"My sincerest hope..."
In January, 106 SFLI students marched at the National March for Life in Washington, D.C. Students returned excited and inspired to lead on their campuses. 
In the coming weeks, we will be sharing a few of these students’ stories. The first is from Katie, a sophomore at the University of Illinois. Here’s Katie's story:If someone had told me last January that I would be at the March for Life on January 19, 2018, I would have laughed in their face.I must admit that I have not always been pro-life. I was apathetic. Last year, my eyes were opened to the horrors of abortion after watching a video explaining different abortion procedures. Since that moment, I have been a fierce supporter of life.Boarding the bus, I felt butterflies. The next morning, it did not matter that I managed zero hours of sleep on the overnight ride. Needless to say, I was quite excited. This was the March for Life, the event I watched my friends attend last year and that catalyzed my conversion. Marching was gratifying, but even better was witnessing the diverse testimonies throughout the March. Posters had the most inspiring stories you could imagine: “I’m the product of a failed abortion,” “I love my child conceived by rape,” “Adoption saved my life,” and more! I was touched by the courage of many to share their deeply personal and raw connections with abortion.I did not get a sense of anger from my fellow marchers, but rather, a sense of hope for a future that empowers women and children in the best way possible, by embracing the gift of life. I feel a greater responsibility than ever to share my pro-life testimony and how my beliefs are strengthened every day. I am working to use a tone of hope everytime I speak about abortion. It is so easy to become discouraged, but integrating hope changes everything. Hope pushes us forward.If you are reading this and you have never acted on your pro-life beliefs, I urge you to educate yourself, ask questions, and listen to the stories of others. It is my sincerest hope that you find the courage to speak up for life, as I have!