Category: anxiety

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anxiety

What have you accomplished today?

A few weeks ago, we discussed abandoning our to-do lists so that we could rely more on God and can have more peace. Some of you have admitted that it’s difficult to give up a to-do list, especially with our busy schedules and all the appointments we have to make. So, for those of you who are performance-based, accomplishment-driven, or just plain disorganized and in need of some structure, here is another way to look at your tasks for the day.

Pastor Craig Groeschel of Life.Church shared in his leadership podcast that the habit he wants to create this year is to celebrate little wins. He has been so focused on the big tasks, that he doesn’t want to forget about the everyday accomplishments and blessings that come his way.

While looking at my to-do list, I realized how condemning it was. The way I have it set up, I’m never going to be satisfied. I may have a list of 50 items, but if I do all but one task, I feel like I’ve failed. And even if I do all the items on my list, throughout the day, I’ll realize there were items I forgot to add to my list.

Why not focus on the items that I did accomplish?

I understand that people may not want to boast in their accomplishments. “Let those who boast, boast in the Lord,” the Scriptures say. But I’ve found that, instead of focusing on our accomplishments, we tend to focus on our shortcomings, which also does not glorify God. Think about it: God has given us the strength and the ability to accomplish all that He wants us to do. If we sit around thinking we’re failures or that our lives are too overwhelming for us, we’re neglecting to use the power, grace and strength He has given us.

Here is what I do now. At the beginning of the week, I write a list of what I’d like to accomplish. Since I have multiple freelance clients, in addition to my part-time job and the ministries I’m involved in at church, it’s easy for me to have an idea of what to expect in the next couple of days. Whether I want to work on my book, follow-up with a client, or spend time with friends, it’s helpful to see what’s on the agenda.

However, every day, at the end of the day, I take out my journal and write what I’ve accomplished. I don’t even look at my to-do list; I simply look back on the day and reflect on what went right. Then, I write at the bottom: “God, thank You for helping me to accomplish these things.”

So, I ask you, what have you accomplished today? If you are a perfectionist, like me, you may feel like you haven’t accomplished anything. You may feel like you’ve done a lot of work but nothing to show for it. Let me encourage you, and challenge you, to consider what little victories you have made today that can propel you to keep going.

This week, try writing down what you’ve accomplished. Put away the to-do list, and focus on what you’ve done right.

To give you an idea, since waking up this morning about two hours ago, here is what I’ve accomplished:

  • Woke up
  • Spent quality time with my husband at breakfast
  • Read the Bible
  • Did an intense workout 
  • Made the bed
  • Took a shower
  • Got dressed
  • Wrote a blog post

I didn’t change the world doing any of these things today. I didn’t make any money. I didn’t even affect anyone’s life, really. But what I accomplished so far matters, and knowing what I’ve already done will motivate me to make it through the rest of the day.

God, thank You for helping me to accomplish these things.

Photo by Emma Matthews on Unsplash

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anxiety

You’re braver than you think

I always beat myself up for having anxiety, but the truth is: for those of us who have anxiety, we are braver than we know. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said: “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” Anxiety makes it seem like whatever is giving us fear is strong enough to keep us in bondage, but when we do what makes us afraid―like go on planes, put ourselves in awkward social situations, or deal with conflict at work―we’re acting in courage.

The key is to not let our fear overtake us.

After traveling recently, I researched ways that flight attendants help passengers who are scared of flying (like me!). I learned that flight attendants are trained to make passengers feel comfortable and safe on each flight. But in some of these articles, I read flight attendants’ stories about how fearful flyers “gave in to fear.” The worst one that someone experienced was where a customer made a threat against the airline, so they had to call security to bring the customer off the flight.

There have been times when I’ve given into fear, when I’ve let fear take over me. But now that I’ve had several fearful experiences happen to me, I’ve learned that anxiety-inducing situations are part of life. In the middle of the storm, it’s better to do what makes me scared than to let fear stop me. If I didn’t do what made me afraid, there would be days where I would be curled up in a ball in my bed, listening to the clock tick on the wall next to me. That doesn’t sound like an exciting life!

As a Christian, I always hear people saying to let my faith be bigger than my fear. For a while, I’ve assumed that meant that God was going to shrink my fear and grow my faith. However, as I’ve learned over the years, I have a part to play as well. God grows my faith, but it’s my responsibility to choose to trust my faith instead of my fear.

