Slavery. It isn't history...it's reality. Children. Teens. Forced labor. Forced prostitution. Illegal, but real.
This is one of the unpleasant realities of our world.
But we can change it.
The charity? Bands to Break Bonds. The concept? Simple: the profits from every wristband that is purchased are donated to Rapha House (RaphaHouse.org--a charity actively fighting human trafficking and the effects of modern slavery, no affiliation). In addition, the wristbands provide you with a subtle yet constant reminder to pray for the children who are victims of human trafficking.
Take a look! http://www.BandsToBreakBonds.org
Wristbands are $2 each.
4 ways you can help child slaves through Bands To Break Bonds:
1) Pray for the children. (this is the most important one)
2) Tell your friends about BandsToBreakBonds.org (blog, tweet, post on facebook, e-mail, text, talk, newsletter, etc....any way you can get the word out is helpful :)
3) Buy yourself a band. In fact, buy bands for your friends and family as gifts and/or buy bands and sell them (because you buy them from us, we still donate our profits to stopping human trafficking and you are still helping child slaves, even if you make money for yourself by selling them)
4) Help with the project. We need you to help us! Whether you raise awareness, write for the blog, sell bands, find vendors, or help plan awareness events and fundraisers, your help is much appreciated.
Thanks!!
God bless!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
SUMMER! Modesty?
Summer is a huuuuge battlefield in the area of modesty, especially if you live somewhere hot.
Thankfully, TheRebelution.com surveyed 1,500 guys' reactions to different articles of girls' clothing. So now we have a key into the mysterious mind of guys and can know what we can wear and what we can't.
Go to therebelution.com/modestysurvey to see the survey results!
Modesty quiz--think know your modesty facts? Find out!
1) Are shorts that show your kneecaps OK in casual dress?
2) Are shorts that are shorter than mid-thigh OK?
3) Do leggings and jeans make shorts/skirts outfits more modest?
4) Are tube tops acceptable?
5) Are spaghetti straps modest?
6) Are one-piece swimsuits as modest as you can get when you're swimming?
7) Are bikinis modest?
8) Is it OK to show your stomach when swimming?
If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions...sorry, you were wrong. Go check out the modesty survey and learn more about what summer clothing items are trendy and safe, and which take you into the danger zone of being an object of some stranger's lust....blech! :P
Thankfully, TheRebelution.com surveyed 1,500 guys' reactions to different articles of girls' clothing. So now we have a key into the mysterious mind of guys and can know what we can wear and what we can't.
Go to therebelution.com/modestysurvey to see the survey results!
Modesty quiz--think know your modesty facts? Find out!
1) Are shorts that show your kneecaps OK in casual dress?
2) Are shorts that are shorter than mid-thigh OK?
3) Do leggings and jeans make shorts/skirts outfits more modest?
4) Are tube tops acceptable?
5) Are spaghetti straps modest?
6) Are one-piece swimsuits as modest as you can get when you're swimming?
7) Are bikinis modest?
8) Is it OK to show your stomach when swimming?
If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions...sorry, you were wrong. Go check out the modesty survey and learn more about what summer clothing items are trendy and safe, and which take you into the danger zone of being an object of some stranger's lust....blech! :P
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Speaking in Tongues
Hi again,
Abi F. had a question about speaking in tongues. I have been thinking over her question quite a bit...my views are totally in agreement with Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology, and, while citing his work, I did not want to plagiarize.
I have come to a decision. I am going to ask that, if you have any questions, you read the Systematic Theology chapters on spiritual gifts. It's excellent. I couldn't phrase or explain this touchy yet crucial issue better than Wayne Grudem does, no matter how hard I tried.
:)
God bless!
Ruth
Abi F. had a question about speaking in tongues. I have been thinking over her question quite a bit...my views are totally in agreement with Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology, and, while citing his work, I did not want to plagiarize.
I have come to a decision. I am going to ask that, if you have any questions, you read the Systematic Theology chapters on spiritual gifts. It's excellent. I couldn't phrase or explain this touchy yet crucial issue better than Wayne Grudem does, no matter how hard I tried.
:)
God bless!
Ruth
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Bad words: join me?
