Thanksgiving Gift Bags

Getting bags ready to take into PTs was such a joy this past week. Mary Sue, Tamara, Bekah and I met up in the parking lot to add Waterline cards and some beautiful paintings to the bags before sending them in on Wednesday.

As we looked through the things we'd assembled we all kept saying how much we'd like to get a little gift like this! That sounds silly, but it's important.  That spoke to me. See, one of my own top love languages is gifts. If I got a gift like this from someone I would feel extremely loved and in giving it I'm telling someone how loved they are.

We laid hands on and prayed over each of the bags and prayed specific prayers for the girls who would receive them. Tamara had painted one teeny canvas with a beautiful little girl wearing a tutu. The girl had her hair in a long brown braid down her back. Tamara was specifically burdened for the girl who would receive this painting. Once the bags were tied closed we didn't know which was which and just prayed God would get it to the girl it was meant for. Later inside Tamara got to see the girl who opened it. This brown-haired dancer is now marked for a blessing!

On entering the club our usual friend A was not there taking the money. We continue to pray for A's salvation though. I have been especially burdened for him and pray that God continues to pursue him and send laborers to him. Though I've never been in the club and never met him, as Mary Sue says, I feel sure one day I'll walk right up to him on the streets of gold and hug his neck! I'm believing God for that.

Anyhow. The gentleman who was taking the money was nice, though he looked at Tamara and Bekah as if he thought they were just a little crazy. He called the manager over to show them the dressing rooms. (He also didn't charge them the usual cover; which was a specific prayer request we prayed before going in! Just a little wink from God!) The manager was friendly and smiled while he shook Tamara's hand. Our girls were escorted right back to the dressing rooms and went right in! This guy knows us now and we know who he is and he knows why we're there. To me this is a victory! We have been praying for him for months. From the car we specifically call out the management and ask The Lord for favor with them and we ask Him for their souls. He's beginning to answer those prayers!

We were earlier than usual so there weren't that many girls yet. On entering the dressing room one of the dancers recognized Bekah and Tamara and said "Oh! Let me go tell A you're here!" If you've been reading our updates you know A is one of "our" ladies now. A is a waitress we've been speaking to from almost the beginning. The last several weeks have felt a little more like we're making progress. This week A walked up to our girls and began talking to them about her kids and their Christmas.

"See! This is what I'm talking about!!!" A exclaimed as she walked into the dressing room waving a $100 bill. "I felt like God was telling me He didn't want me to dance for Christmas money this year so I'm just waiting tables. I just got this $100 tip for no reason!"
God is so good! He is pursuing A hard core!

A's grandfather passed away this week. The conversations they had in the time before his passing were those of reconciliation and love. Her grandfather's last requests to her were to plead with her to go back to church. That we know of A has gone for the last 2 Sundays in a row and has found a place she likes. She told Bekah that the weirdest thing for her was that "they don't use the King James Bible!"

We did not see V this week because she's working a different shift now. But Carolyn has been in regular contact with her. The foundation of that relationship is being strengthened and built upon. Pray The Lord continues to soften both A and V's hearts and we continue to see Him working in them.

Our specific requests from the past week are really that God would allow us to reach more girls through these gifts and begin to build new relationships. We're praying that the blessing of receiving a gift bag wouldn't have stopped that day, but they would constantly be blessed by it and reminded of God's love for them by the paintings and scriptures on them. That they would realize and be reminded of their beauty, worth and value by the lovely teacups they received. And that they would trust us more and reach out to us through the notes we wrote and the invitation to take them out for coffee or lunch sometime.

I cannot express how proud I am of this team. Bekah and Tamara may have been nervous to walk into that dressing room on their own, but it was clear that they weren't alone. They allowed God to work through them, they used His words, and were His hands and feet! Their faces shone with His joy and were bright with the light of His gospel. If I, who know them and know Jesus, am absolutely dazzled by this look on their faces when they return to the car, how much more brightly must it shine in the darkness of the club?!

~Tina

Jesus Loves You

 

 

Tonight, we felt the Lord strongly directing us to go into a particular club and tell someone there that Jesus loves them. My teammate, Paula, said she was overflowing with excitement and joy with the Lord's confirmation in her heart, so much so that she almost called me at 6:30 in the morning to tell me. I LOVE this woman!!!

At around 8:25 pm, we went into the club and were not charged a cover. Several older folks were behind the bar along with a few young people sitting at the bar itself. They warmly welcomed us and we took a table in the back. While walking to the back, we were greeted by the girls already working. 

 

Within a few minutes, "La" came to our table. She was very petite with glasses and long brown hair. She easily opened up about her life, stating she had gone to JVS. She started stripping in 2009. She had three children, but her son drowned in the Ohio River in 2010 along with his grandfather. Her 2 remaining children, both girls, were aged 3 and 4. She lit up when she talked about them. She stated her mom and dad watch them while she's working. She would do anything for them. I looked up at her it meant "light". It was her turn to dance and she started to leave our table when another girl (a very tall blonde) knelt down by us to say hello. Paula quickly took the opportunity and grabbed their hands. She told them that while having her devotions that morning, The Lord told her to tell the girls tonight that Jesus loves them. They both smiled, and the one kneeling said, "Oh, I'm a Christian, I go to church every Sunday!"

 

"La" found her customer while dancing and did not return that night. Next time. She's a marked woman now. Please pray for "La" and her 2 girls.

Several girls talked to us while going back to the dressing/restroom areas. The bartender (and older gray-haired man with a heavy mustache) came over and got us a couple sodas, only charging us for one.

 

It was so sad to see the older, married gentleman sitting at the stage. I wondered what he would tell his wife where he had been that evening. We prayed for heavy conviction upon this man. He didn't stay the whole time we were there. 

 

As we prayed, another girl, "Li" came to us, quickly hugging us and made small talk. She was the most petite and possible the youngest in the place. She could not have been more than 18 or 19 with long brown hair and dark eyes. Please pray for her.

