health standards and women’s safety.” Abortions had stopped at this location, but they were still referring women to other centers for abortions.

Three years ago, pro-life groups bought the building next to the abortion facility and housed a chapel and several other pro-life ministries. All of that prayer certainly had an impact.

“It’s a good day,” Shawn Sullivan, the 40 Days for Life director in South Bend told the media. “There won’t be anybody going next door to get abortions anymore.”

Praise God!

 

Gov.Pence Signs Bill

Washington (CNN) / March 31, 2016

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on Thursday March 31 signed a bill that bars women from seeking an abortion because the child will be born with a disability, a controversial restriction that is one of the tightest abortion laws in the country.

Indiana already has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation, and Pence called the bill, House Enrolled Act 1337, a “comprehensive pro-life measure.”

“HEA 1337 will ensure the dignified final treatment of the unborn and prohibits abortions that are based only on the unborn child’s sex, race, color, national origin, ancestry, or disability, including Down syndrome,” he said in a statement. “Some of my most precious moments as Governor have been with families of children with disabilities, especially those raising children with Down syndrome.

We thank Rep. Casey Cox for authorizing the bill.

 

Assisted Suicide Law Set to Take Effect in California

Center for Bioethics and Culture / March 11, 2016

California will begin permitting assisted suicide this summer. The state’s so-called “End of Life Option Act” green-lighting physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill individuals will go into effect June 9, 2016.

 

 

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Posted By cmbuuck on March 15, 2016

 

Life Affirming News

 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand . . . Ephesians 6:12-13

 

Reflection from Carmen Pate

40 Days For Life / March 1, 2016

I am confounded to see how the battle over the issue of life is perceived more often in churches today as political rather than spiritual. Ironically, the enemy has used this twisted perception to silence many in the body of Christ.

We must see the battle for what it is and if we are to be prepared to face the spiritual enemy on the issue of abortion, we must daily “put on” the armor God has given us: Gird your waist with Truth. Put on the breastplate of Righteousness. Shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. Taking the shield of faith. Taking the Helmet of salvation. Taking the sword of the Spirit.

Our armor is complete. We are ready to wage war, and the next verse tells us how, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit.” (Ephesians 6:18)

Prayer: Dear Lord, as you lead us into the spiritual battle of abortion may we be reminded that the battle is truly Yours. We thank you for equipping us with Your armor. Lead us daily to put it on! Thank you for allowing us to serve under your command, and for hearing our requests for direction and protection. Thank you for the victory that is ours because of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.

Indiana Right to Life statement on Senate passage of House Bill 1337

Indianapolis – Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter issued this statement following passage this afternoon of House Bill 1337 by a 37-13 vote in the Indiana Senate:

“Today’s Senate vote brings us one step closer to ending the disposal of aborted babies as medical waste in Indiana, to safeguarding against the harvesting of baby parts for experimentation, and to preventing discrimination against unborn babies because of disability, sex, or the color of their skin. We now urge the Indiana House to take swift action in bringing this important bill to Governor Pence’s desk.”

 

Cord Blood Donation Bill: The Backstory

Liz Brown and Senate Bill 315 / February 24, 2016

Meet Lydia (2 years old) and Samson (now 6 weeks old).

Their mom, Becky, a staffer of mine, brought the idea of a bill on umbilical cord donation to my attention last fall while she was pregnant with Samson.

Back when she was pregnant with Lydia, she received solicitations from companies to bank her unborn baby’s cord blood. If she had chosen this, she and her husband would have paid a cord blood bank thousands of dollars to store their child’s cord blood cells for a set number of years. Then, if a medical emergency arose in the family, such as a leukemia diagnosis, they would have the cells to use.

As a first-time mom, Becky set out to do a little research about banking. She spoke with stem cell research expert Dr. David Prentice, now of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, and author of this article: LifeNews – Save a Baby’s Life, Save Two Lives with Umbilical Cord Blood. Dr. Prentice shared how public cord blood donation offers an abundance of benefits. He explained if everyone donated, there would likely be a match every time cells are needed from the public bank. You see, cord cells don’t need to be an exact match in transplants like adult stem cells must be. Additionally, cord cells offer an ethical alternative to embryonic stem cells and they are used in medical research for a whole host of diseases from diabetes to cancer. Learn more in Dr. Prentice’s article here.

After hearing the benefits of donation, Becky talked to her doctor and her hospital before Lydia’s due date about her desire to donate her child’s cord blood. Unfortunately, she faced roadblocks because her hospital didn’t participate in cord blood donation (even though participation is completely free for hospitals). She even spoke with the local public donation collection organization, Life Line Stem Cell, in New Haven, Ind., but there was no way to get her child’s cord blood from the hospital to the bank. When Lydia came, her cord blood was thrown out.

