Every Child Matters

Dr. Wess Stafford, President of Compassion International said, "If God places a child before you, and you are too busy to wield either a positive or a negative influence…you just did the latter!" 
Every child matters. Whether the child is part of your family, the kid down the street, in your church's student ministry, or in a village across the world, every child desires to feel loved, wanted and that they are special in some way. While you probably shouldn't go around hugging every child you meet -- someone  might call the police -- small efforts can go a long way. 
Take time to tell the children in your family that you care about them. This doesn't mean that you never say "no" or that poor choices don't have consequences, but discipline is a different subject for a different time. Let your family know that you love them and you care about how they feel.
When you encounter children in your neighborhood, or your friend's children, try to find something positive to say to them. You never know when that word of encouragement is exactly what they need.
If your church offers children and student ministries, get involved. There are many, varying volunteer positions that may be offered at your church. If you don't find something there that is a good fit for you, check out local organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Many schools have mentoring programs that need volunteers to donate their time with students also.
There are also ways you can connect with children from around the world. One method is through Compassion International. By sponsoring a child in one of the 26 countries in which Compassion is located, you can make a child feel loved and wanted by sending letters and pictures of you and your family. You will receive letters from your sponsored child and will watch them grow and mature throughout the years. It's an amazing experience! For more information on how you can sponsor a child go to www.compassion.com. 

Psalm 127:3

New Living Translation (NLT)

³ Children are a gift from the Lord;
    they are a reward from him.

What Is a Child's Life Worth?

What is a child's life worth? That seems like an obscene question, doesn't it? To anyone with children, or to those of us who have children in our lives that we care for, a child's life is priceless. Unfortunately in many areas of the world, children are regarded as chattel. They are bartered for and used as property. Human trafficking and child prostitution is shocking and sickening to us, but it's a truth we must face if we are to engage in the fight to prevent such horrific behavior. 
According to ECPAT International, there are about two million victims of childhood prostitution each year. There are approximately 500,000 child prostitutes in Brazil alone. Most of these victims are under age 12. Each child can be forced to service up to 1,500 "clients" in a year. That's four predators they have to service each day; and this is happening to elementary school-age children! 
The abuse has many long-term affects on the children, even after they are rescued. In China, 78% of child prostitutes acquire an STD; in Vietnam, 67% have an abortion; and in Southeast Asia, 90% of these children are infected with HIV. Almost all of these children abuse drugs and alcohol.
Most of the predators who violate these children are American (25%), German (18%), Australian (14%) and British (14%). On average, they pay $5 to abuse these innocent victims.
What can we do to help stop this tragedy? By sponsoring a child through Compassion International, you can help stop the abuse before it starts. Compassion works to prevent the abuse by being in 26 countries where human trafficking is most prominent. Compassion ensures each child that they are loved and protected. The Compassion field employees know the families and neighborhoods of each of the children and they notice when something is wrong. They can step in to stop any possible exploitation and provide safe shelter for children. They can defend the child's rights and restore them. 
This is something I believe in strongly. I have been blessed to spend time in the field with Compassion. Their priority is the safety, spiritual, physical and educational development of the children in their care. Compassion works in conjunction with the local church and involves the families and communities to not only change the lives of the children, but their  everyone around them as well.
So, what is a child's life worth? Is it worth $38 a month? That's the cost to sponsor a child. I ask that you consider that investment today and join us in preventing childhood prostitution and human trafficking.

http://www.compassion.com

No Worries

I had a conversation with someone yesterday who said one of her goals for 2013 was to try to worry less about things that are out of her control. That is a great idea for all of us. 
Worrying may add wrinkles, stress and maybe even a headache or an ulcer, but it accomplishes nothing.
A wise man once said if you are worried about something, you should put it out of your thoughts for a week. If the issue still exists after a week, pray about it. He had two points in his statement. The first point was that after a week, whatever issue you were worried about would probably resolve itself. The second point was that if the issue was so big that it wasn't resolved within a week; then you should hand it over to God, and have faith that God will take care of you.
When we pray about our concerns, and then continue to worry about them, its as though we are saying that we don't think God can take care of our concerns, and us. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." So when you pray, have faith that God will take care of your needs. As Beth Moore often says, "Let go, and let God."

Matthew 6:24-33

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
²⁵ “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.