Gift Assembly This Saturday, Program Director Needed, Help Over-Comers Marrying, TIP Report, & More!

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UTREACH GIFT & CARE PACKAGE ASSEMBLY THIS SATURDAY:  July 2nd 9am - noon, join volunteers at Barry University, Suite 500-2,  in assembling 50-100 outREACH gift bags and care packages for victims and survivors of commercialized sexual exploitation and human sex trafficking.  The theme this month is FREEdom™!  We are also in need of July 4th/FREEdom™ themed and inspirational books, bibles, jewelry, toiletries, candy, and gift items to be placed in the gift and care packages.  Last month we had students from 4 universities and ages 16-64 working together as team making gifts of love, hope, and truth. Make plans today to partner with us and become a modern day slavery abolitionist!  

SEEKING PROGRAM DIRECTOR for a comprehensive, integrated, faith based, rehabilitative program for victims of human sex trafficking and commercialized sexual exploitation. READ MORE

THEY ARE MORE THAN OVER-COMERS, ARE ENGAGED & THEY NEED YOUR VOTE:  

Kelly and Tajuan met when The Village (a reentry agency) and The WellHouse (a survivor led human trafficking service agency) combined efforts to fight human trafficking in Birmingham, Alabama. A friendship was formed & these two fell in love. Both Kelly and Tajuan are survivors, over-comer’s and have beat-the-odds to achieve their education (both have Master degrees), and to reach back into the same dilemmas they are survivors of to rescue others. Kelly and Tajuan both lead these nonprofit ministries. The work they do is not for financial gain and if they earn enough votes they can win their dream come true wedding, all expenses paid!  Please take a moment and simple click twice, one on the link and then to vote for them and thanks!  

CLICK HERE

2011 U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT: Read the complete report and victim's stories CLICK HERE. 

8 SIMPLE WAYS YOU CAN FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING: For more information, CLICK HERE

BFA CURRENT NEEDS:  Want to help and get involved with Florida's first and only survivor led human sex trafficking service agency?  CLICK HERE for details.  

SCHEDULE BFA FOR AN EVENT:  BFA provides education, in service, and trainings on human trafficking for social service agencies, universities, churches, groups, businesses, and clubs.  To schedule a speaker and for more information, CLICK HERE or call 239-939-9218.

BFA JULY PRAYER ALERT:  For details on how to pray for BFA clients, events, partnerships, and projects, CLICK HERE

WEEKLY GLOBAL CORPORATE PRAYER:  Join BFA weekly, locally and globally for prayer to abolish slavery and for the organizations reaching, rescuing, restoring and advocating for the victims.  Fridays 8-9am EST.  For more information and prayer guide, CLICK HERE. 

BFA PRAYER TEAM:  To sign up, send your name, city, state, and country to prayer@beautyfromashes.org.

PRAYER REQUESTS:  We care for you and have a team that prays over your every need.  Submit your prayer request via our website CLICK HERE.

BFA E-NEWSLETTER SIGN UP:  CLICK HERE

BFA FACEBOOK FAN PAGE & TWITTER:  :  Become a fan on the BFA facebook fanpage and follow us on Twitter.  Get informed and raise awareness by reposting and retweeting!

2010 AUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT:  In 2010 92.7% of all giving and income to BFA went to Program Services. To view our 2010 Audited Financial Report, CLICK HERE.  

DONATIONS:  Your partnership is vital for us.  We currently rely on private donations to provide Program Services. Please consider becoming a partner by giving a tax deductible gift today.  For  $25 or more we will send you our  Child of God CD.  For secure online donations, CLICK HERE or mail your check, cash or money order to Beauty From Ashes, 13300 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste, 56-623, Fort Myers, FL 33907.

“ I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness,
      And will hold Your hand;
      I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people,
      As a light to the Gentiles,
      To open blind eyes,
      To bring out prisoners from the prison,
      Those who sit in darkness from the prison house."  Isaiah 42:6-7 NKJV

In His love and commitment to freedom,

Julie Shematz and the FREEdom™ Team

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

Beauty From Ashes™ July Prayer Alert

We continue thanking and trusting our Father in Heaven for great and mighty works for His ministry at Beauty From Ashes™. Please join us in praying through the points below this month. 

CLIENTS:  We're grateful for your prayers in the month of June that resulted in clients receiving open doors of employment they are proud of.  Please agree with us that others will have the hope, courage and strength to leave destructive lifestyles. Pray for clients in detox, that they would stay the course, and commit to completing a residential program. Agree with us for  healing, sound minds, strength, wisdom, and encouragement that their past does not define who they are or their future.  Pray they have a hunger and thirst for God's Word and get into churches that will provide a healthy community and support system.  