As Becky and her husband approached their second child’s due date, things were different. This time they were set to deliver at a different hospital. They were assured that upon hospital admittance they would be offered the option to donate. And Becky tells me, that’s exactly what happened. The donation process was simple and completely free and harmless.

Now Samson’s cord blood has been donated to a public bank where it could be used for a transplant, to save a patient with cancer, or in medical research to find cures.

My cord blood bill, Senate Bill 315, doesn’t make cord blood donation mandatory by hospitals or mothers. Rather it raises awareness of this life-saving process by providing expectant mothers with information on cord donation. My bill passed two committees and the Senate and House chambers with all unanimous votes. It now awaits the Governor’s signature.

Cord blood donation recognizes that every life is a gift.

 

Operation Rescue : New Report Verifies Data: Abortion Clinics are Closing at a “Record Pace”

LifeWire / Feb. 24, 2016

One abortion clinic closes on average each week. Since 1991, number of surgical abortion facilities has fallen by 81%.

Already in 2016, there have been nine abortion facilities that have closed or announced imminent closures. Even given that two of the closures are expected to be temporary, abortion clinic closures continue on an average pace of one closure per week.

In a report released on December 22, 2015, Operation Rescue documented that 54 abortion facilities closed or halted all abortion services during that calendar year.

 

Quick Updates: from Center for Bioethics and Culture

February 19, 2016

Physician Assisted Suicide Debated in Iowa

The battle for physician assisted suicide has reached yet another state — this time Iowa — where it remains unclear whether or not it will move ahead from committee to the full Senate for full consideration.

 

Euthanasia Week Celebrated in the Netherlands

The Netherland’s Right to Die organization focused on 15 years of legalized euthanasia in the country by hosting an official “Euthanasia Week.” The week was marked with documentary films and a public awareness campaign — particularly geared toward the youth. To date, over 5,000 citizens die in the Netherlands each year utilizing the country’s euthanasia laws.

 

IVF Conceived Children Face Poor Health Outcomes

A new study in the journal, Human Reproduction, warns that IVF conceived children may suffer poor health outcomes such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.

 

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Posted By cmbuuck on February 18, 2016

 

Life Affirming News

 

Solomon asked for the wisdom to “discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9). In the name of Jesus, who grew in wisdom and accomplished His Father’s will, may His people today have the wisdom to discern between good and evil when it comes to the sanctity of life. Prayer: Wisdom from On High, in a culture where good and evil are blurred, help Your people be discerning of the truth and then share it boldly. Amen. 

 

A Christian’s Questions and Answers about IVF

Christian Life Resources

QUESTION: Does in vitro fertilization ALWAYS result in discarding (aborting) some embryos? Is this something a couple who had used this process would be aware of?

ANSWER: No, the process doesn’t always result in embryos being discarded — although, often, a doctor will transfer embryos to the woman’s uterus with the hope that at least one will implant. There are situations in which multiple embryos will survive and grow. At that point the couple will have to decide whether to abort or carry multiple children.

Many times the additional spare eggs are frozen, to be kept for use at a later date in the event the first implantation attempt doesn’t work. It is a costly procedure for a couple to have artificial fertilization. That’s why many couples choose to have extra embryos fertilized.

Generally several embryos are frozen and placed in “storage” after a successful pregnancy has taken place.

What a couple has to deal with is what to do with the remaining embryos. There are countless stories of abandoned embryos left in storage. There are many ethical questions regarding the legal rights of parents over them. Can they be willed to a child, given to a friend, etc. But, the fact remains that a child is conceived and is waiting to be born.

QUESTION: If no embryos are discarded or frozen, what ethical concerns about IVF still confront the Christian?

ANSWER: The most obvious concern is the low success rate for in-vitro fertilization. While there is a great variety in the way IVF clinics cite statistical success, the general rule is that up to 40 percent of women who go into IVF centers do not get to the point of embryo transfer because they fail to respond to medication. There is an approximate 20 percent success rate for IVF based on embryo transfer. In general, of those who enter IVF programs, success rate is 8 percent.

Failure to bear a child takes an emotional toll on many couples. Even with a successful embryo transfer into the womb, the odds of that new unborn child dying (four out of five) are just too great for Christians to proceed.

QUESTION: If I have undergone a successful or unsuccessful IVF procedure, was I wrong?

