Friday, April 27, 2012
Springtime!
We've had some beautiful weather in the last week. We took advantage of one particularly beautiful day, spending the afternoon under a huge shade tree on campus. The kids were entertained, the mamas were entertained, and many passers-by were entertained!
This little lady was so kind to share her crackers with a very willing recipient:
He couldn't help but gaze into that beautiful face!
It's amazing. When a nine-months pregnant lady pulls out carrots for her lunch, suddenly two children who normally refuse carrots take an interest!
What a fun day!
This little lady was so kind to share her crackers with a very willing recipient:
He couldn't help but gaze into that beautiful face!
It's amazing. When a nine-months pregnant lady pulls out carrots for her lunch, suddenly two children who normally refuse carrots take an interest!
Nothing draws this crowd in quite like raisins:
What a fun day!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Days like today
While I can honestly say that I love where we live most every day, days like today make me stop for a moment of thankfulness.
On days like today, you get home from work later than expected. Your first stop is the community clothesline to hang a bag of wet clothes that have been sitting in your trunk for a good two hours already.
On days like today, your neighbor comments that you look tired, not as a criticism, just an observation. It's been a few weeks since you've seen each other, so you take a moment to catch up, comparing recent haircuts even though hers is hidden under her hijab. After the two of you finish your respective laundry, you say good evening.
And then, moments later, this same neighbor reappears with a plate full of dinner, a homemade Egyptian dish with a name you can't pronounce and a taste you can't quite put your finger on, other than to think about how delicious it is.
I'm so thankful for the kindness of this community.
Thank you, Lord, for loving me well.
On days like today, you get home from work later than expected. Your first stop is the community clothesline to hang a bag of wet clothes that have been sitting in your trunk for a good two hours already.
On days like today, your neighbor comments that you look tired, not as a criticism, just an observation. It's been a few weeks since you've seen each other, so you take a moment to catch up, comparing recent haircuts even though hers is hidden under her hijab. After the two of you finish your respective laundry, you say good evening.
And then, moments later, this same neighbor reappears with a plate full of dinner, a homemade Egyptian dish with a name you can't pronounce and a taste you can't quite put your finger on, other than to think about how delicious it is.
I'm so thankful for the kindness of this community.
Thank you, Lord, for loving me well.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Friends forever
Although it seems like I graduated college last year, that just isn't the case. And while it sometimes seems that I frequently get to see some of my best friends that I met during those years, that just isn't the case either. Unfortunately, several months and sometimes even a year or more will pass before I get to spend time with friends living out of state.
I cherish getting to reconnect with some of my favorite people, and this past weekend, I had that opportunity. I attended a shower, where I was able to see and catch up with a few girlfriends, and I even got to see my sister (!) who was, by some miracle, just minutes down the road, but I spent most of my time with these beautiful ladies:
When I'm with these two, it's like no time has lapsed since our last reunion.
We stayed up into the wee hours of the morning talking and laughing. Someday, maybe the three of us can live on the same street and pop into each other's kitchens unannounced, but for now, we'll have to take full advantage of the time we can get.
I can tell you story after story involving these gals. Road trips, living together, ski adventures, one-liners… my college experience wouldn't have been the same without these two friends, and they still bring so much joy to my life.
I hadn't yet met this little beauty, who isn't much older than Levi.
And, playing with these sisters made our time even more fun and entertaining.
Lindz and Mindo, I love you both. I'm so thankful for you!
Seated in the gallery of awe: Nefarious film
About this time last year, GP called me over to watch a trailer for a documentary that was about to be released. As I watched the trailer for Nefarious: Merchant of Souls, I had goosebumps. Somewhere in my mind, I had filed away that slavery was not just a thing of the past, but I didn't realize the extent to which it existed today.
Gib researched Exodus Cry, the film's director and any information he could find on the actual content. He wanted to see the film, but that was only possible by finding a venue where the Exodus Cry team was screening it. The nearest venue to us was hours away, so we decided to go ahead and pre-order the DVD to be here in October 2011.
Fast-forward to October 2011, when we received news that the DVD release was postponed due to the huge response the tour was getting internationally. Instead, Exodus Cry decided to do a second screening tour. With that news, hope was planted that maybe, just maybe, Exodus Cry would come to Norman.