God doesn’t make things easy for us just because we’re scared. Gideon, for example, was a man who almost let fear get in the way of him being used by God. Yet through each moment, God was faithful, and continued to give Gideon strength. You can read his story in Judges 6. Gideon was the weakest member of his family, who was part of the weakest tribe of Israel. But when the angel of the Lord came to speak to Gideon, he said: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!” The angel told Gideon, essentially, that he was braver than he thought. God was about to use this man, and three-hundred able men, to bring down Israel’s enemy.

My favorite part of the story of Gideon is that God truly cancelled every reason for Gideon to fear. The night before Gideon and his army would attack, God told him to go to the enemy camp and listen to a man speak. God promised Gideon that he would be encouraged after visiting the camp. Here is the account of what happened when Gideon obeyed:

“Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. ‘I had a dream,’ he was saying. ‘A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.’ His friend responded, ‘This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands'” (Judges 7:13-15).

Of course, Gideon had to go and fight, but God had prepared the way for him to have the victory. I believe that God does the same for us in our struggles. We may not always understand what God is doing, but He gives us just enough to get a taste of the victory we’re going to have through Him. Then, He gives us the strength and courage to act.

Will we take that next step in obedience to God?

No matter how much God does for us, we have to trust Him. We have to make that effort, as He has given us that responsibility to act in faith. God could open a door wide open for us, but it is our job to step through the doorway.

So, what are you scared of today? You don’t have to attack it head on, but if it’s stopping you from living the life that God has for you, you need to deal with it somehow. Even if fear threatens to cripple you, do it scared. Trust me: You’re braver than you think!

Photo by Marina Vitale on Unsplash

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anxiety

Why can’t I change the culture around me?

When I’m around critical people, I become critical. When I’m around negative people, I develop the nasty habit of complaining. However, I’m really not critical and I can’t stand complaining. I generally tend to look on the positive side of things. So why can’t I help others to be encouraging, instead of letting their negativity bring me to criticism?

I’m learning that it’s not that I have to change the culture. It’s that I have to let God change me.

By nature, we are all critical. It’s a fruit of the flesh, as described in Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV):

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Although I am joyful, the positivity I displayed was a defense mechanism (I’ll talk more about that another day!). True joy is a fruit of the Spirit, as seen after the passage cited above:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Humans in and of themselves are critical and negative. God wants to grow joy and love in me. As I do that, I learn to appreciate the culture around me by focusing on their strengths instead of what I need to fix. The Bible says that we are ministers of reconciliation and ambassadors for Christ:

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).

When God reconciles us to Himself, He charges us to bring others to Him as well. We admit that we need to change (which is super hard to do!) and we humbly accept God’s sanctification in us, which involves making us more like Christ. Then, we meet people where they are, and we are the go-between in our spheres of influence.

Ultimately, my desire to change the culture stems from spiritual pride. Yes, God’s desire is for us to become more like Christ, but at our core, our desire is to improve ourselves to be the best version of ourselves. I demand control in the world, because I think I know what’s best for the world. When we surrender to God and to His plan for us, we truly do become the best version of ourselves. Maybe not the skinniest, smartest, or strongest, but the version of ourselves that reflects Christ. Only then can we change our culture.

When I graduated high school, a bunch of my friends wrote in my yearbook that they saw God in me. Part of me was wondering, Don’t I have any other good qualities besides being a Christian? But now that I’m older, I’m thankful that I was a light in the darkness. I’m thankful that my friends believed that when they talked to me, they would be learning more about God.

Truthfully, after nine more years of studying the Bible, going on several missions trips, working at in a church office, and being involved in church, I definitely feel closer to God and to my church community, but I don’t know how much of a witness I am to those who do not know the Lord. I wonder if it’s because I think I’ve gone to the next “level” of my Christian faith, where I have fallen into the trap of believing I can be a witness for God’s glory without God’s help. God has shown me my own pride, and I’ve fallen on my face, both in humility and in humiliation. When I come out of that deep place, you’ll be sure to read about it!

I started this post talking about how to change the people around me. To be honest, I don’t believe that’s my job. Lights don’t change people. They only point people to the One who can change the world.

Photo by John-Mark Smith on Unsplash

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anxiety

Finding that work-life balance

My husband and I got married after knowing each other for a year. We could have waited until we had our finances in order, but we decided that we’d rather work together to make money than establish our own separate budgets only to combine them in the future. Two and a half years later, we’re debt free, in a decent apartment situation, and we’re putting money away for a down payment for our house. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

But sometimes, it’s easy to put our goals in place of the motivation behind our goals.

