Praise God for Lorenzo Timothy!

I stood praying and silently praising God on the sidewalk outside the Family Planning Associates abortion chamber with red "Life" tape across my mouth. A man walked down the stairs and glared at me as he walked straight towards me. I couldn't help but wonder if he was going to hit me, but I tried to continue to focus on God. Thankfully, he walked right past (though a little too close for comfort).

A few minutes later, a couple pushing a baby in a stroller walked behind me on the sidewalk. I thought they were just passing by at first, but then they stopped behind me. Soon my wife Terri signaled to me, and I walked over to talk to her. She told me that this couple was here to show me their newborn baby. A baby God somehow used me to help save!

I ripped the "Life" tape off of my mouth and hugged the baby's parents. I was so thrilled to see this child that I accidentally got the tape stuck to the the mother's hair.

Months ago, the baby's parents had told me that if he was a boy, they wanted to name the baby after me (though they didn't seem thrilled with the name "Tim"). As they introduced me to little Lorenzo Timothy, the father proudly announced that his other children are already calling the baby "Timothy."

I laughed with the baby's father as he said "look at our 'tubal' baby" (because when I first met the couple they had been told that it was a tubal pregnancy).

After a few minutes rejoicing (trying to do so quietly, because everyone else was still maintaining their silent vigil), I put the "Life" tape back on my mouth and went back to the sidewalk to pray. My heart had already been filled with praises to God before I had seen Lorenzo Timothy, but now I could hardly contain the joy. Even the duct tape couldn't stop me--my heart was so filled with praise that I kept realizing that my praises were no longer silent. I wanted to shout "hallelujah!" but I restrained myself, striving to maintain the spirit of the silent vigil. Tears of gratitude to God flowed down my cheeks as I continually thanked God for the privilege of being used by him to save an innocent child.

God has granted me the opportunity to see countless children saved from abortion, but this was the first time He had allowed me to see a child whom I personally was used to save. I reminded Lorenzo Timothy's father that "Timothy" means "honoring God," though I confessed that I don't know the meaning of "Lorenzo."

When I later looked up the meaning of "Lorenzo," I knew immediately that God was giving me a special message through this child. The meaning of "Lorenzo" is "crowned with laurels." A laurel wreath was used in ancient Greece to crown the winner of a competition, or to crown a successful commander during his triumph! Combining "Lorenzo" with "Timothy" makes it all the more significant: a crown honoring God. This little boy is, literally, a crown that I have already received, that I will cast at the feet of Jesus!

It just so happened that the location where I had chosen to stand for the silent prayer vigil this time was the exact spot where I had stood a few months ago when Lorenzo Timothy's parents first entered the abortion chamber. It was the exact spot where I stood when Lorenzo Timothy's father stormed down the stairs intending to "punch me out," but instead God changed his heart and saved his child from what seemed to be an impossible situation.

Glory to God!!!