Moms are struggling. Not with changing diapers or stressing over Spring Fling dresses, but with big sorrows. In planning Mom Comm, our Able Moms team has been exposed to some really sad mom-stories lately. How do we as a faith-first community respond to these hurts? Relationship. When Jesus referenced "when two or more are gathered", he was using a very real-world concept the people of the day would understand. It was commonly understood that Roman law would convey when any two were gathered in the territory. Jesus' presence and oversight is literally present as we gather. "Church" really does enter the room when we walk into it, offering prayer, a shoulder, a verse, empathy, laughter through tears, and even childcare, laundry, and dish duty. We are able moms. We link arems with you. So, we have made a way, no matter your budget, for your to join us March 4th at Calvary Church, Naperville, IL. at Mom Comm. Register or find out more below.
Let me share one of my greatest days yet. Meet Jeremy. An unforgettable face that I haven't been able to. Most have never seen his picture, despite me asking audiences to pray for him from nearly every stage I've spoken on for seven years. And, even though I've known his name since those early weeks after my daughter was pulled from my arms in a thwarted child trafficking abduction, I simply call him "the tattooed man" in #unraveledbook. If you have read the book, you know this is the man who was let out of prison just four weeks prior to our encounter as his role in our ordeal is detailed in the book. Through a miraculous encounter with one of his rape and traffick victims, which I also detail in #unraveledbook, I learned how I could contact Jeremy. I messaged him the reality of all that God and I knew about his past and included the full Gospel message. It was followed by years of silence. So, imagine my elation when I received a response from him this week! I was undone. So many of you have prayed for this wretched sinner for so long...and all the while pushing back the temptation to grow angry over what "could have been" and what my sweet daughter could have suffered, I am reminded that no wretch is beyond God's redemption and freedom if they are accepting of his grace through sincere repentance. As Jeremy continues to correspond, please pray his hunger and desperation for God continues to grow. Imagine the celebration in heaven over such heinous crimes being forgiven and a the impact Jeremy could have sharing the message of the cross inside his prison. If you are curious to see our correspondence, I will share pictures next week. Be sure to subscribe below and keep up with your answered prayers for his future. This story is not done yet.
Disclaimer: Forgiveness from God does not always remove the consequences of our sins. For Jeremy's heinous crimes, Federal prison has been deemed the appropriate consequence. Furthermore, I do not believe Jesus' blood removes the sin of those who are unrepentant based on Scripture's truth. However, what makes the story of Jesus' sacrifice and shed blood so scandalous is the insane and unexplainable reality of His grace; to remove our past and cover our future while we were "still sinners" (Romans 5:8) because we are all sinners deserving of separation from a Holy yet loving God (Romans 3:23).
I want to share two impactful "gifts" this week. I think Jeremy's story was one of the top of my several highlights this week. Others included seeing my sons laugh together, my husband grow in his faith journey, our AMI team grow closer than ever, and the sacrificial love and help of moms and organizations all over this country who believe in our mission to foster capable, unshakeable, and memorable moms as the greatest preventative to child trafficking. It is overwhelmingly humbling to see others give of themselves for others mothers' sakes. So, here are two "gifts" I wanted to share. First, a two minute testimony that I dare the strongest of men not to cry at. Lol. And, a song that meets our broken places; Tony Evans and Stone in the Sling *I do not own the rights to either of these publicly posted videos.
