God is Good

A lot of powerful things happen here everyday which is amazing. Today I lead bible study for the girls program. It was so amazing, it was probably one of the most moving experiences I've ever had. I read out of Lamentations, Romans, and Psalms 126:5-6. The summary of the lesson was God can take your trouble and change it into treasure. Your sorrow can become joy, not just a momentary smile but a deep, new joy. It will be a bubbling experience of new hope that puts a brightness in your eyes and a song in your heart. In the midst of the darkness you will learn lessons you might never have learned in the day. We all have seen dreams turn to ashes, ugly things, hopeless experiences but beauty for ashes is God's exchange. Offer yourself to God and ask for a spirit of praise so your whole being will be restored. I never expected the Girls to open up to us like they did. One girl started crying talking about how ashamed she was of herself.  She's so ashamed that she prostitutes for a living and sometimes its so hard she can barely look at herself. It broke my heart but I told her that we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We all sin and do wrong and Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of our sins. That no matter what he will always love us. A lot of girls spoke about how they hated the life they were living, and are so thankful for this opportunity. One girl even shared a testimony about how the Friday before we began the program she had a dream that she was walking in a dark forest. She could barely see and she came to a road and ran across and almost got hit by cars. On the other side of the road were a group of girls waiting for her. In the dream they told her that a new day was coming and she was going to be given a wonderful opportunity to leave her old lifestyle behind. When she told us about that dream we were all amazed and knew it was the Lord speaking to her. All of these girls seem to be making huge steps forward. A couple of them shared how when they were going back home each day, people (other bad influences they were usually involved in with everyday) would ask them where have you been all day? What are you doing? And they told us they were telling them that they had been given an amazing opportunity and were so thankful and wanted to leave that old lifestyle behind. God is so Good. For a moment I was getting a little discouraged with the girls but by them sharing today I know they want this so badly and want to learn about the Lord and grow in his light. My prayer is that the Lord will continue to provide the funds to help these women. They are making jewelry and then were are purchasing the jewelry from them to sell in the US. They have started and are making beautiful pieces so far. I pray the Lord will open the doors for the jewelry to be sold.
I will put more pics of the jewelry and the girls soon. <3 always Carla

Abby and I with the Women of Hope House