Priceless

A Saturday afternoon of baseball in the backyard with the neighborhood kids....priceless!

Surgery

Thanks to everyone who prayed for me during my surgery and recovery. I am healing and really appreciate the kindness and generosity that has been poured out by so many. The body of Christ is amazing!!!! Thank You

Partners Invited

Now that the house is done and the staff has been hired the dream of serving women leaving the adult entertainment industry is quickly approaching. We are 27 days away from opening the ministry doors. Wow! It is hard to believe all that God has done in making this a reality. Thank you so much for everyone that has come alongside this ministry. People are still asking what they can do to help. A significant way to be involved in the coming days is becoming a regular financial contributor.
A goal that I have set between now and the end of the year is adding 300 new regular contributors. You will see on the website that there is an option for giving 10 dollars and up. There is no gift too small because God is in the miracle grow business and has a way of exponentially multiplying faithfulness and obedience. We need $14,666.00 a month or $488.00 a day to provide this opportunity to the guests that God is sending to us. Over the next 27 days would you consider partnering with us so that money is never a concern for the women while they are with us. We appreciate you and your prayers. Lives will be transformed as a result of your involvement. www.refugeforwomen.org/donate.html

Enjoying the journey,
ked

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Special Children

We went to the Legends game the other night and because of the weather were only a handful of folks in attendance. Due to the few number of children our kids were given the opportunity to participate in activities between innings. Julianna was invited to go out on the field and announce players and the winner of the competition would go to the press box and announce for an inning. Julianna won the contest beating out 2 little boys and we went to the box and she was handed the microphone. She did awesome and her mother cheered the entire inning for her. :) Nathaniel was asked to help pariticpate in keeping Earth clean by putting on the sanitation clothes and walking around with a garbage bag picking up trash. They had lots of fun and Julianna was given a certficate for us to stay at the Ramada for a night and Nathaniel won a baseball. Lots of Fun!!!!

Gardening For Dummies

i have learned the secret to a great garden. Ask your neighbor if they would be willing to care for it and then share the vegetables. I went out tonight to look at the garden and saw life coming forth from the ground. I hate to seem so shocked but i havent used the words garden and life much in the same sentence. The only harvest I got from my garden last year was a couple of radishes, nothing else survived my tender loving care. :)
My neighbor has dug up the dirt, lined off spaces to mark different vegetables, and today added a small fence around it to protect it from animals. AMAZING!!!! IT LOOKS AWESOME!!!

Worship

15 minutes before worship was to begin around the bonfire Saturday night the rain started to fall. We moved the prayer and worship into the farmhouse and never missed a beat. Thanks to the 30-40 people that made the night an awesome atmosphere. The presence of the Lord was with us as He shows up where worshippers are gathered. We prayed throughout the house and called upon Him as the hope for lives to be changed. Thanks to Heather Summers and Kurt Vernon for leading us before the throne. May this be the first of many more hours of prayer and worship to ring from that old house.

God's Timing

God is never early...never late...but always right on time. Dont ever think God is not hearing your prayers but if the answer has not come keep trusting and believing the answer is on its way and will make more sense in days to come.

Reflective Prayer

Our staff went to a woman's house yesterday by the name of Laura Beach for a time of spiritual development. Laura started a ministry called Equipping Lydia and leads prayer retreats and various other spiritual exercises. It seems very clear that God is leading our organizations to partner together and serve one another. Laura and her team directed a time of reflective prayer and it was so refreshing yesterday. If you are interested in learning more about her ministry you can find her at www.equippinglydia.org

Give Me Some Feedback!!!!!!

What is the verse God has put in your heart for today? I would love to hear what you have been thinking about today and where the Spirit led you in the Word. The verse for me today was Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the Peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. I have thought of it all day and in many situations referred back to it. The Word is active, alive, and relevant each and everyday.

YOU ARE INVITED To The Refuge for Women Farm

The house at the farm will be completed this week. I cant believe it!!! Now that the physical structure of the home is done it is time to invite God to do his work in preparation for our guests arrival. May 15th we are having a night of prayer and worship at the farm. We will gather around a bonfire and invite the Spirit to move over the land. We want you to come and be a part of it. The worship will start at 8:00 pm on that Saturday night. We will meet between 7:15 and 7:30 at the Lowes parking lot in Nicholasville to caravan to the farm. Spread the word and lets worship together.

