What Happens When Humanity Turns

It's Tuesday, and I need to write about human trafficking, and we'll get there - but not before a short(ish) detour through my random musings this week.

It's a quest to crucify self and pick up daily, even momently crosses when the objective is follow. 

Life and death take on new meanings. I'm living dead, letting His life invade my deadly places and murdering the parts of me that don't line up with Him. He's so very patient and gentle as He asks me again to die. To selfishness, impatience, rage, judgment, coveting, contempt. How can He handle this mess and still call it beautiful? I'm so in love with this King who kills me just to bring me back to abundant life. The life that gives and doesn't take and likes it that way. Life that looks like His mirror and reflects His heart. Cares for those He cares about. Because his invitation to follow was followed by a promise.

"I will make you fishers of men."

And those fisher guys? Yeah, they were radically changed. Their greatest focus went from slimy fish and dirty money to grimy men and filthy women. Messy children and fussy babies. But Jesus loves each human life and His followers do too. And when our focus matches His - following will be easy. Well, in a compelling kind of way, at least.

So, if He had tunnel vision it would have been on these:

"He does what is fair for those who have been wronged.
    He gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free.
 The Lord gives sight to the blind.
The Lord lifts up people who are in trouble.
    The Lord loves those who do right.
 The Lord protects the foreigners.
    He defends the orphans and widows,
    but he blocks the way of the wicked."

-Psalm 146:7-9 (NCV)

(See also Deuteronomy 10:17-18 and Zechariah 7:10-11 and Job 31:16-19, among many others)

Because this is what He requires of those who receive Him:

"He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
    and to walk humbly with your God?"

-Micah 6:8 (ESV)

And if we were to do justice today, it would be on behalf of these. The less-than-fortunate who are treated like throw-aways - these are the ones Jesus says we're fishing for. They're the sick ready for a doctor, the broken ready for His restoration, the dead seed ready to become new life, and His heart breaks for them. Get out your net, because I'm about ready to show you how, Friend. Not because I'm some better-than, but because I want to be one of those close at His heels, doing the following and becoming the follower. And why would I leave you out of that?

"If God's character includes a zeal for justice that leads him to have the tenderest love and closest involvement with the socially weak, then what should God's people be like? They must be people who are likewise passionately concerned for the weak and vulnerable" - Timothy Keller in Generous Justice: How God's Grace makes us Just

So, yeah - now we get to talk about the fight against human trafficking, and I don't have to explain again how this is the same thing as fighting for justice. One life enslaved by another is never just. A life willfully surrendered to The Loving Master is an entirely different matter. So, what will it take to get from this to that? 

1. Pray. Intercede on behalf of the millions of enslaved children and adults on this dying planet and ask God to break your heart for them until you ...

2. Do. Something. Make a change in your life, die to yourself so that another life may live for Him. Not to be sold. Give to an anti-trafficking organization. If you need some direction, try these guys. I have. 

The Exodus Road
F.R.E.E. International
TraffickJam International
Generate Hope Shelter
W.A.R. International
Destiny Rescue

Volunteer at a shelter or safe house. Do a fundraiser in your church or community. Rally behind someone who is at risk for trafficking. Visit a Juvenile Detention Center or Youth Shelter. Foster-adopt a teenager at risk. Go on a mission to a place (you might not have to travel very far) where trafficking is common.

3. Thank God. When He does something huge through you on behalf of the slave, give all of the glory to Him. Die to pride and self and fame. Give it all to Him. He's worthy and you're not. He gets the thanks. Every. Single. Time. 

So what happens when humanity turns from death to life, and then from life to death for Him? 

Love happens. 

Book Review {Paid For: My Journey ...}

A few housekeeping issues:
1. Please forgive the sporadic posts and long intervals between - a season of transition for my family makes for inconsistent writing opportunities. Thank you for grace, Dear Reader.

2. This post and others about human trafficking/ sexual exploitation and abuse are not necessarily appropriate for children or youth. Though I believe in teaching the next generation about modern slavery issues, I don't particularly use that filter on all of my posts. I'll be writing more young-audience friendly posts in the near future. If you're under 18, please let a parent read this and give you the age-appropriate cliffnotes version. Thank you for understanding, Young Readers and Parents.

