All Girls Allowed

You can also find them on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/AllGirlsAllowed

        It wasn't long ago when I first heard of All Girls Allowed. I cannot stress enough that organizations like this one represent and stand in the gap for millions of faces that no one has ever heard about. My heart breaks at the thought that so many women suffer by being forced to make a choice between keeping their baby and suffer great consequences, or aborting, killing them, or abandoning them. No one should be standing in such place of hopelessness.

All Girls Allowed has been working to gain support of nations to end gendercide in China. This government specifically has been forcing women to abort their children due to the "One-Child Policy". This only allows a Chinese family to have ONE baby or in special occasions two IF the first born is a GIRL. And because of the higher demand for strong, manly man, many families choose to give up their daughters, abandon them, and even kill them for their chance to have a boy.
(The cause of this has been an incrementing rise of human trafficking, abortions, and orphans.)

Through this movement, many women who chose to give life are now being helped and taken in through their "Baby Shower" program that helps them facilitate a mother so that she may keep her baby.


Recently, I was able to read about some GREAT NEWS! (if you could only see my excitement!! I seriously leaped for joy! Click on "great news" to read why). Because of the policy, many parents that were to have a second child must abort it (no matter the stage of the pregnancy). But through the fighting, many fervent prayers of Chinese Christians and because of all that China is involved in (foreign policies and United Nations regulations), they have now left it up to the parents to choose if they want to abort the child.



Expose, Rescue, Celebrate from All Girls Allowed on Vimeo.


I urge you to check their website, to donate, and/or to spread the word. Not many know that if not stopped, this epidemic idea can spread and make millions upon millions of babies, baby girls, mothers, women its victims. Please, follow their link and share it with others. If possible sponsor a mother for only $20 dollars a month. Please keep them in your prayers as well. 

All women are valuable, carriers of life, they are a God-given treasure to a filthy world. 

From a woman, 

Estefania. 

(Videos are from their Vimeo account. I have included their links on the underlined words, where you can get more information, sponsor, and purchase products.)

Invisible Children

Look up them up! www.invisiblechildren.com

Invisible Children. I remember sitting in my Geometry class when the teacher announced that we had a special day planned for us. (Field trip in high school?! What?! Not really.) The day included meeting in the conference room were we would watch a movie. (I attended a school were each class was an hour and a half long, so that was made possible often!) Of course, a lot of my classmates and I were not expecting what was about to display before our eyes.

They introduced the film with brief words because they knew the film spoke for itself. And it did.

This is the story of a group of guys who were searching for an adventure. When they got there, they were faced with the story of a young boy that represented just about a million more like himself. Children that hid every night. That slept in fear. Children that were not allowed to be children. No place to truly rest. Always on the run. They ran from the Lord’s Resistance Army or LRA. The LRA is an army formed in opposition of the government, led by Joseph Kony. The war against this group of people has been the longest war in the continent of Africa. Alone it has caused the death of millions of people, captured and forced children to kill, and have sold many girls into sex slavery.



Living out the reality of the children there, they could not keep quiet. They also had proof, and that made it possible for the rest of us to see the reality of the children in Uganda.

At the end of the film, my heart was broken and my face covered with tears. (The video posted is not the film, just an informative announcement from their website. But Y'all should go watch it!!)

After that moment, I joined student council. This group of students in my school made it possible to raise awareness for the years to follow. We were able to donate a lot of books for the schools they had built. And we were also able to see the schools we had sponsored for the children recuperating.


Now, this war isn't over. Joseph Kony is still committing crimes left and right and continues to feed off the fear of the children. They've made pretence of peace, but plan for genocide.
What you can do is make yourself aware of this. Recently, they made a big multimedia movement. And  I could see that until the day they saw it in their social network page, not a lot of people knew that this was going on.  I ask that you take time and get informed. And if it is in you to help, help financially. But spread the word. Watch the films. Buy the shirts. Post it on Facebook. Tweet about it. PRAY about it.

This is not only a cause or a movement of peace, but it is an organization (that is a group people like you and I) laying down their life for another group of people.


Get informed, don't just take my word for it.

Estefania

(The links will take you to their website, where you can find more information.)

Fashion Forward

 Around two weeks ago, I came across a lovely clothe line that definitely styled with a cause! A greater reason to look great! This is Sevenly.

