Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!”. Amos 4:1 I don’t know why, but when I read that verse it made me think of the line from Napoleon Dynamite  “Tina, you fat lard, come get some dinner!”.  Either way, I cannot think of even one woman who would appreciate being called fat lard or a cow. To put the “cow” reference in context, let’s remember Amos is a herdsman and is familiar with these animals.  As you read through the book of Amos, you will see quite a…

Same Kind of Human – [1] Today I learned a new term, “Survival Sex.”  Many people believe that prostitution is a choice.  That cannot be further from the truth.  Prostitution is the result of lack of choice, and it exists amongst the most marginalized, vulnerable and defenseless. [2] It is time we changed the way our society looks at prostitution.  Christine McDonald, in her book “The Same Kind of Human,” challenges us to look beyond our preconceptions and consider the human behind the circumstances of need.  She challenges us to see them as God see’s them, with love and compassion and understanding and then to help them, recognizing that they…

  Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.  Isaiah 1:17 Human trafficking. The very phrase seems incomprehensible, and yet the sale of souls in our world today is a reality that is as widespread as it is horrifying. Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery – for purposes of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, or organ trafficking. It is an evil that profits billions of dollars and enslaves millions of people. And it is happening everywhere – all around the world and within our own communities. – — (Taken from Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and…