I was sharing with someone special yesterday about what? Child trafficking. Recommending a couple of books to read, though fiction, based on real life experiences and even suggested a couple of movies as well. You know, to get in the know. So they could be informed about what's going on around us. Even here in the U.S.
To this was their response,"Oh, I couldn't read those books or watch those movies."
"HHMMMM, why?", was my question.
"Oh, because it would make me sick. My heart couldn't take it. What am I suppose to do about it anyway? It's up to the government(s) to protect their own."
To this I said,"how could we not know and not do something about it? How can these kids live through this day in and day out and us not respond? Do you know that some are Bella's and Nantuckett's ages?"
{insert birds chirping}
Needless to say, I was in shock. But knowing this lovely person the way I do, it didn't really shock me as much as I wished it had. You see, this blessing is not an adventurous being. This person plays it safe for the most part. This blessing has talked many folks out of doing hard things and into walking the road most travelled. This blessing has, whom I love dearly, convinced me that I couldn't change the world with even one child much less make an impact on the world through taking a chance and stepping outside of myself. Of giving of myself. Of making a sacrifice for the one who has nothing. (Though this person is very giving, loving and would give their life for the ones they love.)
I fell for it for a long time.
That is until God got a hold of me and told me differently. He brought Proverbs 24:12 (NLT) to my attention:
Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know." For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
I'll be honest and say that sometimes, I really wish I didn't know. I guess at times, ignorance is bliss and yet knowledge is suppose to be a way for us to guard and protect ourselves. Yes, sometimes, it seems to be to much.
Sometimes, it seems to be overwhelming and arrogantly I think, "Who am I that I can make a difference?"
Then God so sweetly speaks to my heart and says,"Dear one, you are not to make a difference on your own. It's through Me, My power, that I will make a difference through you."
How can I not say to my LORD, just as Isiah did,"Here I am LORD. Send me!" I don't want to play it safe. I want to be the one that goes. I want to be the one that says,"I didn't ignore the voice that was saying to me,'Go left or go right.' Yes, I went right where He told me to go." That's the legacy I hope to share with and instill in my children, grandchildren and every generation that comes after until our Saviour comes to get us.
Please hear my heart when I say that I am not judging this person at all!!! My heart is for this precious child of God to step outside of themself and grab hold of the things that are much better. Grab hold of what breaks God's heart. Know that they can't change the world but with God's help they can change one person's world. I adore this person. Love them so much. I do. I just want more for them and for my family. I want to live as Jesus did, caring for the least of these. Stepping outside of my comfort zone continuously. Sharing in the life of those the world says are useless.
So what are you going to do? Are you going to be the one who says,"Oh my heart couldn't take knowing that?" or are you going to be the one that says,"Here I am. Use me to make a difference in one person's life."
Be blessed friends. May God pour out His riches on you today as He has on the birds chirping outside of my window.
Seeing the World through His eyes.
Laurie
Showing posts with label trafficking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trafficking. Show all posts
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Ramblings for today
So what does a person mean when they say...
"I believe in God and the Bible but not in church and being called a Christian?". This was said by a person who claims to walk with Jesus. Doesn't that make you a Christian?
Why is it when you talk about orphans, adopting, child trafficking, or anything close to it, you are met with strange looks, a"that's admirable" statement, and become more of an outcast? I have more to say on this subject but will refrain because I'm a bit peeved about it.
Though it's still six weeks away, or close to it, why am I so nervous about going to T4A? I'm having trouble deciding on the break out tracks I want to take. They all sound so good. Not going? Should pray and ask God if you should be there.
Really not wanting to start school next week.
Life is good.
Have a blessed day!
Seeing the World through His eyes,
Laurie
PS do you remember that giveaway I told you about here? Well, if you didn't get in on it, you missed out. You could have won instead of me. I so didn't do any of it to win and never thought I would. I received it this past Monday and have had fun playing with it. It's definetly not something I would have bought for myself. Thanks again Lori for the opportunity to support you and your family in your journey to your son/brother. Head on over to here to check out their t-shirt sale. Cute Show Hope tees on sale.
"I believe in God and the Bible but not in church and being called a Christian?". This was said by a person who claims to walk with Jesus. Doesn't that make you a Christian?
