Quit Playing It Safe

There are lots of things I am terrible at doing.  Like baking, for instance.  Or cleaning.  Oh, and math.  I’m terrible at math.  But some things like writing and organizing, I’m not too shabby at doing.  Oh, and talking - I’m great at gab - especially when it comes to mindless things.  But you get me going on something I am passionate about?!  

Not too many people I know say, “When I grow up I want to talk about sex.”  Honestly, that is not what I said either.  But as things would turn out, that is exactly what I am doing with my life.  And I could not be more excited, more thrilled, and more in love with my job than I am in this moment right now. 

I remember hearing someone once say, “You cannot amputate your history from your destiny.”  It made zero sense at the time.  But as I sit today, in this moment and realize what God has brought me through, that statement makes perfect sense.

Recently, God called me to start a ministry with the purpose of helping people find freedom from sexual sin.  Specifically, God has asked me to help men and women find freedom that only comes from the redemptive power found in Jesus Christ when they surrender their lives to Him.  Surrender means letting go of those things that have them, all of us, by the throat – lust, pornography, adultery, divorce, addiction, abuse, bad habits, prostitution, promiscuity, SIN.  Initially, I felt very overwhelmed by the call, by the task.  I still do at times.  But then I remembered exactly what my God has brought me through and redeemed me from. 

No, I cannot amputate my history from my destiny.  BUT…

My history and my future, and therefore my destiny, share the same root – Jesus Christ.

God has a calling on your life, as well.  And it is beyond your wildest dreams.  No, I never could have imagined being in this place for such a time as this.  The journey has been long and painful.  But so far, it has been worth it all.  The risk IS great.  The cost IS high.  And wouldn’t it?  And shouldn’t it?  After all, Christ gave His life for me and for you.  Shouldn’t there be some cost, some risk for following Him?

Over the weekend, while America watched 50 Shades of Grey, 21 men lost their lives for the cause of Christ at the hands of ISIS.  While men and women (yes, CHRISTIAN men and women) paid for and viewed pornography, Jesus welcomed (stood in their honor, I bet) 21 brave men as they entered Heaven. 

YES, the cost is high.  The risk is great.  The choice is hard.  But the reward is GREAT.  His Glory – our reward.

You have a calling.  You have a God-authored, Jesus-ordained calling on your life.  Don't play it safe.  Our world has enough Christian people playing it safe.  Jesus is so worth the risk.

Now, go fulfill your beautiful purpose.

Let's Talk About Sex! Introducing Freedom13 Ministries...

It was the summer of 2008 when I was sitting among a small group of women participating in a Bible study on the power of prayer.  I felt the tug at my heart.  I felt the whisper in my ear.  My response was quick and sharp.  "No, LORD.  Not me." 


I knew in that moment that he was going to prepare me for something big, something beyond my wildest dreams, something at the end of it all, I could look back on it and say, "Only you God could pull off something like that."  Since that summer in 2008, I knew God was going to use our time together to prepare me, train me, and grow me into the woman he created me to be for such a time as this.  The journey would not be without challenges, hurts and heartbreaks, but it would be worth them all.  Because when we surrender our lives to Christ and his cause, he makes life worth living.


Ya know?  Only the God I serve can take our most painful moments and turn them into glorious opportunities of servanthood.  Only the God I serve can take our most shameful moments and turn them into liberating opportunities of ministry.  And only the God I serve can take our most sinful moments and turn them into righteous opportunities of proclamation.  Months ago the Lord started piecing together the vision for Freedom13 Ministries.  The burden for this ministry came after seeing and hearing about the struggle most young people face as they try and navigate their way through a sex-saturated world.  My passion for this ministry only grew as I watched young women hide behind their shame of virginity, pornography addiction and poor relationship choices.


As an American Christian, I must face the reality and ask myself, "How have I contributed to this?"  Having grown up in the church I know sex was not something taught on regularly.  I just know I was told to not have it until I was married.  Could it be as American Christians we have somehow, unintentionally taught our Christian children to be ashamed and scared of sex and to be ashamed and scared of their virginity?  And could it also be that we have completely failed them as the Body of Christ in preparing our Christian children on how to live in a sex-saturated world?!

The mission of Freedom13 Ministries is to educate men and women of all ages on God’s design for sex and the importance of a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Freedom13 Ministries strives to be on the pro-active side of crisis pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, and men and women’s overall spiritual and emotional health.  Freedom13 Ministries also believes that Jesus forgives all sins and can restore anyone’s past no matter how dark or ugly.  It is our hope to empower men and women of all ages with the redemptive Gospel message found in the Bible. 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)


The purpose of Freedom13 Ministries is to serve men and women of all ages who long to be set free from sexual sin.  It is easy to walk through life not realizing we are enslaved to sin that is keeping us from experiencing God's full potential for our lives.  Freedom13 Ministries educates, equips, and empowers men and women through the message of hope, redemption, salvation, restoration, healing, and accountability found in the Bible.  Additionally, Freedom13 Ministries provides support for healthy relationships, children (young to adult) effected by divorce and adultery, abstinence: God’s design for sex, and virginity (second chance virginity). 


Why the number 13?  Freedom13 Ministries believes in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.  Galatians 5:13 says, "For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters.  Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."  I believe in and proclaim the saving and miraculous power of Jesus Christ.  In my darkest moments, Jesus has been there for me.  That's just who he is.  I don’t believe in luck or magic.  I believe in Jesus and blessings.


HOW CAN YOU HELP?


1.  I need your prayers.  This ministry cannot survive without prayer.  Consider being one of our prayer partners. 
2.  I need volunteers.  Specifically, I need individuals willing to be accountability partners for those struggling with specific areas of sin. 
3.  I need financial supporters.  We are a non-profit organization and are trusting the Lord to provide donors in order to pay for brand new expenses.



Brent and I are so excited about this new journey.  Thank you for your prayer and support.  We can't wait to see how the Lord uses Freedom13 Ministries.  Where He is, there is FREEDOM!


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