ANSWER: Perhaps yes, and perhaps not. Statistics indicate averages. Some fare much better than others. Statistics, however, provide us insight as to how risky a procedure can be for the mother and child. There is the possibility (a 20 percent chance) that your first IVF attempt is successful. That fact must be contrasted with the reality that most people would be critical of someone who risks the death of any child (born or unborn) when the odds are four out of five of the time the child will die.

 

Feds Request More Time to Craft Canada’s Assisted Suicide Law

LifeSiteNews.com / Jan 11, 2016

Canadian government needs 6-month window to draft landmark law legalizing doctor-prescribed death.

After hearing oral arguments Monday, the Supreme Court of Canada has deferred its decision on the federal Liberals’ request for another six months to draft a law governing assisted suicide.

Last February, Canada’s top court struck down the criminal prohibition of assisted suicide as unconstitutional, and gave the government a year to draft legislation to regulate the practice.

But government lawyer Robert Frater argued that the February 2016 deadline doesn’t give the federal Liberals enough time to consult with the provinces and territories on this “very complex” issue, reports the CBC.

“Our request to this court is based protection of the public and the rule of law and ensuring that there’s a comprehensive scheme in place,” the counsel for the attorney-general told the Court. “The number of issues that have to be dealt with here are extremely large and they are very complex.”

 

Netherlands Approves Euthanasia for Severe Dementia

LifeSiteNews.com / Jan 18, 2016

Public Health Ministries updates “guide” giving people suffering from severe dementia the option of euthanasia, even if they are unable to express the wish themselves.

The Netherlands government has decided to extend euthanasia to people with dementia who are incompetent to request death by lethal injection, if the person requested euthanasia while still competent.

The 2014 Netherlands euthanasia statistics state that out of 5306 euthanasia deaths; 81 people were lethally injected for dementia and 41 people died by euthanasia for psychiatric reasons.

To lethally inject a person who is unable to request death undermines the “safeguard” of consent. Even if the person, while competent, requested euthanasia for dementia, now the person is unable to change their mind.

 

Quick Updates from Center for Bioethics and Culture

Jan.8, 2016

Opponents of PAS in California Fail to Gain Enough Signatures for Referendum

The spokesman for the group Seniors Against Suicide announced that it failed to collect enough signatures for a ballot referendum to overturn California’s recently passed legislation on physician assisted suicide. The group noted that their efforts were not over.

Organ Selling Under Scrutiny

A recent Washington Post article took a critical look at the market for organs. As Scott Carney observed, “The one rule with organ markets is that human tissue always moves up — and never down — the social hierarchy.” He also made apt comparisons to the surrogacy enterprise in which the rich are eager to buy wombs and poor are exploited and coerced into selling theirs.

California Surrogate Mother Files Lawsuit to Defend Against Coerced Abortion

Last November, Melissa Cook, the California surrogate mother who was being coerced by the intended parent into an abortion, has filed a lawsuit seeking protection for her and the triplets she is carrying. This is expected to become a landmark case and could provide a shakedown of an industry that is long overdue for serious scrutiny.

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Posted By cmbuuck on February 18, 2016

Life Affirming News

 

Defend the Innocent

Open your mouth for the mute. . . Proverbs 31:8

Today we remember the holy innocents. They are the children of Bethlehem killed on the order of King Herod the Great, who feared the loss of his power when the Wise Men told him of the birth of the King of the Jews.

God commands us to open our mouth for the 3,250 babies being destroyed daily in the United States through abortion. That’s over 58 million since 1973, when abortion was legalized during all months of pregnancy for any reason.

The reason God’s people need to speak up about abortion is that Jesus died for all humans including all who have been conceived. God’s inerrant Word is crystal clear that life begins at conception (Psalm 139:13-16; Isaiah 44:2; Jeremiah 1:5).

This is a matter God has already decided for us. God gives us no choice but to be for life!

What the polls report, what some doctors may think and believe, or what judges may decide has no bearing on our responsibility and privilege to speak up against abortion and for the sanctity of life.

It is past time for Christians to speak out for life. May we continue to pray for those who are unable to speak for themselves and do all we can to further the sanctity of life.

Jesus, who is the Life and the Lord of life, help me to open my mouth for the mute. . . Amen

Doctors Said Eli Would be Disabled or Die So He Should Be Aborted, But He Was Born Healthy

Micaiah Bilger / Dec 23, 2015

The news just kept getting worse and worse for Courtney Mitchell and her unborn son.

