October Prayer Alert

Dear Loyal Prayer Partners,

Thank you for your dedication to intercede for Beauty From Ashes™ staff, interns, volunteers, & clients. Your prayers are crucial to the healthy development of the individuals we are committed to serving!

CLIENTS: Pray that the faith of each woman we serve will increase immensely as they learn to put their trust in our Lord.  May they see themselves as God sees them and be capable of believing in His plan for their lives.  Pray that God would bless them with the hope necessary to live out His purposes. Agree with us that they will feel God's presence as they step out of darkness and into His light.  

OUTREACHES:  Pray that outreach team members would continue to multiply as our territory expands according to God's will.  In addition to our daily internet, weekly inner city, and monthly strip club outREACHes, we are in the process of coordinating weekly outREACHes into another strip club. Pray that God would give an abundance of favor as we work to build relationships with the management and employees in this club.  Thank God for the favor we have with club management and employees of our long-time "adopted" strip club. Pray that the Father's love will be evident in and through the teams as they operate in unity. May those we reach receive the revelation of who God is, how much He loves them and embrace the truth that will set them free to be everything they were destined to be. 

VOLUNTEERS & INTERNS:  Pray for strength, encouragement and perseverance for current volunteers and that God would raise up more called, anointed, and committed servants.    

FUNDING:  Pray that many would be led to partner with us by donating much needed funds so that we can continue to sustain and build our client base and 30+ services and programs.

CURRENT NEEDS:   We are serving more local and national clients than ever before (42 individuals were served in one week recently).   Please pray that God would bring us partners with an ongoing desire to give consistently, as well as to supply bus passes, Bibles, gift cards, client sponsorship, pharmacy cards, refrigerator, etc.  CLICK HERE for entire list of our needs. 

EQUINE FACILITY:  Continue praising God, who has provided the horses and facility for equine assisted learning, an evidence based treatment for many of the symptoms with which our clients struggle.  Pray that our new horsemanship mentoring programs continue to help individuals develop trust, confidence, self esteem, and self control.  Pray that God would bring us funding so that we can renovate the horse barn by adding a restroom & mother in laws' suite ASAP.  Please pray for God's providence concerning the opportunity the owners have given us to purchase the 5 acre property which includes an 8 year old,  2250 sq foot 3/3 concrete block home, a pole barn, fenced and gated security system, and has a wooded hammock blocking the home from passing traffic.  Acquiring the property would fulfill the vision of establishing a Beauty From Ashes™ Therapy Center.  For more information CLICK HERE. 

PARTNERSHIPS:  Please pray that more churches will step up and support the first and only overcomer-led, faith based, human sex trafficking victim service agency in the state of Florida. Pray that churches would add BFA to their list of home missions support and begin supporting us with time, talent and resources.  May community partnerships continue to increase.  Also pray for protection and strengthening of existing networking, in addition to protecting our partners.  Where the enemy is trying to come against our partners, rejoice with us that a standard is being raised to protect them.  

EVENTS:  Wisdom and discernment to know what and/or who BFA is to be involved with or not. Pray for our October's events.  We are back into the season of multiple events.  Please pray that God would give our founder, Julie Shematz, the energy & strength to speak and present repeatedly in the next week.  Pray that many college students would be reached through the presentation at South Eastern University & pray for complete success during the Women At Risk (W.A.R.) event in Lakeland, Florida.  

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & ADVISORS:  God bless our new and existing directors and advisory board members!  Please pray for protection, wisdom, encouragement, and divine direction for BFA.  May all directors and advisors contribute their gifts and talents collaboratively as they operate in one accord.  

STAFF:  Pray that our Executive Director, Julie Shematz & Program Manager, Christa Hicks, would maintain balance and priorities as they work tirelessly to prevent, reach, rescue, & restore victims of sex trafficking & sexual exploitation.  Pray for Julie as she continues in her final year of graduate school and interns at the nation's largest Salvation Army Social Services Center as a Florida Gulf Coast University' intern in mental health counseling. 

