The blogsphere is hot over this recent interview with Rahna Reiko Rizzuto who left her husband and children in order to "find" herself.  It happened after she was sent overseas for a six month period to study in Japan (which no one seems to question as a wise choice in the first place.)  She commented that she feels like she if she hadn't left she said. . .

"I don’t think so…I probably would have never looked up and said, ‘Whoa…I did that thing that I didn’t want to do which was give up my life for someone else’ "

I have been reading alot of blogs recently that have brought this story to forefront. It truly is sad that she left. I fear that the media has lifted her up as a model and many more will begin to follow.

The following blogs have had so great things to say: 

Disposable Motherhood - Generation Cedar
Redefining Motherhood - True Woman Blog
"Why I Walked Away from Being a Mom" - Your Sacred Calling


While I have appreciated these articles, I can't seem to get something off my mind.  Without Christ, I would do the same thing. My sinful heart craves ME time.  My sinful heart sometimes resents this calling.  I have often heard the siren call to send my kids to school and have more time to pursue what interests me. 

I used to be the type of person that needed to "find" myself.  I was a Christian sitting in one of those preschool mother's support groups. . .you know the kind that tell you that mom needs to take care of herself in order to take better care of her family. I now understand the futility of that message.  At one point, though, I swallowed it whole.  This is the Christian version of woman finding herself.   It exists and no one seems to want to own it. 

The realization in my life that I desperately needed Jesus in my life is what saved me from that life. I finally came to recognize just how bad my sin really was before God.  Without Jesus, I really would be this woman in Christian form.  But Jesus gripped my heart and began to stit in me to the need to re-evaluate this path.  It was hard at first. I had my 2 oldest in a mother's day out program. I enjoyed those days to myself. I felt like a new woman when I picked them up. It didn't last.  It seemed that the more time I got to myself, the more I needed to be a "new" woman.  They just irritated me.  But the conviction to have them home was growing stronger.  I felt convicted to bring them home.  But I didn't obey it.  God used unemployment to force my hand.  I might add that this all occurred while I was being treated for post-partum depression. Unfortunatley, I found other ways to "find" myself. I spent alot of time on the computer. But I didn't spend that time with my kids. I was "finding" myself so I could be a better mom.  I have grown alot since then but I still have my moments.

I mention all this to say that we, as moms at home (or what have you), can sit and critique what this woman did. We ALL have the compacity to walk away though.  We are not immune to the desire to "find" ourselves and seek our own. It's the sin of Eve all over again.  She wanted her own way.  She wanted to "find" herself in the midst of the garden without God.  She questioned His best and sought to "find" herself.  The enemy hasn't stopped enticing women in this way.  It can show up in many different scenerios.  The temptation are forever before us.  But for the grace of God go I.

Yes, our society has become one that loves their pets more than they love children.  Birth control is not something people even thinking about or (for the Christian) are prayful over.  They automatically assume they will use birth control with little regard the ramifications of what they are doing.  They must have their career first (as if motherhood is not a legitimate career choice.)  There is little thought as to whether children are even of any value, or morese, blessings from the Lord.  In the secular world, it's even worse.  Many women are willing to kill their babies so that they can  continue to "find" themselves.  But I can see so many ways where the Bride of Christ has bought the message of the secular world and seek to find themselves.  We can sugar coat this all we want.  We can deny the reality.  But it's out there.  Just search in some of the latest "Christian" bookstores and you'll these message everywhere. 

Mothering requires tons of sacrifice.  It often does mean losing yourself.  But isn't that the message of the cross? 

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.          Matthew 10:39

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?  (Luke 9:23-25)

The Christian life, whether you are a man or woman, is about losing yourself in order to bring utmost glory to the Father.  There is no ME TIME in motherhood.  There is only time to serve the Lord.   

And lest we judge, it would be so easy for us to wake up one day and walk away.  We can physically walk away but we're more likely to emotional walk away.  Let's be very cautious as we look at the life of this woman not to be too quick to jump in and criticize her decisions.  Was she wrong?  I think so.  She has denied her children the beauty of a mother and denied herself the beauty of loving sacrificially.  If she knows Jesus and claims Christ, she's denied her calling as a Christian mom.  If she doesn't know Jesus, then in reality, she's only acting according to her nature.  We shouldn't be so surprised by it.  As Christian mom's, however, we need to be vigilant not to fall prey to the different ways the enemy can entice us to seek to "find" ourselvs.  We must guard our hearts lest we fall. 


