Friday, September 7, 2012

Trolled


Where to begin.

Last night I finished a big project for BiblioPlan and then headed for the blog to start writing a post that has been in the works for several months now.

I was going to announce a $5,000.00 matching grant for a very precious little boy across the ocean.

I was going to share the story behind the matching grant so that you could see how God is moving for one little boy across the ocean.


I was going to do that last night so I could post it today.

But there was a comment on my blog that I needed to moderate, so I went there first. And when I saw that comment, I found out that I had been trolled-- trolled by an anonymous writer who accused me of COPPING OUT on Everett, Olson and Porter.

     

This troll was disappointed that I would beg for prayers and not "rally the troops" for those boys. He told me that asking for prayers and not donations was disappointing because every time I ask for money, it comes pouring in.

This troll told me that he was not alone in his feelings. That there were others who agreed with them.

Wow.

Prayer is a cop-out. A side-show.

Wow.

Let me make this clear to everyone reading this blog.

I am a Christian.  I love the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind.  What I do on this blog is a reflection of my relationship with the Lord and what He is calling me to do.  Pure and simple.  Three years ago I would never have dreamed that we would adopt a special needs child and I would have laughed myself silly if someone would have told me that Rob and I would be a voice for special needs children in Eastern Europe.  Yet here we are. We do what we do only because GOD HAS LED US TO THIS PLACE.

Not ONE fundraiser have we done without prayer.  It is a good thing because every single fundraiser has been insane, ridiculous and outrageous.  Each time I feel the tapping in my spirit I find that where that tapping is leading is into a place where I don't want to go.  Every time I step out in faith it is off a cliff and I am without a parachute.   

Prayer is not a cop-out.  It is the beginning.  It is the foundation.  Without God I am nothing.  Without the whisperings of the Holy Spirit, I am just another noisy person yelling for my cause.  If the Lord had tapped on my shoulder for me to raise money for Porter and Everett and Olson I would have obeyed.  Instead, on Wednesday morning, I wasn't planning on blogging.  I woke up and lay in bed and in the quiet of those moments before my feet hit the floor the Lord tapped on my spirit.  A blogpost.  A call to prayer for 3 little boys.  That is what that tapping spoke into my heart.  I hadn't planned on blogging.  I blogged out of obedience to the Lord of Hosts who is alive and moving and who cares about the Fatherless.

And so I blogged.

For three little boys who are living in hell.

Calling people to PRAY FOR THEM.  Begging prayers for 3 boys.

     

To some it was a cop-out.  To me it was an act of obedience.

Michelle Enskat wrote me these sweet words yesterday... only a few hours before Anonymous decided to troll my blog:

"Oh sweet friend. I'm seriously trying to comment on your blog post to thank you and your readers for the prayers....but I keep crying. I have been overwhelmed with very nice messages from your readers and it has made my heart smile. Thank you for the post...I know it was hard...but what you did has brought me peace. I feel people lifting us up. I feel the protection that is covering us...through every step of the process."

Michelle has it right.  With prayer comes peace.  Protection.  God's presence in the midst of hard times.

Prayer is the foundation for everything we do.

I have not abandoned the Enskats or the Ericksons.  Not by any stretch.

Prayer is not abandonment.  When we were in process to adopt Aaron we BEGGED FOR PRAYERS for him too.  It was the number one request we gave people.  Money was the side-show.  We were willing to sell the shirts off our back for him.  What we wanted and needed for him was for prayers to rain down on his head as he sat and waited for us to come.

And in the final analysis, when Aaron is grown up and can look back at his story with clarity and understanding, I believe with all my heart that he will be most grateful for all the whispered prayers spoken on his behalf.  Prayers that were raised in love and concern.  Prayers that were offered for his safety and protection.  Prayers that his mind and heart would not be damaged beyond repair at a place that sucks the very soul out of a child.  I believe that Aaron will come to know that it was those prayers that preserved him in his hours of greatest need.  The prayers on this side of the ocean and the prayers raised by his nannies at his babyhouse who begged God to send him a family.

Olson and Porter and Everett need those same prayers.  Prayers for protection and safety.  Prayers that their minds will be protected.  Prayers that their hearts will stay tender and soft.