OTHER LIKE MINISTRIES/AGENCIES:  Pray for unity amongst one another and humility, wisdom, and patience in reaching, rescuing and restoring victims.  May the level of professionalism be raised and licensed counselors and professional service providers unite with them to provide restoration services and program development.  Pray for balance, biblical priorities, and protection of marriages and families.  May strong boundaries be established and maintained for aftercare providers.  May God's strength and encouragement be imparted to all in the name of Jesus.  

FRIDAY PRAYER:  Please join us each Friday from 8-9am EST to intercede for victims of sexual exploitation, sex slavery, & sex 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.

PRAYER REQUESTS:  Send us your prayer requests by CLICKING HERE.

BFA E-NEWSLETTER:  CLICK HERE to sign up.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:19-20, NLT

Thank you for your commitment to prayer & intercession for our staff, clients, governing board, & partners!  We appreciate each of you!

Nancy Sampson and Sandra Spencer

Prayer Team Coordinators

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

239.939.9218 | 877.4BFA SOS (877.423.2767) Toll Free Help Line

"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

FROM OUR FOUNDER: Art, Horses, Counseling & Beauty From Ashes™

WANTED:  A white, bomb proof horse, for a forever home.

As many of you might know (or may not know), I did my undergraduate studies in Art.  In particular, I studied as a triple major at Purdue University in Art Education K-12, Fine Arts, and Visual Communication Design.  I acquired a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Indiana University and studied at the Herron Art Institute in downtown Indianapolis, IN.  My artwork has been shown across the nation and in France.  Additionally, I have taught art lessons to children and adults for over 20 years.

I am also a passionate horse back rider (passionate being an understatement) who originally grew up on a huge farm in the Midwest.  Yes, I'll always be a country girl no matter where I live.  Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries recently launched new Equine Programs.  Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Psychotherapy is evidence based treatment for many of the emotional and behavioral struggles survivors of sexual abuse face. As an overcomer, I know from personal experience how incredibly therapeutic horses can be.  Benefits of equine assisted learning include the building of confidence, self-efficacy, communication, trust, perspective, decreased isolation, self-acceptance, impulse control, social skills, boundaries, and spiritual connection. Our new programs are Horsemanship Mentoring for teenage girls (prevention), as well as Equine Assisted Learning for survivors of all ages (restoration).

Finally, for the past 2 ½ years I have been a full time graduate student in the Mental Health Counseling program at Florida Gulf Coast University.  I'm actually preparing now for my comprehensive exit exam scheduled October 27th.  (Deep sigh and breath!)  It was in 2005, I founded Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries, Inc., a not for profit, faith based, public charity.  Our mission?  It is to prevent, reach, rescue, and restore victims of sexual exploitation, abuse, and trafficking.

So you may be asking, how does the art, horses, and counseling conclude to me seeking a white, bomb proof horse?  For a number of reasons I want the horse:

1.  To use for the equine assisted learning programs.
2.  To paint and use for art and equine assisted learning programs.
3.  To paint and use for events and fund raisers.

For those of you that don't know about horses, bomb proof means that the horse will not spook easily.  Yes, we will need that so no one gets hurt or scared when we take them to public events like Fort Myers', Art Walk, Music Walk, etc.  The horse will also need to stand still so that it can be transformed into a living canvas.  White, so we have a clear background and colors come through accurately.   Participants can paint on the horse as part of our programs.  Myself, and even other artists can paint on them for special events.  Nice, huh, combine art and equine assisted learning and top it off with a unique and attention getting event/fund raising concept?   Get the vision?  I LOVE it.

If you know of anyone with a white, bomb proof, horse in need of a forever home, please call (239) 939-9218 or email me at julie@beautyfromashes.org.   I guarantee you that the horse will be unconditionally loved, cared for, adored, and deeply appreciated.   Oh yeah, and we can provide a tax deductible receipt for your contribution to the Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries' Art, Equine, & Counseling programs.

