 While I worked in the legal sex industry for three years as an adult, my journey began long before I ever entered the club and said "sign me up!" It's hard, real hard to have to look at my life in honest ways and admit that I was a victim of human sex trafficking. Back then, I didn't even consider the facts of my life, the circumstances as part of something that encouraged me to walk into a club and say "Yes, I want to be an exotic dancer." I just knew by 14 years old that's what I wanted to do. But the reality is...that decision, that path was set long before I turned 18 and entered the legal sex industry.
My story is not the story of every woman in the legal sex industry! My story is just that...my story! I realize that many share in my story. Many women in the legal sex industry were victimized as children--abused, raped, touched, sold...but I know many who do not have those recollections, who would tell you they had great childhoods and that they have simply made an empowered choice or that this was where their adult life has found them. No matter the reason they are there, they are no less loved by God than any other person.
The reality of world today is such that there is legalized sex industry and there is an illegal sex trade...where people (women, men, boys and girls) are being forced, coerced, blackmailed into use their bodies for someone else's profit or gain. This should not be happening.
The Free2BMe Project unconditionally loves women in the sex industry --- no matter how they ended up there! Whether it was their choice or a choice made for them by circumstance or other people. We love dancers, managers, floor walkers, door persons, bartenders, dj's, janitors, house moms, owners...everyone in gentlemen's clubs across Toledo! It is our honor to journey with them! And we believe that they are all passionately loved by a HUGE God, who does not push them aside, like our world often does. He loves them right where they are. I know this to be true because I know that God loved me while I danced, that he was with me and that he was watching over me.
Free2BMe does what we can to bring awareness to the children who are caught up in the illegal sex trade. Sex trafficking is a part of my story, and unfortunately it is a part of our crazy world! I had opportunity last month to share my story at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio for the Southwest Ohio Nazarene Church. One thousand people learned about the horrors of child sex trafficking, but praise God when they hear my story they also hear how God calls His people to not look down on the adults (men and women) working in the legal sex industry, but to instead embrace them with unconditional love, to see them as everyday normal people. When they hear my story, they get to hear about how beautiful and precious women in the sex industry are, how to treat them with respect and love and how to love like God does.
God can use our stories in powerful ways. I'm so excited that I am no longer hiding, but instead that I'm able to live a free life because of Jesus Christ--a life in which I am free to be me!
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.
 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...
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.
How often are women objectified? We thought we'd turn the tables for a day!!! We asked some of male supporters to come out and raise some money to help fund The Free2BMe Project at the first ever Reverse Bikini Car Wash in Oregon, Ohio. It was a complete success! We raised $334 which will help us provide resources and gifts to women in the sex industry! Thank you to everyone for coming out to support such a great caused!
 I've been meaning to get over to Lifeway for quite some time to ask them to partner with The Free2BMe Project. My vision for this was that they would sell $5 Bibles in the store to customers who would purchase them with the intention of donating them to F2BM. We would use them for our Bible study, for when women ask for a Bible, etc. My plan was to ask them for 100 Bibles. Anyways, I haven't made it. I called Lifeway corporate and they said that for that small amount I would have to work something out with the store. So today, I finally went to inquire about this partnership.
I went in and spoke with one of the employees, a great guy that I know well. He informed me that I was misinformed that it doesn't work like Lifeway corporate told me. The manager wasn't there. He was on break. But the other guy said, "you can check back but I've never seen us do that. It's always a corporate thing."
Well, I wasn't going to come back, but needed to burn some more time, so I went back. I found the manager, told him what that I was wondering if they would consider selling $5 Bibles for Free2BMe, explained it all to him. He said "Sharon, I got them. There sitting here. 100 of them. I haven't been able to find anyone else to take them. I've been calling everywhere and no one wants them. There yours. I'll go get them." As he was loading them into my car he said, "God had these waiting just for you! I'm glad you came to get them!"
The cool thing is that each of them has a special handwritten message on the inside cover telling the recipients how much of a treasure they are! The people who purchased them for special women wrote messages of love on them!
I was in tears! God is so good! Those Bibles had been waiting there for Free2BMe for months! I just had to listen to God and go ask for them!!!
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!  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!!!!
A great friend of The Free2BMe Project, Julie, recommended that we read this book called "The Reluctant Prophet" by Nancy Rue. I don't have much time to read leisurely, but my daughter read it after her suggestion and just wouldn't let me NOT read it. She was quite persistent and so I began to read it. Once I started I could not put it down! The book is amazing!
I was able to connect immediately to the main character, Allison. I have even said some of her very words and I was left asking if the author had been spying on me. Anyways, our leadership team here at F2BM has now read it and we are anxiously awaiting the second installment in the trilogy. It comes out in October of this year.
If you are looking for a good book to read, check out this one! I know it will touch your heart!
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