Why is it when you talk about orphans, adopting, child trafficking, or anything close to it, you are met with strange looks, a"that's admirable" statement, and become more of an outcast? I have more to say on this subject but will refrain because I'm a bit peeved about it.
Though it's still six weeks away, or close to it, why am I so nervous about going to T4A? I'm having trouble deciding on the break out tracks I want to take. They all sound so good. Not going? Should pray and ask God if you should be there.
Really not wanting to start school next week.
Life is good.
Have a blessed day!
Seeing the World through His eyes,
Laurie
PS do you remember that giveaway I told you about here? Well, if you didn't get in on it, you missed out. You could have won instead of me. I so didn't do any of it to win and never thought I would. I received it this past Monday and have had fun playing with it. It's definetly not something I would have bought for myself. Thanks again Lori for the opportunity to support you and your family in your journey to your son/brother. Head on over to here to check out their t-shirt sale. Cute Show Hope tees on sale.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
How to make a profit.... A Tom Davis post
Yesterday, I asked this on fb: Have you ever thought about what you could do to change the world around you? Can you use your voice to speak for those who have no voice? Could you give up a cup of coffee from your fav coffee shop once a week and donate that money to help someone bring home a child who doesn't have a mommy or daddy to call their own? Would you be willing to sacrifice yourself for someone you don't know? Do you want to be a world changer?
Of course, I didn't get any responses or even a like, but that's ok. It was more of a rhetorical question. One to get people thinking, more than looking for an answer.
This post is from Tom Davis's blog. I can't describe what I am feeling inside. The bile in my stomach is rising. The evil that lurks in this world is almost to much to take.
How to make a profit selling virgins for sex
Wednesday July 21, 2010
Categories: Orphans, Sex Trafficking, The Poor
It's apparently very simple.
First, you establish yourself as a respected community leader who heads up a women's rights group in India. This will solidify your reputation as someone who protects and defends young girls.
Next, you need to really specialize in something to keep the customers coming back for more. You need, as the marketers call it, a "unique value proposition." You decide to focus on virgin girls. Highly prized and more expensive than girls with experience.
For clientele, you cater to corrupt police officials, local authorities, and the occasional visiting VIP or dignitary. That way, you'll always remain safe from raids and prosecutions.
Last, and most importantly, you need a good supply of virgins. For that you have an arrangement with the local boarding school for girls. Potential customers browse through your photo book of potential child sex victims. Once they make their choice, you bring the girls to your brothel to be raped for profit.
Sadly, this true story is unfolding right now in India.
A well-respected women's leader and her husband run a trafficking and prostitution ring specializing in virgins and young girls. The description above is true in its details, documented by our partners in India.
A rescue operation is in the works, and I am raising funds through this blog to free as many girls as we can. Will you help us?
They have documented at least five minors--all girls--being held as slaves. The rescue plan involves using the local television station to expose the operation, and thereby force the police to conduct the raid.
Will you join me in supporting this rescue operation? Here are the details:
Rescue Operation: $1,250 - ($125 per girl we plan to rescue)
If we successfully rescue 10 girls, that's just $125 per child saved. This involves setting up the rescue operation, getting the investigative team in place, coordinating with the media and police, and conducting the raid itself. Even if $1,250 rescued only one girl, it would be far worth the investment.
Rescue Kits for Each Girl: $450 - ($45 per girl up to 10 girls)
These kits are the first step in restoring a girl's dignity. They contain clothing and personal hygiene supplies. The girls are taken immediately to a government after-care facility, and these kits provide each girl with needed supplies for the long journey ahead.
Professional Social Worker: $6,000 - Salary for 12 months
Once in the government after-care home, our partners will send a Christian social worker to meet with each of the girls and begin to counsel them toward long-term recovery. Until the girls are allowed to leave that facility, our partners will provide consistent biblical counseling from a licensed and educated social worker. Providing this victims' advocate is critical because in many cases girls are returned to the parents or relatives who sold them to the brothel in the first place.
Our goal is to rescue up to ten girls. Although in a similar attempt a few weeks ago, only one girl was freed from her captors. I will keep you posted, and encourage you to continue to pray, to spread the word, and to give as you are able.
