(bright music)

- A new wave of sanctuary cities

is spreading across America,

and they're not placesof refuge for immigrants.

These cities are declaring themselves

sanctuaries for the unbornand banning abortion.

- Well, can this movementsurvive court challenges?

And how might it influenceefforts to overturn Roe v. Wade?

Senior National AffairsCorrespondent Heather Sells reports.

- [Heather] Lebanon, Ohio isone of the latest communities

to declare itself a sanctuarycity for the unborn.

There is no abortion clinic here,

but city leaders say that's not the point.

- Sometimes, being an electedofficial means you step out.

- [Heather] Longtime mayor, Amy Brewer,

says Lebanon wants to make it clear,

abortion providers are not welcome.

- Without being proactive,

something like this couldcome into our community

and we would be unable to stop it.

- Of course, not everyonehere supports the ordinance.

Those who oppose it sayit's simply beyond the scope

of this small town andthat it will harm women

who are seeking an abortion.

- Abortion bans do not stop abortions.

They only stop safe abortions.

If you pass this,

the number of back alleyabortions will go up.

- [Heather] In late May, the city council

heard from both sides ofthe issue for four hours

then voted unanimouslyto pass the ordinance.

City leaders say their intentis neither to harm women

nor prevent them from getting an abortion

outside of Lebanon.

- It is specifically written to say

the mother that is in thissituation needs mercy.

There's no penalty for them whatsoever.

- Those individuals within our community

who share a differentperspective than I do

still have those sameopportunities, those same resources.

- [Heather] That includesa local pregnancy center

for women in crisis.

City leaders credit a college student,

19-year-old Josh Beckman,with suggesting the ordinance.

- So God just put it in my mind,

sanctuary city for the unborn.

- [Heather] They also credit the president

whose strong abortion support

emboldened their pro-life commitment.

- President Biden has saidthat he wants abortion access

available in every singlezip code of this country.

We have our own zip code

and we have a people that wewant to be able to protect.

- [Heather] Mike Gonidakisleads Ohio Right to Life

and says his phone startedringing off the hook

after Lebanon passed its ban.

- You're gonna startseeing cities, townships,

and villages across thestate of Ohio passing these.

We believe counties,

county commissionerswill pass these as well.

- [Heather] Outside Ohio,movement leaders say communities

in half a dozen states areconsidering bans as well.

The big hope for these pro-lifeleaders comes in the fall

at the Supreme Court.

Justices will hear the Dobbs case,

which directly challenges Roe v. Wade

and Casey v. Planned Parenthood.

It contests a Mississippi law

forbidding abortions after 15 weeks.

Gonidakis says a slew of localabortion bans this summer

could send a strong signal to the court.

- We can send lettersand we can send emails,

but if we have our localgovernments telling them

by passing ordinances andlaws that we want to end this,

the court's going to listen.

- Well, Heather Sells joins now

from the CBN newsroomfor more on this story.

So Heather, what do you thinkthe Supreme Court will do

with this kind of case?

- Well, it's such an interesting case

and there's such high hopesfor it this fall, Gordon.

With respect to these ordinances,

I'm sure the court is awarethat they're taking place.

You know, a lot of peoplehave made the argument

that Obergefell, whichwas the 2015 decision

that legalized same-sex marriage,

couldn't have been made in the 1950s.

So in some respects,

culture does shape what the justices do.

But really at the end of the day,

they're looking at thelaw and I don't believe

that even if another 30 cities

passed these abortion bans this summer,

that that would sway the court.

And really, we also know

that Americans are split on the issue.

The latest Gallup poll in June

showed that, really down theline, Americans are split

on whether abortionshould be legal or not.

So the justices I don't thinkare gonna really lean heavily

into the culture on this one.

- So Heather, what do youthink is really at the heart

of motivating thesecommunities to pass these bans?

- Well, it's really interesting.

You know, the pro-lifemovement is so personal

for so many people, and Ilistened to the testimony

in that city of Lebanon andthere were so many people

who came out and were sopassionate about the issue

because it relates to theirpersonal family experience.

