FAITH, Expressing itself through LOVE.

Empty eyes light up as we walk in. I think even the bartender is starting to look forward to our weekly visits now. Our friends are sitting at the bar just waiting for another day to pass by. Right before we walk in, the nerves are so great inside that I'm not sure if I can do this again....what if we are rejected today?? What if the owner is there and demands we leave "his" girls alone?? Satan loves to TRY and make us doubt, but how thankful I am for the Soveriengty and comfort, and leading of God. He is so INCREDIBLE....EVERYTIME He just leads us into that place of darkness and uses us, ordinary women who love Him, to love on those girls. RIght before I walk in I am reminded by His still small voice speaking to my heart, "Stephanie, remember, this is ME going in there today. These girls don't belong to anyone but ME! I don't NEED you to do this for me, but I WANT you to. I desire to use you for MY glory, and for you to rely on MY strength, and to rely on MY words for those girls. I know them by name, I desire THEM-- their love, their time, their lives......Go and be my disciple, go love those girls for ME."

As I walk in, every thought of anything else in my life fades away, and my ONLY focus is being Jesus to those precious girls. We talk just as any of my other girlfriends would, about life, about families, about hardships, about joys, EVERYTHING. Which makes sense...these girls are my FRIENDS!! How cool is it seeing people the way Jesus sees them. I love these girls and as I get to know them more, my heart hurts but opens up even more for them and their lives. It is amazing to see weekly how these walls are crumbling down more and more. They have shared before that they don't trust anyone, everyone judges them, and hurts them. How cool was it to be able to tell them, "I know it will take time for you to see, but we are different. We DO love you, and we want you to know that you are cared about and prayed for, and we want to be here every week to see who you are inside and what your life is all about. You matter! You matter! You matter to us, and you are worth more than you can even imagine...we love you!" The response was amazing....I know that there are walls to be broken down, but God is SOO more than able to do that....just in His timing.

At the church tonight is a concert, and the girls were talking about how they had nothing to do tonight, so I felt led to invite them to come and just hang out and listen to music. Three of them said they would like to come tonight, so I just pray that they do show up, because I know God is waiting for them to come, He is ready to fill those empty eyes with a love that covers every hurt, every fear, every desire they have. I love my friends...God thank you for using me today. God, thank you for opening the door weekly to meet with these girls and show them that they matter and that they are loved. You are so ROCKIN AWESOME....I can't wait to see what You are going to do next:) Thank you for taking me out of my comfort zone and teaching me how to take my faith and put it into action through your amazing love!! I LOVE YOU

Galatians 5:6 "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love"

-Stephanie