The Gift of Desperation

For our date night tonight, Carol and I had dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, Los Cabos, and enjoyed a free concert put on by KXOJ that starred David Dunn and Among the Thirsty. All are incredible musicians with a desire to serve God and the music that God makes through them is amazing. If you're unfamiliar with their work, I recommend "Completely" by Among the Thirsty and "Today is Beautiful" by David Dunn. 

In between songs, each talked a bit about their life experiences and the ways that God teaches us wisdom. Mr. Dunn spoke of an analogy in which his nephew, who was 3-years old at the time of the story, had a meltdown at Disneyland because he wasn't able to push his younger brother's stroller. It is from witnessing this event that taught him how much kids are a real example of our sin self. Kids have no masks to hide their desires, their anger or their frustrations with life. They lay it out for everyone to see and experience and regardless of the reality of the situation, all they can see is the immediate source of their problem. David pointed out how, if his nephew would have just looked up and away from the source of his problem, he would have realized where he was, that the problem really wasn't that serious, and that his father already had the matter well in hand.

An interesting point, and a very truthful one at that.

The more direct point made during the concert and the focus of the remainder of this post is when Among the Thirsty's front man, Ryan Daniel, discussed how desperation is a gift, because it isn't until we reach the point of desperation, the end of ourselves, that we are able to truly see how much we need God. He likened his point to the book of James, chapter 1, when James instructs that we should take Joy in our trials, because it is those things that will take us to the point in which we recognize just how much, how desperately we truly need God. It is also at that point, that we begin to understand the power of the gift that we have been given in Jesus.

One part of his illustration that was very clear and powerful is this, "If you put your identity in something that can be taken away, it will destroy you."

If you see yourself defined by anything worldly - your social status, your job, your possessions, even by your role in your family or church - all of these are things that can easily disappear without notice. When they're gone, all that you valued in yourself, all that you believed about who you are, is gone. 

Period. End of story. 

And to help drive that point home even more, there is nothing - NOTHING - that is of this world that is not temporary. Carve your name on any mountain you want, or as many as you want, and all it takes is a little earthquake to shake you up. Bury your name at the bottom of the sea, and one day when the seas boil, the only thing your identity will be is all wet. as it says in Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and Earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."

Anything you can think of in heaven or earth won't last. Every building laid low, mountains ground to dust. The world will be a level playing field, because everything that you used to build you up will be gone, nothing more than dust, and probably much less.

God, however, is the only perpetual provider that lives outside of our short-term universe and only He can be the immortal presenter of our principled presence, the keeper of our incorruptible character, and the irreversible vigilant preserver of our vindicated value.

Whatever your struggle is right now, I would make two recommendation. First - As hard as the struggle is, as big as the problem seems to be right this minute, stop. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Then, turn around and open your eyes. Tilt your head back and look up, down or to the side, any direction other than the one that points right back to the issue at hand. 

The second thing, which immediately follows the first, is to pray. Don't pray for the problem to be resolved or the issue to go away. Pray instead, either for the wisdom to use the situation for good or for help reaching your point of desperation. Either one is a much better direction than focusing solely on the problem and wishing for it to be taken away. 

We wouldn't grow if things were just taken away. Better to humble ourselves, to accept with pure joy whatever trial we are facing and give thanks to God for every moment of it, than to ask God to take away something that He is going to use to make us stronger and wiser.

Instead, turn your face into the storm and pray on. 

Pray for the end of you. 

Pray for the gift of desperation.

A little bit of fiction...

I thought I would change things up a bit since I missed yesterday and wanted to try something a little different. This story, or part of it, has been bouncing around in my head for the past couple of days. Figured it was time to let it out. I do, of course, welcome any comments and kind critique.

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Margo leaned heavily against the kitchen door, cringing as the hinges moaned in defiance of the door’s effort to swing forward. Pausing, Margo stared into the center of the room, looking intently at the myriad of shadows that clung to the walls. Slowly stepping into the room she carefully lowered herself down onto the kitchen chair closest to her, clenching as the wood seat creaked and moaned beneath her. Margo exhaled slowly into the pale night air as her shoulders drooped and her hands fell to her sides. Moments passed in complete silence as her head bobbed slower and slower until her chin fell against her chest and her breathing became deep and steady.

