My Vision

Hey Folks! Okay, so as I was sitting in church today, I suddenly began to think that it is completely possible for me to begin speaking without invitations to speak. Novel idea, huh? I don't mean that I will walk in a church or school some where and just start yelling at everyone. I mean that I can begin speaking at my home church and other places that know and trust me, and while doing that I can ask the people that come to tell their pastors, friends, neighbors, and any other contacts they have about me going to speak in other places.

So here's my vision. I want to speak in at least two places a month before the end of this year. Then next year, I want to enlarge my base and speak at maybe three places a month. In doing this, hundreds of people can hear about modern-day slavery and hopefully join me in the fight against it. Also, my husband had an awesome idea for Southern Baptists.

As a Southern Baptist, there are some things in our history that bothers me. One major problem is that S.B.'s actually joined together as such over the issue of keeping slavery in the United States back in the 1800s. That saddens me. So his idea was that we as a denomination can in fact unite as one in the fight against slavery, reversing the prejudices and original ideas of some who started our denomination.

You know, we don't have much time left on earth. I certainly don't believe that I know when Christ shall return, and honestly, it could be another 200 years from now. However, time doesn't really make much difference to the eternal God. So I see the redemption of our world as coming soon, even if it's not in my lifetime. As I believe this, I see how humanity is really just wasting away, and slavery is truly a tool of satan to prevent the spread of the Gospel, the spread of hope. We have to fight it. If not us, who? If not the church, who? We, as the bride of Christ, enjoy our freedom in Him - why shouldn't we offer the same freedom to those in physical as well as spiritual bondage? We should. We will. We can offer the safe haven so many are desperately longing for. We've got to unite on this, spread the word, and make a difference in our world.

Slavery

Did y'all know that somewhere around 27 million people are enslaved right now? That makes me cringe. Even here in the US people are forced to work and have sex with people who paid as little as $90 for them. The captors threaten the victims' families and everything else the victims hold dear.

How dare we allow that in our country. How dare we allow that in our world. How dare we turn away from them. How dare we rely on others to make this "problem" go away.

I don't have the answers, but I'm ticked. I'm ticked because I want to help but don't really know how. I read a little on the A21 Campaign website about ways we can help. One said to use your talents. If you know me, you know that I have the gift of gab. (No pun on my name intended.) I can speak and speak well when in front of people -- especially when I am passionate about something and folks are willing to listen.

So if any of you out there want to get the word out about modern-day slavery, let me know. I'm ready, willing, and able to come. Let's get the word out, folks. 27 million men, women, and children are waiting.

They need us.

I'm thinking, I'm thinking, I'm thinking..... I'm thinking

If you have seen the 2nd Night at the Museum movie, you totally understand the title. I was reading some John Maxwell again, in Dare to Dream Maxwell quotes Emerson.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Beware when the great God lets loose a thinker on this planet."

This quote intrigues me for a number of reasons. The most basic is that when people begin to think, change happens - be it for the better or for the worst. In going along with my last post, I have recently learned a fundamental truth about human behavior. What you think produces feelings. What you feel produces actions, and what you act upon produces results.

Have you ever met someone and after listening to them you wonder how his or her mind works? My husband is a deep thinker. He ponders over life questions, theology, sin and sanctification, the actions of men, life situations, etc. When he speaks, he truly amazes people. I know I am a little biased, but his professors have all bragged about him to me and others. When I read the Emerson quote, I immediately thought of my husband.

I wonder what kind of change would take place in our fallen world if everyone would take time to stop and think - weighing every option with the scales of wisdom. If we did that, our feelings probably wouldn't get hurt as quickly, we wouldn't lash out at others as often, and we wouldn't hurt others so deeply.

Just a thought I figured I should share.: )

Thoughts=Feelings=Actions=Results: What do you think about?

It seems like forever since I last blogged. A lot of changes have been happening in the W household - all for the better. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to fall into a desperately negative outlook? As I was telling a friend earlier, just think about your thoughts, and you'll see how many of them are not in any way edifying, uplifting, or encouraging to anyone. Something I've really been convicted over are my daydreams. Are you a daydreamer? I can spend over an hour imagining things. (It's my "nothing" box.) When I feel overwhelmed, lazy, or just bored with what's going on around me, I start to daydream about random things (like my preferred endings to fairy tales and movies). You know what I found out? That's why sometimes it is very difficult for me to pay attention and concentrate when people start talking to me. Scripture admonishes us to only think on things that are wholly and pleasing to God. When I daydream, I'm wasting time and precious energy on things that are not in existence.

Making changes as little as these can cause more messes than I care to admit. It's like a battle raging in my mind. The desire to just go into my "nothing" box and not think about anything worth while is so very tempting for me. Yet, when I achieve small victories over these tiny character flaws, I notice a change that is more beautiful than a new outfit or haircut. I grow and become more like the One who created me. How messy, and how beautiful was the crucifixion of our God. He shed his flesh and blood to cover our sins forever. His love conquered all hate, death, and misery.

Change can be messy, but changing into Christ makes us more beautiful for it.

As Truvy (played by the great Dolly Parton) said in the movie Steel Magnolias, "Just look at me, Annelle. It takes some effort to look like this!" Let's make the effort to look like Christ and get a little messy in the process.