Hi all,
I'm making a commitment from this point forward not to say any words that are not ladylike. Now, those of you who know me may be wondering what I mean....after all, I don't have a bad mouth. I don't say, type, or use in conversation in any way d*mn, f***, cr*p, sh*t, or cr*d (and I'm putting little stars in when I type them). I certainly don't take God's name in vain, and to avoid coming even close to that I have also eliminated jeez, gosh, and gee from my vocabulary. I know "heck" stands for "hell," so I don't use either. I've only said "that sucks" twice (I've saved that one for extreme occasions), and I've only said "dang" a handful of times (definitely not more than fifteen times in my whole life). I thought I was "really good."
Well, I'm pretty sure God isn't pleased by that language. First of all, we take these worn-out words that don't require much thought to speak to each other ("that sucks" instead of "I'm so sorry, you must be really hurt"). Second, using these words without thought tend to loosen up our tongue and make it easier to say things without thinking. Third, we need to actually know what we're saying. Many of my friends say "it sucks," and I had no idea what it meant. When I decided to look it up on Google (I saw someone spell it with a * and was curious as to why it would be considered a bad word), I was shocked (and I'll let you look that one up yourself if you're curious). That is a really perverse phrase, one that a young lady SHOULD NOT be saying!! I'm horrified at the two times I did say it, and I will never say it again.
So, dear friends....will you join me? I'm abstaining from any overused slang words that express frustration (those are the ones that usually start out as "bad words" and get watered down to "harmless slang"). This includes the list above, plus s*cks and dang, darn, stinks, rats, man (how'd you feel if guys used "woman" to make something more emphatic?), etc. Even though darn, stinks, and rats don't really have bad meanings (as far as I know), by using them I can become lazy in my speech and let down my guard to other "harmless" words.
Of course, one more note....don't judge people who use these words. I'm saying that, in my opinion, it isn't ladylike to use these words, but I'm not judging any of my friends who choose to use them. I realize that our current culture makes it difficult to draw a line between good and bad. My friends who use dang, s*cks, cr*d, cr*p, heck, and other "milder" swear words but abstain from the "worse" words are also trying to draw a line and fight the same battle I am fighting; the same goes for friends with looser or tighter standards. Respect people as people and let them make their own decisions.
:) :)
God bless!
Ruth
I'm making a commitment from this point forward not to say any words that are not ladylike. Now, those of you who know me may be wondering what I mean....after all, I don't have a bad mouth. I don't say, type, or use in conversation in any way d*mn, f***, cr*p, sh*t, or cr*d (and I'm putting little stars in when I type them). I certainly don't take God's name in vain, and to avoid coming even close to that I have also eliminated jeez, gosh, and gee from my vocabulary. I know "heck" stands for "hell," so I don't use either. I've only said "that sucks" twice (I've saved that one for extreme occasions), and I've only said "dang" a handful of times (definitely not more than fifteen times in my whole life). I thought I was "really good."
Well, I'm pretty sure God isn't pleased by that language. First of all, we take these worn-out words that don't require much thought to speak to each other ("that sucks" instead of "I'm so sorry, you must be really hurt"). Second, using these words without thought tend to loosen up our tongue and make it easier to say things without thinking. Third, we need to actually know what we're saying. Many of my friends say "it sucks," and I had no idea what it meant. When I decided to look it up on Google (I saw someone spell it with a * and was curious as to why it would be considered a bad word), I was shocked (and I'll let you look that one up yourself if you're curious). That is a really perverse phrase, one that a young lady SHOULD NOT be saying!! I'm horrified at the two times I did say it, and I will never say it again.
So, dear friends....will you join me? I'm abstaining from any overused slang words that express frustration (those are the ones that usually start out as "bad words" and get watered down to "harmless slang"). This includes the list above, plus s*cks and dang, darn, stinks, rats, man (how'd you feel if guys used "woman" to make something more emphatic?), etc. Even though darn, stinks, and rats don't really have bad meanings (as far as I know), by using them I can become lazy in my speech and let down my guard to other "harmless" words.
Of course, one more note....don't judge people who use these words. I'm saying that, in my opinion, it isn't ladylike to use these words, but I'm not judging any of my friends who choose to use them. I realize that our current culture makes it difficult to draw a line between good and bad. My friends who use dang, s*cks, cr*d, cr*p, heck, and other "milder" swear words but abstain from the "worse" words are also trying to draw a line and fight the same battle I am fighting; the same goes for friends with looser or tighter standards. Respect people as people and let them make their own decisions.