The sound of wind chimes and a rooster crowing loudly outside the kitchen window jolted Margo awake. Bright sunlight poured in through the small kitchen window above the sink, forcing her to look away until her eyes adjusted enough that she could see fully the crisp white walls and polished counter tops. Wincing as she rose, Margo limped closer to the kitchen window and peered outside. Chickens pecked at the dry, ruddy-brown dirt that lay in patches around the yard as a rising breeze billowed through white sheets hanging on a clothesline near the fence at the back of the yard. Wind chimes hanging from a fat oak outside the back door grew louder with each rising gust only to drift into quiet melodies as the breeze fell away.

Quietly Margo opened a drawer and rifled through the contents which seemed to be nothing more than faded receipts and twist ties. Frowning she pushed the drawer back in and then repeated the process on the one next to it, which was full of nothing but plastic spoons and packets of ketchup and mustard. Margo’s stomach rumbled loudly as she shifted her gaze toward the refrigerator that sat humming softly on the other side of the back door. Quickly she worked her way through all the remaining drawers and cabinets, rummaging quickly through each before putting everything back just as it had been. With a resigned sigh, Margo turned and limped across the room to the refrigerator.

The reflection of the kitchen window behind Margo showed clearly on the brushed aluminum door of the refrigerator. Margo pulled open the door and peered inside as a wry smile creased her dirt-streaked face. Voraciously she grabbed a piece of cold fried chicken that was sitting on a plate on the middle shelf and wolfed it down as crumbs of fried batter feel down the front of her shirt. Picking the bone clean, she tossed it back onto the plate and reached for another piece. As she leaned down she spotted a large bottle of water sitting on the top shelf in the back of the refrigerator. Margo quickly grabbed the bottle and twisted the lid off, letting it fall to the floor where it bounced around her feet. Then, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back, she lifted the bottle up to her lips and poured the water into her mouth, guzzling it down quickly as it overflowed her lips and ran down the sides of her face.

(To be continued…)

Drivers Education

Once upon a time, I took a class called drivers education. It was still offered in school, so it was free and we were graded on how well we did. Of course, that was many long years ago, back when people used their blinkers to signal a turn they were going to make BEFORE they turned and drivers wanting to turn into a driveway on the left-hand side of the road just after a stop light actually used the left hand turn lane to turn left and then make a legal right-hand turn into the place they were trying to go.

That seems like such a long, long, LONG time ago.

What’s troubling to me is that driver courtesy seems to have almost vanished in such a short time. First, and seemingly just a few years ago, there were a few people here and there that didn’t use their blinkers. Now it seems more like people use their blinkers only on a rare occasion or when doing so doesn’t prove to be overtaxing. Practically every day when I am on my drive home I see people who will go through the light only to make a left-hand turn at the very next driveway. This means crossing a double-yellow line and two lanes of oncoming traffic in order to turn into the same driveway they could have reached by taking the left turn lane and making a right turn. Instead, they block the lane they’re in for several minutes waiting for a way through. And don’t get me started about the people who think the right-hand merge lane is now the go-as-fast-as-you-can-to-get-passed-everyone-in-the-left-hand-lane-causing-them-to-brake-and-force-a-long-line-of-cars-to-stop-to-make-room-for-my-inept-merge-attempt lane.

What troubles me more is these are people setting examples for other drivers. And if we’re willing to treat our 2-ton brick-on-wheels as our own personal bully machine, what other areas are we choosing to allow our personal bias for selfish endeavors have full reign?

I get it – people are in a hurry. Heaven forbid we set our clocks back 10 minutes earlier, eat a little faster, or ignore our phone a little longer until we’re ready to leave for work with enough time to get there early. We’ve got important things to do and places to be!  

And maybe therein lies the crux of the problem. We’ve ignored priority. Sure we can all multi-task, especially when it comes to driving and doing anything with a cell phone, but in truth, are we learning how to multitask better or are we on a fast-paced plunge to get everything done at once, as fast as possible, so we can move onto the next thing? Maybe we have foolishly bitten off more than we can chew? I do that, far too often. It becomes a struggle between doing the things I love doing, the things I would like to do, and meeting the necessities of life.

Normally I would say make a list, check it off, and eventually you’ll see the bottom. Sadly, and probably far too often, the list fills up again long before we finish the bottom, leaving us struggling to get done what we already had and wondering how we will get that stuff done alongside everything else we have on our never-gonna-get-done list.