The next girl to pull up a chair gave us her stage name, but would end up telling us her real name. She said she doesn't give it out because all of her family were Christian and they would die if they knew she was in here doing this. She came across someone cocky and closed. She did tell us that she had two children and had to do what she had to do to take care of her babies. She would be headed to Walmart after work to pick up diapers. She has only been stripping for one week. She seemed, at the least, a bit high. She stated she had been to a lot of interviews but couldn't get a job because of the tattoo on her neck, which was very obvious. She wants to go to nursing school. Please pray for "P".

 

Another tall young blonde greeted us and thanked us for coming in.

 

During this time, more men began to arrive. It was interesting to us that many of them came in with hoodies on....tightened hoodies. Not much of their faces were showing when they walked in. Most of the men coming in looked to be middle-aged.

 

The last girl to greet us was also quite young. Again, long brown hair and dark eyes. She was very sweet and seemed a bit embarrassed to talk to us. Told us her real name and that she had been working for one month. "S" told us she had never stripped before this job. She just walked in and asked to apply for a job. The owner, a woman, told her she was beautiful and she was hired. Just like that! She couldn't believe it. They taught her what to do and how to do it. She needed to take care of her 9 month old baby girl and the money was pretty good.

 

She really started to feel comfortable talking to us and told us the owner of the club had died and now a woman was the owner. When asking her what she wanted to do with her life, she told us she wanted to go to Culinary school. Well, lo and behold....Paula's son is a chef! The conversation went on from there quite easily as you can imagine. Paula stated that she would talk to her son about work/education and also told her about church. "S" said she would be interested in coming to church and asked for directions. PTL! Paula gave her number to "S" and told her to call. "S" said her little girl loves music and she would love for her to hear a choir. Pray the Lord leads her to church tomorrow. Please pray for "S".

 

More girls had gathered around us as we rose to leave, and hugging us, they thanked us for coming. There seemed to be a real family feel amongst the girls. They were really watching out for each other.

 One tall blonde walked Paula to the outside step.....wanted to make sure she didn't fall.

 

We came away rejoicing for the breakthroughs in conversation and the doors that were opened. The prayer makes the difference...of this I can be sure. Doors have been opened. Territory has been claimed. Pray on........pray on.

 

Thank you again for sacrificing.......being inconvenienced........stepping forward. .......going to battle.

 

We are in active duty. We will wait for our next set of orders from the Lord.

 

In His Service,

Kim

 

 

She Cried, "Yes!"

 
Here at ICF, our outreach team met for a wonderful time of prayer before heading out to one of our clubs. Carolyn and I went into our club. We rejoice that business continues to be slow, though there were more customers tonight than there have been for the past few weeks. We prayed tonight, and ask you to join us in this prayer, that God would send Christian men, friends or family members across the paths of these men, who would speak truth of God's word into their lives.

There has been a lot of turnover with the dancers. Hardly any of the regulars that we used to see often are working at the club anymore. Because business is slow, not as many girls work at a time. Last week, there were only three. Our prayer is that business dwindles to nothing, that the club has to close, and that a business that brings glory to God and blesses people would take its place!

As always, we were not charged a cover charge. 'M', the waitress, was very attentive, making sure we got our drinks (water and Sprite) at no charge and accepted no tips. 'P', the new doorman our team met last week, came right up to our table as soon as we sat down and talked to Carolyn. Please pray for this young man who lost his parents at a young age, that he would come to know The Lord as his Father and Savior.

We began to think that 'M' and 'P' were the only ones we would speak to. With so few girls working and so many customers, we didn't think any of the girls would have time to talk to us. Then 'D' stopped by our table after her turn on the stage, and after learning why we were there, she reached for our hands and cried yes and said she definitely wanted to pray with us. She poured out a story of unbelievable pain. In the recent past, she has had several members die, including two brothers that were shot a year apart on the same day. Her mother died three weeks ago and then her dog was hit on the road in front of her house. She cried as we prayed for her. She told that she was raised in church and "knew the Bible backwards and forwards".

After we prayed, she had to return to the stage. As soon as she was finished with her set we thought she would go to one of the customers or to the dressing room, but she came straight back to our table. She said she had no excuses to offer. She knew that she should not be working in this place, that it was her second night dancing, that she had come because her daughter was about to have her electricity shut off, so she was trying to make money to help her pay her bill. She said that she had asked The Lord for a sign that He was still there for her in the midst of all her pain and trails, and that she knew He had answered her be sending us (and, of course, we told her we agreed!). We talked to her about jobs she had worked at in the past and encouraged her to seeks jobs like those again. We also told her we would help her look for a job. She gladly gave bother Carolyn and I her contact information. Please pray that "D" will respond as we attempt to communicate with her. Pray that she would allow God to understand the truth in HIs word and that she would get another job.

As always, we give thanks and praise to The Lord who is able to do abundantly more than we think or even ask for.

In Him.
Suzie

The Lord Directs Our Steps

I was asked to write something about my first Light in Darkness experience, how I got started in it, or perhaps why I feel called. I do want to share why I feel called to this ministry as well. However, that is a pretty deep story. It will take some serious prayer and writing time to relate. For now, here is a brief account of my introduction to LID and what I have learned.

My step-mom, Deborah, has been working with Light in Darkness Ministries in Kokomo for nearly a year now. I have been on her prayer team and have always looked forward to her coming home after her night at the clubs and telling me her “war stories.” We rejoice together over successful encounters, answered prayers, etc. And we weep together for the hearts and lives of the men and women she meets in the clubs.

I knew from the beginning Deborah felt pressed that I should be more involved. However, not only did I not feel complete release to participate, my work schedule would not allow it. Not to mention, well, I was afraid.

Then a few months ago I had my heart broken. Oh how often it takes serious brokenness for me to listen to God’s leading! I will admit, I did not handle this breaking particularly well. I might have a tattoo of a heart on my chest, but I more often than not wear mine on my sleeve.

That following Monday I could not stand the thought of going into work and still feeling so alone and so shattered. I called in sick and asked Deborah if I could go with her to Kokomo. She spends the whole day leading Bible study and counseling sessions before it’s time to hit the clubs. And there is nothing quite like spending the day with your mother serving others to takes one’s mind off your own woes. 