Remain Faithful- devotional by Boyd Bailey

This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. Revelation 14:12

Faithfulness tends to be practiced by the few. However, for all committed followers of Christ, the clarion call is to remain faithful. He is the object of your adoration and your obedience, and He deserves and desires your faithfulness. It should be easier to remain faithful when the object of your faithfulness is as pure as the driven snow. There is nothing about Jesus that doesn't elicit faithfulness. His fairness invites faithfulness; His grace and generosity generate faithfulness; His love longs for faithfulness; His holiness inspires faithfulness; His compassion creates faithfulness; His forgiveness foretells faithfulness; His judgement motivates faithfulness; His life models faithfulness. Jesus remained faithful to the very end and, in Him, so can you.

Is there anything about Jesus that keeps you from remaining faithful? Who else can you go to for eternal life (john 6:68)? Faithfulness to Jesus is par for the Christian life. He is the standard by which you live. Even under the onslaught of illness, you remain faithful. As circumstances around you crumble, you remain faithful. When people mistreat you and misunderstand you, you remain faithful. If you lose your job, you remain faithful. When a close friend lets you down and rejects you, you still remain faithful to Jesus. Faithfulness to Jesus is the chorus of Christian living. Moreover, His faithfulness to you is the measure of your capacity to remain faithful. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit's power on you in your life provides you with the capability to remain faithful.

Remaining faithful to people is a natural byproduct of remaining faithful to Jesus. People can be disappointing and downright disturbing. But your faithfulness may be the very thing that draws them to Jesus. Certainly, your remaining faithful will give them pause to reflect on your radical love and forgiveness. Faithfulness reminds people of truth. Paul said, "I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom i love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of lifein Christ Jesus..." (1 Corinthians 4:17). Therefor, make it a goal to remain faithful to an "undeserving" relative or friend. This becomes a magnet attracting them to God, and not a detour to the devil. You may need to dissolve a working partnership, but you can still salvage the relationship. You can remain faithful even when the other party doesn't. Let your faithfulness, not your feelings, be the gauge for your giving, your service, your forgiveness, and your love.

Above all else, remain faithful to Jesus, for He is the Faithful One.

Thoroughbred Church

When I first walked into Thoroughbred Church last night to share about the Refuge I received a style of greeting that would be the norm for the night. I put my hand out to shake the worship leaders hand and he walked right past it. He wrapped both arms around me with an embrace that reminded me of the movie Tommy Boy when Chris Farley said, "Brothers dont shake brothers hug." :)

Thoroughbred Church is one of the most loving churches i have seen in a while. There was around 30 people in attendance and the relationships are strong. Church started at 6:00 pm and i think i was one of the first to leave and it was around 9:30 pm. The pastor had the elders come around me and Anne Marie for special prayer at the end of the service. I could feel the presence of the Lord in that church in a powerful way during that prayer.

Thanks Thoroughbred Church for your prayers and partnership. Thanks for the investment you have made in Anne Marie. It was their encouragement that led her to turn in her resume for the House Manager position. I told the church that if a tree is known for its fruit than this church is strong and healthy because of the fruit of individuals like Anne Marie.

I love seeing the Body of Christ at work. God is working in both large churches and small. He is calling folks from all over to love people that others have refused to love. At Thorougbred Church last night were 2 women who had come to the Bruised Reed training earlier in the day. They were both from Nashville, TN and had never met before 10 days ago. Both of these women emailed Jani Lewis on the same day about a burden to begin a ministry to the clubs in Nashville. They were planning on leaving right after the training but decided to stay in town and go to Thoroughbred Church last night with no idea that I was sharing about the Refuge for Women. Amazing!!! What a day!! God is at work!

My grace is sufficient

Have you ever wished God would change your circumstances? Have you ever asked God to remove a struggle that seemed to be overwhelming? It can be frustrating at times when we cry out to God for a different scenario and our prayers are not seeming to get through the roof of our house. It may seem like God is not listening or we are doing something wrong that is keeping our prayers from being answered. I was reminded this morning that his strength is made perfect in our weakness. His grace is sufficient for you whatever you are dealing with. He is hearing your prayers and knows the needs you have. He is at works in ways you cant see today but it will make more sense in days to come. There is nothing wrong with praying prayers for different circumstances as we saw Jesus and the Apostle Paul pray these prayers. However for reasons of His own God allows us to stay put in the struggle. Keep pressing on and stay determined to be faithful wherever God has you today.
blessings

Dry Times

I find myself loving times of excitement and new things. During those times when days are mundane and ordinary it can be challenging. God is teaching me that He is still on the throne in both the excitement and in the ordinary. He has to build solid foundations in our lives that will allow us to last no matter what comes our way. I was reflecting this morning on Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus is talking about the wise and foolish builders. The wise man had a solid foundation underneath of the home he built and it endured.