And for the record, in addition to my many years of horsemanship experience and being an educated artist, I am planning to acquire accredidation in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Equine Assisted Learning, and to become a Master Equine Specialist in Mental Health Learning through the Professional Association of Therapuetic Horsemanship (PATH) International and the OK Corral Series. These certifications will be completed by the time I complete my master's degree and after that I intend on acquiring certification in Art Therapy.  In the future, Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries will provide Equine Psychotherapy and Art Therapy, in addition to the 30+ services we currently provide free of charge.

Wouldn't a bomb proof, white horse be ideal for Beauty From Ashes™Ministries on so many levels?  Writing about how the white horse is an ideal image, in addition to the butterfly, will make a great topic for another blog.  Painting the butterfly on the horse is a dream.  I'll add both to my "to do" list.

Julie Shematz is the founder and President of Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries based out of Fort Myers, FL.  It is Florida's first and only human trafficking, overcomer-led, community service agency.  Providing victims with comprehensive and integrated services,  locally and across the nation, since 2005, they have assisted over 1300 survivors of sexual exploitation, abuse, and trafficking.  Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries: Where Victims Become Overcomers.

Follow Julie on Twitter and "Like" her facebook fan page, JulietheArtist. 

To see pictures and find out more about Beauty From Ashes™ Equine Facility and the vision of a Equine Therapy and Art Center, CLICK HERE. 

E-Newsletter: Equine Programs, Non Profit Consultant, OutREACHes, Internship & More!

EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING & HORSEMANSHIP MENTORING PROGRAMS LAUNCHED:  Equine assisted learning is an evidence based treatment for many of the struggles survivors of abuse face.  Horsemanship builds trust, self confidence, communication, self-concept, perspective, self-acceptance, impulse control, social skills, boundaries, and spiritual connection. Over the past 6 weeks we've had 15 participants ranging from 11 years old to adults in our equine assisted/mentoring programs.  Some are having sessions every week and others every couple of weeks.  Last weekend, two teen survivors of s*x trafficking participated.  We are planning group sessions with our life skills/support group and the staff and residents of a local faith based, residential rehabilitation program.  "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of man,"  -Winston Churchill.  Find out more about our new prevention and restoration programs and view pictures by CLICKING HERE.   

NON PROFIT CONSULTANT HIRED:  Thanks to the generous giving of one of our donors, we've hired Donald Miltner, as a non-profit consultant for the next year.  Mr. Miltner has a Master's of Business Administration from Harvard University.  He has provided consulting to World Vision, the Navigators, Columbia University, University of Missouri, Regent University, Billy Graham Association, World Relief, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and Presidents Reagan, Bush, Carter, and Nixon programs at the White House. We are very grateful to have him working with us and excited about a new season at Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries. 

STRIP CLUB OUTREACH REPORT:  On Saturday, September 8th, a team of 3 mental health counselors, an RN, and an intern delivered and served up a delicious home cooked meal in the locker room of our "adopted" strip club in Fort Myers, FL.  They also distributed gift bags of beauty supplies, toiletries, information about human trafficking and the services Beauty From Ashes™ provides. Additionally, each woman received a journal and the Freedom From Worry book by inspirational writer, speaker, and life coach, Karen Zeigler.  For pictures and more  CLICK HERE.  Since 2008, we've done this type of monthly outREACH into this particular club.  We've assisted numerous women and men we've met in this club to build new lives and lifestyles.  

INNER CITY OUTREACH REPORT:  Every Wednesday evening we have an outREACH team that partners with a team from Grace Church in downtown Fort Myers where 150-200 meals are served to the homeless and poor. We call this our "Grace OutREACH" because this particular area is known for its high rates of prostitution and drugs.  Letting people know who we are, what services we provide, that there is hope, and that they are loved, valued, and have purpose is our objective in doing these outREACHes.  Watching women we've met and served sing in the worship team this past week was a blessing to everyone.   

LIFE SKILLS & SUPPORT GROUP:  Every Tuesday evening from 7-8:30 in central Fort Myers, we provide a life skills and support group for women who have been s*xually exploited, abused, or trafficked. If you are a woman working in or desiring to exit from the s*x for sale industry, this group is for you.  The group is led by a master's level mental health clinician, who is an overcomer.  For more information and to register, call (239) 939-9218 or email christa_hicks@beautyfromashes.org. Free child care is provided.

