127 1-2 If God doesn’t build the house,
    the builders only build shacks.
If God doesn’t guard the city,
    the night watchman might as well nap.
It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late,
    and work your worried fingers to the bone.
Don’t you know he enjoys
    giving rest to those he loves?

3-5 Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift?
    the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows
    are the children of a vigorous youth.
Oh, how blessed are you parents,
    with your quivers full of children!
Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you;
    you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

In the last 11 years over 35 women from Advent have “challenged” themselves physically, spiritually and financially to engage in the fight against human trafficking with Freedom Challenge.  In that time, our women from Advent have raised over 1.5 million dollars to rescue, rehabilitate, educate and prevent human trafficking.  It has, OBVIOUSLY, been a Holy Spirit led movement.  Why do I say, “obviously?”  Psalm 127 tells us plainly, “if God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks.”  We can work “our fingers to the bone,” but no matter what we do or where we are, the Lord is the One who makes things come to pass.  And to me that is a perfect message because human trafficking feels like an impossible fight to be in, but as the Psalmist continues, “Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.”  Thank you, Lord, for calling us to an impossible task, because we know that the victories come from you!

Susan Hagen