With the blessing of our church leadership, we began communicating with the organization, and they accepted our proposal to add Norman to their spring tour. We danced, we rejoiced… and then we began looking at what something of this magnitude would require. It would involve a venue, volunteers, money, publicity and prayer.
We started with prayer, and God, in His kindness, wasted no time in providing us with not one, but two venues for two screening opportunities. He provided money. And then, to our utter amazement, people interested in helping make this thing happen started appearing. When I say that they jumped on board, I mean it. You see, the Lord hadn't just put this film and this issue on our hearts… He was already moving, long before, drawing the hearts of others in the same direction. To Him, of course, but specifically to the issue of human trafficking.
When I think about the way dozens of volunteers have come forward to help with all aspects of this event, I am amazed. It has affirmed for me that when God plants His vision in the hearts of His people, He works out the details. All of them.
When I think about the group of eight people who, for months now, have come together on Friday nights, I tear up. They are mighty prayer warriors, crying out to God, interceding for the victims of trafficking, interceding for this event, worshiping, thanking God for His victory, for His abolitionist plan, for His heart, for His goodness. They come for hours, and we brainstorm, we plan and we connect. During our time together, I am often overwhelmed by God's plan, and how perfectly He puts things, and people, together.
Since finishing our Equip training school last year, I hadn't felt this sense of deep community with a group of people that I didn't see all of the time. Each time we get together, Gib and I are amazed. We love this crew so much, and we hope we get to be part of each other's lives for years to come!
Although a big focus of our time together is preparing for the screening events, we have also gotten to hear firsthand about some of the amazing things happening here in our area to fight trafficking. We have also gotten connected with organizations working internationally, and we are inspired. Our interest was first to see the film, but it's about so much more than a documentary for us now.
We see God's hand in connecting people, we are amazed at the way He works, and it is our joy and passion to be part of the way He is calling His church to live out Isaiah 61:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn in Zion--
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
2
Gib researched Exodus Cry, the film's director and any information he could find on the actual content. He wanted to see the film, but that was only possible by finding a venue where the Exodus Cry team was screening it. The nearest venue to us was hours away, so we decided to go ahead and pre-order the DVD to be here in October 2011.
Fast-forward to October 2011, when we received news that the DVD release was postponed due to the huge response the tour was getting internationally. Instead, Exodus Cry decided to do a second screening tour. With that news, hope was planted that maybe, just maybe, Exodus Cry would come to Norman.
With the blessing of our church leadership, we began communicating with the organization, and they accepted our proposal to add Norman to their spring tour. We danced, we rejoiced… and then we began looking at what something of this magnitude would require. It would involve a venue, volunteers, money, publicity and prayer.
We started with prayer, and God, in His kindness, wasted no time in providing us with not one, but two venues for two screening opportunities. He provided money. And then, to our utter amazement, people interested in helping make this thing happen started appearing. When I say that they jumped on board, I mean it. You see, the Lord hadn't just put this film and this issue on our hearts… He was already moving, long before, drawing the hearts of others in the same direction. To Him, of course, but specifically to the issue of human trafficking.
When I think about the way dozens of volunteers have come forward to help with all aspects of this event, I am amazed. It has affirmed for me that when God plants His vision in the hearts of His people, He works out the details. All of them.
When I think about the group of eight people who, for months now, have come together on Friday nights, I tear up. They are mighty prayer warriors, crying out to God, interceding for the victims of trafficking, interceding for this event, worshiping, thanking God for His victory, for His abolitionist plan, for His heart, for His goodness. They come for hours, and we brainstorm, we plan and we connect. During our time together, I am often overwhelmed by God's plan, and how perfectly He puts things, and people, together.
Since finishing our Equip training school last year, I hadn't felt this sense of deep community with a group of people that I didn't see all of the time. Each time we get together, Gib and I are amazed. We love this crew so much, and we hope we get to be part of each other's lives for years to come!
Although a big focus of our time together is preparing for the screening events, we have also gotten to hear firsthand about some of the amazing things happening here in our area to fight trafficking. We have also gotten connected with organizations working internationally, and we are inspired. Our interest was first to see the film, but it's about so much more than a documentary for us now.
We see God's hand in connecting people, we are amazed at the way He works, and it is our joy and passion to be part of the way He is calling His church to live out Isaiah 61:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn in Zion--
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
2
Friday, March 30, 2012
Modern slavery
Did you know that…
… More than 27 million people are currently enslaved globally? It's more than at any other time in history.