I am not all-powerful and I do not have the ability to raise thousands of dollars for children apart from the Lord.  I do not.  Each time I try it fails.

The Lord didn't call me to raise funds for the Ericksons or the Enskats at this moment in time.  But He did stir in hearts on Wednesday and money WAS RAISED for Porter and Everett and Olson.  Many who read my post not only prayed but gave.  Anyone reading this blogpost is more than welcome to pour the financial blessings out for these families.  I WOULD LOVE THAT!!  Anyone reading this blogpost is absolutely welcome to fundraise for these families.  I WOULD LOVE THAT EVEN MORE!!  I will point you in the right directions if you are interested in getting involved in helping them raise funds!!

I didn't wake up on Wednesday morning stirred in my heart to raise funds for three boys.  But I have been stirred in my heart to raise funds for Heath.  My Heath.  That is whom God has chosen for me to shout for in this season of time.   God has raised up a $5,000.00 matching grant for Heath that starts today.



In light of Anonymous' post last night I am going to hold off on sharing Heath's story for another day.

Just know that this is God's work.  He is the one who is moving for Heath.  When you hear the story you will understand.

From now on, every donation to Heath's account is now doubled.  The goal is to get Heath FULLY FUNDED.  The goal is to get him out of hell.  Heath and Porter share the same world.  They sit in the same sheds.  They eat the same food.  They stare at the same walls.  They hear the same groans and moans.  They live in the same nothingness.

We saw their world. We saw Heath in his nothingness.

Our goal is to completely remove the obstacle of money.

A full grant.

So that Heath's family has NO EXCUSE for not hearing and obeying God's call on their hearts.

I am going to be doing a Giveaway for Heath.  I have a few big prizes.  Again - I am not going to start that today BUT EVERY DONATION FROM HERE ON OUT WILL BE COUNTED TOWARDS THAT GIVEAWAY.  Just drop me a note in my comments how much you donated with your FIRST and LAST name. You will be put on the list.  

Heath's fund needs to reach $15,347.44 to reach the $5,000 matching.

THAT'S INSANE!

AND SINCE PRAYER IS THE FOUNDATION - I BEG YOU TO PRAY.

Pray for Heath's Matching Grant that God will bless it.  Pray that a family will step forward.  Pray that hearts will be stirred toward the orphan, the fatherless, the oppressed.  Pray that the adoptions of Porter and Heath will break down the gates at that institute and MORE boys will be listed. More boys will have hope.  Pray for Heath.  Pray for Heath.

Please Pray.  I BEG you.


CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO HEATH'S GRANT ACCOUNT

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO EVERETT AND OLSON'S FAMILY

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO PORTER'S FAMILY




39 comments:

  1. Jullia- Yes. One of the first lessons I have learned in the face of the overwhelming needs of orphan care is that all we have is prayer. We cannot possibly meet all these needs. Every person can't give to every adoption. GOD is the ONE who moves the fundraising mountains. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. We can't handle this on our own. And what of all the children whose faces we will never see? He SEES. He sees. He will comfort the brokenhearted ones and be their rescuer. Thank you for your integrity and for choosing not to step ahead of His leading.

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  2. “Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” ~Gandhi

    PRAYING for you and for these families, daily. Prayer sets the heart up to GIVE. We are selfish, sinful creatures by nature, but by praying we activate the Holy Spirit in us, and then we find our generosity flows, not because we are generous but because the Holy Spirit is flowing from us.

    Don't let unkind words stir you. Tell this troll to put their MONEY where their mouth is!! God WILL provide for these families. Do they not understand that it's not YOU that makes this money flow freely? Do they not realize that YOU are not the magic ATM, but that it is GOD working in you and through you, through PRAYER?

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  3. AMEN. Because the verse says WITH God all things are possible.

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  4. thank you for everything you do. It's because of you many of us know about these children so we can pray and give. Thank you for doing God's work

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  5. LOVE your heart! When God is moving in big ways, Satan shakes in his boots...and the trolls obey the voice of the wicked with their attempts to discourage and distract. Our blog has been bit many times too. Keep doing what you are doing! Obviously God is being glorified or the darkness wouldn't care!

