Guilt-Free Gratitude

Indian Nomad - National Geographic

Sometimes we are "guilted" into gratefulness by exposure to people who own less than us or are in more pain. The contrast principle can be helpful in realizing the preciousness of our gifts, but surely there has to be a way for us to value what we have been given due to its own merits. My family is a gift because of who they are, not because other people's families are abusive or neglectful. My creature comforts are a gift whether or not I ever realize the depth of other people's poverty.

Today I am grateful for:

-supernatural grace

-living in safety

-mobility

-literacy

-loving friends and family

Putting the Pieces Together

In the past week and a half, I have driven to San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Agoura Hills, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Thousand Oaks, La Verne, and Pasadena. Whoosh!

As many of you have heard, in August I resigned my position with Joni and Friends. After a couple of months of respite, I began volunteering part-time as the Ministry Relations Director for Hope Rising, a brand-new nonprofit combating human trafficking in the 805 area. Yes, it is discouraging and draining to fight human rights violations, but I absolutely love focusing my energy and attention on helping people suffering from violent oppression. It has been inspiring and educating to meet law enforcement, social service workers, and victim advocates likewise laboring in abolitionism.

What is your passion? What is your "treasure in the field"--the thing you would sell everything to obtain?

Speaking of which, I am still looking for part-time work to supplement my thrift store shopping compulsion and other odds and ends like food and healthcare. Connect with me on LinkedIn and/or let me know if you have any leads. I'm not sure exactly what the future will look like, but every week brings another piece to the shape. The cause of justice is always worth our best.

What Every Woman Wants

This Wednesday Hope Rising gave a human trafficking awareness and safety presentation to a local high school. I presented on a general description of human trafficking as well as internet safety. Friends, I know more than I ever wanted to know about the ways sexual predators target and lure children. Sadly, there are many more perverted tactics, jargon, and avenues of which I am unaware. The good news is that several hundred more high school students have now been warned that flashing a webcam or sending nude pictures of themselves is more stupid than sexy, given all the ways online predators will exploit the images.

So, what's with the title of this post? Well, in thinking about exploitation, I have also been ruminating on the heart of a woman. Every girl and woman wants to be desired and chosen for herself, to the exclusion of all others, past, present, and future. We want to be beautiful because it is part of being captivating, enchanting, desirable. We want to be special. And while some women use their beauty to manipulate, I am convinced that every woman began with the unspoken cry of "choose me". Sadly, many women are "chosen" for their bodies alone. They are abused and exploited for their flesh--their shell. Some are tricked or trapped into exploitation, but many girls quickly offer up their bodies in the hopes of at least feeling personally desired and chosen. 

People's lives can be crushed in a moment. Injury seems far easier than healing. Perhaps this is why healing is ultimately more powerful. It is stronger. More resilient. Determined. Healing can come through time alone, but more often it comes through relationships with men and women who patiently appreciate and celebrate the uniqueness of a person. People who say: we desire to be your friend. We chose you. Be a part of our lives and our community.

The Bible says that the God of the universe chose to come dwell with helpless, broken people. He was willing to be broken. He is willing to be our provider and healer. When we think about protecting and healing women's hearts, our strongest resource should be the One who crafted who them.

The End of Today - The End of Slavery

This past week I have been working on Hope Rising projects, graduate school applications, and job searching. I spoke recently with a friend who self-initiated a similar revamp of his circumstances. He shared that it is easier to jump into an entirely new set of circumstances that are generally uncomfortable than to try to be slightly uncomfortable with one new change at a time. It's just too easy to return to comfort when you are a little bit uncomfortable with a new change. This was certainly the case for me this past August, and despite the discomfort of not having a scheduled plan or income, I am incredibly happy to be focusing on abolitionism.

Much of today has been spent sitting in my new home office (thanks, Brother) looking through material about human trafficking. Despite the tragic reality of this brutal industry, at the end of today I am reminded that rescue is possible. Prevention is possible. Even healing is possible. Here is a brief montage from "The End of Slavery" by the International Justice Mission that summarizes both the urgent need and the hope.

Who do you see?

Regarding a studly man...

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as a man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

It's a Conspiracy!

"The day I became an abolitionist"

The paradox of human existence--everyone is born into the same story line but experiences a unique plot and setting. During a period of transition, I have been looking to other abolitionists for inspiration. Kevin Bales is the author of Disposable People and the founder of Free the Slaves. Here is the three minute version of the day he became an abolitionist.

What inspires you? Has it changed you yet?

Teenage Tom

Sometimes I amuse myself by thinking of organizations in terms of human development: baby, child, teen, young adult, and so on.

Today it seems that Tom's Shoes might be moving past its hip teen years. Instead of sticking with the BOGO (buy one, give one) model of selling shoes, it is beginning to create jobs in the countries it claims to serve, starting with Haiti. 

Here is a quick article by the founder of Hope International, an organization promoting microenterprise.

Central Coast Crime

Think human trafficking isn't happening in your neighborhood? Think again. Central Coast news reports in this four minute piece -- and also plugs the Justice Summit!

Amazon Smile

Did you know that Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchases to a charity of your choice? See picture below.

Why I am applying for a master's in social work

Preamble to the Code of Ethics, National Association of Social Workers

The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well­being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual well­being in a social context and the well­being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.

Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients. “Clients” is used inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice. These activities may be in the form of direct practice, community organizing, supervision, consultation administration, advocacy, social and political action, policy development and implementation, education, and research and evaluation. Social workers seek to enhance the capacity of people to address their own needs. Social workers also seek to promote the responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other social institutions to individuals’ needs and social problems.

The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values, embraced by social workers throughout the profession’s history, are the foundation of social work’s unique purpose and perspective:

• service
• social justice
• dignity and worth of the person
• importance of human relationships
• integrity
• competence.

This constellation of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession. Core values, and the principles that flow from them, must be balanced within the context and complexity of the human experience.