"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgement, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (We love because He first loved us.)" - 1 John 4:16-19
My prayer in this season of life is that God would perfect me in His love. I long to simply abide in Him so deeply that I can abandon myself unto the call of God in a new fearless way. I imagine we will always have fears that arise until the day that we see His face, but I desire for my heart to reach a place of intimacy with our heavenly Father where fear is out of sight and out of mind because I know that I am safe in the palm of His hand. Not only safe, but blessed and provided for - without a shadow of a doubt I long to know with each breath I take that I am my beloved's and He is mine. That is what God has been laying on my heart this week as I have just completed my first 40 hours at Refuge for Women. God has been reminding me that we are called to fearlessly walk with Him in our new identity as children of God knowing who's we are first and foremost. As I have walked along side each woman at the refuge for just a week I can already tell that God is calling me to fearlessly believe in His goodness and grace that is BIG enough to renew these ladies hearts, minds, souls, bodies and spirits. I have realized that the only way I can love these women is through the fearless heart of our Father because He first loved me fearlessly!
My first week at Refuge for Women was a MEGA week for sure. I have seriously hit the ground running since I moved to KY and work was not one step behind at all. This past week we took in two new women at the home and are taking in three more by the end of this week. Needless to say God is a God who is alive and active and He is definitely in the business of rescuing those from darkness and bringing them to the light. It is so phenomenal to see our Lord's hand at work in each of the unique stories that each of these women have when they come to the safe home. I am beyond blessed to get to hear them and to humbly play some small role in their rescue story and restoration process as the Lord weaves it so intricately. There is absolutely no denying that our God leaves the 99 for the 1 lost sheep - there is no doubt that our God calls his children back from the East and from the West. There is no doubt in my mind that our God is relentless and that through Him victory over sex slavery is possible.
All within my first week of work I have seen God healing women of eating disorders, restoring disoriented minds, mending broken hearts, providing funds for the lost to have homes and sooooo much more. I have seen a woman graduate from the program at the age of 19 when she came in at just a mere 18 years old. I have seen a 5k ran by over 300 people to raise funds to set the captives free. My job is not a normal job, my days are not normal work days - I get to see miracles every hour and the relentless love of our savior doing a mighty work. I think that this week above all else has left me completely in awe of our God. He is might to save and his love is deeper than I could ever imagine.
I am so excited to see all that God has for me here in this job and more importantly in these women's lives and in this community in Kentucky. I am excited to bloom where I have been planted - to join God in the ways he is moving here already. Believe me yes I have felt the pains of transition, there are days that I miss NC and there are days that I miss my family and my beloved community that once surrounded me so thickly, but what is true is that when you are walking in what God has called you to do it's all for the glory and the sacrifice seems to shrink and it all becomes worth it. It is because He is worthy of it all. I am learning that daily. He is worthy of my thoughts, my affections, my praise, my money, and my time.
God sent Jesus to make all things new and I am standing in the midst of the maker as he truly takes ashes and turns them into beauty before my very eyes.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
My prayer in this season of life is that God would perfect me in His love. I long to simply abide in Him so deeply that I can abandon myself unto the call of God in a new fearless way. I imagine we will always have fears that arise until the day that we see His face, but I desire for my heart to reach a place of intimacy with our heavenly Father where fear is out of sight and out of mind because I know that I am safe in the palm of His hand. Not only safe, but blessed and provided for - without a shadow of a doubt I long to know with each breath I take that I am my beloved's and He is mine. That is what God has been laying on my heart this week as I have just completed my first 40 hours at Refuge for Women. God has been reminding me that we are called to fearlessly walk with Him in our new identity as children of God knowing who's we are first and foremost. As I have walked along side each woman at the refuge for just a week I can already tell that God is calling me to fearlessly believe in His goodness and grace that is BIG enough to renew these ladies hearts, minds, souls, bodies and spirits. I have realized that the only way I can love these women is through the fearless heart of our Father because He first loved me fearlessly!
My first week at Refuge for Women was a MEGA week for sure. I have seriously hit the ground running since I moved to KY and work was not one step behind at all. This past week we took in two new women at the home and are taking in three more by the end of this week. Needless to say God is a God who is alive and active and He is definitely in the business of rescuing those from darkness and bringing them to the light. It is so phenomenal to see our Lord's hand at work in each of the unique stories that each of these women have when they come to the safe home. I am beyond blessed to get to hear them and to humbly play some small role in their rescue story and restoration process as the Lord weaves it so intricately. There is absolutely no denying that our God leaves the 99 for the 1 lost sheep - there is no doubt that our God calls his children back from the East and from the West. There is no doubt in my mind that our God is relentless and that through Him victory over sex slavery is possible.
All within my first week of work I have seen God healing women of eating disorders, restoring disoriented minds, mending broken hearts, providing funds for the lost to have homes and sooooo much more. I have seen a woman graduate from the program at the age of 19 when she came in at just a mere 18 years old. I have seen a 5k ran by over 300 people to raise funds to set the captives free. My job is not a normal job, my days are not normal work days - I get to see miracles every hour and the relentless love of our savior doing a mighty work. I think that this week above all else has left me completely in awe of our God. He is might to save and his love is deeper than I could ever imagine.
I am so excited to see all that God has for me here in this job and more importantly in these women's lives and in this community in Kentucky. I am excited to bloom where I have been planted - to join God in the ways he is moving here already. Believe me yes I have felt the pains of transition, there are days that I miss NC and there are days that I miss my family and my beloved community that once surrounded me so thickly, but what is true is that when you are walking in what God has called you to do it's all for the glory and the sacrifice seems to shrink and it all becomes worth it. It is because He is worthy of it all. I am learning that daily. He is worthy of my thoughts, my affections, my praise, my money, and my time.
God sent Jesus to make all things new and I am standing in the midst of the maker as he truly takes ashes and turns them into beauty before my very eyes.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
"For the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." - Isaiah 61:1-3