HAITI {Reflections}

Friends, I am home from Haiti and my soul is full. This short term medical mission trip exceeded my wildest dreams. God blessed me there in ways I could have never imaged and for that I am incredibly thankful. Praise be to Him!

Beautiful Hinche, Haiti

When I reflect on the past week we spent in this country, my mind goes about a billion ways. Memories flood in. Sorrow, joy, pain, and love hit me simultaneously. The longing to be there again strikes me like lightning. Looking at Facebook pictures over and over bring the widest smile to my face. Pondering on what the Lord showed me, and still is showing me, never ends. Let's face it, I'm a hot mess. But at the same time, I have never felt so close to Jesus. I have never felt so close to being an actual follower of Christ.

One evening while we were in Haiti, our team was sharing about what God has been teaching us over the past few days. Many testified how much closer they felt to the Lord while there, almost in a sense of surprise. Why would God be near when we have lost our comforts? When we are living so simply? When we see devastation each day?

Because that is what it means to truly follow Jesus.

Read the gospels. Read the words of Jesus. Now compare it to the actions of the contemporary American church. There is a huge disconnect, isn't there? Something is missing. Something is not right, and you know it. Now I am not here to bash the church of the good ol' USA. Too many have done that before me. But I will say that it appears as if many Christians in this country have been privileged, to the point of being spoiled, to the point of living too comfortably, to the point of being a disciple only when it is convenient to them. And that is not how Jesus describes His followers. Here is the problem - we are deviating from truth and finding ourselves wrapped in a superficial Christian life of luxury.

Jesus tells us that if we want to follow Him, we must leave everything behind. Cast our nets. Don't bury your father first. Deny yourself. Take up your cross. Seems like quite the challenge, right? Doesn't seem popular or easy to me. But it's so worth it.

Now living a life of surrendered simplicity dedicated to running behind Jesus is great. But where exactly are we following Jesus to? Where is He going that we must go also?

To the broken. The needy. The poor. The captives. The orphans. The widows. The sick. Those who are in desperate need of a Savior.

It is in the ruins of a broken life where we find Him. Reaching out to the least of these, who literally have nothing, is right where He is. He told us so - the Lord is close to the brokenhearted. Once we are obedient to His call and go take care of those shattered hearts and crushed spirits, He whispers to us, "I'm right here. Right where I said I would be. Take care of my people. Feed my lambs."

God has slowly been revealing this to me over a period of time, but I feel like I am finally beginning to wrap my head about genuine discipleship and take action. Being in Haiti showed me even more how all of this is real and true. I am for real growing and stepping closer to Him. And by this I mean I have graduated kindergarten and gone to first grade in the school of being a legit Jesus follower. This is progress, but there is still much more growth to happen in me.

"If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
The LORD will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."
{Isaiah 58:10-11 // NKJV}

Brothers and sisters, that's a promise to us. Looking to be satisfied eternally? Loose your life to follow Jesus to the poor and brokenhearted. He's there. He promises.

Perks of living a missional life. Don't you just want to eat her up?!

So there you have it. Just a slice of what God showed me in Haiti. Can I share more with you? Email me, or better yet talk to me in person! God is doing mighty things. Amen?!

Love you all. Can't thank you enough for your prayers and support.

Heavy influences on this subject are Francis Chan, Katie Davis, and Jen Hatmaker. Thank you guys for being obedient to the Lord, even when it's hard and unpopular.

HAITI {Here I Go}

People,

I'm going to Haiti. Yes, Haiti. Omg. I can't even.

(cue squealing, screaming, jumping up and down, etc.) 

I stand amazed and this opportunity the Lord has given me to serve the people of this country. The fact that He ordained me from the beginning of time to embark on this very mission at a time such as this to love on Haitians is blowing my mind. Wow. He is GOOD, you guys.

My bags are packed, my new, fresh journal has been opened, my heart is bursting, and the Lord is with me.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
{Joshua 1:9 // NKJV}

What an incredible promise. Thank You, Jesus!

Since I know the Lord has blessed me with incredible prayer warriors, here is a list of prayer requests for our short-term medical mission trip to Haiti:

~ To God be the glory.
~ Protection and safe travels.
~ Sharp minds. We will be learning a lot of medical training on the spot. Pray I bring my thinking cap with me!
~ Divine appointments.
~ Open hearts. That we may receive all God has to show us and teach us.
~ Opportunities to share the gospel.
~ Strength. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. Just everything.
~ Protection against diseases and sicknesses. We're going to a third world country. So, yeah...
~ School. When I get back, college Anatomy & Physiology will be waiting there to kick my booty. Pray it all gets done when it needs to!
~ Be led by the Spirit. Anything else that comes to your heart and mind, pray!