Christian moms, eam your hearts.  Are you seeking ways to "find" yourself?  You are looking for that ever tempting ME TIME?  Are you resentful when more is required of you, such as in nursing a sick child, getting up with a baby at time to nurse, or perhaps having to take care of the children more than it seems you husband might be?  These should a red flag that we are seeking to "find" ourselves.  We don't have to leave as Rahna did.  She just acted on the sin in her heart.  We must guard against doing this ourselves. 

Parenting a Tween

I feel as if I have been thrust quickly into the throws of parenting tweens and teens in the past few weeks.  I have seen my precious little girl begin to say things and act in ways that are foreign to her personality and character.  Regardless, this is my favorite season in life.  While most moms and dads dread the teen years, I have been waiting for them and I am excited to walk this road with my daughter. 

Regardless of my enthusiasm toward this time in her life, I have been very surprised by some of things that I have come out of her mouth recently.  Surprised and concerned.  Recently I heard her tell me she thought she was fat.  WHAT?!!!!  I had to think back to my our conversation and remember if I had ever said that about myself.  I remember my mom talking about being fat all the time.  She still does.   She's not fat.  She's an beautiful aging woman.  She won't listen to me though.  The culture has brainwashed her into believing that it all matters. 

How did I not turn out like that?  Well, my first admit that I do place an emphasis on the opinion of men and woman around me way too much.  But I have begun to ground myself in the Word as I have grown in my adult years and so the truths about my worth and even my appearance have begun to take root.  I had to face the truth of all this when I suffered some health problems that robbed me of my make-up.  I looked like a monster for a good portion of my oldest daughters first year when I developed an allergic reaction to make-up I had been wearing for years.  I was so insecure but it started to make me think about it.  Through the years I have rested on one particular verse in Proverbs 31. 

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (v.30)

As I have wrestled with that verse and what I knew of this world's values, I have found that I can rest in it's truth.  I am not so worried about my weight anymore.  Mind you, I will not let myself go or anything.  But that is more of a focus on my health as a means of glorifying God than it is vanity.  Wrapped up in the little verse is a truth that I am constantly telling my girls.  If you are spending more time in front of the mirror than you are in front of the Word of God (thus learning to fear Him) then your priorities are way out of place.  That is what I live my life around. 

Regardless of what I have preached to my daughter, the enemy has launched an all out attack on my daughter and her heart.  She confessed to me tonight that she knows I am trying to win her heart and she just doesn't understand why she won't give it to me.  I am seeking the Father to understand if there is something I am doing to push her away despite my efforts.  I trust He will show me.  But I also know that she's simply fighting and fighting hard.  Sending her off to the university school for a couple of hours two days a week has exactly where God has her.  But I do believe that some of these ideas and struggles are coming from that situation.  She's exposed to friends that are allow certain "priveleges" that she is not.  Many of her friends already have phones as well as have email and Facebook accounts.  Really?!!!!

That idea blew me away!  I got off Facebook for my sanity and to gain extra time for my family.  I still wonder what purpose the social networking sites actually have.  It's wasted time, in my opinion.  I know that people use it to keep in touch with family and such.  That is all well and good.  But for the vast majority of people, it's not used that way.  I am learning that teens are using it to abuse each other with cyber hate mail or simple gossip (as if gossip were that simple.)  There are way too many provocative and suggestive pictures posted on others.  At times, I wonder if some posts contained a secret language between two people.  Many people say they are using it to further the gospel.  Really?  Is that why people keep posting all those personal pictures of themselves or kids?  Does that really glorify God and yourself?  This is not a world I ready to introduce to a child that is already self-centered in her very core. 

