Give Me a Dose of Crazy!

Last night.
The back of an auditorium.
Quest Community Church.
Lexington, Kentucky.


I'm in awe.

In front of me is the most beautiful gift.

With a new friend named Tabitha, it's our job to assemble it.

First, a layer of pink cellophane.

Then, a tissue paper covered in black French Toile design.

Next, we put a gift in the center of the paper -- makeup, like eyeliner, lip pencil or lip gloss.

And finally, we bring the paper and cellophane around it and tie it with a sleek polka dotted ribbon. Attached is a card, advertising our church services.

Where are these gifts headed?

They're going to bars -- to party girls.

They're going to strip clubs -- to exotic dancers.

Before we start our wrapping, we receive a pep talk and a prayer from the organizer of this: Sandra.

Sandra's story tops that of the woman at the well. She, too, was an exotic dancer and also owned a pornography company.

Today, Sandra is a daughter of the Most High King.

She wants women to know that they are beloved by Him.

"We're going to take these to the bars this weekend," she tells me and Tabitha. "We want these girls to know, 'Yes, you can come to this church, and no one will judge you!' We want them to know that they're loved and beloved. What's really fun is that when they open these, the papers go all over the bar! You can see it covering the place!"

Then Sandra asks us to pray with her.

What stuns me? She doesn't pray for the girls. She prays for us -- for me and Tabitha. She thanks God for our willingness to help, to be the hands and feet of Jesus. She asks God to bless our conversation as we work together. She blesses the moments we will share together as we put these packages together and prepare them.

I am moved.

I am in awe.

Is it crazy to invite a stripper to your church?

Give me a dose of crazy!!!

I want it!

As I work alongside Tabitha, then when we are joined by a third helper named Tina, I get more and more excited about who will receive these gifts. My heart beats faster as I think about someone who may hold one and say to themselves, "Maybe I can try this church. Maybe they will accept me there. Maybe it's time for me to give it a shot. What do I have to lose?"

Better than that, what if they come and say, "Maybe I can give Jesus a try. Maybe He will accept me. Maybe it's time for me to give Him a shot. What do I have to lose?"

Are you crazy?

If not ... why not?


For more information about Beloved and Sandra's personal story, go to http://www.be-loved.cc/