LifeDate Spring 2026 – Stand Firm For Life
by Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life.org
And what an event it was!
I’m sure it’s happened to you, too. You’re busy doing the work, fulfilling the vocations God has called you into: changing diapers, driving kids to school, filling out paperwork, finishing a project, or working the line. You’re multitasking and problem-solving and planning your next step like a pro. And then it happens—despite the people and the tasks that are vying for your attention—a Bible passage you learned in your youth comes to mind. And you’re struck by its truth.
That’s exactly what happened to me as I stood in the back of a ballroom filled with over 550 participants at Y4Life in Washington, D.C., in January. Philippians 1:1-3—the NIV version I memorized as a child—came to mind and rang true:
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (emphasis mine).
At that moment, as I was preparing to walk to the front of the room to welcome our attendees, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Gratitude to God for His life-giving and life-affirming work. Gratitude to the Y4Life and LFL team members who had been working for months to prepare for the event. And gratitude to the youth and young adults and chaperones and exhibitors who were present, thankful that they not only desired to be Gospel-motivated voices For Life but also for dedicating their time, talent, and finances to learning about life issues and marching publicly to uphold life.
But they weren’t the only ones. I was also thankful for YOU, supporters of LFL and partners in the Gospel. Your prayers and financial support, your student sponsorships and efforts to “Keep DC Free” for our participants helped us raise over $9,000 in scholarships and almost $32,000 for the event. Your gifts helped make that moment, and the conference to come, possible.
And your blessings extended far beyond the moment. Your prayers for travel kept us safe on the way to and from the event, despite a massive snowstorm that was headed our way. Your donations covered honorariums and travel expenses for speakers; provided a hat, scarf, and snack bag for each participant attending the March; and prepared a warm, hearty breakfast for youth before they spent hours in the cold. Your gifts covered the cost of equipment transportation, ballroom rental, and travel for the four staff members we needed to run the event. And you did much more. Yes, God worked through your prayers and contributions to make the entire event possible.
And what an event it was!
The conference began with devotions led by LFL’s Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Aric Fenske. Then we followed up God’s Word with an opportunity to meet others in the room—using mixers and questions to make introductions. The speakers came next—Dr. Donna Harrison and Dr. Adam Francisco—both offering apologetics for the unborn. The evening ended with poster-making and a special event for college students.
Friday morning, youth and young adults heard from an international speaker, author, and leader in the pro-life field—Ryan Bomberger, Creative Director and Co-founder of the Radiance Foundation. His unique story—conceived in rape but raised in love through adoption—was inspirational to many of our participants. I’d encourage you to listen to his message (and others!) on our YouTube page, Y4Life, or on our website y4life.org.
Ryan’s presentation was followed by a pre-March devotion led by Rev. Harrison Goodman, Executive Director of Mission and Theology at Higher Things, and after I provided instructions, we were off to the March!
I’m sure you’ve seen pictures of the March by now. Though the streets look crowed, pictures can’t convey the vast number of people who joined us. The March for Life is the largest pro-life gathering in the world, and it is such an honor to provide youth with the opportunity to be part of it. This mountaintop experience is filled with joy, song, and the truth that life is valuable.
Youth participated in the March; when they were done, many went on to tour Smithsonians, memorials, or the Bible Museum before joining us at the hotel for evening sessions. Youth had two options: participate in a panel discussion on mental health or attend a session on care for families of suicide victims.
On our last day together, we focused on how God has fearfully and wonderfully made us for service. Rev. Michael Frese spoke first on vocation, and Rev. Dr. Todd Peperkorn led our final presentation on how to be served, embracing God’s work to uphold life through His Word and Sacraments. The conference closed with a devotion led by Rev. Chad Hoover.
Even now Paul’s words echo in my thoughts: “I thank my God every time I remember you … because of your partnership in the gospel …”.
It’s true, you may not have been present with us at Y4Life in Washington, D.C., but your gifts and prayers blessed us just the same. And those good works, the very same works God prepared for you in advance to do, have made a difference for life.
There were so many reasons to be thankful during Y4Life in Washington, D.C., and you are one of them. Thank you.
P.S. If you’d like to help make Y4Life in Washington, D.C., possible next year, please follow the QR code.