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  6. Wow. I don't comment on many blogs, but that is so discouraging to hear that someone was so compelled to leave such a negative comment. I've been following your blogs for a short time, and it is one that I always look forward to reading. The strong message that is conveyed is very uplifting. I pray for each child that you've posted, and I've shared different kids on FB. A friend was even interested in Porter! Keep up your work. Don't let ignorance stand in your way.
    Just know that today I prayed for each of the boys, I donated to Heath's grant and I threw in a prayer for the commenter on your blog. God bless.

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  7. *wow* This shouting for blessings is definitely a humbling place to be, isn't it? I am so sorry to hear that someones heart is shut up tight. May their heart be softened by this extremely well done rebuke. You have shown amazing grace in the face of frustration and I applaud what you wrote!

    Many blessings to you and yours!

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  8. Julia, you are exactly right - God is the One who moves hearts! God is the One that calls to adopt and calls to give. Getting little letters in exactly the right order on a blog is not the key to raising support and families for these litte ones - otherwise half the orphans would be adopted by all of the people blogging! It is only the God of the Universe; our Savior and Redeemer that does immesurably more than we could ever ask or imagine! Without prayer and seeking His face, we are just arranging letters on a page. Take heart, weary warrior, Your Savior knows your heart - and that is all that matters. With many prayers for you...

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  9. There are two type of people. The ones who get things done and the ones who criticize those who do. I would like to ask your troll, "How much fund praying OR fund raising have you done for these boys?"
    Don't let them steal your joy with their criticism. You are right about prayer being the MOST important part of the process. I hope people will pray for doors to open and Masha taken care of as we try to get to her. I did ask for prayers on my blog and the next few days some awesome things happened. Thank you God!

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  10. Praying is the ONLY way to go! You've got my prayers!

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  11. Heath <3 <3
    I am praying for all involved and you too! You are doing a wonderful job for God! Be proud..... You are making a difference :-)

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  12. You are praying and acting at the same time. This is a blessing to those children. May you never stop God's work! May Trolls go away forever. Megan Fordenbacher

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  13. Praying and asking for prayers is the BEST thing you can do. I know you know that, but these people need to learn. Where do they think the money comes from? It's God's provisions.

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  14. Julia, I am so sorry. I would like to write something about self-righteous, judgemental and cowardly prigs , but as Auntie Em famously said, "Being a Christian woman...well, I can't!"

    I believe that prayer for orphans can take many forms. And I believe that all those forms can be worthy in the eyes of God. Some pray on their knees...some by donations...some by sending packages to orphanages and institutions (Hope, I will be sending warm new clothing to Alla next week and will ask her to see that Masha receives some of the cute little outfits I was blessed to find reduced 80%!)...some by blogging...some by advocacy and consciousness-raising. To condemn ANY of these efforts, or to attempt to somehow rank one as less worthy than another is...well, being a Christian woman, again I can't say it!

    So, Julia, once again I thank you for all you do. I donated to Everett and Olson's fund when I first learned about them via another outstanding blog, and will see what I can do for Heath. They have all been in my silent prayers, and I am thrilled that they have families coming for them and so many good people caring about them and helping in whatever ways they can. That's prayer in action!

    Sending best wishes and prayers for a renewal of strength and encouragement..

    Susan in Ky
    Cousin to 2 from EE

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  15. Oh, Julia. I am so sorry. The trolls are just plain ridiculous, and they know it. The very idea that prayer is in-action. The idea that praying to our Almighty, Sovereign God takes a back-seat to anything! Fund-raising is wonderful, and necessary. But prayer is the #1 best thing that we can do for these children. And when people tell me that they are praying for our family and adoption it makes me want to cheer! May God bless you as you pray for and share these children/families. Be encouraged, there are so many who are honored to call you friend and walk this road with you!

    God Bless,
    ~Jenni
    http://www.gatheringhisblessings.blogspot.com

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  16. Thank you for your clear and ringing testimony to God's calling and your obedience to Him in all things! You are an inspiration to many in the RR community. Bringing glory to HIM in all things should be the desire of our hearts. Trolls simply are fools that are used by the evil one to discourage. Thank you for shining His lightly brightly on your troll. May he flee back to where he came from with shame, but then come humbly to the throne of grace where all receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need!

