Relevant Mag ::[The Justice Side of Porn]::

I get emails from Relevant Magazine each week with some of the highlighted articles, and came across this one. I wanted to share it because, as I said a few weeks ago-fighting human trafficking is something I'm really passionate about. I know in my life, I have had friends addicted to porn that I wish so badly I could help. But this article shows that porn isn't only hurting you and those people around you, but people in other parts of the world are being victimized. I don't say that to guilt anyone who has an addiction, but just hoping to open everyone's eyes to think of human trafficking in different ways. It isn't just girls in brothels. It's people we walk past on the street, people we see in magazines, people who are millions of miles away or even right next door.

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/reject-apathy/loss-innocents/justice-side-porn

I Love Irony

Irony is probably my favorite form of rhetoric. And it has been very apparent in my life recently.
My latest show of this has been in what this summer holds. A few weeks before school ended, I wrote down a prayer for this summer-that I wouldn't be alone, that I would be given opportunities to serve, that He would use me in doing a Justice Seminar, and that I would find a job for the summer.
I had forgotten about that until Tuesday night. I flipped to the back of the notebook where I'd written it, and reread this plea.
I had no clue that before noon the next day, He would have answered every bit of that prayer. That, my friends, is irony!
Also, on a funnier note, the past two summers, the same day I am just steps away from turning my application in at Chickfila, God sets another job in front of me. I think maybe that's a sign that I shouldn't be working at Chickfila! (But I'll still,be eating there!)
Irony is the most intriguing thing to me, especially when you really give it the appreciation it deserves.

Passions

Sometimes I feel like God has these little jokes that he knows only I will really appreciate.

This one is no different.

For a year now, I have consciously been praying for God to open my eyes to that one thing I can be passionate about. I had felt out some things, thinking maybe that was it-my big one: child poverty. Surely that is as good a passion as any, right? 

It all started with seeing the people I studied abroad in Greece with. Never had I come to know a group of people as intimately as I knew them, and that definitely included knowing where their passions lie. Everything from animals, to worship leading, to children and youth, to history and archaeology, to photography. Where's mine? I could see it in how they acted, how they talked-that was their purpose. And it caused me to stumble. I had been sure that I was intended to be a psychology major, to go on and help people with all my psychology knowledge, and to fight child poverty in ways that I could on the side. So I started questioning what I was really intended to do with my life. Summer was too busy to think about it, but the fall semester really tripped me up. Toward November, I decided that I couldn't be a psych major in good conscious anymore and made an admittedly blind switch to General Studies-it was perfect! It allowed me to not waste all those psych credits, opened doors to take a wider variety of courses, and I could still graduate in 4 years! My parents worried some, but I was stoked. 

Over Christmas break, I was given the opportunity to attend the Passion Conference in Atlanta, Georgia with some friends. It was incredible-the most overwhelming, humbling, exhausting, exciting experience and a great way to start off 2013. The past couple years, Passion has focused on the issue of human trafficking. They began the "End It Movement" that week, raising awareness of the cause, fundraising, and other initiatives that came to follow. That week, through hours of praise, sometimes dozing off during speakers, and 60,000 other people, God nestled the issue of trafficking right into my open, searching heart. With representatives from different organizations, stories of real victims, and resources to help laid out before me, I was stirred to righteous anger. It was sickening to hear the story of Rachel, a trafficking victim, and encouraging to see her sitting just a section away from me, smiling in restoration. 

When I got home from the Conference, I resolved to not let that passion fade away. I spent hours researching the issue, combing through organization websites, and seeing where I could be used. As I got deeper into my newly realized passion, I looked back at the series of seeds planted in that journey. It's one of my favorite things to look back at milestones in a journey once you get to the other side and see how things worked together to bring you to your current location. I realized that God stirred the thirst for passion in me in Greece. And then that summer, my home church's college group collected money to support women who were trafficked (unfortunately, I didn't understand what that meant at the time). Then on a mission trip during my internship, I encountered several children who were in poor family situations. I cannot say for sure, but I would guess that they would have been victims of trafficking or just sex slavery. Then in the fall, a friend from high school began a blog for class focusing on the issue of human trafficking. Each thing peaked more and more interest, until finally it culminated in Atlanta. 