It began when Mitchell went for her 20-week ultrasound. Her doctor discovered strange pockets of fluid in her placenta and ordered a high risk ultrasound for the next day. After the second ultrasound, doctors told Courtney and her husband, Chris, that their son had genetic problems and probably would not live outside the womb. Doctors gave baby Eli less than 1 percent chance of survival.

The news got even worse when doctors told the young mother that her life was at risk, too.

“What the doctors were most worried about though was the risk to me,” the South Carolina mom told LifeNews. “They said this was a partial molar pregnancy and that continuing in this pregnancy would be a severe risk to my life.

“They recommended an immediate abortion.

Doctors told Courtney that she had cancer in her placenta that could spread to her liver, lungs and brain. She said she also was at risk of seizures, blindness and death – and the risks would increase the longer she carried her unborn son. Despite the tragic diagnosis, the Mitchells refused to abort Eli.

“My husband and I are Christians and having an abortion goes against all that we believe in,” Courtney said. “We prayed and begged for the Lord to deliver me and my son.”

The medical staff monitored Courtney very closely as her pregnancy progressed. Though she felt sick, she said her condition was not as bad as it could have been. She said she traveled to doctor’s appointments three times a week and spent several days in the hospital, away from her husband and older son, Rhett.

“When we found out the news about Eli, and realized we may lose him, all I could think of was, ‘I’m never going to get to see my two boys playing on my living room rug together.’ It was an image I couldn’t stop thinking about,” Courtney wrote on her blog.

Courtney and Chris said they prayed that Eli’s birth would be delayed until 24 weeks, when babies have a good chance of surviving outside the womb.

“… but God not only gave us that, but allowed me to carry him until 30 weeks!” Courtney said. “I went into the hospital one night because I was feeling strange, on March 31, and all of my labs came back normal but they said that Eli’s heart rate was dropping. So the next morning, on April Fools Day, they delivered him via C-section. God truly used the foolish things of this world to shame the wise!”

Eli weighed 2 pounds, 7 ounces when he was born. Despite doctor’s dire predictions, Eli was healthy. His genetic tests all came back normal, his mother said.

“…every time I look at him I am just blown away at the goodness of God,” Courtney said.

Eli spent 55 days in the neonatal intensive care unit before the Mitchells finally took him home.

Today, he is a healthy 8-month-old baby who is progressing faster than expected. The family recently posted a new photo of Eli by the family’s Christmas tree on a Facebook page they began to share their journey. Eli is eager to start crawling, his mother announced on Facebook.

“He is all smiles and is one of the sweetest babies,” Courtney wrote. “He is such a blessing to us! … We have oh so much to be thankful for!!”

Eli also inspired his parents to participate in an event to pray for unborn babies. In August, the family shared their story at a public event to pray for unborn babies, their mothers, victims of abortion, abortion workers and others, according to their Facebook page.

“If ever there was a reminder to choose life and fight for the unborn, this little guy is it. Can you imagine how many other precious little ones haven’t gotten that chance?”

New Year Looks to Bring New Pro-Life Legislation

LifeWire / Dec. 30, 2015

New Year Looks to Bring New Pro-Life Legislation

Life-affirming bills could continue a surge in many states across the U.S.

The past few years have seen a record number of pro-life state laws passed, including tougher regulations on abortion clinics. Other laws recently passed also include waiting periods and restrictions on when and how abortion can take place. More than 50 such laws were passed across the nation in 2015 alone, and it appears the trend may continue in 2016.

After New Year’s Day, state legislatures will soon begin spring sessions, many of which will see abortion related measures introduced. For example, Missouri State Senator David Sater is introducing a bill that would ban abortions sought due solely to the baby having Down syndrome. Sater told reporters he believes babies with Down syndrome deserve life and shouldn’t be discriminated against. “Most grow up to be fine citizens and they’re loved and I think it’s inhumane to abort someone just because they’re a little different,” he explained.

2015 Abortion Clinic Survey Reveals 81 Percent of Abortion Clinics Closed Since 1991

As of Dec. 15, 81 abortion clinics closed or reduced services this year.

The total number abortion clinics in America continues to decline, following a nationwide trend extending back to 1991. In 2015, abortion clinics closed at a rate of more than one per week with 53 abortion clinics shutting down or halting all abortion services.

Operation Rescue directly surveyed all abortion facilities in the U.S. from December 1-15, 2015 and found the following:

*             42 Surgical abortion clinics halted all abortion services.

*             11 Medical abortion clinics halted all abortion services.