CURRENT NEEDS:  Looking for a way you can partner with Florida's first and only human trafficking, overcomer-led, community, service agency?  With a case load of over 40 individuals we serve on average weekly, we need your help.  CLICK HERE for our current needs. 

MY INTERNSHIP AT BEAUTY FROM ASHES:  "Over the last two years of my life and even more so since I began working with Beauty From Ashes™ I have come to recognize the seriousness involved when your 'job' is people. " READ MORE & "after two weeks interning, I can easily say I really had no idea of the amount of work Beauty From Ashes™ (BFA) does. "  READ MORE -Natasha Hurt, Hadassah Intern.  To find out more about Beauty From Ashes™ college and non-college internships, CLICK HERE. 

EVENTS:  We've presented 60+ events to over 3500 people since January.  We truly believe that human trafficking awareness leads to prevention, intervention, and restoration!  Our multi-media presentations range from 30-90 minutes and have been presented to ages 8 through 80+.  Venues include social service agencies, churches, universities, colleges, health departments, and nursing associations, to Girl Scouts and country clubs.  To see our upcoming events, CLICK HERE.  To schedule an overcomer to speak at your event or invite BFA CLICK HERE. 

SCOPE OF SERVICES:  Mental Health Counseling, Social Services, Spiritual Counseling, Career, Crisis, and Addiction Counseling, Case Management, Mentoring, Medical Services, Relocation, Short-term, Long-term residential program placement, Consulting and Referral for governmental and non-governmental agencies, support system to loved ones of s*x workers, Trainings, outREACHes, and more.  For full list of services, CLICK HERE.  All services are provided free of charge.  

FUND RAISING: If you're passionate to do something about the human trafficking happening right here in the United States and want to support Beauty From Ashes, contact us today.  Whether it's a bake sale, car wash, Sunday School class project, percentage of your business sales, or organizing a dinner party, 3-5K run, awareness event, etc., please contact us with your fund raising/awareness ideas today.

DONATIONS:  We rely on private donations for program and operational costs.  Please consider giving a tax deductible gift today.  For $35 or more, we'll send you our Child of God CD as our way to say thank you for partnering with us.  For secure online giving CLICK HERE or send your financial gift to 13300 S. Cleveland Avenue, Suite 56, Fort Myers, FL 33907. 

MONTHLY PRAYER ALERT:  For details of how to pray for us in the month of September, CLICK HERE.

PRAYER REQUESTS:  Send them to prayer@beautyfromashes.org.

WEEKLY GLOBAL PRAYER:  To meet with intercessors locally, call (239) 939-9218 for location.  To join us in spirit from wherever you are and for a prayer guide, CLICK HERE.

Stay up to date with the day to day operations of Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries and latest news on domestic s*x trafficking by following us on twitter & like us on our facebook fanpage.

I cannot thank you enough for your continued support and encouragement.  As we move into a new season, myself, the board, staff and volunteers are anticipating great and mighty things as we continue to partner in preventing, reaching, rescuing and restoring victims of s*xual exploitation, abuse, and trafficking. 

Committed to the cause,

Julie Shematz
Founder/President 

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-comers

239.939.9218 | 877.4BFA SOS (877.423.2767) Toll Free Help Line 

Seriously Called

I love to laugh.  I have what can be described as a goofball sense of humor and cheesy jokes can make me smile so much my cheeks hurt.  I believe that circumstances happen every day where we have the option of laughing or crying, and I always opt for laughing at myself (example – last year on a mission trip my teammates and I were running to catch a bus and my pants almost fell down ).  I still find myself wading in the realm of clumsiness and though most people grow out of that around age 15, I for whatever reason, never did.  I think instead that as I get older I just find new ways of tripping over things, spilling food or beverages, or running into inanimate objects.  It is what it is.

