Blog 2

So since our last tour blog, MUCH has happened with the Stand True team. We went to Alive Festival where we got to talk with quite a few people. Alive is usually our muddiest festival so we were expecting a downpour, at the very least. We had some rain which damaged a few of our new "Choose Life" posters. So we made lemonade our of the situation by handing out the posters for free; which gave us another opportunity to talk with people. Not to mention we promoted Bella like crazy! Alive was our kick off festival and it definitely got me excited for the rest of the summer. So the consensus on Alive was a job well done.

Then there was Cornerstone. We had Sam (from previous tours) join us which was a delight. But the first few days were miserable. It was hot and people were disinterested. Most of the kids didn't want to be in the merch tent because of the immense heat. We still got a couple of people who wanted to talk which was a blessing. It was uplifting to have people who want to listen to what we had to say even when you could feel the sweat dripping off of you. I had a couple of really nice talks those two days. One of the most amazing things of all (but not the most) - we sold our very first Modesty Honors Beauty scarf. We finally found relief when it rained, but in those two days we learned a lot:

    1) Girls should not wear booty shorts.

    2) Boys should not wear booty shorts.

    3) Festival goers in general should just keep their clothes on.

Review: Booty shorts should be banned in America.

Modesty honors beauty kiddos!

I had a couple of kids that kept coming back to the booth to just talk about the things they learned or had questions about. It was amazing to find so much interest, especially after the first two days. I had a girl who really warmed my heart. She came to the booth and asked if one of the guys from a previous tour was on tour with us this year. I told her no and she explained to me why she was so inspired by him. She told me when she saw him at Cornerstone, at the booth year after year, she began to really wonder why he toured with these people every year. She said she realized it was because abortion is so serious and so perverse. She said he gave her a new light. It warmed my heart to know - we may not get the response we wish for every time at the very moment but we plant a seed.

It should be obvious by now how much we here at Stand True love to hang out at our booth and talk.  One of our primary goals is the education and equipping of young people to know and act on what they believe about life issues like abortion.  Lots of other chats also take place over the table, some more casual than others.  It's exciting to be out and around doing our best to live the pro-life lifestyle we believe in so strongly.  Change that goes on at the Stand True tables is no change we create, it is the work of our Lord.  He saved our lives and has given us this purpose to share that hope with so many others.  Lives that are changed and saved are not because of our efforts.  That's the amazing thing about being a pro-life nomad for the summer.  You just never know who is coming to talk, pray, and have his/her life changed by God.  Being an instrument of grace is the most humbling job in the world.  We think we're going to a festival or an abortion mill for one thing, but God has a way of surprising us all with an even bigger picture we never thought possible.  We rejoice to submit our words and hearts to that calling.

As individuals we each have our own personal discussions with all kinds of folks, but at different times there come conversations which impact and affect us all.  At Cornerstone we all rejoiced over one young couple that came over to the booth.  They were browsing and collecting our literature when I (Jody) approached them just to say hello and offer my services should they have any questions.  The woman came right out and started telling me about her sister who is in a crisis pregnancy situation and seriously considering abortion as an option.  She shared that her sister seemed to not want to have to resort to abortion, but crisis makes us all contemplate choices we would normally disapprove of.  This woman's husband, a recent seminary graduate, shared his wife's burden of wanting to see his sister in law make the choice for life.  They shared their distress over not wanting to totally scare her and even feared sharing literature would maybe be too much pressure or a shock value tactic.  I didn't say anything to blow these people away.  They clearly had their convictions and wanted to stand by them.  The best I could do is what I did: encourage my brother and sister in Christ.  I told them how excited I was about their heart for this relative in crisis and couldn't tell them enough times to act and speak in love.  Love is the way Christ turned hearts and brought life, how much more will we be able to do the same in his spirit.  Heaping guilt and shame on women has yet to change lives for the better.  I was so excited that this woman in need had at least two people who loved her enough to be at the Stand True booth crying and talking to a stranger about the whole situation.

I prayed for this family in the shower later that night.  I didn't know what would happen, but I know my Lord is great and mighty to save.  The next night this couple came back with some of the best words I have ever heard.  They had spent a few hours on the phone talking with their sister and she decided to keep her child.  She even expressed the desire to read the literature her sister and brother in law took from our booth.  My heart erupted and the whole team praised the might of God.  When they came back, I could tell they knew a long journey still lay ahead, but I did my best to heap as much encouragement on them as I could.  I trust this situation will continue to be worked out for good and the on going glory of God.  We are so glad our efforts this summer have been honored in this way and pray this one choice for life will inspire many others.

