also Awareness & Prevention
BFA TRAINING, OUTREACH & ITINERARY
Will You Answer theCALL2XXX?
Many are CALLED . . . Few are CHOSEN
Don't go UNPREPARED
Now is the Time to be PROPERLY TRAINED & EQUIPPED
Make Plans TODAY to ATTEND
As always, training is limited to size due to personal & intimate ministry. Training involves actual strip club outreach experience(s) & receipt of the BFA Training Manual, which includes the following topics:
Strip Club Outreach Pointers – How We Do It
XXX Ministry Advice
What to Expect & How to Respond
Volunteers
Financial & Spiritual Accountability
Financial Assistance ~ Giving & Receiving
Rahab's Hope Fund Application
Confidentiality Statements
Establishing A Non-Profit Public Charity
Marketing & Fund Raising
Networking
New Life Centers & Other Faith Based Residential Programs
For More Information & to Register for Training
239.939.9218 & 877 4BFA SOS (423.2767) Toll Free
bfaministries@earthlink.net
To Register for Spiritual Warfare Conference Only
239.274.8881 www.wolm.net
| FROM SEX INDUSTRY to PASTORAL MINISTRY Press Release 6.17.08 |
 Formerly
known as Diamond, the Co-Founder of Beauty From Ashes Ministries, Inc.
aka theCALL2XXX, is officially enrolled at History Makers School of
Ministry in Fort Myers, FL as a full time student pursuing an
Associates Degree in Pastoral Care. Julie Shematz, a former stripper
& a licensed minister since January 2008, is taking 14 credit hours
this semester and is scheduled to become an ordained pastor. Already
holding a Bachelor's of Fine Arts from Indiana University & having
studied as a triple major at Purdue Univerisity (Art Education K-12,
Fine Arts & Visual Communication Design) with a minor in Learning
Disabilities, she will continue to operate as the CEO of the
revolutionary, sex industry ministry based out of Fort Myers, FL. She is married to Co-Founder, Teen Challenge graduate and 5 year staff member, Steve Shematz. Steve, a recovered porn addict, and Julie founded Beauty From Ashes Ministries, a 501(c)3, faith based, public charity in February 2005 & they reside in Fort Myers, FL They both have traveled nationally training church leadership & lay persons how to do strip club outreaches & XXX ministry. Julie is a regular televsion guest on the Christian program, God Has the Answer Today, has appeared on numerous secular & Christian television shows, as well as been the keynote speaker for Sexual Wholeness & Teen Awareness & Prevention seminars nationally. Over 50 women & men have been assisted through the ministry that are still currently out of the sex industry and BFA manages the largest sex industry ministry network in the world. Julie started stripping in an effort to pay for her college education and was in the industry 7 years, 3 years after she acquired her BFA. She's celebrating 6 years of being out of it this year, October 4th, when she gave her heart to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Steve & Julie, originally from Maryland & Indiana, respectfully, met in Fort Myers and have been married since August of 2003. They attend Word of Life World Outreach Center, where she is a full time staff member and the headquarters for the BFA Art & Resource Studio is located. |
THE NEW & OFFICIAL theCALL2XXX/BFA Myspace Page
SIGN UP 2DAY 4 15 MINUTE TIME BLOCKS
NOW IS THE TIME . . . WILL U ANSWER
theCALL2XXX?
