Living Examples of Beauty for Ashes

Wow this blog is way overdue. I kept forgetting to write it in the midst of the chaos with coming home.

On Friday, 18 November, eleven girls graduated from the rehab program at Renacer. This group has been the most special group by far. I have worked first hand with all of them; they have trusted me with things that they wouldn’t tell the social worker or psychologist. I have cried with them, laughed with them, prayed over and with them, shared life with them as we grew ever so close to them. Several of the girls even saw me as a mother figure to them and had asked if I would adopt them (half jokingly.)

These eleven girls have inspired me, pushed me to be better, taught me, showed me God’s personal pursuit of us, and are my heroes. I wish I could share all of their stories with you. Their stories are ones that show the reality of my life verses and ministry verse of Isaiah 61:1-4.

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

These lost and scared girls came into Renacer brokenhearted; captives to abuse, addictions, hopelessness, fears. They have lived out their shell of a life from the prison bars with the lies of Satan guarding their every move so they may not know the freedom that Christ paid for them with His own blood and body.

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor.

They have spent 15-18 months beginning the transformation process, which is a life long process that we all are in. They have learned about and have experienced the Lord’s favor first hand, through His protection and bringing them to Renacer for a second chance. They began hopeless but end with a renewed hope that the Lord is for them and on their side. They have found comfort for their shattered world. The have begun to see that God can, wants and is taking all the burnt up pieces of their lives (the addictions, the prostitution, robbing, satanic worship, abuse, the list go on) that have filled their once numb, cold and lifeless heart and turn them into a fruitful and endless forest breeding new life not only in them but to all those around them. They have found laughter, joy, hope and praise for the Lord and how He has saved them.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

They have returned home, to places where life looks eerily the same, as if time almost stood still waiting to put them back into that familiar prison cell. The temptations are ever present and even stronger than before. But they have been planted and God will continue to grow them, nourish them and prune them as they show His splendor in the darkest of ruins. Christ has come to restore and renew not only themselves but their families and their future families. Generations will be forever changed because of what God has been doing in their lives over the past 15-18 months and the many to come.

Sadly as I write this a month after graduation, one girl who graduated and was living at Renacer (because she had no place to go, no family and is only 13 yrs old) ran away this week. We’re not sure where she is but most likely she has returned to the streets as this is the only place she has. Please be in prayer for her and all the others. This is not an easy process.

My girls face things that most of us can never imagine. They also have radically changed, one wants to be a missionary, and they return home to families who are cynical about their change. The families look for just the first little glimpse of the old life, a wrong look, a wrong word, or action is all it takes for those around them to tell them that they knew she didn’t change. She’s not worth anything. She’s always going to be the same.

The ground has been worked; the seeds have been planted and tended to. Now they are no longer with us at Renacer but God has not forsaken them and He continues to tend to them and grow them in His love if they allow Him to. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor.