Resurrection Sunday

I've always been interested in how the meanings of words change over time. Gay started out meaning merry. Silly originally meant blessed. Rosary was a rose garden. Priest used to mean old man. Meat referred to all foods, not just animal flesh.

When there is a misunderstanding, I often wonder if persons are using the same word, but have a different definition in mind. For example, when I was in college, a casual gathering where a boy accompanied a girl was called a date. Today, it's not a date, it's "hanging out." A date today implies something more serious, perhaps even a relationship headed towards some permanency. When I "dated around" in college, it meant that I had lots of male friends and we liked to spend time together as friends. Today, a person who "dates around" is one who has loose morals and leads others to believe there is a relationship when there is not.

For some, Easter has come to mean chocolates, bunnies, egg hunts and family brunch. Therefore, some Christians are now saying "Happy Resurrection" because it is more specific and less like to change meanings in general use.

Traffic used to be what you saw on the highway. Human traffic would have been a busy walkway. Now, it is akin to slavery. We like to think slavery was abolished at the end of the Civil War. However, it simply changed names and went underground.

Let's not get confused by the meanings of words and how they change. Humans are still being bought and sold and used by other humans. Are you using other people for your own gain? Do you treat people less than what they are worth? Ask God to renew your mind and help you recognize the value in each and every human that he has created here on earth.

Is it worth it?

Do you ever wonder if little changes you make in your life will make any difference?

I gave up all carbonated beverages about a year ago, but that was because it was activating my IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome - look it up if you are uniformed). I don't even WANT anything carbonated now that I know how much it wrecks my body and how sick I will be. That made a really big difference in my life and I am so glad I discovered this trigger and eliminated it from my life.

About 5 weeks ago, I decided to join a gym and commit to a more healthy lifestyle. I signed on and had my body fat and muscle mass measured and was given a plan for eating and exercising. I have to admit, I didn't always stick to the plan. The goal was 5 workouts a week. I don't think I ever reached that goal, but I did at least do 3 a week. My eating habits have never been stellar, and they still aren't, but I did at least try to be more healthy in my food choices. It didn't always stick.

Today, I went in for a measurement. I warned my trainer that I tried, but didn't do my best and didn't reach all the goals we had in mind. I did tell her that I felt better and had more energy. I also noticed some of my clothes were getting looser around the waist.

She measured me and said . . .
(May I just say I took a deep breath as I didn't expect much)
You have lost 8 lbs of fat, gained 5 lbs of muscle and have 3% less body fat, 11 pts lost in your thighs and 4 pts lost in the belly

WOW! I guess it is worth it - the early morning workouts, pushing through the pain, sweating, feeling like I'm not doing anything, wondering if it really matters.

This is so true with everything in life. In fighting human trafficking, there may be some dramatic moments, but mostly, the fight is a slow, daily, painful process that doesn't always show results right away. But, we can't give up. We need to keep fighting, sweating, pushing through the barriers, even when we wonder if we are making any difference at all.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Never, ever give up the fight!

Saint Patrick

Why do I celebrate Saint Patrick's Day? It's not because of wearing green to avoid being pinched or drinking green beer (I don't drink alcohol). It's because of the person, Saint Patrick.

Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents. He was trafficked at the age of sixteen to Ireland. He spent six years outdoors as a shepherd, mostly alone. He turned to the Lord during this time and God gave him the strength to survive. God sent him a vision and he walked 200 miles by himself to the Irish coast to escape and return to Britain.

An angel appeared to him in a dream telling him that he was to return to Ireland as a missionary. He spent 15 years in religious training and returned to Ireland after his ordination. Since he was familiar with the culture, he incorporated familiar symbols from the culture into Christianity to help communicate the gospel.

One example of this is his use of the sun, a symbol of life to the Irish, that he incorporated into the crucifix, creating what is now known as the Celtic Cross.

He also used the shamrock, a familiar and symbolic plant for the Irish, to explain the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

It is believed that Saint Patrick died on March 17, the reason this date was chosen on the calendar. It is a day meant for spiritual renewal and praying for missionaries around the world.

Join me in celebrating the real reason for Saint Patrick's Day - celebrating a person who was trafficked and God called him to return as a missionary to minister to the very people who enslaved him.

FWC Mission Week

Tomorrow, February 27, is the first day of Mission week at First Wesleyan Church. Vince and I serve on the Mission Committee and I have been asked to give a "Window on Missions" on the second Sunday. I am very excited to share with my home church of the ministry that God has laid on my heart. If you are interested in hearing how God is working around the world, the main events are:
Sunday morning worship on February 27
Wednesday "Taste of Nations" sampling of food from around the world
Sunday morning worship on March 6

I'll be speaking in the March 6 worship services. FWC has a traditional service at 9:00, a contemporary service at 10:20, and a Spanish-speaking service at 10:30. I will be at all three services.

Thank you for praying for this very important time for our church and for me as I share about my awareness and training ministry to fight human trafficking.