Thank you all for your constant love and support! I couldn't do it without the encouragement I continually receive. Love you all!

SHOPPING: Purchase With A Purpose

Hi friends!

This past Saturday, I attended a conference focused around the subject of reducing exploitation and putting an end to human trafficking. Gosh, it was so good. The Lord moved in many powerful ways. 

One of my favorite features of the conference was the exhibitor tables. Translation: TIME TO SHOP! An entire gym was filled with resources and merchandise from various global ministries that somehow played a part in fighting modern day slavery, preventing trafficking, feeding the hungry, international adoptions, serving the poor, and most of all, spreading the love of Jesus. If you know me well, you know I'm all over that stuff! I walked past each table in awe. I must have grabbed about a jillion pamphlets and flyers out of sheer excitement. Every booth had something unique to offer. Seriously, I felt like a kid in a candy store. #churchnerd

I'm getting side-tracked.

So like I said, it was time to shop. The great part about buying from these vendors is the idea of purchasing with a purpose. Each one of these accessories and pieces of clothing were handmade in poor nations by either a single mom desperate to support her child, an ex-human trafficking victim, or a woman receiving fair pay for her work when most of the others are being used as slaves. And because I'm a total girl, I feel the pressing need to tell you everything I bought and where it came from:

Feeding the Orphans (FTO) // Ghana
I love this ministry for many reasons, but I also have a true love for their products. Everything is made in Ghana to support their people and provide food for orphans. Their shop has tons of merchandise from bags to jewelry to t-shirts. And come on, aren't these headbands totes adorbs?!

Peace Makers Crafts // Mindanao, Philippines
Okay, I love earrings. Fancy ones, classy ones, simple ones, giant ones... I collect them all. Even though my love for Charming Charlie runs deep, I would much rather choose to buy my earrings from women in the Philippines for fair trade. So on Saturday, I got three different pairs of these babies. There are some gorg designs and each pair are super high quality. The earrings below are made with real pearls. That's LEGIT, people! Check more out on their Etsy page.

Divine Chocolate
You had me at hello. For real, how do you ever deny chocolate? And fair trade chocolate?? Even better. Do yourself a favor and go buy some.

Amazima Ministries // Uganda
After reading Kisses from Katie, I checked out her ministry, Amazima, online and found their little shop. So for Christmas, I got some jewelry, WOOT. Women in Masese hand-crafted these necklaces and bracelets and because of our purchase, they have a job. So lovely.

International Princess Project // India
Who loves pajamas? I certainly do! Well, International Princess Project is a ministry that employs women who are coming out of the sex trade industry and guess what they sell... punjammies! Love. Each pair are so bright and colorful and "made with hope in India". Sweet!

And that concludes my little tour of ministry shopping. I encourage you to check out each one of these organizations. Even if you don't feel like buying stuff or spending money right now, save all of the links! Go crazy at Christmas time! These are great gift ideas and like I've been emphasizing over and over... they're a purchase with a purpose!

Love you all,

Book Review + The Love Chapter

Happy Monday, friends!

This past Friday, my sweet (adopted) Auntie Kim and I complete our study through the book Preparing To Be A Help Meet by Debi Pearl. My, oh my, was I blessed!

Our last meeting called for matching nails, of course.

This book really emphasizes the importance of becoming the right kind of gal your perfect man is looking for, rather than just hunting for Prince Charming. Love that. The content covers simple ways young women can prepare to be a wife, from learning to be a servant in your home to planning your wedding. It is geared toward girls who are dating or engaged, but I believe it blesses single girls as well as married women as well! Many powerful testimonies of love stories are shared throughout the text, which is so fun. Totally a great study to do with a group of girls all seeking the Lord. Pearl summarizes the book on its final pages by saying this: 

"Walk in truth and job, become a servant, study and learn all manner of different skills, practice honoring those in authority over you, and pray for every man you know who seeks the Lord; pray that these men have the heart to labor for the harvest."

So good. I highly recommend it.

Anyways, Valentine's Day is coming up! Perfect time for the love chapter, right? Well it's pretty typical of like everyone to quote I Corinthians 13 in February or at every single wedding on the planet, but this passage is reeeaalllyyy good. It's not talking about this kind of lovey-dovey fluffy love that is a feeling. No. This is God's love. This is agape. And He calls us to love this way whether there is a heart on the calendar or not.

Our final little journal prompt in Help Meet was to write I Corinthians 13:1-8 in our own words:

"You know, I could speak in tongues but without love, it would simply be loud racket. Sure, I might have the gift of prophecy and possess all wisdom and understanding and have great faith that can move mountains. But what good is all of that without love? I am nothing without it. Even if I sold all of my belongings to give to the poor and sacrificed my life, I gain zilch. Love truly acts with patience and kindness, and has no hint of envy, boating, pride, dishonor, selfishness, quick anger, record of iniquities, and delight in evil. What love really does in rejoice in truth, bare all things, believe, hope, and endure through it all. This kind of love never fails."
{paraphrased}

His love never fails.

