All oppression shall cease.

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, 

It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth. 
Long lay the world in sin and error pining, 

'Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth. 

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, 

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. 

Fall on your knees! O hear the angels' voices! 

O night divine, O night when Christ was born; 

O night divine, O night, O night Divine. 

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace. 

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother; 

And in His name all oppression shall cease. 

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, 

Let all within us praise His holy name. 

Fall on your knees! O hear the angels' voices! 

O night divine, O night when Christ was born; 

O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

I have heard this song hundreds of times before. I've grown up singing it each December, and yet it took on a whole new meaning to me this year. It's been my favorite Christmas song for years, and once again I was reminded why. Those lyrics in red? Yeah. They're awesome. Read them again. He taught us to love. Jesus Christ is love and peace even in the midst of our chaotic and broken world. And this unfathomable love will one day break all chains. In HIS name, all oppression shall cease and this folks, is why I'm participating in Dressember. I'm participating because the slave is my brother or sister and I wish to see a world in which all oppression ceases in the name of our risen Savior.

The problem is big and the injustice is overwhelming, but the hope is immense too. The work of ending trafficking is often tiresome and tedious, but one moment can give hope for a lifetime. Every time that injustice seems to swallow me whole, I remember those moments. I remember sitting on the floor next to a beloved thirty-something year old who had endured trafficking for SEVEN YEARS and I see her paint "God is love" in watercolor. I hear her say those same words in her broken English. After seven years of injustice, Jesus Christ broke the chains in her life and his love prevailed. I remember walking into the center, seeing a shy woman with a large scar of her chest huddled in the corner and sitting down next to her. She grabbed my hand and never let go. Those are moments I will never forget and those are moments that give me hope. I see love, I see chains breaking, and I see oppression ending. Those are moments I see Jesus.

Merry Christmas! I hope you're able to rejoice in Emmanuel- God with us.