Download PRAYER SIGN UP SHEET in Excel or PDF Format
FOR MORE INFO
**NEW**PORN EXPO PRAYER PROMO KIT**NEW**
24/7 Prayer 4 LA Porn Expo Sign Up Sheet.pdf
Porn Prayer Punch List.pdf
theCALL2XXX EROTICA LA Flyer.pdf
theCALL2XXX EROTICA LA.pdf
theCALL2XXX WANTED PRAYER WARRIORS.pdf
GET INVOLVED - Download & Print
Right click on above documents & Save As... then Open on Desktop to Print
Take to your Pastor, Church, Home & Prayer Groups
Email to Radio & TV Stations
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
PORN PRAYER PUNCH LIST
Join the REVOLUTION
every Friday 7-8am EST &/or 7-8am PST
The CALL2XXX - Corporate Prayer & Fasting 4 the
SeXXX Industry & it's Ministries
FOR MORE INFO
theCALL2XXX - I WAS ASHAMED, YOU CALLED ME BEAUTIFUL
FOR MORE INFORMATION or to SCHEDULE an Event EMAIL or CALL
UNITED STATES & CANADA Toll Free 877 4BFA SOS (877.423.2767)
every Friday 7-8am EST &/or 7-8am PST
The CALL2XXX - Corporate Prayer & Fasting 4 the
SeXXX Industry & it's Ministries
FOR MORE INFO
theCALL2XXX - I WAS ASHAMED, YOU CALLED ME BEAUTIFUL
| Celebrating 3 Years as a Not for Profit 501(c)3 Public Charity February 2008 Become a PURPOSE PARTNER Today Help Us Make an IMPACT on the World's Largest Mission Field |  |
 Revolutionary movement of weeekly FASTING & PRAYER for the sex industry & its ministries Fridays 7-8 EST & 7-8 PST & 24/7 Prayer Coverage of Selected Porn Conventions Porn Prayer Punch List DIVERSE Gatherings of Praise, Worship & Prayer •Strategic geographical locations in cities across U.S. •Pre-Porn Expo Event(s) | Rahab’s Hope Fund National program providing transitional assistance, job skill development, church placement, relocation, accountability, discipleship, counseling & money management to qualified candidates who have left sex industry.   |
| Strip Club Outreach & XXX Ministry Training 4 Pastors & Lay Leaders Ministry & Outreach Development How We Do It & What to Expect Local Outreach Training with Hands on Experience | Awareness & Prevention 4 Teens Multimedia, audience interactive, presentation emphasizing the following: •Truth vs. Myth of XXX Industry •Intimacy •Wordliness versus godliness •External & internal behaviors •Modesty •Self esteem •Commitment •Goal setting •The Father's Love |
| BFA RESOURCE CENTER •Computer Skill Development: Mac & PC •Resume Building •Office/Administrative Training •Bookkeeping w/Quickbooks •Graphic & Web Design Training | BFA Art Center 4 All Your Creative Needs: Graphic Design; Logos, stationary, business cards, flyers, brochures, signs... Portraits, Paintings, Drawings, Murals, Faux & Custom Painting Art instruction/All Ages & in All Medias Group & Private Classes |
•18-month residential faith based program 4 people with life controlling issues •18 years & older •Currently >106 residents & 7 children under 4 yrs. old •Food, housing, clothes & inner healing counseling provided •History Makers School of Ministry Accredited Degree Acquired •85% success rate of graduates •$760 per person @ month/Sponsors Neede | Freedom Children’s Home •Child care for women & men in faith based residential program(s). •Affordable child care for families transitioning out of industry 100% of all donations go to transitional and outreach puproses unless otherwise indicated. If you desire to fund a particular project, please note such on your gift. All donations are tax deductible. Thank you for becoming a PURPOSE PARTNER with us. |
FOR MORE INFORMATION or to SCHEDULE an Event EMAIL or CALL
UNITED STATES & CANADA Toll Free 877 4BFA SOS (877.423.2767)
BFA Founder, Julie Shematz, Special Guest On: |
|
This episode: Julie talks with a pastor that she & her husband,
a recovered porn addict, trained 3 years ago to do this unique type of
ministry. Pastor Sharon Amos of the Oasis Home for Women in Dayton,
Ohio is the guest of Julie & Bishop Gaspar Anastasi, on the GOD HAS
THE ANSWER TODAY TV Show. Answering the call to the XXX industry,
dedicated to reaching the lost & making disciples of Christ, find
out how we are working together, making an impact in the
largest mission field of the world. Previous Episodes and other TV Appearances & Videos |
During the first segment, a former prostitute contemplating suicide found the program & contacted Julie, via the 24/7 Help Line, immediately after the show went off the air. She now is attending church regularly with Julie @ Word of Life World Outreach Center. To God be all the glory! For more info, SEE BLOG Julie has accepted the invitation to be a regular guest on the program. OR: AIRWAVES Channel 49 TIME WARNER Fort Myers & North Fort Myers Channel 23 Cape Coral Channel 12 COMCAST CABLE Fort Myers, N. Fort Myers, Pine Island, Sanibel, South Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples, Lehigh Acres Channel 10 COMCAST CABLE Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda Channel 49 Program Times: Sunday @ 3pm, Tuesday @ 7pm, Thursday @ 10:30pm & Saturday @ 10:30pm |
 | BFA Founder Julie Shematz LIVE Radio Interview Tuesday, February 26th @ 5:40 EST WORDFM.COM |
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MEET OUR FOUNDER'S on MYSPACE
Steve & Julie Shematz
Beauty From Ashes International Ministries
EDUCATIONAL, RESOURCE & ART CENTER
OPENED JANUARY 21, 2008!
God is expanding BFA & provided office, studio & training space
here in Fort Myers, FL!