What do we need for a house? Money. And what do we need to get money? A job. In order to get what we want, we need to make time to work. We love our jobs, and we’re both doing what we love, but at the end of the day, our most important priority is to have a safe place for us to call home. We work so we can afford our apartment and so we can put money away for our future. We started this marriage on the same page, and the excellence we perform at work is motivated by the fact that we have the same goals.

But when my head hits the pillow at night, I forget that the reason I put in so many crazy hours at work is because of the person sleeping next to me.

People tell me that living on Long Island is crazy, but I believe it’s crazy to live anywhere in the world. Everyone I talk to seems to be busy. Our schedules are packed. But why?

As I’ve been talking about on Wednesdays, I’ve abandoned my to-do list. I did this because God wants me to choose what is better (see Luke 10:37-42). What is better: checking items off my to-do list, or loving my husband? I know the answer is my husband, but sometimes my actions don’t reflect that answer.

In our busy (ugh, I hate that word!) lives, what can we do to find that perfect work-life balance?

  • Remember your why. Life coaches and goal-setters talk a lot about our “why.” It’s our motivation for doing what we do. Before knowing what our goals are, we need to know what our ultimate desires are. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” In our marriage, we want to use our money, our resources, and our talent to give glory to God. That is our primary goal. Since God commands us to love our spouses sacrificially, our secondary goal is to be united as husband and wife, to become one. Whatever we do flows from our desire to be united and to glorify God.
  • Make time for each other. I’ve always said that if you don’t have time, you make time. In a way I can’t explain, when I give God my day and seek Him first, like Jesus tells us to do in Matthew 6:33, I discover I have more time. The things that are on my to-do list suddenly don’t matter anymore. When I take on a biblical perspective of my life, I realize my husband is important! Therefore, I start to make time for him. Put a date night on the calendar. Do something that involves talking or creating, not just watching TV or a movie.
  • Use visuals.
  • Pray with and for each other.
  • Celebrate.
Categories
anxiety

What happens when you abandon your to-do list?

Last week, I wrote about abandoning your to-do list and giving God full control of your day. Did you try it? How did it go?

At the time of writing this post, it’s been six days since I’ve let God rewrite my to-do list. For one, I feel much more peace and joy. I’m disgusted at how much I do, and I’m making changes to my schedule to do a little less of the crazy stuff and a little more of what I actually enjoy.

But of course, not everything is sunshine and rainbows. I was 10 minutes late to work today, and I still have a pile of dishes to do before I go to bed tonight. I’ve learned through submitting my schedule to God that He is not a genie. He doesn’t exist to make my life easier or more enjoyable. So, I’m not always going to get to work on time (as a side note: this is not a sign of irresponsibility; my job doesn’t care if I’m late). I’m not always going to have a clean house. I’m going to do what is best for me, for my family, and ultimately for the glory of God, in each moment.

In Luke 10:38-42, we find a story that people often use to talk about slowing down and spending more time with God. Martha has a house full of guests in her home, so naturally, she is doing the chores and preparing the meal. Her sister Mary, though, is sitting at the feet of Jesus, clinging to His every word. Martha complains to Jesus Himself that Mary is not helping, and she asks Jesus rather forcefully to make Mary help her.

But Jesus, the Great Teacher, decides to teach Martha a lesson.

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed–or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.'”-Luke 10:41-42

What Martha was doing wasn’t wrong, but what Mary was doing was better. Truthfully, this small portion of Scripture taught me so much about my adulthood.

Now that I’m responsible for making my own schedule, I constantly have a choice. Do I read the Bible, or wash the dishes? Do I spend time with my husband, or go to a prayer meeting at church? Do I enjoy the beautiful day outside, or do I vacuum? Do I call a friend, or do I write a blog post? All of these are good things, but in each moment, I need God’s wisdom to decide which is better.

So, when I decide to let God tell me what is better to do in each situation, it changes me. Here are the symptoms of letting God have control in my life:

  1. I feel less in control.
  2. I want to control those around me.
  3. I realize the magnitude of God.
  4. (I have more in my journal, so we’ll see).
  5. Time passes more slowly.

I had a to-do list because I wanted to be in control of my day. While it’s important to be responsible and plan, it’s also wise to pray and ask God to help us prioritize.