It’s no wonder one of God’s best commands involves simply being still. Don’t worry, don’t fret, don’t panic, don’t stress, don’t jump, don’t run, don’t freak out – just be still, and know that the responsibility for making it all happen doesn’t lay on your shoulders, but on His.

Didn’t get that new job or promotion?

Be still.

Can’t figure out where the money for the rent is coming from this month?

Be still.

Don’t know how you’ll pay for your kid’s college tuition?

Be still.

Don’t know how you’ll ever make amends for what you did?

Be still.

Don’t know how you’ll ever get them to believe you again?

Be still.

And when is the best time to be still? When you’re praying, changing the passing of time to the obliteration of time in the presence of God. Will He make your twenty minute commute into a five minute one? Probably not, but He might. He might also show you an entirely new route, one you’ve never seen before. A route filled with possibilities and hope, all for the simple price of being still.

So, with that in mind, I ask you: what is it that you are not being still about? What is it that has you vibrating like so many guitar strings and unable to clear your head for fear that your tenuous grip on reality will be lessened?

Speak it out loud and recognize openly that you can’t defeat it by yourself. You need someone who knows exactly what it takes to throw this kind of challenge on the mat and then toss it out of the ring. There’s only one person who knows your struggles better than you do, and He doesn’t want to add to them. He’s not about laying down the law or forcing a change for his own sake, but He is about doing what’s right and giving you what you need – not just to survive and claw your way through another day, but to live joyfully and free.

And that is a straight, narrow road, just waiting for someone to prove that the best and quickest way to get where you need to be, is to simply be still and let God do all the heavy lifting.

Parenthood

One thing that I’ve come to realize that parenthood does is force me to look back at my life growing up and examine why I did the things I did, why my parents handled it the way they did, and then look to see what I can do with that information.

So, after careful scrutiny of my childhood up through my teenage years, coupled with the vast realizations that have been made visible to me over the past year, I can come to one conclusion: If my son is anything like me, we are in for some serious challenges.

Not exactly a monumental disclosure, I'm sure.

My mom did her best to use the usual curses on me growing up. You know, the “Just wait till you have kids” comment? The statement that, once made, proclaims with almost near certainty that I, at my worst, represent only the tip of the iceberg that my children will be as they drive right smack dab through our happy little ship.

And that’s OK. In fact, I think it’s pretty fantastic.

To help that sink in, let me go down the short list of my bad behaviors during my formative years. Most of these started during my 5^th grade year. We had moved someplace I wasn’t particularly keen on so I chose to sort of, well, act out a little.

I cheated on tests. Forged my mother’s signature on several occasions – and I did it poorly. I skipped a very large portion of my 5^th grade year. The fact they implemented a policy for dealing with tardiness and absence the very next year I’m sure was completely coincidental. I looked at things I shouldn’t have, I stole, I lied, and I broke things – then I broke things I stole then lied about it. I had teachers who believed I was such a bad seed they warned my future teachers about me.

That was just year 10 of my life.

I acted out a LOT.

Because of our situation, some would tell you that this was just me coping and acting out. Sam has it much better than I did then, so problem solved, right? Yeah, probably not. I learned a lot during those times, and while I didn't appreciate those situations at the time, I now have a healthy respect for what I learned, such as the ability to survive under adverse situations, to roll with the punches and always get back up when you've been knocked down. I learned that accepting responsibility for my actions may not be comfortable or painless, but it's better than hiding from the truth. 

I know God is watching out for all of us, something I didn’t understand or believe when I was much younger, but that knowledge now is a huge comfort both for our current situation and our future. I also had unknown prayer warriors praying for me for a very long time. Sam has even more in his corner, as do our other sons. I know they will make it home, I just hope I get to live to see the day when they accept the free ticket to get there.

But what if it’s more than that coping and acting out? I’m human, so I still get stuck in ‘me’ mode often enough that sometimes I wonder how in the world I can ever teach my son to follow and trust in God more than self when my vision is often focusing on a far-too-close-to-home target. Bad enough there’s the whole world that’s going to tell him it’s not cool to believe in God and it’s not Ok to pray or that’s it’s OK to believe in whatever you want… it is, just not if you want to get to heaven and spend eternity with God. That road is narrow and can’t be navigated without the right Source of Light.

