Human Trafficking must STOP!

It's been awhile since I've written.  Life has had it's challenges, but faith has brought me through them.  Yet I find myself on a new journey.  A seed planted in my heart many years ago is breaking open and taking root.  I can see it poking through the soil of passion and I must write about it.

Human trafficking.  How?!  In this day and age of awareness and human rights how can it be that people are bought, sold and stolen to the benefits of others fleshly wants and desires?  How can any human think that using another human being for their own self-gratification is justified?  Yet, this atrocity is soaring to new heights in this supposedly "enlightened" age we live in.

Now my burden for such horrid acts on human beings must grow to something more affective.  No longer is it just a hearts cry to God to bring justice into an unjust and perverse world, it is an active mission in every fiber of my being to DO something.  I am praying for God to lead my steps as I step out in faith to act rather than to be bothered.

I wondered what I could do and I found a website with a petition to sign regarding kids being charged as criminals in an obvious sex trafficking arena.  So I started there and have been passing out the petition on facebook and through emails.  Here's the site too if anyone is reading this blog in the US.

http://www.change.org/petitions/state-lawmakers-kids-not-criminals-pass-safe-harbor-laws?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=url_share&utm_campaign=url_share_after_sign#

Then I thought of other ways to act.  I am an artist and therefore I have some ideas of making awareness fliers and posters.  So that's next.  Also I am reading to educate myself and sharing with everyone I know about being aware of those around us.  I put a contact number in my cell phone (1-888-373-7888) to report any suspicious activity or people I may suddenly "see" in my daily activities in the communities surrounding that meet the criteria.  Awareness opens our eyes to see things we would never notice before.  So word of mouth is an action.

My family has just moved to Texas and we know no one outside of family and a few of their friends.  So I must connect to others and get awareness out there too.  Every act is like a drop of water in a giant pond that causes a ripple effect.  With each person we share about Human trafficking it's like more drops of water in that pond.  Some day with much prayer and action and God's help, those of us who fight for those who cannot fight for themselves will become like a torrential rain storm on those who commit these horrid acts on humanity!  May God set these captives free and may we love them and nurture them to healing and wholeness by His love and with the power of His glory.

Look at your loved ones;  your children, nieces, nephews, sisters, brothers, mothers, daughters and grandchildren.  They could be the next targets of these sinister people.  We must fight to protect them and help those who are already victimized.  We must act.  It IS happening in our own back yard.

http://www.polarisproject.org
 http://www.endslaverynow.com/

Invasion of the Peace Snatchers

Some days you can go along and be "minding" your own business and whistling joyfully and you feel no cares at the moment  when suddenly out of nowhere this thought pops into your head that steals your peace, stops your joy and your whistle is no more.  Your peaceful and happy thoughts turn into thoughts of rejection, or maybe fear, or anger, or resentment or whatever.  Your mood turns from happy to crappy in an instant.

Too often we can keep on that path of negativity and it can ruin our entire day, maybe week and in many cases our relationships.  We have those imaginary conversations with those we are directing our thoughts towards.  Sometimes it's ourselves and we become emotionally self-condemning and naturally we will withdraw from those around us.  Where do these thoughts come from?  How do they invade our minds so quickly and change the direction of our days without us even realizing it?  How can we battle these alien hosts that invade our thoughts and steal our peace and stomp on our joy?

I will not give credit to the evil that berates but rather I will focus on how to overcome their dissension and refraction. Think about what you're thinking about!  Notice!  Pay attention!  And FIGHT to keep your peace!  We don't have to receive the garbage.  We can choose to counterattack with good thoughts.  We can rethink with good things.  Peace is worth the battle.  It only takes a moment to lose it but when we labor to keep it our lives will benefit as well as those lives we are linked to.

The battle is not an easy one and Lord I pray for Your strength to help me to press through.  I may get bruised and bloodied in the process but the victory will be mine and I will be stronger from it.  May these mental assaults prepare me to be like a seasoned soldier who can walk out a valiant life here on earth and reflect Your glory to all I meet and come across.  May these experiences enrich and encourage the lives of others and in turn their lives can bless others and so forth.  Let Your dominoes fall but not for the collapse of Your people but to the connection of us all throughout the world.  Help us to take our thoughts captive to the loving obedience of Christ who is our strength!  Let us kick out these peace snatchers and live with renewed minds so our lights will shine and Your love will permeate the world.