And so, I think for alot of pro-life people,

these ordinances feel good.

They're a way to take actionin their local community.

They see it as part of their faith,

part of being obedient to the Lord,

and something that they can just do

in their own area, their jurisdiction.

So I expect to see more of them.

- Well, let's talk aboutthe legal side of things.

Does everything dependon this Mississippi case

and what the court does with that?

Would that then be a precedent

for holding up the ordinances?

- Okay, the Mississippi case is not...

The ordinances are separatefrom the Mississippi case.

The ordinances are notprompting the Mississippi case.

That is based on Mississippi law.

So the justices will decidethat case on its own merits.

But I think these abortion ban supporters

are saying, "Hey, look, if we can prove

that there's a lot of pro-lifesupport in this country,

that might sway the justices."

- Okay.

Well, Heather, thanks for the insight.

Thanks for joining us.- You're welcome.

- You can always getthe latest news and more

by downloading the CBNNews Channel app today.

Terry.

- Well, up next, an unusualalliance in Nigeria,

Christian and Muslimwomen working together

to stop religious violence.

Meet the Women WithoutWalls when we come back.

(inspirational music)

Esther is a Christian in Nigeria

who watched Islamic radicalsburn her family home.

Kadijah is a Muslim whoexperienced the same thing

at the hands of Christians.

Their shared experience drewboth women to each other,

and it made them determined to bring peace

to their homeland.

- [Narrator] Esther Ibangapastors a church in Jos, Nigeria.

She remembers the day in 2010

when Islamic militants setfire to her mother's home.

- It really hurt me becauseit was like my whole childhood

just went in the flames.

- [Narrator] That same year,less than five miles away

in Dogo Nahawa, more than500 women and children

were slaughtered by Islamic militants.

- The Christian women leaders in the city

began to come to my houseand they said to me,

"Pastor Esther, what should we do?

I mean, this cannot go on."

- [Narrator] Esther saysthey dried their tears

and organized a protest.

Thousands of women marched,petitioning the government

to end the corruption and violence.

Shortly after, women from anearby Muslim village responded

with a march of their ownfor women and children killed

in an earlier attackby Christian militants.

- So I decided to reachout to the Muslim women

and I said "Listen, you're not my enemy

and I'm not your enemy."

- [Narrator] She called Kadijah Hawaja,

a Muslim community leader,to come up with a solution.

But Esther struggled

with giving her own angerand bitterness over to God.

- And I told the Lord, "No,I'm not gonna forgive,"

because I was hurting so much.

I just did not want to haveanything to do with any Muslim.

- [Narrator] Then sheheard Kadijah's story.

- Her personal house was also set on fire

by Christian youths.

When she said that, I juststopped right there in my tracks

because she understood what I felt

and I understood what she felt.

And we just realized weneeded to come together

and help these kids.

And so that healed me andthat brought me to the point

of actual forgiveness.

- [Narrator] It was then they established

Women Without Walls Initiative,working to help Muslims

and Christians resolve their differences

to bring peace to Nigeria.

They believe women are natural agents

for social and national change

because they know the keyto transforming Nigeria

is to reach the children.

The mother school basicallyis raising local women

to be the first line ofsecurity for their families

and their communities.

And so we take themthrough a 10-week training

on how to recognize the signs

of radicalization in their children.

- [Narrator] They're also giving

at risk youth scholarshipsto finish school,

offering support forphysically challenged students,

and helping communitiesengage in dialogue.

But Esther says their message of peace

hasn't always been welcome.

- They said, "We don't havedrinking water in this community

and you're coming totalk to us about peace?

What is peace?"

So we said to them, "Okay,if we get you drinking water,

will you talk with us?:

They said, "Yes."

- [Narrator] Women Without Walls

persuaded an engineering company

to dig what they call The Peace Well,

a source of clean drinking water

shared by Christians and Muslims alike.

Through this and other efforts,

Esther sees lives being changed.

- I've had a Muslim boy call me mother.

I've had a Muslim boy listen to my tape

and just quote my sermon

and he said he can relateto what pastor is saying.