:) :)
God bless!
Ruth
Monday, January 25, 2010
Siblings
I've noticed a misunderstanding between most older and younger siblings. As my brother and I have worked this out, I thought I'd post on it for your benefit :) (note: I think many of you middle children probably have this figured out, since you're both a younger and an older sibling)
First, I'll write a post directed at younger siblings; then, I'll say a few things for the older siblings:
Younger siblings
We older siblings don't usually mind if you know more than us--OK, it bothers us a little, since we've grown up imagining that we're the "big kid" and that we're going to teach you. But we get over it. We expect you to be better at some things. In fact, we're happy for you when you succeed! My brother, who is several years younger than I, has taught me things about cars that I never knew. At the same time, however, I can teach him things.
What does bother older siblings is when you claim to know more than what you really know; older siblings can tell when you know something and when you don't. Also, it's frustrating when you refuse to learn in areas where older siblings obviously have some experience. For example, if your older sibling tells you "You better break such-and-such a habit, it won't help you later in life," chances are (1) they had that habit, and suffered the consequences, and now don't want you to go through that, or (2) they had a friend with that habit and saw what happened and don't want that to happen to you. Now, maybe you don't see why you need to break the habit they mentioned, but it's best to accept what they say (arguing won't solve anything!). Honestly, it can't hurt to break the habit, even if it's a little inconvenient.
Older siblings
Don't forget about when you were younger and thought you knew everything! Realize that your younger siblings probably can't understand how you've learned dozens of lessons in the few years you've lived longer than them, and be patient. It's not your fault if their bad habits hurt them; it's not your fault if they misunderstand something and refuse to listen to the real cause; it's not your job to raise your siblings, no matter how much you may want to help them. Yes, help them, but don't push it to the point of argument; it's not worth risking your relationship for little things. If you learned a lesson the hard way, they can, too...though I'm all for attempting to save them from learning things the hard way, sometimes that's what has to happen. Just accept it. You lived through it, and so will they, and by avoiding arguments you will strengthen your relationship. Besides, after they've learned something the hard way, they may remember that you had warned them and listen to you in the future! :)
First, I'll write a post directed at younger siblings; then, I'll say a few things for the older siblings:
Younger siblings
We older siblings don't usually mind if you know more than us--OK, it bothers us a little, since we've grown up imagining that we're the "big kid" and that we're going to teach you. But we get over it. We expect you to be better at some things. In fact, we're happy for you when you succeed! My brother, who is several years younger than I, has taught me things about cars that I never knew. At the same time, however, I can teach him things.
What does bother older siblings is when you claim to know more than what you really know; older siblings can tell when you know something and when you don't. Also, it's frustrating when you refuse to learn in areas where older siblings obviously have some experience. For example, if your older sibling tells you "You better break such-and-such a habit, it won't help you later in life," chances are (1) they had that habit, and suffered the consequences, and now don't want you to go through that, or (2) they had a friend with that habit and saw what happened and don't want that to happen to you. Now, maybe you don't see why you need to break the habit they mentioned, but it's best to accept what they say (arguing won't solve anything!). Honestly, it can't hurt to break the habit, even if it's a little inconvenient.
Older siblings
Don't forget about when you were younger and thought you knew everything! Realize that your younger siblings probably can't understand how you've learned dozens of lessons in the few years you've lived longer than them, and be patient. It's not your fault if their bad habits hurt them; it's not your fault if they misunderstand something and refuse to listen to the real cause; it's not your job to raise your siblings, no matter how much you may want to help them. Yes, help them, but don't push it to the point of argument; it's not worth risking your relationship for little things. If you learned a lesson the hard way, they can, too...though I'm all for attempting to save them from learning things the hard way, sometimes that's what has to happen. Just accept it. You lived through it, and so will they, and by avoiding arguments you will strengthen your relationship. Besides, after they've learned something the hard way, they may remember that you had warned them and listen to you in the future! :)
Tough Questions [Topic] Post 3: Predestination II
Okay, and now for the somewhat-lighter sequel to Predestination I... (please read that one first :)
The "other side" of predestination which I told you about at the end of the last post has to do with whether or not the future is planned. Let me put it this way: in the light of Predestination I's views, either God has already decided exactly what you will do tomorrow or He will influence/control you in the moment.
Is your "fate" already decided?
