Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29
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This year has been filled with so much growth, love, blessing and hard ache. It's been one of the greatest reminders that this earth is not our home, and that we are awaiting a heavenly home where there will be no more suffering. Each year that we have been ministering in the adult entertainment industry, God continues to show his greatness by allowing the Light of Christ to shine brightly in such a darkened place in our city. God has put hundreds of women in our path that he has called to himself and shown his mercy and grace on.
I'd love to tell you about a former dancer named Sara. It was earlier this year that we were being led to visit a club we had never visited before. We went in and asked the manager if we could start serving a meal at that club and excitedly she said, “Absolutely! I've heard about you girls and we would love to have you in our club!” So the next week we went back and shared a meal with four dancers, a bartender and a bouncer. One of these dancers was a beautiful and bubbly girl who immediately came up to us and introduced herself. She told us a little bit about her life, a life filled with drug addiction, felonies, and abusive relationships. She also intently listened to us as we shared the gospel with her. This was, she told us later, the night that Jesus spoke to Sara for the first time in her life and invited her into a life with Him. She called us the next day and told us she had quit working at the club and that she wanted to go to church. That Sunday Sara sat in church and once again heard the gospel. During communion, she prayed to Jesus, asking Him to forgive her for her sins and to send the Holy Spirit to live in her heart forever. Sara's walk with the Lord since that day has been both tremendous and painfully slow; both encouraging and heart breaking. I know it seems like I should be able to tell you that since that Sunday, Sara got a white-collar job, got married, and now she and her husband live in the suburbs with 2.5 children and a dog. But God has been patiently teaching us over and over again that our ways are not His ways and that even when we know Him, our lives are still messy and difficult and marked with suffering. But praise God, the blood of Jesus covers us over and over and over again! Sara's story is such evidence of God's never-ending, all-sustaining mercy and grace. Since that Sunday when Sara surrendered her life to her Heavenly Father, she has still battled a drug addiction. She spent 6 months in prison for past mistakes. She still struggles to maintain a steady job. She often battles doubt, anger, and depression. But one thing is dramatically different in Sara's life: her identity is no longer Addict, Convict, Stripper; her identity is now and will forever be Daughter of the Almighty, Holy, Creator King. When Sara is knee-deep in sin and suffering, she now knows the only place to go is to the foot of the cross. Sara's life may never look like what we think the Ideal Christian should look like. But one thing is for sure: one day there will be no more addiction, no more poverty, no more abuse, no more sex industry, and we will be standing side by side with Sara, worshipping and singing praises to our Great God!
