Why Do we Worship?

So I am going to post twice because I've been aching to put this up for forever and it finally worked...Rethink how you worship God...Do it just because he is...

Washed by the Water

So it's been a while, but I just experienced something that is so worth writing about...and I'll apologize now if this is wordy, but God blew my mind today.

My pastor preached about Mary & Joseph (appropriate considering the season) and their obedience to God. I never thought how many ways they could have gone against God's commandments regarding baby Jesus, but they didn't...not once.

That was bomb, but it got so much better. We had a baptism service today and it literally redefined Christmas for me.

First off, I will openly admit that I have had a negative attitude towards the male gender due to what I see as passive behavior and very few strong male spiritual leaders in my generation....that attitude is gone and even though they probably won't read this, I want to thank the guys who got baptized today.

A little girl who shrieked with excitement when the pastor asked her if she believes in Jesus...she's going to be a spiritual leader.

A dad and son pair got baptized together and the dad credited the son for calling them to make this declaration. An 11 year old knew that he and his dad needed to obey God...a child...already a leader.

A college student who is now a spiritual leader on his basketball team standing in front of a congregation filled with joy because of his deep deep love for his Father. Genuine doesn't even begin to describe his emotion coming out of the water a praising his God...

A 20-something who has already done jail time. But you know what, that does not even matter because God changed his heart in prison and this kid is already using his testimony to win others to the Lord...his baptism was a sign of his new life.

I get it now. I really do. How appropriate at Christmas to see these people receive the only gift that truly matters. Every story is different, but every gift the same...new life. To God be the Glory. Merry Christmas.

Brucie

If YOU aren't part of the solution... YOU are part of the problem.

(NOTE: This particular blog has some mature content, but it needs to be shared. I just thought I would let you know ahead of time so you can prepare yourselves.)-Katie

Consumerism.

Think about it. I know you hear it all the time. Americans are a consumer culture. Americans born in the last 50 years have never known a life where they can't get exactly what they want when they want it.

Problem is, I don't care who you are, daily decisions YOU make AFFECT people around you.

What you consume... buy, eat, throw away, see, watch, sell, listen to... all of these things affect people whether you like it or not.

We consume much...and yet do we really know the reprecussions of our consumer mindset?

Doubtful.

And I am not trying to put myself up on a pedestal and pretend like I am better than you. Because when it comes down to it, I am just as guilty as the next person, but what I do have now is KNOWLEDGE. Ignorance is not bliss people, you may think it is, but when things are finally revealed to you, you realize how much you have contributed to the problem and have done NOTHING to stop and think about your normal everyday actions and what they may be doing in the world.

For instance.. lets start with music.

Everyone loves music. It's universal. I mean, you could hate a certain type of music, but just as much as you hate one type, you love another kind.

Here is the deal with music though...it can be used for good. or it can be used for lots and lots of bad.

I am not trying to diss a certain type of music because I do truly believe that every kind of music has some artists who weild their power well and others who do not.
Buttttt... Rap music is known for explicit and degrading lyrics. And before you start finding country songs about honky tonk badonkadonks (did I even spell that right? Holly and Andrea help me out :) let me just give you some examples and maybe you will understand where I am coming from: (MATURE CONTENT)

Bottoms up: Treyz Songz-
If A B**ch Try To Get Cute, I'ma Stuff Her.
Throw A Lot Money At Her, Then Yell "f*ck Her!"
f*ck Her. f*ck Her. Then Yell "f*ck Her!"
Then I'ma Go And Get My Louisville Slugger

No Hands: Waka Flocka-
I'ma sip Moscato
And you 'gon lose dem pants
Then I'ma throw this money
While you do it with no hands
Girl drop it to the flo'
I love the way yo booty go
All I want to do is sit back
And watch you move
And I'll proceed to throw this cash

Hot Tottie: Usher
Can you keep me faithful
Got a lot of girls
Got a lot of flava
That’s why when I hit ‘em they all need to return the favor

Miss Me: Drake
I hope one day we get married just to say we f-cking did it
and girl I’m f-cking serious I’m with it if you with it
cause your verses turn me on and you pants are mighty fitted

All of these songs are on the top 15 songs on billboard.com as of tonight. Isn't it crazy how awful those lyrics are, how degrading they are to people? Yet, when you put it to a catchy tune, somehow the meaning behind the songs just disappears. We keep listening to this stuff though and it bounces around in our heads. No wonder men no longer know how to treat women with decency and respect! No wonder women feel like they need to have power in relationships and dress immodestly to get attention! We are feeding into the lies of music.
And now you may be wondering... what does this have to do with human trafficking?

Well, if we stay on course, I believe we are only one step away from listening to songs like this and thinking they are fine:

White Slavery: Necro
Woman need to be loved, injected with needles and drugs
subjected to torture and kidnapped they need to succumb
it's proven, I feed em dog food, they prefer human
make 'em savagely beat each other bloody for my amusement
It's all fun and games, I keep 'em handcuffed in chains
sexually make 'em do the most disgusting things
starve 'em to cannibals, make 'em eat each others brains
changed and deranged, stores begin to seem like nothings strange
while retarded acquaintances get fist f***ed and raped
covered in lighter fluid, lit up and ingulfed in flames
sound proof walls guarantee to muffle your screams

What you do, what you think about, what you listen to, what you buy, what you eat, what you wear tells the world what you like, what you are okay with, what you support.

You have a lot more power than you think you do. Use it wisely.

Still Fighting it...

I really should be studying for the ridiculous amount of exams I have next week (thank you midterms), but this blog needs updated and I've got something to say...fo realllzz.

So this whole growing up thing can be really lame sometimes, but as I go I have realized that the massive amount of change that comes with becoming an adult can be ridiculously refreshing.

There is so much emphasis when we're young on being well-liked and having oodles and oodles of pals, but I have come to the realization that you can have all the friends in the world and still not have a single person that you can bare your soul to and be completely vulnerable.

God (I could say that I found these people on my own but I'd be lying) has placed people in my life who have made this struggle known as college completely worth it. I'm talking friends who grow with me. Each year we change and in a way become different people, but the one thing that is constant is that we're growing together. I do not need a million friends, I need those few who are struggling and changing right there next to me.

I watched two of my best friends run a half-marathon today and it was such a moment of pride for me. I saw two super dedicated women who were pushing each other and encouraging each other even when they wanted to vomit and their muscles could not handle much more stretching. Those are the kind of friends that matter...those are the friendships that will last. Don't fritter your time away on shallow friendships...find those people who are going to bring out the best in you and challenge you to be the best you can be...I dare you.

Brucie.

