Rose Day 2024 was a great success at the Oklahoma State Capitol on Feb. 7. Many came to distribute red roses and encourage state government leaders to protect the unborn, as the legislative session has begun for the year.

Josiah Presley speaks at the Rose Day Pro-Life Rally, delivering a clear Gospel message.

The Rose Day Pro-Life Rally attracted a full House chamber with many attendees participating in overflow areas of the Capitol. Josiah Presley was the keynote speaker at the rally and offered a powerful, inspiring message with a clear Gospel presentation.

Presley serves as student minister at Edmond, North Pointe and shared his story as an abortion survivor from South Korea who was adopted by a family of 14 in Oklahoma.

“My parents have adopted children from different countries, ethnicities, social statuses,” Presley said, sharing about his experience and that of his nine adopted siblings.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt speaks during the rally, affirming his support of the Sanctity of Human Life.

Presley shared the three common threads in their adoption stories. The first thread is they had no hope, no future, no family. The second thread, he said, is the Presleys owed them nothing. The third is “they still adopted us and made us their children.”

“The Presleys,” Josiah said, “would take these children whom they owe nothing to, who had no future, no hope, take on the cost of adoption and bring them into their family and give them an inheritance into the Presley name.

“In the same way, a God who owed us nothing—in fact He owed us judgment, punishment for the way that we have rebelled against Him—that He would pay the cost of His Son’s own very life to adopt us, to bring us into His family, to give us an inheritance in the family of God. I know of no better earthly example of the Gospel than this.”

Anthony Jordan, retired executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists, and Todd Fisher, current executive director-treasurer, attend Rose Day.

Presley challenged rally attendees to care for all people because they are made in the image of God and live out their convictions as pro-life advocates and followers of Christ.

“I remind us in these very moments today,” Presley said. “We are not here to strongarm and to bully others to care for the unborn. This is not a day for us to impose our will on others. Rather, this is a day for us to encourage and to give confidence to our leaders. This is a day to encourage our legislators to continue to pass the most pro-life legislation that is happening in our country right now.”

Josiah Presley’s wife Bethany and their daughter attend the Rose Day Pro-Life Rally.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell also spoke during the rally and commended pro-life supporters for attending. Both affirmed their support of valuing the Sanctity of Human Life.

The rally recognized state representatives and senators in attendance, as Oklahoma Speaker of the House Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat introduced members of both legislative bodies.

The Native Praise Choir opens the rally, singing several songs in Native American languages.

The Native Praise Choir provided music to begin the rally, singing several songs in Native American languages.

For more information about Rose Day, visit roseday.life.

 

Photos by Kali Daniells, Grant Bivens and Taylor Melton