Loving the Simple Things

Just this past Thursday I was given more information about Human Trafficking. I have been learning about the different forms of trafficking since January through personal research, but hearing them from another source is still worrisome. It's crazy how real Satan is with this battle! I and my wonderful teammates cannot just sit back and ignore it. To be honest, I am still processing the numbers, the new stories I heard, and the simple fact that this is happening in real life. Something I did not know is that about once a week I will see a slave in some form of bondage. May it be sex, labor, pornography....the list continues, but I'd rather not begin to think about it at this moment. I also learned that Houston is a major  port for human trafficking. For those of you who do not know, I was in Houston only three weeks ago at the airport; I wonder now how many people did I see that were some type of slave. It breaks my heart and will persist to do so until WE as a nation under God can get rid of it.

Enough of that. I like to think about happy things. The simple things.

Tonight the Summer Girls and I threw a baby shower for a lady in her early twenties that I will name Candy. Of course, me being the person that I am, I think balloons, games, table clothes, etc. Well, it being so last minute we literally planned to do it the night before there was not money in the budget for that sort of affair. Instead, we found a box of cake mix and icing and made a beautiful cake, we purchased ribbon and clothes pins to play the "Can't Say Baby Game," and shopped in the baby room of the shelter to find nice gifts.
At first I am thinking This is so plain! She is not going to like it. She won't have fun. Why didn't we do it earlier in the day? Or wait until after she had the baby to throw a shower? 
In all actuality, she loved it! Turns out, this was her very first baby shower. EVER. I feel compelled to tell you that she has a three year old daughter and has never had a baby shower. So while I thought she was going to hate it, I was proven wrong and found that sometimes simple and plain is all you need to make somebody feel special.

What I ask of you tonight, or whenever you read this blog, is to find freedom in the simple things. Enjoy the sticky notes on the mirror, the hugs you get from family and friends, and the "I love you" text messages. Sometimes, that is all a person needs to make them feel special. Give them and receive them without worrying about details. At the end of the day, you thought about them to give them thirty seconds or more of your time.

Thanks for reading, but before you stop I have a few prayer request.

• One of our staff members (a Summer Girl last year) is getting married tomorrow at 10:30 a.m.
• Taylor, our newest guest at the shelter is in need of maternity clothes that fit her. 
• Melba, a guest that I grew close to as I assisted in giving her medicine, willingly went back to her abuser Wednesday night. Pray that they can both continue down the right path for the both of them. 
• That I and my team can continue to confide in each other. 

amgfinding_freedom