The truth is, I can worry all I want, and I’m sure I will as time goes by. In the end, it won’t be the worrying that has the greatest impact. It’s the people that God has so liberally poured into our lives that establish a protective barrier around Sam. He is loved much by those around us, and he is always in the arms of motherly intent and surrounded by fatherly protection and wisdom wherever he goes.

Despite all those beating hearts praying for Sam, he could still one day grow up and walk away from God. I did, and that was after being raised young in a church-filled world. Then it took me over 30 years to get back to square one, just to start relearning all I thought I knew about, well, everything. But, if there’s one thing I can attest to is faith and hope. My mom had that for me, and as I would discover later, she had a nearly endless supply.

And needed every bit of it, to be sure.

The fact is, we’re better prepared for Sam now than they were with me. We have a vast book of wisdom and knowledge that can guide us in everything we do.  If we as parents will cling to that knowledge and make a concerted effort to live it out every day, then we are better able to prepare for those things that come unexpectedly. In order to do that, however, there are two solid truths we have to get etched into our brains and cling to them without wavering:

1. We cannot do it on our own. We are human and we fail. Perseverance is an incredible thing, but strength and will alone will inevitably fail and the more you rely on them and the longer you go, the greater the risk.

2. We are never left alone to deal with life's problems. Problems will come. Our world is centered on problems and our culture thrives on them. Look no further than what is popular on television to see just how much we crave the drama of things going horribly wrong. If you as a parent believe you are all alone in your attempts to protect and raise your children, see #1 above. You will get tired, you will get dragged down and you will find yourself struggling. Those things may still happen regardless of your situation, but hope always makes the darkness brighter, and God always provides a good way out of a bad situation.

If you've made it this far, then let me thank you for being such a trooper. I know why God Loves you, and He is never wrong. I hope you see the reason too. If not, let me pray now that your eyes will be opened to the truth of how awesome and special you are. Just as you see blessing in the laughter of your children, know that God sees the same thing in you.

And if by some chance you are reading this and you don't believe in Him or are running from His grace, let me urge you to stop. Hit pause for one minute and ask God to prove He is there, always with you, always Loving you. 

Tell Him what you need most. Tell Him your fears and your weaknesses. You can't shock or surprise Him. Let Him hear all that you've been holding onto in the depths of your heart.

Then, wait and see what happens next.

500 Words...

Since finding time to write lately is a problem, one that is caused more, I believe, by a lack of priority rather than time, I have decided to undergo a 500 word-a-day challenge for the month of June put on by Jeff Goins. In this endeavor, I am going to ask those brave enough (or bored enough) to read my ramblings often enough to keep me honest, encourage me if you like, critique if you wish, and trash my humble prose if you feel no other inkling.

In the essence of writing, those of us who desire to undertake such endeavors are challenged to write what we know. Of course, being a student of literalness, I am forced to ask exactly what it is that I know. I know the sun and sky this morning were absolutely brilliant. I know that my son’s laughter is intoxicating and that my wife’s smile sends me to the moon. I know, without a doubt, that when I am near them, I can remember vividly a time when they were beyond my ability to dream of and that the life I have now was so far beyond the stars that I had stopped wishing for them long ago. And it is in those moments that I know how such amazing and wonderful examples of Love, Hope, and Grace came to be major ingredients in the life I have now.

Naturally, there are struggles. God wants all that I am. And why not? He’s certainly earned it and then some. Forget earning it – He is my creator. I don’t own anything He didn’t give me. And yet, knowing that, even saying it, doesn’t necessarily mean that I am living it. Surrendering everything is a difficult task for many, I think. It certainly is for me. No matter how much I desire otherwise, giving everything to the One who gave me life turns into a battle with myself that goes against me by going exactly the way I thought I wanted to go.

A stubborn and rebellious heart is often fueled by anger and shame – chains to a past that no longer exists. Given enough time that heart begins to feel more like a lump of lifeless coal than a heart responsible for sustaining life. Eventually, the only thing being sustained is misery.

It is said that time heals all wounds. I say time just dulls the pain. Only God can heal and restore a wounded heart. Only God can tear away the scabs and leave new, healthy flesh in its place. Carry your war-torn heart as a badge of honor if you will, but life isn’t found in embracing the past hurts and holding them up like a shield. The past must be released so the new creation can thrive.