Baby Steps

Picture taken from Season of Light Blog...they're passionate about ending trafficking of humans too!

When I found out about the modern day slavery deal, I got pretty overcome with helplessness. I mean, I'm one little peon in this vast world, and there are 27 million people in slavery. That seems pretty dismal to me. What could I possibly do to help end this problem?

So I'm starting small. Instead of doing nothing, I'm taking baby steps. I think it's super important for Americans to be smarter consumers and aware of where our clothes, food, coffee, etc. are coming from. All we see is the finished product, but we don't really know what happened to make the goods we consume possible. It's something we ALL need to pay more attention to.

I learned about this organization called Destiny Rescue that has recovery houses in India, Mozambique, Thailand, and Cambodia. They equip girls rescued from brothels to make jewelry so their risk of being re-trafficked is significantly decreased. Their ministry focuses prevention, rescue, and recovery. In short, Destiny Rescue is rocking the world.

So I hosted a Destiny Rescue jewelry party with my mom. DR sends a DVD to play to introduce people to their work and it was amazing to watch peoples' eyes opened to this issue for the first time. While it may be a small gesture, hosting a fair trade jewelry party is a great way to get the word out about trafficking and a great way to support organizations on the forefront of this battle for human justice.

Check out Destiny Rescue (destinyrescue.org) if you're interested in helping their ministry out.

burned out...on religion.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?

Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life.

I'll show you how to take a real rest.

Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it.

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

I won't lay anything ill-fitting on you.

Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.
Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

i am about to get pretty vulnerable here, but this verse is how i have been feeling a lot lately. i am just so burned out. jesus isn't that exciting to me right now and it has nothing to do with jesus and everything to do with me. one of my bosses this summer, brooke, used this verse when we would do holy yoga and it would always resonate with me. i think it is because i often feel burned out and tired. it may be because as much as i am an introvert, i am also an adrenaline junky, never wanting to stop moving around and getting involved in "stuff," because when i do i realize i am just really really lonely and really really longing for companionship. and as much as i know i am supposed to "go to God" and be found in him, i really really don't want to right now. i know all of the right things to say and do, but i know other people feel this way and never feel like they can tell someone for fear of being looked down on for being a "bad christian." all i know is even in my weakness, God is strong. I know my God is a God of peace and rest.

i am moody. oswald chambers always challenges me in my moods.

"there are certain things we must not pray about- moods for instance. moods never go by praying, moods go by kicking. a mood nearly always has its seat in the physical condition, not in the moral. it is a continual effort not to listen to the moods which arise from a physical condition, never submit to them for a second. we have to take ourselves by the scruff of the neck and shake ourselves, and we will find that we can do what we said we could not. the curse with most of us is that we won't. the christian life is one of incarnate spiritual pluck."

so here is to kicking my mood in the butt. let me know how your butt kicking goes

(if you need it)

til next time,

gambetron

im old enough to know that time doesn't move slow enough...young enough to know that i can't ever be old enough to trust you -rocket summer

my friend emily bruce... you know, the "other one" who writes this blog? well if you didn't know, she has a pretty sick taste in music. she sent me some mixed cds and i literally cannot stop listening to the tracks.

there is something that moves me within music...i have literally sat on my bed all day today listening to music, buying music, wishing i had talent to create music... just because it gets me thinking about all sorts of things. i love the abstract, i love to think, i love to listen to the blend of harmonies and meanings and have it explode in my ears. there is just something about it. i love not exactly knowing what the author meant, but finding meaning in it for me. for some reason, i have been in an upbeat, dance, pop phase of my music life right now. there is just something about dancing and letting things go (emily can also attest to her dancing skills.. mad props girl.)anyway, on my breaks of, in all honesty, really bad pop music (im sorry, it really is, and im not so sure why i am so into it right now...) i keep listening to good music, and this song that, may i add, actually has meaning, is by the rocket summer.

i have been doing lots of reflecting this summer...and by a lot... i mean a lot. i had this huge plan for my life and it was laid out all nicely. go to college, meet a handsome man that just so happened to be a youth pastor, fall in love, get married, and then live the rest of my life tending to the spiritual lives of young women everywhere.... and as i interned this summer, i ran into people. specifically 3 people. they were my fellow interns that were struggling right there along with me, trying to figure out what to do with their lives and how to follow God with all of their passion. i remember one conversation with chris. we were outside on a warm night in utah and got to talking and i remember voicing my fears about graduate school and how i felt like i couldn't do it...and i remember him saying, "katie, you can go anywhere (to any university) you want if you just put in effort and work really hard."

now to some of you it may seem foolish that this one sentence would hit me as something magnificent and life-altering. but it was....

i am tired of taking the easy path in life. and as i saw chris this summer and his quiet confidence, i realized how much i can do, but don't. every time i do something difficult and challenging its the best feeling in the world for me and yet i continually try to find the easiest path... i have finally declared to myself and now to the world (or the few who read this blog).. that i will not take the easy road this time. this time graduate school looks like wheaton. one of the most rigorous christian schools in the U.S. this time i will be a TA for one of my favorite profs for his statistics class...not because i get money, but because its a challenge. this time i will find ways to go above and beyond and research human trafficking... finding more information on things that really interest me. this time i am not taking the easy way out. we have one life to live. i want to be a therapist...so i am going to plan on being the best therapist i can be...until i die or am directed otherwise.

for so long i thought it was bad to have a plan...the question would always come up, "what if i am not following God's will?" i think we are too busy asking that question instead of asking, "how can i best follow God's will where i am right now?"
and when it comes down to it, if or when i am not following God's will...i think he will let me know.

"save me, cause i need it, and i can't help but feel desperate, my desires they seem to be coming to their endings, but i will trust its not the end, but a great beginning."

could rocket summer put it any better?

nope. i don't think so.


(check out the song from youtube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFdbqGQkt1Q

Salt...Not the Angelina Kind..

Thanks Grace Baptist in Decatur, IL...love this picture.
Summer is the bomb diggity. Know why? Because I have the freedom to read whatever literary treasures I choose and I am not limited to nursing books with horribly graphic pictures of childbirth, gnarly infections, and the like. Don't get me wrong, I love that stuff (twisted I know), but summer is sacred. My summer list previously was made up of mostly fiction. I'd reread all of the Harry Potter books and squeeze in some Jane Austen and other classics to feel sophisticated. However, this summer I have tried to balance the fiction with non-fiction. It's a struggle, because I love the thrill of a fiction work that allows me to let my crazy imagination get a bit out of control. But, I'm learning...I'm growing up a bit.

I'm getting close to my point now, I promise. I am reading Roaring Lambs by Bob Briner. All the IWU chillens should recognize that name...think awkwardly made busts haunting the entrance to the library...that's right, he was the first inductee!