Our new offices & studios will be located at the
Word of Life World Outreach Center
2150 Collier Avenue, Suite M
The new space enables us to offer the following:
Computer Skill Development: Mac & PC
Office/Administrative Training
Bookkeeping w/Quickbooks
Graphic & Web Design Training
Art Instruction & Productions
Intern & Apprenticeships for Ministry & Art Business
Child Care
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| CONTACT BFA 4 ALL YOUR CREATIVE NEEDS: Painting, Portraits, Drawings, Mixed Media, Digital Art, Graphic & Web Design, Murals, Faux & Custom Painting Private & Group Art Instruction SEE ARTWORK & MORE INFO (Art business is used to generate income for administrative & staff payroll costs. 100% of all donations, unless designated otherwise, is used for transitional & outreach purposes. |
BFA, since becoming recognized by the IRS as a
not for profit public charity in February 2005 by December 2007:
Raised & Given to Help Women, Men & Families from Sex Industry $24,650+
BFA has Distributed:
3000+ Bibles & Biblical Literature
6000+ Christian music, teaching & preaching CD's
3000+ brochures with former stripper's testimony
800+ Christian DVD's & VHS tapes
1500+ Gifts & Care Packets
50+ Study Bibles & Disciplship Curriculum
BFA has Distributed:
3000+ Bibles & Biblical Literature
6000+ Christian music, teaching & preaching CD's
3000+ brochures with former stripper's testimony
800+ Christian DVD's & VHS tapes
1500+ Gifts & Care Packets
50+ Study Bibles & Disciplship Curriculum
10 states, 15+ cities & 30+ Strip Club Outreaches
18+ Like Ministries Helped to Get Started
READ DETAILED account of the WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE through
Beauty From Ashes Ministries, Inc.
18+ Like Ministries Helped to Get Started
READ DETAILED account of the WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE through
Beauty From Ashes Ministries, Inc.
| AVN (Adult Video News) Identifies Ex Stripper as Christian Outreach Leader @ World's Largest Porn Expo |
February 2008 Christian Life-Times Newspaper Among the names of famous porn stars, their latest movies & nominations for the yearly awards the AVN (host of the 'red carpet' yearly event) website featured a Top Headline News story days before the expo opened that was unexpected. 'Ex Stripper Christian Leader at Las Vegas Adult Entertainment Expo'. The Ex Stripper was identified as BFA's founder, Julie Shematz. The story written by Peter Warren was a favorable editorial on Julie's organization of 24/7 prayer for the 4 day event, as well as the PRE-AVN DIVERSE GATHERING Praise, Worship & Prayer meeting hosted by the International Church of Las Vegas. In addition, Focus on the Family & other Christian news medias featured online stories on BFA & her efforts @ the AVN. The result was BFA's website ballooning with hits averaging over 9200 a day & the prayer requests more than tripling from sex workers & consumers across the nation appealing for help, as well as Christians enlisting to be part of the Prayer Vigil. BFA was able to organize at least 3 people praying every 15 minutes for the entire event. This was the second year BFA organized the REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT focusing on prayer, fasting & intercession for those in the industry as well as those called to minister inside the expo. At the busy convention hall, in the absence of the highly publicized JCs Girls booth this year, God demonstrated that He was doing a new thing with the presence of a new booth called 'The Naked Truth' rented by a local church. Pastor Ron Veiti, along with former sex workers & lay people prayed for individuals & distributed free CD's & books by the pastor from the popular booth. Former sex workers flew in from as far as Texas to partner with him & he again sported the hefty cost of renting a suite in the Venetian where cross denominational intercessors united & lovingly served those working inside the convention hall seeking refreshment from the diverse expo. Former porn star, Shelley Lubben, returned to the expo with a team of former porn actresses & volunteers distributing 100's of gift bags that included bibles, her testimony & beauty items. XXXChurch celebrating their 6th year at the convention continued to distribute 1000's of bibles with covers that read 'Jesus Loves Porn Stars' from it's booth & a few lone rangers barely distinquishable in appearance from sex workers could be seen wandering the aisles with their camcorder recording their efforts to make an impact on the world's largest industry. Even in light of the disheartening 'We're Sorry' blog posted by the pioneer anti-porn ministry 3X, anticipating an increased number of new fishermen in the enormous ocean of the sex industry & what might happen, there were no reports of picketing or zealous saints shouting hell, fire & brimstone @ the consumers or partipants of the porn expo. All in all, the message was that God loves them & for those that want a way out Jesus is the Way. We believe the event was the spear head of what God is doing in the sex industry & anticipate even greater things for 2008. It's not stopping here & we are now asking intercessors to weekly fast on Fridays & unite with thousands internationally from 7-8 EST & 7-8 PST to pray for the industry & the ministries called to it. See our Porn Prayer Punch List for a guide of what to pray & join in this REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT. In UNITY you can make a difference. http://www.beautyfromashes.org |