I know that no matter what happens, I am never alone. More than that, I know that I have Someone in my corner who Loves me more than anyone on this planet every could, and if I will surrender my fears, my secrets and my hurts to Him, give Him all that I am, my gain far outweighs anything and everything I could ever offer.

And the greatest thing is that He Loves each and every one of us that way.

Thank you, my great and Loving Abba, for never giving up on me.

I wonder...

I'm supposed to be cleaning out the storage room so I don't have to pay another month's rent, but, as often as I should know better, a thought hit me and I decided that those brave enough to look should have a moment (or several...) to peer inside my mind.

Hey - you clicked the link.

You can’t hide under a rock without being besieged by opinions and judgments of who should or shouldn't be allowed to make decisions for us in the arena of government. I personally am tired of hearing about it. It seems more like frivolous daydream than any form of reality anymore. But then I started thinking...

This is the part where you start running...

Listen to those who voice those opinions, and study those who are among our options, and the ultimate decision isn’t one of our right to choose, but to be yoked, forced, not to decide who is right for the job, but who has the best campaign manager and speech writers, and who is favored by the broadcasting corporation who benefits by showing you only that which will sway your decision or the information that is strategically released for us to uncover.

We live in a world of choices. We want what is best for our lives, and we let that hinge solely on a decision of a human being, no different from any other; from ourselves; Someone we are likely to never shake the hand of or speak to face to face, someone we hope is truthful and honorable, without ever knowing more of their character than what has been deemed best to be shown to us.

You know - like a comic book hero?

Will they be fair? Fair to you? Fair to me? Fair to those who have less than us or more? We opine they will give us all that we ask for, or that they will strip from us that which we hold dear, and we suffer, rarely in silence, hoping that our freedom to do as we will is never taken away, and rallying in anger at the thought that a single moment of choice will be ripped from our hands, even when that choice may have never been one we chose to pursue until the merest suggestion of its loss.

How many guns would we buy if we knew that tomorrow, we could buy no more? How much gold would we plunder if tomorrow it would no longer exist?

How many would turn to God, if tomorrow He would be taken from your ability to choose?

Should we demand we are given more, that what we have is not enough? We sell ourselves into bondage daily, and then rail against those we want to blame that they have taken from us what we have freely given. We choose and then stand with mouths agape when our champion is the same imperfect being that we are, making choices we foisted upon them. “They asked for it”, we say. “They campaigned for the job”, we shout, and then laugh in stooped superiority as they ask for us to be understanding.

And what if we were given all that we asked, all that we demand is our right to have? Would we be silent and content, never asking for more? Would we then turn away from our own desires to lend a hand to those who are shivering in the rain, cowering in the dark, whose aching and empty bellies growl with the contempt of our wasted pleasures? Hasn’t it been proven time and time again that it is from darkness that our line shines brightest? That, it is then, when we have nothing that we then turn to others and give to them all that it is that we have left? We give meager crumbs in time of plenty, and sacrifice all that we have when we have nothing.

When we finally see each other as the equals that we are?

So then, whom should we seek to place in power over us? Those who would give us all that we ask, or one who would lighten our load by increasing our hardships? If we are stripped of our idols and our insatiable hunger for the spoils of a battle we did not fight, will we not then prosper? Would we not be better served to show to all that we are not a land of plenty, but a plentiful land of people who, under hardship, grow and prosper in the beauty of our hearts, rather than the beauty of our homes, our vanity, or the digitally enhanced splendor of our vacation photos?

We wait for sudden disaster or displeasure to show who we are, while all the while the true disaster approaches in silence, veiled beneath our quickened pulse over the loss of our right to speak as we will, do as we will, ignore others, as we do. If we expended as much concern for those who are beside us every day, as we do for those who are beyond our reach, how little, truly, would we ever have the need to ask for?

I'm naive. I know that. I'm a dreamer of fantasies, and unwilling to accept that the world is what it is. I believe it can change, we can change. What I say isn't any different than all the other rhetoric out there. 

But I also believe that so much time is spent on this political drama, that it feels like more of a distraction than anything worthwhile. How much good could all the money that goes into these campaigns do if were better utilized? How many could the shelters house with the millions spent on advertising? How many could be fed with all the food that is wasted in parties to curry favor and donations?

And while I'm on my plucky little tirade, I may as well go a little further... 

