A few weeks ago, my team got to living in Phenix City, Alabama (which is right on the boarder of Columbus Georgia). During that time we worked with a ministry in Columbus, Georgia called Take the City. Take the City is a Christ-centered movement that unites and mobilizes the Body of Christ in the areas of proclamation, compassion and justice to see our cities revitalized.One of their programs, called REDEEM, is an anti-trafficking ministry that works by going into areas of high prostitution and trafficking and simply loving people and meeting them where they are at.
About once a month, Take the City hosts what they call a ‘War Weekend’, where volunteers from Take the City rent a motel room in a high traffic area, host worship and intercession there, and go out and evangelize to women and Johns in the surrounding areas. Take the City also provides safe houses for any women wanting help or assistance. Women are invited to stay in the motel room that Take the City rents for the night if they need an immediate place to stay.
My team was able to partner with Take the City and REDEEM during one of their ‘War Weekends’. While we were partnering with them, my team and I were able to help out with some BBQ evangelism that they were hosting at a motel that was known to be an area where trafficking happens. The organization when to a local BBQ restaurant, ordered a bunch of food, then set up tables and we all walked around the motel and invited anyone who was interested to come and have some free food. We spent the night with people from all over, chatting around tables and swapping stories.
During that time I met a young girl named N, and we spent the night playing and laughing and talking about Jesus.
N is 5 years old and her family is living out of the motel room right now. I first met N when her mom and her 3 older brothers stumbled onto us worshiping in the room that we rented out and decided to join us.
As we finished up worshipping, N and I started talking:
N: I like these songs, they make me happy.
Morgan: Me too. It makes me happy to sing to Jesus. Do you know who Jesus is?
N: Jesus- I love Jesus! He is my friend and He helps me.
When she talked about Jesus she would light up. Even though she is so young, you could tell that she really had been touched by the Lord and KNEW Him.
After worship we all walked outside to start setting up the food tables and inviting people to our little get together and N pulls me aside and points up and shows me a star that she had seen.
I told her that she gets to make a wish on the first star that she sees (you know, like that old little kids song). She got really excited, pulled me super close and whispered in my ear: “I wish that Jesus will take care of me and always be with me” (My heart exploded).
I told her she didn’t need to wish for that, because it was already true!
After we had all eaten, and we were just talking and hanging out, N pulls me aside again. She had a handful of rose petals and she wanted to celebrate with me! So in the parking lot of the motel, N would throw up her hand fulls of rose petals and scream CELEBRATION! And I would help her pick them all up, and begin the process again.
Spending time with N got me thinking. Matthew 18:3-4 says:
And He said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
N doesn’t know all of the ends and out of theology, or even how much she has been forgiven, but she does know that Jesus loves her, and she accepts that love. She celebrates with Him and talks about Him with so much joy that it’s honestly infectious.
How many of us overcomplicate our relationship with God? How many of us say things like ‘I know I’m saved but…’ Or ‘I know He loves me but…’ that’s not the childlike faith that Jesus praises.
But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17
N embodied what it means to walk in childlike faith so well. The more time I got to spend with her and her family, the more childlike I felt myself becoming too- no complications, just celebrations.
Much Love,
Morgan
Fundraising update: As of today, I only have $3,669 left to raise by April! Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me through prayer and giving during this time. I am continually blown away by the love and support that I’ve received during these last few years. Words could never be enough to express all that I feel, so I’ll just stick with a simple- THANK YOU!!! If you feel led to give you can do so at the top of this blog!
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