This man was the shiz nit. He makes some points that I think that I have been waiting forever to hear. Remember the verse from Matthew 5 about how we are the salt of the earth?

..."the salt Jesus has in mind is stinging, biting, cleansing, and preserving and is anything but dull, anything but tame. To be the kind of salt Christ spoke about is to be on the cutting edge, in the fray, at the forefront of the battle."

He talks about how instead of hiding in the Christian "bubble" or subculture, we need to be in the areas that are starving the most...Get into the sports, media, business, medical, art worlds etc. Don't feel worthless if you are not called to ministry in the church. Realize that the "world" is in desperate need of salt, and if we all hide in the "bubble," the meat of the world will spoil and quickly....

"Keeping Christ bottled up in the churches is keeping salt in the shakes, and He does not go where we do not take him." Let's get those shakers shakin people. Brucie

the beauty in the difference

if i gave you this picture 6 years ago and asked you and a bunch of your friends to tell me how they interpreted this picture what would you and your friends say?
"uhh....its a white f with a blue box around it?" maybe some of you would get more abstract and say, "if you turn it upside down, it would be an upside down f?" haha. but in all seriousness, there would have been no real meaning behind this picture.

i don't need to tell you what the "f" in this picture stands for. you know. you knew it before i went into an explanation. your brain looked at the "f" and said "ahhhh that 'f' symbolizes my social life, the way i stay in contact with my friends, how i can post my pictures, chat, upload videos, and be "me"....yep, its facebook!

in only 6 short years, facebook has gained 500 million members (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2366634,00.asp ) and with massive amounts of people comes massive amounts of responsibility.

yes. i am talking facebook ads. not only are many fairly pornographic...i was appalled to read this in my current issue of change.org weekly:

"This past week, Vaseline launched a controversial Facebook application that encouraged users to lighten the appearance of their skin. The application was targeted at users in India, who were asked to upload their profile photos and whiten their faces.

This isn't the first time Unilever -- which owns Vaseline -- has used less-than-discreet attempts to market the virtues of white skin in India. Back in 2008, the multinational began hawking a skin-whitening product called "White Beauty."

The difference now is that by using Facebook, Unilever has the potential to reach its more than 500 million users around the world, and spread its racially charged message that white is beautiful.

The skin whitening industry has taken off across India and other Asian countries, and creams are sold on shelves in black neighborhoods in the U.S. as well. The last thing we need is a tool on Facebook to extend this disturbing trend online.

While Unilever's application is offensive, it gives Facebook the opportunity to draw a line in the sand of what sort of applications it is willing to host, and what kind of values it hopes to advance. As the largest social network in the world, the company has an unprecedented opportunity to advance tolerance and understanding. Let's make sure it serves that purpose rather than serving as a platform for prejudice."

are we seriously coming to a point that not only are we telling people how to be, look, act, wear, ect. but we are telling them, "hey! why not physically alter the color of your skin too!"

ridiculous.

sign the petition below to let facebook know how you feel and to stop this appalling crime against humanity.

whoever said white was the norm has clearly not seen beautiful indians before. ugh. im disgusted.


http://www.change.org/petitions/view/dear_facebook_please_stop_running_racist_apps

welcome to jackson hole, wyoming and my view for the past week!

(yes..that is snow at the bottom of the picture...you aren't just seeing things)

well. i may have lied. this wasn't my view every day, but i did take this picture on the top of a mountain in wyoming... and i climbed that gosh darn mountain for 4 hours with my high school girls. it was insane.

and while i was climbing this said mountain, all i could think about was my life. where i have been and where i am going. and then i started thinking about very very cheesy symbols of my life and how it applied to the mountain i was climbing... ya know, normal things people do when they climb mountains. (side note, i was huffing and puffing the whole way up this mountain while i was thinking of these symbols, don't you worry...)

while climbing i came to a conclusion, which is not very epic or monumental, but is true:

God is so good.

I can replay my life and see where his hand has moved and shaped me, placed me in relationships, taken me out of them, rerouted my path when i have screwed up, slowed me down when i was going to fast...without the Lord, who knows where I would be today?

As I was climbing I realized that I was often near the back. I felt discouraged a lot, but i knew that the view at the top would be worth the climb (miley cyrus anyone? ha)

had i not pressed on, through the excruciating pain in my chest, through the unbearable wind whipping in my ears, i would not have had the experience of standing on top of the mountain and seeing God's glory shine down on me and the rest of the students and leaders who made the hike with me. It felt right. Being up there with believers who would take the step of faith and begin on a journey with the Lord.

Who knows where I will be at the end of December. I graduate. Move on with my "life" apparently, but when I have small tastes of who the Lord is, I cannot help but trust that he is good, he is faithful, and he will always be there to guide me.

Psalm 40:4 (CEV)

You bless all of those who trust you, LORD, and refuse to worship idols
or follow false gods.

Not Extra Credit

My brother's capstone project for his Masters of Social Work degree had to do with the idea that caring for the poor and the broken is not an extra credit opportunity for Christians, but should be an every day thing. It's actually what Christ requires of us. James 1:27 says that "Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.." Proverbs 31 says "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute...defend the rights of the poor and needy."

So my friend Sarah aka Stabb totally gets this. Totally. This girl is vibrant, fantastic, and has a way with inner city kids and an on-fire passion for Christ. She works with the Marion kids through Realife when we're at school and it is crazy to see how kids magnetize themselves to her because her vivaciousness is so stinking contagious.

This summer she is out in California working at a camp where the campers are for the most part from impoverished families and some even from homeless shelters. The stories from her time so far break my heart, but they also make me realize that this is what it really looks like to follow Christ. Not going to church every Sunday and just hanging out with church folks. It's hanging out with the drug addicts, prostitutes - those without voices...Check this out (it's lengthy, but READ IT ALL and pray for Sarah:

"So we headed out and the first place we went was McArthur park, which was just covered with homeless people in an area where nothing was in English. We bought meals for a couple people and just sat and talked to them. One of the women was in a wheel chair, and we asked what we could pray for and she just started sobbing. She showed us a picture of her grandson and on the back her daughter had written "Mom, call me some time. Anytime. Please. I love you." It just broke my heart. These aren't just homeless people. These are people who have families that worry about them and are too ashamed to ask them for help. They're that broken and have that little self worth. Then we walked down to skid row. It's one of the highest homeless populations in the country. There are an estimated 7-8,000 homeless people in this little district. I have seen extreme poverty overseas. But I have never seen anything like this in the United States. The sidewalks are covered with tents, cardboard boxes, trash everywhere. Like, I know it's not the worst poverty in the world, but it was a huge wake up call to what is happening in our own country."

