The other night we went to see the Art Music Justice tour with Sara Groves, Charlie Peacock, Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, and Brandon Heath. My husband works with some of these folks and I love their music so I expected it to be a fun night of seeing friends and enjoying some music. But it was so much more than that.
There were multiple video’s playing on the screen throughout the night and during the first song, Add to the Beauty, they included quotes from people like Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I was crying before they even got to the chorus. For some reason it really hit me as I watched a simulation of a flower blooming during Sara singing “Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces, calling out our best, and I wanna add to the beauty...”
My emotions stayed quite fragile during Sandra McCracken’s set, as I kept thinking of her new record and how so many of the songs are inspired by motherhood. Thankfully, I simmered down in the middle but absolutely lost it at the end of the evening. Sara spoke about International Justice Mission which is an amazing organization of lawyers and investigators who are working to free slaves all over the world. Many of them are girls who have been taken into sex trafficking and Sara showed a video of some of the girls who have been freed. Over their pictures were quotes from each of them about what they are afraid of. Or were afraid of during their captivity. You can imagine how heart wrenching this was and it made me so thankful for the men and woman who serve these girls in a way that many of us are no able to do. I was a wreck. Moved deeply. I had to leave right at the end because I was so emotional!
I was moved to be more proactive in my day to day life because even if I cannot be the hands to remove a girl out of a brothel, I can pray for her, and live in a loving way that effects change in the world. I can be faithful with what is in front of me and trust that God will lead me into situations and opportunities to make a difference. I believe our diligence in every day life DOES have an impact on the girl in slavery. Somehow, we are all connected and I must trust that God is the one to weave redemption into the story, my job is to follow him as closely as I can.
Thanks AMJ tour, for taking the time to put together such an inspiring show and for putting your hearts into it every night of the tour!
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2 comments:
I heard a guy who works for IJM on the radio a couple weeks ago and was near tears also. I agree with your thoughts...thanks for the reminder to pray and look for ways to impact my world here in Iowa. See you in a couple days!
Alli,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience at Art*Music*Justice Tour and mentioning IJM. We at IJM are so encouraged that this message is getting out and impacting people. Thank you for the encouraging words that what we do in our everyday lives can have an impact on the lives of these girls. I want to recommend Gary Haugen’s (President of IJM) new book Just Courage. I think you would really enjoy it!
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