by Donya Dunlap | Dec 22, 2013 | Making a Difference
I am the queen of the Christmas list. Just ask my mother. A minimum of five pages, organized by category and in order of importance. However, since becoming more aware of the needs in the world around me, it’s been harder to think just of me and all the things I want. I feel selfish focusing on them when I know that there are children in many places without clean drinking water or a single pair of shoes.
Years ago, when a song like My Grown Up Christmas List, I would roll my eyes and endure the next few minutes until the radio played something far better…like I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, for example. Today, I see the song differently, and not just because Michael Buble recorded it. I understand now the importance of every man having a friend and the desire that right would always win.
I understand that the needs can be overwhelming, so I decided to give you a head start. I have created a grown up Christmas list of organizations that are making a difference around the world. These are only a few that I could recommend, but hopefully it will help you make positive purchasing and donating choices in the new year. I encourage you to take some time during your upcoming vacation days to visit the following links, and to contribute to their efforts as you are able.
Sole Hope – providing fair wages to shoemakers to provide shoes to children to protect them from life-threatening jigger infestations in their feet.
Blood Water Mission – fighting HIV/AIDS and the water crisis in Africa
Ornaments 4 Orphans – selling handcrafted ornaments to provide benefits for orphans in Uganda
Eternal Threads – providing income generating projects for village women in India, Madagascar, Nepal, Afghanistan, Africa, Asia, and other places around the world
Pure Charity – funding non-profit projects to advance human justice and hope around the world
Give Generation – promoting trendy brands that give back to worthy causes around the globe
World Renew – working in some of the world’s most difficult places to help people overcome disaster, fight injustice, and renew hope for a better future
Additional organizations specifically fighting trafficking and assisting trafficking victims can be found by visiting my pages online stores and organizations under the slavery heading.
I know that money is tight for many of us, myself included. But sometimes all you need to encourage you in your circumstances is to take your eyes off of them and consider what you can do for someone else. I hope that this is a help to you as you seek to show the love of Jesus this holiday season.
Merry Christmas!
Photo credit: Mark J P / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
by Donya Dunlap | Dec 6, 2013 | Fiction
The hands of the mason move in tandem in silent rhythm. The creator is blind to his creation. Stone upon stone. Row upon row. Suddenly he blinks and a wall is before his eyes, blocking his view ahead. He turns and finds he is alone in a cell of his own making. He longs to cry for help, but berates himself for the thought.
“Why should anyone come to your call?” he thinks. “You’ve done this to yourself. Piece by piece you’ve shut away the world.” He nods his head in agreement with his heart and looks to the skies. It will soon be night, and then another day. “Is this all life is meant to be? Has all the building been in vain, not to brighten the world with beauty, but to withhold the beauty of the world from my own sight?”
He sinks to the earth and finds it damp beneath his calloused hands. The escape of sleeps calls for him and yet remains just outside his grasp. He is left alone with thoughts that taunt and question. It takes the night for him to realize that self-pity is not the answer. With the light of sunrise, a shake of his shoulders, and a brush to his pants, he reaches for the highest stone to bring it down again—but it resists its makers intent.
Singly the stones moved into place with ease. Rejection upon doubt. Fear upon failure. Pain beside worry. One by one they found their home without the mason even acknowledging what was happening. Years of hiding had made him an expert wall builder. He could erect a monument while half-asleep. But this moment found him wide awake and tugging at a mass of stone and mortar that refused to give way to reason.
His cry for help echoed back to him in cheerful response. A single stone to his left moved out from its place and fell to the grass below. Bending to peer through the vacant space, the mason was both surprised and ashamed to see the kind eyes of the Master Mason smiling back at him. He lowered his gaze and readied himself for the expected lecture. It took him more than a moment to respond to the “mind if I lend a hand” that he received instead.
“Alone this wall would be impossible to take down.” the older gentleman said. “But together! Ah now that makes all the difference in the world.” he concluded with a wink.
Side by side they worked. Some sections harder to dismantle than others, but all giving way to the work of the Master. With each stone taken to the ground, the mason’s heart grew stronger in hope. He could see the trees at the edge of the path and a glimpse of the hills in the distance. The effort tore at his callouses and caused him pain, but he didn’t mind. The presence of pain made him realize that he could feel again. Pain was a part of life that he had been missing behind the wall. In the thickening of his skin he had blocked out the hurt, but he had also covered his sensitivity to all other sensations as well. He rubbed his thumb over the now tender spots of new skin, looking up just in time to see the last of the stones falling away, giving him space to move ahead in freedom.
