Anyone out there heard of John Shelby? Anyone? Anyone?

Perhaps a few folks in Baltimore or Los Angeles might be able to raise their hand, but truthfully, the average American has no idea who I'm talking about.

So here's a quick rundown: John Shelby has spent the past 32 years in Major League Baseball; first as a World Championship player with the Orioles (1983) and Dodgers (1988) and now as a bench coach for multiple teams (currently Baltimore).

When it comes to God's blessings, there aren't many that top having a job that you absolutely love. I've been fortunate to enjoy such a blessing this year as the producer of a feature-length documentary called Life Happens.

Currently in production, this film tells the stories of people who almost weren't. In other words, these people very easily could have been another abortion statistic in our country had it not been for courageous mothers making the right choice-sometimes at the very last moment.

So far, we've interviewed over 70 people for the project in such places as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Georgia and California. Some of the notables include Alveda King (niece of Martin Luther King Jr.), University of Georgia football coach Mark Richt, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, the Rev. Walter Hoye (who spent 19 days in jail for his sidewalk counselling efforts in Oakland, Calif.), Troy Newman (president of Operation Rescue, an abortion advocacy group), Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer and Star Parker (founder of Urban C.U.R.E., a Christian urban renewal and education coalition.)

But the most compelling stories have come from average people who faced extraordinary circumstances and felt intense pressure to terminate their pregnancies rather than give life to their child. These people are the true heroes; the people who hopefully will inspire others to make the same choice.

One of the most eye-opening moments for me personally came last week in downtown Los Angeles. We heard many amazing stories of expectant mothers who were facing financial, social, cultural, medical and even familial pressures to abort their unborn children. In some cases, we were blessed to see the fruit of their decision for life-babies and toddlers who are now the joy of their lives.

Those stories came from the only crisis pregnancy center in downtown L.A. It sits quite literally in the middle of an abortion warzone where there are no less than nine abortion providers within a one-mile radius. On one particular block, there are four of these clinics (usually innocuously referred to as "family planning" services or "family health" centers). This area is known as ground zero for those in the pro-life community.

These clinics are known for targeting low-income women with a decided focus on the large Latino population. And how they drum up business is almost as disturbing as the abortion procedure itself:

1. Clinic workers often stand on the street corner with balloon-decorated table full of fliers and, get this, coupons for 50 percent off their services. Read between the lines and we're talking about coupons for abortions.

2. Those same employees have been known to coach women into how to work over the government health care systems for free abortions. One of the crisis pregnancy directors we spoke to told us of an instance where she inquired about the clinic's services and was given detailed information on how she could milk Medi-Cal for prenatal care funding and then ultimately lie about health concerns in order to get a government funded abortion.

3. People not necessarily affiliated with these clinics are often hired to act as solicitors. They are given $25 for every referral they get to pay for abortion services. Judas sold out Jesus for a few pieces of silver. Likewise, these death merchants are selling out these unborn babies for the equivalent of dinner at Olive Garden.

I was angered when I heard these stories but also grateful to be made aware of these injustices. How else can we fight for the helpless among us if we don't know what evil plots are being perpetuated against them?

The Bible is pretty clear about what godly justice looks like. The word justice is, in fact, mentioned 134 times in the New International Version. It's about taking care of the poor, the widowed and the orphaned. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 25:40 that we will be judged by the kind of justice we employed while here on Earth.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

As I've worked on this film and look forward to its completion (sometime in September) and subsequent release (sometime in October), I've been challenged to become more active in standing up for the unborn children of this world; a group that could easily be labelled "the least of these."

That's why my future plans are to get my church involved in volunteer work at a local crisis pregnancy center, gathering supplies for women facing unplanned pregnancies and being vocal about what I've learned about the atrocity of abortion and the social injustice being waged against the most vulnerable in our nation.

If you're not already involved in this kind of work, please consider taking a stand for life. The future of our nation depends on it.

Chad Bonham is a freelance author, journalist and television and documentary producer from Broken Arrow, Okla. He has authored several books including a four-book FCA series (Regal Books) and is the coordinating producer on a forthcoming documentary called Life Happens.

I was 13 years old and somehow convinced my dad, an avid Frank Sinatra fan, to play "Off The Wall" while driving to my uncle's house. He reluctantly agreed. For me, it was the coolest 45-minute road trip and probably the most painful for him. Little did I know that the young voice I heard on the eight-track tape player would eventually become the subject of worldwide praise.

Thirty years later, I find myself talking to people every day who look for ways to move past the things that hold them back. Michael Jackson was an expert at breaking barriers. He was extraordinarily talented and accomplished things that most only dream about. He had the best-selling album of all time. He was one of the highest paid entertainers in history, pulling in over $750 million and giving more money to charities than any other celebrity. He arguably changed the way the world dances.

When Michael Jackson died last week, I have to admit that the news not only jarred me, but deeply saddened me as well. I grew up during the height of his staggering career and, as both a passionate music fan and an aspiring musician, was greatly influenced by him.

Jackson's groundbreaking album Thriller released when I was 11 years old and over the next two years produced hit after hit after hit. Songs like "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Human Nature" and the title track were routinely played on my sister's record player.

Those same songs (and many more) have played in my head like a mental jukebox since the day he passed. He impacted the world with music like few others before him or since. Elvis, The Beatles, Sinatra and U2 join him in that rarefied air only occupied by the truest of icons.