3. My heart is filled with hope as of late - Hope for eternity and good things to come here on earth, too. I pray that your heart will be filled with the same. In His presence is fullness of joy (see Ps. 16:11) May this be said of you, me, and everyone who claims Christ as Lord: 

"And they have defeated him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb
    and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
    that they were afraid to die." -Revelation 12:11 (NLT) [emphasis mine]

So without further ado, 

Today I'm reviewing the book Paid For: My Journey Through Prostitution by Rachel Moran, an Irish woman who tells her story in a candid yet gripping memoir that will make a generation question the way we interpret femininity, sex, prostitution, and human trafficking. 

Originally I heard about the book via an audio interview with the author, and knew it was a must-read for me because of my heart for the trafficked. You can catch that interview here. In addition, you can view an interview with the author regarding her views, the book, and her goals here. Perhaps you'd like to come back to these links after you've read my brief (as possible) review below. In any case, I'm hoping that one of these three prompts will cause you to get and read this book because it is absolutely necessary knowledge for anyone who cares about fighting human trafficking, or anyone who cares about humanity for that matter. Okay, yes - that did sound melodramatic (I realize), but I honestly believe the knowledge offered here to the world is simply crucial.

That being said, I'll start with a couple of disclaimers. 1. This book includes a plethora of expletives, all of which will offend my normal readership. I was offended by what I read. But I'll admit, it adds to the truth of the work. Sometimes offense is necessary for those who desire change. Moran is nothing if not honest, and her verbiage must include the vulgar - for she takes us into the darkest of holes in order to shine the light on evil. 2. All of the pages in Paid For may not be helpful in the long-run if you are sensitive and want to keep your thoughts sexually pure. In essence, I would recommend this for women to read and subsequently explain the premise to your guy so you can leave the details out of his mind. Men need to get this, don't get me wrong, and nothing will change until they do. But we can help them to know it without having to know it, and I think you know what I mean. 

Moran begins with her personal and tragic story of how she ended up becoming a prostitute, which was not, as it never is, a matter of choice. The element of choosing to sell oneself or allow another person to sell oneself is one of many myths of prostitution she dispels in the exploration of her own experience and that of others she knew. She writes in detail of brutality, fear, hopelessness, drug abuse, suicide attempts, family dysfunction, and self-identity in a way I found compelling and painful. I was astonished at her mastery over clear and profound exposition - this hero of survival who spent her years being exploited while others were learning. She put herself through college for journalism after she exited prostitution, a feat few have been able to do. Her forceful truth may leave you reeling, and it may anger some who rely on lies to keep doing what they do. 

In addition to the honest memoir, this book is critical for its exegesis of current and proposed legislation on the matter of "sex for sale." A clear proponent of the Nordic Model, Moran explains in depth the Why's and How's of criminalizing the purchase of sex around the world. Her unique perspective from the prostituted is painfully precious to all of us who look for answers to eradicate this ugly smudge on the face of every human alive today. 

"Until the world wakes up to the simple wrongfulness of what prostitution truly is, we're not going to get social change." - Rachel Moran (in the video interview cited above)

And a few quotes from the book that shook me:

"The summation of my experience of prostitution was simply this: I lost myself." 

"If it were not entirely held buoyant by the sexual demands of men, brothels would have no viability and no purpose and no reason to open their doors - or to have any doors to begin with." 

"As a species, the urge to violate is strong within us. It is up to us to be stronger than it is."

"Sexual self-governance is only possible for anyone where they are not influenced to make decisions regarding their sexuality based on circumstances beyond their control."

Happy reading, Dear One! Next time I'll be reviewing something a little lighter, I promise!

The Power of Together

One thing that rubs me the wrong way sometimes: Competition.

Yeah, yeah - I get it. Not everyone can be a winner, and sometimes teams or athletes lose. I like the Olympics for that reason. Sports are great fun, to play and to watch. And I want my kids to grow up learning how to be good sports, and lose with grace. I also want them to try hard to be the best at what they do - their best. Competition drives prices down for us savvy consumers. Capitalism has a place. Sure. So, in some places competition is great.

But not when it comes to God's Kingdom. Church, love, justice - these are not competition's arenas.  

I'm a firm believer that the best kind of victory is one you can share. 

So, can we please exit Competition out of our churches and out of our Kingdom-driven non-profits? Please? It's getting old.

