Thankful and Expectant

It’s that time of the year again. The time of year when I can’t help but take a moment to look back on the year just gone and start dreaming about the year ahead.

2011 has been a HUGE year for me. Specifically, because I married the man of my dreams! (more blogs to come in 2012 about planning a wedding, DIY wedding decorations etc.)

There are so many things that I am thankful for this year, some of the big ones include; a miracle wedding in my dream location with my amazing family and friends, the fast process of my husband’s provisional visa for Australia without even having the standard phone interview, the ability to be able to finish life in Bali well, move to Australia, find jobs and spend Christmas with my family!

And there are those things that I am constantly thankful for such as my awesome God, both of my phenomenal families (so excited that I have two families now!) and my beautiful, supportive friends.

As I reflect on the past year with such thankfulness in my heart, I also look to the year to come with great expectancy.

I am expectant for what God is going to do in and through my life this year.

I am expectant for the new direction that we are going in during this season of our life in Australia.

I am expectant that we will get great new jobs, meet great new people and find a great place to live.

I am expectant that we will have challenges, trials, temptations and problems.

I am expectant that no matter what happens, we have a God who loves us very much.

So as these next couple of days roll by, why don’t you take a moment to stop and ponder these two questions…

What are you thankful for from the year just gone and what are you expectant for in the year to come?

I Love Christmas!!

I can’t believe it’s already Christmas time again! As I get older, I definitely find that time goes by so much faster! I’ve spent the last 2 Christmas’ in Bali and it’s great to be back home in Australia this Christmas!

I love everything about Christmas!! Christmas carols, Christmas trees/decorations, Christmas lights, Christmas food, Christmas time with family and Christmas presents!!!!

It’s so easy these days to forget what Christmas is actually about - it’s easy to get caught up in the lights, the songs, the presents, the Santa’s, the hype, the whole thing and not even once think about the reason for the season to use a cliché.

I LOVE GIVING! I especially love giving Christmas presents because I get to bless others and it reminds me of what Christmas is all about.

CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT GIVING! 

This whole big, crazy, awesome time of year only happens because God GAVE his son Jesus, for us! God was the one who started the whole giving thing and I love that we can celebrate Christmas – Jesus’  birthday – every year, by spending time with family and friends and GIVING to others!

There are so many other things I could say about Christmas, but the main thing that I want to say is…

I pray that you and your families are blessed this Christmas and that you have the opportunity to give to others – whether it be a smile, a meal, your time to listen to someone who needs to talk, a gift or a hug! Also, I hope that you take a moment to reflect on what Christmas is really about - Jesus, an amazing man who GAVE his life for each and everyone of us so that we could be set free.

Love to all. xx

Jade Tanzil

The Fight Against Human Trafficking

All that is necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke

Recently, I have heard a lot about a woman named Christine Caine. This is a woman who I have looked up to for many years, I have heard her speak at youth rally’s on many occasions since my early high school years, listen regularly to her podcasts and subscribe to her blog. Every time I hear her speak I am always inspired and encouraged to think about my purpose in life and what I’m doing to make a change in this world today.

In 2008, Christine and her husband, Nick, founded The A21 Campaign, an organization dedicated to addressing the injustice of human trafficking. The A21 Campaign raises awareness, prevents future trafficking, takes legal action, and offers support services to survivors.

I am so blown away by everything that Chris and her team are doing through the A21 campaign, and I wanted to share a little snippet of it with you today. I may not be able to do what they are doing but if I can at least help to raise awareness of this injustice, then that is something.

If you are not sure what human trafficking is you can check out a definition here at the UNODC website.

Some of the stats (focus on Europe):

• Human trafficking is the second largest global organized crime  today, generating approximately 31.6 billion USD each year. Specifically,  trafficking for sexual exploitation generates 27.8 billion USD per year.
• There are 1.39 million victims of commercial sexual servitude worldwide.
• Over 25 percent of sex trafficked victims are trafficked from Southern and Eastern Europe.
• 90% of victims trafficked into the European Union member states will end up in the sex industry.
• Tragically, only 1-2 percent of victims are rescued, and only 1 in 100,000 Europeans involved in trafficking are convicted.

Life for a sex trafficking victim

After a trafficking journey that typically involves deception, rape,  beatings, and constant threats, victims are often forced to live in  confining and unsanitary conditions. Once formally put to work, human  trafficking victims can be forced to service from 40 to 110 customers in  one day. Malnutrition, sleep deprivation, as well as  emotional and physical abuse become part of the day-to-day routine.

In addition to the abuse,  forced abortions and the contraction of STI’s, Hepatitis B and C, and  AIDS are ever looming probabilities. Life for a victim of sex  trafficking is hell on earth.

Check out this video below to see what it’s like to live ‘In Her Shoes’

What does the A21 Campaign do?

The A21 Campaign is comprised of individuals, organizations,  government officials, and people like you who are committed to  abolishing injustice in the 21st century. Their goal is four-fold:

• Prevent people from being trafficked
• Protect and support those who have been trafficked (through A21 crisis care shelters and transition programs)
• Prosecute traffickers, and strengthen legal responses to trafficking
• Partner with law enforcement, service providers and community members to provide a comprehensive front against trafficking

I hope this small insight into the A21 Campaign has opened your eyes a bit more to what is going on in our world today. Most of the information in this article is from the A21 Campaign website. Please check it out for more info and to see what you can to do help. Everyone can play a part in preventing human trafficking whether it’s creating awareness, raising money or volunteering… click here for a list of 21 ways to get involved!

The Things We Take For Granted

If you have ever been to a third world country, I’m sure you have had that moment where you realise that you take so many things for granted. It doesn’t matter how many times I come and go to/from Australia, every time, I have that moment.

The moment when you just stop and appreciate all the little things in your life.

The things that you don’t even notice every day when you are going about your busy schedule, the things that you assume everyone else in the world has access to such as clean running water, good education, safe roads, transport, food in the cupboard and hot showers.

If you haven’t visited a third world country (or maybe you have but it is a distant memory) you may still be in that stage where you do take a lot of things for granted. I want to encourage you to take 5 minutes per day to just stop, and be thankful for everything that you have, the small things and the big. I do this regularly and I find that it helps me to put life into perspective.

Instead of focusing on the things that you don’t have, why don’t you start being thankful for the things that you do have.

I have travelled to Indonesia, Thailand and Africa and it’s amazing to notice how people living in third world countries appreciate what they have so much more than those that don’t. Although they have so much less, they are grateful for what they do have, and they live their lives to the best of their ability.  They are so much relaxed, they have so much more time for each other and they are essentially happy (personal observations).

We live in such a consumer world, there are always more and more things that we ‘need’ and we never seem to be satisfied. We didn’t even know what an Iphone was 10 years ago let alone think that they were vital to living!

Let’s take a moment to re-focus and remember what life is really about.

Some of the things I am grateful for are; my amazing husband, family and friends who are always there for me, the privilege of living in such a beautiful country with gorgeous beaches, clean running water, hot showers, fresh air and so much more…

What are you grateful for today?