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  17. Thank you for your clear and ringing testimony to God's calling and your obedience to Him in all things! You are an inspiration to many in the RR community. Bringing glory to HIM in all things should be the desire of our hearts. Trolls simply are fools that are used by the evil one to discourage. Thank you for shining His lightly brightly on your troll. May he flee back to where he came from with shame, but then come humbly to the throne of grace where all receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need!

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  18. Mark 11:22-25
    So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and cast into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you , believe that you receive them, and you will have them. "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."

    Thank you Lord that every dollar that is donated and every new mamma and Poppa that hears the prompting of the Holy Spirit and steps forward to love and cherish each one of these precious children is a direct result of the prayers of the faithful on their behalf that the mountains be moved and cast into the sea. Thank you that you work in us and through us and WITH us to bring about your will. Please keep us from holding these vicious words against the poor soul who typed them. Lord, break the chains that bind the heart of this lost soul in order to bring your grace and peace that they might also be called a child of God. Please renew Julia's strength so that she will mount up with wings as eagles, help her run and not get weary help her walk and not faint. Amen

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  19. Thanks for listening to God's voice! He is the only one that can bring success in this work. He can do what money cannot - he can guard and protect and heal the children's hearts. He can prepare them for their families. He can also move hearts to give when they hadn't planned on it. Prayer is truly the most important thing - for it connects us to God who has all the resources to supply all the needs of the kids and families whether they be for finances, protection, health or anything else! Thanks for allowing God to use you and your voice for His kids!

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  20. Julia, I am not even sure how to put my thoughts into words. As I type this, my heart is overflowing with thankfulness. FIRST and foremost, prayer is what changes things. Without it, we cannot accomplish anything. It is the very thing that holds our family together while we wait to get to Porter. Prayer is what is sustaining our son while he waits for us. The money will come.

    If we put money as our main focus in this adoption, we would fail. We have put God as the focus, thanking Him for every single step in this process that we have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. 8 WEEKS.....just 8 SHORT WEEKS is all it has taken us to finish the necessary paperwork to get to Porter. Now we wait for USCIS approval and we are done! We are a family completely new to the adoption world. We were not prepared to adopt; financially or paper ready. We had to start from scratch. But, because we took each step in obedience and trust, we have made it this far so quickly.

    Prayers are what got us HERE, and prayer is what is going to get us THERE! We did not have 1 PENNY to put towards Porter's adoption. We told the Lord that we were willing to do whatever we had to do and asked for a confirmation that we were on the right track. In THREE DAYS we had $3000! During this 8 week process $3700 has been given in addition to the $$4986 that was already given to Porter's grant before we committed. $11,687 has been given to help bring Porter home!!

    Could this have happened without people's prayers? Maybe. But my husband and I have a choice to believe or not to believe that God's hand is in this. We can't help but believe and know that God is RIGHT SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS. I am not offended by those who can't understand.

    I am reminded of this verse....James 2:14-26

    "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

    But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

    Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

    For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

    Julia acted and petitioned for prayer. She is not only praying, but asking others to join her and advocating for these precious children. Because of Julia's obedience in asking for prayer, we received $230 in the last two days. So yes, people acted and it was because of prayer, hearts were stirred and we have been blessed!

    Thank you Julia and thank you to the people that are praying for us and the Enskats and our children. Your faith is not dead....we are living proof!

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    Replies
    1. I don't know if I know anyone who does more to help these kids than you, keep up the good work and God bless you abundantly on behalf og these orphans.

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    2. I don't know anyone who helps these children more than you do Julia, God bless you sister on behalf of the orphans. Diana Tyree

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  21. Continuing to pray for these children and these families and for you to continue to hear God's discernment on where to put your time and talents. Prayer has to be the foundation for all things.
    Why anyone would bother to write you such a silly comment is beyond me. Keep praying and keep fighting the good fight Julia you are an awesome servant of Christ!

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  22. Trolls are horrible...experienced first hand. But the BEST is when they are brought to LIGHT like this and you feel the real, true support of readers like these!! Please don't feel burdened and know that if you do taking a break is o.k. b/c many of us will keep checking in even if it is daze later...you are doing the right thing, trust that.