That's why I believe in coalition, especially when it comes to fighting modern-day-slavery. If we're competing for attention and money, how will that ever set anyone free? If it's me-first, look-at-us, give-us-your-donation-instead-of-them ... of course we know that can't be God's way. It's just not how He operates. You know it and I know it, and I don't even have to quote this Scripture to prove it, but I will:

"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." - Galatians 5:19-23 (ESV) [emphasis mine]

Anti-trafficking efforts are so vast, so overwhelmingly difficult, time-consuming, emotionally-consuming, and insurmountable (30 million slaves world-wide was the latest estimate I read), we've got to come to grips that we must work together. 

Which is why I love organizations like The Exodus Road. They call themselves a coalition, and they are. They target the rescue pillar of the abolition movement, but that's not to say they don't work with other organizations, individuals, and leaders who address awareness/prevention and recovery/restoration. When I was doing my research and asking God where I could invest time, resources, and talents into the fight for justice - they stood out as an organization that aligned with my passion for cooperation. That's my shameless plug. Go ahead - check them out. Read, give, engage, fight. You won't be sorry to put down your competitive spirit for these guys. 

So, I've been thinking along the lines of non-profits, churches, ministries a lot lately. Call it transition, or whatever you like - I'm here and this is me and if you don't like it then let me know, or maybe just pass me up on your way to wherever you're trying to go. I'm done with insecure competition anyway. I think I was done way back in 9th grade, but that's a hard prison to escape from - not gonna lie. 

I'm just sayin. If we're all His kids, can't we just work together toward the same goals? Is it not common sense that we'll accomplish more for Christ's eternal Kingdom if we unite instead of compete? 

Okay - I get it. Easier said than done. Tell this to Luther. Denominations do have a place, so that's not what I'm arguing against. I suppose I would just like to see some ecumenical networking for the sake of justice here. Maybe that's too tall a mountain to scale.

Or maybe we have a God Who's not only bigger than mountains, but Who can move them.




If we fight together, Freedom wins.

photo credits:

tcdailyplanet

timesofmalta

What Every Follower of Christ Can Do to Fight Human Trafficking

Confession time. 

I have an addiction to journals. Sometimes I have to stand in the store and command my hand to put a new journal back on the shelf because I already have too many and I don't need another one, thankyouverymuch! Oh, the pretty covers and empty pages just begging to be filled ... So tempting, and then I make my feet walk past the aisle completely. True story.

I have a journal for prayer/intercession/writing ideas, a journal for my small group, a journal for my gratitude as I count blessings and gifts, and a very special journal I use on Tuesdays when I pray. (That's four current journals, if you weren't counting) A precious friend gave me this last one at the beginning of this year. 

It's a hand-made purple pocket journal made by an Indian woman from parchment and thread. I've filled it with prayers for victims and survivors of human trafficking, for that's what the maker of the journal was. And she was even more than that - a thriver, because God rescued her from her hell-on-earth life of slavery. I was a sender for this missionary-friend, and she was the go-er. She brought me back this hand-made journal with a prayer for rescue. Because we know the Rescuer, and when we can't fight with our hands and we have to come home from the field and we don't know what to do next, we pray. 

And we don't have to know what to do, because intercession is always the right thing to do.

"I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them." - 1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)

One specific opportunity is called Prayer Bowl 2014. TraffickJ.A.M. International has initiated an intercession movement in order to fight back at the yearly event in our nation where more human trafficking takes place than at any other location/event: the Superbowl. Shocked? I was too, but then again, it makes sense. Parties, alcohol (beer ad, anyone), sports, drugs, and illicit sex have long been grouped for evil, but we CAN do something about it. We can partner with the Lord in His work to redeem this time for His glory. Please visit the above links to find out how you can be one of the 5,000 intercessors unified to stop trafficking at the Superbowl in 2014. 

And how will we pray?

What do we ask the Lord to do for victims, for survivors, for traffickers, for sex-buyers, for investigators, for safe-house volunteers, for organization leaders, and for slaves? I'm so thankful the answer is found in the Word. Praying Scripture, we never go wrong. Asking Him for what He has promised is not only enough - it's more than enough.

When we ask for great miracles pre-promised, and He comes through with redemption like only He can, lives are saved, souls are secured, and glory goes to Christ Jesus. It is "immeasurably more" (Ephesians 3:20).

