Journal Entry #81 – A simple smile
April 23rd 2010
“If someone claims, “I know him well!” but doesn’t keep his commandments, he’s obviously a liar. His life doesn’t match his words. But the one who keeps God’s word is the person in whom we see God’s mature love. This is the only way to be sure we’re in God. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived.” – 1 John 2:4-6
She stared blankly, but a smile grew as we walked in the door.  M, dancer at Club 4 was working this night.  Lindsey talked with her through out the night and noticed something wasn’t quite right.   She wasn’t her usual happy self that she portrayed on other nights we saw her.  As they got to talking, Lindsey learned that M tried to take her own life this week with a bottle of pills.   M was rushed to the ER where her stomach was pumped and she was nursed back to health.
M is sick.  She is desperate and longing for something that only the Lord can provide.  On the nights we go into the club, it might be just that simple smile, that simple gesture that gives her HOPE for tomorrow.   You never know who you might come in to contact with in your day to day life that might not know that Jesus already died for them, and they can have Hope in Him.
Many of you I’m sure heard the KY Supreme Court ruling on Friday about the adult entertainment ordnance that they ruled in favor of for Louisville, KY. Â Here is a brief snapshot of the ordinance.
No nudity, no alcohol, 6-foot barrier between dancer and patron, no direct tipping (putting monies directly on a dancer), clubs must close between 1a.m. – 9a.m. Â and these are just a few.
Friday night, we got to see first hand the comments, the accusations, the thoughts of these men and women in this industry and what they thought about that.   Some comments were positive …. one owner said “maybe this will clean this place up”…another comment was “I hope someone buys this place and changes it around”  and another was a concern of prostitution within the women.  But I think the one that stood out was a single mother with no GED, no family around, dead-beat baby daddy, and no car saying “I’m never going to make any money now.” When someone doesn’t know the Lord and doesn’t live in his grace and love, fear sets in.  Desperation sets in and shakes her foundation.  We pray that this kind of women God will draw in to our team so we can take her in, love her and show her there is HOPE.  That God can use this time in her life to make her stronger and possibly end up changing her life all together.
Prayers this week are asked for the single mom’s that will be directly affected by these changes. Â Pray that Scarlet Hope can be a resource to women who end up jobless, when this was their last resort. Â Pray that God will be GLORIFIED in all things!!!!
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