"Thursday night was definitely the most life changing. It was the Broken Hearts ministry. What they do is every Thursday and Friday night they walk the streets of West Hollywood and build relationships with the prostitutes, gays, and transvestites. So we divided into groups (two boys and me for mine) and walked the streets. Not gonna lie, I was so scared I thought I was going to throw up. I mean, it's eleven at night and the Lakers just won the playoffs so everyone's crazier than normal. I have no phone no money no id nothing on me and no idea where exactly i even was. So we start prayer walking to start, and then we go into this doughnut shop where people hang out and talked to some of the people they've been building relationships with. While I was standing there I saw three drug transactions right in front of me. It kind of made me realize that these people are not as scary as I've built up in my head. But really, they could care less about me. I'm not in a gang. I dont owe them drug money. So they're not really going to try and mess me up. And talking to them just made me realize that we really aren't that different . Then we walked to the seven eleven parking lot, and two of my friends were talking to this prostitue (female, straight), So I joined them, and she completely broke my heart. She just started telling us her whole life story. She told us how her dad raped her when she was seven and all these other horrific things that happened that led her to where she is. And she was just so completely broken. She had to give her first daughter away because at the time she couldnt support her. Her daughter is 12 and she said she has nightmares about meeting her, and her finding out what her mom is. The woman, Mimi, was sobbing for most of the time we talked with her. It just made me realize that even if these women are prostitutes "voluntarily", they are still slaves. They are trapped there by a world of lies and tragedies and they dont know how to get out. No one wants to be a prostitute."
DO NOT MISS THIS PART: "This whole week just made everything click for me. How many times do I avoid eye contact with the homeless? How many times do I talk to them, treat them like they are a human being?"

This is what real faith looks like. We could all learn a lesson from Sarah. Brucie

Futbol

Cheering, yelling, screaming, sweat, tears, horse voices... all of these describe a typical sporting event. Multiply that by 100 and you have the World Cup.

Sadly, many voices are silenced during the World Cup. I am so excited to be able to say that my very own brother will be in South Africa during the World Cup and will be able to experience the culture and excitement. Although you will probably not be physically present, you should know the reality of what is happening underneath the goals, shirtless fans, and blow horns.

"As many as 20,000 women have been trafficked into forced prostitution for the 2010 World Cup.." -change.org

Check out these videos to get a better understanding of what is happening and to join the fight for freedom.

Too Young To Appreciate You

Thank you Local Natives for creating stellar music in a world addicted to main-stream hog-wash. LISTEN TO THIS SONG AND BUY GORILLA MANOR...BOTH ARE GREAT DECISIONS.

Over Memorial Day Weekend I went to a monstrous music festival out in the picturesque wilderness of Washington and experienced music unlike any other. This post really has nothing to do with a challenge for anyone, it's more of me processing a song that I fell musically in love with.

So on Saturday of this festival, there weren't an overwhelming number of bands I was dying to see. City & Colour was top priority, but Dallas Green got pneumonia and couldn't come, so Matt (my brother and partner in crime) and I tried out some new bands...and we struck gold. Local Natives was up there in my favorite shows along with Passion Pit, Mumford & Sons, Vampire Weekend, and She & Him. These guys are totally about making great music with their best friends. They all rotated instruments and mics, so I never got the sense of a power trip from anyone, just a pure, unadultured love for their art.

I could digress so much from my main point, but I will reign myself in. I have listened to their song "Airplanes" nonstop since coming back and it never gets old...not because of the crazy stick work or the super attractive mop-top who plays the mandolin (my favorite instrument right below the banjo), but because of the meaning behind the song.

Kelcey Ayer, their keyboardist/vocalist/percussionist extraordinaire, wrote the song about his grandfather who did all of this insanely great stuff during his lifetime. The bummer is that he died before Kelcey was old enough to appreciate any of his grandfather's accomplishments....sheesh, I'm not the only one in that boat huh?

I always whine being so young when my mom's dad died. I can't really control my age, but when he died, I was probably more into my fantasy world of horses than the fact that my grandpa had his radio shot off of his back in WWII and won some insane-o awards, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and had some of the most vast collections of knives and National Geographic magazines around.

As a 20 year-old who is now fascinated by the era of WWII, I get super bummed when I think about all of the knowledge I missed out on because I was so young...I am not sure how this whole heaven thing is going to work and I'm not sure if it will matter once I am in the presence of my Creator, but I really want to just sit down with Papa at some point and listen to his stories...let him talk for hours and just become a sponge. I want to tell him that the tee-pee he made me kicked butt, that I gave a speech about him being my hero and lost my composure completely thinking about what a great man he was, and that he impacted this world for Christ in some pretty awesome ways...and that some day, I want to name one of my kids after him.

I guess I do have a challenge. People in our grandparents' generation are overflowing with knowledge and stories. They're getting older. Don't squander time with them...be a sponge. They love to talk and you should love to listen.

Brucie

my fellow classmates...

a few nights ago, i was taken back.

taken back to 2 years ago.

same place. same time.

girls in white, boys in black.

only it wasn't me this time.

it was my brother.

as i sat as a member of the audience, i had many strange emotions all at the same time. i sat thinking about where i was two years ago. what i was thinking about life. how i felt. and as those feelings came and passed i realized that the Lord has moved mountains in my life to get me where i am today. i cannot imagine being the same girl that walked across that same stage in her white cap and gown. and as my brother made his way across the stage, i sat there and teared up a bit. because i hope he doesn't stay the same either.

the graduation speeches were actually entertaining this year. but i was also depressed by them. as i sat there in a massive sea of people and the valedictorian and salutorian droned on about "changing the world" and "making a difference," i became pessimistic. i saw 310 students graduate in front of my eyes and i realized, realistically, that about half of them will be drunk at one point in their collegiate career (and probably many more times than that), more than half will change their major at least twice, and probably 1/4 will completely drop out. i am not bashing people for making mistakes, but how many times do we forget "making a difference" and opt for worldly pleasures? how many times do we forget about changing the world and go to school just to get a degree and make loads of money so we can be happy? i was saddened because i truly wanted to believe what the graduation speeches were saying and i wanted more than anything for those words to be a charge to the students sitting in the seats with their caps and gowns, to not sit idly by and watch the world waste away like so many have done in the past. i want to be that person at the end of their life that can say it was a life worth living. and i want that for all of those graduates as well.

can you remember your graduation day when you had your whole life in front of you and you felt like you could do anything?

what happened?

life? school? boyfriends/girlfriends? job? money? time?

lets all try to remember what fervor we used to have, to do something, to change our corner of the world.

i know i didn't take the charge right away, but i am now.

will you come along with me?