Maybe this is you too, my Dear Reader. Maybe you're at a loss for what to do about millions of people enslaved around our world and you want to fight, but you don't know where to start. Change always begins with a prayer - your own or that of someone else. Sometimes that Someone is the Great Intercessor Himself who sits at the hand of the Father and pleads for us night and day. And sometimes that someone is the one in the mirror. If you're ready to really pray (as a new friend called it, getting loud and rowdy about it), God is always ready to listen. Here are a few fire-starters:

For those enslaved:  

• Lord, You are always close to these broken-hearted slaves; You rescue them, for their spirits are surely crushed. (Psalm 34:18)
• You hear the desires of the afflicted and you encourage them, listening to their cries. You defend these fatherless victims, these oppressed women and children, and You see to it that men no longer terrify them. Please make this promise true for many around our world today, Jesus. You have promised and we ask for it to come to pass. (Psalm 10:17-18)
• Lord, please stand at the right hand of the needy one and save her life from those who condemn her (Psalm 109:31)
• Father, the slave is an object of scorn to her accusers, when they see her they wag their heads. Help her, O LORD our God! Save her according to Your steadfast love! Let everyone know that this is Your hand, and You alone have rescued her soul (Psalm 109: 25-27)
• God, please rescue these souls from the cutting words of the strong, and rescue them from the clutches of the powerful traffickers who enslave and exploit them. At last these women and children will have hope, though they are poor, and the snapping jaws of the wicked will be shut by Your hand (Job 5:15-16)
• Lord, please remember Your word of hope to us. The comfort for the afflicted slave is that Your promise brings life. Please bring life to the lifeless and hope to the hopeless. (Psalm 119:49-50)
• God, these women and children have been objects of cursing among their captors in the nations, but You will save them, and they will be a blessing. Help each one, Father, not to be afraid, and make their hands strong. (Zechariah 8:13)
• Jesus, because of Your blood covenant with us, You will release the prisoners of human trafficking from their hopeless cells. We call on Your promise to call them home, and make them hope-filled freed people. Lord, we call on Your promise of declaration of a double-bonus. We plead with you to return everything that was lost and restore it twice-over. (Zechariah 9:12)
• Oh God, enough is enough. Have mercy on these slaves, LORD, have mercy. For they have had their fill of contempt. They have had more than their fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant. We ask You for deliverance, O God. (Psalm 123:3-4)
• Lord, You have not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and You will not hide Your face from her. Rather, You have heard and will hear when she cries to You. Hear and save, O God. (Psalm 22:24)
• On behalf of the exploited and enslaved I pray, Lord: Though she is surrounded by troubles, You will protect her from the anger of her enemies. You reach out Your hand, and the power of Your right hand saves her. We ask for You to save her today, O God. Today. (Psalm 138:7)

For traffickers, sex-buyers, and oppressors:

• The breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall, and like the heat of the desert. But You, O Lord, You silence the uproar of foreigners, and as the heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is stilled. (Isaiah 25:5)
• Lord, You are good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; You know those who take refuge in You. But with an overflowing flood You will make a complete end of the adversaries and will pursue Your enemies into darkness. Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though You have afflicted us, You will afflict us no more, and Lord, please break the oppressor's yoke off the slaves, and burst their bonds apart. (Nahum 1:7-8, 12-13)
• The ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down; those who with a word make a victim out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice. (Isaiah 29:20-21) Please wipe these evildoers off the face of the earth; Lord, make them disappear and cut them down for the way they have exploited the innocent and helpless, the hopeless and the vulnerable.
• We trust in You always, LORD, for You are the Eternal Rock. Please humble the proud and bring down the arrogant city (trafficking rings and criminal strongholds). Bring them down to the dust. Please allow the poor and oppressed to trample them underfoot, and the needy to walk over them. Lord, in distress we searched for You. We continue to pray under the burden of Your discipline. Rescue us from this evil, Father. (Isaiah 26:4-6, 16)
• Your Name, Jesus, is the hope of all the world. Yes, even these. (Matthew 12:21)

For the at-risk poor and vulnerable:

