God is good! I'm just going to start there.
So this week has been pretty tough on my heart. God keeps revealing to me the brokeness here in Brookings and my only response is to break down, cry and pray. Tonight was no exception.
Tonight we had a bonfire for ISF (International Student Fellowship). I wasn't planning on attending, but got off work early and decided to go...and I am so glad I did. On the way out there (it was at a lake about 20 minutes from Brookings) I was crying and praying through others brokeness, my own brokenness, and my own fears. Upon arriving at the bonfire, much of this began to leave. I saw people who I had not seen in awhile. There had to be about 20 people there, from at least 10 different nations (I'm pretty sure it's more... I'm pretty bad at guessing these types of things). And this was the first time I've seen a lot of them in a while... since like Jan/Feb... too long!!:) :) :)
We sat around the bonfire, roasting marshmallows, potatos, corn and steak (a student from Germany came prepared!:) ) fellowshipping, talking, and learning about each other. Then, one student from Africa began to sing. As she sang she began to sway as she was sitting, until finally it was apparent she needed to dance! After some encouragement from the crowd, she drove her car up, started playing some african music and began to dance with 4 others. Two of us were American, one German, and one from Japan, plus the african student. What a sight to see!!! Of course us whitey's have no rythm.... but we tried! :) And then somehow this turned into a huge dance around the campfire as the others began to join in, singing, laughing, and dancing, fellowshipping and just enjoying each other's company and presence.
As I reflect on this night now, it's amazing to me that this took place. How many times during your life do you get to dance around a campfire with Africans, Asians, Europeans, South Americans and North Americas? And the best part? It was praise and worship music!!!! I learned some African words for praise (which I won't attempt to butcher now), learned some dance steps (although they had to go VERY basic with me), and grew deeper in some relationships that I truly do cherish.
What started off as a night of crying was turned into a night of praise and thanksgiving. And that's where it hit me, smack in the face. THIS is who I am and what I'm made for. I'm made to praise Jesus. And for me, joy is found through learning how others do, and joining along. I love to embrace other cultures, other people, other languages....and then add Christ in there and BAM! THAT is what I want to do. I want to bring Christ and His love to others, but I also want to LEARN about Christ and His love from others because their insight, their lives, and their spirit, passion and fire has so much to offer me, you know? I know that God has me here in Brookings for a purpose and I rejoice in this, but I also look forward to the day He calls me over seas more permanantly (if He does).
To those of you who were there and part of this tonight.. THANK YOU! And to you Jesus, THANK YOU! Thank you Abba for your Spirit and for the spirit of praise and fellowship you placed in us tonight Father. Thank you for your glory, for your love and for the opportunity to get to know these people from all over the world, while being right here in Brookings. Thank you for the blessing each is to my life, and the joy and insight they bring me Father. Thank you for their willingness to share their culture and their lives, even when it may be uncomfortable. Thank you for their energy and life.
Thank you for the willingness of a certain American to plan these too, and to devote herself fulheartedly, in good and bad.
And thanks for providing. You knew what my heart needed for healing and you gave that to me tonight in the most unexpected way. Thank you! I love you God....you are good!!!!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The love of a Father
The other night I was invited to Madison, South Dakota to speak on Human Trafficking, an issue that God has completely broken my heart over. We watched a documentary while I was there entitled "Not For Sale." In this documentary, it relays the devestation of human trafficking around the world and once again my heart was completely broken for these victims, these voiceless, powerless people.
"Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed—and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. (Ecclesiastes 4:1)."
My heart broke for the women, children and men trapped in this. The pain and agony they experience on a daily basis is excruciating. In fact, one woman said that she would rather die and go to hell because that would be better than the life she currently had. Many of these women are forced to have sex with anywhere from 15-50 men each night. Others are forced into labor, and still others forced into being soldiers. But the part that broke my heart the most, was what took place with children prostitution.
One part of the documentary showed a man (undercover) asking pimps how much it cost for boom boom (sex) and yum yum (oral sex) with a child while the children (girls from ages 12 and under) were there in front of him, telling him they do the best yum yum. I'm talking a room full of children, at least 10-15. You then watch this man pay a police officer in order to ensure he's not arrested. As I was watching this part of the video, my heart broke so much and my instinct was to turn away and not accept it. As I began to turn my head away, God broke through to me. I never turn my eyes away. In the midst of sin, torture and pain in these precious children's lives, God's always got His eyes on them. This perfect, holy, good being who cannot tolerate evil NEVER takes His eyes off of these precious people, nor does He take His eyes off of the men who takes advantage of these children. He doesn't look at the men as evil vile creatures, but as children He longs to love who due to the sin and evil in the world have been so twisted and hardened against what is good and pure and true. They're imprisoned as well, to their sexual lusts and desires. They themselves are enslaved to the beast.
