Impact

Talk about impact.
William Wilberforce lived it.

He loved his God.
He loved his neighbor.

So much so that he fought unceasingly for his neighbor's freedom, by means of ending England's participation in the slave trade.

He often referred to himself as "being feelingly alive."
Feelingly alive to the joys of this life and the sufferings of his fellow man.

But. How?

What we see on the pages of history was birthed from a knowledge of God. Walking with Him every day, in the quiet, without anyone seeing a thing.

Not so much unlike the root system of a tree. Healthy tree, healthy roots. Beneath the soil, there's a largely invisible system absorbing water and transporting minerals. Dead tree, dead roots. Possible culprits being soil compaction (no room to breathe), competition between roots, lack of water, stress, toxins, whatever.

Gosh, me and dead roots have a lot in common.
And that stinks.

Cause I want to live a life of impact. A life that is full of life. Seen and unseen.

It is said that Wilberforce walked to and from Parliament every day, where he served in the House of Commons. On these daily commutes, he memorized the word of God. He spoke truth to himself. He listened and meditated. One of his favorite objects of meditation was Psalm 119.

Have you seen that baby? That's the big one. And he knew it by heart.

Did you know...

There are more slaves today than ever before.
Trafficking is the second largest – and fastest growing – criminal industry in the world.
Over 12 million people worldwide are trafficked for forced labor or sexual exploitation.
Over 200,000 children are at high risk for sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in the United States every year.

I am crying as I am typing these words.
Cause these are children like my own. And women like me. And it can't continue.

So what can I do? I'm just a mom, a busy mom. Trying to take care of my family.

I can love my God with a foremost passion, above all other passions.
I can live an unseen life.
I can hide Psalm 119 in my heart.
And then live it out in my day.

I can enter into another's riches.
And another's poverty.
And learn from both.

I can inform myself on the injustices of this world.
And tell others.
And then do something. Just something, anything.

I can partner with organizations like
International Justice Mission
Love 146
Polaris Project
or Compassion International.

I can
Pray.
Give.
Plead with government officials.
Organize a drive.
Love and protect and defend.
Hope.
Be feelingly alive.

Remember that,
"The world is not mine to save, But I can serve the mission of the God who has already done so." Tyler Wigg Stevenson