• You, O God, our God, You deal on behalf of them for Your Name's sake. Because Your steadfast love is good, deliver them. They are poor and needy, and their hearts are stricken within them. (Psalm 109:21-22)
• Oh Jesus, we call on Your promise today: "Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise. I will place her in the safety for which she longs." (Psalm 12:5)
• Jesus - do You see how darkness covers the earth, and how thick darkness is over so many people? As the Father rises upon You, and as His glory appears over You, we will see Your light, Savior. Nations will come to Your light, and kings to the brightness of Your dawn. (Isaiah 60:2-3)
• God, we are blessed and happy when we show loving favor to the poor. Please show us what this looks like today. (Proverbs 14:21b)

For the investigators and detectives on the front lines of rescue:

• God, please help these brave freedom-fighters not to fear. Remind them that You have redeemed them and called them by name. They are Yours. When they pass through the waters You will be with them. When they pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over their heads. When they walk through the fire of danger, they will not be scorched and the flames will not burn them. You, the Lord - please be with them. You are the the Holy One of Israel. You are their Savior. (Isaiah 43:1-3a)
• For those who pray and fight to free the oppressed, the lights will turn on, and their lives will turn around at once. Lord, may Your righteousness through them pave their way. You, O God of glory, will secure their passage. When we pray, You will answer. Please answer. When these brave abolitionists call out for help, we trust You to say, "Here I AM."  (Isaiah 58:8-9)

For those who fight for abolition:

• God, teach those who follow Your Son that the kind of fast You're after is to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in every workplace, free the oppressed, and cancel debts. You're interested in seeing us share our food with the hungry and invite the homeless poor into our homes, as well as empowering us to put clothes on the shivering ill-clad, even as we continue to serve our own families. (Isaiah 58:6-7)
• Though some boast in chariots and some in horses (some in fancy cars and others in sprawling mansions), we who seek freedom for the slaves will boast in the name of You, Oh Lord Jesus. When we are victorious and set captives free, we will give You all of the glory, Father. (Psalm 20:7)
• Lord, it is time for You to act, for every law has been broken here. (Psalm 119:126) Give us Your backing, Spirit. We know no change can come save by You.

For the recovery and restoration of rescued victims/freed slaves:

• She has waited patiently for You, LORD; You have inclined to her and heard her cry. You drew her up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and You will set her feet upon a rock, making her steps secure. (Psalm 40:1-2)
• You say to the rescued as you hold their hands, "Have no fear, I will help you." Lord, please open their ears to hear Your comforting words. (Isaiah 41:13)
• Lord Your Word is perfect to revive the soul. Would You minister to these survivors through Your perfect Law. (Psalm 19:7)
• Jesus, please give Your spirit of wisdom and revelation to these precious lives in recovery homes all around the world, so that they may know You better. Please open the eyes of their hearts and enlighten them so they will know the hope to which You have called them, and the riches of Your glorious inheritance in the saints, and we plead for You to give them Your incomparably great power, for us and for them and for everyone who believes. (Ephesians 1:17-19a)
• Lord, we ask that You protect those coming out of horror and exploitation, and that when they seek to dwell in Your shelter, Most High, that You will give them rest in Your shadow. You are indeed the refuge and fortress for these souls in recovery and healing, Lord, and they can trust in You. Because they choose to receive Your love and love You in trusting return, Lord, please protect them as they acknowledge Your Great Name. (Psalm 91:1-2, 14)
• Spirit, would You keep them in perfect peace all who trust in You, and all whose thoughts are fixed on You. (Isaiah 26:3)
• As these hearts cry out to You for restoration and healing, as they lift their eyes to You, O God, enthroned in heaven; as they keep looking to You, LORD, our God for Your mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, and as slave girls watch their mistress for the slightest - would You answer from heaven with healing on Your wings. (Psalm 123:1-2, Malachi 4:2)

For us all:

• I lift my eyes up to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from You, O LORD. You are the maker of heaven and earth. You will not let my foot slip, You who watch over me will not rest; neither will You slumber or sleep. (Psalm 121:1-4)
• Jesus, You show us these things so that we may have peace. We realize that in this world we will have trouble. Today we choose to take heart! You have indeed overcome the world. (John 16:33)
• Oh, Father - You have delivered us from such deadly peril, and You will deliver us. On You we have set our hope that You will continue to deliver us, as we pray. In the end, many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor You will grant us in the answer to many who are praying today. (2 Corinthians 1:10-11)
• We cry aloud to You, O God, and You hear us. In the days of trouble we seek You. We seek You even again today. In the night our hands are outstretched without wearying. Our souls refuse to be comforted until the slaves are freed and restored. When we remember their pain and Your will, we moan and our spirits faint. (Psalm 77:1-3)
• I remember Your deeds, Lord, and Your wonders. When I ponder Your work and mighty deeds I remember that Your way is holy and what you do is good. Your ways are great and there is no god like you who is great. We recall that You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your might among the peoples. With Your arm You redeem people. You will redeem Your children. (Psalm 77:11-15)

