Have you been thinking I have been missing in action? Well, that is certainly one way to describe it...
This morning I am sitting around in my jammies and drinking an iced Starbucks Double Shot.
It’s the first morning in weeks; I have just been able to kick-back.
There has been a lot going on and I’ve had to stay completely focused on my goal.
Birth of grandbaby number 6 – check
Negotiate a terrible pay cut at work – check
Track mom, who had cataract surgery - check
Tracking two extended family members going through reconstructive facial surgery and throat surgery - check
Road trip to Pittsburgh for Human Trafficking gathering – check
Oh and the main goal – taking an idea that has been in my head for months and putting down on paper.
Rewind to a couple of weeks ago:
A lot of you may know that I have been very actively involved in addressing the issue of modern day slavery. I’ve been diligently working on a local Human Trafficking Task Force here in Northern Virginia.
Through out this process I have been praying and asking God what He wants me to do. More literally, what He wanted the next step to be for me.
I kept seeing this huge vision of:
1. Creating a nationwide network of volunteers to join the fight
2. Creating a home for the restoration of trafficking humans
3. Creating a dance/creative performance arts group to raise awareness of the human trafficking issue.
So, one day I am checking through my "blog designing for Philistines". I follow several blogs and I noticed one person, blogger Jonny Baker had posted
"Got a good idea for social transformation?" . That really caught my attention, so I clicked over.
It was short and to the point. Is simply said:
praxislabs is a new program that supports social entrepreneurs engaging in transformation from a Christian/mission perspective. if you've got a good idea and want to be connected into a network of fellows with the chance to raise some funding towards your idea/dream go and have a read…
Well that certainly piqued my interest. So again I clicked over and started reading about the Praxis Accelerator Program. I thought o.k. this is interesting I will download the application and pray about it.
I did.
The next morning I got up and went back to the Praxis Lab website and read everything. I got the strong feeling that I should at least apply.
So, I decided to quick check on my fb page to catch up-before I started to work on my application.
Cool. Reading fast...and another blogger I follow, Jon Acuff @ Stuff Christian’s Like, had just posted his newest blog post entitled
"A new way to change the world". Now that sounded very interesting to me. So I clicked…
He was talking about…wait for it…the Praxis Accelerator Program! Can you say WoW!
You need to understand I do not believe in coincidences. So, I left this comment: and logged off.
I was just checking out my fb page to catch up - before I logged off to work on writing on my application for...wait for it...the Praxis Accelerator Program...
I have been praying for God to show me my next step in His plan of action for my life. The info on Praxis dropped in my lap yesterday and I have been praying since. I literally had just applied for the application moments before logging onto fb and clicking on this post.
Needless to say, I didn't need skittles thrown at me to get my attention.
The big hairy dream: I am currently a modern day abolitionist, involved in ending human trafficking in my area. We are mobilizing churches and various ht.orgs, law enforcement and many more people in our area to come to the table and serve together. Working as one body.
One of the biggest issues I have learned about is that while there are many great ht.orgs nationwide & internationally-there is little networking between organizations.
This is my overall vision: mobilizing the Body of Christ and uniting all the various organizations to end slavery in one generation.
That is just the short version. Now I am of to work on my application.
Keep reading…
So, I started working on the application for about an hour. Decided to take a break & hop off the computer, but I would check on Jon Acuff’s blog one last time.
I went back and found this reply to my comment from Dave Blanchard (Praxis Founder & President)
“Dorothy - can't wait to read your application. Modern day abolition is such an important cause and I'm thankful to hear about people like you thinking about bringing people together to work on it. “
Well, needless to say, by this time I was overwhelmed. I actually started crying. I walked around my house, thanking God for this open door.
So I began my journey working on the application for this mentorship program and finished up yesterday and applied.
I am not sure where this will all lead. A lot of other things have happened since the time I started the application, all confirmations of what I have been dreaming about.
Now presenting the final take of the video introduction for this application:
I'm not normal, I'm xtranormal: take 3
I just continue to take one step at a time. I am very excited about what is happening!
. This has been one of the very best series since I have been going to CrossCurrent. Really great messages and super fun stage designs.