I heart is crying to protect my daughter.  I am trying not to tighten the reins too much but that is where my heart wants to go.  She's just a little girl.  When I was 11 yod, I wanted to still play with my dolls and be a little girl.  I moved a suburb of Dallas when I in 5th grade.  These girls were wearing make up.  They were concerned about boys.  They didn't play with dolls anymore.  Once I got into 6th grade I realized that I ever wanted to fit in I was going to have to put all that stuff away.  What I really wanted was for my mommy and daddy to take me back to a place that I knew as fun and innocent.   We thrust our children so quickly into grown up situations.  The problem is that we never teach them or equip them in how to respond Biblically in these situations.  And the enemy is winning our children. 

I don't want this for my daughter.  I want to lead her to the cross so that she can find her security in Christ.  She belongs to Him.  She's a princess of the King of kings.  A princess.  Have you ever considered that?  If you have been bought by the blood of Christ, you are His princess.  That idea has impacted my life recently.  A princess would be faithful to her father, obedient, trusting.  Do I live my life like that toward Christ?  Sadly, I act like someone that doesn't want to belong to the King.  But I do.  This is what I want for my daughter.  She doesn't need fancy clothes, phones, social networking.  if she's going to place her hope in those, she will be lost and miserable.  But if she is courageous enough to follow Christ wholeheartedly even when it's a bit painful to do so, she will find her confidence lies ONLY IN HIM. 

21 My son, do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be life for your soul
and adornment for your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way securely,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror
or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being caught.
(Proverbs 3:21-26)

I love this verse.  As one who has fallen prey to the lies of the self-esteem movement, I found great comfort in knowing I know longer had to look to extrenals to find my confidence.  God is my confidence.  I still struggle as an adult at times not to worry about what others think of me.  "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but those who trust in the Lord will be kept safe." (Proverbs 29:25)  Ironically I learned that verse while seeing a counselor my first year of marriage.   I continually have to remind myself not to make man's opinions into an idol.  Unfortunately, I am going to through a major overhaul and reteaching from the Lord because much of my life had become about pleasing man rather than pleasing God. 

I digress.  I am writing this about my daughter.  She's a beautiful young girl.  I want her to know, however, that she is beautiful not just on the outside, but that it's the heart that really matters.  Her beauty will eventually fade.  Where will she be when that happens?  If her hope lies in her looks, talents, friends, etc., she will be hopeless.  But if her hope lies in Christ, she will be very rich indeed.

What about you?  Are you raising a tween/teen girl in these volatile times?  How are handling these years with her? 

Repentence

This really spoke to be today as I am being worked over by the Holy Spirit to recognize my sin for what it really is. . .offensive and hurtful to God.  As well, my heart for our nation at it stands before has also been growing.  I most loved the pray at the end.  

Father, forgive me for having a greater concern for myself than for your glory. Forgive me for the hard places of my heart. Lord Jesus, forgive me for venting emotions which hinder others from seeing You in me. Break me where I need greater humbling. Deepen my love for you. Open my eyes to see the hurting around me with Your eyes. Flood my heart with Your compassion.

You can read more at True Woman - Repentance Starts with. . .Me!

Adios Amigos!!

I finally did it.  I deactivated my account with facebook.  As I was praying tonight and confessing my struggles with staying off of it, I realized that if I loved Jesus, I would shut it down.  To be honest, I was a little scared to do it.  I have friends that I keep in touch with through FB.  I get to see pictures of my niece.  I had even reconnected with several of my cousins that I see maybe once a year.  I saved several email addresses of those I wanted to keep in touch with as well as saved a few blog sites.  But I am done.  Now what?  There will be the initial withdrawal and the temptation to reactivate.  I have gone through all this before.  I just need to readjust how I spent my time.  My next venture will be my blogs.  I think I have whittled those down as far as I need to though.  I put them in categories on google reader so all I have to do is close the folder down and I won't be able to see them unless I am want to.  This should allow me to read them when I want.

The Prodigal Daughter Returns

I have sick kids today.  It's only the second day of school.  URGH!!!  Being that I committed to allowing God to work all things in our life instead of griping and trying to control things, I am running with it.  This is one of the reasons I have scheduled us for 4 days of intense work and one day of art, music, etc.  We'll just make up what we can on Friday.  My well kids are working through school so they will either get a day off on Friday OR if they end of sick, they won't fall behind either.  