During our prayer time before going out to the clubs, I got to meet some of the ladies from the Kokomo LID team. These are women I’ve grown to love and respect just through Deborah’s accounts of them. This team is a great inspiration!

I chose to be a Moses that night; to be one of the prayers who stay in the parking lot while the Joshuas go into the clubs. I ended up being by myself at the first club. This is unusual, but I think it made it a little easier to pray out loud in the car for the first time. Then at the next club I was joined by another woman. Wow! Could this lady pray Scripture!

It was so neat to sit outside praying and waiting as the team entered the club. This club was one we were certain they would get kicked out of instantly. You see, the owner of this particular club had given strict instructions to his staff not to let “the church ladies” in. But as the minutes ticked by, it became more and more exciting to witness this miracle that God was performing right in front of me. Almost an hour later our team returned to the cars and gave their excited report of their time inside. At that moment I gained a much better understanding of the role of the intercessor in this ministry.
It still took several weeks for me to be confident that God was calling me to join a team. When the Waterline team decided on Wednesday nights and chose a time that fit my work schedule, I knew it was the Lord. Once I felt that release, I have never for a moment doubted my involvement. It seems almost scary the extent to which the Lord has increased my faith. I am so confident that God has hand-picked our team and that He puts together just the right partnerships each week. 

I know how different it is for the women who go inside the clubs, but maybe that’s God too. They’re bombarded with images we’ve spent most of our lives trying to avoid, and sometimes they even become fearful or discouraged. Me? I just pray. And when I pray I now know God listens, He answers, and He moves. I can have all-faith and all-confidence to lift up my sisters when they’re in the pit, in the darkness. That’s the point of this team. The Joshuas go into battle while the Moses stay back and pray with a faith that can move mountains… or club owners.

Since joining this team I have heard more than one testimony from our Joshuas that the exact thing the Holy Spirit has put on my heart to pray fit the exact circumstance the girls were facing inside right at that moment! The role of the intercessor, the Moses, is so vital and so dear to me. It has been a serious challenge and something I never thought I could or would do. It is amazing how God uses each of us; though it may take some braking and stepping out of our comfort zone. 

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 

~Tina

How Long Will You Forget Me?

Last night was my very first night being able to go out with the Light in Darkness team. It definitely wasn’t easy. I can tell you Satan knows how to use fear and intimidation to mess with me. But as we prayed, the fear and nervousness were replaced with a peace that only God can give.

We were trying to decide which club to go to. Gia let Tamara and I decide. After we decided, I listened to Gia describe the club. She said that typically when they went into this particular club in the past, the dancers didn’t approach them or talk to them much. She also said that there seemed to be a lot of people in the parking lot, but few people on the inside. This particular night was a bit different from that. First I should tell you all that Hollywood strip clubs are way different from real ones (I had the Hollywood version in my head). The room was pretty dark, but there were various kinds of “club lights” (I guess you could call it). Most of the lights came from black lights(I was glowing, so were Tamara’s teeth). I started to analyze and think through everything that was happening around me. I was also trying to place who people were. I saw one or two bartenders, a server, and several dancers walking around the room. There was typically a dancer on the stage, either being watched, or giving someone a personal dance. There were also several men that were casually sitting around and/or interacting with the dancers. The hard part, for me, was to see some of the dancers walking around so nonchalantly. I think I was surprised by the fact that this lifestyle was normal to them. They weren’t bothered by having conversations with men topless or having men touch them inappropriately. At the same time, I felt a huge burden and very brokenhearted for them. I began to think about what each of their stories could be. I wondered if they knew they were beautiful and worth so much more than this. Tamara and I were praying for each dancer. We were praying for their safety from the things or people in their life they may be dealing with. We also prayed that if the opportunity was given to us, we would know the words to say to love on them and meet them exactly where they were. We were never able to talk with any of the dancers, but we sure did pray for them.

At one point during the night I felt extremely overcome with fear and discomfort. There was a “private dance room”, however, “private” isn’t so private. It happens to be a room without a door…with some weird, cheap and colorful lighting in it. I looked over at the wrong moment, and I wish I hadn’t. I actually was pretty frightened by what I saw. It was the silhouette of a dancer and of a man. There were a lot of sexual acts happening that I scared me the moment I saw them. I had felt the presence of bad things the whole time, but this moment was more-so than ever. I asked Tamara if she saw the same thing. She said yes, and we began praying. We were texting our awesome prayer team in the car. God was speaking to me through the scripture. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7. Lots of people were praying, Tamara and I were looking up scripture, and I was starting to feel better about it. I could definitely feel God moving.

I am so excited to be a part of this ministry. I know God will use us to do big things in a very dark place. I am looking forward and curious what exactly God has in mind. I can’t wait until I can be there again, and hopefully be able to talk to some of the beautiful ladies that work there. 

-Megan



A note from Gia, one of Megan's prayer partners from the parking lot:

When Megan text about the fear she was experiencing from the extreme sexual activity happening so close to her, I opened the YouVersion app on my phone and asked God to direct me to the best words of comfort and encouragement. I opened to Psalms chapter 13:

O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
    
How long will you look the other way?

2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
    
\with sorrow in my heart every day?
    
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
3 Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
    
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.

4 Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
    
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love.
    
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.

6 I will sing to the Lord
    
because he is good to me.

I immediately text this to everyone I could think of that was on our team and/or praying for us from home. Nearly every single person I text, replied with their focus on verse 5: “But I will trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.”

I believe every single woman in that club has asked or wondered if God has forgotten her. I truly do. But Light in Darkness Ministries is a way to provide an answer to them. No, He has not forgotten you. No, He has not forsaken you. He has a plan and a purpose for your life. He wants to rescue you...

We’re there to provide a way, a reminder, and to reveal His love for them TO them.