The Bible seems to suggest that some moments - possibly all - are already planned. Whenever God used prophecy to predict the life of Jesus, He said in essence that those parts of the future were already decided. Jesus' place of birth was decided. The actions of the emperor, of Pontious Pilot, of Mary, etc., had all been determined already.
Also, whenever God mentions that He has plans for us, that His purposes prevail, that He knows the future, that He will guide us--each of those, in my opinion, shows that God has already planned the events of our lives.
We should still act responsibly, of course, but rest in knowing that God is ultimately in control.
The "other side" of predestination which I told you about at the end of the last post has to do with whether or not the future is planned. Let me put it this way: in the light of Predestination I's views, either God has already decided exactly what you will do tomorrow or He will influence/control you in the moment.
Is your "fate" already decided?
The Bible seems to suggest that some moments - possibly all - are already planned. Whenever God used prophecy to predict the life of Jesus, He said in essence that those parts of the future were already decided. Jesus' place of birth was decided. The actions of the emperor, of Pontious Pilot, of Mary, etc., had all been determined already.
Also, whenever God mentions that He has plans for us, that His purposes prevail, that He knows the future, that He will guide us--each of those, in my opinion, shows that God has already planned the events of our lives.
We should still act responsibly, of course, but rest in knowing that God is ultimately in control.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tough Questions [Topic] Post 3: Predestination I
This is a topic request from AbiF :)
"Predestination"--it's a long word for an interesting doctrine. Predestination is the Calvinistic (from John Calvin, who lived at the time of the Protestant Reformation) doctrine that holds the beliefs that God controls everything, from the weather and the earth to our choices and even our sins.
How much control God chooses to exert is a fact that I don't think humans will ever be able to grasp or understand. God simply hasn't given us as much information as we would like or need to understand the topic; however, from the Bible passages He has provided, we can settle on a few different theories as to how much and what God controls.
Let's start at the basics: either we are free to make choices, or we believe that we are free to make choices when, in fact, we are simply following a script written by God. We all know that we feel we can make choices--it's in our nature. As a baby, we learn to choose to say one thing or another; to choose to play with a doll or a toy car; to choose where to crawl, to choose when to crawl. As we age, we learn that we can choose to play baseball or to dance; we can choose to wear a sweater or a longsleeve shirt, or to wear pink or to wear blue; we can choose to keep friends or let friendships lapse. We can, to a certain extent, choose what classes we take in school, whether we go to college, what college we go to, how long we stay at college, what we major in, what our career is, where we live, who we marry...humans make choices, or are under the impression that they make choices.
On the other hand, we are also aware that we do not always have a choice. Maybe we we could choose which baseball team to join, but when we sign up there is only one team open. Maybe we thought we could choose to wear our favorite sweater, but the sweater is in the wash and we much choose something else. We thought we could choose what college to attend, but were denied acceptance or lacked the funds to pay for college.
From these circumstances arose the idea of Fate, an invisible, intangible force that sometimes eliminates a person's choices. It was Fate that filled up the baseball team I wanted to join; it was Fate that brought you to me; it was Fate that _______. Sometimes Fate is kind, and sometimes Fate is unkind, but humans agree that there is--at least, sometimes there seems to be--a subtle, supernatural force behind the happenings of the world.
As Christians, we realize that this Fate character either must be fictional or must be God.
This is where the discussion goes a million different ways, but I'll try to continue to attempt to explain it (bear with me here).
Christians will say things like "It was God's will that I was not accepted to one college, because the college I ended up attending was much better." This implies that God had a hand where Fate is usually credited: God directed the application process or the scholarship process or whatever so that the speaker's life turned out for the better. Most Christians do not have a problem agreeing with this; however, if God directed the application process at a certain college, that implies that He either directly or indirectly exerted influence on those people reviewing the application. Did He? Some say "yes." Some say "no." Some say God does not have that control; I believe that God is all-powerful, and if He does not control something the reason is that He chooses not to control that area.
Here are some verses that I believe indicate that God has chosen to control our choices:
Daniel 2:20-21: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his....
he sets up kings and deposes them."
Here, Daniel indicates that God is the one who raises up leaders.
EXAMPLE: Obama was elected President in 2008. How was Obama elected by God? God somehow influenced some or all of the people involved in the election--Obama, Obama's campaign team, the voters--to cause Obama to rise to the Presidency.
