Cultivating a posture of prayer
I can not believe how quickly time goes. I have had the privilege of working with Rescue America in some capacity for the last three years and before that, I had not been exposed to human trafficking. I met our Founder and President, Allison Madrigal through a friend just a year before I found myself on my knees with her outside the offices at Launch Houston.
It was there, through prayer, that God began to cultivate and reveal His heart over this large population of modern-day slavery. Praying for this population and the tug that God placed upon my heart that day has not stopped since. In the summer of 2018, during my internship for graduate school, I had the opportunity to combine two gifts that the Lord had given me and serve on the front line for Survivors in the Rescue America Emergency Assessment (RAEA) program. We called the program healing touch therapy. I remember asking God on the beach one day how He wanted me to serve them that summer?
What spiritual discipline along with healing touch I could provide? Given our Survivors had been touched negatively in the past it was very important that nothing would trigger them. As I watched the waves come in and out, he led me to John 13. The very place where Jesus washed the disciple’s feet.
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
— John 13:14–17 (NKJV)
So, for that summer I implemented from the Lords leading the loving discipline of washing the Survivor’s feet. While sitting with them and washing their feet, I was able to love on them as Jesus would and in this sitting God fulfilled His promise to me that I would be blessed. I was blessed that summer by the gift of seeing the Father's heart over this population we get to serve, I was blessed by getting to pray with them, I was blessed by getting to provide a healthy touch where they have been so violated. Just writing about this still makes me weep. At their feet is where God taught me to really began to intercede for our Survivors, the traffickers, our front-line staff, and executive team. I could physically feel the weight of their circumstances and as I laid hands on them and prayed, I could feel them be filled up with hope.
I also had the privilege of working with the executive team providing spiritual direction to complete my internship. The week before graduation I had been praying what was next and I received a phone call asking if I would stay on as the Spiritual Director and company prayer liaison. The biggest part of what I do here is rooted in prayer and listening to the real director who is the Holy Spirit. That first summer I spent with Rescue Houston I had no idea that God was teaching me about the continuous posture that He desired from our whole organization. The posture of PRAYER. Over the last 3 years I have watched God weave prayer through every part of our ministry. This is our first line of defense to approach the darkness. It is in this posture of prayer that we are truly able to hear the Father's heart and know how to respond.
As are in this month of Easter, we would like to invite all our readers to join us in prayer. It is because of what Jesus did on the cross for us and what he continues to do for us in intercession that allows us to be equipped to join in the mission of binding up the broken hearted and set the captives free. So, each time you see a cross this month please just pray this little phrase...
Thank you Jesus for your blood that was shed for each one of these victims and because of you they will be able to live with you in eternity forever. Please reach down from on high and take hold of these Survivors; draw them out of deep waters. Rescue them from the powerful enemy, from their foes, who are too strong for them. Psalm 18:16-17 Father we ask that you equip Rescue America with all they need to be your hands and feet.
We pray that you and your family be blessed this Easter season! Thank you for being an extension of our team!!