Categories
anxiety

Abandoning My To-Do List

As a former Administrative Assistant, I enjoy my to-do lists. Checking off those little boxes makes me feel like I accomplished something today. I often like to cross things off my list, so I have a sense of truly conquering that task.

But, a couple of weeks ago, God convicted me about my to-do list.

First of all, it was too long. Unattainable. There was no way I was going to get everything done on my list in one day.

Second of all, my priorities were all out of order. God should be first no matter what, but truthfully, I was stuffing Him into my schedule whenever and wherever I had room. I would get into my car, late to work, after rushing from bed to front door, and realize that I didn’t even think of God in the morning.

Finally, even though I thought accomplish tasks would make me feel, well, accomplished, it made me feel empty. I believed having a busy schedule meant I was important or that my life had purpose, but it made me feel more insignificant and meaningless than ever. Was my life really all about what fit on a small piece of paper?

So, God called me to do something about my to-do list.

He called me to throw it away.

For a type-A perfectionist, that is the scariest thing you could ask me to do. Get rid of my to-do list? Run the risk of leaving tasks undone? Gulp Give up CONTROL? Why would I do that?

Well, of course I would do that. God is in control, and even if I thrive on control and perfectionism, I know I have to learn not to be perfect and not to have control. It’s hard, but I’d rather be in God’s will and not in control, than without God and left to my own devices.

But, I decided I was going to start with one day, and if it didn’t work out, I would go back to my to-do lists.

If you’re wondering how that day went: it’s been three weeks, and I haven’t stopped!

For the sake of those who may be considering letting God have control of your day, I’ll give you the details of how I saw God work. I started my first day reading the Bible and writing down what stuck out to me. Then, I would pray to God, that He would guide my day and make it clear where He wants me to go. Throughout the day, I would think about what I have to do, and I would remind myself that God is in control.

Because I trusted God, I learned about the power of provision, the blessing of community, and the joy of rest and dwelling in His presence. I made it to work on time (normally I don’t); had a focused, productive day at work; finished a freelance project I was working on; colored in my adult coloring book; dealt with a difficult person without totally freaking out but while maintaining my boundaries; and swallowed some sad news without stuffing my feelings or falling apart.

Nothing surprises God. My life is completely in His hands. He sees it all, and He knows. He’s in control.

Before I charge you to try this, I want to give you a quick crash course on how to hear from God. If you’re not familiar with the voice of God, you need to be careful not to mistake your own voice for the voice of God. Something may make sense to you, but it might not be God.

God does not contradict His Word. As you read His Word, you begin to understand His character and what He expects of His people. Although the Bible does not talk about cell phones and cars, it does talk about how to interact with others and how to honor God with our resources. As we study the Scriptures, we gain wisdom, and that wisdom can help us make decisions that honor God.

The Holy Spirit is our Wonderful Counselor. When we accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and guides us. Please listen when you feel that tug in your heart going in one direction. I’ve found that if God gives us commands, and we don’t follow them, we drift further away from His voice, and His voice becomes muddled with the voices of those around us.

Knowing that letting God guide your day is both terrifying and healing, you should give it a try. If you’re scared to let go of control, just give God one day at a time. I promise you, your day may feel out of your control, but you’ll have more peace than ever.

Leave a comment if you tried this!

Photo by Plush Design Studio on Unsplash

Categories
anxiety

I’m Taking a Break!

I just wanted to update you all that I will be taking a break from my blog to focus on free writing. I can’t wait to tell you all about it when I’m finished!

I’ve been studying the topic of soul care, and as I’ve asked the Lord how I can better take care of my soul, I felt that the Lord was leading me to focus more on the inward places of my heart. To be completely honest, my writing has felt surface level, and part of that is because I’m afraid of what my audience will think of me. I also don’t want to give too much information, to a point where you’re cringing and wondering, Why did she just say that? The only cure for that is to learn to listen to the voice of God, and to pray about what He wants me to write. So, I’m going to take the next couple of weeks to write from my heart, in my journal, and away from the public eye. I’m also going to be making some minor changes to my novel and sending it out for approval!

If you have benefited from this blog thus far, here are some ways you can stay connected with me:

  • Read my content from the last couple of years. I’ve been writing on this blog since 2014! I’m sure there’s something you haven’t read yet.
  • Share my posts with those around you. You might have been blessed from reading one of my posts, but maybe you have a friend or family member who could use some encouragement as well.
  • Leave a comment! I’m literally fishing for compliments. Please leave me a note of encouragement to let me know that you’ve been blessed by my blog. Your motivation is the fuel that keeps me going. I’d also love to hear if you have any topics you’d like me to discuss.