~Gia

Be Strong and Courageous

Similar to our director, Carolyn's story of seeing a billboard for a strip club and asking the Lord to send someone to love those girls, and he calls her to be "that person", I have heard of "strip club ministry" and XXX Church. etc and thought, what a cool ministry for "someone" else to do! (surely not me!) Then I was introduced to my new friend Gia (our music guy at Waterline's wife) and shortly after we met, she became involved in Light in Darkness ministries, and again, I thought, what a great ministry for "someone" to be involved with. She asked us to join her prayer team, and I was thrilled to find what I thought would be my way to support this powerful ministry that "someone" should support and be involved with. 

Recently, Gia and Carolyn have begun reaching into the church my husband and I planted, to see if there are women and even some men wanting to help bring light into these darkest of dark places in Indy, where Light in Darkness hasn't yet reached. I wanted to be a support, but wasn't planning to be the "someone" to go in and make a tangible "in person" difference! 

Needless to say, within a couple of weeks of attending a training and informational meeting, God plopped me in the drivers seat of our mini van and I drove three friends to the east side of Indy to enter a strip club, called Babes with Gia and my friends Taylor and Mary Sue out in the van praying across the street and friends and family across several states praying for our mission and safety! I RARELY feel super intimidated or overly anxious or nervous, and I did great until the turn onto Pendleton Pike. I suddenly realized I'm driving myself to a strip club, going in, and have NO IDEA what is or isn't going to happen! I couldn't hardly breathe, and even offered the idea of joining our director Carolyn and her veteran strip club ministry friend, Ruth at the club they were going to, so we wouldn't have to be alone! Gia didn't seem to pick up on my "offer", so off we went, as Mary Sue so sweetly massaged my shoulders as I was driving giving me a very physical sense of support and strength! I have to say, my faith has often been tested in church planting, but nothing we've ever done in this three year journey, nor in my several trips overseas comes close to as daunting of a task as walking into a strip club, where very sad and sinful acts are taking place, and several known illegal activities are frequent. I'm from a very small farm town, I attended a safe Christian college, and I currently live in one of the lowest crime counties in the nation...walking into a strip club is really pushing me to live on faith! The unknown was so frightening. The feeling of being "under cover" is scary. The lingering thought of our group being asked to leave a back parking lot of a different club two weeks prior was giving me a spirit of fear and timidity.

In our prayer time, we talked about a spirit of power and focusing on the LIGHT, not the DARK...and so that's what I tried to do. I tried to tell myself, this is just a bar in Indy with some unique entertainment on the stage in the middle of the room. I followed Gia's lead through a heavy steel door, no windows, up to the money taker at the door, and on to a table in the middle of the room, where we ordered a diet coke and water. We paid for our drinks, sat quietly, felt uneasy, felt unsure, and it hit me, we cannot do this in our own power. I could go on and on about all of the unrealistic fears that crossed my mind, or on and on about the sad heartbreaking things we saw out of dancers, or the group of construction workers who came in the club and heated things up a bit, but instead, I would like to focus on where I saw God. 

God was with this team from the initial forming. God is with those dancers, club owners, bartenders, and customers. God is there, God sees each tear, God sees each heart break, God sees each family at home of both dancers and customers. God sees these women walking in from Light in Darkness, God sees these prayers of support, God sees the teams who support Carolyn and her vision and HE IS GOING TO WORK AND MOVE, we just have to be faithful. I am being faithful to walk into dark and scary places to begin to lay a ground work to love these people, all of them, the believers and the unbelievers, the broken and those made whole, the hurting and the healed. 

Untrue to my natural self, I couldn't hardly speak to a soul inside the club. I froze up and was full of fear, but I still saw the Lord there, in that place. I saw him sitting at the table with Gia and I, and I felt Him through the prayers, texts, phone calls, and hugs of my prayer team, ministry team and friends. I feel God leading me, the small town girl, sheltered pastors wife,  to bring support and love to this ministry, to these beautiful lives inside these doors of very abnormal gathering grounds of "Christian ladies". The brokenness and pain in their lives is huge and is real. We have to go be the light of the Lord and the tangible hands and feet of Christ to these broken people in these dark, dark places. 

I'm looking forward to seeing another club or two and watching the Lord's plan unfold among these businesses, and hurting souls. As I got home and laid in bed with my husband and son, I felt very strong and empowered for facing a huge fear and taking a big risk for the Lord. On the other side of it, I am grateful for a ministry that seeks to tangibly love, support and pray for these people whom I personally, would likely never meet outside these doors. It wasn't quite as scary as I thought it might be, it was more heartbreaking than I expected, and I'm convinced, this is a great way to spend a few hours, loving the least of these. 

My God is a STRONG GOD, Mighty, and He is with us, WHEREVER HE TAKES US!!! This song REALLY resonated with me that night! (click to hear).

Joshua 1:9 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.

Thanks to my prayer team, teammates, and friends for your love and support!! I'm glad to see the Lord sending me as a "someone" to reach into these lives and hopefully be a catalyst to expand this effective reach into a lost and very broken culture. 

~Danielle

Live To Enjoy The Light

Sometimes, it doesn't seem like the best decision to go in strip clubs bearing gifts for the dancers and their children. After all, these local clubs are not the nicest places. But whenever I go in there, I feel as if my team and I are ushering in a breath of fresh air...and light. When I enter, I wear a huge smile and meet the eyes of everyone that I can. I know the patrons are puzzled, but the bartenders and dancers usually know exactly who we are.

Our latest outreach night was amazing. I came home blasting worship music in the car and drumming the steering wheel, singing at the top of my lungs. I had tears streaming down my cheeks, but they were tears caused by the presence of the Lord. His presence brings love. That is important to note. Because when these ladies and I enter the clubs, we've been saturated in prayer and enter with His presence with us--bringing Him and His love with each breath we take. He is like our perfume. Isn't that awesome to think about? It makes me giggle.