Here are two ways you can be involved:
Join our Prayer Conference Call Today
Our prayer team, iFast58, will pray for this operation on their weekly sex trafficking prayer call. Please join them today (July 21) at 1:30pm Eastern Time. Call 760-569-9000 ID: 968101. If you can't make the call, please commit to pray for this rescue.
Make a Gift to the India Rescue Operation
Click the donate button at the top of this post to make a gift toward this rescue operation. A gift of any size will make a difference. Give even $5 to stop this horror. A $45 gift buys one girl a rescue kit. A $125 donation helps rescue one girl (if we are successful in freeing 10 children). A $500 gift pays for after-care social work for the girls. Make a gift today. All donations are processed by PayPal and received by Children's HopeChest, a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit corporation. We are members of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability also. For more information about our ministry, please visit http://hopechest.org.
Re-Post this Entire Article on Your Blog
Feel free to copy and paste the whole article on to your blog for your reading audience.
Get the Blog Badge / Donate Button
Use this button anywhere you can post HTML. It will direct the visitor to our PayPal donation page.
Post this Article to Facebook
Use the Facebook like button to share this post on your Facebook Page with a comment.
What's my answer to my own question? The answer is a resounding "YES!" I want to be a world changer. I want my family to be a family of world changers. It will start with small steps like continuing to learn about this trade, sending money to Children's Hope Chest to help fight this war on our world's innocence, then using our voices to speak out about issues like this and then... whatever God calls us to do next. It will take courage, the kind only God can give you. It will take God's stregnth and it will take seeing the world through His eyes.
Be blessed this day and everyday.
Seeing the world through His eyes.
Laurie
Of course, I didn't get any responses or even a like, but that's ok. It was more of a rhetorical question. One to get people thinking, more than looking for an answer.
This post is from Tom Davis's blog. I can't describe what I am feeling inside. The bile in my stomach is rising. The evil that lurks in this world is almost to much to take.
How to make a profit selling virgins for sex
Wednesday July 21, 2010
Categories: Orphans, Sex Trafficking, The Poor
It's apparently very simple.
First, you establish yourself as a respected community leader who heads up a women's rights group in India. This will solidify your reputation as someone who protects and defends young girls.
Next, you need to really specialize in something to keep the customers coming back for more. You need, as the marketers call it, a "unique value proposition." You decide to focus on virgin girls. Highly prized and more expensive than girls with experience.
For clientele, you cater to corrupt police officials, local authorities, and the occasional visiting VIP or dignitary. That way, you'll always remain safe from raids and prosecutions.
Last, and most importantly, you need a good supply of virgins. For that you have an arrangement with the local boarding school for girls. Potential customers browse through your photo book of potential child sex victims. Once they make their choice, you bring the girls to your brothel to be raped for profit.
Sadly, this true story is unfolding right now in India.
A well-respected women's leader and her husband run a trafficking and prostitution ring specializing in virgins and young girls. The description above is true in its details, documented by our partners in India.
A rescue operation is in the works, and I am raising funds through this blog to free as many girls as we can. Will you help us?
They have documented at least five minors--all girls--being held as slaves. The rescue plan involves using the local television station to expose the operation, and thereby force the police to conduct the raid.
Will you join me in supporting this rescue operation? Here are the details:
Rescue Operation: $1,250 - ($125 per girl we plan to rescue)
If we successfully rescue 10 girls, that's just $125 per child saved. This involves setting up the rescue operation, getting the investigative team in place, coordinating with the media and police, and conducting the raid itself. Even if $1,250 rescued only one girl, it would be far worth the investment.
Rescue Kits for Each Girl: $450 - ($45 per girl up to 10 girls)
These kits are the first step in restoring a girl's dignity. They contain clothing and personal hygiene supplies. The girls are taken immediately to a government after-care facility, and these kits provide each girl with needed supplies for the long journey ahead.
