Naked Trees Scrape the Horizon

Navy blue light creeps higher in the sky, allowing naked trees to scrape the horizon. Hot coffee in morning twilight, and my three year old son’s truck noises get progressively louder. For the sake of sleepers, I shush him. 

Earlier this week, my peace was eroded as well. It wasn’t the noise – that I was used to with three kids! It was internally. Two weeks ago, I resigned from a part-time job where I had served for thirteen years. It was the right decision so I could have more time with my kids and homeschooling, and we felt peace about it. On Tuesday, though, the reality of it sunk in. Whew, what had I done?! Given up a stable job? 

Grabbing my Bible, journal, and a freshly-brewed cup of hot coffee, I pulled up the kitchen chair to sit at my Abba Father’s feet. “Will you meet with me here today in your word? Will you bring fresh peace for me, Lord?” 

Here’s the kicker. Poor God. For my Bible reading I am in Isaiah, which I am loving, but the chapter I was about to start was Isaiah 28, about judgment coming on wicked kings. Now without bending the original intent of the text, how was he going to bring peace to his worried child at a kitchen table in 2011? 

The story pulled me in. God, the master Writer, wove in poetry, prophecy, play on words, historical accounts, and warnings in truth.  He told his people that he was going to rise up dramatically, supernaturally, citing examples in the past where he did miraculous things, fighting their battles in ways that only he could. The Storyteller described fields that were churned and turned upside down, plowed, threshed, plowed under again – ripping up the old, preparing for the new. The Farmer planted, waited and then threshed anew. Some crops only came through rough threshing techniques, but there was fruit after the hard work. Wrapping up the chapter and description, he spoke: “All this comes from the Lord Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.” 

My pen scraped across lined paper, responding to him. I wrote and talked to Him, wondering, pondering, praying. Whatever God is speaking to you or me, know this. He does speak, he does bring peace, and his character is to be trusted, throughout the centuries and ages. 

What about you? Where have you been reading in God’s word lately? 

The winner of Kimberly Rae’s “Stolen Woman” book giveaway is Susan Panzica@Eternity Cafe. Susan, please email me with your address so I can mail this to you. 

Calls in the Dark

 

At my YMCA, down the hallway on the right, is a series of small, rectangular wallet lockers. Keys, wallets and cell phones get stashed there, as their owners exercise. Occasionally as I pass by, I hear cell phones vibrating metallically in their tiny cells, ringing in the darkness. Seventy cubical cells, stacked wide and tall. Calls in the dark, and no one answers them. Helpless to answer them, I amble on, grinning to myself. 

Last week, I finished watching a documentary on human trafficking, following the true story of Lilya, a sixteen year old girl in Estonia. Her story enraged and moved me -- not because human trafficking is a new concept-- but because it illustrated so poignantly how someone can be tricked and sold into sexual slavery. Young and helpless, her calls in the dark went unanswered. Stacked in a row of metallic apartments in Sweden, she was imprisoned.

I can't walk by this need. Her story is but one of millions. Compassion International's fall 2011 magazine estimates that: 

•  nearly 2 million children are forced into the worldwide sex trade each year
• 800,000 children, women, and men are trafficked across international borders annually
• 50% of human trafficking victims are minors

 That's the yucky, hard to hear news.

Here's the good news!  Agencies and organizations are rallying together to fight this. People are being rescued and receiving healing, training and support. We don't need to walk by, helpless to the calls in the dark. We can help.

In this three-part series, I'll end each post with easy, tangible "You can do this today!" ways to fight human trafficking. I hope that excites and encourages you as much as it does me! Plus I have a book give-away for you, and the winner will be announced at the end of the series.


Today's Tangible Ways to Fight Human Trafficking

• Check out International Justice Mission's work (and on facebook) to hear weekly arrests, victories and prayer requests. 
• Prayerfully watch the documentary Lilya. Warning: Mature, R-rated. Not recommended for males or anyone under 18.
• Start a Loose Change to Loosen Chains jar.

Book Give-away: Win an autographed copy of Kimberly Rae's book "Stolen Woman..." Winners will be announced at the end of the series, in a few days. Each action enters your name anew.

• Leave a comment here on my site on what you've heard about human trafficking (if any) this year, or
• Pray with me here (on the comments) for strength, resources and energy for the people to fight this, or
• Share this on your facebook page by clicking the "fb" button below (and let me know you did). Let's raise awareness!