Good?

On this Good Friday, I was reading the Gospel of Matthew in an attempt to prepare my heart for Easter (How is one supposed to do that?? How can a sinful soul truly comprehend the weight of Jesus' sacrifice??? No idea.) I read a verse that struck a new chord in me. I had never read it and understood it in such a way.

"Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" Matt 27:39-40

The verses continue as others insult and mock the crucified King- right to his face. He was dying, but he was listening. Of course, I don't know what he was thinking, but while I was reading today I felt like the Lord gave me a glance at how Jesus' love would have been displayed in this instance. Jesus, in his Holy perfection, probably looked down with love at the people walking the ground at the foot of his Cross... defaming the spot with foul words and gestures. Through the sweat and blood dripping into his eyes, I'm sure tears also gathered there as he gazed at the very people he was about to die for. Love overwhelmed him as the weight of His sacrifice grew. As those continued insult him, he might have thought, 'If only they knew my love for them. They will have another chance to come back to the foot of this Cross to be forgiven, to be saved. I love them, Father. Forgive them, for they know not what they do.'

Who can comprehend this kind of love?? It's only from the One who is Love. And I am that person at the foot of the Cross, so in need of Jesus' forgiveness and grace. Every minute of every day.

Eagerly awaiting Sunday morning. There is Hope!!


A fun Good Friday tradition with my parents and sibs- out to eat after the Good Friday service. Yum.

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C.G.I.

Last Sunday at church (we attend Common Ground West) an organization called Center for Global Impact was highlighted during the service. I had heard of CGI before but hadn't made the connection. This group is a faith-based organization out of Greenwood, IN that seeks "to creatively connect financial and human resources with people who desperately need them." They have several different projects: a culinary training center and 2 other skills-based training programs specifically for women. All of these projects are based internationally- mostly in Cambodia.

 
One project caught my eye- CGI daughters. The girls who are a part of this program receive training in dress making and learn to create beautiful prom and bridesmaid dresses that are then sold in the States at partnering retail stores. As they learn this trade they embark on the path to building a self-sustaining life, one that is marked by freedom and light, not by chains and darkness. They receive other care, counseling and training as well. I thought this sounded familiar and then remembered a bridal store my parents, sister and I visited last year. It's called Sophia's Bridal in Greenwood- I'm not sure if they offer goods made by the Daughters yet (the website said coming in 2013), but it's worth checking out if you're in the market for prom or bridal wear. My sister Meg found her maid of honor dress there and it was absolutely gorgeous on her!!






Check out more about CGI Daugthers here. There are some really neat initiatives you can take part in, including sponsorship of a girl in Cambodia. Sponsors are encouraged to meet their 'daughter' by traveling to Cambodia- wouldn't that be a dream?
If you're trying to be more intentional about where your money is going- if you want it to have double impact- why not check out places that offer fair trade goods such as Sophia's. There are lots out there. I'm going to investigate local shops that offer these goods and post a list.

Love,
Annie

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The Daughter Project.

Did you know that Toledo, Ohio is one of the largest gateway cities in the U.S. for child sex trafficking?
Yep. Just 230 miles from where I'm sitting right now.

When I learned this a few years ago, I was blown away by the reality of the U.S. sex trade. I remember thinking, 'doesn't this just happen in 3rd world countries, like Cambodia? Certainly not here in the States.' My ignorance became more obvious as I dug deeper, learning more about human trafficking all over the world. And since my mom grew up in a suburb of Toledo, my siblings and I grew up visiting grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins there for years. This made the fact that the Midwest is a gateway to this unthinkable trade hit very close to home. Literally.

What is human trafficking?
It's a form of modern-day slavery and it's a federal and international crime. Making persons be a slave (in any way) to another person is illegal, and has been for a long time. But in this recent day and age, it has just taken on different forms, and is growing. There are many different estimates, but it is thought that around 100,000 people, women, children and even men, are being sexually trafficked and enslaved in the United States.

Click here to learn more about what human trafficking is and is not.

As well as the increase of human trafficking in recent years, awareness has been increasing as well. And that is the good news!! I first heard about this issue when I attended CRU's Christmas Conference a few years ago. One of the directors of International Justice Mission (IJM) held a breakout session that I went to. He told stories of little girls and boys (and their families) in countries overseas who work 16 hour days/7 days a week, without pay, in the worst conditions, and without a choice. Their pictures and stories brought tears to my eyes, and immediately made me feel guilty for my complaints about "long" 12 hours shifts. (Not to mention getting to be a paid employee in a clean & safe environment with rights and choices that these people only dream of).

