Meanwhile, I left Indiana for a week for Revelation Wellness Instructor Training in Williams, AZ. I learned how to lead fitness classes and to minister to hurting hearts with the message of the gospel. Throughout the week of intensive training, God ministered to my heart and helped me see that all of us have broken places. These broken places lead us to work or live the way we do. He also showed me that our bodies are good. He made them good and when He lives in them they are super good. The skin we are in is given to us to love God and love others. 

One morning during training, I curled up on my yoga mat sobbing. By God’s grace, I finally understood that God can heal broken people and make something beautiful because He did it for me. I felt that God invited me to fully participate in the strip club ministry back home. There was no more hiding out behind a computer screen for me.  

When I returned home, I obediently led fitness classes for the gals who visit the clubs. Then, the ministry director invited me to join her and her team at a club one evening. 

Decked out in sweaty workout clothes, a hat and someone’s XL sweatshirt from the Lost and Found, I got into the car with two other ladies and we drove to the club. On the drive my fear evaporated like the sweat on my skin. He gave me Shalom. It was my word during training. Perfect Peace. All fear and trepidation left my soul. I was bold, prepared, ready.

We were greeted kindly. No cover charge required. All eyes were on us as we carried two boxes of perfectly packaged gifts. Body scrubs made by our team and face scrubs knitted by hand and prayed over. Each scrub jar said, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made,” on its lid.  Handcrafted gifts of his love. 

We sat at a table in the back. No one approached for a few minutes. The club manager came over and talked for 10-15 minutes. She and her daughter have attended our church two times since the ministry started….that in itself is a miracle. She spoke of family reunions and the end of the school year. It was like coffee at Starbucks if you turned down the music and turned up the lights. 

We waited and a group of three beautiful young women came over to the table to get gift bags. One was giddy with excitement as she talked of showing off her new items on Snapchat and Instagram. Just college-aged girls excited about a present. They introduced themselves and shook our hands. We smiled at their kind words of thanks. When they walked away, we waited some more. 

You know the hardest part of club ministry isn’t averting your eyes or not thinking judgmental thoughts. The hard part of being in the club is waiting. The hard part about being in the club is not knowing who has the greatest need and the courage to ask for help. The hardest part is waiting for God to move in hearts. 

We sat alone for a bit longer. The bar was slow. Some girls didn’t want to visit. The manager told us that no one else was coming over. She went to check, but no one else was interested. We packed up our empty boxes as we prepared to leave the extra gifts for whomever wanted one sans the interaction with us. I was in the rear and the gal just leaving the stage looked over at me crest-fallen. I grabbed a gift and handed it to her to allow time for the other more experienced outreach gals to head back to the table. They had been waiting for this one. They spoke with her often. My teammates were quietly praying that she would approach. She was in need of prayer. She was in need of listening. She was in need of love. 

After gift giving and small talk, the director of our group told her about our exercise classes and this sweet girl said,

“Working out is my jam.” 

She wanted to know more and took a Priceless Ministry card so we could share more with her about our Rev Well classes. Classes where we talk about Jesus and how good he is. Classes where we move our bodies and shake loose bad news stuck in there. Classes where we can love even more. And in those five words all the training and time spent and working through hard places fell into place. People respond to moving their bodies. He had a place for all of this. I was humbled by his goodness yet again.

Then it was time to go.