The first club we went in, I've only been to once before. Previously, we weren't there more than fifteen minutes before we were asked to leave by a burly bouncer who wouldn't make eye contact with us. On this night, we must have gotten there before he did, because we were able to stay and pray and be a friend for as long as we wanted. I sat right down at the bar and started talking to the bartender. We brought her a big bag of baby presents (she is due to give birth in April). I mainly asked her about her other child and how this pregnancy was treating her. Eventually, I ran out of things to talk about and suddenly asked her, "What did you want to be when you grew up?" A sad look passed in her eyes and she frowned at me. After a while, she shrugged and said, "Nothing. I didn't think of being anything when I was little." I asked about later in life, what did she want to be? She still said nothing.

"Oh, there had to be something," I said. "Like...at one point, I wanted to grow up and be Maverick from Top Gun." She laughed but still shook her head. "Think about it. Wasn't there anything? I mean, I knew this girl once who wanted to be a semi truck when she grew up."

She adamantly held her ground and said there was nothing she wanted to be. She looked sad, explaining that she had all kinds of siblings and she spent most of her childhood being Prince Charming. I don't know what she meant by that, but it tugged at my heart.

As we were talking, I noticed a young man on the other side of the bar. He was younger than me, and kept glancing over at our group, listening to us. I didn't think anything of it until a dancer brought him and another man over to our group. She knew my mother-in-law and was asking for prayer for a health problem she was dealing with. As they were praying, the young man turned to the older woman in the group and began explaining how he needed God to help him turn his life around. He spilled all his dirty laundry at her feet, barely bringing his eyes to meet hers, and when he was done, the entire group put their hand on his shoulders, lifted their other hands to the Lord, and prayed over him, his friend he came with, and the dancer his friend lived with...

It was pretty amazing. On the other side of the club, obvious prostitution was taking place, a dancer in her late sixties was on the stage dancing, and yet here we were, lifting up the name of our Heavenly Father, praying for a young man that knew he didn't need to be there. They both left before we did, tears in the young man's eyes.

NOTE: I do not go in clubs to minister to the male patrons. It was a coincidence that the dancer brought her boyfriend and friend to meet my mother-in-law (who is in her fifties). I didn't engage in conversation with these men, but left it to the much older women.  It simply isn't appropriate for me, but I did join them in prayer.

The next club we visited, we entered alongside police. The club was dead, apparently having been cleared of the patrons due to a fight that broke out between two of the dancers. The wounded dancer was sitting in the bathroom floor in a little puddle of her own blood. She took a blow to her head from the heel of her own stiletto. She was in tears, crying, trying to clean herself up. Other dancers were trying to get clothes to her, but were so frazzled and shaking that I took her clothes, purse and keys, and helped her get her ID out for the police and EMTs.

It turns out that one of the officers on the scene knew all about the church ladies and personally knew my mother-in-law, which was nice. We sat at a table near the bar and just prayed silently, being available to help in whatever way we could. This is the club where I got my first kiss on the cheek from a drunk (or stoned) dancer and asked them to play one of my favorite songs: Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. The dancer couldn't find my mother-in-law's request of His Eyes Are On The Sparrow by Whitney Houston. "You want me to play some gospel up in here?!?!" The dancer laughed. But you should have seen the faces of the ladies on my team when my request blasted to life. I smiled ear-to-ear. "What? I love this song! This is a song I can pick up my sword and shield and go into battle with." They just giggled, but nodded their heads, knowing exactly what I was talking about. Sort of.

For the most part, we were at the second club to bring a peaceful enviroment with us. We sat and prayed as the police did their thing. We sipped our bottled waters, avoided looking at the stage (the nice thing about the police presence is that hardly anyone danced), and made small talk with one another. It might have seemed like a waste of time, but I know it wasn't. We were in the right spot, at the right time, giving the rattled dancers a squeeze of the hand and asking if they were okay. That was enough. Because next time, they might feel they can trust us with more. These girls, they deserved to be something amazing when they grew up. Shine some light in the darkness, and there is the possibility that they will see His face...and know they are beautiful, even in those clubs, in His sight.

"He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light." 

~Job 33:28

A War For Their Hearts

This week has been a strange week for my brain. It’s been a little overwhelmed with thoughts about Syria and trying to make sense about what’s happening over there, reading FB posts about Miley Cyrus, and then sitting in a brand new strip club that had both my eyes and mind in overdrive. The first thing I thought as I sat in a super comfy chair with the green laser lights blinding me was, “Is that twerking?”

I might be the only 31 year-old puzzled by the term ‘twerking’ but here is what I now know today on twerking and all that comes with it:

1. Twerking was coined nearly 20 years ago in 1993 by DJ Jubilee. Miley Cryus is a little behind the curb. The only thing different 20 years ago? There were on giant teddy bears involved.

2. Stripping did not evolve out of modern society. Strip teases and erotic dancing can be found clear back to ancient Babylonia. It is mentioned by Thomas Otway in 1651 in the comedy “The Soldier’s Fortune” and in 1707 in the German translation of the French La Guerre D’Espange. Even the bible eludes to erotic dancing when Salome is mentioned to dance for King Herod (only later said to have removed the seven veils by Oscar Wilde, but let’s get real...she totally did). All that to say, even DJ Jubilee was likely behind the curb. Girls been twerking for centuries!

3. Prostitution ( just a tiny step away from erotic dancing) is considered the world’s oldest profession.

4. Stripping found America in 1896.

5. Burlesque became popular in 1925.

6. Strippers went topless in ‘go-go dancing’ in the 1960’s.

7. In 1969, full nudity dancing became popular.

8. Lap dancing began trending in 1980.

9. Everyone needs to stop focusing on Miley Cyrus and what she did, and wake up. This is nothing new. If you want to get angry about it, you need to find the root of the problem. And the root of the problem...is darkness.

10. Seriously, folks. (mostly, I just wanted ten points)


The club I was in last night, had centuries worth of education to know all the right moves. These ladies were the professionals of erotic dancing. I seriously sat there and wondered if they all went to the same strip school where they were taught by the world’s greatest seducer artist (I know, not a real occupation). These girls were incredibly tall, slender, had their curves where curves were supposed to be, long, silky hair, and...well...if they lost their job at the club, I think the Cirque dela would gladly take them.

