 CLIENTS: Every week we have the privilege and honor of walking alongside women who desire to see Christ transform their lives. Please pray they continually press into Him, begin or continue taking tangible and realistic steps towards healing and renewal, and seek out the Lord's will not only for themselves, but for their families as well. Pray that each woman grasps the depths and measure of the Lord's love for them, and that it is He alone Who declares their identity and worth. Pray that as they heal individually, they can also then impact each other positively through encouragement, prayer and healthy, Christ-centered friendships. Please also continue praying for our future clients; the women we have yet to meet, but with whom we wholly believe the Lord is already orchestrating divine appointments. Pray He begins to stir their hearts towards His perfect, unfailing and unfathomable love. OUTREACHES: We are here to serve the Lord and to be His light to the world. We praise Him for His continued favor in our outREACHes, opening doors to speak of His life-saving message through our life-skills/support groups, daily social media posts, monthly strip club outREACH and our weekly inner-city outREACH. Please pray for our Christmas-themed monthly OutREACH at our adopted club, and our upcoming Christmas Party being held for our clients at the Equine Facility, occurring on the 8th and the 13th, respectively. Pray that every day our actions are motivated by the Lord's love, that we speak with His words, we allow His strength to sustain us and we share His hope with the world. We also ask for prayers that we will be able to expand our strip club outREACH in 2013 when and where the Lord says it is time. PROGRAMS & SERVICES: Please pray for all the services and programs BFA provides. First, that they glorify the Lord and secondly, that we continue to assess the needs of the women we serve and do all we can to help them rebuild life through Christ-centered counseling, mentorship and providing for their practical needs when possible. We also want to continue empowering the women to make whatever changes are necessary for themselves and their families so that they embrace the wonderful plans and purposes the Lord has for them. Pray that we are able to maintain and develop new programs and services based on the needs of the women and the community, with the purpose of continuously glorifying the Lord by showing His love through our actions. CURRENT NEEDS: We first want to praise the Lord for providing a desk and couch for the office! We continue to be in need of 2 rolling office chairs and 2-4 industrial shelving units. With our client-base expanding, we are also in need of many practical items, such as Bibles, bus passes, food gift cards, pharmacy cards, gas cards, and client sponsorships. CLICK HERE for the entire list of our needs. EQUINE FACILITY: We give all the glory to the Lord that our Prevention Mentoring and AfterCARE Restoration Equine Programs assist both clients and their children, and we ask for continued prayers for all involved in these programs. We still pray the Lord provides the necessary funding in order to renovate the horse barn, with the goal of adding a restroom and mother-in-laws' suite as soon as possible. Pray specifically for a water heater and plumbing supplies needed to install the new shower that's been provided. For more information on the programs and facility, CLICK HERE. FUNDING: We thank the Lord for all of His provision. Whether it's through new donors or people who have supported BFA for years, we are so grateful and thankful for the financial gifts we receive. Please pray for additional supporters who want to partner with the Lord's vision for BFA, in order to continue reaching women and young girls who have been victims of s*xual exploitation, abuse and trafficking. PARTNERSHIPS: Partnerships are crucial to extending the work into which the Lord has led us, and we are thankful for the current partnerships that have been forged. We ask for prayers that more churches will feel the desire to offer their time, talents and resources to BFA, and that there will be an increase in the community partnerships in which we are involved. Please pray for protection for all of our partners, and that the Lord continues to orchestrate divine interactions according to His perfect plans and purposes. EVENTS: As the year is coming to a close, we continue to be busy with speaking engagements and awareness events, in addition to our daily and weekly programs and outREACHes. Please pray for our participation on December 21st in Fort Myers' Music Walk, a monthly street festival held in the River District area of Downtown Fort Myers. Pray for divine appointments and guidance as our team raises awareness about Human Trafficking and BFA. Please pray for wisdom as we must discern what we should be involved in and when we must decline an offer to participate in an event. Pray that every event BFA is involved in brings glory and honor to the Lord, declaring His goodness and His desire to break the chains of injustice. VOLUNTEERS & INTERNS: Volunteers and interns are absolutely essential to continue reaching the women we serve and to expanding our client-base. Please pray for women to feel a stirring in their hearts, desiring to join us as volunteers, and ask the Lord to provide a new group of interns beginning in the Spring of 2013. We are also in need of women who feel led to transport our clients to and from necessary appointments, group counseling sessions, and the Equine Facility for services. We also are seeking an Event Coordinator and women who can assist in the day-to-day operations of BFA. STAFF: Pray that our Founder, Julie Shematz, and Program Manager, Christa Hicks, would sustain balance and priorities as they work diligently to prevent, reach, rescue, and restore victims of s*x trafficking and s*xual exploitation. Praise God that He has enabled Julie to maintain a 4.0 overall GPA in the Mental Health Counseling Program at Florida Gulf Coast University while she also is the Executive Director of BFA! Pray that Julie would be refreshed and renewed during her winter break from school this month. Praise God that Christa has been with BFA for over a year now! Agree with us that the Lord will fill her to overflowing on a daily basis as she manages the programs, meets with clients, supervises interns and volunteers. May both women prioritize their daily personal time with the Lord in order to fulfill the call on their lives as servants and leaders. Pray for both overcomer's marriages and spouses to be prioritized and blessed. BOARD OF DIRECTORS & ADVISORS: Agree with us that all advisors and directors be of God's perfect will for 2013 and that all directors will fulfill their roles and responsibilities to the organization. Pray that those whose time has come to fruition with BFA will recognize it and humbly step away, allowing others to assume their call to advise and direct the ministry. Pray for a spirit of unity and harmony and against the spirits of pride. Continue to pray that God would pour out His blessings on each member of our board and advisory team. Agree with us that their health, family, and resources be protected. OTHER LIKE MINISTRIES/AGENCIES: We praise the Lord for the numerous organizations and ministries throughout America and the world striving to bring Christ's hope to the hopeless; to see victims of s*xual exploitation, abuse and trafficking set free and restored by His wonderful love. Pray that we are unified in our desire to spread the Gospel, and that we all serve with humility, integrity, honor and respect. Pray for protection in all areas; that strong boundaries exist and every bit of our work is driven by Biblical priorities. Pray, too, for the families and friends of all involved in ministry, and that every relationship is found to be Christ-centered. WEEKLY GLOBAL PRAYER: Please join us each Friday from 8-9am EST to intercede for victims of s*xual exploitation, s*x slavery, and s*x trafficking, as well as the agencies servicing them. CLICK HERE for Prayer Guide. Locally, we meet in North Fort Myers at the Equine Facility. Contact us for directions. "Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel" (Which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23 ESV On behalf of Julie Shematz, the Beauty From Ashes™ FREEdom™ Team, and clients, thank you for your continued prayers surrounding this ministry. Our prayer for you this season is that you receive revelation of the Reason for it and that He transforms your life. Merry Christmas. With sincere appreciation,
Nancy Sampson
Prayer Team Coordinator
Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries
Where Victims Become Over-Comers
"Survivors must be leaders in the development of services, shelter, and response protocols to s*x trafficking.”
- National Report on Domestic Minor S*x Trafficking
AWARENESS & PREVENTION • REACH & RESCUE • TEACH & DEMONSTRATE • TRAIN & SEND
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| (239) 939-9218 TOLL FREE HELP LINE: 877 4BFA SOS (877) 423-2767 PHYSICAL ADDRESS; 13180 N. Cleveland Avenue, Suite 111 North Fort Myers, FL 33903 MAILING ADRESS: 13300 South Cleveland Avenue, Suite 56-623 Fort Myers, FL 33907 www.BeautyFromAshes.org |
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