Believe what you will about Christianity, the Bible, and God. There is a simple fact - Christ lived and died and lives now. How do I know? Other than my own personal experiences, you can spend about an hour on the internet and get all the research you need. But, Even if you believe He was nothing more than a man, that man set in motion events that have led to right now, this moment. For all the bad many may want to point to about the things done throughout history in the name of religion, there have been those with real faith working in the trenches, led by God, to spread His word, to cultivate the things we often take for granted. Inspiration has freed slaves, fed multitudes, healed the sick, housed the homeless, and helped those who felt they had nothing left, that life was not worth living, go on to do great things, not for their pride or ego, but for the One who made it possible for them to exist. And I'm not talking about just during thousands of years ago either.

Seriously - think about that. Would we have the freedoms we have now if it hadn't been for Him? We thank the veterans who gave their lives for the freedoms we have today - and rightly so - John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends".

There have been many throughout the centuries who have done just that, and while we herald them, I think we often forget that it all started with someone who chose not to curse, not to hate, not to tell us to pick the right president so we have all that we want, but to love. Love our enemies, love our friends, our brothers, our sisters... everyone.

God chooses who will rule over us. If we, all of us, suddenly said, "Hey government. We're not playing your game anymore until you start doing it right. We refuse to vote this time" Can you imagine the chaos? How shaken would our very world be if we, as a republic who touts democracy, practiced our right to vote by not doing it? That would be far more of a gauntlet than the paltry percentage split that the presidential race is won by now.

How much more profound would our rebuke be if it were spoken in total silence and refusal to act?

Of course, that would never happen. If you want people to act, you have to tell them they can't, not that they have a choice not to do something. It's why living a life of chosen denial can be difficult. I constantly have to tell myself it isn't that I have to try harder, it's that I simply have to choose not to do something. When you try to do something contrary to what you want, you're going to rebel. It's when you just don't, that when you stop fighting yourself and others, that the real progress begins.

And let me tell you so you don't think I'm being all sanctimonious, that I spend as much time daily asking forgiveness for my failures as I do praying for others. I screw up - a lot.

I know, I know - it's tough to believe. But yes, I too - am human.

Not doing the wrong thing can be, and sometimes is, more difficult than doing the right thing. But there's a unique difference. We don't always know what the 'right' thing is. Knowing what isn't right is usually pretty clear.

When you have the choice to give something up, it's a much harder road to walk than if what you want to do is simply not something you can do. If we were told we weren't allowed to vote, then we would revolt. If we were told we have to do something, say, pray or worship a certain way, no matter how much good may come of it, many would fight it just because they want the choice to be and do as they wish.

And that's what it is all about, isn't it? It doesn't matter what we want, we're not happy unless we can choose.

And that is a right given to us by God, from the point of creation until right now. Not by you, not by our government, and certainly not by the person we choose to put in office every four years. All those who gave up their lives, sacrificed for us, they had a choice. 

And they did it for us.

He did it for us. He did it for now.

Hrm.

So what is the big debate about again? I forget...

It's Time

Two nights ago I listened to six wonderful women talk about their recent missions trip to Belgium. They were there working with an organization known as Breaking Chains. 

You know, Belgium… It’s snuggled in there between France and Germany, for those of you who are geographically challenged. The home of those tasty waffles and sex slaves?

Mmmm, waffles and sex sl… say what?

You read what I said. Sex Slaves. Women tricked, sold, or kidnapped and then shipped around the world where they are beaten, tortured, and forced to sell their bodies to anyone who wants to use them. And I don’t mean a few. Many of them have no papers or identification, so even if they could escape the nightmare they’re being forced to live twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, they have nowhere to go. They would likely be detained and deported, right back to where it all started.

But hey… that’s ‘over there’. We don’t need to talk about that.

So one of the ladies, a good friend and a beautiful, helpful soul I’ve had the pleasure to meet and get to know, showed me this article in the July issue of the “Oklahoma” magazine.

You know, Oklahoma. It’s snuggled right here in between Texas and Missouri. Part of the famous Route 66? You might have heard about our little basketball team that thundered through this past season…?

Anyway, according to the magazine, “An FBI report states that it is well known among truck drivers that if you want good barbecue, go to Kansas City, and if you want young girls, go to Oklahoma City.”

