It all started 7 months ago while our team was in the back of a dirty dingy strip club, sharing in God’s love with women that were working. It was on that night that we met Clare. Clare was about 5 foot 9 inches tall, wearing little to nothing when we met her and was so high on pain pills we could barely make out what she was saying. However, we knew by the Holy Spirit’s guidance that Clare needed help. We learned that very night that she was homeless and had 3 little children under the age of 4. She was married and prior to dancing was a stay at home mom. Her husband James got caught up in things of this world, drugs, money, and more drugs landing him in jail.
With James in jail and Clare having to take care of her 3 kids there wasn’t to many options for her with work, as Clare was wanted by authorities as well. What landed them in this predicament? This is a tragic story of a downward spiral that led to months of anger, bitterness, torture and homelessness.
It had been 2 months since Clare had begun her life in the clubs when we met her. Around the time we met her she had met a man in the bar that said he would “provide for her”. She started staying at his house. He bought her a cell phone, diapers for the kids, and other material things that he could use to lure Clare into this game called an affair.
We quickly realized what was going on in Clare’s life and offered her to come and live with one of our team members. She agreed to send her kids with our team and she would figure her own way out. So the kids came to live with us for a week. At that time it became evident Clare wasn’t figuring things out so we needed to extend the same offer to her, knowing full well we were dealing with a drug addict, a manipulator, and a thief. Realizing that this might be the only way for Clare to escape this awful cycle she had gotten herself into. To be able to stop what might of happened to the kids, had she traveled continually down this path.
Clare and her 3 kids moved in with our team member. It was absolutely beautiful to watch the Lord move and work all around Clare and her kids. Our team and supporters were huge in helping out daily with different things that needed to happen, job search, house hunting, government assistance with food and daycare, and transportation. It was beautiful!
After about 3 weeks of her living with this family we got a call from someone we knew offering for her to live in a house he had for rent. He said she could live there long enough to get her stuff together and if it worked out for her to stay then he would let her stay. Praise the Lord, we moved her in, cleaned her house, helped organize and get her set up to succeed. Doing ALL in the name of the Lord. We wanted so desperately for Clare to see God’s hand in all of this.
Shortly after this Clare gave her life to the Lord and started on this journey of learning about what it was like to live for Jesus. She attended church with us, bible study, and support groups to help in her battle against her addiction. She had even been a smoker for a long time when we met her and with the power of Jesus she quit cold turkey and never looked back.
Through all of this we saw God’s power and mercy everywhere we turned. We began seeing scripture verses written all over Clare’s house. One’s that spoke to her and she wanted to remember.
We soon confronted Clare about her relationship with the other man that she had met at the bar and she has struggled with letting go of that. But despite this sin in her life, God saw to it to do a radical miracle in her life. Praise God he loves us even when we are still sinners.
Despite all of the positive things happening we didn’t know of some serious legal issues Clare had. While trying to help her find a job we pulled a background check on her, with her consent and found she had some major problems. Bench warrants for her arrest in not just one case, or two, but three and four. It was devastating news to her as well as us.
A christian lawyer that know’s about Scarlet Hope happened to run into one of our team members. She was asked about this situation and offered to serve as Clare’s lawyer free of charge. That alone was a blessing beyond belief. She told us that Clare was facing years in prison and there would be little to no chance of getting around this situation. But with the Lord’s guidance Clare decided she would turn herself in.
In an effort to keep her kids out of the foster care system, families came forward offering to take the kids temporarily even if it meant years while she served her time. Only to give them back to her once she completed her time. That was an absolute miracle in itself!
We got everything set up for that to happen as well as figuring out all the details of what would happen to her things, etc. On the week that she was to turn herself in her husband James was released from jail. Unexpectedly, it was crazy. We had no idea what would happen at that point because he hadn’t seen his kids in over 8 months. We thought, will Clare move forward with turning herself in and moving on with her life? Would James take the kids and try to go somewhere? All of these things we were fearful of, but the word say’s “there is no fear in love, that love dries out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” (1 John 4:18) So we knew if we came around James and loved him as we had loved Clare he would not feel threatened by our help and would hopefully see the love behind our words and encouragement. The Lord gave favor to us and James saw our devotion to his family to help them see who they are in Christ.
On Friday last week James, Clare, the lawyer, and Rachelle all met in the courtroom so Clare could appear before the judge and be taken into custody. But something very different happened this day.
With the Spirit of God walking and talking in every single situation that day the Lord granted favor to Clare and allowed her to be free from jail or prison. After the first prosecutor and judge had reviewed Clare’s case and agreed to home incarceration instead of prison in any amount, we had 2 more judges to get through. People, please hear me when I say this is an absolute miracle. All 3 judges that she went before agreed to home incarceration, dropping some of her cases simply because she turned herself in, as well as allowing her to still work and take care of her own kids!
It was an absolute miracle right before our eyes. The lawyer said she has never seen anything like it, that she knew the Holy Spirit was working on Clare’s behalf!
After looking at this beautiful picture of Grace and abundant Mercy we see that justice looks very different to the Lord. He desired Clare to be freed, among HIS people, and able to care for her kids while getting all of this behind her. It was amazing and we know that so many of you prayed and lifted her up for us on that particular day and for so long you have been praying for her.
She is currently on home incarceration and is seeking full time employment during the week. She is not allowed to attend church as the court ordered her only to leave for work, so we are hopefully going to be starting a study in her home so she can grow in the Lord with other believers!
Praise God with us for this freedom in Christ and the literal freedom from bondage and prison. This family has a long way to go, don’t we all. We are walking each day side by side with this family and your prayers are so greatly appreciated!
His grace is sufficient!
In Him,
Rachelle & The Scarlet Hope Team
