Georgia March for Life 2014

This year is the 41st anniversary of the legalization of abortion. Today we gathered with many others at the state capitol to mourn the 55+ million lives lost through abortion. We also are encouraged to keep fighting the good fight for the safety of the unborn as well as all those whose lives are in jeopardy, the young, the old, the infirm, the fragile, the needy . . . all life. At all stages. From conception* till natural death.**
I pray next year we will have no need to gather, to mourn, to continue to encourage those who fight, who speak, who stand, who march for Life. But as long as we see the need to defend the helpless and those who cannot speak for themselves, we will.

Rescue those who are being taken away to death;

    hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. 

Proverbs 24:11

Open your mouth for the mute,

    for the rights of all who are destitute.[c]

9 

Open your mouth, judge righteously,

    defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Proverbs 31:8-9

Here's the rundown:
We arrived early.

The gang from Franklin County - Us with Mr. Phil Lee and Judy Brunson

 We had to wait a little while.

The Little Littles - they look happy here. Not so much later.
cold children = annoying tears (bless their hearts)

Still waiting

While we waited we got to see camera men from the CBS, ABC and NBC television stations set up. As well as a Radio reporter. Victory 91.5 FM broadcast the whole event live.

CBS, ABC, NBC cameras - right in front of us -
click on the underlined letters to see their coverage of the event.
CBS has a great video about us "Abortion Foes",
NBC has lots of nice pictures.
Couldn't find anything on ABC - BUT -
Fox 29 has a good video - and part of our crew is in it 
(Judy, Phil and Ava standing at the fence)

90.1 FM NPR station

Victory 91.5 

Others had to wait too.

Today's Leaders of  the faith and faithful fighters!
And really smart people.
Joshua Edmonds (GRTL), Catherine Davis, Pam Stenzel,
Nancy Stith (GRTL), & Dan Becker (GRTL President)

We started off by hearing comments from Governor Nathan Deal (whose wife was a Dunagan and somehow and the vast ocean of genealogy a cousin on my mother's side - though she wouldn't know me from Adam). He presented a PROCLAMATION to Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) declaring today "Respect for Human Life Day." (don't forget to check out the media links under their pictures).

Gov. Nathan Deal

Then we heard various others.

The Doug Stroup Family leading praise.

Chris and Chloe Hewett shared their testimony of
the peace that passes understanding
and the 8 hour life of their daughter last November.
Can't wait to hear them again.
hewettsforrevival.com

Special guest speaker, Dr. Robert White
Executive Director of the Georgia Baptist Convention

Keynote speaker, Pam Stenzel
A 15 year old girl was raped and became pregnant.
At that time in Michigan, abortion was illegal.
Pam is that baby. Given life. Adopted. Loved.
Defender of LIFE.

Congressman, Dr. Paul Broun

Catherine Davis.
She has a website. I haven't found it yet.
I LOVE this lady!

I don't remember this lady's name.
She is from Silent No More

Here are some others being Silent No More.

Women DO Regret Abortion
Men Regret Lost Fatherhood.

This is my dear friend Hemda Mercer.
She is my hero. Honest, Kind, Real, Brave. (and a blast to hang out with).
Next to her is another hero, Tina Brock - holding the same sign as Hemda.
Tina is also our local director of Franklin Life Pregnancy Resource Center.
Praise God for putting these ladies in my life!

Here's some of the gathered defenders.

Check out Uncle Sam - don't worry, you'll see more of him.

Hey Look! It's the Petitts. <3
I have the best people to call friends!

And then we heard the heartbeat (well, WE didn't hear it because little children were having a total melt down - so Mr. Phil, who was going to sit somewhere warm while we marched, because of his bad knees, took two whiny little boys to eat fries and wait warmly).
HERE is a fetal heartbeat - so no one feels left out. 8 week old Fetus.

And then we sent off the old and young for warmth and began to march.

And that's it.
We meet several people when we got back to the capital. We even answered a few questions for some passers-by.

Me and Kassie Brown, President of Elbert County Right to Life
(no relation)

Me and the Jesus loving Uncle Sam dude.
Apparently he wears this suit often while walking to gain attention and
tell others about the love of God. Precious, yet BOLD man.

 To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth BOLDLY to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it BOLDLY, as I ought to speak.

Romans 6:18b-20

Pam Stenzel and ME!
That's our halos merging together above us.

Okay, further mushy thoughts:
What is it about man holding the hands of little children that can make your heart melt?
I've noticed it with my dad and husband and in-laws. Today, when we sent the boys in the opposite direction with Mr. Phil I quickly lost sight of them. Then, I saw them. Just about to round the corner of the capital building. Mr. Phil holding hand with my little baby boys, trotting along and waddling together.
My heart flipped.
I didn't get a picture. I wasn't quick enough. But I captured Mr. Phil and Jacob on their happy way back to rejoin our little party.

Precious.

So we slowly left the gold dome.

Do not be deceived by the pretty, blue, cloudless sky.
IT WAS COLD!!! 

And we stopped at Chick-Fil-A in Duluth to eat (because they have tiny doors).

The End.

*conception - the union of sperm and egg forming a zygote***
**natural death - on God's time
*** zygote - one celled human