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Posted By cmbuuck on December 8, 2015

 

Life Affirming News

 

 

40 Days for Life, December 1, 2015

Like you, I was heartbroken at the news of shootings at the Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs on Friday, November 27th. I’ve prayed with the local 40 Days for Life team outside that facility on several occasions, making it very vivid and personal for me.

While there is still much ambiguity regarding the shooter’s motivations and intended targets, three people are dead and nine others wounded following his violent actions at that Planned Parenthood abortion center.

Here are a few thoughts following this tragedy:

FIRST, we must pray for everyone affected by this senseless act of violence.

SECOND, we must continue to oppose all violence and attacks against human life, including the actions of the gunman in Colorado.

And THIRD, we must increase our resolve and dedication to using only peaceful and prayerful efforts as the antidote to abortion.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. always stressed that, when identifying an injustice to the world, one must also point people to the non-violent solution to that injustice.

Dr. King emphasized that nonviolence is the courageous path — it seeks to defeat injustice and not people … by winning friendship and understanding … by choosing love, and not hate.

Before a person participates in 40 Days for Life, they must sign a Statement of Peace, resolving to only engage in peaceful, legal, and Christlike activities in response to abortion.

That 100% non-violent commitment is why, through your courageous participation in peaceful, law-abiding 40 Days for Life campaigns, God has saved 11,165 babies and changed the hearts of 127 abortion workers.

In the wake of this violence, let’s remember that Jesus told us, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” He has indeed blessed our peaceful and prayerful efforts … and we’re confident that He will continue to do so when this work is done for His greater glory.

 

10 Percent of Elderly Americans Abused

Medical Journal Reports / November 2015

According to a review in the New England Journal of Medicine, about 10 percent of older Americans may face some form of abuse, and primary care physicians are often positioned as the first line of defense.

Doctors need to be able to recognize the tell-tale signs of elder abuse, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, because about 10% of the elderly experience some form of abuse. “Thus, a busy physician caring for older adults will encounter a victim of such abuse on a frequent basis, regardless of whether the physician recognizes the abuse,” write Mark S. Lachs and Karl A. Pillemer.

Those most at risk are women, people living in a “shared living environment”, those who relatively young, the poor, and people who are social isolated. Most abuse in nursing homes comes from fellow residents. However, just living with other people, even family members, is also a risk factor, as there will be more opportunities for conflict.

The authors categorize abuse in five ways: physical abuse, or acts carried out with the intention to cause physical pain or injury; psychological or verbal abuse, defined as acts carried out with the aim of causing emotional pain or injury; sexual abuse, defined as nonconsensual sexual contact of any kind; financial exploitation, involving the misappropriation of an older person’s money or property; and neglect, or the failure of a designated caregiver to meet the needs of a dependent older person.

 

Senate Votes to De-Fund Planned Parenthood After It Sells Body Parts From Aborted Babies

Steven Ertelt /  Dec 3, 2015  /  Washington, DC

The Senate voted today for a bill that would de-fund Planned Parenthood after it was caught selling the body parts of aborted babies. Hearings have exposed how the abortion company likely violated federal laws to sell the body parts.

The bill would block, for one year, most federal payments to Planned Parenthood. At least 89% of federal funding of Planned Parenthood would be blocked by this bill. The bill would repeal a number of major components of the Obamacare health law, including two of the major provisions that will lead to rationing of lifesaving care — the “Independent Payment Advisory Board” and the “excess benefits tax.”

The bill now goes back to the House and will head to President Barack Obama once the House approves the measure. Though Obama will veto the bill, the vote makes it clear that, under a pro-life president, Congress can get a de-funding bill approved with a majority vote that the president would sign into law.

 

Christian Life Resources

Doug Merkey /Nov. 17, 2015

…My plea to the American people is simply this: let’s stop “perverting justice.” Instead, let’s practice what we preach (and etch into our porticos). Let’s actually practice “equal justice under law.” Let’s apply justice equally to all people no matter where they live (petri dish, womb, nursing home, apartment), no matter how old they are (12 weeks in utero, 12 years, 112 years), no matter how developed their capacities (severely disabled, college freshman, PhD), no matter their income (poor, middle class, rich), and no matter their color (black, white, yellow, red, etc.).

 

Some Thoughts

Life Is a Cool Thing because Of God

Created-Redeemed-Called

Created: Life is a cool thing because God creates every life as His handmade masterpiece.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, my soul knows it very well’ (Psalm 139;13-14)

Redeemed: Life is a cool thing because God has redeemed every life from sin.

“He is the payment for our sins, and not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2)

Called: Life is a cool thing because God wants every life to have an eternal relationship with Him.

“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth” (1Timothy 2:3-4)

 

 

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