It is that time again–the holiday season has begun. And for many of us, it is a joyous time to behold. For the most part, people look forward to spending the holiday season with family and friends. Of course, others are happy for the long-awaited vacation time from work or school.
Well, Christianity is misunderstood because some Christians do not understand Grace. You see, grace and truth come by Jesus Christ. He showed love to everyone He met. Unfortunately, there are Christians who don’t represent Him well. Thus, causing others to not want anything to do with Him.
So then, some people give Christians a bad rap. They stereotype all Christians as angry, judgmental, hypocrites. And that’s not true for so many of us. I say us; because Lady V and I are Christians too. And we have experienced those reactions first-hand.
Trust me, we get it because there are Christians who present themselves as perfect. And that is far from the truth of the matter. Jesus is the only perfect person to ever walk the earth. Believe it or not, we all needed a savior; that’s why Jesus came, died, and rose from the grave.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), six in ten Americans live with at least one chronic disease. So, when is a disease considered a chronic condition?
Well, the CDC defines chronic disease as a condition that lasts one year or longer. Thus, causing a need for ongoing medical attention. And also limiting one’s daily activities or both.
In fact, the main causes of disability and death in America are diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. They are also the leading drivers of the nation’s health care costs which is an estimated 3.3 trillion dollars.
For many years mental health was considered a taboo subject. Even though, in 1949 the month of May was designated Mental Health Month by Mental Health America. Also, October 10th, 1992, was chosen as World Mental Health Day to bring awareness to mental health issues around the world. Indeed, mental health awareness is at the forefront now more than before.
In fact, we have been witnessing the result of untreated mental illness in the headlines. And sadly, it has been the cause of horrific loss of life through shootings in schools, churches, workplaces, malls, theaters, and nightclubs.
The frequency of suicide and murder-suicides have been in the headlines now more than ever. For that reason, it makes you pose the question, ‘What are people thinking?’ Let’s keep in mind, our thoughts are important to our everyday living.
Whatever we meditate on, most often affects our movement through life. In other words, we shouldn’t allow negative thinking to take over our lives. Because continual negative thoughts can lead to negative behaviors.
Wisdom is the state of being wise. It is knowledge of what is right coupled with good judgment and discernment or insight. And a God-listening heart will assure wise decisions. When we use wisdom, it helps us avoid reckless decisions. Lady V and I believe everyone needs wisdom to live skillfully. And a God-listening heart will greatly help one in that process.
So, let’s look at why wisdom is important to our lives as a whole. For instance, the Word of God [The Holy Bible] is filled with wisdom. Therefore, when we read the Word of God, we learn golden nuggets. More specifically, those golden nuggets will light the way and keep us on the right path.
In episode 3 part 1 we obtained a better understanding of ‘human trafficking.’ For instance, we learned the definition of ‘human trafficking,’ with clarity from The State.gov Policy Issues for Human Trafficking. In other words, modern-day slavery and trafficking in persons are common terms the International Labor Organization, activists, and independent researchers use when referring to both forced labor and sex trafficking.
Sex Trafficking and the Adult Entertainment Industry
Presently most people just aren’t aware of the clear meaning of ‘human trafficking.’ So they have not connected the dots between it and the sex industry. As a result, the misconception is that all adult entertainment workers [in pornographic content, strip clubs, and brothels] are willing participants. The most common belief is that all of the people in porn videos, brothels, and strip clubs are consenting adults who actually choose to work in the sex industry.
In fact, traffickers use tactics such as coercion, force, or threats of physical violence towards sex workers or their families just to make a profit. The traffickers also use current victims to recruit new unsuspecting targets.
When one hears the words ‘human trafficking,’ people often think of criminal organizations selling and shipping women and children out of the U.S. Although we are not wrong in thinking the previous thought is true, sadly that is just part of a much larger picture. According to The State.gov Policy Issues for Human Trafficking, trafficking in persons and modern slavery are umbrella terms that are used to refer to both sex trafficking and compelled labor.
The face of homelessness in America has dramatically changed over the years. Most people would agree, the representation of homeless persons in the thoughts of many Americans are negative. The following examples describe some of those stereotypes:
a drunk, filthy, smelly man riffling through a dumpster
a bag lady pushing a cart filled with [what appears to be] a lot of junk
the con-artist pretending to be homeless to get money
This week SD and Lady V discuss the topic of love; such as, ‘What is love and the role God plays in it?” The ladies start the discussion with the following definitions of the word ‘love’ from Dictionary.com,
Love can be a warm personal attachment
sexual passion, a term of endearment
enthusiasm of a certain thing (love of books, movies, cars, and etc.)
used as a score of ‘0’ in the sport of tennis.
SD and Lady V discuss the importance of being on the same page about ‘love’ in any given relationship because everybody’s definition of love is not necessarily the same. Sadly, some people use the word ‘love’ very lightly.