As I have been working, I have been thinking about a quote that I read yesterday by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  

 Do you ever get tired of serving others? Maybe picking up after your kids has become a chore. Or maybe you’re caring for an elderly parent who doesn’t seem to appreciate it. Can I encourage you? You’re never more like Jesus than when you surrender your own rights and take the role of a servant.

It worked beautifully into living out what I wrote in another post under my "Don't Waste Your Life" category.  It was called "Making the Most of Your Time".  I challenged the reader to consider not just that being at home was enough.  We must consider how we're using even our time at home.  How much computer?  How much TV?  How much pleasure reading?  Then this quote showed up and pierced me further.  


I have been considering how I am not surrendering my own rights.  I haven't liked what I am finding.


I am addicted to the computer.  I LOVE to research different things I am learning.  I have blogs that cover some of those things, particularly the real foods diet I am seeking to learn about to serve my family.  I have a few blogs that encourage me as a wife and mom.  And then there is Facebook.  Underdog said last night that he no longer understands the point.  I had to be honest, I have wondered that since I first signed up.  What purpose does it serve?  I know, I know.  We can catch up with old friends.  We can keep tabs of the latest happenings with our closer friends.  Even family can keep up with each other.  But I wonder if this has just become another means for the enemy to draw people away from each other.  Whether it's a mom spending too much time checking FB or posting (ME!!!!) or simply people who are uncomfortable actually picking up a phone and making a phone call (ME!!!!!!), FB offers us excuses not to relate as human beings on a level that I believe the Creator intended for us. 


People need intimacy with each other.  FB offers a false intimacy.  Even blogs can do that too. 
This false intimacy makes me think that I know friends and all about them.  Friends I haven't seen in nearly 20 years post about their children and their work andit  some how it makes me think that I know them personally.  It's easy to think I really know someone at church because of what they are posting on FB.  I recently found out a friend of mine with the most upbeat posts is having a really hard time in a new life situation.  But I have been content just reading her post than connecting with her through a phone call.  


Another area of illusion in intimacy that certain aspects of the internet can mimic is our walk with Jesus.  How many times I have posted links to challenging blogs or have clicked on other links and then felt "good" about myself or somehow felt convicted by what I read.  I do this alot.  And often I am too foolish to realize that I have spent more time being convicted by the words of human beings than by the very Word of God.  These have created the illusion that just because I am convicted it means that I am knowing Jesus through them.   FB, blogs, even some of the "Christian" books that I read had made it easy to think I am seeking the Lord and that I know Him.  Sure, I can glean wisdom from certain aspects of each of these.  But is this really intimacy with the Father?  I once read somewhere that people think they have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about certain subjects simply by watching the evening news or reading news magazines.  Just as the nightly news and news magazines offer us tidbits of information and give us the illusion that we know alot, FB, blogs, and Christian books create the illusion that we know the Father.  But really there is only one way to truly know the Father. . .that is through the Son.  

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  (Matthew 11:27)

 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:7)

When we know the Word, we know the Son.  

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . .And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  (John 1:1,14)

As I have evaluated my own life, I have come to realize that I have felt an emptiness on my heart for a long time.  For a while I blamed it on a bad attitude about being pregnant when I didn't want to be.  Then I blamed it on being overwhelmed with a new baby.  Recently it's been easy to blame it on not feeling well as I dealing with this pinched nerve in my back.  The reality is that my priorities are off. . .WAY off.  I am putting my time toward good things and the rest is going toward meaningless things.  In the process, I have forgotten my Savior.  I have forgotten what He has done for me.  I have been missing His call to me to come to Him.  And truth be told, I miss my Savior.  


As I was folding laundry a while ago, I was praying for the courage to do what I don't want to do.  It's time to get off Facebook completely.  I have done it once before but went back when I was on bedrest and "bored" just lying around.  It doesn't serve much of a purpose for me anymore though.  It started as a means of passing time away. . .now it's become a means of wasting time.  I have so much about homemaking that I want to learn right now.  I feel so drawn to getting back to some of the old fashioned ways of keeping a home.  I LOVE cooking from scratch but have found that I "forget" or get behind so I don't get to.  Why?  Often it's because I have been on FB or reading blogs.  This definitely doesn't lend itself to making the most of my time NOR does it make much of Jesus.  


