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!