With that, Happy (early) Valentine's Day! Have a great week!

Morning Glory

I have to be honest with you. I absolutely love early mornings. Yep, it's true. The dark windows, the buzzing alarm clock, the peeling of the eyes open, the coffee, The Today Show... I love it all. I know all of you non-morning people are shaking your heads with disgust and must have the worst expression on your faces, but really it's just my thing. Something about the bright glow of the sky and the crisp air captivates my heart. And today, there are drip drops of rain to add to the package. I am swooned by the morning and the Lord knows it well.

Besides the atmosphere of the break of day that I so completely love, I am comforted by a fresh start. Waking up in the morning means we get a new day. A brand new day. There are many promises from the Lord that I hold close to my heart, but here is what He says about the morning that truly gives me rest each day:

"The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is His faithfulness;
His mercies begin afresh each morning."
{Lamentations 3:22-23 // NLT}

Ah. Beautiful. I feel like if I had my morning coffee with Jesus and I began telling Him of the madness of the day to come, or in this case the week to come, He would relieve everything with these words. His love never ends or fails. His mercies are fresh each and every day. And everything else seems to melt away. Thank you, Lord.

So here we are on a Monday morning. Maybe you're a morning person, maybe you're totally not. But, like all of us, I'm sure you need to be reminded that you have a fresh start today. Jesus has renewed His mercy and His love for You remains constant. Today is NEW. How will you use it?

May your Monday morning be defeated by His mercy!

Human Trafficking {Part 3}: The Hope

For the most part, human trafficking is a depressing subject. Women of all ages are forced to live a life of bondage and prostitution and are denied their identity and freedom. That's the reality. Very few victims are rescued and given a chance at a new life. Like I stated earlier, less than one percent of human trafficking cases in America are solved. There are not a whole ton of success stories that come to mind when this topic is mentioned.

BUT, there is hope. Victims truly are set free and rescued. By the power of Jesus Christ, there is hope. The story can end victoriously.

"Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert."
{Isaiah 43:18-19 // NIV}

Earlier this month when I was praying against human trafficking and all the dirty business that surrounds it, I came across this verse. And it was powerful. I knew it was how I needed to be praying for these women in captivity. I am believing in more rescue stories. I am trusting in a God who is fully capable of using His servants to bring justice to victims. This is possible. This is a hopeful story, I just know it.

He alone can bring healing from physical and emotional wounds. Jesus can do a new thing in these innocent children and young adults. Redemption is possible and we better be believin' it.

So while human trafficking is mostly a heavy topic to discuss or learn about, remember there is hope. Remember there are rescued victims and there will be more. Our God is a powerful God and through Him all things are possible. Declare victory and freedom in His Name! Pray in the affirmative for slaves. Be confident in the spirit there is healing. There is HOPE.

And just because I love the picture painted in this dance...

Be encouraged. Pray for those who are enslaved - for victory, for freedom, for justice, and for HOPE.

Looking for more on the fight against human trafficking? The following organizations are dedicated to put an end to modern day slavery, whether it be through rescue, rehabilitation, prevention, or employment for trafficked women and those at risk. Find a way to help and bring hope to someone's story. Buy a bag. Wear a t-shirt. Tell a friends. Anything you can to support these missionaries and do your part to end slavery. Check it out!

Rescue Her {http://www.rescueher.org/}
Love146 {http://www.love146.org/}
Breaking Free {http://www.breakingfree.net/}
Hello Somebody {http://www.hello-somebody.com/}
Slavery No More {http://www.slaverynomore.org/}
My Refuge House {http://www.myrefugehouse.org/}
International Princess Project {http://intlprincess.org/}

Human Trafficking {Part 2}: The Word

Didn't catch part 1? Read it here!

So now that we're all caught up on our stats, let's dig a little deeper into the subject of human trafficking by looking at the Biblical side of things.

Well, we know that human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery. Victims are stripped of their most basic human rights of liberty and freedom. They are forced to work (labor trafficking) or perform sexually for others (sex trafficking) against their will. Most are held in some sort of prison or a brothel and handcuffed, abused, and treated like commodities. Essentially, their lives are stolen.

Bottom line, this is just wrong.

What does the Bible say about all this?

Throughout Scripture, a beautiful picture is painted of a God who has a heart for saving people, especially those who are lost, broken, and held in captivity. All human beings are valued and created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). He loves the trafficked and the traffickers; they are precious in His sight. However, God stands for justice and hates wrongdoing (Isaiah 61:8). This is obviously not right in His eyes. But where His spirit is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). Freedom from sin, slavery, and bondage. Jesus proclaimed while He was on earth that He came to release prisoners and liberate the oppressed (Luke 4:18). He sees all things. He loves trafficked victims and longs to set them free.

