Christ's Love Compels Me . . .

I feel like this is pretty crazy . . .

I can't remember if I wrote that the weekend I was in Sofia, I made contact with an organization in Thessaloniki called A21. This particular organization is funded through Hillsong Church in Australia, and just started up last September. In brief, they currently have a shelter in which they house women who are rescued from trafficking (in other words, testify against their traffickers in court), but they can only hold the women there for up to three weeks. The dream is to start up a long-term restoration and after-care center in Sofia where the women could receive education, counseling, and training before eventually becoming independent members of society. . .

Anyway, I had a job interview with this organization during my time in Thessaloniki (that's why I went to Thessaloniki), and the job interview went well. I interviewed with the Director of Operations there in Greece, and I got to spend the weekend with an absolutely lovely and wonderful Greek family, because the mother of the family is the Shelter Manager for A21 there in Thessaloniki.

As it turns out, the overall Directors of the organization are going to be in Chicago next week to meet with the Pastors of the American English Academy, who are partnering with A21 in their Sofia restoration-center campaign. My friend Tausha happens to be the Director of the school there - so they're flying me out to Chicago next week to meet the A21 Directors and take part in some of the initial planning meetings. I feel so honored - and almost in disbelief . . .

And mostly just excited to see what the Lord does with all of this . . . which doors He opens and which He closes; where He's leading and what He's really up to. I don't know where I'll be a year from now - but I trust His will. I trust that He has a plan for my life - and that, wherever He places me, He will use me to build His Kingdom . . . because He's just that big. And I feel like it's somewhat ironic that this blog is named "Pinning words to dreams," because that's literally how I feel right now . . .

So please, if you read this, pray for my trip next week - I leave Monday morning - that the Lord would guide and direct, and make His way plain before me. I really want to trust Him and live out this crazy Gospel. I've been reading in the book of Acts lately, and I'm newly amazed at how absolutely radical the message of Christ is. I want to live it out in a radical way - because the truth is, if I believe it, it's gotta be radically life-transforming and POWERFUL in me and through me. And if my life isn't radically all about this man Jesus, all that can mean is that I don't really believe in Him . . . because LOOK AT WHAT HE DID!!!!

I was at lunch with a very dear friend today, and she asked me if I want to make my life all about trafficking. I waver when people ask me that . . . I waver with it in my own heart. I know enough of these women, and I've known them long enough, to know that this battle is very dark, very deep, and very big. And yet, now that I've seen the faces - now that I've touched and conversed with real people in real bondage, I feel responsible for the knowledge I've been entrusted with. This battle is my battle - and to forget is to blind my eyes to the atrocities and OFFENSES of this injustice that is in complete opposition to the Word of God. And again, if I believe His Word - then I have to walk it out in dark places. I have to live this battle - Christ's love COMPELS me, because One died for all . . . FOR ALL (2 Cor. 5).

But lurking in my heart, there's another flame that's burning . . . and I'm excited to see which road the Lord leads me on. I know He'll make it clear in time . . . I trust Him completely. To Him belongs all glory and honor and power FOREVER . . . Amen.