So for him to just want tosee Jesus, to hear Jesus,

just through associating withme, I think God is glorified.

- [Narrator] Esther has beencriticized by Christians

for partnering with the Muslim community,

but she's not quitting anytime soon.

She says the stakes are high,

and the only way to bring peace

is through God's message of hope and love

through Jesus Christ.

- He died for the sins of the whole world.

He didn't die for Christians.

He died for those Muslims.

He died for those unbelievers.

God is ready to transform lives

if we would let Him use us as vessels.

(soft piano music)

- You know, the Bible saysthere is power in unity.

And neither of these women

have sacrificed their faith in this.

What they've done is given uptheir feelings of bitterness

and anger and a need to retaliate

so that unity might end the strife

that they have had to live in.

In scripture, it saysthat where there's unity,

God commands a blessing.

I think you're seeing that already

in the decision these two women have made

to come together to unifyto make a difference.

It's an amazing union.

- Well, it's an example for us all.

- Yes.- It's also an example

of what happens when women get involved.

(Terry laughs)

And really good things happen.

And so whether it's in politics in America

or trying to bring communities together

that are divided overideology, over religion.

How do you come to an agreement

and saying this isn'tgood for our children,

this isn't good for future generations.

And that's something forall of us to keep in mind.

What are we passing on to our children

and to our grandchildren?

- You know, I also love the fact

that they recognize the role of a woman

in the life of a childand they're teaching them

how to recognize radicalismin their children

and address it.

So it's not just being leftout there unapproached,

but they're really helpingthem to resolve some key issues

that could change their culture.

- Yeah.

We've done a lot ofsurveys internationally.

It's overwhelming.

Around the world, themother transmits value,

transmits Christianity,

- Yes.- transmits belief, faith,

and love to the next generation.

- Yes.

Awesome responsibility

and opportunity.- That's number one.

It doesn't come from dad.

It comes from mom.

- Yeah, it's wonderful whenit comes from both. (laughs)

- [Gordon] Amen.

- Well, still ahead, anew mom suffers a stroke.

If doctors treat the blood clots,

the bleeding in her brain could kill her.

So what fixed her problem?

You'll see for yourself.

That's coming up.

(inspirational music)

- Well,, most mothers

are a little bit tired after giving birth,

and Sarah-Grace Richardsonwas no exception.

But when she got home,she was more than tired.

She was exhausted and her head felt

like it was struck by lightning.

Before long, she couldn't movethe right side of her body.

- [Narrator] On April 18, 2020,

Sarah-Grace and ThomasRichardson welcomed the arrival

of their second son, Everett.

What was supposed to be a joyful occasion

was overshadowed by Sarah'sextreme fatigue and headaches

that started just daysbefore giving birth.

- You know, I've been really sick.

I've not been sleeping.

That's probably why I'mhaving these headaches.

But they were very severe,

and it felt like I wasbeing struck by lightning.

It was so painful.

- [Narrator] The day afterthey brought Everett home,

Sarah noticed her legsseemed to be weakening.

Then, soon after...

- I had taken a nap and Iwas, like, trying to get up

and I was just like, "Honey, my right side

won't move at all."

And I remember just seeingthis look of panic on his face

and just my heart was pounding in my chest

because that was when I knew,

okay, something very serious was wrong.

- [Narrator] Thomas rushedhis wife to the emergency room

at Greensburg Hospital inIndiana where a CT scan revealed

multiple blood clots in Sarah's brain.

Meanwhile, Thomas had been asked to leave.

- Because of COVID, I said goodbye to her

at the hospital in Greensburg.

I didn't know if she wasgonna make it or not.

- [Narrator] Thomas had a family member

call Sarah's mom, Cris.

- I was terrified.

My husband and I prettymuch ran out the door to go,

and at that point, I was sobbing

and just saying, "Lord,please don't take her.

Please don't take her."

- [Narrator] Within the hour,Sarah was completely paralyzed

and transferred to IndianapolisUniversity Methodist

for further evaluation.