So, what is our role we play in this mess? How do we react?

We are called to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and stand up for the poor and helpless. Justice must be served (Proverbs 31:8-9).

We are called to intercede for those in bondage. The prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). We need to PRAY for victims currently in captivity and against future trafficking incidents. This alone is an incredibly powerful weapon in the fight against slavery.

We are called to action. Scripture tells us that the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon us, because the Lord has anointed us to set the captives free and proclaim that prisoners will be released (Isaiah 61:1). This is not merely a suggestion; it is a commandment. We are Jesus' hands and feet on earth. We must bring those victims justice and give them living hope, Jesus Christ. They need us. They need HIM.

[photo source}

Well, I hope this gives you a bit of a Biblical perspective on human trafficking. Remember to continue to raise your voice, pray for the oppressed, and get it on the action! The fight to end slavery is SO ON.

Human Trafficking {Part 1}: The Facts

As some of you may know, January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

{photo source}

Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery that refers to the buying and selling of people against their will for sex or labor purposes. This $32 billion a year business is the second largest criminal industry in the world, followed only by drugs[1]. Each year in America, there are 200,000 women forced into the sex trade, 14,500 to 17,500 humans trafficked into this country, and less than one percent of trafficking and slavery cases are solved[2]. 

Bottom line, this is something big that is getting little attention.

The average age of a street prostitute is twelve to fourteen years old[3] (whether this is forced or voluntary prostitution, I am unsure. Either way, it's sickening.) Victims are sexually exploited and used any way their pimp pleases. Examples include prostitution, pornography, and other nasties I don't even want to repeat. Some girls are forced to sleep with twenty-five to thirty men daily[4].

If there was no demand of sexual lust amongst the population, sex trafficking would be put to an end. Period.

America is listed on the top ten locations and destinations of human trafficking[4]. Our home state of California holds three of the top trafficking cities, which includes Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. The largest human trafficking incidence in America happens every year, at the Super Bowl[5]. Pimps, victims, and johns go unnoticed due to the substantial size of the crowd.

Talk about literally hiding in plain sight.

So there you have it, a little preview of what is known as human trafficking. There is some pretty yucky stuff going on in our backyard that we are incredibly blind to. This is happening. Here is your wake up call. Don't take it lightly, this knowledge is powerful. Raise awareness and pray for these victims. They deserve justice.

Put an end to human trafficking.

Being the good little college student I am, I feel the need to give the works cited/references/whateveryoucallit info.

1. "Reading Between the (Head)Lines: Human Trafficking in America" Dr. Dale Archer, Psychology Today, April 11, 2013, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reading-between-the-headlines/201304/human-trafficking-in-america
2. Kevin Bales & Ron Soodalter, The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today (Berkley, CA, University of California Press, 2009).
3. http://www.casre.org/about/slavery/ (Retrieved on September 30, 2013)
4. "Former Sex Trafficking Victim Shines Light on Dark Underworld of Super Bowl" Naomi Martin, The Times-Picanyune, February 1, 2013, http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/02/former_sex_trafficking_victim.html
5. "Super Bowl Is Single Largest Human Trafficking Incident in U.S.: Attorney General" Eleanor Goldberg, The Huffington Post, February 2, 2013, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/03/super-bowl-sex-trafficking_n_2607871.html

Renewed Vision for 2014

Ladies and gents, it is officially 2014.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Now I don't know about you, but I'm not typically one to set a ton of mindless new year resolutions each January. If I did, it would sound like this:

~ Know God MORE.
~ Love MORE.
~ Clean my room MORE.
~ Give MORE.
~ (insert verb) MORE.

And that's so...vague. If this was my list I would ask myself, what's their purpose? How can I practically achieve this? Why am I doing this again?

I need vision, not lists. 

I prayed God would grant me renewed vision for 2014. We should be asking, "What do You want me to accomplish?" not, "What do I want me to accomplish?"

What's your mission and vision from God for 2014? (Seriously, I almost typed 2013. Woops.) What does He what you do achieve this year?

For me, it's Mark 10:43-45.

"...Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." {NLT}

When I read this passage yesterday, it hit me. I need to become a servant. And what better way to begin a new year than with a heart full of serving others.

In this vision of 2014, I see selflessness. I see myself needing to crucify fleshly desires. I see relying more on His strength. I see giving. I see fulfilling joy. I see becoming a leader. I see Jesus.

And this motivates me more than any list of new year resolutions.

Thank You, Jesus!

2014, let's DO THIS.