I made £5 at a Strip Club this weekend!
I’m being totally serious! Â Would you like to hear the story?
This weekend, I joined up with some folks from our church in an awesome ministry that’s just getting off the ground — all props to the Lord, and the delightful Miss Sarah Wood! With the accompaniment of a few gents from the church, us ladies take turns going into the clubs (a few of us together at the time) to bring the ladies there flowers (last month it was roses for Valentine’s Day) and just tell them that God loves them. The guys stay outside, pray for us, and strike up conversations with the bouncers, and we give them candy.
In one of the clubs Saturday night, I met a really sweet Scottish girl who thought the pink Gerbera daisy I gave her was lovely and just couldn’t believe we were giving away flowers just to share God’s love. Â The moment went a little something like this:
Me: “Would you like a flower?”
The young lady: “Aukh, [that’s a Scottish sound there] what’s this for?”
Me: “We just want to share God’s love with you — to let you know God loves you and you’re special to Him.”
Her: “Oh, that’s the sweetest thing ever! Can I make a donation? Let me make a donation!”
Me: “No really, it’s okay. Â It’s totally free — we just want to tell you God loves you.”
Her: “No, I have to make a donation! Â Let me make a donation!” [and she shoves a five pound note into my pocket.]
Me: “Really it’s okay! You don’t have to do that!”
Her: “Okh, it’s only a fiver.”
Me: “[Insert name], is there anything we can be praying for you about?”
Her: “Oh yes! Â That there won’t be so many nasty people in the world, and especially that people will stop being so nasty to me.”
Me: “Great, I’ll be praying for that. It was nice to meet you.”
[There was a little more small talk interspersed, and then, our exit.]
This was such a lovely and eye-opening moment for me, you guys. It broke through a lot of stereotypes for me, and challenged me to think about what Jesus might be doing on a Saturday night in Edinburgh. Some of the ladies were very reticent to receive a gift from us — others remembered and thanked us again for the prayers we prayed for them last time the team was there. It was so great just to take an opportunity to share with these ladies that God loves them and that they’re precious to Him.
A girl from our group shared that she spoke to one of the girls in one club who said, “Oh! Â I’ve been looking for a church! Where is your church!?” Does that not just blow your mind? God has truly written eternity on the hearts of every person He created — we have no idea how close people are to connecting with Him. I trust Him to use our feeble human efforts, combined with His power, to see big things happen: changing the burgeoning Edinburgh sex industry to an industry on its way out.
Thank you Sarah, for having the heart to push for God to move in this way in Edinburgh. Thank you Jesus for loving each of us, when we were (and are) still sinners, for coming after us, and for drawing us into yourself. May our lives be a reflection of what God has done in us – and may we continue to go after people who need to know God loves them.
(And by the way, I gave Sarah the fiver to pay for more flowers for next month. 🙂 )
xCC
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