Doctors determined

she had a cerebral venoussinus thrombosis, or CVST,

a rare form of stroke thatcauses bleeding in the brain.

Even if she survived, Sarahcould be paralyzed for life

or lose cognitive function.

- I just was afraid

that she wasn't gonna be herself anymore.

I wasn't concerned as muchabout her being paralyzed

as her not knowing who I wasor being able to communicate

how she was feeling.

- [Narrator] To complicatematters, the blood thinners

doctors needed to useto dissolve the clots

could make the bleedingin her brain worse,

and even cost Sarah her life.

- Part of me had the peace of knowing,

"Okay, if this is my time,

you know, I know whatawaits me in eternity,"

but just this terror andsorrow of not being ready

to leave my family.

- [Narrator] Although COVIDprevented Sarah's family

and friends from visiting, itdidn't stop them from praying.

- I believe that God isin control of everything,

and yet He moves at theprayers of His children.

I was very at peace thatGod's will was gonna be done

and that He was listening.

- We believe that Godis going to heal Sarah,

but more important than Sarah's healing

is for God to be glorified

and for Christ to be made much of.

That mattered more than anything.

- [Narrator] The next morning,

the doctors gave them hopeful news.

The brain bleeds had resolved themselves.

- Those bleeds didn't resolve themselves.

God did that.

God did that becausethat's the power of prayer.

- We got to FaceTime with Sarah

and she was very slow

and I kept waiting forher to say something

that didn't make anysense, but she was herself.

She was the same person that I married.

- [Narrator] While doctors could now

aggressively treat the blood clots,

Sarah was still paralyzed andfaced an uncertain future.

Even then, she chose to believe

and trust God with the outcome.

- And I just wanted to say thank you

to everyone for your prayers.

They mean so much to me.

"Lord, I don't know whatyou're doing with this,

but I know that it's big

and I know that it isfor a great purpose."

- [Narrator] At home with their sons,

Thomas faced thepossibility that his wife,

their mother, might never be the same.

- Reading the bedtime stories to Bear,

the ones that his mom wouldread to him the week before,

and I could hardly get the words out.

That was what was hard.

- I would be feeding the baby

or playing with blocks withBear and just praying aloud,

"Lord, she needs to be here.

These boys need her."

- [Narrator] The communitycontinued to pray,

still believing for complete healing.

Then, after two longweeks in the hospital...

- And all of a sudden,I could just do this.

And I was so excited and Ikept calling people in the room

and I'm like, "Look at myfingers, they're moving!

- [Nurse] Look at her go.

- Lots and lots oflittle miracles happened

to where it was like slowly accumulating

to where she could move more and more.

- [Narrator] Eventually, Sarahwas sent to inpatient rehab,

where, by all reports, shemade remarkable progress.

2 1/2 weeks later on May22nd, she got the news,

she was going home.

♪ Oh, say that I'm glad ♪

- It was like this swelling up in my chest

and I felt like I was justgonna bubble over with joy.

- The doctors thought

she was going to remain a quadriplegic.

She walked in the house,sat down on the floor,

and held her kids.

It was amazing.

- [Narrator] Sarah continued to improve

and her six-month checkup revealed

all the clots had disappeared.

She's healthy, joyful, andback with the ones she loves.

- It was incredible becauseI believe with my whole heart

that there is power in prayer.

- And there'll be justtimes when I look at her now

and I'm just like, "Wow, you're here,

and I didn't know if youever would be again."

- When I see Sarah cleaning her house,

playing with her boys,doing all the things

that she loves to do, thoseare all just reminders

of God's goodness and of His power.

- All reminders of God'sgoodness and His power.

Take a look around you and realize

there are all kinds ofreminders all around us.

You know, go out at nightand just be like Abraham

where God took him out andsaid, "Look up at the stars."

You know, look at that.

Who created all of that?

Who created everything around us?

Who created you?

Who gave you breath?

Who watches over you?

Who numbers the very hairs on your head?

His goodness is new every morning.

His miracle power is stillworking, still creating,

still doing wonderful things.

