By Pastor Al Howard, His Nesting Place Ministries

I have been involved in pro-life work and activities for a number of years. In 1983 at a prayer conference in Los Angeles, my heart was broken when I became deeply convicted by the Lord of the senseless death of babies in their mothers' wombs.

For the first time in my adult life, I was confronted by the awesome reality of God's immeasurable love for every child that has ever been conceived. I truly believe that our heavenly Father loves not just the masses of humanity but every individual.

As a pastor I had a concept of this truth, sure, and even a theological understanding. But for the first time, He allowed me to feel in my inner being His love in a very unique and profound way. I was so overwhelmed by this emotion that I could not control my tears and for a man at forty-five years of age, this was a first-only a taste of the love of Christ can melt one in this manner.

Why doesn't every human being on planet Earth have a similar experience? Why doesn't the Lord touch them as he did me in some way? This is a question I've asked many times. Perhaps the hardness of our hearts and the environment we live in as Americans, the deceitfulness of our own sins, I'm not sure.

I was 45 years old, a father and pastoring a church before I had this life-changing experience. How many times did Christ knock on the door of my heart? For whatever the reason, I apparently wasn't ready before.

Longfellow said, "There is nothing holier in this life of ours than the first consciousness of love."

In my salvation experience I came to the realization of God's love for me. When I fell in love with my wife, I knew the true joy of a man loving a woman. When the Lord allowed me to see His heart for those in the womb, I know now that this is the true destiny of every believer-to strive to love all men with His love, realizing their true value in His eyes.

This is the love we are compelled to take into our world and it works in spite of us and all our frailties. What's more, it works in the darkest and even the most remote places on Earth. Yes, we have found for the past twelve years that it also works outside an abortion clinic. We made our commitment to God to spend at least a few hours every week in front of our local abortion clinic in Long Beach, California. In the very beginning of our sidewalk counseling efforts, we said to the young women going in, "God loves you and He loves your baby... We love you and your baby too, will you please talk to us for just a moment."

When something works, there is no need to change, and we have seen literally hundreds of women opt to give their baby and themselves life, simply because someone was standing there saying "God loves you and we love you."

Help spread Pastor Al's vision for ministry by inviting your pastor to hear him speak at the LifeSavers Ministries Spring Banquet on April 8.