I miss my Savior.  I miss seeking Him wholeheartedly.  I miss the joy that used to come with that.  I miss the peace that passes all understanding as I walked along with Him.  I am going home.  The prodigal returns with a humble heart as she's realized and laments the time she's wasting pursuing something that in the end will only lead to death.  And as I post this on Facebook I hope to cause others to think about this.  I know it will probably be offensive.  So be it.  But I do challenge those reading to consider the WHY of Facebook.  What purpose does this serve in our lives?  And remember how we did actually survive without it 5, 10, and 20 years ago.  


One final comment, I am not demonizing the computer or the internet (at least not in this post.  HA!!!).  Both can either be used for good or evil.  I suppose the same can be said for Facebook.  But if you have evaluated you life and found that Facebook is truly being used to glorify God and your time is being used to bring Him glory, then there is nothing to fear.  But I have found that on a personal level, I am not doing this.  I spend more time trying to glorify myself with my comments.  Sometimes I fall into the sin of gossip as a share things about my children that might embarrass them if they knew I had posted it.  I will be spending the next few days collecting emails and contact information for those friends that I know I want to keep track of.  For those of you that I don't, it's been so nice catching up with you all.  I pray God's grace in your life.  


This weekend I be completely eliminating my account.  At least I will attempt to do so.  At the very least I'll be changing my password so that I don't have access to it.  This doesn't often work as well because it's easy to retrieve it and change it.  But I'll try what I can.  


God Bless and thank you for reading.  

  

Making the Most of My Time

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 

making the best use of the time, because the days 

are evil.  (Ephesians 5:15-16)

When I first became a mom, I joined a mother's group at our church.  It's was part of a national organization dedicated to ministering to moms of small children.  I was just a willing participant for a while and eventually served on the steering committee of this group.  I enjoyed it but there were things that began to bother me.  The biggest problem I began to see with this group is what they encouraged in these moms.  This groups plug was simply that mom's need time to themselves so they can better serve their families.  What I began to observe in myself and other moms, however, is that the more time moms sought for themselves, the less they wanted to serve their families.  The reality of this idea is that this concept is contrary to what Jesus teaches about dying to self.  At no point in scripture do we find Him saying that we are to take care of ourselves first. (And loving people as we love ourselves doesn't apply here.  Often the more self-seeking we are the less we do love people.)  It's not about seeking my own.  It's about seeking what is best for those around you and dying to what you want.  

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26)

How do we bring glory to Christ as wives and mother's?  It's not by making sure our cups are filled by going out with friends or meeting for coffee or even making sure we're signed up for the latest Bible study.  All that is well and good.  It's permissible to do those things.  But if you're looking to those things to fill your cup and make you a better mom, you are deceived.  This is one of the Satan's ploy to pull mom's even further away from home.   Our call is to be HOME more so in our heart than anything.  This is God command for our focus.  Period.  The enemy will do what he can to draw us away from that.  

I am going to make an argument against those of us who think we are giving our all to our home.  How much time do we spend on the computer each day?  How much of our time is spent watching TV or trying to read a book?  Again, these aren't necessarily bad things?  It's the TIME that we're spending on them that makes the difference.  

I have been thinking recently of how I am spending my time.  Is it wisely or unwisely?  Unfortunately, I would have to answer the latter.  Although I am not posting as much personally on Facebook, I am still posting different blogs I find interesting.  I also cleaned up my google reader to less blogs only to add several more a few days later.  I am still checking my email several times a day.  Why?  I think it's an attempt to still take care of myself.  It's much easier some days to check my email that to follow a child around helping them with chore cards.  It's more comfortable to read a blog than to actually apply what I already know the blog is saying. . .because I was convicted about the same thing a few days earlier.  It's not as hard to contemplate the most recent blog post or deep meaningful Facebook remark than it is to sit for a period of time and meditate on the Word of God.  Not only that, but these make it easier to sleep in rather than sacrifice some of my sleep to spend time meditating on the Word.  I don't need it as quiet to meditate on blogs as I do with the Word.  And I would say that is key to my time management.  It's all about me and not about what I am giving to my Savior so that He can fill me up.  

