August 24, 2012

It was a typical Saturday morning in Bryan, Texas. The streets of Bryan, and the neighboring town of College Station (home to Texas A&M University), were full of students and out-of-town visitors, getting ready for another football game and all the festivities that went along with it. But, on one busy street in Bryan, a dedicated group of students from Texas A&M were preparing for a different kind of battle: a battle For Life. In front of the Planned Parenthood clinic on East 29th Street, dozens of children, college students, young adults, and families stood in a prayerful vigil—the last voice of hope to the women about to make the toughest decision of their life. The silence was only punctuated by the sound of traffic, the occasional car horn, and the heartfelt appeals of the sidewalk counselors to the women entering the clinic, urging them to rethink their decision.

My name is Laura Davis, the new director of Generations For Life [now Y4Life] (as well as  development counselor) for Lutherans For Life—and a proud graduate of Texas A&M. I am humbled to call many of these students and counselors my friends and am exceedingly proud of all that they do to support the lives of the unborn. During my time at Texas A&M, I was able to witness the energy and passion of youth and young adults for Life issues and the incredible impact they made when they were trained and directed to the right opportunities. I am taking these experiences and applying them to Lutherans For Life’s Generations For Life initiative, a program designed to equip Lutheran youth to be Gospel-motivated voices For Life.

When thinking about this new program, I am drawn to 1 Timothy 4:12: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” The youth of our churches and schools have an incredible opportunity to be an example to their peers in both their words and actions.

It is the goal of Generations For Life to give these students and young adults the tools they need to live out this example through resources, information, and training. Not only will we teach them the truth about life issues and God’s beautiful plan of grace for His creation, but we will help them learn how to share this information with their peers, where to go to volunteer their time and talents, and how to continue sharing the Gospel message For Life throughout their lives.

In addition to working directly with the youth of the Church, we will also work with those whose job it is to nurture and teach young people, including youth workers, teachers, and pastors. These servants are often one of the first points of contact for an individual facing difficult life issues, such as unplanned pregnancies, infertility, and end-of-life decisions. While many may know the basics about life issues, we will help them to address specific situations and give them the resources they need to guide and counsel those who come to them.

Through these programs, we hope to lay the foundation for a generation that not only respects the sanctity of life, but is equipped to share that message with their schools and community.

To learn more about Generations For Life, our upcoming programs, and ways that you can support our ministry, feel free to contact me at ldavis@lutheransforlife.org.