Free2BMe has been busy playing elves for Santa! Last weekend we had our first ever Breakfast for Santa for the children of the women we serve! The event was held at the Eastern YMCA and we had our very own visit from Santa Claus! The kids had fun and we were even able to invite Y guests to join in on the fun!

We have also been working on blessing the ladies we serve with Christmas gifts for their children.  Several churches and organizations partnered with us this year to make Christmas happen for several families! Thank you to Genesis Christian Fellowship, Madison Church of the Nazarene and Bay Park Community Hospital.

We also want to send a thank you to Nu-Vizion for our new partnership for our Praise & Prayer Gatherings. They have generously opened their building to Free2BMe once a month! We are excited about this ministry partnership!

 
 
On Tuesday, I awoke to the news that one of our clubs was burning.  We immediately went into action - getting people praying for the safety of all involved, for provision for those who will be out of work, for staff, employees, managers, owners...for everyone involved to just be wrapped in God's love in this horrific moment, when everything that they know came crashing to the ground.  Imagine coming to work and realizing that there was no work. There would be no money, no food, no rent, no car payment, nothing.  And to top that off...there will also be no unemployment benefits because most who are affected by this circumstance are exactly in that boat.  Your world would be crushed and you would panic, especially when you have children. 

We began to work on how we could serve this club selflessly in this crazy time. We contacted the managers and the employees that we had contact info for and began to get the ball rolling on loving these women in this time of need.  Tonight we had opportunity to love unconditionally in a very special way. 
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We are always blown away by the ways God allows us to serve women in the sex industry! It is such an honor and privilege to know these precious women.  Tonight we delivered a couple weeks of groceries to a woman who is out of work because of this week's fire at Platinum Showgirls! It was amazing to see the children smile and run to help unload. Neighbors joined in as well.  The kids came running out of the house after taking the groceries in, each having claimed their own box of cereal for themselves, yelling "Thank You! Thank You!" And "H" gave many hugs and thank yous.  She has kept the cards from our visits to the club in her purse for encouragement.  She pulls them out and reads the prayers on them.  She is a treasure! And we pray only blessings over her life and the life of her family! It was such a blessing to us to be able to meet her, her family and her neighbors tonight! We can't help but think that even if only for the next couple of days, this family won't have to worry how they are going to put food on the table. The children can go to bed knowing that all is not lost, there is hope...

 
 
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Closed
so tight
and pointed to the end.
Soft monochrome verdancy,
dreaming of what could be. Uncurling,
unfurling –
tentative vulnerability.

Passionate hue;
speckled and spotted.
Gorgeous even when bruised.

Fragrant freedom!
Completely opened
for anyone to
see
smell
touch
hear
the sound of silence,
knowing beauty
is in simply being
and becoming
what you already were inside…

Vibrant.
Delicate.
Captivating.

A dear friend and supporter of The Free2BMe Project wrote this poem, Amanda Moore. She is a gift writer, whose many poems some how transcend boundaries and speak to the heart of not only every woman but I'd say men too! I thought we would share this one with you. 
 
 
Free2BMe had the opportunity to visit one of our clubs on one of their biggest nights of the year! Our team was very excited. We are always honored when we are given the privilege to enter a club to share the unconditional love of Christ unashamedly! 
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So out we went on Saturday night to love on some of the best women in town! Our gifts included inspirational silicone bracelets and yummy chocolate!!And one of our supporters, a woman who dearly loves our ministry and the women that we serve baked four dozen homemade brownies! In total we took 100 gifts for 100 precious ladies! This was our larg

The night was amazing! We talked with managers. We were able to hug and encourage at least 30 dancers face-to-face and many others through our love gifts and just smiles.  We saw old friends and made some new ones! Girls were wearing the bracelets we gave! Some of the girls even gave us some of their own candy stash! We sat down and chatted with many women!


My favorite part of our visits is hearing the life stories of the women we encounter! Often the world forgets that these ladies are real people, with real feelings. I love to hear about what's going on in their lives, whether they go to school, have children, their struggles, their joys and their dreams.  And I love having the opportunity to encourage them on their journey in any way I can. 

I am always blown away with how God intersects our lives and I love having the honor to illuminate his workings in our world! I believe with all my heart that Jesus loves exotic dancers! He is working in their lives in the same way that He works in the life of anyone else.  He doesn't see our professions, He sees our hearts and loves us dearly because we are his children!

Check out these pictures of our preparation for this visit!

 
 
It's the Fourth of July! Free2BMe celebrated our freedom by visiting three of the clubs here in Toledo! We had a fabulous day getting to know our managers and our girls a little better!

Some 2000 years ago, the Apostle Paul said "Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you." These words are still true! The love of Christ breaks all boundaries and gives us freedom to be the women He created us to be! 

Dear One, we pray that you know that you are loved beyond all measure! It's Independence Day! Let FREEDOM ring in your life! Because in Christ you are free!!!!
 
 
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Tomorrow is Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are moms! Being a mother is a unique thing! We have a very special role to play in the lives of our children.  In fact, that's exactly what I spoke about today at Madison Church of the Nazarene's Mother/Daughter Luncheon in Adrian, MI.  They are a great church that loves The Free2BMe Project! They are just one of many churches who support us and who love you passionately!

