I am the development director of Wings of Refuge (WOR) http://www.wingsofrefuge.net/ . I recently
finished speaking engagements for the year.
Doors opened from amazing people who are willing to look at hard facts.
Sobering statistics.
Darkness.
People unwilling to let it remain just that; numbers, facts,
statistics.
People who were willing to, one by one, believe that they in
fact can do something to shine light on the darkness of 27,000,000 slaves in
our world today.
Over 25 times this year, without asking a soul, Iowa has
invited the message of heartbreak to the issue of sex trafficking into their
community, church, circle of influence, organization to over 1,500 people. But it didn't end there with a message of
heartbreak.
The message was…
Overwhelming.
It scared some of you.
It burdened you.
It angered you.
But you didn't let it end there.
The uncomfortable state lead to a burning motivation in so
many.
Which produced action.
Caused light to shine.
It lead to so much more…
296 days of offering exploitation to be ended for one more
girl
408 safe nights for participants at WOR
10 trained volunteers rolling up their sleeves to get in the
messy beauty of suffering
7 staff to aid in consistent restorative and sharing in
suffering efforts
12 monthly donors
1,166 followers on social media
262 people committed to pray as they receive our monthly
prayer letter
6 networked professionals that provide specialized services
for participants
3 moms who over the course of one month empowered their
community to make a home beautiful and designed beauty for the ashes in a
tangible way
1 family who purchased a home and rented it back to our organization
at a reduced rate
221+ one time financial donors
2 precious and beautiful young women gaining their diploma
1 woman completing her first semester of college
And because of this other organizations from around the
country called and asked us…
”What is your marketing plan?”
“What are you doing to gain so much support ?”
Our marketing plan?…
Love.
And Following.
The one who Loved
first.
I’m sorry American culture myself included; I cannot attach
the strategic plan that was the first step to action.
But looking back the plan was there.
I can only speak for myself and I would love for anyone to
comment on what propelled them to take action, be involved whether with a few
dollars or their whole live because it all matters greatly, none more than
others…
The plan began with a call…
To know my Maker
To know His power
To share in His suffering; the things he had on his mind as
he willingly hung on the cross
And that is what I did, what so many did.
Philippians 3:10,11 says
it best…” I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing
of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection
from the dead.”
|
There has to be a walking in to the
suffering.
First our own.
Through the redemptive power of the
cross coming in with unmatchable grace to overcome the death in us. Then an
invitation to share in the suffering…
To become friends with God.
Some translations use this phrase
in Philippians 3:10; the fellowship of sharing in his suffering. Fellowship can be defined as : friendly association, especially with people who share one's
interests, companionship, mutual support, pursuing a shared interest or aim,
club, alliance, a brotherhood, a union, a comradeship.
What an honor to know that we can be in a union, a
brother/sisterhood, an alliance with the God of the universe to share in
suffering.
Does that mean we all sit around crying and feeling
sorry for bad things with God.
Yes.
For a time. We
need to have our hearts broken. Our
skin needs to become thinned until we can feel the suffering with Him. But we do not remain there. Where it can so
often feel like death. The humanity
and evil of the world should sink in so deeply that death would be inviting
and that is when we experience it.
Resurrection.
From the dead.
The light over takes the darkness. The tides turn as the sons and
daughters of the Most High King join the alliance of God to share in
suffering and instead of the darkness being feared we in fact, with the
resurrection in us, become the ones that are to be feared. We are the ones
who are now dangerous to the darkness because we have overcome the fear of
suffering, of sharing suffering. We
have walked out of complacency, comfort, and the mediocrity religion offers. We
have walked into kingdom agenda that offends evil, makes demons tremble, and
overtakes darkness. Sure our humanity
will often want to run back into the safety net of the control of the comfortable
life we once lived but then we see it.
The Glory of the Lord.
New Life.
Resurrection.
Even if only a glimmer.
In a question of what if I could overcome? In a smile. In a head lifting off a pillow
yet another day. In a sacred time of
affirming a tattered spirit. In a weary
warrior unwilling to give up on love and overcoming when it seems to be
unwanted. In laugh out loud, let it go, moments. In yet a brave second to almost cry a tear.
This cycle of suffering- turned love action- turned resurrection
propels the body of Christ into motion, into family, into an actual believing
to the outside world that God truly is love.
It’s the only way. Not just
with ending sex trafficking, but with every evil in our culture today. We can remain the ones trembling in the
corner frozen due to the immense beast of evil around us. We can be the hypocritical Pharisee who’s attitude
comes across as judgment due to our fear of the darkness.
Or we can
Acknowledge.
Expose.
The darkness for what it is and then…
Link arms, hearts
and hands to act.
In our own lives…
Who do you need to forgive?
Who do you need to humble yourself with?
Where do you need to be still?
Who do you need to get messy; suffering in transparency with
today?
Where do you not trust God, have you told him?
What passion burns most deeply in your soul and how are
acting on the burning?
In our marriages…
Where are you uncommitted?
Where are you self- protecting?
Where are you lusting elsewhere?
How can you serve in love without expectation?
What new life will produce true intimacy because of
these hard conversations?
In our parenting…
What is the biggest issue in your child’s heart?
How can you suffer with them?
Share your own suffering story with them?
What new life will sprout up?
In our neighborhoods…
Where is the widow?
The orphan?
Where is the need?
Where are hands needed?
In our church…
Can you talk together, why are we here?
Does our worship move the heart of God or are we here to
feel good, look good, and because it’s what we have always done?
Is the truth of the gospel getting out or is it just one
feel good message after another to gain attendance numbers?
Are you wrestling with one another in deep community or
planning the calendar with only fluffy fellowship?
If Christ returned right now would your church be His
bride ready or in a frenzy?
Corporately have you come together to allow God to break
your heart’s to suffering?
If so what fruit has come out of it for His Glory?
Do you authentically love one another?
In our world…
Ending poverty?
The lost dignity for human life?
Loss of honor for authority?
The death of sex being sacred?
The objectification of women?
The lack of respect for men?
How can suffering in this lead to new life?
What revival and new life could come from walking into
the suffering in these areas?
Maybe you are saying sure but I am only one. For just one minute let’s turn the table
and say you are the other one. The one
living in slavery. In poverty. Unwanted.
Unknown. Unnamed. What would you want you to do?
I don’t know how God will move and stir your heart. I don’t know what your gifting passions and
abilities are. I don’t know the state
of your calendar or your bank account or your health or the thoughts that go
through your mind. But you do, and it’s
in there. That one thing that you are
called to do.
Do it.
Sure it might seem crazy, unattainable, and a faraway
dream but so did a restoration home for survivors of sex trafficking to me a
little over a year ago. The only thing I did was say Yes to suffering. Say no to being ok with 27,000,000 slaves
in the world, God did the rest…
You don’t have to do it all.
Just do your part.
Do something
And the something from all of us can lead to ending
slavery for one more girl until there are no more…
We are just warming up, it has been a whirlwind of God
producing fruit year, but we are just beginning to see how light can overcome.
This is exciting!
How are you in?
Think about your part as you watch this video produced by Love146...
|