I can only smile and laugh at God's sense of humor that I discovered my personal passion at Passion 2013. Now on days when I feel useless and no good, there's always something in the back of my mind recalling that I have a purpose. 

So take heart, you passion-seekers. If you haven't found yours yet, keep your eyes open and head up. It is coming! And if you have found yours, chase after it! Remember in your bad days that your purpose is always there, and seek opportunities to feed that fire. It's a precious, precious gift.

Picture from Passion 2013

End It Movement

Summer Adventures: Let it Begin!

A few weeks ago, I posted a Summer To Do list. Well we are here, on the brink of summer and I'm adding something to that lovely little list. First real day of summer break, and I've job hunted, run errands and stumbled on the jewel that is the public library!

If you don't have a library card-GET ONE. It is the doorway to changing your summer. The library doesn't only have books, it has movies, books on cd, and workout videos! My catches for today include a Pilates dvd, Richard Simmons Groovin in the House vhs, and the first Lord of the Rings book on cd. The possibilities are endless for your summer adventures. Good luck and enjoy!

Today You Will Be With Me in Paradise

For me, 2013 started not only with a new year but a new fire. God answered a long time prayer for my eyes to be opened to an issue to be passionate over. Long story short, He very quickly opened my eyes to the issue of human trafficking, and more specifically sex trafficking. So a week before the semester started, I dropped a psychology class and added in International Social Work to my spring schedule. Amazingly enough, here we are at the end of the semester-5 months later-and for our final project in ISW we had to read 15 articles on social welfare issues and write a short synopsis of them.

As I read through several different issues, I got to a story about a 4 year old girl in India who was raped, and recently died in the hospital. It made me sick. It made me absolutely furious. I thought no one who would do such a thing to a child deserves to live. And then something stirred in me. I've said it multiple times, I'm so glad God is the judge and not me-I have no pity for those who do horrible acts to children. But the story of the thief on the cross in Luke 23 popped into my mind. This man was a sinner, but even in His worst moment, Jesus forgave him and welcomed him into paradise. I hope that in my quest for justice for those being trafficked that I can learn to love those who are seen as the bad guys too. Not that I can forgive their actions, but to see them as a person loved by Christ and welcomed, just like me, into paradise.

[FBF]::Spring '13

My friends and I have a tradition called Fine Boy Finals week. Each finals week we take part in a semi-marathon of movies containing at least one person dubbed "fine boy". Its a little encouragement to get us through our finals. So in honor of FBF Spring '13, I give you this photo. Good luck on your finals this week (or next, or whenever)!

Life's An Adventure

"Life's an Adventure"
I have sort of adopted this as my montra since I got back from my semester abroad. Travel really opens your eyes to the little happinesses in life, so last summer I sought out seeing the mundane as an adventure. Overall, I'd say its going well-some days more than others. Somedays I get lost in the drone of routine, forgetting to look at the little gifts throughout my day and to smile. And recently I have had the thought cross my mind that I am not living an adventurous life! I am guilty of watching a few too many movies instead of hiking to a new nearby peak, or studying instead of going on a weekend trip someplace new. But I say "nay!" That's where the challenge is! Its easy to see adventure in spending time in a new country or in going on an outdoorsy challenge of caving or hiking. But the hidden adventure is seeing the joy in a low key night with friends. Or even more difficult, finding it amidst school work or jobs. That's part of growing up-which I don't plan to fully do any time soon, but its nice to see a glimmer of it every now and then.
Don't forget to be adventurous in big ways, but don't overlook it in the little ways either. It may just be hiding in the shadows! Each day is exciting and joy-filled, we just seem to overlook it.

Gone in a Blink

Today I have been very aware of what a wisp of smoke life is. Time is precious and is so easily wasted. So at the risk of sounding preachy, I just want to encourage and remind what a gift time is! Live life to the fullest and be aware of what a blessing it is each day! That's all. Just weighing on my heart today.