You dont have to watch the news long until you can see how many foundations are built on sand. A story ran on the news last night about Jesse James and some of his choices and the effects it was having on his marriage to Sandra Bullock. All of us have been overwhelmed with the Tiger Woods media and his choices. None of the choices these men made were one bad decision. Fondations dont typically explode but they can erode. We see the reality of a structure collapsing in the form of marital and career struggle but the problem originated in the foundation. Thus the reason the Sermon on the Mount ended with the above text. If our foundation does not consist of the teachings of Jesus our lives or ministries or families will collapse in due time. It is not an "if" but a "when."

As a ministry we are in a foundation building time. The lives God is going to entrust us will need stability and long term care. The foundation needs to endure for this to happen. Many people never see the foundation after the home is built and thus do not fully appreciate what had to be laid beforehand. But if it is not done right it will be exposed eventually.

Stay faithful today in doing what God has directed you to do. It may not have bells and whistles attached to it but God is laying foundations in your life that He will continue to build upon. As they say in one of my favorite movies "Cool Runnings"... Peace be the journey! I will add to it by saying "Peace be the daily journey!"

You deserve a breakthrough today

When you seem to be hitting a wall in an area of your life take a step back and pray. This morning was a great reminder of that truth. I had been trying to organize a time of prayer at the Refuge offices here on Waller Ave. It was not getting anywhere and I was getting a bit frustrated. Last week a man approached me and said a group of men had been gathering for prayer and were needing a place they could meet regularly. He asked if I would mind if they met at our offices. This morning we prayed together and I realized this was the prayer group I had been looking for. They wanted to do this every Tuesday morning and wanted to know if that would be okay? It didnt take me long to answer. :)
Is there an area of your life you are frustrated in and not seeming to make progress? Your breakthrough may be coming but it may just be coming from a different direction than you had been looking in. God seems to do that sometimes :)
Someone told me once that when we stop....God begins!
Jeremiah 17:7 says "But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Sexual Wholeness

Have you been stung in some way by the sex industry? I told a group of people the other night that it is hard to turn on the television or computer without feeling the sex industry's effects. The phone calls from guys struggling with pornography keep coming in. This again is tied to the sex industry. I want to stand up and say enough is enough.

My heart is heavy for how many people have been hurt by the sex industry. I feel like we have a unique opportunity within the Refuge to be a voice for sexual wholeness. My desire is that we help women leaving the industry through the Refuge and also gain access to platforms that will allow us to share the heart of God regarding sexuality God's way. I have decided to use this blog in coming days to speak of issues surrounding sexuality. I am taking classes in Atlanta at a ministry called Sexual Wholeness Institute. I want to continue educating myself to be the best representative possible to an onlooking world. I will travel 4 times to Atlanta this year for a weekend of classes.

Here is where I need your help!

I need you to give me feedback on my thoughts and help me see from all angles. Ithink too often Christians are silent on issues regarding sexuality and it has led to shame and secrecy in the Church for those struggling. We preach against sinful involvement but dont always provide safe places for questions and dialogue. I am going to post thoughts and questions and would love for you to participate. My hope is that just as AA was taboo in the church 30 years ago that these issues of sexuality would continue finding a place in the church to be dealt with. Your involvement will help me and will also prepare me better for those I minister to. So here is the first question:

Was your church family a safe place growing up to ask the tough questions without fear of condemnation regarding sexuality? If yes, how was it? If no, tell me about it.