Professional Social Worker: $6,000 - Salary for 12 months
Once in the government after-care home, our partners will send a Christian social worker to meet with each of the girls and begin to counsel them toward long-term recovery. Until the girls are allowed to leave that facility, our partners will provide consistent biblical counseling from a licensed and educated social worker. Providing this victims' advocate is critical because in many cases girls are returned to the parents or relatives who sold them to the brothel in the first place.
Our goal is to rescue up to ten girls. Although in a similar attempt a few weeks ago, only one girl was freed from her captors. I will keep you posted, and encourage you to continue to pray, to spread the word, and to give as you are able.
Here are two ways you can be involved:
Join our Prayer Conference Call Today
Our prayer team, iFast58, will pray for this operation on their weekly sex trafficking prayer call. Please join them today (July 21) at 1:30pm Eastern Time. Call 760-569-9000 ID: 968101. If you can't make the call, please commit to pray for this rescue.
Make a Gift to the India Rescue Operation
Click the donate button at the top of this post to make a gift toward this rescue operation. A gift of any size will make a difference. Give even $5 to stop this horror. A $45 gift buys one girl a rescue kit. A $125 donation helps rescue one girl (if we are successful in freeing 10 children). A $500 gift pays for after-care social work for the girls. Make a gift today. All donations are processed by PayPal and received by Children's HopeChest, a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit corporation. We are members of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability also. For more information about our ministry, please visit http://hopechest.org.
Re-Post this Entire Article on Your Blog
Feel free to copy and paste the whole article on to your blog for your reading audience.
Get the Blog Badge / Donate Button
Use this button anywhere you can post HTML. It will direct the visitor to our PayPal donation page.
Post this Article to Facebook
Use the Facebook like button to share this post on your Facebook Page with a comment.
What's my answer to my own question? The answer is a resounding "YES!" I want to be a world changer. I want my family to be a family of world changers. It will start with small steps like continuing to learn about this trade, sending money to Children's Hope Chest to help fight this war on our world's innocence, then using our voices to speak out about issues like this and then... whatever God calls us to do next. It will take courage, the kind only God can give you. It will take God's stregnth and it will take seeing the world through His eyes.
Be blessed this day and everyday.
Seeing the world through His eyes.
Laurie
Friday, July 16, 2010
Child Trafficking stats in Atlanta
I got this in my email today and thought I should put it out here for awareness. This isn't just happening here in the U.S. but all over the world. All it takes is one person doing something. Anything to stop child trafficking!!! Get involved!!
“Numbers” (HD) - Child Exploitation & Sex Trafficking PSA from Ron Dawson on Vimeo.
Finding our voices Part 2
Do you ever wake up and have a thousand things going through your mind and think,"Oh, I know what needs to be said?" That's how my day started. I got up, said good-bye to my main man and came straight to the computer, knowing that I wouldn't forget anything that was running through my head! Yeah, that is where I went wrong. Thinking I had some really good points to make today in this post.
I guess really what's going on is there isn't a really good way to wind this one down. I mean, each point is a post in itself. A step on that ladder starting at A going to Z. So, I will kind of back up and start more at the beginning and see where it leads me.
I ended my post the other day with God won't give us a pass once we know. I have Biblical truth on that one: Proverbs 24:12 says,"Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know." For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve." This is the New Living Translation. I had received this verse several times in a 12 hour period just a few weeks ago. I realize that when I get something at least three times, God's trying to get my attention about something. But this... let's just say He was making it known to me that I was well aware of many things and wasn't doing anything that was pleasing to Him about these situations and yet I wanted Him to show me what His will was for my life. I honestly thought it was a ministry for women who were headed towards divorce. I mean, I walked through it and was very close to divorce from my man about 7 years ago. How close you ask? Try $5 close. All it would have taken is him paying the last $5 and it would have been over!!! I just learned that bit of information a month ago. Shocking isn't it? But thanks be to God that He got a hold of me and transformed me into the wife that was better suited for him today. I tried to force my hand at a women's ministry and let's just say, I failed but in that failure I learned a great deal. I might share more about that time in our lives later on. If I start now, it will open a big can of worms that doesn't have anything to do with orphans or child trafficking or feeding the hungry or getting clean water to those who don't have it.
