There are over 27 million slaves in the world today. Including the United States.
This number represents the men, women, and children who are forcibly, against their will, made to labor for another person. This labor can be physical/manual labor in a factory, private home, field, etc...it can also mean they are forced into sexual labor for another person's profit.
Did you notice that I mentioned this happens in the United States? Every. Day. I'll do you one better, a little closer to home...It happens in OKLAHOMA. Right here. In the freakin' Bible Belt.
In fact, Oklahoma has been at the center of this nations battle with human trafficking consistently over the last few years. This is because all major interstates run right smack through the middle of us. We are literally the conveyor belt of human trafficking.
The average age and sex of those being trafficked for sexual slavery? Between 12-23 year old girls.
You may think, well, that's awful but it doesn't really affect me, or what does that matter to me?
Well...do me a favor. Go to this website www.slaveryfootprint.org and take the survey. You'll see just how much you personally contribute to the problem.
Then go check some facts on the state department website.
Or check out www.ijm.org, www.asourown.org, www.oathcoalition.org, www.notforsalecampaign.org, www.truckersagainsttrafficking.com, www.humantrafficking.org.
You can also go read about Pearl House, an I.D. Ministries project, at www.courtneybullard.blogspot.com.
PLEASE educate yourselves about this! They say knowledge is power...I say what you do with that knowledge is powerful!! Be a positive power against slavery! Let's stop human trafficking in it's tracks!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
New Year, New Adventure
Friends, we are only 9 days into this New Year and already I can't believe how much God has done and is going to do!! It's going to be a crazy (in a good way) year. I don't have much new to report on the job front, but praying for everyone involved as we decide how best to proceed. I am confident that God will work it out in one way or another. I have such peace about the calling He has placed on me that even if I continue to "volunteer" my ministry time, it's totally worth it. But that isn't what this post is about. In this post I want to talk about a different adventure. :)
In March I will be running my first half-marathon. (Well...maybe walking it, but dang it I will try my best to run it.) Now for some people this might be an attempt to compete or get fit or do something healthy. But for me it's about something different. It's about supporting a ministry that has become such an inspiration to me. As Our Own is an organization in India that rescues girls out of human trafficking and takes them in "as their own"...they adopt these girls into their families and love them and take care of them for the rest of their lives. AMAZING.
So, when I heard about this ministry and what they were doing I immediately started looking into ways to support them. That's how I heard about the "I Will Run" campaign. They started a campaign to ask supporters to raise money for the charity and awareness about human trafficking by competing in 10 races in 10 cities, highlighting the stories of 10 different girls. I was hooked. Fortunately, so was Nikki. She was the person who first told me about this ministry and had been reading about the campaign as well. Somehow we managed to get signed up, talk several other people into running with us, and start raising money.
The last two days I've been able to knock out 1.5 miles. I can't imagine how I'll get to 13 miles. But dang it. I will do my very best to do it for Parul.
As I sat down to recover from my run today though, it hit me. I am so blessed. I mean I think I have it bad being a little sore and busting my tail to be prepared for a race. I worry about little things like whether I will be able to help contribute to my family's income or not, when we have plenty and won't be hurting even if I can't pull off a paycheck. I gripe about having to eat the same thing every day when there are so many who may not eat, let alone be able to eat something healthy. As I type, I'm sitting on my comfy couch, in my warm house, using my MAC computer. So many are cold, hungry, homeless, and take a warm cup of coffee over a fancy computer any day.
It hurt to think of how selfish and undeserving I am. It hurt more that I realized I don't really think about these things. I mean REALLY think about them. I became heart broken all over again for these girls and what they have had to endure. I praise God for the ones who are rescued.
My little run may not mean much in the grand scheme of things. But I pray that every time I'm sore, or cold, or feel like quitting, I will remember that there is another girl out there somewhere who is more sore and colder and scared and I will run for her. I will run because others need to know and be spurred into action. I will run because her life means more to me than my own. I will run because if I'm not running then I'm sitting around doing nothing...and nothing is no longer an option.
Friends, I hope you'll take some time today to go check out As Our Own. www.asourown.org They are amazing and you should support them.
My next post will be a look into America's role in human trafficking. I think it will surprise you. I hope it will spur you into action.