It is our responsibility as mothers to develop our daughters into healthy and whole women who know who God created them to be. Women who have been instilled with confidence and purity.  As mothers we carry this special task. 

With the help of Madison Church and a couple of other supporters, The Free2BMe Project was able to bless an expecting mom this evening with baby gifts.  We took three huge gift bags full of diapers, wipes, blankets, a handmade quilt, bottles, diaper creme, baby wash, shampoo, onesies, and the list goes on, to a very pregnant momma. 

We pray blessings over her and her family.  Realizing that every child is special and every mother needs encouragement and support to be the mom she was created to be! We pray that these gifts will bless her family over the months to come!


"A Baby's on the way...
the blessing of the Lord be upon you (Ps. 129:8)...
Guided with tenderness,
nurtured with love,
Gently watched over by heaven above,
Happily waking or safely at rest,
May your precious Baby forever be blessed!"

Some pictures from the Mother/Daughter Luncheon @ Madison Church of the Nazarene, Adrian, MI 5/7/2011

 
 
The Free2BMe Project had the opportunity this past week to go to Lansing, MI to partner with Eve's Angels for a night of testimony and love! We had the privilege of loving on some awesome women who have big dreams for their lives and love Jesus! I've posted a blog already, but wanted to share some pictures!
 
 
Last night I sat with two fabulous women in a strip club in Lansing, MI. The scene was one that I'm all too familiar with, but as we sat watching the surroundings and getting a feel for the place, all three of us at the same time were capture by the dancer on the stage. It wasn't her body, or anything sexual. What captivated us was the look of hopelessness and disconnect that pierced through the dark room. It caused all three of us to perk up and watch this beautiful woman as she paraded herself despairingly from pole to pole.  Sadly, we all saw it and even commented on it.  How long had she been there? How did she get there? Did she have any hope? And then the lyrics...

Music speaks to me in a way that I have never been able to explain. Last night, Anny said “Music is the entrance to the spiritual realm.” And she’s so right. As a dancer, in case you didn’t know, you choose your music.  And I'd like to say that you chose what would make the most money, what was most popular, but honestly, 90% of the songs are songs that spoke to you.  Songs that expressed what the deepest part of your soul was feeling. You'd never admit that but really it was. 

So as I began to become attune to this girl’s looks and feelings, the lyrics of the song that played began to pierce my soul.  So much so that I began to scribble them on the clubs promo card that was lying on the table. I've added a picture of what I was able to scratch down. I didn't know the song, but as the words poured over me, I felt for a moment as if this girl on the stage was speaking through the words.  The look of hopelessness and despair that, I'm sure she unintentionally gave off, suddenly had words and real meaning...
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I'm broken down inside
Livin' with myself nothing but lies
I always thought I'd make it
But never knew I'd let it get so bad
Livin' with myself is all I have
I feel numb
I can't come to life
I feel like I'm frozen in time
Livin' in a world so cold, wasting away
Livin' in a shell with no soul
I'm too young to lose my soul
I'm too young to feel this old
So long, I'm left behind
I feel like I'm losing my mind
Do you ever feel me?
Do you ever look deep down inside
Starin' at your life, paralyzed?

In that instant, my heart broke for her and I began to pray that God would give the hope that he gave me.  That he would give sight to this blind woman, to this hurting soul.  That he envelope her with his love in a very real way. 

The Free2BMe Project partnered with Eve’s Angels last night, that’s what we were doing there.  And the setting above is how we ended our night. Before this there were 18 of us, current dancers, ex-dancers, pastors, prophets, children, women with no past and women still living in the pasts that some of us had left behind. We were one in a small room in a Methodist church on the corner of a college campus.  God moved through that room. His love permeated each word that was spoken and I saw a glimpse of heaven here on earth.  A place of healing, restoration and redemption, a place of unconditional love and forgiveness!

The God of the universes loves…the God of the universe is love…the God of the universe…oh the God of the universe… He is mighty and He alone is worthy of praise!  

My prayer is that that girl on the stage would find her way to that room in a Methodist Church on the corner of a college campus…not so she can find us…but so that she can encounter and experience the love of the God of the universe that created her for so much more than hopelessness and despair…

 
 
On February 10, The Free2BMe Project is going to be beginning a new resource for women in the adult entertainment industry.  On the 2nd Thursdays of each month, we will be gathering at the Summit YMCA in the Multi-purpose room.  These meetings will be a place that women will find support and encouragement no matter where life finds them.  If you attend, you will find a safe place to explore your faith and your relationship with the God of the Universe who loves you more than you could ever imagine; a safe place to ask questions, find prayer and most definitely

We are excited about the possibilities and the journey that we are starting! There's no need to RSVP, you can just show up! There will be coffee, tea and light snacks! We are praying for these meetings now! Knowing and expecting that God will move and that He will speak to us all in mighty ways!
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This Easter season, we pray that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are loved! You matter! Easter is a special season for me.  This song captures my thoughts. It shares my heart and my joy that I have found knowing that no matter who I was, or who I am that Jesus Christ loves me. He died for me! So that my brokenness can be made whole in Him and in Him alone!