And me being five months pregnant, I sat there and thought I was pretty unattractive. I mean....goodness sakes!

I know you might be thinking that this isn’t exactly the point of strip club outreach, but I think it actually is part of the point. You see, up until now, I’ve been in clubs that are dives and the girls aren’t very attractive. These clubs are full of drugs and drunk girls, girls that are being pimped out and taken advantage of. But in this club, there was an air of pride. These girls knew what they were doing. It was almost like an art for them. They knew how to cast their eyes, how to tilt their chin, how to bend and move.

Sitting there, going deaf under the power of the speakers, I felt pretty insecure when a dancer pulled up a chair to our table and sat down to talk. She was 19...shouldn’t have even been allowed to drink. Thankfully, Bekah was able to carry a bit of a conversation with her, as the rest of us could not hear over the blasting music. She said she really enjoyed to work at the club, that it was easy, good money. When Bekah asked how she ended up there, she said her brother’s friend told her she should try it out.

These dancers may be different than the dives, but I can almost promise that somewhere, each of them has brokenness. After all, we all do. Maybe their fathers were not in the picture or did not show them enough attention, making sure their daughters knew they were beautiful, wanted and loved? Every girl wants to know she is pretty, that she has value, that she can be the center of a man’s attention. That’s how God somewhat made women, right? Even if these girls have no ‘hurt’ to speak of on the surface, there is one truth: Satan has been after the heart of women from the very beginning.

 “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
 ~ Genesis 2:18 (NIV)

“The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
    for she was taken out of man.”
 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.  Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” ~Genesis 2: 23-25 (NIV)

Woman was originally intended to please man, to ease his loneliness, to help him, to love him, and very importantly, to be loved and cherished in return. They were partners. There was respect. After all, until Adam received the gift of Eve, he was incomplete and not fully happy. I imagine The Lord thought out the design of woman, knowing what would please Adam; she would be soft to the touch, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful in all ways. Woman was special. Unique. Valued. Gifted. Irreplaceable. Needed.

And then darkness walked in...

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” ~Genesis 3:6-7 (NIV)

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” ~Genesis 3: 14-15 (NIV)

And that part: I will put enmity between you and the woman, is what stands out to me. Webster Dictionary defines enmity as mutual hatred or ill will. That’s powerful! God doesn’t say this about the serpent and Adam, does he?

When I was little, I thought this meant that women were predestined to be afraid of snakes forever, and that they would stomp their heads with the heels of their boots (I often picture my Great Grandma, Ida, in her knee high panty hose and black work shoes doing this...and it makes me laugh). But I don’t see this verse that way anymore. I believe that women have always been a target for Satan. And why not? She made Adam complete. She was God’s treasured gift to mankind. Why wouldn’t the enemy spend all of history, present, and future to warp and destroy what she was meant to be?

Miley Cyrus stood on a national stage and simulated sexual acts for a man. The audience on TV cheered. The other musical artists looked on with disgust (as if they’ve never done the same exact thing). We tweeted and posted our disdain and noted how we feel sorry for Miley. But we watched. We failed to see where the enemy was winning.

If you think what Miley Cryus did was shocking, you don’t know what I see on Wednesday nights. Every single night, all across the world, women are in bars and clubs, projected on movie screens, printed in the pages of magazines...all shedding their clothes to display what God meant to be truly beautiful. He never intended for them to be an object of lust, performing sex acts for anyone to see. “It’s easy money,” in the words of my new friend. “He said I should give it a try.” And I bet she feels a measure of beauty in it. I really do. There’s faux approval when the money pays the bills. She’s special. She’s coveted. She is prized. So say the men in the club. So says the enemy.

Want to change things?

1. Stop tuning into the VMAs if you don’t want to see something dirty. After all folks, it happens   every single year. You’re partly to blame.

2. Make every single little girl in your life feel that she is positively cherished, beautiful, and worthy of unconditional love. Give her value in her identity of who she is, not what she can do for anyone else.

3. Mothers, stop obsessing over your looks and weight. One day, your daughter might grow up to be insecure in her own looks. Maybe a brother’s friend will tell her she’s pretty enough to dance with the A-lister dancers and she will give it a try, feeling gorgeous. I once had a friend feed me the same line and felt pretty because of it (thankfully, I did not listen to his career advice!). So show your daughter you see value in your appearance.

4. Fathers, set an example for your sons. They watch everything you do. Open the car door for the women in your wife. Speak to them with respect. Touch them gently with love. Do not let your eyes linger over women passing by, showing your son that women are here to please men’s eyes.

We may not be able to change history (yet) but we can start by changing the way the little boys and girls in our lives think and feel about themselves and each other. We can be better men and women for them. We can stop letting music, TV shows, and movies stream into our homes that make our gender roles less than what God intended. We can do better. We can be better. We can start raising outstanding young men and women.

Right?

So, I'll leave you with this rather bizarre old photo of Miley that now makes little sense. What happened? There's a war on for the heart's of women. That is what's happening.

~Gia

Where He Has Called Us, He Will Lead Us

Last night was my first time ever going into a strip club. My entire life, I never thought I would even pull into the parking lot of such a "vile" place, let alone go in and pay to sit in a place filled with such darkness. I have to admit I was nervous but I tried not to let it show.

Ever since my Freshman year in college my heart has been broken for girls in this industry. When I was made aware of the slavery and trafficking that takes place all over the world, my heart literally broke. I have always felt drawn to the girls but have had no outlets to be able to minister to them; this type of work is not exactly something you just jump into with no preparation.

My sophomore year of college I was majoring in Public Leadership and Service and preparing for an internship at a safe house for trafficking victims in North Carolina. I thought that these places were preparing me to be in ministry and help these girls, but God had other plans. I didn't graduate from that college and I didn't fulfill the internship.

Since that time, I have been distraught, wondering how in the world I was going to be able to help the people that my heart was broken for years earlier, then Light in Darkness came onto my radar and I got EXCITED!