So, how did we get to this point? Seeing the World through God's eyes? That's a good question. One I have been pondering awhile. So, I think I need to back up quite a bit and see if I can figure it out. After the almost divorce, we had two moves. One to the northwest, where both of our boys were born and our lives started to change even more drastically. After 17 short months there, we moved to the east coast where God plopped us right into the middle of what would be the our greatest tour in the Army yet. We met some of the most awesome folks we could ever meet. We got loved on well and tried to love them back just as well. We learned and grew and were really like one big extended family. We grew in the Word and we grew spiritually by leaps and bounds. During that time, my love and I felt like we heard the LORD speak to us about adopting two children from Ukraine. We weren't sure what to think of that and shared it with just a couple of our close friends. Shortly after that, one of those close friends started their adoption process. We rejoiced with them, prayed with them and left before we got the chance to meet this precious soul. It was a quick process and amazed us. The cool thing was getting their call on that day known in the adoption world as GOTCHA day!!! It was even cooler because it was my bithday!!!! Now if that isn't a sweet gift then what is? This duty station (meaning the last) was a hard place to go back to. It's where we were headed for divorce, it has some really bad memories for us there but we went with open hearts and a determination to face the wounds and demons of the past all the while looking at it through God's eyes. Trusting He knew what He was doing sending us back to that place within a very short time. With God, we persevered and won the battle. There were failures, great disappointments and a loss of purpose there in many ways. But there was a lot of learning going on as well. We got to our current duty station and thought we could make a go of it. Again trusting that God knew what He was doing because we didn't want to come here!!! It's different, small town, people aren't overly friendly, don't have a Target (GASP!! I know!!!) but we could live here for a few years and move on. Well, we felt God moving us, asking us to open our hearts to the things He had for us. It was a struggle, at least for me. It meant having to close down all the things I wanted, reliquish what I thought was my dream - a women's ministry- and go after what broke His heart. But doesn't God hate divorce? Doesn't that break His heart?
One night at church, we had an altar call and I knew I had to go up and be prayed for but more importantly just be before the LORD. One of our Pastors spoke these words,"I have called you into ministry and you will minister. But it will be where I put you, not where you want to be." I felt a quickening in my spirit and I knew it was for me. I wanted to stand up and scream,"Yes, LORD, here I am! Send me. I will go whereever you lead." Of course, we all know that when you start to move in God's direction the enemy starts putting doubts into your head and so he did with me. But faithful is our LORD. He sent messages my way, reminding me of Sarah and how old she was when He promised her Isaac. I even laughed like she did!!! This happened over about a month period. Shortly after that the book Start Here by Josh and Bret Harris was released. If you haven't read their first book Do Hard Things or Start Here, I highly recommend them. They are written for teens but as as mom of a teen, I felt I should read them first to ensure that nothing "wierd" was being taught to my child. They are great honest, straight forward reads that are a call to this next generation to be extraordinary. It challenged me to give my kids more challening opportunities. Start Here is all about starting right where you are at. As I got to thinking about that, I realized how complacent I had gotten over the last several years. I got comfortable. I was expecting my kids to step outside of their comfort zones and yet, I wasn't doing that. I was hiding behind being "too busy" being a mom of 4 kids, homeschooling, etc... How could I expect them to do something when I wasn't ready and willing to do it?
During this time, I was also following a couple of adoption blogs. One family had brought home a sweet precious girl who had a heart problem. It was an intense month but God used that sweet angel in such an awesome way (and continues to even today) before she went home to see her ABBA in heaven. You can read about her over at All Are Precious In His Sight listed under blogs I follow. The other was a family who were bringing home two sweet precious angels with special needs. You can read about them over at Simple Surrender listed over there as well. God started showing me more and more about adoption and children with special needs.