-katie-

Excuses...Excuses..

thanks for the satire Banksy...Keep your coins, I want change.
I told a girl I met out here that I am from Indiana and she told me that I must be experiencing culture shock. Then she quickly corrected herself and said that that doesn't happen unless you're in another country. I quickly corrected her and said that she was right the first time. I'm still in the same country, but the west coast is a completely different ball game than the quaint, corn-field covered mid-west. I'm not just talking about landscape. The San Gabriel's pretty much smack you in the face when you walk out the door, but so does diversity and homelessness.

There is most definitely homelessness in Indiana, but the suburbia of Southwest Allen is about as far removed from it as can be. And more than ever I have begun to resent my life of comfort. I come to California and as we are driving, my brother can name some of the homeless people and tell me a bit of their stories....What?! I don't even think I have ever seen a homeless person near my home, and if I have, I've sadly been too absorbed in myself to have noticed him or her.

But it really is not safe for girls to do anything for homeless people...right? Well that's the misconception I have been under for a long time. And I do not think I am the only person to use this as an excuse to do nothing. Now in some cases it probably isn't safe, but honestly, that can't become our excuse to abstain from doing things..because we will end up making that excuse all of the time.

The bystander effect is no longer a valid excuse. That person you think will do something for the homeless may expect you to do something. The truth is, God wants us ALL to do something. There are multiple places in the Bible that call us to action to do something for the homeless and destitute. "She opens her arm to the poor and extends her hands to the needs" (Proverbs 31:20) That's how Proverbs 31 describes a woman of noble character. "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." (James 1:27)

Sounds like this is a pretty big issue that should matter to ALL Believers. I don't know what this will look like for you. My brother keeps energy bars in his car for people he meets at stop lights. If he has the chance he asks for their name...tries to give them some dignity rather than just chucking food in their direction. Or how about taking a person in need out to lunch...buying them groceries...talk to them and make them feel like a human.

This is as much of a challenge for you as it is for me. I have been awful at this but there is always time for change....Love to you all. Live intentionally. Brucie.

good questions anyone?

My sister recently asked an amazing question, a question I have been asked many times as I begin to tell the world about human trafficking and sweatshops. People often say things like, "yeah, but can we really ever get away from human trafficking? I mean, everything we buy probably comes from sweatshops!" I understand and hear your side, but if we question and come to that conclusion, we have let exploiters win! We have to start somewhere.

My sister asked, in relation to the blog about forever21 (if you haven't read it, check it out)... "what if we get something from forever21 as a gift, or another place that we know supports sweatshops. what do we do? you can't just say 'hey, that company supports human trafficking' because you will make them feel bad. but what do you do? do you keep it or sell it to a thrift store or what?"

This is a great question and is a hard one because it involves other people. Obviously, you can boycott certain stores because that is your choice. But there are people who will from time to time give you gifts (and we all love gifts right :) so how do you let them know how you feel and make them feel good for thinking of you, but also support your own beliefs?

Here are some things you can do if you are put in that situation:

First of all, tell the world and all of your friends your beliefs upfront as soon as you know what they are, then they will be less likely to buy you something that you have directly stated you do not support.

I still understand that someone's memory may slip though, so here are some pointers:

1. Sell the item back to the store (caution: this will NOT work for forever21, they have really strict return policies, where you can only return things for store credit, so at forever21 this would never work), but if the store gives you money back, try and spend that money on something that you know is fair trade. that way you will be giving yourself and the world a little present.

2. Try and tell your friend afterwards, in a setting where the gift is no longer in question, about what you have been learning about human trafficking. the point of learning about human trafficking is so you can tell people about it and get them on board. be bold, but do not make them feel like a terrible person. allow them to be informed. you could even send them to this blog if you aren't as comfortable with conflict.

3. SECOND HAND STORES ARE GREAT WAYS TO GET CUTE CLOTHES FOR CHEAP AND THESE PURCHASES DO NOT GO TOWARDS THE ORIGINAL COMPANIES WHO SOLD THE CLOTHES

Tips for how to shop smarter and sweat-free:
http://www.greenamericatoday.org/pubs/realgreen/articles/nosweatshops.cfm

Hear me out. i know some people are against second hand stores, and you have your reasons. i get that. but are you willing to go without "new" clothes for something greater?
i am not telling everyone they have to shop at goodwill. i know most people cannot build a wardrobe off of goodwill. some people can, who are really gifted, but most can't.
Check out Plato's Closet. they may be snobby by only taking certain clothes, but that is a huge benefit to you. Not only are you saving huge amounts of money by getting your clothing cheap, but you are not giving your money to the original stores either. i would be cautious on wearing some of the clothes with the name of the store blatantly visible on the chest, i mean, that is what we are trying to get away from right? but if you can't live without a certain brand, there is a way to buy it without walking directly into the store and signing your money away to sweatshops.

Haven't convinced you yet? Need any more reasons to shop thrift?
-buying clothes from thrift stores saves the environment from waste in landfills
(http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/719461/want_to_be_ecofriendly_visit_a_thrift.html)
-often thrift shops give percentages of their income to charities of their choice (check salvation army, goodwill...etc)
(http://ag.ca.gov/charities/publications/1998thriftreport.php)

Daily Commission:
All I am asking is to check out a thrift store in your area. Be smart, do not throw up your hands and decide this is a 'lost cause'

It isn't. and you. yes you. can help change the world.

-til next time- katie

Quelle est la definition de l'amour?

If human love does not carry a man beyond himself, it is not love. If love is always discreet, always wise, always sensible and calculating, never carried beyond itself, it is not love at all. It may be affection, it may be warmth of feeling, but it has not the true nature of love in it -Oswald Chambers (excerpt from My Utmost for His Highest)

how do you love?
do you calculate all the risks and then hesitantly close your eyes and leap? or do you love with reckless abandon, knowing that every day you wake up, you are showing the world the Lord's love for you?

think about it.
why?
because we have lost the definition of what it means to love.
we need to be reaquainted.

I AM SECOND

my dad has recently turned me on to the "i am second" project. see more stories at www.iamsecond.com

Flying Solo

**http://www.theprincessdress.com/sysImages/Wedding_Dress.jpg**

Fifth grade was a pretty crazy year in the love department for me. I had a "boyfriend". We shared beef jerky at snack time, avoided speaking to each other as much as possible, and I even sacrificed getting my family Christmas presents that year just so I could buy him some super sweet finger skateboards. We lasted a few good months until he decided my best friend suited him better. I was a wreck for about an hour until I got over it and was ready for the next boy in line to woo me....anytime he wanted to show up....
I have decided this boy must have gotten lost somewhere along the way because eight years later I'm still hanging out waiting for him.