He grasped the extended hand of his rescuer and stepped over the rubble. “How did you hear me cry out?” he asked.
“Ah Son.” the Master replied. “I’ve been here the whole time, watching you stack up those silly stones, your eyes at half-mast and your mind a thousand miles away. You didn’t even know what you were doing until it was too late. But I knew. I was just waiting for you to know it too.”
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by Donya Dunlap | Nov 18, 2013 | The Spiritual Life
You don’t know me and I don’t know you. I think you told me your name, but I can’t remember. I can feel the touch of your hand on my arm, but I can’t see your face. It’s blurry from the tears I couldn’t keep inside for another minute. I didn’t even want to be in that room at that moment. I was trying to find the bathroom. But I was coming unglued. Quickly. I was turned around and the hallways weren’t going as they were supposed to and the prayer room was there with the soft lighting beckoning me to be at peace. The announcement went through my memory, prompting me to enter that safe place if I needed to…and I did…but I was afraid to admit that I did.
I walked in that room, past the people who where sharing and praying, and I found a chair and I cried. I cried tears that I had refused to acknowledge were in my heart. They had been pulling at me for weeks and I had been pushing them away. Ignoring them. I didn’t have time for them. But at that moment, they refused to stay hidden. You saw them and asked if I was okay. I wasn’t. I couldn’t even form the words to tell you why. I think I might have said something, but I doubt it was intelligible. You asked me my name. You asked if you could pray for me and I nodded my assent. I don’t know everything that you said. In fact, I only remember nine little words.
Jesus, please help Donya know that she is enough.
I remember those words because they were the exact opposite of what my heart cry to God was at that very moment.
I’m not enough. I’m not enough. I can’t do this. I don’t have what it takes. I’m not enough.
You had no idea. I couldn’t talk. But when you said that simple sentence I knew God had sent you to me. In that moment, your words gave me a gift that I have been holding on to ever since God prompted you to speak them. I needed to be reminded that by His grace I AM enough. Not because of me, but because of Him. Because He is in me.
I am broken. I am prone to self-doubt, self-condemnation, excessive self-examination. I am sinful. Prideful. Hurt. Afraid. I am all the things that He is not. These are all things He knows I am…and He loves me anyway. He wants to use me anyway. He has a plan for me anyway. I am all of those things and more…but I am also enough.
He has never once asked me to have my act all together. He knows that would be an impossible request. All He asks of me is to let Him love me and use me as He sees fit. I so easily forget that.
He has given me talents that are battered from the fall, and in His mercy and grace He has asked me to use them to the best of my ability through His power and for His glory. He delights in this. He delights in me. He is pleased when I offer my heart to Him, even when it’s broken. He knows that I would rather lock it up and protect it. He understands my fragility, and yet gently pries back my fingers so that He can mend the torn parts of my heart and start it beating again. He does this, not rejoicing in the pain that it causes to face my brokenness, but in love, knowing that I can only find healing if I give the wounds to Him.
I don’t know if you are a blonde or brunette, a ministry leader or a stay-at-home mom. But I do know that you are an angel. You were God’s messenger to me at a time when I desperately needed to hear from Him. You brought to me words that gave me the peace I was seeking when I couldn’t find a space to be alone. I’m so glad that you didn’t leave me with my tears when I thought that’s what I wanted. You were heaven sent.
Thank you.
Photo Credit: Kim DeLoach Photography
by Donya Dunlap | Oct 17, 2013 | Making a Difference, Modern Day Slavery
I went into a strip club on Saturday. Several actually. And strangely, I felt at home.
I think it’s because Jesus was there.
This weekend, I was ministered to by the organizers of Strip Church Training, a ministry of XXX Church. The ministry trains women to go into strip clubs to share the love of Jesus. On Saturday night, one of the hosts graciously allowed those attending the conference to minister in her clubs with her team leaders. I felt honored to be there.
The first two clubs refused to let us in. My leader had received favor in both locations before, but this time our impact reached only the bouncers and the managers. But they need Jesus too, so we smiled and left without a fuss. We were allowed into two other clubs, one of which was not even on our original list. Those clubs welcomed us with open arms. Literally! As soon as the bartender at the first location saw our leader she gave her a big hug and excitedly shared with the flabbergasted patrons that this organization comes by regularly to give gifts to the girls and talk to them. The girls seemed to enjoy the earrings we gave them and thanked us for coming. The second club let us in with hesitation. The bouncer wasn’t quite sure what to do with us and kept checking in as we chatted with two of the girls in their dressing room. I would have loved to know what he thought of us as we joined hands with the girls and prayed for them.
