Psalm 127:3 says “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.”
What an incredible idea. That each of us is a reward to those whose homes God places us into- we are to have been treasured and watched over, protected and loved. God promises that he has a plan for each and every one of us, each and every one of his precious children. A hope and a future.
Because of the life I have been so incredibly blessed to have lived it has been so easy to go each day without being truly thankful. Thankful in the stillness, thankful in the love, the protection, the security; thankful in the small things and the big things that have become so normal that we do not realize how incredible they are and how much God has given us.
Last night of training camp and they had a movie for us to watch together; a documentary that truly revealed the absolute horrors of human trafficking. The HORRORS. It was extremely hard to watch and just broke my heart so completely all over again. It discussed the fathers (and mothers) living off of their daughters exploitation, off of their daughters abuse and heartbreak. I have been so blessed to never have known what it was like for my parents to be willing to trade me. I have never experienced the pain of being an item for sale by the two people in this world whom you are supposed to be able to rely on the most.
In addition to the breaking pain that would totally consume you from being sold by your “earthly protectors” so many girls—this applying to North America too—are sexually abused by someone they know and are supposed to be able to love and trust at a young age. The statistic has been set at 1/3 girls are abused and taken advantage of. I am so privileged. So blessed by the MOST HIGH GOD! My innocence has always been protected- I have always been shown the true love of a father. The protective love of a father—and because I am I know that I should be reminded of this daily. But I have not been. It took me watching this movie to once again realize that I should be so thankful. That I need to praise God each and every day that I can walk through life without knowing how it feels to be underappreciated like I have underappreciated my blessings.
In saying all of this, it is such an honour (however scary it will be at times and however much hurt it brings) to take a step out in faith and truth and to be the hands and feet of Jesus. The body of Christ that so greatly wants to share with these girls that their Father LOVES them, CHERISHES them, RESTORES them, HEALS them and WANTS THEM!! The scars that are too deep for them to even look at, God wants to go in and completely remove. They are royalty for their Father is the King of Kings.
