Gracefully Grounded: 2012

Imagine yourself being bought and sold to satisfy the sexual pleasures of other humans. If we say that we’d never let this happen to ourselves, then why do we let it continue to happen to others?

In our world today, there are 27 million people being sexually exploited. Despite oblivion, America is one of about 160 countries involved with human trafficking. However, it is rarely talked about.

Perhaps you’ve heard these facts before…perhaps not. No matter the level of education you've had on this truth, I encourage you to come to the “Sex+Money” documentary showing tomorrow night, Friday, February 17. It will be playing on James Madison University’s campus in Wilson Hall starting at 7pm.

As stated on their website, “ ‘Sex+Money: A National Search for Human Worth’ is a feature length documentary that follows this group of journalists as they travel in an RV for a second journey, this time across the United States, seeking to understand how the sexual exploitation of children has become the nation's fastest growing form of organized crime and what can be done to stop it.”

Lets continue to educate ourselves so that we can take action and bring awareness to others.

Lets be encouraged by God’s promise.

[He] hears the desire of the afflicted; [He] encourages them, and [he] listens to their cry.”

–Psalm 10:17

Lets do all we can to “seek justice [and] defend the oppressed.”-Isaiah 1:17

See you tomorrow night!

Make sure to stop by Shenandoah Valley Justice Initiative's table to hear more about upcoming events in the local community, ways you can get involved, and the new SVJI-JMU organization being started!

I just recently returned from the Passion conference and I've never been so empowered to do my part in bringing justice to this world. Forty-two thousand students filled the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia not knowing the heart transformation to come. We were brought into awareness on a certain injustice currently happening in not only Atlanta, but around the globe.

Did you know that there are currently 27 million slaves in our world today? That's more slaves then EVER before. In fact, Atlanta, GA is the number one city in our nation for sex-trafficking. Locally and globally, these enslaved victims of sex-trafficking are loosing their feeling of worth and freedom. Their desire to live is lessening as they are experiencing Hell on Earth. As Francis Chan mentioned in one of his talks at Passion 2012, this injustice is essentially "children being raped." Harsh, but true. I encourage you to watch and read here as CNN reports on ending modern-day slavery.

This injustice raises up different emotions in different people. That's because we all have a different part to play. Some people may feel led to put on a bullet suit, knock down a door, and save a victim. Some may feel a call to raise continual awareness of this injustice through use of words, film, or photography. However, some may feel too uncomfortable while watching a film on this injustice or hearing the non-censored personal stories. I say, SEEK, ACCEPT, and EMBRACE uncomfortably because YOU have a role to play in this injustice. Sacrifice your own uncomfortably for the sake of at least one victim receiving rescue and restoration based on your action.

No matter where your heart is feeling led, there is one thing that every single person can do. PRAY.

We must join together as one body to PRAY for a END of slavery. If everyone does their part, slavery CAN and WILL end in our time. Believe it. Pursue it.

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. -Isaiah 17:1