What will you do?

(from francescamusic.com)

10.31.08

Have you listened to Sara Groves? I can’t get enough of her music lately. I know she’s been around for years, but somehow I missed the boat. I only knew her singles and hadn’t paid much attention beyond that until a few weeks ago when I went to see her live in Nashville at the Art*Music*Justice tour (also featuring Nashville favorites Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, Charlie Peacock, and Brandon Heath--talk about a great show). I was blown away by her unpretentious voice, her honest lyrics, and her poignant melodies. But I was even more moved by her heart for the oppressed. Friends, it shook me up. It challenged me to remember that we are not here only to live for ourselves. We are not called to be the richest, happiest people on earth. We are called to love until it hurts. I was reminded of that when I saw images of young girls in brothels flash up on the screen during Sara’s set.

She works with an amazing organization called International Justice Mission that you can check out here: www.ijm.org. According to their website, IJM is “a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to ensure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote functioning public justice systems.” Their work is desperately needed and absolutely in line with God’s heart. His heart is for rescue, redemption, sacrifice, and most importantly LOVE, which encompasses all of the above.

I’ve been wrestling with this since that night. Where is my place in this crisis? What can I do to help? Well, I love how the Lord answers prayer.
Proverbs 31 has long been a favorite chapter of mine--it's all highlighted and marked up in my Bible. Every time I read it, I get hit with something
differently, and today verse 20 literally leaped off the page. It reads: "She [the virtuous woman] opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out
her filled hands to the needy." Could it be any clearer? I want to be a virtuous woman, and that means giving to those in need, in some way or another. So today, I'm sharing what I learned about IJM and the issues they tackle with you, friends. Perhaps alerting you to this crisis will stir something in you. I trust that God can use anyone and any small thing to change the world. So what do you say? What can you give? What will you do? How about some world-changing?

Love,
Francesca

"I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor,
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down the door...
And when the saints go marching in, I want to be one of them."
- Sara Groves, "When the Saints"