Segment from Andrew Murray's Book Waiting on God

"All the exercises of the spiritual life, our reading and praying, our willing and doing, have their value. But, they can go no farther than this, that they point the way and prepare us in humility to look to and depend upon God himself, and in patience to wait His good time and mercy. The waiting is to teach us our absolute dependence upon God's mighty working, and to make us, in perfect patience, place ourselves at His disposal. They that wait on the Lord will inherit the land; the promised land and its blessing. The heirs must wait; they can afford to wait.
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." The margin gives for "Rest in the Lord," "Be silent to the Lord," or "Be still before the Lord". It is resting in the Lord, in His will, His promise, His faithfulness, and His love, that makes patience easy. And, the resting in Him is nothing but being silent unto Him, still before Him. Having our thoughts and wishes, our fears and hopes, hushed into calm and quiet in that great peace of God which passes all understanding. That peace keeps the heart and mind when we are anxious for anything, because we have made our request known to Him. The rest, the silence, the stillness, and the patient waiting, all find their strength and joy in God Himself." pg. 52-53 Waiting on God by Andrew Murray

Wait Upon The Lord

I was reflecting over the last couple of days at times God has come through in different circumstances. Two common traits in all the different scenarios is that He did come through and it did not happen on my time frame. How long are you willing to wait on God? How silly are you willing to appear to others while waiting on God? How often do we miss God's best and settle for just good. These are tough questions to wrestle with and even tougher to live out.
Not every decision is one to sweat over. However it may not be a bad discipline to choose to take 3 days and pray. I have found in waiting upon God that what seemed so clear today can bring a different perspective tomorrow. Wait upon the Lord, be of good courage and wait upon the Lord.

New Staff

The newest staff member of the Refuge for Women began today. Rebecca Carmichael is the office administrator and will be a great asset to the team. A House Manager has also accepted the Refuge's offer for employment over the weekend. Anne Marie Gosser will begin working with the Refuge mid-march and will live on site with the guests God sends us. God is assembling a group of individuals that are willing to lay down their lives and agenda's for a call to mission. It has been a humbling process to be a part of. It is looking like the house will be completed March 20th and we will be able to start receiving individuals into the ministry first of April.

Danville Newspaper

Bobbie Curd of amnews in Danville wrote an article about Refuge for Women that was published in this mornings newspaper. If you get a minute follow the link below and check it out.

http://www.amnews.com/stories/2010/01/31/fea.801815.sto

Upcoming Event

Monday February 8th 2010, Royal Treatment House of Style Spa & Salon will be hosting a cut a thon in which ALL proceeds will go to support the Refuge for women ministry. Ked Frank, the founder of the Refuge will be in person for questions. If you would like more information on the Ministry go to Refugeforwomen.org and find out everything you need to know. The Cut a thon will include: Haircuts, chair massage, mini manicure and pedicures for any donation. T shirts will also be available for a donation. This event will start at 10am and end at 4pm. First come first serve basis. Please tell all your friends and come support the Refuge, as this home will be opening in March and has many needs. For further information contact: Sheila Curtis-Arnold suitelilsheila@yahoo.com

You Are Invited

Refuge for Women will be having an open house on February 4th from 5:00 - 7:30 pm at 342 Waller AVenue in Lexington. You are invited to see the office space that will be the first step for each woman desiring to enter the Refuge. Refreshments will be provided and information will be available on the progress of the ministry. All are Welcome!! No RSVP's Needed

God Is Dependable

I called my mom yesterday to see how her and dad were doing. My dad answered the phone and said that they were getting ready to drop off some home made rolls to a family that lost a loved one. That my parents were getting ready to do this on a Saturday afternoon was not surprising. They may be the most selfless people I have ever met. My mother is famous for taking dinner rolls to parties, funerals, shut ins, and more. They are as predictable and dependable as the morning sun rise. I told Michelle that it would be interesting to know how many dinner rolls my mom has made over the years. So we decided to do a little figuring. We estimated that with her being 67 years old and probably making a batch a week since she was probably 16 years old that she has made around 62,400 dinner rolls over her lifetime. That is astounding!!
As predictable as receiving a fresh batch of home made dinner rolls is from my parents God is even more dependable. God did awesome things in 2009. I dont want to take that lightly and be so forward minded I dont stop to say thanks for what has already been done. However In 2010 lets trust God for more. You will see that as you step out in faith and take a risk that it is in those moments of feeling weak in the knees that you see God work the strongest. He is faithful and he loves you. What requires faith for you that God is saying trust me in?
Refuge for Women is committed to taking steps of faith in 2010. I pray God never allows us to get comfortable in our current circumstances but that we are constantly praying prayers that without God’s intervention we will fail miserably. Please be in prayer for us this year. We need your prayers with hiring a staff that is called by God, protection from distraction and division, and for completing the house for a spring opening. Your prayers are the number one way we need your involvement. Thanks for your partnership. Lets witness His dependability together.