Reactions

So tonight at work some comments that were made that really upset me. Jokes and laughs being shared over human trafficking and sex slavery. I have lived through abuse many times. It makes me so angry to live though holy hell every day praying for either rescue or death only to have someone to make jokes about it. its not funny. Not even a little. Its evil and all sorts of ungodly awful. Don't joke about it. Not ever. Here are some facts...


Human Trafficking

What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking, also known as modern day slavery, is any kind of forced labor. A victim of Human Trafficking is controlled by someone and exploited, or treated unfairly, for his or her work.

How many different kinds of Human Trafficking are there?
To our knowledge, there are more than 4 types of human trafficking, some of which include sex trafficking, child trafficking for sex or hard labor, domestic servitude, and debt bondage. Mostly women, but also some men, are tricked into bondage with seemingly harmless job offers or are kidnapped or sold. Children are kidnapped and/or sold easier than adults because they are usually more gullible and are somewhat easier targets. Victims, especially the younger ones are sometimes sold to Human Traffickers in order to pay off a debt. They try their best to work off that debt so they can be free, but usually have extreme difficulty doing so.

How long has Human Trafficking existed?
Human Trafficking has been around for thousands of years. It started when human civilization began. It became a large and profitable industry for the Ancient Greeks and Romans and continued to exist as one through the medieval times and up until this very day.

Where in the world has Human Trafficking existed?
Human Trafficking has existed and still currently exists in 6 of the 7 world continents. We may here stories of human trafficking in other countries and think that it will never happen anywhere near us. However, Human Trafficking is a problem in the United States as much as it is anywhere else. In fact, it is estimated that roughly 14,000 to 18,000 people are trafficked each year in the United States alone.

How many Human Trafficking victims are there in the world today?
There are roughly 27 million victims all over the world today. That is the largest number of victims of Human Trafficking ever recorded. Considering that there are a little over 7 billion people in the world, that means that almost 4% of the world is in bondage.

Other Facts:
Human Trafficking is actually illegal in the world today, but it still occurs all over the world.
The people most subject to Human Trafficking are those who live in poverty or are in debt. They get tricked into taking a loan from the Traffickers and are promised work that will help pay off their loan. They soon find out though that the job they get is not the one they were promised. Whatever work they are forced to do is a lot harder, more abusive and involves very poor conditions.

Still think it's funny or something to joke about? Think twice next time you want to joke about slavery or abuse or rape think about the millions of people right now being used and abused and reconsider what your about to say.

Challenged

Recently I have been struggling a bit with some personal stuff. Today one of my best friends challenged me to make a list of all the things I am thankful for and it was something I thought I would share with  you all! Mind you these things are in no particular order, just how the come to mind :D

1. Being fierce loved by God and knowing him as Lord and Savior of my life
2. Baking Banana bread when I get stressed
3. My absolutely amazing friends that stand by me always, even when they shouldn't
4. Both of my amazing churches. Whether I am in Potsdam or Granville I know there is a the body of Christ waiting for me
5. My job. I may have a messed up eating and sleeping schedule because of it but I am incredibly thankful to have my job right now
6. Writing! Writing has always been an outlet for me and to be able to write (or bake on occasion) has been a blessed relief
7. My Blog here at Just Me and Nothing More and all the people faithfully read each and every new post. It is mad encouraging to see the "number of views" function rocket with each new post.
8. My family. I love them, they drive me crazy and they love me back and that is something that connot be replaced.
9. Heat!!  I hate being cold and I am greatly appreciative to the people who have built the modern day furnace.
10. Last but not least on this list is technology. Being able to communicate so quickly with my friends to share, care, love and encourage has been a life saver.

There you have it folks. 10 things I am thankful for today. I am sure there are more but these came to mind today and now I pass the challenge to you. What are you thankful for?

For a Girl

Ladies. I get it. I do. You think your in love. He sweet talks you. He gives you everything you could ever want. You feel like a princess right? Well it is all fine and great but is he a true upright Christian man? Does he love God more than you? Does he seek to honor you both? If he could never touch you again would you still be in love? Girls here is some hard earned wisdom.The only man worth dating is the one God would have for you. The only man worth your time loves God first and then you. He seeks to honor God and love you. To be a kind and gentle leader. He will never pressure you or push you into anything, ever. There will be no question of your boundaries, he will respect you. If he wouldn't do it in front a pastor he would never dare do it behind closed doors.
 In the words of Kellie Pickler...

Hey, there little home coming queen,
In that back seat.
I bet his brown eyes,
are promising you everything.

I know you want to be just like your friend,
But he'll still love you if you don't give in
If those girls are being honest that have been were you're at,
I bet they'd tell you that they wish they had their innocence back.

Kellie Pickler, Don't You Know You're Beautiful

It's the truth. I gave everything to a man I thought I loved, wanted to spend my with and it was the biggest mistake of my life. I am not saying that with any agenda either. Protect your heart. Save that special moment for the night of your marriage. It is not worth it to give it up anytime before that. I wish I had waited. That's the God's honest truth from someone who has been there.