He is the same yesterday,today, and forever.

The same God who spokethe universe into being

is still working today.

And when you have these thoughts,

you can't help but be encouraged

to say God is going tointervene on my behalf.

He's going to do this.

He watches over His Word to perform it.

Now, for that wonderfulwoman, what a great miracle.

But here she is, lots andlots of little miracles.

Isn't that a credible?

They gave rejoicing.

They gave praise forevery single one of them.

Now was it instantaneous?

And so often we wantthings to be instantaneous.

God, take me out of this mess right now.

You know, could yourapture me out of this?

And that's not the His way sometimes.

Sometimes, it's littlemiracles every single day.

And when you rejoice in them

and you have gratitude for them,

then something really miraculous happens.

You come into His presencewith thanksgiving.

Isn't that incredible?

You look at the Old Testament,

which is a guide for all of us.

The Torah is a guide for allof us, the Book of Exodus.

And number, there are 10 of them,

10 times where theentire nation of Israel,

here they've been delivered from slavery,

they are on their wayto the promised land,

but 10 times they testedGod in the wilderness,

and how did they test Him?

With their complaint.

Isn't it wonderful to turn that around

to say you can praise Himand come into His presence.

Don't praise Him for your lack.

Don't praise Him for your illness.

No.

Praise Him for the solutionHe's about to give.

God is able.

The same one who promisedAbraham has promised you.

Abraham believed God

and it was counted tohim for righteousness.

He did not consider thedeadness of his own body,

but he was fully persuaded thatHe who had promised is able.

So ask yourself the question,am I fully persuaded?

And if you come back with, "Well, maybe,"

well then go outside and look around

and let those little miraclesthat you see and observe,

it's almost like we don'teven see them anymore,

but let all of those miracles...

Each one of those stars is a miracle.

Each tree you see is a miracle.

Each person you see is a miracle.

Let each one of thosemiracles convince you

that He who has promised is able.

Now, we're gonna pray.

Before we pray, here'ssome other miracles.

Here's Johnny who said,

"I was deaf in my left ear for 32 years.

The Lord healed me."

- [Terry] And this isTanya from Instagram.

She says, "I had a miraculous healing

from mental and physical illness.

It was instant as soonas I was prayed for.

I'm now pain-free and Ihave unspeakable joy."

- All right, well, let's havesome unspeakable joy for you.

Let's pray for you and join with us.

When two or more agree, touchinganything, it shall be done.

So in an act of faith, faithis a verb, in an act of faith,

lay your hand on that area ofthe body that needs healing.

Terry and I will be yourtwo or more, we'll agree,

and God Almighty, the onewho spread out the universe,

will be able and come to you right now.

Let's pray.

Lord, we lift everyone in the audience.

Anyone who's suffering with pain,

anyone who's suffering with a stroke,

anyone who has had any heart condition,

any difficulty in pregnancy,

anyone with postpartum depression.

Lord, you're able.

You're able to take care of all of it.

And we come into yourpresence with thanksgiving.

We praise you for themiracles that you have done,

are doing, and will do in our lives.

We receive all that you have for us.

We wait in anticipation,eager expectation,

of the revelation ofyour glory in our bodies.

We receive it now in Jesus' name.

There's someone, you have some difficulty

breathing in your lungs andevery time you take a breath,

it's like some kind of searing pain.

It reminds you of timeswhen you've been outside

where it's bitterly coldand you took a breath

and you had that pain.

You're worried about it.

God is healing that for you right now.

He's casting out all thatfear and just replacing it

with His love and His touch.

Enter into His presenceright now with thanksgiving.

Lift your hands to Himand receive your miracle.

Terry.

- And God's also healing many, many people

that are suffering fromwaves of exhaustion,

whether it comes from illnessor stress in your life.

But right now the joy ofthe Lord is your strength.

Just begin to draw near toHim and praise His name.

God will erase that.

- Amen and amen.

If you need prayer, we're here.

All you gotta do iscall us, 1-800-700-7000.

God bless. We'll see you tomorrow.

(inspirational music)