Those ‘young girls’ they’re speaking of, are some of the one hundred thousand who “will enter the sex trade yearly. The average age of a prostitute is 14-years-old. The average entry age is 12.”

So, after they’re done sharing with us about how, when these women… these victims… were done with the few precious moments they had to spend bonding, singing, and praying, they had to go back to ‘work’. There was no escape, no freedom. Can you imagine how hard that must have been for all of them? 

Afterwards, another friend and one of the women who had been on the trip told me how she cried for two days after she got back.

And then I wanted to cry.

Barely able to breath, I drove home. I usually take I-44 – it runs right past my apartment. It lays about 300 feet away from my door. I can hear cars and trucks racing by now as I type this.

“Oklahoma with its three main major interstate highways – I-35, I-40 and I-44 – provides a pipeline out of Texas running to all ports north, east and west, a crossroads for human trafficking.”

“In early 2012, Oklahoma police and federal agents busted a major sex trafficking ring operating out of homes and apartment buildings in Oklahoma City and Tulsa”

I don’t know about you, but every time I think about it, every time I hear the sound of a car go by now, I wonder… and then I get a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. It hasn’t been easy sleeping either. 

And it shouldn’t be.

But hey, that’s Oklahoma, right?

“The U.S. State Department lists America as the number one destination for human trafficking, especially of children. California, New York, Texas and Oklahoma top the list of states most active.”

There’s that sick feeling again.  I’ve lived in three of the four of those states, and was within an hour’s drive of the fourth. I didn’t know… I didn’t want to know.

“Worldwide estimates are that 27 million men, women and children are in slavery at any given time. Human trafficking, defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services through use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery, is a $32 billion industry, second only to drugs as the largest criminal activity in the world.”

But you don’t want to hear about that do you? I mean, it’s been going on for years and years, and what have we… what have I done about it? Besides, you can read the article for yourself here:

http://www.okmag.com/July-2012/Skin-Trade/

But that is literally just the tip of the iceberg.

Listen… or in this case, read. I could go on quoting about a dozen sites I’ve come across in the past two days as I tried to find a way to write this, but would it matter? The fact that you’re reading this means you have access to the internet in some form or another, so if you have one iota of curiosity, if you have any semblance of compassion for your fellow human beings, take just five minutes and do a search for human trafficking. I warn you though; be prepared.

If you need a start, go here: http://www.oathcoalition.com/

They’re based out of Oklahoma, but they have links to a lot of other sites like http://www.slaverymap.org/

They have a map that shows locations and details on various types of human trafficking that have been discovered, and their outcome. You might be surprised how close to your home… your backyard where your children, nieces, nephes, and grandchildren play… this is.

But, should you not have the will to go look for yourself, then I implore you to read on.

It is easy to say this isn’t my – or your – problem. It’s easy to say… but I would be lying. This isn’t an issue of race or immigration law, politics or religion. This is an issue of Humanity. This is a disease, and one that is out of control. Sure, it might run its course and die out. But that’s naive. Odds are, much like all the other things that we as a species have done, we’ve ignored the bully, the pimp, the ‘bad guy’ who, through our chosen ignorance and unwillingness to be the stewards of the planet we should be, have used every convenience we perceive as a benefit to perform these heinous atrocities right in front of us. Not behind our backs, not in the alley or the open field. Look outside your window… these slaves are out there right now, being beaten, tortured, raped. Some are killed for foolishly believing they could escaped, and their death isn’t swift, because they can be used as an example to others.

It doesn’t start by accident, either. People with a purpose plan this out in precise detail, and they know exactly what to do and say to play on our fears, our needs, our wants, and before we know what has happened, those rights we believe we deserve, that we claim are being taken away, really are. There’s no calling in sick to work because you feel like playing hooky, no surfing the internet for more LOL Catz or Youtube videos in the wee hours of the morning. You’re forced into hellish living conditions, given barely anything to eat, forced to work endlessly, and if you speak out, don’t meet working expectations, try to leave.. Well, the day doesn’t end with complaining to your Facebook friends about what a sucky day you’ve had so you can reap their sympathy as you lament the awfulness of your daily life.

But maybe this isn’t hitting home for you. Maybe your more worried about your home life, your job, your car. Maybe your kids are driving you nuts and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t communicate to them what is you want them to do. To that I say this – Find a way. Get in their lives, find out who their friends are, find out what they’re posting online and who they are talking to. Tell them and show them you love them and how much every second of every day. If you think they’re too young to go out unsupervised, don’t let them. These people are experts at what they do, and they know how to communicate with your kids better than you. 