For those of you who have been there as well Johnny Diaz offers this...

So turn around you're not too far
To back away be who you are
To change your path go another way
It's not too late, you can be saved
If you feel depressed with past regrets
The shameful nights hope to forget
Can disappear, they can all be washed away

By the one who's strong, can right your wrongs
Can rid your fears dry, all your tears
And change the way you look at this big world
He will take your dark distorted view
And with His light, He will show you truth
And again you'll see through the eyes of a little girl

Johnny Diaz, A More Beautiful You

Be true to yourself, honor God, walk with him. 

It's Been a While...

Wow, I cannot believe how long it's been since I last sat down to write. SO much has happened. A whirlwind romance, a big move, more job hunting, meeting my niece for the first time and thats just for starters. Things have been so crazy for so long that I've barely taken time for anything! I read and write when I can, I go to church, I pray and try (sometimes against all odds) to get in my quiet time each day. Really life isn't all that exciting right now. Just settling in at my parents, working on getting myself put back together, letting God heal the hurts of a speedy, crazy, semi-stupid love,  and just day to day life. For once in my  life things are pretty simple. A little chaotic, but simple nonetheless.

A Perfect Way

Sitting around on a rainy day reflecting. So many questions running through my head. So many thing I don't understand or comprehend. Why am I still here? What is the point? How did I make it this far? Who am I? So many things on  heart but that's what it all comes down to in the end. Things on my heart? Oooh my heart! The biggest thing running through my mind right now is why is my heart the way it is?? Why am I so sensitive? Why do things affect me the way they do? It is who I am and I don't understand it. I don't understand this connection I have with God, I don't understand how my emotions can be so entwined with my physical health, I don't understand myself and that drives me crazy! I think to myself that if I can understand it, ouI can wrap my mind around it even a little bit maybe just maybe I can finally get back to feeling like myself. maybe I can have lasting peace and true rest but even if I  did understand I am not entirely convinced that it would change anything. After all I am a chosen child of God, he created me just the way I am for a very specific purpose and so the questions why and how lose a bit of importance. I still wonder about myself though. Maybe it's not so intense now but I do wonder about life and myself. I imagine we all do from time to time. I take great peace in knowing God has it all under control though. At the end of the day God knows what he has done, is doing and what he will do and he only does things in a perfect way.

Daddy Time

Tonight I called my Daddy. I needed to  hear his voice. I miss him so much. We talked for a short while and while we were talking the conversations I had earlier in the day played through my mind and my head and my heart sank. I needed to talk to my earthly father but what about my heavenly father? I hadn't picked up a bible in weeks. God time had been God hitting me over the head with some new important piece of information and then that was it. No conversation, no reading the book he wrote for me. I hung up with my Dad and pulled out a bible. I opened up to 2 Corinthians 6 in the message version. I was surprised at what I saw.
 "Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don’t squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us,

I heard your call in the nick of time;
The day you needed me, I was there to help.

Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we’re doing. Our work as God’s servants gets validated—or not—in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we’re telling the truth, and when God’s showing his power; when we’re doing our best setting things right; when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.

Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!

Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way:


“I’ll live in them, move into them;
I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people.
So leave the corruption and compromise;
leave it for good,” says God.
“Don’t link up with those who will pollute you.
I want you all for myself.
I’ll be a Father to you;
you’ll be sons and daughters to me.”
The Word of the Master, God."

No words. There is was. Right there in black and white. I had been wasting precious time and I hadn't been  very diligent in spending time the way I should and it was catching up to me. But thankfully my God is a God of forgiveness and second chances (unlimited second chances). I curled up to pray and all I could say was "Daddy, just want to spend some time with you. I need my Daddy time. It's been so long." Its been too long. I need to be close to my Daddy. Not just the occasional prayer for a friend, worship on Sunday morning or bible verse to hold myself together. No. I needed something so much deeper than that. I need a relationship and that takes time and work which I am more than willing to give.

Rainy Days

Sometimes I wake up and it's dark in my room. I know it's morning because the clock reads 7:23 so it should be sunny and my apartment should be filled with the suns bright rays but alas it is dark and the pitter patter of rain on the roof tells me one thing.... it's a rainy North Country morning. There is a choice to be made. I was already feeling sluggish and let's be real, there isn't a whole lot you can do a day like this. So I curl up in one of my daddy's old flannel shirts and a pair of running shorts with a movie and a cup of tea. I watch Nanny McPhee and I relax a bit. It is good to rest unwind. There is however laundry on the floor, dishes in the sink and a shower that needs to be cleaned. Just a typical rainy day for me but it's so good, so amazing to able to relax and just enjoy the day. To enjoy life. To take a deep breath and to catch up on life and friends. The best a rainy day could be I suppose.