I never turn my eyes away. Yet how often do we turn our eyes away, refusing to look at things in life that are just too hard? How often do we ignore the injustice that takes place in the world, in our nation and even in our own backyard? Either it's inconvinient or we just don't want to go there. Praise God that He never looks away but rather is always there for us. Praise God that He chooses to love us beyond pain, beyond sin, beyond injustice, but above all chooses to love us and is working to bring justice..true justice which is redeeming what was broken. Praise God that this is who He is and how He loves. And OH! How He loves us!
I never turn my eyes away. God is watching you. And not in the creepy "don't do something wrong cuz God is watching you" or "Big brother is watchig you" type way. But God's eyes are on you because you are his precious, precious child and He loves you. No matter where you are in life right now, whatever hurts, pain, or secrets you have, God knows them and cares for them because He cares for you! He loves you so deeply and unrelentlessly. Turn your eyes toward Him. He will not disappoint, but will reach out with open, loving arms. Jesus is not what we have made Him out to be... controling, two-faced, and cold. No! Those things are how religion has painted him to be. But in His word He is loving, faithful, and tender, reaching out time and time again, loving and dining with those who love him, who hate him, who want to kill him and who will ultimately betray him, and yet He loves them unconditionally and does not turn them away. If you need a friend....Jesus is there...
"Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed—and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. (Ecclesiastes 4:1)."
My heart broke for the women, children and men trapped in this. The pain and agony they experience on a daily basis is excruciating. In fact, one woman said that she would rather die and go to hell because that would be better than the life she currently had. Many of these women are forced to have sex with anywhere from 15-50 men each night. Others are forced into labor, and still others forced into being soldiers. But the part that broke my heart the most, was what took place with children prostitution.
One part of the documentary showed a man (undercover) asking pimps how much it cost for boom boom (sex) and yum yum (oral sex) with a child while the children (girls from ages 12 and under) were there in front of him, telling him they do the best yum yum. I'm talking a room full of children, at least 10-15. You then watch this man pay a police officer in order to ensure he's not arrested. As I was watching this part of the video, my heart broke so much and my instinct was to turn away and not accept it. As I began to turn my head away, God broke through to me. I never turn my eyes away. In the midst of sin, torture and pain in these precious children's lives, God's always got His eyes on them. This perfect, holy, good being who cannot tolerate evil NEVER takes His eyes off of these precious people, nor does He take His eyes off of the men who takes advantage of these children. He doesn't look at the men as evil vile creatures, but as children He longs to love who due to the sin and evil in the world have been so twisted and hardened against what is good and pure and true. They're imprisoned as well, to their sexual lusts and desires. They themselves are enslaved to the beast.
I never turn my eyes away. Yet how often do we turn our eyes away, refusing to look at things in life that are just too hard? How often do we ignore the injustice that takes place in the world, in our nation and even in our own backyard? Either it's inconvinient or we just don't want to go there. Praise God that He never looks away but rather is always there for us. Praise God that He chooses to love us beyond pain, beyond sin, beyond injustice, but above all chooses to love us and is working to bring justice..true justice which is redeeming what was broken. Praise God that this is who He is and how He loves. And OH! How He loves us!
I never turn my eyes away. God is watching you. And not in the creepy "don't do something wrong cuz God is watching you" or "Big brother is watchig you" type way. But God's eyes are on you because you are his precious, precious child and He loves you. No matter where you are in life right now, whatever hurts, pain, or secrets you have, God knows them and cares for them because He cares for you! He loves you so deeply and unrelentlessly. Turn your eyes toward Him. He will not disappoint, but will reach out with open, loving arms. Jesus is not what we have made Him out to be... controling, two-faced, and cold. No! Those things are how religion has painted him to be. But in His word He is loving, faithful, and tender, reaching out time and time again, loving and dining with those who love him, who hate him, who want to kill him and who will ultimately betray him, and yet He loves them unconditionally and does not turn them away. If you need a friend....Jesus is there...
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