Laboring elsewhere in the vineyard

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I've been MIA ... but not really.

I love this work. Fighting pornography is one of my passions. In fact, lately I've become mildly addicted to it. Ironic, eh?

Below is a list of some of my latest projects. Come join the fun!!!

• Just updated the Hope & Healing Blog. Have you seen it? From now on, I'll probably be working more on maintaining that blog than my own. So if you want to see what I'm working on, swing by and see us, okay?
• Created a page for the H&H Forum on facebook. Be bold! Come "Like" us, and/or share the link with your friends. You never know who might need it. Here's the message I put up for all my hundreds of friends to see: 

"Are you suffering as the result of pornography addiction, betrayal trauma, adultery, or sexual abuse? Chances are, someone you know is suffering in silence, and you might not even realize it. Life with a sex addict (or as a sex addict) can be a lonely road, but it doesn't have to be. Women, when brought together in faith, have an unbelievable power to help each other heal. And there is a protected forum online where more than 400 anonymous women are brought together for just this purpose. Joining together doesn't fix the addiction, but so many women who visit are surprised to learn: I am NOT alone.

Even if this isn't for you, please stop by and 'like' the page. You never know who will see it ... and need it.http://www.hopeandhealinglds.com/" (See? You don't have to implicate you or your husband, you know. At least on my wall, people came out of the woodwork all over the place to support the forum just because it is such a great cause.)

• I've been drumming up some publicity for Jacy's women's conference in Utah on October 19, The Togetherness Project. Have you heard about it? It's going to be amazing!
• Fight the New Drug came to my city, and I went to see them. I also helped host their guest speaker, Todd Blaquiere, and while he was here, we hatched an idea to have him come back to VA for a tour during White Ribbon Against Pornography Week (WRAP) this fall! (we've got possibly 5 organizations on board so far)
• As it turns out, Fight the New Drug has a local chapter that just started a few months ago that is just an hour away from me! How cool is that?! I went to a meeting last week and it was sooooo awesome to be in a room full of "fighters" -- both male and female! ROCK ON!
• Remember SHAMED, the documentary? Big things are about to happen with that project ... and soon! Word on the street is that the name will be changing shortly as the current title carries a bit of a stigma. BIG fundraiser coming up in September! Contact me if you're interested in helping out!

So ... if you don't see me around a lot ... just know ... I love you guys! I AM around. I'm just behind the scenes. Mwahahahahaaaaa ... And I am thinking about you TONS and fighting the battle on other fronts at the moment. Reinforcements are always welcome. ;)

Keynote Speaker & "Fighter": Todd Blaquiere

A few weeks ago, Todd Blaquiere from Fight The New Drug (FTND) was here in Virginia, and I had the pleasure of helping host him. One of his functions within FTND is to tour schools around the country and share his presentation that talks about the science behind porn addiction. I had the opportunity to see the show, and it was amazing! The kids in attendance had a blast. Todd is a talented individual, very entertaining, and knows how to engage his audience. The material he uses includes music, audio-visual clips, a slideshow, and a somewhat stand-up comedy feel. I was so impressed that I'm working with four other organizations to bring Todd back in October as part of a tour for White Ribbon Against Pornography Week. If you can find a venue, I highly recommend him! All he requires is that the school/organization provides plane tickets and housing during his stay. 

So … Who is this guy, anyway? Under “Meet the Team” on the FTND website, here’s Todd’s description: “Even though he’s got mad baller skills, is obsessed with sports and could dunk when he was only 17, Todd chose NOT to join the NBA and instead works here at FTND … Despite being in a punk band, being featured in countless productions, living in Spain, producing a TV show, and currently finishing his MBA, Todd claims that his greatest accomplishment is marrying his beautiful wife with whom he has two kids and one more on the way.”

Todd is definitely a character, but he isn’t just putting on a good show for “Fight.” He believes in the cause, and with good reason. The scientific evidence he presents his very compelling. Todd is among the fighters who have written blurbs for the FTND site titled “Why I Fight,” and he shares his story with students as part of the show. Here's an excerpt:  

“Growing up in Southern California, I spent a lot of summer days at the beach. Bonfires, surfing, football in the sand ... One particular day I caved to some friends’ request to body surf (this is also known as fake surfing, or extreme boredom). Anyway, we were wading in the water, playing a little splashy-splashy with the chicas, when I decided that I needed a little more excitement. So I ventured out further from the shore. The waves were a little bigger; the ocean floor was a little further from the touch of my toes. Nice. Now the fun was really going start. A wave began to swell and I was stoked. This was promising. I turned around, poised to catch the wave, when over my shoulder I noticed that this thing was growing fast. Before I could bail the monster wave picked me up and crushed me. I’ve been thrown off waves before, I’ve taken a board to the head a few times, but this was new. The force of the breaker slammed me against the ocean floor. Completely disoriented, I spun head over heels in the surf. The ocean owned me, I was out of control … You know, on TV this is the part where the gorgeous blonde grabs my arm and pulls me back to shore ... Well, no lifeguard for me. I kicked, swam, and fought. Every time I came up for air I would get a glimpse of the shore. It seemed miles away. I honestly didn’t know if I’d have the strength to make it. Before you get too frightened for me, I’m safe. I didn’t die. After what seemed like an eternity, I dragged my exhausted body onto the shore. If I had the energy I would have warned everyone on the coast. There are people that, because they didn’t know the danger, are caught in a rip current 24/7. They feel like they are out of control. They feel like they can’t get free. They feel helpless. And for a little excitement, they are now trapped. You know what though, pornography isn’t the ocean. It may be vast because there is so much of it. It may be powerful because of its addictive nature. It may even be alluring. But I’m a fighter and I’m taking the sucker down. I am going to do what I couldn’t do that day; I am going to warn everyone that I can ... And though I may become tired, I’ll take a breath and I’ll start again. Because I am a fighter.” (For the full story, click here.)