Speaker, writer, and anti-abortion activist Lila Rose discusses her new book, “Fighting for Life: Becoming a Force for Change in a Wounded World.”
Lila explains what her new book is about. “In many ways, it’s a guide book for anybody who wants to make a difference in the world, but doesn’t know where to start, and may also feel scared or experience insecurities about getting started with a controversial cause. I’ve dedicated the last 15 years of my life to growing Live Action. I started when I was a teenager, and now we’re a global leader in the human rights movement for the preborn, and for mothers and fathers. I’ve noticed that so many people want to get engaged. They see the crises in the world. They see injustice, but they think, Who am I to make a difference? And how do I get started? And also if they’re facing their own insecurities or struggles, maybe they feel like,I have so much change to do internally or in my own personal life. What am I going to do to make a difference around me? So, it’s really lessons that I’ve learned, the obstacles I’ve overcome and hopefully inspiration that we’ve all needed.”
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Lila speaks about imposter syndrome and overcoming the feeling of doubt in your abilities. “I have a whole chapter about imposter syndrome because when I started my organization, I was a teenager. I didn’t have any resources. I started it because there was no other organization to join. I had become passionate about abortion… I didn’t have a degree in organizational management or fundraising or marketing or public relations. These are things I would learn over the years. I think a lot of people feel like they’re not qualified. And I would say qualification comes by trying. It comes with practice and that’s not faking it. That’s learning. Whatever you’re dreaming up in your heart, maybe it’s the pro-life cause, do one thing today. Maybe just start studying it. Start learning. Read a book. Call somebody that might know more about it than you. Find somebody who’s already involved. But you have to start somewhere, and don’t stop yourself before you’ve even started thinking that somebody else will do this instead of you, because you are needed. Every single one of us is created by God for a purpose. Those causes that are tugging on our hearts, those dreams that we have in our hearts, they’re given to us for a reason. So follow that and don’t give up on that.”
Fr. Stu asks Lila if she ever experienced the temptation to give up. “That’s an understatement.” Lila responds. “There are plenty of those times. Our lives are just all of our challenges and struggles and mistakes. And I was extremely personal in this book about some of the darkest moments I’ve been through and some of the biggest mistakes I’ve made professionally… and also about my own struggles. As a teen, I had mental health struggles. I struggled with depression, body image, self-esteem issues and working through those was part of responding to my calling. Getting the healing that I needed was part of responding to the cause that God was calling me to. I think that’s true for all of us. We all have our issues and we’re all going to make mistakes. That is human because we’re all wounded by original sin. But the good news is by overcoming, by stepping forward, despite our weaknesses, it helps us grow and become the men and women we were created to be. That’s the beautiful secret when we try to change the world, we actually are changing ourselves and growing ourselves to become who we are meant to be.”
