10,000 Hits.

Wow! You guys it's crazy to believe the blog is at 10,000 hits! But it's even crazier to believe what has happened in my life and the lives of those around me in the time I've been blogging. The posts you find here are a mix from at least 3 of my different blogs throughout the years... so there's lots to journey through.

Looking back at the last 4+ years of blogging I've done has been like reading a well-worn journal or perhaps going through a box of old letters and notes. I've been reminded of all that God has done in my life since the beginning of my sophomore year of college.

He has used Narnia more than once [here and here] to teach me more about himself.

He has allowed me to look back in order to look ahead.

He has walked me through fears.

He has shown me what contentment looks like.

He has been patient in His communications with me.

He has taught me about contentment, AGAIN. :)

He has shown me what's important.

He has been working on my bitterness.

He has been teaching me about brokenness. [Mine and others']

He has asked me questions and asked me to ask Him. 

God has done SO much! And that's just a glimpse! There's plenty more to read if that all doesn't convince you! :) And I have just been along for the ride. The beautiful, unexpected, hard, but oh-so-worth-it ride!

My life is nothing like I planned and far more than I dreamed.

Let me leave you with this whimsical quote.

"There is only one invitation it would kill me to refuse, yet I'm tempted to turn it down all the time. I get the invitation every morning when I wake up to actually live a life of complete engagement, a life of whimsy, a life of love does. It doesn't come in an envelope. It's ushered in by a sunrise, the sound of a bird, or the smell of coffee drifting lazily from the kitchen. It's the invitation to actually live, to fully participate in this amazing life for one more day... I think every day God sends us an invitation to live and sometimes we forget to show up or get head-faked into thinking we haven't really been invited. But you see, we have been invited -- every day, all over again."
-Bob Goff, Love Does

Freedom Friday: Stop the Candy Shop

It's been awhile since I've done a 'Freedom Friday' but I figured what a fitting time as we just celebrated the 4th of July. Independence Day. How blessed I felt yesterday as I had the freedom to hike, get lunch at Applebees, take a nap, learn more about Human Trafficking, and watch fireworks over the lake. I felt blessed because I know there are way too many people out there who do not have that freedom, and many- millions- due to the sex slave trade.

Last night before the fireworks we watched Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. It was my third time seeing the documentary [I wrote about it here] and it still impacted me just as much as the first time seeing it. Afterwards we had a pastor and his wife here in the Dells talk to us about their experience dealing with human trafficking as they've traveled the world, as well as the trafficking that is going on right here in the Wisconsin Dells.

The night was both heart-wrenching and hopeful, as the Gospel of Christ was proclaimed and as we cried upon His power and salvation for these many souls, His precious children.

The church that we had this event at supports Stop the Candy Shop, an initiative by Street Grace Ministries, an organization out of Atlanta, GA (the 3rd top trafficking city in the WORLD, by the way) that fights against the exploitation of children in the sex trade.

I stumbled upon Stop the Candy Shop a couple years ago when they were just coming out with their film, The Candy Shop. This film is a fairytale/parable about the child sex trafficking epidemic in Atlanta and all over the world. It is dark and disturbing (how could it be anything else, based on it's topic?), but also very well done and very thought-provoking.

Here's the trailer, if you're interested. You can view the whole film here. 

Above all else, PRAY. Pray for these precious, sweet children. Pray for the johns. Pray for the pimps. Pray for hearts to be changed, justice to be served, lives to be saved, and ultimately for God's glory to be known.