Restoring Dignity, Renewing Hope and Rewriting Destinies

Global Childrens Awareness is committed to Restoring Dignity, Renewing Hope and Rewriting Destinies in the lives of children. 

custom made shoes

This summer I was surrounded by shoes. We have sorted, rubber-banded and counted more than a thousand pairs of shoes.  It was such a great feeling to be able to share with so many people our passion for helping children know who they are and that they are valuable. Getting to be a financial blessing to other ministries through the funds raised by the shoes was amazing. Knowing that people were so generous to share from their excess to help young women with shoe selling jobs was so uplifting to my spirit. Seeing and being around all the different kinds, shapes and sizes I guess it is no surprise that the message that gripped my heart has to do with shoes. 

The next revelations will seem contradictory since I have been begging for your used shoes so we can bless others. Sorry, but just hang with me. 

“We are all called to shine in our own way, wither living with the poor in the dirt or being salt and light to Harvard elites.” Heidi Baker. 

We all have our own special pair of shoes. My shoes are suited perfectly for me, to equip me and take me down my path. These shoes help me to shine in my own way.  We each must wear our own shoes. I can’t try to fit into someone else's shoes. The anointing and way I minister is God’s way of expressing His love through me and it will look different than the way you express His love. 

This doesn’t mean that we can never do anything else or minister in a different way. So you may not have shoes for living and ministering overseas but you can defiantly grab a pair of hiking boots for a week and minister powerfully on a short term missions trip. Or to grab some dancing shoes and waltz with some orphans. 

My dear friend, Melissa’s shoes take her next door to her mission field and I have seen God use her powerfully to bring His peace, love & light there. I can step into sub shoes and help out but never replace her because that’s not what the path my shoes were created for. 

I have found that sometimes I thought I needed to be more studious, more refined, more or less of something as to better meets someones approval. In doing so I became guilty of trying to clean myself up and dress the part. Imagining I was looking good when reality was I was wearing big honking clown shoes. I was trying to be a woman of grace and refinement but walking in clown shoes makes that difficult. I have often felt that being here trying to be an American missionary like so many family and friends wanted for us was like walking in clown shoes. My feet got blisters and tired easily.  Yes, I could do it, get around and don’t even mind looking foolish but oh how much more quickly, easily and more effective I could be in my own shoes. 

When we understand what it means that God lavished His love upon us you don’t worry about how you look, what people think or say because your ministry flows from a place of approval  from God. I am free to simply love people and love Daddy God. I am free to be His child, created to be me!!!!!! That doesn’t mean my life won’t have mistakes or be messy. My walk as a child of God is just that, my childish ways. We are children of God on earth walking out and hopefully growing up as we go, but we haven’t arrived to adulthood yet. My life’s goal is to look like, be like, smell like, live like Jesus. I want to engage people with my eyes and them see Jesus and all His love looking at them. I have so much growing to do but I never stop. 

So don’t try to walk in others shoes. Its hard to dance ballet in boots. If your boots are lumberjack boots cut down trees. If you have ballet shoes dance. 

I can’t wear anyone else's shoes just like you can’t wear anyone elses’. We have to walk in the shoes Daddy God has taylor made for us. There is a specific destiny and anointing for each one. It is as useless to try to be someone else as it is for me to wear clown shoes. 

What is God’s calling on your life? What do you want to do? What do you want to be known for? Spend time asking and discovering your unique destiny. He has lovingly created you to fulfill a unique purpose that will Glorify Him. 

1 Cor. 10:31 Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 

Ephesians 2:10 Tells us we are God’s handy work, created to join Him in the good work He does, the good work He has prepared for us to do. That means I have a job to do and so do you. We must be willing to grab our shoes and be equipped for the jobs He has for us. 

The shoes He made for you will not fit anyone else. Put them on. Use them everyday. They never wear out and only get better with age. 

What do your taylor made shoes look like? I think I have some great wedge flip flops that have such beautiful fun gems that can’t help but get your attention. This shoes look girly but have grip and traction to go to mountain tops and down in the valleys. They slip off with ease to be able to enter a dirt floor home to pray with the poor. They are molded to my feet for a game of tag with the kids and for running fast to help others escape. 

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What would you do?

What would you do if a 10 minute walk from your house put you in the middle of cheap hotels where babies, toddlers, children, teens and adults were available for sexual purposes? What would you do if you had to walk by these places and know there was no way to help them? What would you do if you passed by children sleeping on the streets during the day because they were up all night on the beach selling gum and themselves to tourists? What would you do if you saw an old man pay for taking pornographic photos of children? What would you do if you saw a 10 year old boy following an old man into a rent for an hour hotel room? Would you stop? Would you turn your head? Or would you ask God what He wanted to do about this?

Well, for us this is reality. This is our daily life. These images are on our mind as we sleep and in our face every day. There comes a time when you KNOW the burden on our heart is so great you are moved to action. Well, that is the place we are now. We have used our family saving to secure the deposit and get going because we just can’t sit still. We know these kids. We see them every day and can’t put off helping them any longer. There is NO Christian presence in this area. We have been going out 4 nights a week praying, looking, dreaming with God for a place that shines the light of Christ and chases out the darkness. We have had the privilege to join with visitors to walk the streets and pray for these forgotten by the Christian world. It is just easier to not think about what happens to the people in red light districts. Once these images are in your mind you know you must help.

Today we are installing a water pump so the building will have water to all four floors and the electricity will be turned on soon. Next week a team from Convergence Church in TX will spend a day praying, cleaning and possibly painting. There are many things that must be done before we can open as a safe place for kids. Please prayerfully consider helping financially so we can get the center open soon. We need funds for renovations and day to day costs.

Prayer points

Open Heavens and Favor of Daddy God over Bridge Children’s Center

Resources for expenses, staff and daily operating costs

Godly passionate staff

Protection over our family as we press in to see light come into the darkness

Friends and activities for our 4 daughters

Like minded volunteers and teams to partner with us

Protection over all children in this area