I’ve heard the song before, but ever since IF:Gathering a few weeks ago, I just can’t get the song “Oceans” out of my head.
The phrase that really caught my attention and has had my heart is: Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders.” Beautiful.
I’ve been meditating on this phrase, as well as this song, over and over again since my trip. I’m loving it.
Here are the lyrics and video if you aren’t familiar with it:
“Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”
You call me out upon the waters The great unknown where feet may fail And there I find You in the mystery In oceans deep My faith will stand
And I will call upon Your name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours and You are mine
Your grace abounds in deepest waters Your sovereign hand Will be my guide Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me You’ve never failed and You won’t start now
So I will call upon Your name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours and You are mine
[6x] Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters Wherever You would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my Savior
Oh, Jesus, you’re my God!
I will call upon Your name Keep my eyes above the waves My soul will rest in Your embrace I am Yours and You are mine
That’s it. That’s all I’ve got right now for you. Just wanted to share. 🙂
Curious about the red X you see everyone on social media today? Today, February 25th, is the day thousands of us all over the world will “Shine A Light on Slavery.”
Yes, slavery still exists. And yes, so do modern-day abolitionists!
What is it? Modern-day slavery is the acquisition of people using force, deception or coercion with the intent to exploit. Slavery is wrapped up in almost every industry’s supply chain, tainting the food we eat, the clothes we buy and the electronics we use. After the international drug trade, trafficking of humans is tied with arms dealing as the second-largest criminal industry in the world.
How many people are currently enslaved? There are 30 million slaves in the world today, more than at any point in history.
What kinds of slavery exist today? Labor trafficking and debt bondage are the most common forms of slavery today. Using coercion, violence and deception, labor traffickers force victims to work against their will in industries that range from small mom-and-pop shops to enormous mineral extraction camps.
Sex trafficking is also extremely widespread, generating $99 billion in illegal profits annually. Victims of sex trafficking are predominantly women and girls who are forced to work in the commercial sex trade against their will. Physical and emotional violence is an intrinsic part of this industry, which preys on those in conditions of physical, economic and psychological vulnerability.
Why does slavery occur? Trafficking exists because there is skyrocketing demand for cheap products, labor and services. For traffickers, there is also abundant money to be made and little risk of discovery because the crime is so difficult to identify.
Where does slavery occur? Slavery and human trafficking occur in virtually every corner of the world, with hundreds of thousands of victims in the United States alone. Victims of trafficking have been found in all 50 states and in cities, rural areas and suburbs.
Men, women, and children are sold into a $150 billion annual market for sex and labor. After the international drug trade, trafficking of humans is tied with arms dealing as the second- largest criminal industry in the world.
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (C.S.E.C.) is the sexual abuse of a minor for economic gain. The majority of child victims come from environments of extreme instability, and most have suffered sexual abuse prior to their commercial exploitation. Homeless and street youth, or those facing food and shelter insecurities are also easy targets.
There are an estimated 2 million children exploited in the commercial sex industry worldwide. And 12 to 14 is the age in which a girl is sexually exploited in the commercial sex industry in the US.
“Shine a Light on Slavery Day” was instituted by the END IT MOVEMENT as a way to unify the cause so many of us fight year round and in our own spaces.
So, this is it. This is our day to let the world know that SLAVERY STILL EXISTS and we won’t stand for it! We want to own the conversation on February 25th. Join us and raise your voice for the men, women and children trapped in slavery around the world today. Draw a RED X on your hand, snap a selfie and post it using #enditmovement. Awareness isn’t everything, but without it, slavery will never end.
END IT is a coalition of the leading organizations in the world in the fight for FREEDOM. Each of their amazing 16 coalition partners are doing the work, on the ground, everyday, to bring AWARENESS, PREVENTION, RESCUE, and RESTORATION.
If you see something you need report, or if you need help, please call 911 or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. You can also text “BeFree” to 233733, or submit a tip online at PolarisProject.org.
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela
Just got back from Austin! It was a fun event, and I loved making new friends and discovering new speakers and resources. God showed up and big and small ways, as He always does. He is faithful.
It was a powerful statement to see over 2,000 women gather, get equipped and be unleashed to live God’s calling on their lives. And there were over 100 countries watching from over 2,000 live streams all around the globe! It is quite the community.
Here are my notes from a number of the speakers. And if you’d like to watch the live stream recordings, they are free until tomorrow evening at www.live.ifgathering.com. Enjoy!
John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” There are a lot of theological issues we can disagree on, but this isn’t one of them.
Is it possible that we’re more in love with the idea of follow Jesus than actually following Him?
John 13-17
To follow Jesus is to know that He loves you.
To follow Jesus means that we hear His voice.
To follow Jesus is to love people.
To follow Jesus is to usher in the Kingdom of God. (Gal 3:28)
Listen to the Holy Spirit first.
If you believe the grass is greener on the other side, maybe the Holy Spirit is telling you to water the grass you’re standing on!
I don’t want to have spent my life trying to look like other Christians instead of trying to look like Christ.
Story of Isaac’s almost sacrifice (Genesis 22) is the first time the word, “love” is used in the Bible. And the same word/context is used later to describe Jesus’ sacrifice.
2K years later, Jesus was crucified in the same area as God provided the sacrifice for Abraham and Isaac.
In times of testing, have you been more focused on the thicket or the cross? We aren’t promised the ram, only the Lamb.
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, then you know I love attending conferences! Well, this weekend I’ll be a first-time attendee at IF: Gathering in Austin! I have friends who have been to this event, volunteered at the event, participated in the live stream, watched the live stream, and followed the event year-round—and they all absolutely love it. So, I’m excited to experience it myself.
The IF: Gathering vision is “to gather, equip and unleash women to live out God’s calling on their lives.” Pretty awesome, right? I know it’s going to be a blast.
If you’d like to watch the live stream, then just visit the website and sign up. I have a bunch of friends who’ll be doing the same.
You can also follow me on Instagram and Twitter for updates and my perspective.
I love recommending books, movies, TV shows, podcasts, etc, to people. I absolutely love it!!! And I also often get asked about what I’m reading, watching, or listening to. So, I figured I’d also tell you about a few books I love. In fact, these are probably the 10 books I’ve recommend most over the years—at least for now. 😉 And they cover a variety of subject matter and genres, so hopefully you’ll find something that piques your interest.
I’ve heard the song before, but ever since IF:Gathering a few weeks ago, I just can’t get the song “Oceans” out of my head.
“Shine a Light on Slavery Day” was instituted by the END IT MOVEMENT as a way to unify the cause so many of us fight year round and in our own spaces.
Just got back from Austin! It was a fun event, and I loved making new friends and discovering new speakers and resources. God showed up and big and small ways, as He always does. He is faithful.
Mental Post-Its 