In March I will be running my first half-marathon. (Well...maybe walking it, but dang it I will try my best to run it.) Now for some people this might be an attempt to compete or get fit or do something healthy. But for me it's about something different. It's about supporting a ministry that has become such an inspiration to me. As Our Own is an organization in India that rescues girls out of human trafficking and takes them in "as their own"...they adopt these girls into their families and love them and take care of them for the rest of their lives. AMAZING.
So, when I heard about this ministry and what they were doing I immediately started looking into ways to support them. That's how I heard about the "I Will Run" campaign. They started a campaign to ask supporters to raise money for the charity and awareness about human trafficking by competing in 10 races in 10 cities, highlighting the stories of 10 different girls. I was hooked. Fortunately, so was Nikki. She was the person who first told me about this ministry and had been reading about the campaign as well. Somehow we managed to get signed up, talk several other people into running with us, and start raising money.
The last two days I've been able to knock out 1.5 miles. I can't imagine how I'll get to 13 miles. But dang it. I will do my very best to do it for Parul.
As I sat down to recover from my run today though, it hit me. I am so blessed. I mean I think I have it bad being a little sore and busting my tail to be prepared for a race. I worry about little things like whether I will be able to help contribute to my family's income or not, when we have plenty and won't be hurting even if I can't pull off a paycheck. I gripe about having to eat the same thing every day when there are so many who may not eat, let alone be able to eat something healthy. As I type, I'm sitting on my comfy couch, in my warm house, using my MAC computer. So many are cold, hungry, homeless, and take a warm cup of coffee over a fancy computer any day.
It hurt to think of how selfish and undeserving I am. It hurt more that I realized I don't really think about these things. I mean REALLY think about them. I became heart broken all over again for these girls and what they have had to endure. I praise God for the ones who are rescued.
My little run may not mean much in the grand scheme of things. But I pray that every time I'm sore, or cold, or feel like quitting, I will remember that there is another girl out there somewhere who is more sore and colder and scared and I will run for her. I will run because others need to know and be spurred into action. I will run because her life means more to me than my own. I will run because if I'm not running then I'm sitting around doing nothing...and nothing is no longer an option.
Friends, I hope you'll take some time today to go check out As Our Own. www.asourown.org They are amazing and you should support them.
My next post will be a look into America's role in human trafficking. I think it will surprise you. I hope it will spur you into action.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
White Flag (Or New Orders)
I couldn't decide how I wanted to title this post...in keeping with my battle theme from the first two, I thought 'white flag' was appropriate, but then it also sounded like I was giving up, when in reality I was very much victorious. So then I thought, 'new orders' because even though I won, I'm also moving on. So I went with both. Sort of. Anyway...
My last post talked about the drama I had going on at work, in particular with my boss, and about how God had asked me to trust him and I wasn't sure at the time what that meant exactly. Ready to find out? :)
After my boss refused to talk things through with me (in fact, refused to talk to me at all), I went back to my assistant director and talked to her. I had several options, all of which would only lead to more drama, more stress, and no real solution.
So we prayed. She prayed. I prayed. My husband, family, close friends...all of us prayed. And then God spoke so clearly it was almost audible (at least for me): 'TRUST ME'. Only this time, He also said,' LEAVE'. And by leave, I mean my job. So, I turned in my two weeks notice and as of December 22, I am no longer employed.
I have to admit, leaving without knowing what I was stepping into was pretty scary for me. I am a planner. I like plans. Especially ones with a beginning, middle, and end. And me seeing all of those things from the beginning.
As God asked me to leave the library I remember saying to Him, 'Ok, but..uh...what's next?' I had been turning in resumes and applications at every opportunity I had seen for two months. I hadn't had one call back. As I asked, Holy Spirit spoke up. He said, 'Courtney, do you trust the Lord?' 'Well, yeah, 'I answered. 'Then have faith.'
Have faith? Uh oh. God rarely utters those two words without crazy stuff happening afterword. Just look at what happened to Abraham (became the father of a nation) or Moses (became the leader of a nation) or Mary (became mother to the Messiah!!). CRAZY STUFF.
Now, my case isn't that extreme, but at the time I didn't know that. Ha ha. So I ran to my hubby and closest prayer warriors and asked them to PRAY. I mean, REALLY PRAY. :) And they did.
Hubby and I both prayed specifically that God would give us a clearer picture of what He meant when He said, "Trust Me and have faith". Boy, did He answer. It may not have been a call to lead a nation...but it was pretty life changing.
