Great Song for the Start of Lent

I stumbled upon this song when chasing down a song I heard on the radio called "These Hands." The lyrics and vocalist impressed me so much, I ran to my computer to find out what I could about the artist. Her name is JJ Heller, and she is produced on an independent label. Part of a press release highlights why hearing this song on the radio startled me.

"It's a rare moment when a song that is so instrumentally raw, simple and slow-tempo can blow up at radio,” says Ingle, “but the emotion and vulnerability of JJ's voice presents a 'real-life' quality that instantly resonates with listeners. Stations spinning the single cross-country are already getting calls from listeners saying, 'I don't know who that was, but it was the perfect song at the perfect time for me.'”

When I searched the song on youTube, I came across "Only Love Remains." Perfect song for Lent.  See the lyrics below the video.

For the raw church recording view this:

Only Love Remains

BY JJ AND DAVE HELLER

Scenes of you come rushing through
You are breaking me down
So break me into pieces
That will grow in the ground
I know that I deserve to die
For the murder in my heart
So be gentle with me Jesus
As you tear me apart

Please kill the liar
Kill the thief in me
You know that I am tired of their cruelty
Breathe into my spirit
Breathe into my veins
Until only love remains

You burn away the ropes that bind
And hold me to the earth
The fire only leaves behind whatever is of worth
I begin to see reality
For the first time in my life
I know that I’m a shadow
But I’m dancing in your light

Teach me to be humble
Call me from the grave
Show me how to walk with you upon the waves
Breathe into my spirit
Breathe into my veins
Until only love remains

To visit JJ's website go here   JJHeller.com

 Oh -- and how does this song get onto a website dealing with slavery?

We are all slaves in one way or another, to sin, to ourselves. And Jesus came to set the captives free. That is why we work to free others.

Another wonderful song of JJ's that has gotten a good bit of radio play in our area is "Your Hands."

Beautiful Slave: a true story in song

If you want to feel as though your heart has been torn out, watch this video.

Beautiful Slave was written by a band called Take No Glory after reading about a little girl who was sold into slavery and forced to have sex with men. If you have ever watched the Dateline series on child sex slavery in Cambodia, just seeing the size difference between these tiny girl children and the grown men who use them increases the horror beyond belief. These are LITTLE children. And they are so horribly abused.

 All of Take No Glory's music is available from the group as a download for free. Click here for their official website with MP3s, videos, and chord sheets.

Picture from Aim4Asia

From Take No Glory's YouTube page:

This is a music video about human trafficking and child slavery. Take No Glory wrote "Beautiful Slave" after reading a true story of a little girl that was trafficked and forced to be a child sex slave. We hope and pray this song will bring awareness

27 MILLION PEOPLE ARE ENSLAVED TODAY

80% ARE WOMEN 50% ARE CHILDREN

EVERY MINUTE TWO CHILDREN ARE TRAFFICKED
FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Oppressed Will Be Set Free. Jesus Christ

Please share this song and video freely with others. Use it as a tool to stop this injustice.

To download this song along with all of Take No Glory's other visit websitehttp://www.TakeNoGlory.com All of our music is available free on the site!

Beautiful Slave Lyrics

i dont know where i am
theyve taken all that i had
smuggled in for a lucrative trade
beaten, bartered
broken in, until i obey
i used to be childlike
innocent and safe
now im someone else's treasure
a strangers pleasure
smothered in shame
succumbed with drugs
but Im not numb
all I feel is pain
is this all a dream
will i ever be the same?

can anyone hear me?
will anyone break these chains?
who will free me?
from this dark place?
does God see me?
what is His name?
will He help me?
im just a beautiful slave

my worst fear is my fate
im getting older each day
every girl too old in years
mysteriously just disappears
they never mention her name
they take away piece by piece
i dont think i have any left
ive slowly given up all hope
given in to this sleepless bed
inside these bars
i feel so seared
by each new face
how could this ever be
every memory be erased?

He can hear you
Hes seeking you, 
He wants to heal you
Jesus knows the real you

Jesus Loves The Little Children
All The Children Of World
Red & Yellow, Black & White
Theyre Precious In His Sight
Jesus Loves The Little Children Of The World
Hes Got The Whole World In His Hands

So What Am I Supposed to Do?

Ever wondered what on earth you could do to help fight modern day slavery? Here is one solution three young men came up with. Good example of a weapon of love.

If any one has any other ideas, I would love to here them. Please leave a comment or email me.

Thanks!

Wednesday, 06 August 2008

Kayakers Travel Length of Mississippi River, Raising Funds and Awareness for IJM

The kayakers celebrate after reaching port in the final stop of their journey, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Three men have just completed an incredible kayak journey down the length of the Mississippi River to raise funds for International Justice Mission and awareness for its anti-trafficking casework. Timothy Cahill, Ethan Johnstone and Justin Blomgren began their voyage in St. Paul, Minnesota and paddled 1,703 miles to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they arrived nearly two months later.

The trio set out on May 12, 2008 with the goal of raising thousands for International Justice Mission and educating people about trafficking in every town they stopped in as they traveled to New Orleans. The men, who met each other as students at California Baptist University, were inspired by IJM’s casework history of partnering with local authorities to free victims of human trafficking.

The team began their kayak journey in St. Paul, Minnesota and paddled an incredible 1,703 miles to New Orleans, Louisiana.

“We chose the Mississippi River because it is the ‘Great American River,’” explains kayaker Timothy Cahill. “Also, because there are so many cities and towns, we could go through the heart of America and spread the news of human trafficking and what IJM was doing.”

For the rest of the article, please see  http://www.ijm.org/articles/spotlight