I try to not take myself too seriously.  And I try to shake situations off when I know the only outcome of holding onto something beyond my control is worry and anxiety.  However, over the last two years of my life and even more so since I began working with Beauty From Ashes™ I have come to recognize the seriousness involved when your “job” is people.  Earlier this year I attended a Christian Leadership Academy and one of the instructors always said “we must stop playing games!  These are people’s lives we’re dealing with!”  What a true statement.  Everything, and I mean everything, Beauty From Ashes™ Beauty From Ashes™ is involved in has to do with people.  These are God’s kids, and to not take their lives and situations seriously means to not take His family seriously.

Every Wednesday, Beauty From Ashes™’ staff and volunteers attend a weekly outREACH service at Grace Church, an inner-city church located in an area where prostitution and drug usage is the highest in the county. The outREACH and church service is designed for people who are overcoming many life-controlling issues in order to build relationships.  Beauty From Ashes™ offers assistance to females  seeking help.  They also lead support & life skills group called Breaking Free at the church on Tuesday evenings.  The worship at the outREACH is awesome; people freely pouring out their hearts to the Lord and rejoicing in the healing and restoration He has lavished upon them.  After the service, a free dinner is served and it gives people time to chat, laugh, and even sometimes cry with one another.  It’s a time for fellowship and a time to offer a listening ear and encouraging words when needed.  I really enjoy going and am starting to get to know some people.  It’s fun seeing the same faces week-to-week.

Another part of ministry Beauty From Ashes™ is involved in is meeting those caught in the sex industry right where they’re at: work.  Beauty From Ashes™ does strip club outREACH the second Saturday of every month.  For several years now, BFA has taken a warm, home-cooked meal and gift bags to a club near Fort Myers Beach.  Setting up inside the locker room, BFA spends the next three to four hours serving food to both the women and the staff of the club, engaging in conversations, and praying for the women when invited to.  It is an incredible time to really get to know the women, hear their stories, and have the opportunity to show we truly love and care about each person.    

What a privilege and honor it is to be a part of the divine appointments the Lord orchestrates each day.  He knows every person I am going to influence and every person who is going to influence me.  And how utterly astounding that the Lord not only allows us to be His light and love in the darkness, He actually trusts us with this calling.  Our actions and our words resonate Who lives in us, and even a 10-second interaction can let someone encounter Hope and Love, possibly for the first time.  The enemy has caused nothing but chaos and brokenness through the sex industry; the Lord is saying He wants His family back and we are called to let His love shine.  I have never taken anything more seriously than now.  

Natasha Hurt was born and raised in Greeley, Colorado.  She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Northern Colorado.  An employee of High Plains Library District in Greeley for almost 10 years, she acquired a passion for anti-human trafficking.  In 2011, she went with Adventures in Missions on a 4-month, 4-countries trip, exposing her to organizations involved in anti-human trafficking work in Cambodia, Thailand, India and America.  Then, in 2012 she attended the G42 Leadership Academy in Mijas, Spain, a 6-month program designed to “ignite passion, unleash freedom, go to the nations.”  She currently is an intern with Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries in Fort Myers, Florida.  She hopes to start an organization in Colorado similar to Beauty From Ashes™, with the desire to show people caught in the sex industry how much the Lord loves them through intentional relationships and outreaches.  

I thought I knew: An intern's reflection

A few weeks ago I thought I knew.  I’d participated in a three-day training with Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries and I felt I had a good grasp on all they are involved in and all they do.  I knew that much of the ministry revolves around offering mental health counseling for women who want to leave, or have already left, the sex industry, as well as a once-a-month outreach to a strip club in Fort Myers, Florida where relationships and trust are being built through intentionality and consistency.  And now, after two weeks interning, I can easily say I really had no idea of the amount of work Beauty From Ashes™ (BFA) does. 

Investing in people from both a professional and compassionate standpoint is a journey with no formulaic set of guidelines as every person is unique; every person comes with different backgrounds, experiences and stories.  Beauty From Ashes™ doesn’t just offer counseling; the staff also want to offer as much encouragement and as many resources as possible to see individuals and their families begin a new chapter in their lives, while also empowering clients to take initiative as they desire to change their situations.  My second day with BFA found me transporting a client and her daughter throughout the city in hopes of finding affordable housing.  The remainder of the week included moving the family into their new home, transporting the client to various administrative buildings as she transferred her children to their new schools and securing food from the Salvation Army for the rest of the week.  