Later in the conference I heard Amy Sieffert speak while she was wearing her 1 dress for 6 months (see previous post). She spoke of a group starting to form and take action near her home in Ohio. This group is lead by a high school math teacher named Jeff, and the dream was to build a house in which girls could live, be loved, and recover from the life of being sexually trafficked. They named it the Daughter Project (TDP), and the Lord has greatly blessed their efforts. An amazing house has been built and furnished, girls are living there, and are receiving love and support- all provided by God through generous people all over the country. One of my dear friends just found out she has been accepted for a position as a house mom! I'm so proud of her and how she is going to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the girls- and everyone she encounters!!

Check out their website and blog.

From TDP's website. Read about their mission & purpose:

"The Daughter Project is a God-inspired non-profit organization in Northwest Ohio that exists to help girls recover from the trauma of sex trafficking and to help prevent others from being trafficked."

"Our goal is to provide holistic healing services in an extremely safe, home-like environment to girls who have been freed from sex traffickers. The services will include; abuse & addiction counseling, family/friend restoration, health & nutrition education, medical/dental/vision care, legal counsel and spiritual mentorship. This help will be provided by caring & competent professionals and volunteers. More specifically, we have recruited doctors, counselors and other professionals to provide medical services to our girls. We are also developing plans for art, drama, equine and music therapy. In addition to medical services, we have begun to contact various local community organizations to provide healthy, educational opportunities for our girls. Some of these include the YMCA, the Zoo, the Symphony and others."

Praise the Lord for people doing His work here on Earth!! Please pray for the Daughter Project... the girls, Jeff, the man who started it all, the house moms (my friend Jenny), and all those involved in their lives. The goal is to build another house this fall, and expand from there to other parts of Ohio and across the country. There are other "inpatient" homes for girls, similar to TDP, but not very many compared to what's needed. How exciting would it be if one was started in Indy?? That is my hope & prayer!

There is so much to learn about human trafficking- I've only cracked the surface. But the more we learn, the more we can tell others, and the more justice can be brought to the cause. Read a book or an article, watch a documentary, or attend a fundraising event. There are plenty to choose from- learn something new this week!

Here's to acting justly, loving mercy & walking humbly with God. {Micah 6:8}

Love,
Annie

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Mindful March.

What I've dubbed this new month- Mindful March.

I love firsts. They're so exciting to me. First day of school, first light of the day, first minute of a New Year... The fresh new-ness of something always gets me, no matter what it is! I remember clearly when my friend Zheng had her very first S'more- it was a big moment, and I might have been more excited than her! And I just love s'mores. All that to say- I also love the first day of the month. There is something wonderful about a new month. On that first day there is a lot to look forward to. It could mean a changing season, another birthday, a goal reached.

Speaking of firsts... had a wonderful first married birthday celebration! So special :)

So this month of March I've decided to focus on being mindful. While at Purdue I was involved in CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ) and during this same time last year CRU was involved with International Justice Mission and sponsored a "Justice Week." The focus was on bringing awareness to the reality of modern day slavery. Forced and bonded labor, sexual slavery and trafficking, and other human rights issues were the main topics. Throughout that week there were daily challenges (like for example: go to the website slaveryfootprint.com and discover how many slaves work for you.) A group of girls and I even wore 1 dress for 1 week to symbolize the "uniform" that trafficked girls wear daily, without choice, in the sex slave trade. It was an eye-opening week. It all culminated with a 5K run/walk with all the proceeds going to IJM. And this year since I'm not up in W. Laf to take part again, I thought Mindful March would be the next best thing!

A few things I'm planning this month:
1. No new clothes or shoes this month. Give the $ in the clothing budget to IJM or a similar group.
2. Be extra creative with (and more grateful for) the clothing I have. The challenge: don't wear the same outfit twice for the whole month (with the exception being my work scrubs). I am going to try to switch it up and wear clothes I forgot that I had in new ways. It's pretty much going to be like Christmas. ;) And I might post some pics!
3. Learn more about the reality of human trafficking, and share what I learn by posting it on this blog, bringing it up in conversations, reading books and articles... however I can!
4. Get people to join me! Anyone want to take part in Mindful March with me? We could do another 1 dress 1 week challenge?? (p.s. check out Amy Seiffert's story- she wore the same dress for 6 months. Amazing.)

Dwelling on this verse this month.... Micah 6:8 (NASB)
"He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?"