RESIDENTIAL SAFEHOME:  We asked you to begin praying a couple a months ago and God is moving!  Pray with us for God's direction, wisdom and perfect plan to be accomplished in His perfect timing.  Thank Him for being Jehovah Jireh! 

FUNDING:  Two months ago we asked you to begin praying for $45,000 for a full time Executive Director position. Our goal was $50,000 and we have $45,000 pledged for the new position!  Please agree with us for the remaining budget that includes operational funding for a residential rehabilitative program, an assessment/resource center, and supportive staff.  Currently, even though

 Florida is ranked 3rd in the nation for human trafficking,

 there is no such comprehensive programs providing a seamless continuum of restorative services to victims of commercialized sexual exploitation and human sex trafficking.

OUTREACHES:  Pray that outreach team members would continue to multiply as our territory expands according to God's will.  Thank God for the favor we have with strip club management and employees.  Our July outREACHes will focus on FREEdom™!  

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. 

PARTNERSHIPS:  

Thank God that we now have a local shelter that will provide 3 nights to 10 days of services that include comprehensive mental and physical health assessments! 

Please pray that more churches will step up and support the first and only survivor led, faith based, human sex trafficking victim service agency in the state of Florida.  May community partnerships continue to increase.  Also pray for protection and strengthening of existing Helping Hands Network.  

FREEdom™ HOMES BEST PRACTICES PROJECT:  Pray that God would continue to raise up multiple governmental and non governmental agencies to work collaboratively in the development of the Best Practices for residential homes for sex trafficking victims.  (Currently there is none).  Pray for a spirit of unity and harmony and that these agencies will work together in the best interest of victims.  

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT:  Please pray for the completion of the project, for the funding for the DVD production, and marketing of campaign.

GRANTS & FOUNDATIONS:  Pray that our current partnerships for grants would result in operational, program, and project funding.  May God impart the wisdom to know which ones to apply for, what agencies to partner with, and that we don't miss submitting proposals to anything that is in God's will that we apply to. 

EVENTS:  Wisdom and discernment to know what and/or who BFA is to be involved with or not.  Pray that God will raise up a BFA Event Coordinator.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:  Please pray for His will be to be established through our Board of Directors.  Pray they be bonded through the yoke of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.  Agree with us for their health, protection, and active involvement with BFA.

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

JULIE SHEMATZ:  Pray that she finish up another semester strong.  She has two more weeks of full time graduate school, interning at the Salvation Army, and four weeks off before the fall semester begins again.  May she rest during her time off, be refreshed, and renewed. 

OTHER LIKE MINISTRIES/AGENCIES:  Pray for unity and collaboration amongst one another, humbleness, wisdom, and patience in reaching, rescuing and restoring victims.  May the level of professionalism be raised.  Pray for balance, biblical priorities, and protection of leadership, marriages, and families.  May healthy boundaries be established and maintained for aftercare providers.  May God's strength and encouragement be imparted to all in the name of Jesus.  

BFA E-NEWSLETTER:  CLICK HERE to sign up.

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners."  Isaiah 61:1

Thank you for your priceless partnership in prayer and intercession! 

Nancy Sampson, Sandi Spencer & Julie Shematz

Prayer Coordinators & Chief Executive Officer

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

Get Involved, Program Director Needed, Over-Comer's Reflection, Self Esteem, FGCU & More!

8 WAYS YOU CAN FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING: To get involved, CLICK HERE

SEEKING PROGRAM DIRECTOR for a comprehensive, integrated, faith based, rehabilitative program for victims of human sex trafficking and commercialized sexual exploitation. READ MORE

OVER-COMERS REFLECTION ON THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY: "Perhaps she kept her head down and eyes adverted as she tried in vain to cover her face to hide her shame.

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C A U G H T.

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I imagine how violated she must have felt . . . "  READ MORE

SELF-ESTEEM:  Where does your self-esteem come from?  Does it come from other people - their opinions, their views of you, their comments, and how they treat you?  Does it come from your abilities and what you are able to do? Does it come from your accomplishments and what you know you are going to accomplish? READ MORE

OUTREACH GIFT & CARE PACKAGE ASSEMBLY:  Saturday, July 2nd 9am - noon, plan today to join volunteers at Barry University, Suite 500-2,  in assembling outREACH gift bags and care packages for victims and survivors of commercialized sexual exploitation and human sex trafficking.  The theme this month is FREEdom™!  We are also in need of July 4th/FREEdom™ themed and inspirational books, bibles, jewelry, toiletries, candy, and gift items to be placed in the gift and care packages.  Last month we had students from 4 universities and ages 16-64 working together as team making gifts of love, hope, and truth. We meet the first Saturday of every month.  