… According to UNICEF, a child is trafficked every 30 seconds.
… Human trafficking occurs in 161 of 192 countries, as reported by the United Nations. They also report that human trafficking is a $32 billion per year industry.
… The average age of entry into commercial sex slavery in the U.S. is 13 years old. (U.S. Dept. of Justice)
Maybe you already knew those facts. Maybe you've never heard them, so you're taking a moment to process that information. I've heard these facts and figures dozens of times in the last year, but I'm still not desensitized. Every time I see these numbers, with every story I hear or read from organizations working in the anti-trafficking movement, my heart breaks. A baby in India, chained to a box in a brothel so that she will grow up accustomed to lack of love, to be easier to manage as a prostitute. Children in Eastern Asia sold into slavery because their family could not afford them. Teenage girls in Oklahoma forced to work as truck stop prostitutes.
If ever we needed a reminder that we live in a fallen world, here it is. The world is full of broken people, the victims and the perpetrators alike. Corruption abounds, even within the organizations created to protect and rescue the victims. The thief is killing, stealing, destroying (John 10:10). But the thief isn't victorious.
Praise God that He is good. Praise God that He is rescuing, He is healing, and He is equipping His Church to respond. We are the hands and feet! Micah 6:8 is one of our favorite verses: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Amidst all of the heartbreaking stories, I also hear stories of redemption and restoration. God is drawing people to Himself.
I'm thankful that this global injustice is becoming more and more discussed both in general society and in the church body, and even CNN now has The Freedom Project on their Web site.
We are thrilled that in just over two weeks, an organization we deeply respect, Exodus Cry, is coming to Norman to screen their critically acclaimed, award-winning documentary, Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. If you are in the Norman/OKC area, please consider coming to this free event. You can find more information at http://nefariousdocumentary.com. If you aren't in the area, their tour is happening across the country, so look to see if they are coming to a venue near you.
Human trafficking is a terrible thing. It is humanity at its worst. But, there is Hope in the One who creates, who sees, who loves, who rescues. He invites us to be part of what He is doing. Please take time to learn more about this issue and consider how you can be involved. Be part of a movement that changes lives!
… More than 27 million people are currently enslaved globally? It's more than at any other time in history.
… According to UNICEF, a child is trafficked every 30 seconds.
… Human trafficking occurs in 161 of 192 countries, as reported by the United Nations. They also report that human trafficking is a $32 billion per year industry.
… The average age of entry into commercial sex slavery in the U.S. is 13 years old. (U.S. Dept. of Justice)
Maybe you already knew those facts. Maybe you've never heard them, so you're taking a moment to process that information. I've heard these facts and figures dozens of times in the last year, but I'm still not desensitized. Every time I see these numbers, with every story I hear or read from organizations working in the anti-trafficking movement, my heart breaks. A baby in India, chained to a box in a brothel so that she will grow up accustomed to lack of love, to be easier to manage as a prostitute. Children in Eastern Asia sold into slavery because their family could not afford them. Teenage girls in Oklahoma forced to work as truck stop prostitutes.
If ever we needed a reminder that we live in a fallen world, here it is. The world is full of broken people, the victims and the perpetrators alike. Corruption abounds, even within the organizations created to protect and rescue the victims. The thief is killing, stealing, destroying (John 10:10). But the thief isn't victorious.
Praise God that He is good. Praise God that He is rescuing, He is healing, and He is equipping His Church to respond. We are the hands and feet! Micah 6:8 is one of our favorite verses: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Amidst all of the heartbreaking stories, I also hear stories of redemption and restoration. God is drawing people to Himself.
I'm thankful that this global injustice is becoming more and more discussed both in general society and in the church body, and even CNN now has The Freedom Project on their Web site.
We are thrilled that in just over two weeks, an organization we deeply respect, Exodus Cry, is coming to Norman to screen their critically acclaimed, award-winning documentary, Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. If you are in the Norman/OKC area, please consider coming to this free event. You can find more information at http://nefariousdocumentary.com. If you aren't in the area, their tour is happening across the country, so look to see if they are coming to a venue near you.
