I’m very glad to welcome September into my life.  It is one of those months I love.  It is still summer like but the nights are always cooler and that I really appreciate.  The one thing I will begin to miss is the corn on the cob.  I’m on the last row in my garden.  Now that is a sad moment!

Yesterday was a day of learning for me.  I went to a day long conference on Sex Trafficking.  The two speakers for the main part were from Portland, OR and their job assignment is only working in this arena.  They gave very specific information about our valley and how rampant this issue is right here.  One example of its presence here is that the two officers had placed a false ad in a black market website for a hotel in Boise where sex trafficking is most common.  They placed it last Sunday and by yesterday, 4 days, it had over 200 hits.  About 45 of those hits came yesterday while we were in the conference.  They actually had the cell phone that received the calls with them so we could experience the reality of this truth as we sat in the training.  The first two hours was about background of these minors who are called prostitutes by our society. Almost none of them has a background exempt of sexual abuse.  I found myself towards the end of the two hours letting the pain of my own abuse start to penetrate the wall of protection I had steeled around me.  I happened to be sitting next to the counselor I’d had during the 3 years of counseling/therapy not so long ago.  She and I are on the same board for Aslan Christian Academy.  I told her I was needing to better prepare myself for this topic.  She asked how I’d prepared myself before coming?  Had I prayed?  I had looked forward to attending this for learning but hadn’t even thought about its connection to my own past–even though I did know the statistics about the topic and sexual abuse.  So, at that moment I prayed for The Holy Spirit to be my shield of protection letting me learn what I should and not open old wounds that were being healed.  Amazingly, it happened just like that.  I had no more moments of anxiety.  I had fallen into my old pattern of trying steel myself from emotions rather than surrender them.

Our academy we are supporting needs a place to build.  Please pray for this to materialize.  We have a meeting tonight with the board.  God’s timing is what we are after and where He wants this placed.  Thank you and God’s blessings to you.