I had the opportunity recently to speak for 5 minutes about our kids.
I decided to talk about identity. It fit nicely because our pastor recently spoke about the same topic. He listed all the places people seek identity – job, bank account, social media, the right partner, well-behaved kids – a seemingly endless number of ways people seek to define themselves.
They’re all lies.
We don’t create our identity – it’s given to us by God.
We. Are. God’s. Children.
However, I know 22 kids who were branded very early with a more sinister identity – SEXUAL SLAVE. It’s all they knew. Their destiny was to be used, abused, and then discarded when they were of no further use.
On June 20, we will hold a celebration called The FREEDOM TOUR CLASSIC to support those kids. When I said “celebration” I could see the confusion. How do you celebrate sexual slavery?
It’s a celebration because those 22 kids now live in a place where they can run and play and go to school and, most importantly, learn their real identity as God’s kids.
We celebrate hope & freedom for kids rescued from human trafficking!
Of course, this issue isn’t limited to children trapped in slavery. Too many folks grow up hearing awful things like you’ll never be good enough or nobody will ever love you. Those sorts of horrible statements become an identity, and people spend a lifetime believing in them and coping with their impacts.
For me, The FREEDOM TOUR CLASSIC is more than a community surrounding 22 kids. It’s a circle where everyone hears a message of hope & freedom based on their real identity as God’s kids.
I’m pretty sure Jesus celebrates our kids with us, just as he celebrates everyone who realizes they’ve always been part of the family.