Before you can ask what happened, they’ll be gone. Maybe, just maybe they’ll be found or they’ll come home. 

Or maybe they won’t.

You might wonder why I am bothering. I could post a link and be done with it. Maybe I am doing this because it’s the Christian thing to do. Well duh. But it is more than that. It is so much more than that. There’s a lot of things in this world that make me ill, but I’ve managed to reason away my ability to do anything for years. Yes, I’m commanded to love others, but the commandment alone won’t make me love anyone or care what happens to them. I could point to the resolution I signed a few months ago, wherein I swore before God and my church that “I will confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy”. I whole heartedly made that resolution, and if that was the only reason I had, it would be enough.

But the real reason is simply this. I have to. If I don't say something, do something, how can I live with myself?

Maybe you want to ask, “Why would God let this happen?” and to that I have an answer, and it’s so obvious, I feel silly for having to say it. I’m paraphrasing a man by the name of Dave Roever who spoke at my church not long ago, but it goes something like this; 

God didn’t get us into this. We did.

We can ask God for His help, and he will give it, but we have to do our part. We have to act, and He will give all of us the strength we need to persevere, the mercy we need to pull us up when we’ve fallen and feel we can't go on, and the healing we – and the victims of this mess – need once the battle is over.

And for those who don’t believe in Christ, God, or anything but yourself? Then it falls squarely on your shoulders too. You don’t get a pass just because you don’t believe in something higher than yourself. In fact, if you are your own god, it is still your life and your world, and you’re part of it is waiting for you to act.

To let it happen when we have knowledge of it is horrifying. What does that say about us as human beings?

There’s no middle ground here. There’s no fence straddling. You’re either in or you’re out, and the only person you have to face in the mirror is yourself.

It’s estimated there are 27 million people that are slaves right now, all around the world, and there’s more added to the list every 30 seconds. Tomorrow, some of them will be dead. More of them will wish they were.

Where will you be?

Perhaps this one seems too big. Perhaps you feel there is nothing you can do. The only thing I’m asking for is your voice, whether it is vocal, written, sign language, or even rude gestures. Whatever it takes to get the message out there will at least be one more voice. And you never know – that one person you tell, may put them in a position to help one of these people, one of these human beings, out of a life of torment and depravity. Your voice may be the one that tips the scales in their favor. Your voice may be the one they hear when an opportunity to escape presents itself, and your voice may be the one that comforts them when they can’t. Your voice may be the only chance they have to survive.

First off pray. If you don’t feel you have the strength to do anything, or perhaps you just lack the will, then reach down deep inside you for every shred of emotion you have and pray for someone who does have the strength and the will to stand up in your place. Pray to whomever lifts your heart and hears your cries and ask them to motivate you and anyone else to do what is needed. Then, pray for those who don’t have the freedom you have, who need to find that light that is waiting to chase away the darkness from their lives and take away their pain.

Next, tell someone. Post a link, write an email, write your congressman, write the president, write your newspaper, television, radio stations and ask them to say something. Do something. If they refuse, then tell someone they refused and what it is they refused to do.

Next, love your children. Teach them. I don’t recommend scaring them to death, but they need to be aware just how important this is. Find out the signs to identify people in trouble. Most of the sites have lists of indicators and ask your kids if they know anyone who may be in trouble.

If you know someone who has a drug problem, do whatever you can to get them help. Some of these children are sold into slavery or forced into it by family members and friends who use them to get money for drugs. It’s insane, but you would be helping not just the kids, but the people they need most, too.

Last, Volunteer. Donate. Make or buy stickers and signs like the one’s on the Oath Coalition site and stick them everywhere someone will let you – on your car, bus stop, shop windows. Someone in need may see it, and while they may not be able to do anything with it, it tells them that they’re not alone and that someone out there is looking to help them.

Someone cares.

Beyond that… it’s in your hands. It’s a lot to take in, and if you’ve read this far, I applaud you. If you’re willing to take a stand, know you’re not alone. There are plenty of people who will stand beside you. 

And whether you believe in God or not, He believes in you. He is waiting for us to do what is right. You don’t have to do it for Him, but you should most definitely want to do it for them.