Tuesday, November 29, 2011
It’s funny sometimes how one comment, encounter or expression can completely alter your outlook, for the good or bad.
Scenario#1: You had an amazing morning! Great night sleep after an encouraging phone call, you put on your favorite sweater, they played your favorite song on your morning commute. Then, during your lunch break you encounter the rudest employee EVER at 'Bob's happy burger shack' who proceeds to indirectly express her dissatisfaction of life in general and works hard to make sure you share the same discontentment for the next 8 minutes. Mission accomplished ‘Rhonda.’
Scenario #2: You have a sucky morning! You slept through your alarm clock and the next 10 minutes become a scene out of “the amazing race”. It’s pouring down rain and just as you get onto the main road your gas light comes on. You try to get over to turn into the gas station coming up but as you signal ‘Toby’ in the black Mercedes gets a sudden sense of urgency and speeds up. You miss the turn and now you are officially going to be late to work. You pull in the gas station and a beautiful creation of the Lord in heaven at the pump next to you tells you how beautiful you are. All is well with the worldJ
See what I mean? The temporariness doesn’t make the emotions you feel invalid…but on the other hand it gives way to the idea that we should not allow emotions to validate us.
It’s a difficult concept to grasp sometimes. How do I allow myself to feel emotions without being ruled by them? And how do I know that Rhonda at Happy burger shack didn’t get bad news right before her shift or Toby in the Mercedes didn’t just get an emergency call? Does it excuse their actions no I can’t control their reactions or response but I surely can control how they affect mine.
We were given emotions to be able to experience the life that has been granted to us. The joy, anger, sadness, excitement…. These are all reminders to our souls that we don’t just exist, we live! Even on the whirlwind days, I have every right to be angry, sad or frustrated, but then I have a choice to make. The rest of my day depends on this choice, my sanity depends on this choice, the people in my life and those I come in contact with depend on this choice. I can choose to live in the past moments that have produced my current state of mind, the moments that I can’t change or relive. Orrr, I can choose to deal, focus on the facts and keep it moving! If today’s troubles are enough for today, then I can choose to not let those troubles follow me into my tomorrow. Emotions are temporary but truth is everlasting. Thank God for perspective!
1 Corinthians 10:13
Sunday, November 6, 2011
HUMAN TRAFFICKING: STATISTICS ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING: An estimated 27 million people are held in slavery worldwide, meaning there are more slaves in the world than were taken from Africa during ...
Saturday, October 29, 2011
After months of praying and waiting I am officially a Missionary Associate to Spain! I will be dedicating a year (initially) of my life to helping at the Compassion Ministry( including Human Trafficking). I would love and appreciate prayers as I now focus on preparing to leave and raising my budget. If you or anyone you know would be interested in supporting me financially please contact me. Ciao!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
I met a woman by the name of Nancy a few weeks ago who works as the National Awareness Director for Shared Hope International. An organization dedicated to bringing justice, hope, healing and restoration to victims of human trafficking. What I should say is that God arranged for us to meet.
After the flame God had reignited in me concerning the issue I had begun to pray about how He would have me be apart of this fight. I asked God to direct my path if this was apart of His will for my life. I asked Him what part He would have me play...no matter how big or small.
It was Sunday, January 9th the second week of our annual church wide fast. I was moved by Pastor Marks teaching on "Who we really are"(perceived projected and actual). I had an opportunity to pray with a woman who was going through a difficult time and that delay in leaving put me right in Nacy's path. As I prepared to leave Lindsay,a good friend of mine asked me to come meet "this woman". As I followed her towards the back she explained to me that the woman worked in an organization that fought against human trafficking. She was surprised at the way Nancy's occupation even came up in their introduction and immediately thought of me. She said " this has to be God". I made my way to where Nancy stood. We introduced ourselves,shook hands and spoke about what she did and what God had sparked within me. We exchanged information that day and began e-mail correspondences.
She introduced me to SharedHopeInternational.org and sent me information on top of information about just how prevalent Human Trafficking was not only overseas, but right here in our big cities, our dark allies and our backyards. I was disgusted, I was outraged...I was intrigued. Nancy gave me information of hosting an informational meeting on the issue and a book 'From Congress to the Brothel', written by former Congress Woman and founder of Shared Hope International, Linda Smith.
I'm finding Linda's book both inspiring and gut wrenching. Nancy warned me that this book contained information that is not easy to swallow but that it was nothing compared to what she would give me next. Last night I dived back into the book. I read, and read completely oblivious to the time. When I ended for the night I was met with an array of emotions. I was burning with anger, I was disgusted...my heart was broken for the victims of Human Trafficking. How could such hate, and utter disregard for human life be present in this capacity??? I was shocked but not entirely surprised. This IS the world we live in...but the inspiration was driven by the rays of light..poking holes in the darkness of this reality. The inspiration came from Linda,from Nancy, from Chris Caine (A21campaign.org) and from the stories of the survivors. Yes this "monster" called Human Trafficking is UGLY, violent and ENORMOUS....but underneath it's thick tracks of evil are lives. Lives that are worthy and precious to God.
Monday, January 24, 2011
"The 2011 Super Bowl in Dallas, Texas will bring thousands of people to the city in the hopes of witnessing greatness. Sadly, in the shadows of all the glitz and glamour, as many as a few thousand children will be trafficked as sex slaves, bought and sold countless times throughout the event."- From The Human Trafficking Project Blog
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