Shortly after this, the first angel mentioned above whent home to heaven and the other two were home with their forver families, I started to get the itch. You mommies out there know what I'm talking aobut!!! The want and desire to have another child. That ache in your heart for that little soul that is knitted together with yours. I knew something was up and it was totally a God thing because I was happy and content. We were out of that diaper age. Everyone was moving into a more self-sufficient time of their lives. You know, little ones can eat by themselves, drink by themselves, get dressed by themselves, wipe their bums (not always perfectly) by themselves. I was excited. Perfect family (we are a strange sight to see here since we are a large family compared to those who are born and raised here. We get stared at a lot when we go out to eat.) 2 boys and 2 girls. What could be more perfect I ask? Then WHAM, I was hit by a mack truck wanting to have 2 (yes, I said 2) more children. Then, my Bella decides to inform me that same weekend that she thinks we need to have some little ones hanging around? I just about fell over. Was she kidding me? I mean the little boys can be a bit of a challenge at times. Was God playing a joke on me? I did inform my husband of all of this. His jaw dropped wider than I'd ever seen it drop before. So, Bella, Nantucket and I sat and looked through waiting children's photos over at Reece's Rainbow (love this non-profit). We found several that would fit into our family quite nicely. We showed pictures to dear ol' dad, the boys and they said no to each. Finally, my sweet, loving, hunk of a man made this statement to us,"Our son is a black African boy with curly hair." He then added," born in Ukrain." I laughed at my husband because I know he added that to see if God was really calling us to adopt. I told him,"Sweetie, you have just put a fleece out to God with what you think is the most impossible criteria. Let's see how God delivers on this one."
Leaving you in suspens for now.
Have a blessed day.
Seeing the world through His eyes
Laurie
I guess really what's going on is there isn't a really good way to wind this one down. I mean, each point is a post in itself. A step on that ladder starting at A going to Z. So, I will kind of back up and start more at the beginning and see where it leads me.
I ended my post the other day with God won't give us a pass once we know. I have Biblical truth on that one: Proverbs 24:12 says,"Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know." For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve." This is the New Living Translation. I had received this verse several times in a 12 hour period just a few weeks ago. I realize that when I get something at least three times, God's trying to get my attention about something. But this... let's just say He was making it known to me that I was well aware of many things and wasn't doing anything that was pleasing to Him about these situations and yet I wanted Him to show me what His will was for my life. I honestly thought it was a ministry for women who were headed towards divorce. I mean, I walked through it and was very close to divorce from my man about 7 years ago. How close you ask? Try $5 close. All it would have taken is him paying the last $5 and it would have been over!!! I just learned that bit of information a month ago. Shocking isn't it? But thanks be to God that He got a hold of me and transformed me into the wife that was better suited for him today. I tried to force my hand at a women's ministry and let's just say, I failed but in that failure I learned a great deal. I might share more about that time in our lives later on. If I start now, it will open a big can of worms that doesn't have anything to do with orphans or child trafficking or feeding the hungry or getting clean water to those who don't have it.
So, how did we get to this point? Seeing the World through God's eyes? That's a good question. One I have been pondering awhile. So, I think I need to back up quite a bit and see if I can figure it out. After the almost divorce, we had two moves. One to the northwest, where both of our boys were born and our lives started to change even more drastically. After 17 short months there, we moved to the east coast where God plopped us right into the middle of what would be the our greatest tour in the Army yet. We met some of the most awesome folks we could ever meet. We got loved on well and tried to love them back just as well. We learned and grew and were really like one big extended family. We grew in the Word and we grew spiritually by leaps and bounds. During that time, my love and I felt like we heard the LORD speak to us about adopting two children from Ukraine. We weren't sure what to think of that and shared it with just a couple of our close friends. Shortly after that, one of those close friends started their adoption process. We rejoiced with them, prayed with them and left before we got the chance to meet this precious soul. It was a quick process and amazed us. The cool thing was getting their call on that day known in the adoption world as GOTCHA day!!! It was even cooler because it was my bithday!!!! Now if that isn't a sweet gift then what is? This duty station (meaning the last) was a hard place to go back to. It's where we were headed for divorce, it has some really bad memories for us there but we went with open hearts and a determination to face the wounds and demons of the past all the while looking at it through God's eyes. Trusting He knew what He was doing sending us back to that place within a very short time. With God, we persevered and won the battle. There were failures, great disappointments and a loss of purpose there in many ways. But there was a lot of learning going on as well. We got to our current duty station and thought we could make a go of it. Again trusting that God knew what He was doing because we didn't want to come here!!! It's different, small town, people aren't overly friendly, don't have a Target (GASP!! I know!!!) but we could live here for a few years and move on. Well, we felt God moving us, asking us to open our hearts to the things He had for us. It was a struggle, at least for me. It meant having to close down all the things I wanted, reliquish what I thought was my dream - a women's ministry- and go after what broke His heart. But doesn't God hate divorce? Doesn't that break His heart?
