The Dark Under Belly of the Super Bowl

I've love the Super Bowl since the '80s and the era of Jim McMahon, Walter Peyton and the Super Bowl Shuffle.

But twenty-five years later, the greatest American sports show -- US Today called the Super Bowl the greatest show on earth -- is one of the largest venues for human trafficking.

Read: Sex trade for underage girls and boys. We hear about it other countries and exclaim with disgust. We wrinkle our noses at "those people" who sell and buy sex from enslaved women and boys, even men.

But wake up America, it's in our own back yard. American girls, usually runaways, are trafficked at our Super Bowl and purchased by.... American men. Not foreigners. Not "those people." Our people.

Football is an American sport. And unless some foreign dude is a major, major, major perv, he's not going to fly here to buy sex for the weekend. He can find it at home. (That's another issue...)

It's our men. Our girls. You can read some stats and articles here. And here.

Last night, three churches gathered to pray for our youth and against sex trafficking. God met us in a powerful, divine way. As I was singing prayers along with those offering prayers, I looked at my co-worship leader and said, "Know what's horrible to me? We must pray with the same compassion and fervor for those who are doing the trafficking as those being trafficked. They are just as enslaved."

Me, Rachel Hauck? I'd say, "Burn in fiery hell for what you're doing." And if they don't fall on their knees to Jesus, if the fear of the Lord doesn't grips them, they will spend eternity away from God, in hell.

But Jesus came that All, yes All, might come to the truth. He sees the wickedness in all our hearts and has compassion. The Cross is one size fits all. One act of amazing, unparalleled love covers all sin. From the trafficker on down. Know the worst part? A girl or boy enslaved in sex work needs Jesus's redemption as much as his or her captors.

And if they don't meet Him, they spend eternity in the same place.

Enter the heart of the Judge. Jesus is a blaze with Justice for the weak and broken, those caught in oppression and bondage. We think His lack of "activity" means He doesn't care. But Jesus is all about justice! He proved it. On the Cross.

Oh the beauty of the Cross.

His heart is breaking for those caught in such greed and lust they'd sell an innocent girl to man after man, destroying her soul, for money.

How much money can one girl make for her pimp? $200,000 plus. It's true. The love of money is the root of all evil.

Don't be ignorant. Inform your children, your friend, especially your girls, about the dangers of human trafficking. Runaway American girls are usually caught up in sex trade within 48 hours of running away.

If they're not found within 96 hours, they never be found without a miracle.

Worse, this shedding of innocence, this "blood," is on our hands America. It's our men buying. It's our men selling. It's our girls being enslaved.

Slavery is alive and thriving in America.

Pray for mercy. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for true hope and change. Pray for Jesus the Judge to come and make all things new.

Super Bowl Sunday

I love Super Bowl Sunday! We party at church with food and football. Hubby and I talked for the first time on Super Bowl Sunday. Twenty-two years ago! Love you babe!

Go Colts!

Feel like reminiscing

Yesterday was a beautiful day. Tony and I drove over to Kissimmee, FL for The Call. I needed a day of prayer and outstanding worship. 

Mike Bickle and Lou Engel cast such great vision and hope in God coupled with wisdom and knowledge of the days in which we live.

The indoor stadium was cold, so I walked out to the car to get my sweater. The wind felt silky on my skin as the sun started to slip below the horizon. The scent of an open field and the spring-like temperatures reminded me of growing up in Ohio.

For a moment, I was a kid sitting in my grandparents back yard, cool, thick green grass under my toes, good food on a red and white check covered picnic table, the adults talking. It  made me home sick for those good days.

Super Bowl Sunday

This is a special day for Tony and me. It's when we met and talked for the first time. We'd talked on the phone once before, but Super Bowl Sunday was our first long conversation.

It was 1988, and I'd been living in Palm Bay for a year and a half, working and traveling for Harris. Since I was on the road seventy percent of the time, I didn't make it to church much. but in August of '87, I passed New Covenant Fellowship and my spirit said, "Go there."

My first Sunday I stood in the foyer surrounded by strangers but felt such love. I knew I'd found my church home.

In those days, we had Sunday evening services. My roommate and I made Super Bowl party plans with friends from work, but while I was at Sunday morning church, my roommate made alternate super bowl plans. Long story...

So I decided to go shopping. While driving to the mall, the Holy Spirit tugged at me. "Go to church."

I said, "No, I've already been to church. I'm not going back."

But He wouldn't leave me alone. "Go to church, go to church."

"All right, I will."

I went back home, changed and headed back to church. After the service, Tony stopped me on my way out. We talked for an hour and a half. 

The next week, I flew to California, Connecticut and Australia. I didn't see Tony again until March. 

He asked me out for March 20. We were married four years later on March 21.

But it all started by the Great Matchmaker on Super Bowl Sunday.