I knew that I was finally in a place where God could use me in his work. No, I'm not in the ministry career I pictured 3 years ago, and no it isn't a full time thing. But I take much comfort in knowing that God has me right where he wants me; in ministry with the ladies of Waterline Church and our prayer partners.

Now, back to last night.

Gia and I went into the club. I was nervous, excited and scared all at the same time. While I was confident that we would be safe, you never know what might happen. We entered the club and was greeted by an old man, E, and that struck me as funny (which helped calm me a little). He was a very nice man, who took our money and welcomed us into the club. I was glad that there wasn't a "big scary man" to greet us at the door.

We went in, found a seat quickly and ordered some bottled water. My immediate impression was that the club was darker and smaller than I had imagined. There was a girl dancing onstage at the time with little to no clothing. She was very apathetic and seemingly lethargic as she was on the stage. There were various people around, one man was very intoxicated, but the rest seemed level headed and simply watched. At this point, it was very tame and honestly, kind of boring (admittedly, I was happy for this).

As the time passed, people shuffled in and out, dancers came on and off the stage and the club in general *seemed* uneventful. There were various dancers *hanging out* with some of the men, but nothing was happening illegal that I observed.

Gia and I chatted, I tried to look occupied maybe even like I was supposed to be there, even though I am pretty sure we stuck out quite a bit with our bottled water and inability to look at the girls for more than a few seconds. In those moments I was thankful for Gia, as our conversation flowed easily. We observed the people, who they were in relation to the club, the dancers, and those who came to be entertained.

Just after 9, a large group of foreign men entered the club. Up until this point, all the girls had been lethargic and uninterested; tired. When this group came though, Gia and I both had our "alarms" go off (that bad feeling in the pit of your stomach when you know something isn't right) and realized quickly that the atmosphere of the club changed as soon as they came in.

The girls began dancing much more provocatively in an effort to earn tips I suppose. The men were foreign and slightly rowdy, but nothing that seemed out of context. They ordered drinks and sat really close to the stage. Though tempted to leave quickly, Gia and I stuck around for about 10-15mins after they came in. We caught them staring our direction and got uncomfortable quickly. We prayed hard for those last few minutes and throughout that time felt the need to protect the dancers; almost like there was unrealized danger coming from these men. Only God knows what happened after we left, but my prayers are with the dancers today.

Throughout the course of the night, we got to talk to a dancer, C. She came up to our table just after her dance and sat beside Gia. She asked if we were "evaluating" the girls and told us about the types of visitors, frequency, shift work and that the pay was decent. I think she knew we weren't there for a show and was thinking we may be looking for a job. She sat with us and chatted for 3-5 mins and moved on. I look forward to seeing C again, I think there is definitely relationship potential there. I'm glad she told us her name so that we can say hello next week.

Upon walking out of the club, I was almost moved to tears by the prayer team in the car, just seeing them and knowing their hearts and prayers were with Gia and I as well as the girls is a feeling that can't really be explained other than to say (on my part) humility and extreme gratefulness. If the girls are receptive to our cause, I think they will feel something similar when they see us in their clubs; knowing we are there to bring good.

Overall, I had a successful first time out. I know that our team last night was exactly who God wanted to be there. I am glad that I was the only one who could go in, I am glad that I didn't have the chance to be a Moses (the ladies that offer prayer support) when I KNOW that God wanted me in those clubs as a Joshua (the ladies that go in).

The crazy part is, I almost didn't go...

I have a very hectic and tiring schedule and I could find 100 reasons why I couldn't be there. I had missed the last two weeks due to legitimate reasoning, but this week, the excuse I would have given was much less important.

I had to make a very conscious and determined decision to go where God was leading me. Like I said, I know that I could have found 100 reasons why I "couldn't " go. But you know what? It's not about me. IT IS NOT ABOUT ME!

I could worry all day about how I don't "fit in" at those places, how the girls may not want to talk to us, or how I might get uncomfortable, but IT IS NOT ABOUT ME!

It isn't about where I fit, God takes care of that...it is about where I can fill.

How God can use me to fill a dark place with LIGHT. How God can use me to fill a need in the life of a girl. How God can use me to fill a girl with the joy I know in Jesus. How I can fill a seat; one less seat taken by someone who wants to exploit them How God can use me to fill the clubs with good and pure prayers How God uses our team to help facilitate his plan for these girls How we will fill their thoughts and brighten their days

THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME!

This is about how God is using our team of ladies to fill these clubs and these girls with his light.
When I thought about excuses as to why these girls didn't need me to help fill them with Jesus, I couldn't think of ONE.

Because, while I was home with my husband, cuddled up in my bed I couldn't help but think how safe I was, how good I had it, how BLESSED I am. But those girls....those girls don't have that. They have men coming at them constantly wanting more and these girls give and give and give out of the most precious parts of themselves and they have no one pouring into THEM, keeping THEM safe, protecting THEM and making sure they have what they NEED.
That's us people.

Whether through prayer or presence in the clubs themselves, you and I are the ones stepping up to the plate and introducing Jesus to these places.

It was mentioned in our prayer time that there are some individuals using Philippians 4:8 to be able to avoid talking about the subject of strip clubs. Here is what it says,

Philippians 4:8 New International Version (NIV) 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

In regards to this, I want to remind these people that the light we are bringing into the clubs encompasses all of these things.

We are bringing truth, nobility, good, purity, loveliness and admirability into these clubs. We are giving these girls a chance to live this verse when they currently do not have that opportunity.
In addition, if your read the verses before verse 8:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in EVERY situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We are told not to be anxious about anything, and that through prayer and petition, in EVERY situation, the peace of God will transcend our understanding and will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

To me, this is even more confirmation that God is protecting us. Where he has called us, he will lead us. When we pray for these girls God hears us. When we go into the clubs, he protects us. How much better does it get than being where God is?