After packing up Cornerstone, the Stand True team headed to Des Monies, Iowa.  We were there because a new Planned Parenthood was opening in a minority area of the city.  We knew we had to be there, at least for the dignity of those first women and children who would venture inside.  For two days we went out at opening time (9 A.M.) to pray and worship God, believing that he would change hearts and lives.  I personally spent time playing guitar and singing songs of worship.  Great things happen when the people of God come together and exalt his name.  Bryan had the opportunity to talk to some local young people about the roots of Planned Parenthood and their legacy of social Darwinism and racism.  Many were shocked to even find the building had just opened and did not understand the nature of the organization that had just set up shop in their neighborhood.  Some of these gentlemen ended up joining the protest that was going on.  It was exciting to see their reactions and willingness to stand up.  We were joined outside of Planned Parenthood by other Christians from the area.  Our protests remained non-violent and prayerful and I hope the people of Des Monies continue to go there everyday they possibly can just to let the world know that we are aware of what is going on and will not remain silent waiting for the day we regret and ask, "Why didn't I speak out while others went to the slaughter?"

While we were in Iowa for the Planned Parenthood opening, God once again blessed us with an interaction with a local man who came to the protest with a sign that simply read, "It's your choice."  Bryan talked with him at length and sought to understand who he was and why he had made the sign and come to sit.  He had walked by and saw all the pro-life signs and made his quickly just because he thought there should be representation for "the other side" so to speak.  I greatly admired him for what he had done.  After going for a together, Bryan came back with so many good things to say about him.  They talked for a bit about abortion but the issue was so much bigger than something so simple.  Bryan was able to share who we really are, not only as Stand True, but as Christ followers.  Bryan shared with me that he felt this man was actually one of the reasons we were in Iowa.  He is a seeker of truth, a human life who deserved our respect whether or not he came with a sign or a heart that agreed with what we were there to say.  He is our neighbor and we were called right then and there to love him as ourselves.

I did not know everything Bryan had talked with him about, but I really felt like there were some people who perceived this man as a bit of an oddity.  He was much different than anyone I expected to meet where we met him.  I had overheard him mention some of his beliefs when he was talking.  One of the patron deities he worships, commonly called Anubis, is from the Ancient Egyptian pantheon.  I spent a great deal of my time in college studying the culture and religion of Ancient Egypt and kept wondering if anyone had ever met him where he is at with his beliefs or just put a strange label on him.  When I was walking with the Stand True team to cross the street, I stopped for a second to tell him my name, ask him his, mention that I had heard what he said about Anubis, and tell him I spent time studying Egyptology in school.  I told him I hoped he didn't feel strange around all the Christians there and he assured me he thought we were all really good people.  He said he didn't feel judged.  Feeling like our conversation was over, I continued to follow the group.  While we waited for a traffic light to change so we could cross the street, I was surprised to hear my name called.  Turning, I saw that he had followed us and he asked if he could talk to me. 

We stood on that corner talking...and I honestly don't know how long we were there.  We started talking about his faith, the church, the American church culture, church history, history of other faiths, and most importantly to me, I was given a chance to contrast the flaws we see in all those things with the person of Christ.  We talked about what true hope is and I can honestly say he is a man in need of hope, but in many ways afraid to embrace it.  I was able to encourage him to look into who Jesus really was and what he really claimed to be doing here on earth.  I was able to tell him stories of what Jesus did in the gospels as well as in my personal life.  I am proud to say, to the glory of God, that my personal testimony has been used in ways I never imagined this summer.  After encouraging him to dust off the Bible he said he had lying around his house, I told him we at Stand True would love to answer any questions he ever has.  I hope we hear from him again.  He was such a genuine heart and a seeker of truth.  We were all very struck by him and he gave us heartfelt thanks for actually being out living what we believe.  He had never quite seen that before.  I am so thankful God was able to use our team to give a brand new impression of his followers to someone who was willing to admit he is spiritually hurting.  This is the true call of Christ.

We have spent the past few days in Troy, Ohio resting, blowing our noses (almost ALL of us are sick in some way) and preparing to leave for Lifest in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  We take off this morning at 8.  We are all excited to see what else our God has in store for us there.  He is always full of surprises.  Please keep us in prayer and remember that encounters like these aren't just the stuff of summer tour with Stand True.  Submitted to God, these things can happen in the places we think are most mundane.  Pray he gives us all eyes to see, ears to hear, and the words to speak to bring life into a culture of death!

For the voiceless,

Erin and Jody