Acceptance Speech- Heartbeat International Legacy Award— 2011

[Speech Begins at 7:00 in Video Above]

I AM DEEPLY HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD TODAY AND I WANT TO THANK PEGGY HARTSHORN AND THE STAFF OF HEARTBEAT INTERNATIONAL FOR THIS UNDERSERVED HONOR.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THE TRUE HEROES OF THIS MOVEMENT ARE THOSE OF YOU SITTING IN THIS AUDIENCE. YOU ALL ARE ON THE FRONTLINES OF THIS GREAT MOVEMENT ORDAINED BY GOD THAT IS SAVING LIVES AND BUILDING A CULTURE OF LIFE IN OUR NATION.

YOU ARE MY HEROES.

PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN ONCE WAS ASKED TO WRITE A LETTER FOR A TIME CAPSULE THAT IS TO BE OPENED ONE-HUNDRED YEARS IN THE FUTURE. HE WAS ASKED TO DESCRIBE THE AMERICAN CULTURE IN WHICH HE LIVED. IN HIS LETTER HE REFERENCED THE GREAT POTENTIAL FOR WORLD ANNIALATION THROUGH A NUCLEAR WAR. AND HE EMPHASIZED THE GREAT CHALLENGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE BOMBS NEVER LEAVE THEIR SILOS.

IMAGINE, IF YOU WILL, THAT THIS SAME ASSIGNMENT IS GIVEN TO YOU. WHAT WOULD YOU WRITE?

I AM SURE THAT EACH ONE OF US WOULD WRITE ABOUT THIS TIME WHERE HUMAN LIFE IS DEGARADED AND CHEAPENED. WE WOULD WRITE ABOUT THE TRAGEDY OF ABORTION ON DEMAND.

AND WE WOULD ALSO WRITE ABOUT THE HOPE THAT THIS MOVEMENT OFFERS FOR MOTHERS TO CHOOSE LIFE FOR THEIR UNBORN AND SPIRITUAL LIFE FOR THEMSELVES.

PRESIDENT REAGAN UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FUTURE READERS OF HIS LETTER WOULD KNOW WHETHER THE BOMBS HAD BEEN LAUNCHED. BUT THEN HE REALIZED THAT IF THOSE BOMBS ARE EVER LAUNCHED PERHAPS THE LETTER WOULD NOT BE READ BECAUSE NOBODY WOULD BE AROUND TO OPEN THE CAPSULE.

WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A GREAT MISSION. IT IS A MISSION UNPARELELLED IN HISTORY. WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO REVERSE THE NG MADNESS OF THIS NATION’S MARCH TOWARDS A NEW DARK AGES WHERE LIFE IS CHEAPENED, MANIPULATED, AND EVEN KILLED BY OTHERS FOR CONVENIENCE AND PERCEIVED ECONOMIC GAIN.

WE ARE ON A MISSION TO RESTORE THE BIBLICAL FOUNDATION OF THIS NATION THAT SAYS EVERY HUMAN BEING — REGARDLESS OF CONDITION OF DEPENDENCEY, SKIN COLOR, GENDER, HANDICAPPED CONDITION, BORN AND UNBORN — IS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND IS AFFORDED THE FUNDAMENTAL AND BIBLICAL RIGHT TO LIFE.

WILL WE ACCOMPLISH THIS FORMIDABLE MISSION?

THOSE WHO OPEN THE TIME CAPSULE ONE HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW WILL KNOW IF WE HAVE SUCCEEDED. OR PERHAPS THEY WILL NOT. FOR IF WE FAIL THE GOD WHO MADE US ALL WILL RESPOND.

LET US SOBERLY REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, WRITTEN ON THE JEFFERSON MONUMENT IN WASHINGTON D.C. IN REFERENCING SLAVERY JEFFERSON SAID:

I TREMBLE FOR MY COUNTRY WHEN I REALIZE THAT GOD IS JUST AND THAT HIS JUSTICE WILL NOT SLEEP FOREVER.

AND HISTORY SHOWS US THAT GOD’S JUSTICE DID NOT REMAIN SILENT. ON THE WALL OF THE LINCOLN MONUMENT ARE THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN WHO IN HIS SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE GREAT CIVIL WAR WHICH CAME UPON US WAS GOD’S JUDGMENT ON THE NATION FOR THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY.

INDEED, WHERE I COME FROM — FREDERICKSBURG, VA — THE REMINDERS OF THIS JUDGEMENT ARE ALL AROUND US. (WILDERNESS BATTLE FIELD)

I TREMBLE FOR MY COUNTRY BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR ANY NATION THAT MOCKS GOD, SPITS IN HIS FACE, AND DENIES HIS IMAGE IN OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.

IF WE FAIL IN OUR MISSION A JUST GOD WILL CALL OUR NATION TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DEATHS OF MORE THAN 53 MILLION UNBORN CHILDREN MADE IN HIS IMAGE.

ALWAYS REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND WHOSE YOU ARE.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SHIP WHO PAID A HEAVY PRICE FOR YOUR REDEMPTION.

NEVER LET DISCOURAGEMENT DETER YOU FROM THIS GREAT MISSION.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER — THAT AT THE END OF THE JOURNEY THESE WORDS AWAIT EACH OF US:

“WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.”