Aside from working with clients individually, Beauty From Ashes™ also offers a weekly group therapy and life skills session for women who desire change in their lives.  Staff at Beauty From Ashes™ also attend a weekly worship service at Grace Church, an inner city church where prostitution and drug usage is the highest in the county.  The outREACH and church services are designed for people who are overcoming many life controlling issues in order to build relationships and offer assistance if the individual is seeking help.  An exciting addition to services offered by Beauty From Ashes™ is  equine assisted learning, an evidence-based treatment for what many clients of Beauty From Ashes™ have gone through and struggle with.  One of my jobs over the last two weeks has been to assist in preparing and cleaning the horse facility where 6 weeks ago they began piloting horsemanship mentoring programs to females ages 11 through adulthood. 

Beauty From Ashes™ has partnerships with numerous governmental and nongovernmental organizations, locally and nationally, and collaborates with them, assisting victims to become overcomers.  The unique aspect about Beauty From Ashes™ is that all their services are free of charge and they don’t receive funding for servicing clients of other agencies that acquire funding for “certified victims”.  This past weekend I had the privilege and honor of transporting a minor back home, which included 29 hours of travel time, in order to be reunited with her family after having been a victim of human trafficking.  This is not the first time Beauty From Ashes™ has been involved in relocating survivors and often provide services to clients of other agencies.  

I haven’t covered everything; in fact, I haven’t even learned all that Beauty From Ashes™ does.  But what I do know is that 3-4 full time staff cannot complete their weekly “to do” lists.  Something else that I do know is that I am grateful and thankful to have the chance to work for and with them until mid-December.  This organization was birthed out of love for the Lord and love for His children.  Everything Beauty From Ashes™ does continues to be surrendered to His will first and foremost, and then to be His light in the darkness; to spread His hope to the hopeless.  I have learned and experienced so much in just two weeks.  I can’t wait to see what the next three months will hold.  

Natasha Hurt was born and raised in Greeley, Colorado.  She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Northern Colorado.  An employee of High Plains Library District in Greeley for almost 10 years, she acquired a passion for anti-human trafficking.  In 2011, she went with Adventures in Missions on a 4-month, 4-countries trip, exposing her to organizations involved in anti-human trafficking work in Cambodia, Thailand, India and America.  Then, in 2012 she attended the G42 Leadership Academy in Mijas, Spain, a 6-month program designed to “ignite passion, unleash freedom, go to the nations.”  She currently is an intern with Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries in Fort Myers, Florida.  She hopes to start an organization in Colorado similar to Beauty From Ashes™, with the desire to show people caught in the sex industry how much the Lord loves them through intentional relationships and outreaches.      

Beauty From Ashes' September Prayer Alert

Dear Beauty From Ashes' Prayer Partners,

We appreciate your ongoing commitment in praying for Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries. Your prayers are crucial to the work we do.  

CLIENTS:  Please pray that each of our clients will receive divine revelation of His purpose for their lives. Pray that God will bless them with an abundance of hope, trust, & the motivation necessary to build new life through Him.  Pray their faith would increase daily as they take the difficult steps to begin their healing journey.  Stand with us in agreement that they would build healthy relationships with their family members & loved ones. 

OUTREACHES:  Praise God for allowing us to reach more victims of sexual exploitation & sex trafficking through our weekly inner city outREACHes and our monthly strip club outREACHes.  Thank God for building up new team members who passionately give of themselves through outREACH.  

SUPPORT & LIFE SKILLS GROUP:  Continue to pray that the women attending group grow in love for God, themselves, & others.  Pray that new group members quickly feel welcomed, comfortable, & safe to begin sharing the struggles they are facing each day.  