Human trafficking is a terrible thing. It is humanity at its worst. But, there is Hope in the One who creates, who sees, who loves, who rescues. He invites us to be part of what He is doing. Please take time to learn more about this issue and consider how you can be involved. Be part of a movement that changes lives!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Speak life
I'm taking a little break from the "gallery" series, as I recently read a post that stirred my heart. The author, a singer/songwriter and book author, is preparing for the birth of her first child. She wrote this post while reflecting on her pregnancy.
As a mom, I do tend to read articles and posts on the subject of motherhood. However, her words struck a cord much deeper than just thinking about my own pregnancy with Levi.
Her message? Speak LIFE. In a world where, generally speaking, women strive to be pretty and thin and well-thought of, we are quick to criticize ourselves. We are easily duped into believing lies about our value, our worth, and what we have to offer. And when we criticize ourselves, even in self-depricating humor, we can indirectly criticize those we love, too.
I've been posting quite a bit of Scripture in the last few posts. The Truth within it not only speaks about life, but it gives life like no other words in existence. I'm so thankful for that. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." The devil is pretty good at that. He comes only to do that. He brings fear and deceit and insecurity. And I think a lot of times, unknowingly, we agree with him.
But the verse doesn't end there. It continues, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Jesus gives LIFE. Abundant life. He paid the price for all of the darkness, all of the negativity, all of the lies, all of the sin. And then He defeated the thief. His resurrection brought life for you, for me, for every other woman (and man), for every child.
Our words are a choice, you know? We choose to speak words of life or words of death, over ourselves and over other people.
I want my son to know that he is loved by his parents and family, and by His Heavenly Father, who knit him together (Psalm 139), who takes great delight in him and rejoices over him with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). And not only are those things true for Levi, they're true for me, too. And they're true for you.
Here's an excerpt from the article:
I think these things are important to remember while pregnant, yes, but I don't think it starts or stops there. Speaking life is really a lifetime decision. Our words have power and they count… so let's make them count.
As a mom, I do tend to read articles and posts on the subject of motherhood. However, her words struck a cord much deeper than just thinking about my own pregnancy with Levi.
Her message? Speak LIFE. In a world where, generally speaking, women strive to be pretty and thin and well-thought of, we are quick to criticize ourselves. We are easily duped into believing lies about our value, our worth, and what we have to offer. And when we criticize ourselves, even in self-depricating humor, we can indirectly criticize those we love, too.
I've been posting quite a bit of Scripture in the last few posts. The Truth within it not only speaks about life, but it gives life like no other words in existence. I'm so thankful for that. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." The devil is pretty good at that. He comes only to do that. He brings fear and deceit and insecurity. And I think a lot of times, unknowingly, we agree with him.
But the verse doesn't end there. It continues, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Jesus gives LIFE. Abundant life. He paid the price for all of the darkness, all of the negativity, all of the lies, all of the sin. And then He defeated the thief. His resurrection brought life for you, for me, for every other woman (and man), for every child.
Our words are a choice, you know? We choose to speak words of life or words of death, over ourselves and over other people.
I want my son to know that he is loved by his parents and family, and by His Heavenly Father, who knit him together (Psalm 139), who takes great delight in him and rejoices over him with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). And not only are those things true for Levi, they're true for me, too. And they're true for you.
Here's an excerpt from the article:
I can’t even count the number of times I’ve overheard a mom speaking death over her body and her baby. ”This thing inside of me is making me fat….” or “I’m a heifer because of this dang pregnancy…” or “If I can just get this thing out of me…”
Your baby feels, hears, and responds to every single thing you do as a mother. Talk about massive accountability and responsibility. The babies know when they’re unwanted…they know when you’re depressed. They hear when you blame them for feeling ugly or fat…even though you think they might not understand…their spirits hear and feel EVERYTHING.
Even if I had a moment of panic when my jeans didn’t fit anymore, or when my ankles started to swell, or the 3 months I laid in bed because of morning sickness…I held myself accountable to what I chose to SPEAK over my body and my child…and I NEVER agreed with negative emotions. Ever. I never wanted my beautiful boy to hear that it was his fault that I felt a certain way, or that I was disappointed or angry…or just wanted it all to be over with.
I think these things are important to remember while pregnant, yes, but I don't think it starts or stops there. Speaking life is really a lifetime decision. Our words have power and they count… so let's make them count.
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