Alright - I realize that was a long post. Honestly, it's been over a year in the making. When I find a passage that speaks to my soul about freedom I write it down in my special journal, and so many of the pages have been filled with these verses and prayers. I gave you less than half of what I've recorded so far. God's Word is brimming, overflowing, bursting with His promises, just waiting for us to agree in prayer. What I'm hoping is that you will begin wherever you are, and then move a little closer to your prayer closet. Spend a few extra minutes at the altar. Press in a little deeper into His presence as you cry out. There is more of Him to be had today.

If you care about freeing slaves around the world, then pray God's promises for their rescue and restoration. Take some of the above and begin your own intercession list. Set aside some time during your day, your week, your life to really pray. Get loud and rowdy on behalf of imprisoned souls, their rescuers, and even their captors. If God gets a hold of a trafficker or a sex-buyer and brings him to his knees, who knows what change could be brought by that one? When a survivor gives surrenders her life to the Lordship of Jesus, healing and restoration from evil are more than possible - they are guaranteed.

Let this post be a resource for your prayers, a diving board for your plunge into intercession. For those who know Christ, for those who follow Him - prayer is the simplest thing we have and also the most powerful. Why wouldn't we press in? Why would we hold back? 

In the context of awe-inspiring adoration and affection, heart-breaking confession and contrition, and breathtaking gratitude and praise, we then cry out to God to meet our deepest needs. We share the desires of our souls, not because we're trying to give him information, but because we trust in his provision. In all of this, we realize that the discipline of prayer is designed by God for our delight and pleasure. - David Platt (Follow Me)

You can do this. We can do this. Together we fight. We begin, continue, and finish with intercessory prayer. Only in this way can we glorify Him in the victorious freedom that is coming. Above all, we can trust Him. And that is why we ask Him. 

And please, don't be shy - please add your prayers here in the comments below. Together we fight, and freedom wins!

When I Want To Stop Fighting

I'm gonna to be honest. Tuesdays aren't easy for me.  I committed to God that I would research, pray, educate myself, and promote awareness about Human Trafficking every Tuesday but ... it's painful.  

Some weeks I contemplate not doing any of it.  It's so hard to force myself to look at this horror.  It hurts to fill my mind with thoughts of children as young as four years old being raped in exchange for money (and often not even for exchange, but just as abuse).  And if you've been with me for the past few months on Tuesdays, I know you're probably feeling the same way.  Just to let you know, I have a passion to fight for abolition on the other days of the week too.  My research has been nearly non-stop.  And when I'm not researching, I'm often praying.  

The truth is, as much as I want to take a break, God keeps calling me back to this.  Because how could I take a break when she can't?

photo credit: joy.org

What keeps me fighting most days is a vision. A vision of something different.

A vision of children and women valued as treasured human beings, not sex objects.

A vision of healing for those who thought it once impossible.

A vision of an army of abolitionists, rising up to defend the defenseless, vulnerable, weak.

A vision of brothers who refuse to let their sisters be raped by strangers, who stand against their own parents who sell daughters to brothels and pimps.

A vision of reformed sex-buyers and traffickers who have come to their senses because they looked into the eyes of a girl and saw Jesus there.

A vision of prayers like continual cries, rising to the Father's ears and bringing Him glory when He delivers these souls into His Kingdom.

A vision of rescue for girls too young to know this evil.

A vision of people who will stand up and say, "This is not funny."

A vision of a generation of girls who know they are worthy of being loved as a princess, because they have known the joy of being loved by the King.

A vision of many, many men and women who will just listen.  Long and hard and with nothing but compassion.

A vision of intellectuals, professionals, politicians, and prosecutors who will speak up and do something.