I know many girls who pretend to be absolutely fine as a single person, but actually flip out on the inside waiting and wondering where Prince Charming is... and to be honest, I used to be that girl. As of now, I have realized that being single, while hard, is a divine opportunity.

When I left for college, my mom and countless other women told me to watch out because boys would be pursuing me like crazy. So I went to college expecting just that... and guess what the reality has been?

Warning to mothers and members of the female gender. DO NOT tell your daughter that boys will be lined up to date her when she gets to a certain age, it is a flat out lie. Girls already feel pressure to be in a relationship and find Mr. Right, we do not need you telling us that men will be flocking towards us when they may not be.

I am so thankful that I have grown up and matured. I have begun to figure things out for myself and begun to create my own ideas about relationships and life. I am not bitter towards my mom for telling me boys will be lined up waiting for me, but with girls being as insecure as they are, think about the repercussions of those statements if they turn out to be untrue!

Anyway, I gave up looking for boys. That sounds so ridiculous to say, but I think so many girls buy into the potential lie that if you are good enough and love Jesus enough, the man will come early in life and swoop you away to a life of love and bliss.

Do you want your future daughters to be searching for a husband their whole lives?
Do you want your 3 year-old daughter bawling her eyes out because she is in love with Justin Bieber? (haven't seen this yet? check it out on youtube)
I want my kids to be chasing after Christ more than girls these days chase after boys. Placing an emphasis on finding worth in the male gender will only lead to disaster. If you start out by placing an emphasis on finding worth in Christ and truly live your life that way, your kids will see your life and follow in your footsteps.
For awhile I prayed some pretty lame-o prayers about Mr. Right, but I finally discovered that those prayers are selfish. I found that I was demanding things from God but not living my life in total surrender to Him.
My sister dropped this line which is totally better than anything I could have made up:
"God is not done with my singleness yet."

Instead of running away from being single, see it as an opportunity to find out who God made you to be and what passions your heart yearns for. Think of how much God can use you while you are single....IF you are willing.

I get infuriated when girls in their 20s flip out because they are not married yet. Why the heck is there so much pressure to get married so young? For some people 20 is the time to tie the knot, but for others, marriage will happen later.

And ladies, lets be real, 30 is NOT old.

**At the rate we're going, this girl will be considered a spinster in no time**

Cheap...But at a Major Cost

This image is from http://who-god-is.com/. I love it and it's true. Not stealing...just appreciating.

So I am pulling a bit of a copy-cat with this post from my beloved and wise older sister, but I think she hit the nail so on the head that I am going to reiterate her words with my own little spin.

There is a certain store that probably every female has heard of...we either shop there ourselves or are bombarded by their obnoxious pink and yellow bags while walking through the mall. Most males have probably heard of it as well because they know to pack a book or head to the always popular electronics store if their wife/girlfriend has a desire to shop at it. This store is beyond attractive to teens and twenty-somethings. Why? Because clothes and jewelry are super cheap and there are styles that cater to just about every person in the female gender. You know what is especially great? This store has a Bible Verse on the bottom of their bags. Ohhhh mannn...all the more reason to support it...right?

Have you solved the riddle yet? And can you tell that the tone of this post is not so positive? The store is Forever 21 and their cheap, fashionable clothes are in your closest at a major cost. Yikes.

I am not even going to try to make myself sound all high and mighty and above this because I am guilty. I am a broke college student who likes to look cute and my closest is jam-packed full of F21 clothing. Since being turned on to the issue of human trafficking, I have been enlightened that several of the stores I shop at run some shady business, and I know that it is time to stop supporting them...peace out Wal-Mart Skinny Jeans and H&M.

Forever 21 is guilty of running sweat shops. Here in the United States and abroad. Girls, I know F21 is such an appealing place for those of us with tiny budgets, but is it okay to know the truth and still support them?

I am pretty darn disappointed that John 3:16 is on the bottom of every bag. Christ does not condone his children being treated like animals, so I do not think it is right for this company to use this verse on their bags while taking part in dehumanizing business. If the owners truly are evangelical Christians, they should rethink some things...Is making cheap clothing and making money like gangbusters more important than the rights of human beings...Don't think so.

My heart breaks that Believers of all people are caught up in this horrible disease of trafficking.

It's up to you to figure out what you personally are going to do about this, and I believe being informed is the first step. Now that you know, what are you going to do? It may look different for each person, but it is not okay to know and do nothing. Think yard sales, consignment boutiques, etc...Think prayer that these business owners will feel convicted enough to make a change.

Check out these links for some pretty gut-wrenching info and the documentary "Made in LA"

Trailer for "Made in LA"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr1ABz65hXI&feature=player_embedded

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2004/05/111521.php

it's all my fault dave bazan

I finished school this past week. I have been working custodial at my church to make money, because money is tight.
As I was listening to my ipod to drown out the fact that i was cleaning toilets, dave bazan came on with his song, "hard to be"

read the lyrics:











you've heard the story, you know how it goes
once upon a garden, we were lovers with no clothes
fresh from the soil, we were beautiful and true
in control of our emotions, til we ate the poison fruit

and now it is
hard to be a decent human being

wait just a minute, you expect me to believe
that all this misbehaving grew from one enchanted tree
and helpless to fight it we should all be satisfied
with this magical explanation for why the living die

childbirth is painful, toil to grow our food
ignorance made us hungry
information made us no good
every burden misunderstood

so i swung my tassel to the left side of my cap
knowing after graduation there would be no going back
and no congratulations from my faithful family
some of whom are already fasting to intercede for me
because its hard to be a decent human being

a little bit of background. dave bazan used to be a christian, now he is struggling with his faith because of hurt from the church and questions he cannot answer.

its my fault dave bazan.
its my fault that you don't believe.
i don't represent my God well enough
i don't love enough
i don't do enough....
but as much as i fail, it isn't about me.
its about JESUS.

its hard to be a decent human being.
decent? none of us can even pretend like we are decent. we are scum.

Jesus is King, we are His instruments.

Anyone who is ever been hurt by the church or by Christians. I am truly sorry, from the bottom of my heart.

But stop looking at me.

Look to Jesus. He will never let you down.

Katie

Permanence

As my new friend Jak told me, it's just as permanent as we are.

