Monthly Archives:

September 2018

Poems

Pray For The Girl

It’s when I’m safe alone in my room that I think of the girl whose freedom has been removed.
Who doesn’t get an off day,
Who can never call in sick,
Who has to paint a smile on her face to satisfy the men,
The men who use her and mean her no good.
Men who treat her worse than a dog in the hood.
As I watch a movie I think about her dreams.
What would she do if she could be free?
Would she dance on the rooftops?
Would she sing with the morning birds?
Would she paint a beautiful canvas,
Or go horseback ridding in the woods?
I don’t know where she is, but in my heart she’s close to me.
Sometimes I feel her pain and a burden comes over me.
I may never know her name,
I may never see her face,
But each night I will intercede that one day she will be free
Free to joke around and free to be herself.
Trust that miracles can happen when we pray for the girl.

Inspiration:

Today I watched several documentaries on human trafficking. I saw the statistics and I heard the stories. I saw how this is an international problem that is affecting millions of women and children. I took my anger and turned it into art, but most of all I feel a greater responsibility to intercede for these women and children daily. Sometimes I get a pressing in my spirit to pray for a particular girl even though I don’t know her name or where she is. I don’t have to know all the details to be obedient. I just know that prayer is powerful and intercession does work.

I recently bought the book “Becoming A Prayer Warrior” by Elizabeth Alves. I haven’t even finished it yet and already it has been a great blessing to me. I love the way she breaks prayer down and it’s a easy read with lots of Bible references. I especially love the poem she referenced in the introduction titled, “I Traveled on My knees” adapted from a poem by Sandra Goodwin. The beginning of the poem goes like this:

“Last night I took a journey
To a land across the seas;
I did not go by boat or plane,
I traveled on my knees.”

That poem is a great illustration of how our prayers can literally go all around the world. In our quiet time with the Lord we can pray for the girls. We can also support organizations locally and internationally who are helping the survivors and leading investigations to get more girls freed. Let’s donate our time and some of our money even to help this cause. Also remember to be grateful for your freedom and don’t let the little petty things of life keep you down. When I think of issues like this it helps me put my problems into perspective and suddenly they’re not so bad after all. So please pray for the girls and even the boys who are caught up in human trafficking aka slavery.

A great organization to get involved with that is all for abolishing slavery is A21. Go to https://www.a21.org

Devotionals

Make Yourself At Home

Yay we made it to September 2018! Many of us are ready to see the season change from Summer to Fall. We are ready to get cozy in our sweaters and comfy in out boots. I’m pretty sure there’s a Pumpkin Pecan Waffles candle on stand by ready to burn somewhere. So this weeks word and motivation is to make yourself at home.

This weekend I saw a movie titled The Song. It’s a faith based movie inspired by the Song of Songs and the life of Solomon. The main character was a singer and musician. He had a gig at a fair and when the host greeted him she told him to “Make yourself at home.” To him that meant a stage but what does that mean for you? After much reflection I take it to mean making yourself at home in your purpose and making yourself at home in God’s presence.

As followers of Christ we all are called to make disciples (Matthew 28:19) and be a light in this world (Matthew 5:16). God gives each of us personalized ways to do this effectively. It is time to make yourself at home in your calling. Learn all you can and get comfortable because it is yours to walk in. Like a fish is at home in water and a lion is home of his jungle; so shall you be in your calling. Whether on stage, in a kitchen, at church, behind a camera, etc; make yourself at home.  Stay consistent and push through until it doesn’t feel strange anymore. Most of all make yourself at home with God. Don’t let His presence be a strange thing to you. Whenever you are praying to God, praising him, or reading His word you should feel at home.

“O God, You are my God; Early will I seek you; My soul thirsts for you; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for you in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.” – Psalm 63:1-2 NKJV

Devotional Playlist:

Not Too Late To Dream – Sheri Jones-Moffett

Be Still – Kari Jobe

Your Great Name – Todd Dulaney

Also check out Building A Powerful Prayer Life: You’ve Been Practicing!