Beauty for ashes.
An amazing ministry that empowers women and shows them what it means to be truly loved by the Lord. We spent a week in Trujillo, Peru and partnered with Beauty for Ashes. We spent a night inviting women into the church and showing them what the love of the Lord looks like. We didn’t just talk to them about what it looks like in Scripture, we physically showed them what it meant to be loved well. We sang, danced, talked, painted nails, braided hair, and applied face masks.
For many of these women, it was their first experience with anything inside a church. Their first time hearing about the Lord was also an opportunity for them to experience Him super tangibly. They all left absolutely glowing. They had huge smiles and walked with a ton of confidence. The timid women that walked into that church weren’t the same when they left. They walked with confidence, love, and knowledge of the Lord’s true character.
One of the coolest parts of this ministry was the conversations that I had with people. Keep in mind, all of these people spoke Spanish. I don’t speak Spanish. I’ve been picking up some conversational things during my time in Chile and Peru, but I really don’t know Spanish.
That’s when the Holy Spirit took the stage and showed up big time. There was one girl that I was talking to that was 16 years old. She sat by herself at the beginning, but she opened up a lot as soon as I started talking to her. I got the opportunity to talk with her for a long time. We talked about her life, her family, her schooling and things that she enjoyed doing. She asked me about the World Race and where I came from.
After talking about more deep things for a little while, she asked me, “What bad things did you do before coming to know Christ?”
I tried to avoid the question. Tried to act like I didn’t know what she was talking about. But as she persisted, I knew that I had to answer her well.
Again, I don’t speak Spanish, but the Holy Spirit gave me the opportunity to share my testimony with her. As I talked about my past, I saw her facial expressions change from hurt to sadness to hope. She understood what I was saying and she was able to empathize with me.
This just goes to show that when the Lord wants something done, He’s going to do what it takes to get it accomplished. Even if it means some Holy Spirit translation is involved. When we’re open and willing to be used by the Holy Spirit, He can do great things. We’re just vessels in the hands of a super creative God.
Today, ask the Lord how He wants you to serve those around you. Ask Him how you can be used to further His kingdom today. That might mean buying someone’s coffee, praying over someone, inviting people to church, or sharing your testimony with someone new. Be willing and expectant for the Lord to move in your life.