  If I had the money, I probably would be spending it all here! (I know, who wouldn't?!) I recommend EVERYONE to check them out and ally with them as they help those in need of it. 

Following this post I will be posting some of my favorite causes, charities, and movements I have been a part of and/or some that I have been really close to my heart. Causes that I've followed and prayed for awhile now and causes that need your help financially. And if you can't, please be another voice to get the word out there. Many people just aren't aware of what's happening outside their four walls. With all the multimedia out there, we cannot be kept silent. Although not considered much, spreading information is a vital part of change by making others aware.  


Fight for a good cause, 

Estefania <3  

Countdown Beats Me

Quick and fast update.

You don't know this, (of course not, unless you're part of my family reading this (and I guess you're about to find out...)), but on all seriousness (or not so much) I have no MacBook Pro until I get a charger. Apple refused to take it in saying it was considered "physical damaged" (so cool) and was not covered. Umph! So, now I need to get a charger... Which they sell for $79 plus taxes. Boo.
This is actually not the first time it breaks! The charger really is super sensitive to anything. (In fact, it is the third time it stops working.)

Well, with that being said... I have tons to post and not enough time to get them typed. I am racing against the countdown. And well the countdown is beating me (haha, it'd be funny for that phrase to be literal).** I have 23 day until my birthday and I have only posted 3 entries. Wow. I need to post a little more often. You might see two posts in one day.

Also, I want to announce to all that I did have a couple of sick days in between, and as much as I tried, I couldn't get myself out of the bed. But I am healthy now! Thanks to prayers and an amazing nurse, my momma!

If you have any requests on what you would like to see as a post, let me know! I've sorted out topics, but could use some input from those who want to give it...

Awesomeness, racing against time, here I go,

Estefi :)

**I amuse myself easily...

(First picture from http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?tag=social-media)

(Second picture is a file from masterfile.com)

To You, Encouragement.

"C. S. Lewis, in his work, The Weight of Glory, argued that the most fundamental thing is not how we think of God but rather what God thinks of us. "How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important.""

         Today I want to talk about something I deal with constantly through my walk with God, and something I’ve seen and heard so many other girls and ladies of all ages go through. Self-esteem. It is rooted in our identity, but as humans (I really hope no dog is reading this*) we seem need a constant reminder to keep our confidence, in order to be who God has called us to be.

For example, I sometimes battle with the past, and the fear and shame that may come with it. But I am reminded time after time (through lovely people, and the Grrrrr-eat! Word of God) that we all have a past, we all encounter fear, guilt and shame. Yet, I have been made new. And God has a lot more to say to the, (what I like to call it,) “Constantly-Made-New-New” me, and has forgiven and forgotten the old me. It is easy to fall back into focusing on our fears, guilt, and shame, which only grow our insecurities and worries. But I promise you’re not alone in this matter, and there’s a great plan God has for you, where you get to be you. So, here’s a reminder for you and I (yes, I do still need one).

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

 --But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal... Philippians 3:13, 14

I am loved, by Love.

 --“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." Jeremiah 31:3

 -- “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

  

I am His.

-- “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters,Says the Lord Almighty.”2 Corinthians 6:18

 --"They shall be My people, and I will be their God;" Jeremiah 32:38

 He will never leave me. 

-- "...For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5
-- "This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

 --"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." – John 10:28

He has a plan for me. 

 --For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

--"The LORD will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever..." Psalm 138:8

He sees me.

--She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."  Genesis 16:13

In my weakness, He is strong. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

à At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness.

 I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

--For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

 --I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:14-15)

 He saved me, cleansed me, and anointed me.

--The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
    for the Lord has anointed me

 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
    For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
    and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit
    or a bride with her jewels.  Isaiah 61:1 &10 

--

 "He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word" Ephesians 5:26

 

“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought." Matthew 5:5  

 These are some of the greatest wake up calls when the thought that I am not competent to achieve or do "good". Remember that some of these words were spoken to prophets and giants in faith, even they needed to be reminded from time to time that they could make it and Who their true confidence was on. I hope it encouraged you to keep going and to open up the greatest love letter from our Maker, His Word.

From one of God's daughter to another,

Estefania.

*You never know, a dog or bunny might be offended I don't mention them...