Coming Up! - "7 Conversations" One-Day and One-Week Intensives
“7 Conversations in 7 Hours”
Complete the Training in One Week or One Day
October 24 (Saturday): One Day Intensive - 3:00 PM - 10:30 PM Central (with a break for dinner from 6:45 PM - 8:00 PM Central) - Color Promotional Flyer (Central Time) - Color Promotional Flyer (Pacific Time)
November 14 (Saturday): One Day Intensive - 1:00 PM - 8:30 PM Central (with a break for dinner from 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM Central)
November 9-14 (Monday-Saturday): One Week Intensive - M, T, W, Th, F @ 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Central; Sat @ 6:30-8:30 PM Central
Harper (Instagram Link)
JFA Trainer, Tammy Cook (left), talks with a student at University of Oklahoma (OU) in 2015.
Click here to view the story, “My Aha Moment!” by JFA Trainer Tammy Cook.
“Harper was pro-choice at the start of this conversation and believed a woman should have a right to an abortion for any reason at any time… At the end he was opposed to the majority of abortions, which was a huge change.”
Tammy met Harper at the University of Texas at Dallas, where he was protesting JFA’s outreach event. Click here to read Tammy’s vivid description of their conversation.
"7 Conversations" One-Day and One-Week Intensives Just Added to Calendar (Instagram Link)
Eva (Instagram Link)
7 Conversations - One Day Intensive on Oct. 24
Mary and Liz (Instagram Link)
Click the picture or this link to read, “A New View of Abortion…and Pro-Life Advocates.”
Still Relevant in 2020: “Is there a more important question than the voting question?”
Four years ago I wrote and recorded a message to JFA’s supporters entitled, “Is there a more important question than the voting question?” This letter is just as relevant now as it was in 2016. Please read or listen to it, and share it. - Steve Wagner, Executive Director
“7 Conversations” Online Workshops: There’s Still Time to Sign Up!
There’s still time to sign up for “7 Conversations in 7 Hours,” our seven-week online course beginning again this week. Choose from one of four different options, and don’t worry if you miss the first week, because there is a make-up session. Click here to learn more and register. Remember to go select from one of four options to take our online course:
Option 1: Tuesday Mornings, 9/22-11/3, 10-11 AM Central
Option 2: Tuesday Evenings, 9/22-11/3, 7-8 PM Central
Option 3: Thursday Mornings, 9/24-11/5, 10-11 AM Central
Option 4: Thursday Evenings, 9/24-11/5, 8-9 PM Central
If you miss Session 1, you should still sign up for the course! Make-up sessions will take place on September 25 (Friday) and September 28 (Monday).
"7 Conversations" Online Workshops - Session 1 Starts This Week!
“7 CONVERSATIONS IN 7 HOURS”
Practical Training for Discussing Abortion
Tuesday Mornings @ 10 AM Central: Sept 22-Nov 3, 2020 (7 Weeks)
Tuesday Nights @ 7 PM Central: Sept 22-Nov 3, 2020 (7 Weeks)
Thursday Mornings @ 10 AM Central: Sept 24-Nov 5, 2020 (7 Weeks)
Thursday Nights @ 8 PM Central: Sept 24-Nov 5, 2020 (7 Weeks)
All workshops are free of charge!
“I am not an articulate person and definitely avoid anxiety-producing situations of talking to someone who might disagree with me. But because of the course and the website I now have a resource...to help me to know what to say, and most importantly how to say it.”
“Having been in the pro-life movement since 1980, this training is nothing like I’ve ever experienced. At our local [pregnancy] center, we are making it essential for our Client Advocates (in addition to their regular training).”
Aubree Changes Her Mind
Above, I talk with “Aubree” at UT Dallas in early March, before COVID-19 cancellations.
On February 7th, I began serving as a Spring 2020 Intern with Justice For All. Before COVID-19 forced us to cancel the events JFA had planned for later in the spring, I was able to travel to Texas three times for outreach events at the University of North Texas, Trinity University, University of Texas at San Antonio, and University of Texas at Dallas.
One of the most memorable interactions I had this spring was at UT Dallas. A young woman I’ll call “Aubree” came up to our poll table that asked, “Should Abortion Remain Legal?” As she signed the Yes side, I approached her and asked her what she thought about abortion. Aubree proceeded to tell me she didn’t like abortion, but she thought it should be legal because making a law against abortion would cause more women to get hurt. She expressed the concern that even if we made abortion illegal, women would die in back-alley abortions, and it wouldn’t really prevent abortion at all. She went on to explain she also believes life begins at conception and that abortion kills an innocent human being.
There are many people like Aubree who claim to be pro-life, believe the unborn is human like you and me, and yet believe that abortion should be legal. The problem with this is multi-faceted. First, they are telling you abortion is killing an innocent human but that abortion should still be legal. Then they often support this with a second statement like the back-alley abortion claim.
Above, I am shown talking with a pro-choice student at Trinity University in February.