What does permanence look like today? Markers claim to be permanent, but wash off with a little bit of elbow grease; marriages should be permanent but seem to end just as easily as they begin; tattoos...uh oh, here I go getting a little taboo. I used to be so guilty of stereotyping when it came to ink. I used to think only trashy people who have no respect for themselves get tattoos, right? The Bible is pretty clear about Christians honoring God with their bodies and this would include tattoos...right?
I suppose this is one of those issues that confronts you when you are an adult. You have to formulate your own opinion and it may or may not be the one that was spoon-fed to you by your parents. After battling with this issue for over a year, I took the plunge and added some ink to my body. Does this mean I am not a Believer anymore? I am sure some would argue that Christ has spat me out, but I disagree. My skin may have a new addition that will be with me until the day I die, but my heart has not changed one bit.
So many people remark that tattoos are flippant signs of crazy periods in a person's life, and that may be so, especially when I see people with Care Bears or Gumby tattooed to their butt cheeks....you may regret that. But I would have to disagree with the thought that every person who has a tattoo did it out of rebellion.

Oh yeah, I would also warn you about Twilight tattoos...Edward's not worth it.

This academic year has been huge in the learning department for me. I gave my future to God this year, and that fact will not ever change. My tattoo is a statement of my readiness for God to do whatever craziness he deems appropriate in my life. I truly believe while man looks at the outward appearance, God is looking at my heart and sees that I am truly seeking to honor him with my life. In no way am I rebelling.
So is there anything that is really truly permanent? I can think of one thing that will never go away, Christ's love for me. He wants my heart, and he has it. My tattoo is a lyric from the song "So, in This Hour" by The Rocket Summer and the "Grafted in" symbol. The symbol represents salvation as a gift that should not be squandered and the lyrics are a statement and a request for Christ to use my life for something bigger than I can imagine.

So before you go and start judging people for having tattoos, maybe you should first check your own heart, or check out Matthew 7:5, either one.

Sorry for the word vomit. Take it away Katie. Brucie

What she said. -katie

I snagged the picture above from TRS's facebook page. It's a fan tattoo and I love it...Just appreciating the art...no stealing here.

We'll do the big reveal of our ink at some point...probably after the nasty peeling business stops...stay tuned.

Phone Jail

I have been making it a priority to smile at people
lately. On campus it feels like eye contact is sinful and a smile may just be pure adultry. I do not know when this thought began to creep into our society, but I hate it. Not only do I hate it, but as Christians, aren't we supposed to be showing love to our world? If we can't even smile at other Christians on a Christian campus, how the heck are we going to make it in the real world?

story time:
So, I am sure you are thinking, "Why are you getting in a tizzy about something so insignificant?" I know that human trafficking is our normal topic, but I feel like this issue needs addressed and it needs addressed fast.

For all you IWUers, this will probably make more sense, but I also expect good imaginations out of you others who don't reside in my current bubble.

Let me set the scene:
I am walking back to Martin (my dorm room) today after an exhausting test. I am walking down a fairly small sidewalk right next to old college church. You know the one? Anyway, I see a boy coming, a far way off, and I decide that I am going to smile at him. Not because I want to marry him (SHOCKER right?!? I know this may be a current misconception, that somehow an exchange of smiles between different genders means that a kind of covenantal relationship is being made, but for whatever reason, I think this concept is ridiculous).
Back to the story: so as he is closely approaching, and I am ready to get my smile on, you know what he does???

.................

he sticks his left hand in his pocket and rummages around, only to find his....cellphone. Yes. his cellphone.

Now you could be thinking, "well... maybe he just got a text!" or "he may need to call someone! leave him alone!" but do you honestly think that while I was walking past, at that precise moment, he got a text or a phone call? that is probably 1 in a million chance.

and, you haven't heard the rest of the story. Just as he is looking at his cellphone (to avoid eye contact with me), he places it right back in his pocket.... WITHOUT texting, WITHOUT calling.

and yeah, maybe he needed to check the time, but I feel like there is more to this story that applies to us than meets the eye.

I rarely know where my cellphone is and people get truly upset with me! Like I am no longer their friend because, oops, I am sorry, I am actually hanging out with friends that are probably a bit more important than you at the moment. "Oh my gosh! I cannot believe she just said that!" Yeah, guys, I am sorry, but I love my friends and I love hanging out with them. I usually leave my phone somewhere else so I know I won't be bothered.

Have you ever been around someone who is there in front of you, but they are texting the whole time you are hanging out and at the end of the "meeting time", you never really felt like the person was actually listening to you? It is probably because they aren't. Do you feel completely worthless like I do when those meetings are over?

Calling out! Who wants to rewind and freeze? I do. I want to show my friends I truly care about them. I want to feel completely fine if my phone isn't in my hand at every moment. I want to know that my friendships will still exist, even if my texts do not get back to them for a few hours.

Cellphones aren't bad, but they are getting there. Man up and say you have a problem. Let us get back to truly caring about people and showing love.

Reach for a smile.
Instead of your phone.

Seven

All right it's time to pull a little Wishbone and hop in a time machine. Go back to age seven. I all of a sudden feel extremely ancient when I say that I have to rewind 13 years. What were you doing then? I think that was around the time that my horse obsession began. I was probably in first grade at Deer Ridge reading Junie B Jones books like it was my full-time job. I know that I was in Girl Scouts and the troublemaker of the troop who ruined the Christmas photo that we put in macaroni frames. There is a point to this little travel through time, I promise. The conclusion I want you to come to is this, life was fun and fancy free for most of us at that age. My biggest concern was making it off the bus in time to watch Arthur after school. All right well prepare yourself for a doozie. There are some girls who have a lot more to be concerned about at age seven. Right now there are seven year-old girls in brothels who are having their innocence and dignity ripped from them by sick men who want to fulfill twisted fantasies. SEVEN. Can you even imagine that? Rape is terrible at any age, but what has this world come to that the demand for child prostitutes is through the roof? If that doesn't absolutely shatter your heart....I went to a jewelry party for Destiny Rescue last night and I was soaking wet by the end of the movie because they showed real footage of young girls walking the streets of Cambodia offering sex. People, we need to be absolutely exhausting the phone lines to God. This is no joke and with more children being trafficked each day, activism cannot wait.


Daily Commission: Pray pray pray pray. Pray for the demand for children to decrease. It is breaking God's heart to see these young children violated. Check out organizations like Destiny Rescue to see what you can do to help.

