Amara: eternal beauty

Just sad.

Redeem the Shadows

“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.” -Fredrick Douglas

2 Children Are Sold Every Minute….

27 million – People In Slavery Around the World .

800,000 – Number of people trafficked across international borders every year.

1 million – Number of children exploited by the global commercial sex trade, every year.

80% – Percent of transnational victims who are women and girls.

70% – Percent of female victims who are trafficked into the commercial sex industry.

161 – Countries identified as affected by human trafficking:

127 countries of origin; 98 transit countries; 137 destination countries.

32 billion – Total yearly profits generated by the human trafficking industry.

99% are of victims are still trapped.

That is just not okay. That breaks my heart.

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Hm...

"Oh, you went to a volleyball camp? Here, let me take you out to lunch so you can tell me about how it went!"

"Oh, you went to Costa Rica for five weeks? Cool. You should maybe tell me about it sometime."

Something wrong with this picture? Or is it just me?

Haunted

Lately, I have so many thoughts rushing through my head. A constant stream of reminders, memories, plans... Blocking out everything else that goes on.

When I drive, it gets so bad I turn my radio up until it's blaring loud enough to drown out all thoughts.

I can't run, I can't hide... Painful thoughts just flood my mind.

I'm haunted by my past. Haunted by the memories.

Haunted.

So Much More

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

God has such great things planned for each and every one of us. He loves us so much and really, honestly, wants the best for us. He wants us to be living in Him an what He has for us, each and every day.

Sometimes I realize this is so true of other people. I see in them things that I don't think other people see. I believe God shows me these things.

Today, I got this feeling. So strongly, stronger than possibly anything I have ever felt before. That God has something great planned for one of my friends, but that they are not living that. That they are not living the way He wants them to be.

And I just was overcome. I found myself outright weeping. Not crying, weeping. With greater force than I ever have before. It was an odd feeling, something I can't even describe. I was just overwhelmed-- with God's presence, with His foreboding. I guess. I don't even know how to try to explain it.

But it was... Strange. This person should be living in so much more than they are... And I want to make them see that. I wish I could make them see that. They are meant for great things, meant for so much more.

We are all meant for so much more.

Speaking Now

Usually people are told they need to keep their mouth shut, not to speak out in a fit of anger.

Lately, I think I am coming to realize that with the girl I am, I need to learn to do some of the opposite.

"Real life is a funny thing, you know. In real life, saying the right thing at the right moment is beyond crucial. So crucial, in fact, that most of us start to hesitate for fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. But lately what I've begun to fear more than that is letting the moment pass without saying anything ... There is a time for silence. There is a time for waiting your turn. But if you know how you feel and you so clearly know what you need to say, you'll know it. I don't think you should wait. I think you should speak now." (Taylor Swift)

I am the kind of girl that holds in her feelings so that I won't hurt someone else's. I don't often say what I should say, I don't often say how I am truly feeling, when I am hurt or angry. I say I am okay, that I am at fault, that I'm sorry, etc. instead of telling the other person what needs to be said. Which in the end, results in a lot of regret. I look back and wish I could tell someone so many things. I wish they knew so many things. I wish I had spoken up instead of holding back. I think that I need to learn to Speak Now.