The challenge in this view is that to some extent there is truth to it. Having a law against abortion won’t stop all abortions. Laws do not prevent all people from engaging in a particular action, but that does not mean we should not have legislation against a particular act if it is harming or killing another person.
I began to walk through her concerns with her, and we applied her reasoning for keeping abortion legal to other issues. Laws against child abuse and rape do not prevent all those crimes from occurring, but they do mitigate the behavior. In addition, laws reflect what our society values. If we did not have laws against child abuse and rape, that would reveal a disturbing culture that does not have concern for the wellbeing of vulnerable people victimized by these evil acts. In the same way, if abortion is killing an innocent human being (which it is), then we should have laws against it.
Another helpful way to process this is to imagine we were talking about women having the right to kill their newborns. Imagine that someone argues that infanticide should be legal and safe for women because if it were illegal, women would just get hurt in back alleys trying to kill their newborns. This helps to clarify the point and keep the discussion on one central question: What is the unborn?
Of course we don’t want women to die in “back-alley abortions,” and we should take measures to help women not desire to take that risk. But because abortion is killing an innocent human being, it should not remain legal.
Towards the end of my conversation with Aubree, we began discussing women’s rights, and I remarked how I thought it was sad that the idea of women’s rights is so interconnected with abortion. “Oftentimes, abortion kills another woman [at the embryonic or fetal stage]. Our ability to be free and equal does not come from our ability to kill other weaker, vulnerable, unborn women. If we really care about women, why do we not fight for all women in all stages of their existence? It seems odd to me that we only fight for a specific group of women, and we tell some of them that they have the right to kill another woman if she gets in their way.”
“When I made that connection it was like a light bulb went on in her mind. Before leaving, she asked “Can I change my answer?””
When I made that connection it was like a light bulb went on in her mind. Before leaving, she asked “Can I change my answer?” Walking back to the poll table, she signed the No side of our poll, and we cordially parted ways.
Many people think the same way Aubree thought before our conversation, and they just need someone to gently point out the flawed reasoning in their beliefs. When the truth is communicated in a loving manner, sometimes they are willing to change their views to fit the truth. This is encouraging to witness.
As Christians, learning how to communicate the truth to a watching world is crucial. We are told to “walk in wisdom towards outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Col. 4:5-6 ESV). May we all be willing and ready to communicate the truth to a lost world.
A Note to My Support Team
(Originally shared along with this story in April 2020)
Dear Friends,
Since traveling is no longer an option this spring, I have been working with the JFA team as we seek to reach people using other means. I have been helping JFA launch its Instagram account (@picturejusticeforall) while trying to get into conversations via direct message with people on that forum. I presented a portion of an online JFA interactive workshop this past week, and I’ll also be helping with online training events in the coming weeks (see www.jfaweb.org/calendar). In addition, please go to my JFA page to find links to articles I have published recently with Human Defense Initiative and Merely Human Ministries.
We continue to engage in compassionate dialogue with the purpose of glorifying God and communicating to people the value and dignity in every human life. Thank you for your friendship, support, and prayers. It is much easier to do this work knowing I have people like you who have my back.
In Christ,
Rebekah Dyer
God Uses Weakness
Do you ever feel totally unqualified to advocate on behalf of unborn children or to share the gospel? I know I do.
JFA is new to Instagram! Follow us (@picturejusticeforall) to help us start transformative conversations about unintended pregnancy and abortion.
Recently I have been reading Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas, a biography of William Wilberforce. William Wilberforce was instrumental in bringing about the end to the slave trade in England. Many people know him for his powerful and compelling speeches and his tireless fight for abolition. What most don't know is that William Wilberforce suffered from ill health most of his life. He was often bedridden. His doctor told him that his body wasn't prepared to handle the life he had chosen.
William Wilberforce was also short and gaunt. His appearance didn’t lend itself to a political career.
Yet despite his constant illness and unimpressive appearance, William Wilberforce fought ceaselessly for the end of the slave trade and eventually won.
His life reminds me of I Corinthians 1:27-29 which says,
“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
We often look to ourselves—our skills, our talents, our resources—to decide whether we are qualified. In reality none of us are qualified to serve our great God, but he chooses to use us and to work through our weakness for his glory.
Don't allow your weaknesses, whatever they are, to keep you from serving our Lord. Rather embrace your weakness as a chance to depend upon his strength as you faithfully serve him.
Banner Image by Gerrie van der Walt on Unsplash
Common Ground Without Compromise
Here’s a note from Steve Wagner, author of Common Ground Without Compromise, reflecting on the book in 2018:
“It’s been ten years since Common Ground Without Compromise was published, and I’m excited to see so many pro-life people now talking about finding common ground as essential to advocating for unborn children. I intended the book as a letter to all sides of the abortion debate, suggesting that we could make more progress in discussing abortion if we consciously made an effort to agree whenever possible. I look at the landscape now, with many cultural observers saying ‘we are more polarized than ever,’ and I think we need to continue to make finding common ground a habit — just as much as we need to be ready to support our beliefs with good reasons. Finding common ground, though, has the power to cause people who disagree with us to want to listen to those reasons we’re eager to share, even as it has the power to help us to want to listen to the many true things they are saying.”
