November 2022 Newsletter: Fall Road Trips Over, Now On to the Holidays!

Late posting of this on the blog, but here it is!

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Jay, a student I met at Middle Tennessee State University, was really challenged in his beliefs during our conversation.

It is only November, and it has already snowed 15 times in the last week.  My southern self is appalled, but we press on.

I was on all four Road Trips For Life this fall.  We went to Michigan, Chicago, Tennessee and Kentucky (including Knoxville, which is very dear to me because I spent two summers there with The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform!), and then again to Michigan.  Our goal in Michigan both times was to urge people to vote “no” on Proposal 3, an amendment to the Michigan Constitution.

Sadly, as many of you may have heard already, the proposal went through, and abortion is now a constitutional “right” in the state of Michigan, and it can be performed by any healthcare professional, including those who have zero experience performing abortions (e.g., a dentist).  We know abortion is NEVER safe because it always harms at least the child, but now it is potentially very unsafe for the mothers, too.  So much for caring about women.  (This is just one of the many horrid things about the proposal.)

We are heart-broken at this development, especially after some of us had hope that there might actually be enough “no” votes to outweigh the “yeses.”  It’s very discouraging, and I think it’s okay to grieve this loss.  However, this is exactly what we could expect to happen after Roe was overturned: some states are going to protect abortion, and some states are going to protect preborn children.  We might be in a tough place right now, but we have to go through this messiness before the culture turns.  The important thing is that we keep speaking up for the victims.

Tyler and I had a good conversation in downtown Lexington, KY.

On our Tennessee and Kentucky trip, I talked to a man named Tyler in downtown Lexington.  At the beginning of our conversation, he was slightly hostile and was a big proponent of abortion.  His reasoning was mostly that he himself has had a rough life and he would hate for other children to grow up in bad family situations like he did.  By the end of our conversation, he had apologized for being disrespectful to me and understood the pro-life position more, and I got to share the gospel with him.

If you meet someone who is so depressed at the evil in the world and uses that to justify killing preborn children, never fear!  Many people see the reality of evil and because of that, reject God, but actually, that’s all the more reason TO believe in God!  The reality of evil points to the reality that there is an objective moral standard to which we all more-or-less subscribe (Romans 2:15), and whether or not we acknowledge God as the one who set that in place, we all recognize some things as wrong.  We all fail to live perfect lives, but there is one, Jesus, who did not fail. What a splendiferous opportunity to share the Good News with someone who is hurting!

The same week, at Middle Tennessee State University, I spoke to Liam, a student who was pro-choice, but I could see from the beginning that he had a soft heart.  During our conversation, he told me, “I do think that your arguments make some sense. . .  It makes me reconsider the contexts of if and whether it would be moral to [get an abortion].”

My friend Ella visited me recently!

In my personal life, my good friend Ella came for a visit last weekend!  We did many activities including, but certainly not limited to: tramping around the Columbus Zoo, doing a homemade scavenger hunt in Walmart, trying out unusual fruits, picking out/trying on silly outfits with friends at a thrift store, hosting a game night, etc.  It was simply superb!

Additionally, I’m moving into a townhouse soon, right before Christmas!  I’ll share the place with a friend, Mary (fun fact: we have the same first and last initials.  How very merry!).  It’s been a fabulous year with my hosts, Jeff and Maria, but I’m excited to move into a place more my own (and get all the rest of my stuff from my parents’ house)!  Like a real grown-up!

I got to help Seth with open mic at Ohio University.

Prayer Requests
- For babies to be protected in Michigan and elsewhere
- For me personally, that I would have wisdom and humility as I think about different theological things (much to learn, much to grow in!)
- For good attitudes for me and the team as we enter the cooold months

With fall road trips successfully completed, we can now focus on the HOLIDAYS!  I am heading home (to North Carolina) this week to spend a few days with my family.  What are y’all doing for Thanksgiving?

I am super-duper grateful for all of my supporters who enable me to do this work, fighting for the lives of little people.  If you’re not already supporting me financially, would you consider joining my team?  Happy Thanksgiving!

From the frontlines of the battle for equality,
Maggie Groover