July 11, 2006

Oh, WHAT A NIGHT!!!!

As usual, last night (7-11-06) was AMAZING!!!! I am continually in awe of the heart of God for the lost and for the favor God has given us in these clubs.

Consuming Fire and Spring 1st joined together last night to go to the strip clubs. The team from Ireland will be here in August. We took 65 gift bags containing a colorful, collapsible storage bin (neater than it sounds), a Chick tract entitled "The Star", a pen with a phone number for prayer imprinted on it, a card for Spring First and a Firehouse Cafe card, and chocolate candy. Before leaving we prayed, and Debe prayed that we would have "connections" and did God come through...

At the first club, James was in the parking lot. As you will recall, James is the guy who used to work at another club we go to and was fired from there. He ended up at the 1st club. He was quite talkative last night and was very happy to see us. Wes had Chassie (our Schnoodle) with him so James was drawn to them. He had to show off his dog, Mocha, who was staying in his van. We left James and Wes in the parking lot and went into the club. There was a different cashier, but she let us go on in when she realized who we were. There were quite a few girls in there. The bartenders were quite friendly and happy to see us and told us more girls were in the back. The new manager (who previously was not so friendly to us) came out, gave me a big smile, shook my hand, said it was good to see us, and told us there were more girls in the dressing room and to go on back -- so we did. The girls were happy to see us and appreciative. The manager thanked me as we were leaving and shook my hand again. I always think it is ironic that managers are asking "church ladies" to go in the dressing rooms of their strip clubs. Only God....

As we were leaving the club, James came up to us. He said that he was sick and tired and about ready to make a change. He said he didn't know where to turn. His brother had told him that once you die, that's it -- no eternity. You are just dead. But he remembered one of our conversations at the other club where I had told him that there is an eternity -- heaven or hell. It is his choice. James is definitely at a critical decision point in his life. As we were talking, his sister and her husband drove up. I introduced myself (can't remember her name). She said, "Oh, you're the church ladies." I said, "Yes, we're the church ladies." She told me that she cleans the club after hours and finds our bags. She said sometimes the girls leave the reading material, so she picks it up and takes it home and reads everything. She said that she has the prayer card taped to her mirror and said that her family needs a LOT of prayer.

After his sister drove off, James said that his family is messed up. James admitted he is an alcoholic and said his brother-in-law (whom we had just met) was also an alcoholic. He said he didn't know how his sister puts up with her husband. He began talking again about being sick and tired of being sick and tired and was almost ready to make a change. I asked him what did he have to lose? His way wasn't working for him too well so he had nothing to lose by trying it God's way. We continued to speak hope and life and encouragement to him. He said he had our card and would call when he was ready. James was also quite proud that he had Wes' "direct" line. I told him to call either the prayer line or Wes' number any time -- day or night. He abruptly walked off when someone pulled up in the parking lot so we went to the van. I really felt we needed to pray for James right then so Nancy began praying for him while we were in the van still parked in the parking lot. As she was praying, James knocked on the door and asked if we were praying! We said, "Yes, we are. You want to join us?" He said, "Yes." My dad (& the rest of us) prayed for him while he stood just inside the van door. He thanked us, closed the van door and walked off. Wow. That was pretty cool. On to the 2nd club...

LOTS of cars in this parking lot and a new valet parking attendant. He wanted to know what we were doing. I told him. He asked if the bags were only for the girls. I told him no that he could have one as well. He laughed and thanked me. We went into the club and walked in front of several customers who were not quite sure why we were there. A dancer named "Isis" was standing there and told us we could take the stairs so that we wouldn't have to walk through the club. We went upstairs (a first) and saw the djay. I gave him a "late Happy Father's Day" gift and a card inviting him to the Firehouse Cafe. He said he wasn't a father and started to hand the gift back to me. I told him maybe he would be some day and to just keep the gift. He thanked me. He asked the ladies behind me where we were from. They told him. Part of us went into the dressing room while the others went into the club area. As we were walking into the dressing room, there was a babysitting notice taped to the wall. You know the kind that offer services and then have numbers hanging down where you can tear the number off and take it with you. This one said "Babysitting in my home. I'm an ex-dancer turned Christian. Former stage name Coco. I will keep your kids in my home." and continued on with numbers, etc. WOW! TOO COOL!!!!

As we were exiting the club, the manager came up to me and asked if I remembered James and wondered if I had seen him lately. I told him we had just talked with him at another club. He said, "James really needs some help. YOUR help. Is there anything at all you can do for him? He really, really, really needs help." I told him all we were wanting on was for James to say the word. We have resources to help him, but it has to be James' choice. He said, "Good. Please do whatever you can." This is the SECOND manager at this club (from which he was FIRED) that has asked us to help James.

The third club was very busy -- especially in the parking lot. Wes and my dad passed out cards inviting people in the parking lot to the Firehouse Cafe while we were inside the club. Debe talked to Denise (whose real name is Shanika), and Shanika gave Debe her phone number and says she really needs to talk to someone and will be calling the prayer line. I believe Debe also got to talk to Nature. Debe is going to call Shanika and invite her to the class she has on Monday nights that deals with "deliverance".

When we left this club, we only had 8 bags left. We stopped at the modeling studio and gave away all 8 bags there. We didn't even get to go to the other 2 clubs we normally go to because we ran out of bags! We had even increased the bags by 5, and that wasn't enough!

PLEASE be praying for James. When a strip club manager (who fired James) tells us James needs help, James needs help. Also, please pray for Nature, Shanika, Isis, James' sister and her husband, and all of the other girls. Additionally, please keep "Coco" the Christian ex-dancer babysitter in your prayers. We pray that she will be able to plant seeds whether she babysits for them or not. What a ministry!

As always, thank you for your prayers and support! God is just too cool.