See you soon!

Categories
anxiety

Crazy Favor

The other day, I went to a Chinese auction, completely not expecting to go to one when I had woken up that morning. It was my mom’s ticket, but she was unable to go, so she gave it to me for free. Since I’d had a panic attack at work, I wasn’t sure I’d be up to going. But my sister was going, and one of our good friends was hosting the event, so I slid out of my comfy pants, put on my jeans, and drove twenty minutes to the auction.

I didn’t want to stay at home and “rest,” because I’ve learned that just because I’m home doesn’t mean I’m resting. I’ll find stuff to do, like wash the dishes, put clothes away, or organize my closet. As a matter of fact, while I was listening to a podcast about how to deal with burnout as a writer, I was putting clothes away! There was no way I was going to get any rest at home, so I figured that a little getaway might be good for me.

When I finally found my sister in the crowds, we caught up, put our stuff down, and placed our tickets for the auction. For those who have never been to a Chinese auction, there are multiple prizes you can win. When you walk through the door, they hand you a sheet full of about twenty tickets. You can place as many tickets as you want in the box/bag for whatever prize catches your eye. They had some nice prizes, so I put a handful of tickets in a couple of good ones.

Although I wasn’t set on winning any particular prize, my sister had her eye on this kitchenware set that contained bowls, servers, and plates. I imagined her winning this prize, and seeing the excited look on her face putting it into her car.

Finally, it was time to give away the prizes. We excitedly held our tickets and leaned over the top step. Our friend read each ticket number, and no matter who won, my sister and I clapped for them. Then, we reached a prize where I had put in a couple of tickets. Wow, wouldn’t it be great if I won? Long story short, that night, I won not one, not two, not three, but four times! I felt so guilty that I had won multiple times, especially because I was only allowed at the event because of a sheet of tickets that my mom paid for me (and a sheet of tickets my sister also paid for me).

Anyway, that night, I learned about the favor of God. We don’t deserve it, but when we receive it, we receive it with gratitude and praise. Sure, I strategically placed the tickets in, but I wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for my mom giving me the ticket. People were criticizing me, which reminds me that people might make me feel guilty for having the blessings that God has given me.

Oh, and by the way, my sister did get that prize. And despite all four prizes I won, the best was seeing the look on her face and hearing her excited squeal as she ran over to receive her prize. I imagine that’s why God loves to bless us. He loves it when we show gratitude for what He has given us. He loves to show us favor.

Romans 8:28 tells us that God works everything out for the good of those who love Him. God’s favor means that in each and every situation, He is looking out for our best interest. It’s amazing to me that God can have both our individual situations and His grand design for the universe in mind.

As I’ll share more next week, the favor of God does not always look the way that we expect. The day after the Chinese auction, my husband and I woke up to no hot water, and snow coming down fast and hard while I had to bring him to work early. I know I have no right to complain when there are people around the world without hot water, cars, or jobs, but when I’d a wonderful experience like I had the other day, and then the next day I’d hit all those road blocks, I started to wonder, Was I wrong about God’s favor? Next week, I’ll be sharing more about what I’ve learned. Until then, share your thoughts below:

What does the favor of God look like to you? Where have you seen God’s favor in your life?

Photo by Fancycrave on Unsplash

Categories
anxiety

Pessimism is NOT Realistic!

I generally tend to be optimistic. However, in light of my optimism, people tell me that I’m sometimes unrealistic. And when people look at the negative side, they tend to tell me that they’re just being realistic.

One day, when I was in college, I looked outside and said, “Wow, it’s a beautiful day outside. The sun is shining, and the clouds are white and puffy!”

Without hesitation, my friend said, “Yeah, well, it’s going to rain tomorrow.” So, basically, the sun isn’t going to last.

This short scene from my college days reminds me that “pessimistic” is not a synonym for “realistic.” I chose to focus on the positive, that it was a beautiful day and that the sun was shining. My friend chose to focus on the negative, that the sun wasn’t going to last and the rain was coming tomorrow. Both were true, but which one did I choose to focus on? The one that made me happier.