FGCU HUMAN TRAFFICKING PRESENTATION:  Julie Shematz will be giving a Human Trafficking and Beauty From Ashes Ministries multi-media presentation at Florida Gulf Coast University on Thursday, June 23rd at 1pm.  The presentation will be to the Foundations of Civic Engagement Class in LIB 441. 

RAISING HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS WITH VBS:  To view BFA's  'Ministry Minute' curriculum, CLICK HERE

SCHEDULE BFA FOR AN EVENT:  BFA provides education, in services, and trainings on human trafficking for social service agencies, universities, churches, groups, businesses, and clubs.  To schedule a speaker and for more information, CLICK HERE

BFA CURRENT NEEDS:  Want to help and get involved with Florida's first and only survivor led human sex trafficking service agency?  CLICK HERE for details.  

BFA JUNE PRAYER REQUESTS:  For details on how to pray for BFA clients, staff, and our programs, CLICK HERE

WEEKLY GLOBAL CORPORATE PRAYER:  Join BFA weekly, locally and globally for prayer to abolish slavery and for the organizations reaching, rescuing, restoring and advocating for the victims.  Fridays 8-9am EST.  For more information and prayer guide, CLICK HERE. 

BFA PRAYER TEAM:  To sign up, send your name, city, state, and country to prayer@beautyfromashes.org.

PRAYER REQUESTS:  We care for you and have a team that prays over your every need.  Submit your prayer request via our website CLICK HERE.

BFA E-NEWSLETTER SIGN UP:  CLICK HERE

BFA FACEBOOK FAN PAGE & TWITTER:  :  Become a fan on the BFA facebook fanpage and follow us on Twitter.  Get informed and raise awareness by reposting and retweeting!

2010 AUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT:  In 2010 92.7% of all giving and income to BFA went to Program Services. To view our 2010 Audited Financial Report, CLICK HERE.  

DONATIONS:  Your partnership is vital for us.  We currently rely on private donations to provide Program Services. Please consider becoming a partner by giving a tax deductible gift today.  For  $25 or more we will send you our  Child of God CD.  For secure online donations, CLICK HERE or mail your check, cash or money order to Beauty From Ashes, 13300 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste, 56-623, Fort Myers, FL 33907.

"I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures and on hills that were previously bare". Isaiah 49:9 NLT

In Christ's love and service,

Julie Shematz and the FREEdom™ Team

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

Whoever is Without Sin

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I simply adore this painting. 

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 I have many favorite stories in God's word but I reallly love and admire the way that Y'shua handled the "righteous" men who thought they were doing "a good thing" by dragging this adulteress before Y'shua Jesus.  I imagine the scene, a reverent quiet afternoon in the courtyard of the temple as men gathered to worship YHVH.  Perhaps it was on the sabbath.

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I can see the crowd of worshippers turn as a commotion ensues.  There, before them all, a woman is drug into their prescence. Her clothes rumpled and not proper.   Her face ashen white, frightened. 

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 Perhaps she kept her head down and eyes adverted as she tried in vain to cover her face to hide her shame.

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C A U G H T.

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I imagine how violated she must have felt.  Being grabbed by men unknown to her, right in the very act.  Something one does not expect when one is naked and in the throes of illicit passion, in the embrace of a man whom she had trusted enough to let her guard down.  I wonder what had gone through her head.  Total fear.

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From a dimly lit bedroom thrust onto the world's stage, drug through the midday sun, past the marketplace, and through the crowded streets, up the many steps of the Temple of the God of Israel.  Still smelling of sexual activity, she was manhandled.  Harlot.  Whore.  Prostitute.  Adulteress.

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I wonder if she was trying to support her family.  Perhaps her own husband had left her and she was doing the only job that would afford her a roof over her head.  Maybe this was her first time as an adulteress.  Maybe she was an old pro. 

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Maybe she once had a good reputation in small town, but something had happened in her life which led her down the slippery, spiralling path of sin and she moved to the big city of Jerusalem where it would be easier to hide among the shadows and forget the pain she had known.

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Regardless, she was covered with the sweat of a man who had willingly chose to commit adultery with her.

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The "religious" men of the day, the scribes and Pharisees brought her before Y'shua that day.

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"Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 

Now Moses in the law commmanded us that such should be stoned, but what do you say?"

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I love how Y'shua Jesus responded to their inquiry.

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He acted  as if He had not  heard them.

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Instead of answering the mob, he simply stooped down to the ground and began writing in the sand.

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Writing.  Drawing.  Doodling.  Oblivious.

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I think of Him thinking about the circumstances of her life which had brought her to this very act and to His feet in the temple court.  I imagine Him scanning the hearts of everyone in the vicinity. 

