Thursday, March 26, 2009

Pride and Prejudice to Hope and Freedom.






So I just watched Pride and Prejudice for the first time last night.
Thought it was good, but then I always over-analyze or talk too much.
Sometimes I wish we still lived in the old days where women wore pretty dresses, went to extravagant balls where they would be presented and the men who thought them beautiful or worthy enough would pursue them. The men would go out of their way and approach the women, they would get to know them (by dancing with them for one dance..) and decide whether they wanted to ask for their hand in marriage. It seems so romantic when they meet eyes, say a few witty words, and then there they are married and starting a family.
Its interesting to see women's roles in those days compared to today. Back then, If they weren't married off soon at a young age, they wouldn't be able to provide for themselves, or be stable and they would often be seen as an outcast, or something wrong with them.
Today, women do have more rights to start a career, get married and have children later in life.
Theres so much I could go on in this area. But in the end im left thinking..
I want to be pursued. I want to be noticed. This is a cry of a girls heart right?

We have such freedom and opportunities here in the U.S. and im broken hearted when I am reminded of the things I saw in Cambodia. I remember the faces of the young girls. The children. The what look liked hopeless country. I am now sitting in a comfort of an apartment with food, protection, and peace as I read this true, yet grafic article on human/sex trafficking of young children and women being bound to men and their manipulation, lust, abuse and carelessness. These young women just want to be loved, cherished, and noticed. God has called them to a healthy form of that. God desires to be with them. God desires to take care of them, provide for them, protect them, meet with them, have relationship with them.

The biggest question we all ask, "Then why isnt God delivering the broken, hurting, bondaged, bruised today?" I dont know the exact answer. But I know that the Lord has seen what humanity has done in His sight. As hard as it was for me to accept that we have chosen our independence, he gives us a choice to choose him. And when we choose him; when we choose to walk in his ways and truths and life there is freedom. He is delivering the broken, hurting, bondadged and bruised. There is hope. There is peace in the hardships, there is hope for the hopeless, there is deliverance from the evil one. That is the beauty of God. That when we do choose dependence on him, he will do what he says.
He will meet with us in the intimate details of our lives.
(The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.Though they stumble, they will never fall. for the Lord holds them by the hand. psalm 37:23-24).
He will rescue us.
(The Lord rescues the godly;he is their fortress in times of trouble. The Lord helps them,rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them and they find shelter in him. psalm 37:39-40).



What does this have to do with you and me? Well-everything. As Christians, we are not to shut ourselves off from the real world. We are to be the voice of hope to our broken society. To know that this is going on in our world today. To acknowlege that we are broken, but in our brokenness with Christ we can bring light into the darkness. We can stand up to injustice in our neighborhoods, families and in our world.

I started this blog off talking about the movie Pride and Predjudice, and then to the horrors of human/sex trafficking, but then to the hope of Christ in us. I am just like the next girl. we are all equal in Gods sight. We want to be loved, cherished and pursued. How amazing it is that we have a God who can be that for us. If we just call on his name, he will come. He will change the way men see us, he will redeem them, he will redeem us. Lord forgive us for choosing independence.
I choose dependence on you.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

It's just You and Me here now.


Lord Help, for I am tired and weary, and really don't want to push forward.

But when we see you, we find strength to face the day.

I need you.
I need your strength.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. "
Philippians 4:13

Monday, March 2, 2009

I want child like faith; I want to worship freely.




“I will make God of central importance, digging a deeper well through nurturing Gods loving, transforming presence in my life, denying myself, no longer conforming to culture, and renewing my mind through the daily practice of spiritual disciplines, fully committed to discovering Gods will in daily life.”-from the book; Culturally Savvy Christian

Lord you are the only one that satisfies
Help my faint heart and spirit within me
I believe you are speaking
I believe you will speak
I believe in you.