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  23. Julia!!! Don't forget about the fundraiser day for HEATH Saturday the 15th!!!! I have no clue how many fundraisers will be going on throughout the country but I know at least there will be one. Pray it brings forth enough to get Heath fully funded, you are not in this alone sister!!! I will let you know how it goes.
    Love, Saige Hassler

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  24. You do not need to explain. It is plainly obvious to everyone except the troll(s) that you are a wonderful, empathic, hard-working woman doing your best and always trying to do better. We don't need your explanation, and the trolls won't listen: their hearts are too hard to hear, particularly not online. Please do what you need to feel better (delete comments, take a deep breath, have a glass of wine -- anything!) and move on without feeding the trolls or letting them sap your emotional energy. God bless you.

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  25. Where do these trolls come from? I seriously CANNOT wrap my head around ANYONE actually saying this stuff. It breaks my heart. How can someone say that fundraising is going to get you further than PRAYING?! $30,000 is a lifetime of saving for some people but for God its a snap of a finger! Why run around fretting over money when He has shown over and over that we just have to ask and it is there at the exact moment we need it. Not a moment sooner. God delights in the glorious impossible! Sheri

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  26. I so enjoy reading about Aaron and your family. Ignore the trolls. May God Bless You.

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  27. Thank you God from whom all blessings flow. If it weren't for the power of prayer and the many Christians who pray those prayers, these children would have no chance! I would love to be able to give financially to EVERY child you mention and many more. However, due to the economy,all I can offer is prayer and a voice. I tell people all the time about the children of RR. I hope at some point in time I can once again give financially to these precious souls. Until that time, I pray and advocate. God knows our hearts! Julia, God knows your heart is all about orphans. Trust your heart!

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  28. WOW. Talk about blasphemy. WOW. Yeah, that's the only word I can come up with. Seriously? You said in your post that you weren't going to beg for money, only prayers, and you were leaving the money up to God. What an ignorant person to think that a mere human (albeit one whom I adore such as yourself) would have more of an effect on fundraising than GOD!

    Look at all the times it wasn't about money. When we prayed Amelia Brown home. When (I assume - it was just barely before my discovery of RR) everyone prayed Katie Musser home. When we lift up in prayer friends of friends from the RR facebook group... and then watch miracles unfold before our very eyes. When we beg for families for kids who don't have grant funds because their files will go back, and just in time, those families are FOUND. All the money in the world couldn't make those things happen. That is all God, all prayer, the most powerful force in the universe. So sad that somebody thinks that the 'almighty dollar' outranks it. Don't you dare worry that you did one thing wrong because you did not. You followed the path the Lord prepared for you even when it was hard. He will bring those three boys home, and Heath too... because of HIS GRACE and HIS MERCY... because He knows that the value is in our prayers... not our pathetic human currency.

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  29. All the negative energy the troll put into the blogosphere has been drowned out by the postive light of God's word in your post. Please keep doing what you are doing, you have so many people who don't comment regularly who pray for these angels on a daily basis. Thank you for all that you do.

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  30. Amen. Amen. Amen. And I'll say it again....Amen.

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  31. Most of us know that it takes more than money to get these children out of their situations and into a loving family! And YES, PRAYER is what we need to put all of those other steps (besides money) into motion!

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  32. Keep marching on sister! What a light in the darkness you wave!
    www.growingthebards.blogspot.com

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  33. Wow! Prayer is THE essential thing in my understanding of the scriptures. God hears the cries of His saints and responds. The book of Revelation indicates prayer is stored up until He decides the right time to answer. Still, I think it is important that you continue to expose "trolls" (and other attacking satanic forces) on your blog. All of you who are responding to God in this endeavor for His precious jewels are awesome! (I think you are "rattling some demonic cages...ahem). I am way too old to adopt but I pray for you and these children and, when I have the means, donate. I have you bookmarked in order to check in daily. Please pray for my income to increase if it be God's will in order to give more than I can right now.

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  34. AMEN!!! Couldn't have said it better. Unbelievable what the trolls will say, 'anonymously' of course.

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Loving words from kind people make our hearts glad!