Picking up the Armor.

Yesterday, I saw this video... and my world was rocked. I ever so innocently walked into my university gym expecting a night of worship and community before my Jesus. But instead, God chose to open my eyes to the most hideous sin I could ever imagine~ Sex Trafficking. Selling young girls for sex. Immediately, my heart was broken. Broken. Shattered for these girls. I sat in my seat, overcome by the reality that AS I was sitting in the gym, girls were being victimized. Later, as I drove home, girls were being victimized. As my dear friend and I prayed together against this evil, girls were being victimized. As I write this today, girls are being victimized. Abused, tortured, scarred.

Injustice.

I have to do something. I cannot stand before the Maker of the universe someday and say, "Yes, Jesus. I knew... but I didn't do anything." I don't know what this is going to look like. But I DO know that I was made keenly aware yesterday of what my life is worth. It's worth NOTHING unless I'm living it for Jesus, and Jesus alone. I could live the most "cookie-cutter" life in the world~ nursing school, get married, make babies, raise the babies, grow old with my love~ but did I spend my time in pursuit of holiness, striving to bring heaven to earth and further His kingdom? I absolutely still want these things. The nursing degree, the husband, the children. But I know now that life will not be spent on my couch. I will be doing something. Because we are CALLED to be spreaders of His Word. I have a deep, aching desire to aid in the efforts to bring God's daughters out of this slavery. I don't know if that means giving up school, giving up the comforts of America, or simply posting a blog to raise awareness. I don't know... yet. But I DO know that I want to dream GOD'S dreams for my life. No more wasted resolutions, and fickle friendships. I will live with purpose.

The “Believe in Me” music video contains an accurate depiction of what five hundred thousand precious girls are having to endure. I sat and viewed the “Believe in Me” music video, and with everything in me, wanted to sprint out of the room. The reason I stayed, the reason I watched, the reason others need to do the same is quite simple. A picture is worth a thousand words. I had to endure brief seconds of graphic scenes, while the actual victims live out that reality every.single.day. Innocent, helpless children that are being bought and sold for sex have to endure being raped and sexually assaulted every 30 minutes of almost every hour of every day until they are rescued. It is a good thing that this video makes me uncomfortable. The fact is, it SHOULD. This cruelty is happening every day, to children. This video gives you a very real visual of what these children are being exposed to. If the video were not so specific, would the viewer get the message that this is an evil like no other? This evil needs to be exposed. These children need to be rescued. This video provides a spotlight on these crimes so that there are no more shadows for this evil to lurk in. The children that are victims of these crimes do not have a choice.

How much longer will we as Christians continue to bury our heads in the sand because an issue makes us uncomfortable? How comfortable was Christ when He was dying for us on the cross? I think now is the time for Christians to come together and send a very loud and clear message that we are not going to continue to turn our heads.

I DO have hope to share. It's very simple.

God has already won this war. We get to claim victory because Christ is BIGGER than ANY injustice we may face in the world around us. Let's join in the battle. Whether it be to provide clean drinking water for those who don't have it, speaking truth into the life of a pregnant teenager wanting to abort her precious baby, or feeding the hungry... He has equipped us with the armor. Join me. Let's pick it up and press on into the battle field.

Humbly thanking God for His goodness and His Sovereignty in ALL things,
Alyssa