ASSESSMENT/RESOURCE CENTER:  Continue to thank God for the partnership we have with the United Way House, where we can provide our clients comprehensive & integrated medical, mental health, social, & spiritual services from a single location. Demand for our services is continually increasing & we have already outgrown our space & are in need of an additional location for our programs.  Please pray with us for a larger therapy center/property where we can provide a variety of therapeutic services to the clientele & agencies we partner with. 

  

EQUINE & THERAPY FACILITY:  Praise God that the local owners of stables have opened their doors for us to begin using their three horses & barn for equine psychotherapy & equine learning.  Equine psychotherapy is an evidence based treatment for many of the symptoms our clients struggle with.  Additionally, we are piloting horsemanship mentoring programs that develop trust, confidence, self esteem, and self control with participants ages 11 through adulthood.   Pray that God would bring us funding so that we can renovate the horse barn by adding a restroom & office space ASAP.  Please pray for God's providence concerning the opportunity the owner's have given us to purchase the 5 acre property which includes a 10 year old,  2250 sq foot 3/3 concrete block home, a pole barn, fenced and gated security system, and has a wooded hammock blocking the home from passing traffic.  The horse barn has 4 12 x 12 stalls, tack (12 x 24) and a feed room (12 x 12),  2nd floor has (24 x 12) room.  Acquiring the property would fulfill the vision of establishing a Beauty From Ashes™ Therapy Center. 

CURRENT NEEDS:   We are serving more local and national clients than ever before.  Please agree with us for needs ranging from bus passes, bibles, gift cards, client sponsorship, intern housing, pharmacy cards, refrigerator, etc.  CLICK HERE for entire list of our needs. 

STAFF:  Please pray for our Founder, Julie Shematz as she begins another semester of graduate school & internship with The Salvation Army of Lee, Hendry, & Glades Counties.  Pray that she have a plethora of energy & a thriving immune system throughout this semester. Thank God for continuing to bless both Julie & Christa with physical, spiritual, & mental health.  

VOLUNTEERS and INTERNS:  Praise God that our 2 new interns jumped in & began taking on some of the many day to day tasks required in the work we do.  Thank Him that our new volunteers have continued in faithfulness to the commitment they made to serve.  Pray that God continue to build our team with passionate, dedicated, & willing people. Pray our new interns & volunteers are blessed as they share their time, energy, & resources.  

EVENTS:  Pray for our upcoming speaking events.  Pray that God would use each of us at Beauty From Ashes™ to spread awareness, which leads to prevention, intervention & restoration.  Pray that we would use wisdom in discernment in scheduling upcoming events.   

FUND RAISING:  Pray for each of our financial partners.  Pray they be blessed above & beyond for their devotion in helping victims become overcomers. Pray that God continue to raise up individuals & businesses committed to partnering with us by providing resources on an ongoing basis.  

PARTNERSHIPS:  Pray that God would bless each of our professional, governmental, private, corporate, & faith based partners.  Pray that He would give us consistent discernment concerning all of our partnerships.  Praise Him for instilling a burden for this ministry in the hearts of pastors & parishioners throughout our community as well as nationally.  

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ADVISORS:  Praise God for bringing forth a non profit consultant gifted with the talent & skills needed to advance Beauty From Ashes™ in new directions of growth so that we can continue to provide comprehensive victim services.  Pray that God meet the needs of each member of our advisory board so that they may continually maintain the responsibilities to which they committed. Pray that God would hand pick new board members & appoint them in His perfect time. 

OTHER LIKE MINISTRIES/AGENCIES:  Thank God for His graciousness in raising new agencies & ministries locally, nationally, & internationally.  Pray that existing organizations, as well as new ones, uphold only the highest level of professional standards in the work they do.  

FRIDAY PRAYER:  We urge you to join us each Friday from 8-9am EST to intercede for victims of sexual exploitation, sex slavery, & sex 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. 

PRAYER REQUESTS:  Send us your prayer requests by CLICKING HERE.

BFA E-NEWSLETTER:  CLICK HERE to sign up. 