A vision of fathers who open their eyes to an option other than poverty or selling their daughters - the option to be the provider of their families, as God calls and leads.

Do you see it too?

"There’s hope for your future,
    declares the Lord.
        Your children will return home!"
                 -Jeremiah 31:17 (CEB)

Lord, You see this vision too, don't You?  I believe You can do this. Change our world. Free slaves.  I have to believe in Your power to overcome, to redeem, restore, and revive.  Without that faith, I won't be able to keep fighting this unspeakable, evil, terror-stricken, torture-driven horror.  But with this faith in Your capable hands to change a human heart - I can keep going.  Please return our children, humanity's children who belong to all of us, home.  That is the only hope for our future. And if You are declaring it, then I choose to believe it again today.

edited re-post from earlier this year

One More Day - Hire an Investigator, Rescue a Slave {25 by my 35th Challenge}

[I] should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ - Acts 20:35 (NLT)

Okay, then - I'll remember. 

This week, when I turn 35, I'll remember that. I don't want to receive anything special, but I DO want to give something pivotal. 

Freedom. 

And I want you to help me. Give with me. Forget about receiving a few dollars a month, and be blessed.  When you give to this cause, it's a blessing that doesn't stop with you - it results in rescue. Slaves broken free of their chains and delivered into safe houses. Lives with a new start. No longer bound to violence, rape, brutality, coercion, or daily death threats. Boys, Girls, Women, even Men - free. 

If you could share freedom, would you? 

You can, Dear Reader. Today - you can be a part of a Search and Rescue Team. And you can be more blessed than when you received freedom by giving it to someone. 

And you can get texts like I get when it happens. Messages like this one:

Ugandan Girl FREE! In India, BRAVO team rescued pregnant trafficked woman.

Ready for this? It's the last day before Robyn's Challenge is over, and I'm not lying - I'd rather give freedom away than receive any gift for my 35th Birthday. Will you join my team of rescuers?

I want true life for you. The same life I felt rushing through me when I got my S&R package in the mail from The Exodus Road. The same life I felt exploding in me when I read that a slave was rescued, her virginity kept as a choice for her future and hope. The very same life pulsing when I pray for my investigators to have victory over evil whenever I see my stickers and key-chain and magnets with these words:

So here's my audacious goal, but feel free to blow me away, friends. 

I want 25 by my 35th.  

Twenty-five brave partners by the day I turn 35. It's just a few short hours away, but I believe in God and His miraculous freedom and love for each one. For you, Sweet One. For her. For humanity. Here's how.

Robyn's Challenge: Join my Team. Hire an investigator. Rescue a slave. It really is that simple.

1. Check out how Search and Rescue works, and decide which team you want to be on. Alpha and Delta are in SE Asia, Bravo is in India, and Charlie is here in the US. (Also, if you want to know how TER manages the money we give, check this out.)
2. Fill out the Donation Form, and use the resources God has blessed you with to fund rescue and freedom with The Exodus Road. For $35 a month (less than the cost of a new pair of jeans), you can hire a team of investigators and be a part of giving freedom to women and children trapped in the clutches of their traffickers. These people bust brothels, pedophiles, and trafficking rings, and bring justice. For Real. Please don't forget! Under the portion where it says "Additional information/Select Operating Project" PLEASE type a bird in the box. This is my code for my project -25 by my 35th.  For real - rescue is what I want for my birthday. Twenty-five of my readers and friends - on board to change the world. Listen - if by next November you aren't addicted to sharing freedom in this way, by all means opt out. I'm asking you to try it for just a year, though. I think it's worth it. For real.
3. Please don't skip this part! Drop your name in the comments below, and tell me why you decided to be a part of bringing freedom to slaves. I'm going to be drawing a number (1-25 of the first readers who partner with me) out of a hat for a giveaway of Laura Parker's book, The Exodus Road, as well as a hand-made journal and a stack of my greeting cards. This is just an extra incentive and thank-you to my amazing readers who make this nest a place of God's joy. I'll contact you after my birthday to let you know you won, and get your mailing address. 
4. Like and share this post on Facebook/retweet on Twitter/share with your social network via email, because I'll bet your friends care about slaves too. (There are some handy buttons for you right down there at the bottom.)