Proverbs 21:1: "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;
he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. "
Here, Solomon reminds us that a leader's thoughts, beliefs, and decisions are determined by the LORD.
Now, whether God exerts complete control or simply an influence--or whether God's methods of control vary with regards to situation--could be debated forever. One concept is clear, however: God wants us to be responsible. He doesn't want us to be reckless just because "Well, it's all under God's control anyway." God says that we reap what we sow, that there are consequences to the wrong choices that we make. Also, since we are at every moment unsure if our exact actions are being controlled or if God is simply whispering His will and leaving the choice up to us, we need to do our best to follow what we know is His will.
There is a whole other side to predestination, which I plan to cover in Predestination II...until then! :)
~Ruth
"Predestination"--it's a long word for an interesting doctrine. Predestination is the Calvinistic (from John Calvin, who lived at the time of the Protestant Reformation) doctrine that holds the beliefs that God controls everything, from the weather and the earth to our choices and even our sins.
How much control God chooses to exert is a fact that I don't think humans will ever be able to grasp or understand. God simply hasn't given us as much information as we would like or need to understand the topic; however, from the Bible passages He has provided, we can settle on a few different theories as to how much and what God controls.
Let's start at the basics: either we are free to make choices, or we believe that we are free to make choices when, in fact, we are simply following a script written by God. We all know that we feel we can make choices--it's in our nature. As a baby, we learn to choose to say one thing or another; to choose to play with a doll or a toy car; to choose where to crawl, to choose when to crawl. As we age, we learn that we can choose to play baseball or to dance; we can choose to wear a sweater or a longsleeve shirt, or to wear pink or to wear blue; we can choose to keep friends or let friendships lapse. We can, to a certain extent, choose what classes we take in school, whether we go to college, what college we go to, how long we stay at college, what we major in, what our career is, where we live, who we marry...humans make choices, or are under the impression that they make choices.
On the other hand, we are also aware that we do not always have a choice. Maybe we we could choose which baseball team to join, but when we sign up there is only one team open. Maybe we thought we could choose to wear our favorite sweater, but the sweater is in the wash and we much choose something else. We thought we could choose what college to attend, but were denied acceptance or lacked the funds to pay for college.
From these circumstances arose the idea of Fate, an invisible, intangible force that sometimes eliminates a person's choices. It was Fate that filled up the baseball team I wanted to join; it was Fate that brought you to me; it was Fate that _______. Sometimes Fate is kind, and sometimes Fate is unkind, but humans agree that there is--at least, sometimes there seems to be--a subtle, supernatural force behind the happenings of the world.
As Christians, we realize that this Fate character either must be fictional or must be God.
This is where the discussion goes a million different ways, but I'll try to continue to attempt to explain it (bear with me here).
Christians will say things like "It was God's will that I was not accepted to one college, because the college I ended up attending was much better." This implies that God had a hand where Fate is usually credited: God directed the application process or the scholarship process or whatever so that the speaker's life turned out for the better. Most Christians do not have a problem agreeing with this; however, if God directed the application process at a certain college, that implies that He either directly or indirectly exerted influence on those people reviewing the application. Did He? Some say "yes." Some say "no." Some say God does not have that control; I believe that God is all-powerful, and if He does not control something the reason is that He chooses not to control that area.
Here are some verses that I believe indicate that God has chosen to control our choices:
Daniel 2:20-21: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his....
he sets up kings and deposes them."
Here, Daniel indicates that God is the one who raises up leaders.
EXAMPLE: Obama was elected President in 2008. How was Obama elected by God? God somehow influenced some or all of the people involved in the election--Obama, Obama's campaign team, the voters--to cause Obama to rise to the Presidency.
Proverbs 21:1: "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;
he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. "
Here, Solomon reminds us that a leader's thoughts, beliefs, and decisions are determined by the LORD.
Now, whether God exerts complete control or simply an influence--or whether God's methods of control vary with regards to situation--could be debated forever. One concept is clear, however: God wants us to be responsible. He doesn't want us to be reckless just because "Well, it's all under God's control anyway." God says that we reap what we sow, that there are consequences to the wrong choices that we make. Also, since we are at every moment unsure if our exact actions are being controlled or if God is simply whispering His will and leaving the choice up to us, we need to do our best to follow what we know is His will.
There is a whole other side to predestination, which I plan to cover in Predestination II...until then! :)
~Ruth
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