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. 1 Chronicles 4:10, NIV

Nancy Sampson and Sandra Spencer

Prayer Team Coordinators

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

239.939.9218 | 877.4BFA SOS (877.423.2767) Toll Free Help Line

BFA Equine & Therapy Center

STAGE 1:  Sponsor the Horses 3 at $500 a month ($166 per horse)
(Includes feed, hay, worming, bug spray, farrier, supplements, boarding, transportation, veterinarian, etc.)

STAGE 2:  Remodel the Barn
Phase 1:  Add bathroom with toilet, shower, septic, & update electric $8000
Phase 2:  Add office space $7500

STAGE 3:  Purchase Property $400,000
(See below for details)

In December 2011, Beauty From Ashes' (BFA) Founder, Julie Shematz, was provided the opportunity to fulfill a desire of her heart by resuming horseback riding through the generosity of a couple in North Fort Myers, Florida who own three horses.  

In June 2012, Mrs. Shematz wrote a White Paper: Beauty From Ashes™ Therapy Center sharing the vision she had for a therapeutic center that provided multiple evidence-based treatments, including art and equine therapy. Additionally, she recommended to the board of directors that the agency begin developing evidence based equine psychotherapy and learning programs. The board approved Mrs. Shematz pursuing certification in equine and art therapy.

In July 2012, the owners opened up the property and the use of their horses to Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries for equine psychotherapy and learning programs. Mrs Shematz piloted horsemanship mentoring programs to individuals ages 11 through adulthood.  Horsemanship teaches responsibility, trust, self-control, collaboration, and self-confidence. 

In August 2012, the owners of the property offered the opportunity to Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries to purchase the 5 acre property. Additionally, they recommended renovations to the horse barn to include adding a bathroom, shower, toilet, and office space. The property has an 8 year old, 2250 sq foot concrete block, 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, home on it in addition to the horse barn and a pole barn. Property is enclosed by a fence, has a gated security system, and has a wooded hammock blocking the home from passing traffic. House has a tin roof, 2 central air conditioning units, 2 car garage, outdoor and indoor fireplace, in ground pool, pond, is fully landscaped and has a security system wired for an outdoor camera system. Horse barn has 4  12 x 12 stalls, tack (12 x 24) and a feed room (12 x 12),  2nd floor has (24 x 12) room. Property also has a fenced arena and is perfect for the vision of a Beauty From Ashes™ Equine & Therapy Center.

•  With a downpayment of $150,000.00, $2000/month mortgage payments can be taken over
•  Current utility costs are:  Electric/$500, Water/$50, Cable/Internet $150 monthly and security system is $66/quarterly

SERVICES* THAT WILL PROVIDED FROM THE CENTER

Individual & Group Therapy
Assessment
Mental Health Counseling
Social Services
Spiritual Services
Support/Life Skills Groups
Career Counseling
Case Management
Art Therapy
Equine Psychotherapy & Learning
Horsemanship Lessons
Short-term & long-term residential program placement
Consulting & referral to other service providers, governmental & non-governmental
Support system to survivor's loved ones
Mentoring
Educational seminars, workshops, and programs
Team & Group Building Exercises
Bible studies
Retreats
Meeting space for SWFL Regional Human Trafficking Coalition, law enforcement, etc.

*Services will be provided to clients of other agencies that have been sexually exploited, abused, &/or trafficked. 

MEET THE HORSES

Left to right: Candy Man, 12 y/o Rocky Mountain Horse; 

Handsome, 10 y/o Tennessee Walking Horse;
Murphy, 14 y/o Quarter Horse

Will you partner with us in having a greater impact on more survivors of sexual exploitation, abuse, and trafficking and preventing this from happening through our education and mentoring programs?  

Will you come along side us and support this, first of it's kind, therapeutic center?

To give securely online, CLICK HERE or send your cash, check, or money order to:

Beauty From Ashes Ministries
13300 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste. 56
Fort Myers, FL 33907

Please notate:  Therapy & Equine Center 

Watch our facebook fan page and twitter for updates and pictures!

For more information, to give services or materials, please contact Julie Shematz at julie@beautyfromashes.org or call (239) 939-9218.