"If we are dying of thirst, passively reading books about water quenches little; the only way to quench the parched mouth is to close the book and dip the hand into water and bring it to the lips. If we thirst, we'll have to drink." - Ann Voskamp

Our world is thirsting for freedom. Humanity pants for justice. Let us partake of the Fountain, and then be the vessel that quenches freedom's thirst. 

Lord Jesus- You know, and You see. Please help me and my readers bring freedom and love to modern-day slaves. This is what You came for and whom you died for, and it's what we do when we follow You. Thank You - I'm so thankful to be a part of YOUR freedom-fighting team. Help us to keep fighting, until everyone is free. Amen

One more week of this challenge: 25 by my 35th {uncontaminated hope}

Even my kids are catching onto this freedom thing. This lovely daughter of mine has an assignment for school - What would you do if you were president for a day? "I would free all the slaves in America today." 

And there it is - hope uncontaminated.

"Everything that is done in the world is done by hope." - Martin Luther

"Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen." - Hebrews 11:1 (VOICE)

I want something good for you, Dear Reader. I want true life for you, life full of hope, and that uncontaminated. The same life I felt rushing through me when I got my S&R package in the mail from The Exodus Road. The same life I felt exploding in me when I read that a slave was rescued, her virginity kept as a choice for her future and hope. The very same life pulsing when I pray for my investigators to have victory over evil whenever I see my stickers and key-chain and magnets with these three words:

"My dear brothers and sisters, stay firmly planted—be unshakable—do many good works in the name of God, and know that all your labor is not for nothing when it is for God." - 1 Corinthians 15:58 (VOICE)

So here's my audacious goal, but feel free to blow me away, friends. 

I want 25 by my 35th.  

Twenty-five brave new partners by the day I turn 35 next week. It's just a few short days away, but I believe in God and His miraculous freedom and love for each one. For you, Sweet One. For the woman from Uganda and her baby. For the boy and the girl here on our streets. For humanity. Here's how.

Robyn's Challenge: Join my Team. Hire an investigator. Rescue a slave. It really is that simple.

1. Check out how Search and Rescue works, and decide which team you want to be on. Alpha and Delta are in SE Asia, Bravo is in India, and Charlie is here in the US. (Also, if you want to know how The Exodus Road manages the money we give, check this out.)
2. Fill out the Donation Form, and use the resources God has blessed you with to fund rescue and freedom with The Exodus Road. For $35 a month (less than the cost of a new pair of jeans), you can hire a team of investigators and be a part of giving freedom to women, boys, and girls trapped in the clutches of their traffickers. These people bust brothels, pedophiles, and trafficking rings, and bring justice. For Real. Please don't forget! Under the portion where it says "Additional information/Select Operating Project" PLEASE type a bird in the box. This is my code for my project -25 by my 35th.  For real - rescue is what I want for my birthday. Twenty-five of my readers and friends - on board to change the world. Listen - if by next November you aren't addicted to sharing freedom in this way, by all means opt out. I'm asking you to try it for just a year, though. I think it's worth it. For real.
3. Please don't skip this part! Drop your name in the comments below, and tell me why you decided to be a part of bringing freedom to slaves. I'm going to be drawing a number (1-25 of the first readers who partner with me) out of a hat for a giveaway of Laura Parker's book, The Exodus Road, as well as a hand-made journal and a stack of my greeting cards. This is just an extra incentive and thank-you to my amazing readers who make this nest a place of God's joy. I'll contact you after my birthday to let you know you won, and get your mailing address. 
4. Like and share this post on Facebook/retweet on Twitter/share with your social network via email, because I'll bet your friends care about slaves too. (I have some handy buttons for you right down there, next to "# comments" link.) Us bloggers love when you help us out like that.

And you can start receiving texts like this one when our team reports in:

FREEDOM! 12 yr-old girl rescued early this morning! Her mom and pimp were selling her virginity for $2000 USD. BRAVO Team rescued her and arrested perpetrators.

"If we are dying of thirst, passively reading books about water quenches little; the only way to quench the parched mouth is to close the book and dip the hand into water and bring it to the lips. If we thirst, we'll have to drink." - Ann Voskamp

Our world is thirsting for freedom. Even my daughter, free as she is, longs to share her freedom with the enslaved. Humanity pants for justice. Let us partake of the Fountain, and then be the vessel that quenches freedom's thirst.

Thank you for being on freedom's team.