Last night I was reading from the book "Instructing a Child's Heart" by Paul David Tripp.  Great book so far. But it was talking about leading our children back to their history in the word.  I immediately thought of my 5 yod and how I would love to have more time to read to him about the heroes from the Bible.  Then came the unmistakable conviction that I would have more time if I gave up other less important things. . .and would die to myself.  

This morning I have felt less like being an advocate for healthy eating or home birthing or natural living (all of which I am part of groups on Facebook to be "informed".)  My email suddenly seemed very cluttered with unnecessary newsletters and coupons.  I no longer feel the need to set up blog posts that will allow me to post of things that I thought were important.  Really, I have a growing desire to just be with my family.  I tomato staked my 5 yod today because he needs me to.  My email can wait but his sinful heart will only grow more calloused if I don't start addressing the sin now!!!   Instead of being an advocate for healthy living, I am practicing it more today. 

This afternoon I start new by giving my time to more important things.  It's time that the internet became less about making my life easier (which is really just sin in that I "leave" my home to become a busy body - see 1 Timothy 5:13) and more about my family.   Today, I give my time back to God instead of seeking for myself.  This will be the driving force behind our new normal.  

Rescue The Girl

(I am sorry but for some reason this doesn't fit on my blog very well. You can watch the full video on the website below.)

This was a new ministry introduced to me today as well. It's called Rescue the Girl.  This is a group of college students trying to raise money to go to India to lead up an abolitionist movement on the college campuses over there.  Please consider donating some money as they are short the cash they need for plane tickets and much more.  And pray for their work.  These kids are definitely not wasting their lives.

We CAN and SHOULD Help

I recently wrote a blog about looking further in the s*x trafficking industry and doing something to help these girls and women.  I wanted to share another resource with you to check out further.  It's called Shared Hope International.  I heard Linda Smith, the founder, on a radio talk show this morning.  She was discussing her book Renting Lacy, which is a fictional account of this industry but inspired by the girls that have been rescued.  They are giving the book away free or with a small donation.  If you want to know more, this book is a good place to start.  Also, I do encourage you to give at least a small donation to cover the cost of the book.  This will allow the money it would cost to pay for publishing to go toward their ministry work.

They also have a page on this website that explains six ways to take action.  I will relist them here.

6 Ways to Take Action Against

Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking

1. Be an expert on the topic! You can’t fight unless you know your enemy and the tactics he uses! Read Linda Smith's book, From Congress to the Brothel and get inspired. On the pages of this book you will meet several trafficking victims, hear their heartbreaking accounts, and witness the healing power of God in the lives of these precious girls. Order a complimentary copy of “Renting Lacy." To learn even more watch videos produced by Shared Hope International and read our research on child sex slavery in the USA.

2. Identify Trafficking and Spread the Word. The more people who know how to identify sex trafficking in the United States, the stronger we will be in our fight. Join the nationwide movement and host an Innocence Lost Vigil in your community as part of the End Demand: Kids are NOT for Sale Awareness Campaign. You can also learn more about sex trafficking in your community by getting a copy of the video "Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking - Prostituted Children in the United States" and educate your community. 

3. Allow your money to follow your heart! You abhor the fact that children are being raped and tortured - help us help them! We cannot protect or rescue our children without financial support for the services they need. When you give a Gift of Hope with our online giving catalogue, you can also give in a friend or loved one's name - for a birthday or any other occasion. Additionally, they will even receive a hand written card in the mail with a personal message from you. Give a Gift of Hope today and save lives! 
4.Take the Pledge - Become a Defender.  Join forces with the men who are stepping up to protect their families and communities against the ravages of the commercial sex industry by taking a stand against it.Take the Defenders USA pledge today! 
5. Sign a petition and inform your legislators. Shared Hope International is demanding justice... for the innocent girls who are trafficked in America and have no safe place to run... and for stronger penalties for the men who buy children. Sign our petition for justiceand add your voice to the fight against trafficking - When we join together we are powerful!
6. Most importantly, pray. Keep the victims of child sex trafficking, their families and all those individuals working to end this horrible abuse in your prayers. Offer up a weekly prayer petition for an end to child sex trafficking in the United States. You can sign up for our newsletter and get a regular reminder of those who need your prayers most.