Are you fearful to step out?
What I learned from your comments and emails yesterday is that you are fearful to step out and serve others. I am too, I recently wrote about it. However, it doesn’t matter if you are stepping inside of a strip club or going to knock on your bosses door, you and I balk and look for a way out.
To get caught up read yesterday’s post.
I wanted to turn around once we hit the door of the girls dressings room at that strip club. I was not in my comfort zone and my inner me was screaming, “let me out!” What I kept remembering was the tug on my heart that God had placed there months ago and the words from my eBook Giving Up Normal kept ringing through my soul,
If your heart is leading, you are called.
If you are called, others are waiting on you.”
The doors pushed open. There I was in a room full of girls and my mind went numb. The smell, filth, and dingy walls of the room were a far cry from the beautiful entrance we had just walked through. I was cognizant enough to continue smiling, but my breath had been taken away. I was thankful for the Simply Beautiful leader who led the way and knew some of the girls already.
We made our way in saying, “Hey girls, we came to bring you some snacks and goodies tonight!” The bag we brought in was loaded with individually packed snacks, chocolate, make-up, and lip gloss. Some of the girls came over right away to grab some goodies, some were leery and wondering why in the world we were there. However, giving away goodies was the perfect ice-breaker. Perfect!
As girls continued to get wardrobe and make-up on, we chatted about life — school, husbands, kids, etc. Before we had entered the club we had prayed specifically for opportunities to get the girls numbers so we could form a relationship with them outside of the club.
I know what you’re wanting to ask. Didn’t I feel awkward?
It was the girls dressing room, so you can imagine the clothing or lack thereof. I’m a girl, so HELLO the lack of clothing was no big deal. What I was most taken back with was the lack of life in that room:
–there was puke on the floor and we all just stepped over it like it was no big deal
–many of the girls were intoxicated waiting for their “show” time
–there were no genuine smiles acknowledging true happiness
–smoke rang thick in the air accentuating the darkness
–numbness permeated the room
These words and discriptions can not fully do the experience justice. My heart churned the whole 30 minutes we were in there. There were many girls I wanted to snatch-up and run out the door with. MANY!! But truly all I could do is pray that God would provide a divine moment with a girl. Just one moment, God, one moment — one girl!
And just like God – He doesn’t let you down when you pray for divine appointments . . .
I’ll share that appointment tomorrow. Today, I wonder why we let our fears get the best of us. Lives are at stake!
What is one thing you can do to help conquer the fear within so you can reach others?
This story is riveting. I would be completely out of my comfort zone. God bless you and your friend. This story paints such a different picture of what they show of the strip clubs on tv shows… thanks for the wake-up call.
Girl – that was the first thing I told my hubby — TV glamorizes this craziness. It’s rather filthy, dirty, and the girls are SOOOOO taken advantage of in every sense of the word. I’m still looking for words to describe that crazy rolling around in my mind.
Oh, Alene. So AWESOME what you’re being called to do. Awesome stories, awesome God.
Love you crazy messed up friend — it’s SUMMER – when we getting together?
Maybe when we do our week of stress for Summer of 7 we can sneak away for a breather? LOL
I’m not fear of serving and helping others, I suppose I would have been scared of the location. You know, the “Good Girl” thing…Good girls don’t go there, I would worry about scary men in those places. Yes, fears, but not fear of helping fear of the location. You are so brave, and I hope you were able to touch someone’s heart and soul.
Lisa – oh I totally get what you’re saying. Trust me we have many precautions in place. When you go to dark places be it the strip club or the streets you have to think safety as well. That sucks – but that’s the truth of the world we live in. No one is immune from the craziness out there. Keep searching and stepping out. Blessings.
Oh Alene, you are dragging this out and I can’t stand it. I am so excited.
Alene, this story is gripping me. I cannot tell you. Actually, I’m sending you an e-mail now . . But thank you for writing this and being brave.
I just attended a presentation on Human Trafficking hosted by Blue Nation and YWCA yesterday. They covered a topic known as “Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking” where girls are seduced, coerced, and tricked into commercialized sex (porn, stripping, and prostitution). Sometimes, it looks money isn’t exchanged, sex is used in exchange for things like a roof over one’s head or free drinks and meals at the club. In almost every case, fake IDs are used and they are trained to lie about their situation. The average age of victims is 11 to 14 years of age. Alene, thank you for bravely giving up normal and going into this lion’s den. The work you do shows women that God did not mean for them to be exploited. They were meant to be His daughters in Christ.
This stirs something within me! I felt like I was in the middle of sex trafficking. Husbands knew and dropped their wives off. Boyfriends going all crazy. Some had video equipment linked in to their house from their men. CRAZY!!! You certainly don’t have to go far to witness the effects of sex trafficking. I’ll get info about Blue Nation. As you can tell, my heart has been stirred!
Wow wow wow! Just wow! I can’t imagine how your heart felt in that place. I can imagine the feeling of wanting to run out of there with those girls, too! What an amazing calling God has placed on your heart. I can’t wait to read more.
Oh my goodness! I can’t wait to read about the results of your visit! I am sure you made an impact on those girls!
Happy Saturday Sharefest!
Something happened in my heart as I read. I remembered last year when some sisters and I went to a brothel, looked similar to what you saw, but we spoke and prayed…
We cannot stop except we do not love. They are acting out what they know, we need to reach them and let Christ work in them. Well done Alene, it is our call… as believers.
Visiting form SITS.
http://www.ugochi-jolomi.com/
Straight to the heart. wow. tears.
Janelle
gracecalling.net