One night at church, we had an altar call and I knew I had to go up and be prayed for but more importantly just be before the LORD. One of our Pastors spoke these words,"I have called you into ministry and you will minister. But it will be where I put you, not where you want to be." I felt a quickening in my spirit and I knew it was for me. I wanted to stand up and scream,"Yes, LORD, here I am! Send me. I will go whereever you lead." Of course, we all know that when you start to move in God's direction the enemy starts putting doubts into your head and so he did with me. But faithful is our LORD. He sent messages my way, reminding me of Sarah and how old she was when He promised her Isaac. I even laughed like she did!!! This happened over about a month period. Shortly after that the book Start Here by Josh and Bret Harris was released. If you haven't read their first book Do Hard Things or Start Here, I highly recommend them. They are written for teens but as as mom of a teen, I felt I should read them first to ensure that nothing "wierd" was being taught to my child. They are great honest, straight forward reads that are a call to this next generation to be extraordinary. It challenged me to give my kids more challening opportunities. Start Here is all about starting right where you are at. As I got to thinking about that, I realized how complacent I had gotten over the last several years. I got comfortable. I was expecting my kids to step outside of their comfort zones and yet, I wasn't doing that. I was hiding behind being "too busy" being a mom of 4 kids, homeschooling, etc... How could I expect them to do something when I wasn't ready and willing to do it?
During this time, I was also following a couple of adoption blogs. One family had brought home a sweet precious girl who had a heart problem. It was an intense month but God used that sweet angel in such an awesome way (and continues to even today) before she went home to see her ABBA in heaven. You can read about her over at All Are Precious In His Sight listed under blogs I follow. The other was a family who were bringing home two sweet precious angels with special needs. You can read about them over at Simple Surrender listed over there as well. God started showing me more and more about adoption and children with special needs.
Shortly after this, the first angel mentioned above whent home to heaven and the other two were home with their forver families, I started to get the itch. You mommies out there know what I'm talking aobut!!! The want and desire to have another child. That ache in your heart for that little soul that is knitted together with yours. I knew something was up and it was totally a God thing because I was happy and content. We were out of that diaper age. Everyone was moving into a more self-sufficient time of their lives. You know, little ones can eat by themselves, drink by themselves, get dressed by themselves, wipe their bums (not always perfectly) by themselves. I was excited. Perfect family (we are a strange sight to see here since we are a large family compared to those who are born and raised here. We get stared at a lot when we go out to eat.) 2 boys and 2 girls. What could be more perfect I ask? Then WHAM, I was hit by a mack truck wanting to have 2 (yes, I said 2) more children. Then, my Bella decides to inform me that same weekend that she thinks we need to have some little ones hanging around? I just about fell over. Was she kidding me? I mean the little boys can be a bit of a challenge at times. Was God playing a joke on me? I did inform my husband of all of this. His jaw dropped wider than I'd ever seen it drop before. So, Bella, Nantucket and I sat and looked through waiting children's photos over at Reece's Rainbow (love this non-profit). We found several that would fit into our family quite nicely. We showed pictures to dear ol' dad, the boys and they said no to each. Finally, my sweet, loving, hunk of a man made this statement to us,"Our son is a black African boy with curly hair." He then added," born in Ukrain." I laughed at my husband because I know he added that to see if God was really calling us to adopt. I told him,"Sweetie, you have just put a fleece out to God with what you think is the most impossible criteria. Let's see how God delivers on this one."
Leaving you in suspens for now.
Have a blessed day.