How do I act justly, kindly and humbly? And if I do, is it only to glorify God? Hmm. Convicting.
May you be blessed this March! And may you be mindful. Of God's goodness, grace and gift of Jesus.

Love,
Annie

P.S. I haven't touched the computer for the purpose of posting a blog entry since October.... can you tell I now work full time?? Ha wow! Now I understand how busy real life is.... and I don't even do that much besides work and sleep. Hmm- going to be mindful about spending my free time more wisely. Who's with me??!

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Introducing..... MEG!!!!

It's my pleasure and privilege to introduce to you my lovely hair designer and beauty professional sister- Meg! She is marvelous on many different levels... but today's focus is everything HAIR. Meg was trained at the cutting-edge Aveda Fredric's Institute in Indianapolis and worked diligently to earn her cosmetologist's license early last summer. For the past 4 months Meg has been working at Entourage Hair Design on the North Side of Indy as a part of her apprenticeship training. She is transitioning out of that role in full competence that she is able to skillfully serve a wide variety of clients and their beauty needs. Meg is extremely talented, professional, knowledgeable and will help you achieve the look that you want! And she's just plain fun to be around! (and I'm not just saying that because she's my sister ;)
So do yourself a favor and book an appointment with Meg. Need a new hair stylist? Or a better one? Call the salon at (317) 571-1120. You won't be disappointed!

More info below!

** Meg cuts my hair and also did my wedding day hairstyle! She is available to do special occasion styling! (click on the photo to enlarge)

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Faves & Raves.

Here goes my first installment of 'Faves & Raves'- I hope you like it, Internet. I'm going to attempt to highlight some of my latest favorite and not-so-favorite things every so often and in a non-complaining way, of course. In my middle school and high school Bible study, my friends and I would share with each other "highs & lows" of our week, and during college, the girls in my study would share "happies & crappies." It was a way to share life with each other, the good and the bad, the fun and the un-fun. I always looked forward to having a little weekly window into each girls' life. And I actually miss it (and them) quite a bit. (Looks like I have a few phone calls to make!) So, consider this a one-sided glimpse into my current faves & raves. Here ya go!

~FAVES~

1. Employment! I have been blessed with a full-time, night shift nursing position at a downtown hospital in the Emergency Room. AND my husband and I are going to be co-workers!! What a gift we are so grateful for!! God surely proved His faithfulness yet again- He is so GOOD!!!!!!. So far, I have one week of general orientation down, with a few more days to go. Then, later this week, I have my first night shift as an RN (a Real Nurse!!!!!!) Pray for me!! :)


2. This vinaigrette. Well, the Trader Joe's store in its entirety is really my favorite, but this dressing is amazing too. It tastes so good. I can't get enough of it. Mmmmm MMM. Plus, it's only 45 calories per serving and is low in saturated fat & sugar. Pretty good, right? AND at $2.99 for this lovely glass bottle, I'd say it's a win.








3. Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Peony. You never know if you've picked the right shade of lip color until after you've bought it, you're at home, you've opened it, and it's too late to turn back. UNLESS you look at someone else's lips and ask them what their shade is. So I have my mother-in-law to thank for my new favorite go-to lip stuff! (Thanks Jena!!) And it just so happens that peonies are my fave flower so it was really too good to be true. But it was true and it was even 25% off at CVS. Yes.


4. THIS broccoli recipe. It's amaaaazing. In fact, I made it for dinner tonight. And twice last week. Ha! It's baked, not boiled or steamed or pulverized into a soggy, green mush. Click on the link- my mom makes this broccoli and I recently came across the recipe and remembered its amazingness. Taylor loves it and it's so easy to make. Except don't leave it in too long in an oven accidentally set to 500 degrees. I'm really not sure how that happened- but it was bad and dinner was crispy.


~RAVES~

 1. Nightcrawlers in my fridge.  Oh, the neon, sugary, gummy ones, you ask? No. The pink, slimy, squirmy ones. The ones that are ALIVE. I think I can actually hear them slithering around in their styrofoam carton right now. But, it's a reality one has to accept when married to a fisherman. And I wouldn't change it for the world :) You just have to have worms on hand at all times! Right? I know Taylor would remove them if I made a stink about it, but the truth is when they make a stink, they will find themselves in the dumpster outside before they can even wiggle a tail. Or head. Who knows which is which.