I learned many things during the conference sessions.
I learned that many of these girls have a connection to Christianity in their family history, but have rejected it, usually because of hurtful behavior they experienced from Christians. I learned that while some club owners will refuse you entry, others will welcome you and thank you for showing love to the girls that work in his or her place of business. I learned that there isn’t one tried and true method to reach these women, except being a conduit for the love and compassion of Jesus. I learned that these girls are exceptionally adept at reading people and transparency is vital in building their trust. I learned these things and countless others, but one speaker’s comment rises to the top:
These are Jesus’ girls.
Jesus is raising up an army of former dancers, ministry leaders, soccer moms, school teachers, and anyone else that will heed the call to show His love to His girls. And the amazing thing is that in a place so dark, the littlest flickers of love shine brightly. A pair of earrings, a cupcake, a gift card, a make-up session…little gestures communicating care and hope can mean so much.
We might never know the impact of this outreach until Heaven. But I firmly believe that this ministry pleases Jesus. He smiles to see a young woman kneel down to speak to an elderly house mom about her grandkids. It pleases Him to watch a young dancer receive a booklet of verses from His Word. He thrills to listen to a circle of prayer in a strip club dressing room. It pleases Him because His heart beats for the lost and hurting. He created these girls. He loves them, and He is calling us to love them too.
You can take part in the blessings of this work through prayer and financial support. If you would like to become an Infusion Prayer Partner, click here to join the Facebook group to receive regular updates on the ministry and prayer requests. If you would like to become a Monthly Ministry Partner, you may do so by signing up for a reoccurring donation at www.giveherlove.com. The funds will go towards ministries like strip club outreach, and will also begin building the fund for our future Ministry Center that will provide counseling, life-courses, services, and office space for the ministry staff.
by Donya Dunlap | Sep 18, 2013 | The Spiritual Life
Sometimes we humans like to wrap ourselves in philosophies meant to protect us emotionally from life—like bubble wrap minus the super fun moment of childlike glee behind your closed office door. We say, “Sticks and stones…” and “It’s not personal…it’s business…” and expect the hurt to magically go away. But much to my personal chagrin, life isn’t “You’ve Got Mail” and we all don’t get to marry the adorable and witty Joe Fox at the end of a time of personal heartbreak.
So what do you do when bitter words come flying your direction? How do you respond when a friend rejects you over a misunderstanding? How do you move forward in ministry with one that has broken your heart, whether intentionally or unintentionally?
It’s not Bible, but I believe the first step in forgiveness is acknowledging that you are human and the situation that has transpired has caused you pain. In “You’ve Got Mail” Joe Fox is trying to mend fences with Cathleen Kelly after his company put hers out of business. He tries to explain himself by saying with a shrug, “It wasn’t personal. It was just business.” Her response is pure truth. “Well it was personal to me.” You are a human being dealing with other human beings. We all have fallen natures. We all sin. We all cause and feel pain. It doesn’t make you less of a Christian to admit that.
The second step is much harder. You have to choose forgiveness. Or in the words of a popular song, we have to “love ’em like Jesus.” The book of 1 John is very helpful in working through the process of love and forgiveness. In chapter 4 it says this:
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:10-11
Love isn’t a feeling. Hurt is a feeling. Pain is a feeling. Love is an action. We choose to forgive others regardless of what they do to us because love is of God and He loved us despite what we did to Him, to the point of sacrificing His own Son. That is love. God is love. And as followers of God and His Son, Jesus, whose Spirit resides in us, we have to act as He acted. We have to choose to face pain and heartache for the benefit of others.
Does that mean that we have to continue to engage with abusive people? No. Does that mean you have to just “suck it up” and move on? (I know…cheesy metaphor overload. I apologize.) No, it doesn’t. That doesn’t work anyway. Lean into Jesus. Take your hurt feelings to Him. Ask Him to help you leave them there.
Understand that forgiveness might not be a one time action either. Going back to my first point, we are human and that means messy emotions. When those emotions spill back out, wrap up that mess and take it back to Jesus. Rinse and repeat as necessary until the hurt stops hurting and His love heals your heart. It’s not fair. It’s not easy. But it’s what Jesus did for all us and what He asks us to do for others.
So while it is very personal, remember that God is in the business of broken hearts. He understands them. He heals them. He died for them. He will help you do the same.
Photo credit: Daniel*1977 / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