Brucie

we can make the world shiny as plastic...but without words we are only painting caskets-kelsey skaggs-

darkness.

what does it make you think of?
shifty eyes? drunkeness? debauchery? drugs? shadows?

my father always used to tell me, "nothing good happens after midnight katie." The older I get, the more truth i see in that statement. can you think of anything good that happens in the dark? eh, maybe you think what you do in the dark is fun, but when it really comes down to it, is it good? is it wholesome? is it pleasing to the lord? probably not. i continue to see more and more why god created sleep at night. he wanted to give us a way out of the darkness, but knew that while many would innocently sleep through the horrors of the night, many more would have their very lives stripped from them during the night. the lord knew that eventually someone would have to pay the price for darkness once and for all.

and no. i don't mean someone will have to pay for literal darkness, i mean sin.

and while Christ came and died to allow a way back to the lord, it does not mean that evil has been conquered. it is our job, as people, christians, made by the true and living god, to love his creation and come to rescue them.

-have nothing to do with fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather, expose them. -ephesians 5:8-

to me, saturday night, at breaking the chains, was not only a time of education, but a time of experiencing darkness. the room emily and i sat in to listen to the speaker was dark, except for small lamp lights that illuminated only enough of the place to allow the speaker to see her notes. to me, it was symbolism. as more and more people come to know the hugeness of human trafficking and decide to do something about it, the more light will be shed, and the more people will be freed from the darkness.

like emily said in our previous blog: awareness is crucial. tell anyone, tell everyone.

daily commission: did you know that the main reason people become slaves is because of a lack of education? it only costs 135.00 to free a slave.

find out how at: freetheslaves.net

a little check from reality

I am supposed to be doing a take-home exam right now, but for some reason I cannot seem to concentrate on corticosteroids or antitussives. For one thing my body is trying to pull some narcoleptic action on me and fall asleep, but my mind is racing so fast that sleeping soundly would not be possible. Katie and I woke up well before the sun this morning and prayed for the anti-human trafficking event going on in Marion today. I have learned that I am easily distracted if I simply sit and pray in my head. I have also learned that while I may not be the most gifted/eloquent writer, when I pick up a pen, I go nuts. I write in a super-cute totally not my style hot pink journal almost every day. The words that fill those pages are random thoughts, the cries of my heart, and prayers. Today the pages are filled with prayers.
We were there for most of the morning and afternoon, and I think it is pretty safe to say that the block party was a success. I'm not just saying that because the BMX trick riders ended their show with no broken bones and the sun was working hard to turn my pasty skin different shades of red. I am saying that because I think this event rocked Marion. The organizations there were focusing on awareness. The United States is the #1 location for victims to be trafficked to. I can feel the bile rising in my throat thinking about that. Did you have any idea?
Our so-called "land of the free" is the #1 place for slaves to end up....not Africa, not Europe...OUR DOORSTEP. Reality check kids...This is no joke.
Wake up...this battle is no longer thousands of miles away, it's in our neighborhoods...
While awareness of social injustice was a huge part of the event today, the bigger focus was the sovereign God we serve. And I do not know what happened in hearts, but I know lives were rocked. I saw two IWU students laying hands on a man to pray for him...who knows what was going on, but I know God was working.

Daily Commission: The lady that Katie and I talked to from World Hope told us some pretty sickening stuff today. She mentioned that one of the most important steps to ending this business of buying and selling humans is AWARENESS. So be aware today.... A group recently rescued a toddler from having his eyes harvested to give to a person for a transplant. A healthy, living human being unable to speak up for his rights. Trafficking groups are going after girls in affluent suburbs whose parents do not suspect a thing. It is no longer safe to let your children ride to the pool by themselves or assume their safety at a new friend's house. BE AWARE...Know that you should not live life in fear, but be cautious and not ignorant. Don't claim that trafficking could not be going on in the U.S....don't hide your head in the ground...Become educated and be vigilant.

Katie will probably be covering the Night of Freedom event when she writes tomorrow, so check us out tomorrow for some crazy info from a member of George W. Bush's staff.
Be informed. Don't live in fear. Fight back. Brucie

the first single

Hey mom. You're probably the only one reading at this point so you get a special shoutout. So what on earth do you say in the first post of first blog of all time. Shoot I'm at a loss. I guess I'll mention how crazy awesome God has been to me the past few weeks. I don't know what I have been doing the past 20 years and some odd months with my life, but I feel like (prepare yourself for some cheesin) a veil has been lifted. I have been so focused on petty, menial crap that I was missing out on some big stuff God was trying to show me. Sorry I'm late God, but that's just another example of why humans are kind of major dim wits and you are as wise as they come. Anywho, it's funny how when you clear your mind of the crap, God comes in and plants some seeds. So to make a long story short, did you know slavery still exists? Did you know that God hates that 27 million of his children are enslaved in various forms and a ginormous number of his children have no idea that their brothers and sisters are enslaved? If that does not royally tick you off, then we need to have a chat. With the state of our world, it is no longer acceptable to sit around and talk about change. Let's get our hineys moving. Satan is a tricky dude, and it's obvious that he likes to work under the radar. Well guess what, I am on to your scheming and I'm done with letting you pull crap like this. So basically I am making a declaration to God that my life is not my own anymore...not that it ever was, but some of us are slower to figure that out than others. And in the words of my friend and yours Bryce Avery, "Take my life and use it, I'm ready." And I'm serious...I'm done with sitting idly. I don't know what God is going to use my life for, but I'm finally ready to say that I am sincerely and truly open to whatever crazy antics he wants me to do...bring it. Join us on whatever roads God takes us on...It does not take a famous person to change the world. It take a call from God and a major burden on your heart. Peace and Blessings. Brucie



well. i guess i should give a shout out to mama brucie as well. i mean, since we are in the shout-outing mood.
so while i was waiting for brucie to write her two cents, i was cutting my split ends. cutting your split ends you may ask?...yes, sometimes when i think, i look at my hair, and there are some split ends that i never knew about before. but since i know about them now, i can't leave them there. so. i cut them with scissors.
anyway, so while this is occuring, i think of all the profound things i have to tell the world. things that have been stirring in my heart the past few months. things that break my heart. things that make me cry. things that piss me off. (yes. i said piss. sorry for those that may be offended). and you know what evicts all those emotions in me?

human trafficking.

here's the deal. there are young women being sold into prostitution. if that was your child would you be sitting around doing nothing?

yep. i didn't think so.

so help us. helps us find ways to end this horrific thing that we thought was already abolished.

slavery. it still lives on.
- katie -

daily commissions:
did you know that one of the leading perpetrators of forced bondage is the chocolate industry? while it may say that your chocolate bar was packaged and made in Pennsylvania, it neglects to tell you how the main ingredient, cocoa beans, were harvested and sent to america.

70% of the world's supply of cocoa beans come from west africa, where an estimated 15,000 children are forced into slavery to harvest them. -notforsalecampaign.org

check out the not for sale website (mentioned above) and click on FREE TO WORK to find fair trade chocolate companies that do not use slaves to make their chocolate.