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 Like a laser, reading their motives and intent.

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Y'shua Jesus knew the hearts of the scribes and pharisees.  He knew the heart of this woman standing before him, perhaps with snot and tears running down her face as she stifled the sobs welling up within her.

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He knew the heart of the adulterous man who had also been in the very act  as well,

for it takes two to tango, so-to-speak, and yet obviously he was not CAUGHT.

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I wonder why the guilty man was not caught also.

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Y'shua Jesus knew.  And so He ignored them.

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I love that when Moses brought the stone tablets to the mountaintop, that the very  finger of God wrote  His ten commandments upon them.  Writing is cool.  I dig that YHVH is into writing.

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And here, in the temple courtyard, He wrote  with His finger again.

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Tracing Hebrew letters upon the very same dirt from which He first formed the first man, Adam.  I imagine Him being right-handed being, pushing and moving the dust with His index finger, aware of the woman and her fear as her heart pounded in her chest.  Around her, the crowd murmuring about her.  In whistpers and taunts, scoffing at her.

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Turning their noses up at her.  Speaking ill of her and her kind.  Rumours about her multiplying.  A bit like the game of telephone, the story passed on from one hebrew to another, until it bore no resemblance to the truth anymore.

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I want to know what Y'shua Jesus wrote there.  For all to see.

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Unshaken.  Stoic.  With such purpose, He simply and merely wrote upon the earth.

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The lynch mob continued to assail Him, asking Him over and over about what  should bedone  to her.

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At last, He spoke...

"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

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And then, saying His peace, He stooped down again, and wrote on the ground.

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The mob stood as His words echoed in their ears.  Most likely this was not what they expected Him to say.  I imagine their brains were temporarily short-circuited by this exchange.  Say what?

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Y'shua Jesus wrote.

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Perhaps He wrote His ten commandments which the group of scribes and pharisees read, and when convicted, dropped the stones that they had so greedily picked up, eager to kill this woman for breaking the law and sinning against the Most High God.

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Why were they so anxious to stone this particular woman? 

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Why were they not  so adamant in their desire to stone the other offender, the man who was also caught in the very same act of adultery but not drug before the temple court for all to see?

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Sin is sin.  Sin is death.  Deuteronomy 22:22-24

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Did the scribes and pharisees have it in for this woman?  Was the man who willingly knew  this woman in the biblical sense, albeit adulterous, an inside-man who set her up?   Perhaps, like they would one day pay Judas to betray the Messiah with a kiss, they had paid this very same adulterous man a good fee from the temple treasury.

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Hmmm.

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Things that make you go Hmmmm.

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The stones dropped, one by one, beginning with the eldest, until the mob was gone.

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Vanished.

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There own sin admitted to in their own hearts.

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Each one realizing that they were not  without sin.

That each of them had also broken the law,

for if one breaks the law in any way, he has broken all.

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What love, kindness, and compassion Y'shua Jesus has shown this woman and women like her.

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Rahab the well-known and prosperous harlot of Jericho obtained mercy from YHVH and was grafted into God's people.  Even marrying and conceiving a son named Boaz who later married the young Moabitess  woman who was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, saying, "Let your people be my people and your God my God."

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The mercies of YHVH are new every morning.  So vast is His love.

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So ready to forgive.

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So intimate is He with all our sin....

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for He felt and experienced them all to the Nth degree..

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as He died as a propitiation for our sin upon a tree.

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Cursed before God, his Father YHVH.

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Every sin laid upon Him.

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Washed in His atoning blood as the Lamb of God chosen before the foundation of the world.

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To the woman caught in adultery,

He said,

"Woman, where are your accusers?

Has no man condemned thee?"

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To which she responded, "No man, Lord."

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To which He said,

"Neither do I condemn thee.  Go and sin no more."

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I imagine her standing there, tear-stained face.  Still in shock.

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The crowd silenced by the display they just witnessed.

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I imagine her desire to return home quickly so that she may wash herself clean, removing the horrible reminder of that day from her body, the co-mingled sweat from the illicit union of which she has been a willing participant for whatever reason.

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I imagine the exhileration that she also might have felt, knowing that she was not going to be stoned to death and was given a new lease on life by this man some called the Messiah, and others a prophet.

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I also imagine that no one in the religious crowd wanted anything to do with her, and so this woman walked home alone.

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Alone.

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Pondering all that had transpired that day.

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Step by glorious step.

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ALIVE.

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FORGIVEN.

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Cristella Alexander is an artist originally from New Jersey and is a motorcycle instructor in South Florida.  She is also a volunteer for Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries and a thriving over-comer.