Freedom. Stillness.
You don’t normally associate these two words together. Most of the time, you associate freedom with outward expressions of animation and exhilaration.
It is the child who leaps for joy. It is the father who embraces his family. It is the fireworks that illuminate the sky.
These are all portions of freedom that are absolutely genuine and valuable, but there is another side to freedom: a side that is not an outward expression but an inward reality. It is called stillness.
We first began to understand this when we visited Cambodia last August. Women worked the karaoke bars, and at any time sex could be purchased from them.
They were not free. Their bodies were for sale.
There was no sense of liberty to unshackle them from inner turmoil. There was no stillness. And because there was no stillness, there was no security.
But we had the wonderful opportunity to work with a partner ministry of Catalyst and opened up a brief health clinic to these women. The more we talked, the more they seemed to trust us. Then, we shared the truth that they have great worth and that they were created to be free.
That day, 15 of these young women opened their hearts to Jesus Christ. Later in the week, we saw many of them again for a special party—and more women heard of Christ, also giving their lives to the Lord. Altogether, over 25 women from the karaoke bars chose to put their trust in Christ.
We choose to believe these words: "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36).
Their outward reality has not changed. And we continue to pray that they would be liberated from their current outward reality.
But we rejoice and trust God that there is a measure of inward turmoil that these precious women have been liberated from. And we can only trust that God has replaced that turmoil with sweet stillness: peace that passes understanding.
After we returned from Cambodia, we bought these women bibles and sent them back to them with their pictures. When they look on themselves, want them to remember that they are precious.
We want them to remember that they are worth the price of freedom.
Please pray with us that they will continue to find freedom in God’s truth and that as He brings them into inward peace, they would be liberated from their outward situation.