For almost three years, I have been blessed to work for Texas Right to Life. When I was initially hired, I was a student at the University of St. Thomas. I was fortunate to find a job with an organization with a mission in which I strongly believe, even though I was unfamiliar with Texas Right to Life. During my time as an intern, I have learned about all of the issues affecting Life from fertilization until natural death, including the need to be engaged in the legislative and political battles for life. I have seen the physical, emotional, and spiritual toll the Culture of Death crusade takes on our state, which is a small slice of what it is doing to our country. The grim knowledge of the battle we are fighting would discourage most people, but our staff builds up and invigorates each other. We maintain optimism and holiness in the office, two assets that have bettered me.
Hope exists because lives are being saved every day due to the efforts of Texas Right to Life, and I feel blessed to play some small role. Babies are born, people are saved from the futility decisions of hospital ethics committees, and miracles are frequent. Financial gifts of all shapes and sizes from our faithful supporters arrive daily in the mail, reminding me that Texans from across the state want us to succeed and will sacrifice their own funds to help accomplish the daunting task before us.
Texas Right to Life is a non-sectarian, non-partisan, non-profit organization, committed to the practical and the prayerful defense of innocent human life. We pray together as a staff every day at noon. Since I have been with Texas Right to Life, our prayer time has increased because we pray more deeply and with more focus. Our staff prays for our clergy, our elected officials, pregnant mothers, our “Generation Now” scholars, and many of our members by name. Additionally, we keep a monthly intention list for those who call or email or ask for special prayers. The prayers often focus on thanksgiving for prayers answered for Texas Right to Life, but also for our members. Since we asked our members to send us their prayer requests, we read every one of those petitions aloud. In hearing the requests, I have realized that these petitions are very serious and personal, and we have been entrusted to care for our members’ struggles in a spiritual way. We lift their sufferings and joys up to heaven, and we know that they do the same for the mission and ministry of us working for Texas Right to Life. All the staff, including the directors and department heads, prioritize the daily prayer hour, setting an example for the rest of us. I see that no matter how busy or important a current project may be, the most important task of the day is to seek holiness and solidarity through communal prayer.
Over the years, I have heard the praise reports of those for whom we have prayed and seen God bless and answer our own prayers for the organization. I wonder and ponder if the prayers offered from our tiny little office in Houston, Texas, Monday through Friday at noon, are drawing God’s attention. I may never know (on earth), but I do know that my college internship and now post-college job would not be so meaningful had I worked elsewhere. One of our main jobs in life as believers in the Father and His Son is to call others to holiness and help them know, love, and serve God. I am blessed that the leaders at Texas Right to Life are equally interested in my spiritual journey, my personal development as a young professional, as well as my productivity in the cause for life.