2. The news. I simply cannot stand televised disputes between professional news anchor people. You know the breed- two seemingly knowledgeable people facing each other across a table, or tv screen, talking at the same time, in raised voices, about something you can't even decipher because they are talking at the same time. I just found myself watching one and couldn't figure out why my neck was feeling tense and my heart rate was elevated. Then I realized I was watching an argument that didn't seem to have a point or an end. Televised nationally! Good grief. Maybe if I could follow along in the discussion I could appreciate it more? Hmm. I don't know. Craziness.


Well, that's all for the first Faves & Raves, tune in next time for part II!

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Top Ten Lessons Learned So Far. *honeymoon edition*

Newlyweds! On our first flight to Paradise!

The tip of FL is in the upper left corner... and so are the Bahamian Islands. ;)

Lesson #1: Taylor and I stayed at a lovely resort in Nassau, Bahamas... the island of which you can see is barely due east of the southern tip of Florida. We, for reasons unknown, thought we were traveling to the Equator. Or even beyond, who knew! We were going on our honeymoon and nothing could stop us. We were perfectly content with thinking that our two hour flight from Atlanta to Nassau got us 2,000+ more miles than would actually be realistic/possible. Our minds were obviously still in wedded bliss mode. (when does this end?? don't tell us!!) We continued this thinking up until the second night of our stay in the Bahamas, (after apparently arriving there in a hyper-speed Star Wars jet (which we also didn't know)), we found a cool antique map at the gift shop. One glance at the equator told us that we weren't there. We looked up and up and up... and there were the Bahamas! Right by Florida. Oh, we thought. Well at least it feels like we're in another world. :) And now I'm asking for enrollment in an online geography class from Santa this year- this won't be happening again.

At the Crystal Room- T. got crab legs and I got salmon! Mmm.

Lesson #2: Taylor and I both like to eat food. We knew this before we were married of course- but the food at this resort was at another level. It was already prepared for us by happy smiling people, at any time of day and in any quantity. And it was FREE. (or at least we'd paid for it months in advance so it felt like that) Watch out bathroom scale! You're gonna get some use when we get home. Oh and that treadmill too. But back to the food- there were restaurants within 1,2, and 4 minutes of our room. Yikes. Too convenient. But so fun. We got to try lots of fun foods we wouldn't have normally ordered. Yummy seafood, unique combinations of flavors and tons of fresh fruit. Nothing super exotic- but hey, we weren't on the Equator after all. We miss that food... it will always be a delicious memory.

At the fun & exciting Japanese steakhouse- Kimonos

Lesson #3: We both love pulp in our orange juice. The pulpier, the better. Mmm it tastes like Florida in a glass. (Which is basically where we went on our vacation if I haven't already mentioned that. I hope my sarcasm isn't coming across as ungratefulness.. it's just so funny to me what we thought in #1.)

Taylor, me & baby sugar bananas

hahaha!!!!

Lesson #4: The supermarkets in the Bahamas do NOT have good deals. Unless there is something we don't know about... coupons or discounts for the locals... or a scheme to rip off tourists? Either way, we would be losing weight rapidly if we had to live on our own there. Milk- $6.99 a gallon. What!? But hey- Generic Bleach looks cheap, right? Seeing this cracked me up for some reason... enough so that I took a picture. Did anyone miss the fact that this bleach is GENERIC???? Good. You're keeping up.

(We figured out later that since it's an Island, most everything has to be imported... but $6.99 a gallon??)

We loved this awesome tiki hut!! So peaceful.

View of the beach from the tiki hut off the point!

Lesson #5: The primary faith in the Bahamas is Christianity. We were told that most everyone will admit to being a Christian, loving God & going to church weekly, even if they don't act like it on the other 6 days. We had several great conversations with some of the resort staff throughout the week- all of them being so encouraging and positive. It was really fun to be served by such joyful people who seemed to love their jobs and their island. All of the people who chatted with us mentioned the Lord, his goodness in their lives in some way, or that we should continue to read the Bible like we were doing if we wanted our marriage to last. This was definitely a highlight of the trip- and a wonderful glimpse into the Bahamian culture.

Lesson #6: If you make fun of someone else falling off their paddle board (TAYLOR), you will probably fall off yours immediately following your laughter. Or during. I'm glad my tumble didn't make it on film.

Lesson #7: I am a rule follower. Taylor is NOT. For example- say you are kayaking in the ocean in a 2-man kayak with your husband. Say he decides to jump out of the kayak while you are about 1/3 of a mile off-shore. Say you thought you remembered reading that jumping out isn't allowed, but get convinced to jump in the water too. What would ensue after the lifeguard drives his rescue boat all the way out to tell you "Do not get out of the kayak!!" ?? Tension and frustration because you are a rule-follower and he is not. He is smiling and laughing and you are not. This happened to me. (looking back, it was kinda fun. Kind of.)