'What?! What did He answer?!', you ask? He asked me to quit my job. Then He asked me to trust Him. Then He asked me to have faith. Then He asked me to give Him my time. All of it. He asked me to enter into full-time ministry. And He asked me to trust that He would provide for my family financially, because the ministry He wanted me to be a part of full-time can't pay me unless I raise my own support.
Yeah. I'm pretty blown away too.
So, I put on my big girl panties and said,'OK, Lord.'
I enlisted friends to pray. I drew up a "business plan" for the founder of the ministry to look at and waited. That turned into such an enthusiastic response, I can't even do it justice here, ha ha. Let's just say that God gave me a HUGE vision for my future in I.D. Ministries and Courtney Belle was VERY excited.
So that led to making contact through another I.D. person with someone who could help me figure out how to make this happen financially. And that turned into getting my first guaranteed donor towards my first paycheck. And an invaluable resource and 'mentor' so to speak!!
I'm still not 100% sure how everything will work or when it will all be nailed down. And even if I don't make a dime, I will be devoting my time and attention to the calling God has placed on me. I can't wait!
I am PUMPED UP right now. God is so good. And I can't wait to see where else these new orders will lead me.
"For I know the plans I have for you,"declares the Lord,"Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
My last post talked about the drama I had going on at work, in particular with my boss, and about how God had asked me to trust him and I wasn't sure at the time what that meant exactly. Ready to find out? :)
After my boss refused to talk things through with me (in fact, refused to talk to me at all), I went back to my assistant director and talked to her. I had several options, all of which would only lead to more drama, more stress, and no real solution.
So we prayed. She prayed. I prayed. My husband, family, close friends...all of us prayed. And then God spoke so clearly it was almost audible (at least for me): 'TRUST ME'. Only this time, He also said,' LEAVE'. And by leave, I mean my job. So, I turned in my two weeks notice and as of December 22, I am no longer employed.
I have to admit, leaving without knowing what I was stepping into was pretty scary for me. I am a planner. I like plans. Especially ones with a beginning, middle, and end. And me seeing all of those things from the beginning.
As God asked me to leave the library I remember saying to Him, 'Ok, but..uh...what's next?' I had been turning in resumes and applications at every opportunity I had seen for two months. I hadn't had one call back. As I asked, Holy Spirit spoke up. He said, 'Courtney, do you trust the Lord?' 'Well, yeah, 'I answered. 'Then have faith.'
Have faith? Uh oh. God rarely utters those two words without crazy stuff happening afterword. Just look at what happened to Abraham (became the father of a nation) or Moses (became the leader of a nation) or Mary (became mother to the Messiah!!). CRAZY STUFF.
Now, my case isn't that extreme, but at the time I didn't know that. Ha ha. So I ran to my hubby and closest prayer warriors and asked them to PRAY. I mean, REALLY PRAY. :) And they did.
Hubby and I both prayed specifically that God would give us a clearer picture of what He meant when He said, "Trust Me and have faith". Boy, did He answer. It may not have been a call to lead a nation...but it was pretty life changing.
'What?! What did He answer?!', you ask? He asked me to quit my job. Then He asked me to trust Him. Then He asked me to have faith. Then He asked me to give Him my time. All of it. He asked me to enter into full-time ministry. And He asked me to trust that He would provide for my family financially, because the ministry He wanted me to be a part of full-time can't pay me unless I raise my own support.
Yeah. I'm pretty blown away too.
So, I put on my big girl panties and said,'OK, Lord.'
I enlisted friends to pray. I drew up a "business plan" for the founder of the ministry to look at and waited. That turned into such an enthusiastic response, I can't even do it justice here, ha ha. Let's just say that God gave me a HUGE vision for my future in I.D. Ministries and Courtney Belle was VERY excited.
So that led to making contact through another I.D. person with someone who could help me figure out how to make this happen financially. And that turned into getting my first guaranteed donor towards my first paycheck. And an invaluable resource and 'mentor' so to speak!!
I'm still not 100% sure how everything will work or when it will all be nailed down. And even if I don't make a dime, I will be devoting my time and attention to the calling God has placed on me. I can't wait!
I am PUMPED UP right now. God is so good. And I can't wait to see where else these new orders will lead me.
"For I know the plans I have for you,"declares the Lord,"Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
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