Seeing the world through His eyes
Laurie
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Finding Our Voices - Part 1
For some reason I am having to do this in two parts, so here is part I - tomorrow I will post part II. It's time to just role with what blogger wants:)
Have you ever been asked why about something? Or gotten hints about what's going on in your life because people notice you are doing something different? You post something in your status line on fb or tweeted something or whatever and it gets people curious enough to ask questions? People are noticing a passion in you and yet they haven't seen you in years? That's been happening to us. We're not doing anything on purpose you could say. We are being straight forward with what we are saying yet people think there's more to it than there really is. At least right now that's mostly true. My love and I, along with our kids, are stepping outside of our comfort zones and people are freaking out. We are using our voices for those who have no voice.
I have been giggling as I have gotten more requests for clarification about certain things I post on F*ceB**k. I laugh because some of it has always been there, always been a part of me - I just never voiced it or they weren't listening when I did. But as I approach my birthday month and the actual day, I realize I have an obligation to speak up, speak out and maybe even speak very loud for the ones who can't do it for themselves. It's time to take action. No, I'm not trying to ride in on anyone's coattails, nor am I trying to grab hold of them either. I am trying to take action to help those I can - one child/adult at a time. Maybe God will put some one or many persons in my path so that we can find a solution and work together to address the crisis.
Which crisis you may ask? Well, there are many. But there are several that are near and dear to my heart. How about feeding and water programs for communities where clean water and food cannot be found? Or families for 147 million orphans? Or helping moms and dads or primary caregivers in general make enough money to support the children placed in their care so there won't be 147 million and 1 orphans in the world? Or if that doesn't rock your boat, how about helping to stop child trafficking? Do you know what these kids are going through? On average a child sold into the s*x trade is forced to have interc**rse 40 times a day!!!!! Can you imagine what that does to a child who has no idea what is going on and the perversion that's there? My heart breaks every time I read one more story, one more statistic, or see one more face of any of this. This is Not ok. It's horrific, disgusting, nauseating!!!! The evil in this world is almost to much for my soul to take and yet I know that God is good and none of these children, not a one goes unnoticed by Him.
I have seen some of the faces that represent all of these causes. God is showing me, us, my family, that we cannot ignore this and claim we don't know. He won't give us a pass on any of these things. So we work towards what our next course of action will be.
Seeing the world through His eyes,
Laurie
Have you ever been asked why about something? Or gotten hints about what's going on in your life because people notice you are doing something different? You post something in your status line on fb or tweeted something or whatever and it gets people curious enough to ask questions? People are noticing a passion in you and yet they haven't seen you in years? That's been happening to us. We're not doing anything on purpose you could say. We are being straight forward with what we are saying yet people think there's more to it than there really is. At least right now that's mostly true. My love and I, along with our kids, are stepping outside of our comfort zones and people are freaking out. We are using our voices for those who have no voice.
I have been giggling as I have gotten more requests for clarification about certain things I post on F*ceB**k. I laugh because some of it has always been there, always been a part of me - I just never voiced it or they weren't listening when I did. But as I approach my birthday month and the actual day, I realize I have an obligation to speak up, speak out and maybe even speak very loud for the ones who can't do it for themselves. It's time to take action. No, I'm not trying to ride in on anyone's coattails, nor am I trying to grab hold of them either. I am trying to take action to help those I can - one child/adult at a time. Maybe God will put some one or many persons in my path so that we can find a solution and work together to address the crisis.
Which crisis you may ask? Well, there are many. But there are several that are near and dear to my heart. How about feeding and water programs for communities where clean water and food cannot be found? Or families for 147 million orphans? Or helping moms and dads or primary caregivers in general make enough money to support the children placed in their care so there won't be 147 million and 1 orphans in the world? Or if that doesn't rock your boat, how about helping to stop child trafficking? Do you know what these kids are going through? On average a child sold into the s*x trade is forced to have interc**rse 40 times a day!!!!! Can you imagine what that does to a child who has no idea what is going on and the perversion that's there? My heart breaks every time I read one more story, one more statistic, or see one more face of any of this. This is Not ok. It's horrific, disgusting, nauseating!!!! The evil in this world is almost to much for my soul to take and yet I know that God is good and none of these children, not a one goes unnoticed by Him.
I have seen some of the faces that represent all of these causes. God is showing me, us, my family, that we cannot ignore this and claim we don't know. He won't give us a pass on any of these things. So we work towards what our next course of action will be.
Seeing the world through His eyes,
Laurie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)