Resources for Healing After Abortion
RESOURCES
If you or someone you know is considering abortion or has had an abortion in the past, here are resources that may help. Or, call the JFA office (316-683-6426) and ask to speak with one of our trainers who can help you find resources in your area.
Resources for Healing After Abortion
Healing Retreats:
Other Resources for Reflecting and Processing
Resources for Those Considering Abortion
TESTIMONIES OF HEALING AFTER ABORTION
JFA Staff and Volunteers share stories of conversations with men and women who have had experiences with abortion.
"Jamie" - After Jamie looked at an abortion photo and told CK Wisner that the photo "condemns [me] to hell," she found hope and healing through her conversation with CK. In this letter, CK shared many word-for-word excerpts from the conversation that took place in fall 2015.
Christina - Read this story to see why Christina, with three abortions in her past, told staff member Tammy Cook just two days after seeing abortion images on the Justice For All Exhibit, “Thank you so much, Tammy. I feel like you’ve given me my life back."
JFA Volunteers with abortion in their pasts answer the question, "What did your experience with JFA mean to you?"
Angela: "The Power of One" (Regular JFA Volunteer, writing in 2013)
Anne (Regular JFA Volunteer, writing in 2013)
Judy (Regular JFA Volunteer since 2011)
Lori (Regular JFA Volunteer since 2011; JFA Mentor since 2012)
Brenda (Regular JFA Volunteer since 2011)
"Dear Rilegh" - A forlorn young father left this letter and rose on the JFA Poll Table at Colorado State University in 2004.
TESTIMONIES OF THE EFFECTS OF ABORTION
"Dear Rilegh" - A Father wrote this letter to his unborn daughter and left it at the JFA Poll Table in 2004.
"I wish I would have never had the choice" - A response left at the JFA Poll Table which asked, "Should Abortion Remain Legal?"
"I still hurt..." - Response card sent to JFA in 2002
Please Note: This blog post is a copy of the information found on our Healing After Abortion webpage. For updates to this content, click below.
"I'll never know you. I never got a chance..."
The letter and rose, shown below as a part of JFA's Stop and Think Exhibit, were originally found on a JFA Poll Table at Colorado State University in 2004. This panel was first displayed at Colorado State University in 2016 in approximately the same location where the note was originally left.
Photo by Katherine Clark
The letter reads:
“Dear Rilegh,
I will never know you
I never got a chance
But I love you so much
She was never going to tell me about you
She was going to pretend you never existed
When she told me
I was truly speechless
Iv never cryed myself to sleep before
But for the past 2 weeks
It’s the only way I’m able to sleep
Theres this void in my life now
a bottomless hurt
that I’ll never know you
you, my first child
I’ll never see you grow
I can’t bring you back
I don’t even know where you are
So I gave you a home
You’ll be with me forever
I love you so much
Your Father
Rest in Peace
”
Many women and men (such as the writer of this letter) deal with grief following an experience with abortion. No matter where you currently stand on the moral question of abortion, consider these questions for a few moments:
How do you feel when you read this letter? Can you empathize with the writer's experience?
Do you know anyone who has had an experience with abortion? Have you ever asked if he/she would like to talk about it?
How do you think that the current US laws and social norms related to abortion affect people struggling with grief after abortion?
Do you believe that a father's wishes should have more weight than they currently do in an abortion decision? Why or why not?
The writer intended this letter for his child, but states that the mother "was going to pretend [the child] never existed." Do you believe this father really had a child? Why or why not?
When in development does the unborn deserve legal protection?
Share your thoughts on any of these questions in the comments section below, at our @7conversations Twitter page, or at JFA’s Instagram page in the comments section of the related post
(See also JFA's "Healing after Abortion" page for more resources for helping friends with abortion in their past.)
Get JFA’s Acclaimed Conversation Training from Anywhere! - Multiple Options Start Sept. 22
“7 Conversations” Online Workshops
New Dates Added!
Tuesday Mornings @ 10 AM Central:
Sept 22-Nov 3, 2020 (7 Weeks)Tuesday Nights @ 7 PM Central:
Sept 22-Nov 3, 2020 (7 Weeks)Thursday Mornings @ 10 AM Central:
Sept 24-Nov 5, 2020 (7 Weeks)Thursday Nights @ 8 PM Central:
Sept 24-Nov 5, 2020 (7 Weeks)
What “7 Conversations” Participants are Saying
“Having been in the pro-life movement since 1980, this training is nothing like I’ve ever experienced. At our local [pregnancy] center, we are making it essential for our Client Advocates (in addition to their regular training).”
- Mike, “7 Conversations in 7 Hours” participant
“I am not an articulate person and definitely avoid anxiety-producing situations of talking to someone who might disagree with me. But because of the course and the website I now have a resource...to help me to know what to say, and most importantly how to say it.”
- Donna, "7 Conversations in 7 Hours" participant