Yep, this is my hubby. He's all mine, ladies.

Lesson #8: I am now able to pull the "I need to talk to my husband about that" card. And it's awesome. My first chance to throw down that little gem- 5 days into our marriage. A well-meaning but intense woman selling beach cover-ups 10 yards from our umbrella called me over to look at her wares spread out on the sand. I have a hard time saying no to things like this in the first place, and so looking back at Taylor sleeping in his beach chair, I confidently walked over to Sarong Lady. She told me her name was Indiana- which was weird- and I decided not to tell her that's where I was from because who knew what would happen at that point. (Maybe I could have gotten all the cover-ups for free! Or maybe she would have hugged me.) She showed me her beautiful fabrics and jewelry and could "give me a really special honeymoon deal!!!" I looked slowly over the colorful items, and then back at my sleeping husband... and back to Sarong Lady. "You have some really pretty things here, but I need to talk to my husband before buying (plus we had no cash with us which is only a minor detail) but it looks like he's sleeping right now. Thanks!" I smiled kindly to her, went back to my chair and opened up my magazine again. Hopefully this technique won't come back to kick me in the pants, but it's certainly a good one. (But in all seriousness, what a blessing to be in a partnership with someone in which decisions are made together- big, small, financial... everything. God knew I needed to grow in this area- saying 'no' to spending money at various (unwise/unnecessary) times- and that's why He gave me Taylor.)

There's my man- soaking up the sun and new hunting tips.

#9: We both love magazines. Now, until about 4 weeks ago, I would have thought this was something that only I had in common with myself. And so would Taylor. Until we got to the airport at 4am on the Monday we left for our honeymoon. We were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready for a nice vacation. And suddenly, work, wedding planning, driving all over tarnation to see each other, and all sorts of other busy things were not a part of our lives at that moment. And, oh, I don't know, maybe that's what made Taylor suggest we go look at the magazines. :) I love magazines, and have since I came out of the womb. My mother once told me that I like magazines because 'they represent leisure.' Perhaps. Taylor has made fun of me because they are made up of pictures of 'pretty things.' Definitely. Is it a crime? I just like them! There are lots of great things in magazines, really and truly. My favorites are fitness/healthy lifestyle, home decorating and cooking magazines. And now, it is with great pride and pleasure that I announce Taylor's favorite magazine genres.... duhn duhn duhn... Hunting, fishing and all things BIG BUCKS!! (that would be of the deer variety with antlers not the green paper version) Of course, no one is surprised by that, except maybe Taylor himself. I think it was a humble moment when he realized that he actually liked magazines. The best part is that he suggested we get more magazines when we flew back into Atlanta- and I almost said no I didn't need one. Almost. He picked one out and then I realized I couldn't pass up a magazine opportunity. As fun as it is to make fun of T about this (no hard feelings, right babe?) he sure got his money's worth out of those things. He poured over them cover to cover, read every typed word and studied every photograph- and I was even convinced to read some of the big kill stories (which are actually pretty exciting). Considering how long this paragraph is, you can probably tell what a monumentally exciting reality this new commonality is to me.

I'm a married lady!! Whoa!

Out on the pier enjoying the balmy breeze on our last night in Paradise.

#10: You can learn how to be a good parent, and also a bad one, all in 3 hours while waiting in a single line before going through customs. Fact: People take their [very young] children to the Bahamas. Also a fact: Everyone has forgotten all the fun in the sun by the time airport-waiting has rolled around. And no one is happy at that point. Kids, parents, and newlywed couple right in front of the family-reunion-of-4-adults-and-14-kids. Actually there were only 3 kids. But I'll admit it was fun to start out watching one set of parents entertain their kids successfully and happily, and the other set not so successfully (or happily). But the fun didn't last super long. Plus, it looks like a hard job. After we finally made it through customs, we were grateful it was just us and that we had gotten the opportunity to watch some great parents care for their children (and the opposite too).

Goodbye Bahamas!!

#11: (Bonus lesson learned!) There's no place like home. We had an amazing time on our trip, were so thankful for the opportunity to visit such a great place and definitely needed some R&R- but we're also glad to be back. We love our new home and have been settling into our life here in this wonderful world- as husband and wife. P.S. I have a nursing interview this Tuesday (8/28), please pray for me!! 

Here's to many more lessons to be learned. The moore, the better :) God is good!!

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