A baby laughing at Daddy throwing him into the air. Teenagers snagging each other’s knit hats, instigating an innocent game of tag. Words of encouragement and hope from the loudspeaker. Older women with tears glistening and smiles spreading as they see a culture changing. Young people toting handmade signs in support of what they believe to be true. “Hey hey, ho ho, Roe v. Wade has got to go!”
These are just some of the things my senses experienced at this year’s March for Life. These are just some of the things I witnessed as thousands joined together to celebrate life and to fight for innocents to be able to share in this life.
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There was something in the air this year, more contagious than ever. I can’t really put my finger on it. You see, this is my fourth year at the March for Life, and each year has had it’s own distinct flavor: urgency, passion, excitement. But this year was different.
The immensity of the joy and camaraderie among marchers was almost palpable. I get the excellent heebie-jeebies even just thinking about it, and I cannot help but smile.
I think it’s because we are on the upswing of a nation changing. And you can’t help but smile at that.
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This year’s March for Life theme was “love saves lives.” And I think that’s part of the reason so many of THOUSANDS came to celebrate and defend life this year. It’s my understanding that they are estimating around 500,000 pro-life advocates marched this year. (I don’t doubt this number at all because at one point I had to push through approximately half of the parade to grab some of my students, and it took over 45 minutes!)
So I think people—young and old—are grasping the immensity and the urgency of this movement in a way that’s not yet been seen because we know that people need to be loved. People are digesting and comprehending that Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice advocates are encouraging thousands to end innocent lives through fear tactics and misinformation.
And we know that that’s not ok.
But beyond knowing that, young people want to do something about it.
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I live in an area of Alabama where we have a wonderful Catholic Christian group of young people who are ON FIRE to live joyful, authentic, love-filled lives. Again, I get the good kind of chills thinking about my friends who are so passionate about loving others in the most Christ-filled ways by just being themselves.
And when people like this see an injustice, they want to fix it by calling on Jesus to give them the ability to fix it, no matter what the injustice. And the fruit of that prayer is an outpouring of love. After all, “love conquers all” and there’s a lot to be conquered when it comes to social injustices in our nation.
And when people like this come together in one place for one purpose—to save lives and to spread love—it feels like the wave of passion is unstoppable. And THAT is what was different this year.
People know of these injustices more than ever before, and people are not okay with it. By using whatever they can to end these injustices, they know there is a tangible outcome: saved lives, saved souls, and loved people.
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So when I look back on the 2018 March, just a few days ago, I am filled with immense hope. I am filled with awe and inspiration and beauty. I am filled with the promise that these injustices will be ended in our lifetime. I am grateful the Lord has chosen to use young people like my homies from Alabama and the THOUSANDS of others to simply share love by sharing the art of living.
Every person at the March, from the bouncy teenagers to the aged grandparents, knows that there are better things for women who experience unplanned pregnancies than what is behind the doors of Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics. We want what is best for them, and first and foremost, that is LOVE.
Our nation’s thousands of pregnancy resource centers give them opportunities to receive and give that love by offering real choices and options that don’t require ending innocent lives.
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I am invigorated by the response of the American people to spread hope, to spread truth, and to spread love. The chills return when I think about the picture from the top of the hill, looking back down at the masses, supporting and defending life. A smile widens my cheeks as I contemplate the number of lives that will be saved because of people simply caring for people.
But even more so, the palpable taste of authentic, life-bearing love as a movement within our country—it’s enough to bring me to tears.
Let’s continue defending life until there is nothing that stands against life, shall we!
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You can invite people into sharing life-giving love through supporting their local PRC and/or becoming a Biking for Babies missionary! On January 30 at 7pm on our Facebook page, we’ll be having a live informational chat with anyone who wants to listen! Learn more by visiting the Facebook event.