Grace and Peace,
Bekah

Coffee and War Stories at The Stripper Bars

I'm buzzed on some amazing coffee and second hand smoke. Who knew strip clubs serve coffee?! Let alone a decent cup, right?! But here I am, hungry (because there was no way I was ordering food from there), incredibly stinky and with a tiny headache in my temple. Should I mention the ear-to-ear smile I came home with? Because it is there...along with a happy heart doing a wild dance in my chest, overwhelmed as it is with love and joy.

Roger said that I needed to be careful, that the experience might go much differently than I was hoping. He was totally right. Nothing went how I imagined it might, but what was in my imagination was a nightmare! What actually happened was all God.

The ladies met at a church to spend about an hour on praise reports, outreach updates, where needs were being met and then to cover us all in prayer. After that, we broke up into teams and went to two different clubs. Some of us (myself included) went inside while others stayed behind in their cars and prayed the entire time we were inside.

There are specific rules when we are in the club. We are never allowed to be out of each others sight. We never go to the bathroom alone (or go at all in there) and we do not leave to a private area to talk to any of the girls, most especially outside. With this in mind, I stayed with my other ladies the entire time.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous walking up to the front doors. My mother-in-law pulled the front of my sweater up because I left my coat and scarf in the car and was now a little more exposed (next time...TURTLENECKS!). When we got inside, there was a table right by the door where a couple of men were sitting, chatting, and collecting cover charges. My MIL already knew them and they were excited to see her. She introduced me, I shook their hands while slipping my cover to them. She had us sit down with her and we all just started talking like it was completely normal to have us ladies in the strip club.

My chair was positioned so my back faced the stage...thank The Lord. There was an old man sitting there and he was so very kind and a gentleman. He asked if we needed something to drink and recommended the coffee. I was so impressed that they had coffee that I immediately said I would love a cup.

The men talked to us about their families, about Christmas, their grandchildren, and told a few jokes (some worth laughing at and some not). So far, this is not what I had prepared my brain for. There was some sort of conversation going on about finances and the economy and how the old man beside me once knew what it was like to scrape by to make ends meet. Suddenly, I am unfurling a story about the first few months of my marriage when Roger was a Private First Class in the Marines and I was only just turning 18. I told him how we had no money whatsoever and were too proud to tell our family how bad it had gotten. I shared with him how one night I said I was hungry, knowing full well that there was no food in the house. That didn't matter because Roger told me he would get me something to eat. He was in the kitchen forever, making all kinds of noise, and when he came back, he had a warm meal on a plate just for me.

My new old buddy was intrigued. He said, "Well, wasn't that something? That's a good man!" To which I smiled broadly and asked, "But do you want to know what it was?" He lifted his brows and I answered, "It was an MRE!" He burst out laughing claiming how terrible those things were. This is how he started opening up about being a Vietnam vet. We talked about the candy in MRE and how they no longer put cigarettes in them. Then we started talking about war...

*I just have to pause and say: GOD BLOWS MY MIND!!!*

I spent the whole night swapping war stories with my new buddy. He was amazing! He even rolled up his shirt sleeve to show me where he had been shot. I would ask him a question to which he would honestly give an answer...and then he would ask me a question. I told him about my experience with war, as different as they might have been from his, and he told me his experiences. He was drafted at 19 and a radio operator in the field. It's amazing he is even still alive. He told me what he did when he got home...the good and the bad. I told him about what we did when we moved home after Roger was out. I even told him the story of how my best Marine buddy said he would give me $20 if I would put a pinch of snuff in my lip. He nearly fell out of his chair laughing at the picture I painted of me turning a zillion shades of green and falling flat on my butt, swallowing the snuff and never getting the $20. He told me about his high school sweetheart and how she was gone when he came home from Vietnam and how he saw her for the first time since then this past Christmas. He told me, "And boy! She was just as beautiful as the last time I saw her!"

Through the entire night, I didn't really get to talk to any of the girls. Whenever one of them past the table, I would lift my eyes, look straight in her eyes, and smile. But now that I am home and have been informed that lesbians also frequent the clubs, I am regretting the decision to have done that. There was one girl who sat down across from me for a few moments. I introduced myself and she smiled and said, "Gia? We have a girl named Gia that works here." I gushed and responded, "Really? I'd love to meet her. I've never met another Gia!"

Then awkward silence filled the air. The girl looked down at her phone and I kinda knew she didn't have a clue as to what to think of me. Suddenly, very awkward myself, I sighed and said, "Yeah...it's not my real name, though." Her eyes shot up and she said with a wry smile, "Yeah? It's not her real name, either."

**Laugh at me all you want!!!! Because I felt DUMB!**

Nothing I saw shocked me, but I am sure one day something will (besides that, everything was happening behind my back). I got the impression that the gentleman we sat with weren't even there to 'see' the girls...but mainly to sit with a war buddy, sipping their alcohol free drinks, smoking, collecting the covers and making sure the girls (which I got the impression they felt fatherly towards) were okay.

At the end of the night, my old buddy said, "I think I missed my calling in life." We talked about how people just want to feel special and know that someone cares about them. We talked about how they just want to know someone loves them and that they are not alone. He said, "That's what these girls want. Lots of them have been abused...and they just need someone."

I don't know what God is doing or how He will use me, but I can feel His breath in my lungs and His words on my lips. I know He wants me there. In my heart, I know that my old buddy will not forget the girl who swapped war stories (of all things) over coffee with terrible dance music blasting behind us. The owner will trust that I just want to be a friend when I come back. He will even let me in the dressing room to paint the girl's nails should they desire it. The old guards at the door, my buddies, know they can tell me which girls need what and over what I can be praying about. It isn't the most conventional way to minister to the broken hearted in the world...

But...

I'm not conventional.

The most important thing I have learned is that evangelizing means friendship. You usually cannot simply start talking about Jesus because people are hurting and have built mighty fine walls around their hearts. You have to be willing to sit beside them, talk and listen, laugh and sow some truth about themselves little by little (it takes a great deal of patience). I looked my old buddy in the eyes and said, "You have a good heart. I can see that." He held my gaze with misty eyes...and I know what he heard was God's voice.

Unconditional love. That's what I can give.

~Gia