Square peg Round hole

It's not easy for me to fit in. I've always been the one to push the edges, looking for different and better ways to do things. I'm always questioning the reasons behind things and wondering how it could have been done differently so that more could be accomplished. It's how God has created me. When you are always looking to see who is lost, you focus less on the found. When you pay attention to the least, the most can feel slighted. When you choose the last, the first wonders why. When you friend the lonely, the popular feel rejected. When you include the left out, the majority can object. But I cannot stop doing it. Even though people are constantly rubbing their sandpaper against my square peg to try to make me round, I must resist. I cannot change how God has created me just to make people happy. This doesn't mean that I try to upset people or refuse to be kind. On the contrary, I hope that others see me as a person who is always trying to look out for their best interest. Lord, help me to know when to affirm and when to confront, when to give in and when to resist, when to compromise and when to stand firm, when to be quiet and when to speak. Most of all, let it not be me, but you, as you are the only one who can truly make a difference that lasts.

Snow

"And somewhere it's snowing
See the soft drifting down
As the snowflakes surrender
To the hardening ground
Like the good grace of Jesus
That covers our sin
In the kingdom of heaven
It's snowing again."

This song played on the radio when I was a young teen. I believe the artist was Stephanie Bosada. I'm not sure I'm spelling her name right.

Every time it snows, I think about how God makes things beautiful for us and takes care of us. The aftermath of blizzards in Oklahoma is not pretty, but if we focus on the beauty of the white fluffy stuff and remember that God is decorating our world, it makes it easier to enjoy.

It will melt and life will return to "normal." My question to you - do you want "normal" or do you want to make a change? Take this opportunity to let God clean up your act. I'm asking him to clean up mine.

a REAL response to Human Trafficking

My dream is for all Christians to have a REAL response to Human Trafficking. 
R ealize
E ducate and 
A ctivate out of 
L ove
You can't do anything if you don't Realize the problem and its scope. You must Educate yourself so that you can recognize what is trafficking and what is not. If you truly Realize and Educate yourself, you can't help but want to Activate and make changes in your life to fight this evil. However, if it is not done out of Love - the kind of Love that comes from God - you will grow tired and give up the fight or angry and do something that you will later regret.

In 1994, I was in Bangkok, in the middle of a mission that took me to the heart of the five major world religions and ministering with Christians to those who lived in each of the areas we visited. It was evening and we decided to head down to the souvenir market for a short time to see how life in Bangkok was lived.

            I had heard of brothels and massage parlors and prostitutes, but before that night, I had never seen it so up close and personal. Scantily clad women, some topless, were out in public trying to seduce men. The men in our group had to make sure there was a lady from our group as any man seen without a woman was approached and solicited openly and numerous times as we tried to talk with the vendors and look for appropriate souvenirs.

            You may ask – why did you go there? Every place where there were products for sale, people were also for sale. There was no way to escape it. It was overwhelming and drove us to our knees to pray for all of those who were buying, selling, and being bought and sold.

            In 1994, I didn’t know the words “human trafficking,” but that is exactly what I witnessed. Many like to think this only happens “over there somewhere,” but I must tell you it is in our own backyard. Trafficking happens in Bartlesville, in the state of Oklahoma, and all over our nation. So what do we do about it?

            In the fall of 2009, I attended a special training at Wesleyan World headquarters in Indiana, where I was given tools to conduct awareness and training events for those who want to stand up and fight against human trafficking. This training was given through FAAST (Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking) which includes The Salvation Army, Assembly of God and The Wesleyan Church, to mention just a few. Hands That Heal has been tried and tested and found to equip church members and communities in the fight against trafficking.

            I have spoken to our District Superintendent, Rev. Max Colaw, and the DBMD about my passion for this area of ministry. I have attended the past two years of District Conference, sharing my vision with pastors and lay persons in our district and plan to continue to attend these conferences to network with churches and people in the Tri-State district so that we can work together in fighting this incredible evil.

           The DBA of the Tri-State District has officially sponsored me as I go out and speak to Wesleyan churches, mostly in the Tri-State District, or other places as I may be asked to go and conduct training seminars and do awareness events. They are specifically helping me in four areas:

1.     Financial accountability – I want to be able to show that all monies receipted are responsibly used for ministry. The Tri-State district manages mileage and expenses to show that I am not in this to make money or take advantage of the goodwill of others.

2.     Tax-free donations – If there are persons who want to donate towards expenses or fund initiatives to fight human trafficking, donations can be made to the Tri-State District, who will provide a tax donation receipt.

3.     Prayer support – My home district will be praying for me as I go out and speak in various locations.

4.     Family support – My home district will also be aware of my families needs and help take care of my parents, husband and son while I am away.

This initiative to raise awareness, educate Wesleyans and promote prevention and recovery efforts was started with World Hope and is spreading throughout the denomination. The Tri

      My plan is to charge only $50 plus actual expenses for any church or group that wants me to come and speak at an awareness event. I would charge $100 for conducting a training seminar. The actual expenses would include airfare and/or mileage, meals, lodging, and materials needed for each attendee. The fee would help cover the training materials that I have already purchased, expenses to get the training needed, and any future training and materials I would need to update my portfolio. This money could also be used to contact and advertise my services to churches and groups in our area.

            If you want more details about the specifics of the various topics I would cover when speaking or the detailed training I would conduct, I would be happy to meet and talk with any who are interested.