Life is all about perspective. For example, my apartment is both a great place to live and a terrible place to live. Our little home is clean, spacious, and affordable, but we also have noisy neighbors, and it’s a little far from our friends and family. Everything I told you is real and true, but because our apartment is neutral, I choose to focus on the positive. We truly are blessed to have such a great place!

By definition, optimism is: “the belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world.” On the other hand, by definition, pessimism is: “the belief that the evil and pain in the world are not compensated for by goodness and happiness” (both definitions are from Dictionary.com). So, in essence, pessimists believe that the evil in the world outweighs the goodness. While the world isn’t perfect, I know that God has given us power to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). God is good, and He is the all-powerful, Almighty God. There is no power greater than His. To believe that God is not enough to overcome the evil in front of us, is to be a true pessimist. It doesn’t sound too faithful, though, does it?

Ultimately, we don’t know the future. Only God does. If we claim that our situation will definitely get worse, we are taking the place of God. Sure, our circumstances can make us believe that the future isn’t bright, but God is in control. Whether it rains or shines tomorrow, let’s thank God for the sunshine He’s put in our lives today.

Photo by LIU HSUAN YU on Unsplash

Categories
anxiety

The Price of a Woman

This post may be inappropriate for those under age 18 due to the subtle mention of sexual language. Reader discretion is advised.

Yesterday was Shine a Light on Slavery Day, a day to promote the #EnditMovement (Did you wear your red X?). Today, I’m ready to share how I feel about human trafficking, not only in the United States, but all over the world.

For those who don’t know, human trafficking is “the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labor or sexual exploitation” (Google Dictionary). Not only does modern day slavery involve sexual exploitation, but it also involves unfair wages for laborers, physical and emotional abuse, and a debt that can never be repaid. Young men come to America in hopes that they will have the money to support their families back home, but when they arrive, their new owners put them to intense work, often sexually abusing them and refusing to pay them. Young women are enticed by men who promise to give them a good life, only to sell them into prostitution and make their lives living nightmares.

After praying and doing my research, I realize that we all have a part to play as the body of Christ in tackling this issue. My part may not be traveling around the world, busting down brothel doors, rescuing innocent babies, and counseling victims of human trafficking. However, my part may be writing about it. God has given me the gift of writing, so I intend to use it for His glory, to further His Kingdom.

Think about it: there are 40 million people in slavery today around the world. Including in your backyard. Including in the sweat shops that make your clothes. Including in that sketchy hole-in-the-wall store around the corner from you. Like little ugly cockroaches, these pimps are everywhere, and if we continue not to do anything, they will multiply.

When we first hear about human trafficking, it may seem overwhelming. How can we stop such a dangerous industry? Well, as a writer, I hope to offer you some practical tips that you can start doing today.

At every For King and Country concert, Joel Smallbone talks about their song “Priceless.” He says that the human trafficking industry is all about supply and demand. As long as there are men who look at pornography and buy the services of a prostitute, there will always be a need for sexual exploitation. However, I also believe that women also gain from this. Obviously, there are women who look at pornography and buy the services of prostitutes (and there are also males who are sexually exploited), but I’m talking about a different type of satisfaction. Many of the women who are brought into this industry feel worthless. Sometimes, their families even sell them as sex slaves because they do not have the money to support them. As I mentioned before, boys will woo these women by buying them jewelry and cars and making them feel valuable.

So, what can we do today? Let’s start with the simplest (not the easiest) step, and then move on from there.

First of all, every woman needs to know her worth. From the time a girl is born, she needs to be told that she is priceless. No one can put a price on her. She is beautiful, she is loved, and she is enough. Start to see people as those who bear God’s image, not as those who can be sold for any dollar amount. That is the first step, but I believe it is the fundamental step to seeing any real change in this industry.

You can also pray. International Justice Mission sends out a prayer letter e-mail. Pray for victims all over the world, and pray about how God can use you. You can also give financially to the work that International Justice Mission and other organizations are doing. Some organizations even have short-term trips where you can see this evil first-hand (definitely prepare your heart for that!).

If you feel led to do something more tangible, such as breaking into that sketchy store and bringing the exploited workers into your home, I suggest that you read this brief page from Homeland Security. They encourage us to leave any suspicious activity to the authorities, but they do tell you what actions you can take to alert the authorities and what to look for.

For more information, I highly recommend Nina Belle’s book (she published an updated book which is found here. In addition, here is the website to Priceless the movie.

Photo by Tiko Giorgadze on Unsplash

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