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xXx Ministry & Strip Club Outreach Training |
| SIGNS, MIRACLES & WONDERS Surround Training & Outreaches....READ MORE |
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Nov 15-18, 2007 Fort Myers, FL Training & Workshops are in connection with Word of Life Ministries' Conferences | Limited Number for Workshops & Outreaches For more information: Call Toll Free 877.4UR NEED (497.6333) or Email |
| November 15 9-11am & 1-4pm Classes & Workshops November 15 8pm – 11pm Strip Club Training & Outreach November 16 1-3pm Strip Club Training & Outreach 3:30-5:30pm Debriefing for both Outreaches November 16 7pm Breaking Free Past Hurts Conference November 17 9am-12pm Breaking Free Past Hurts Conference 1-4pm Breaking Free Past Hurts Conference 5-8pm Dinner (we will going to a local restaurant as a group.) November 18 10am-12:30pm Definitely Not Church as Usual! November 18 12:30-1pm Tour of New Life Center Residential Facilities This training is open to anyone nationally or internationally involved in this type of ministry and/or anyone interested in starting a such ministry. There is no seating limitation for the Breaking Free Past Hurts Conference. This conference is highly recommended for anyone interested or presently involved with this type of ministry. The people you are reaching and/or ministering to are very wounded people. It will better equip you to minister to them. There is no charge for either the training/seminar or conference. Free will offerings will be taken. We can assist with transporation & housing accomodations. |
SeXXX Industry Ministries, Organizations & Resources
TOGETHER we are making a difference!
AWARENESS & PREVENTION 4 TEENs The multi-media, audience interactive, presentation emphasizes the following: Intimacy, wordliness versus godliness; external & internal behaviors, modesty, self esteem, commitment, goal setting, the Father's Love & the impact being a fatherless generation is having on society, as well as, Julie's testimony of how she was lured into the sex industry in an effort to acquire a college degree. We encourage you to pass on this information to your youth pastors or anyone that leads youth events. The X & Y generations are being strongly influenced by our sex saturated society. It's been reported that children as young as 8 & 9 years old in Christian schools are expressing that they want to be strippers & prostitutes when they grow up! We are hearing that is now the 'norm'! Now is the time for the TRUTH be told in an effort to dispel the lies. Help us make a difference by exposing the myths our society is selling our teens that the sex industry is glamourous. For Scheduling Information call 877.4UR NEED (497.6333) or Email |
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AWARENESS & PREVENTION 4 TEENs Launched in Fort Myers Former stripper, Julie Shematz, transparently shared with teenage girls aged 12-19 @ the AFCAAM her testimony of how she became involved in the sex industry in an effort to pay for her college education on Monday, August 13th. Relating how she has become a successful professional artist since she recommitted her life to Christ's Lordship 5 years ago, she encouraged the young women to pursue their dreams under the Lordship of Christ & God's Word. She continued the series discussing the world's definition of intimacy versus God's, the consequences of pre-marital sex & the Bible as a standard on Monday, August 20th. She completed the series on September 10th speaking about modesty, self esteem, commitment & goal setting. |
Televised LIVE Call in Show Airing on Secular Stations
Hosted by Howard Stern regular guest & Bill O'Reilly guest,
Evangelist Bill Keller
Previous Episodes and other TV Appearances & Videos
MEET Julie on Myspace
READ ABOUT 8.10.07 FORT MYERS STRIP CLUB OUTREACH
'Cover Me' Fort Myers Transitional Home
Worship Service INSIDE a STRIP CLUB - Dayton, OH
& Other BFA News
Friday, May 11 - Mother's Day - Fliers 4 Gift Bags
BFA served a home cooked comfort meal & delivered gifts to employees inside a local strip club.
God is Doing a New Thing.....Read More
SEE BLOG 4 MORE NEWS & EVENTS
National & International XXX Ministry Happenings
Watch LIVE TV Show
taped 2 days before our website disappeared!
Pastor Interviews Former Stripper/College Coed
Previous Episodes and other TV Appearances & Videos
Hosted by Howard Stern regular guest & Bill O'Reilly guest,
Evangelist Bill Keller
Previous Episodes and other TV Appearances & Videos
MEET Julie on Myspace
READ ABOUT 8.10.07 FORT MYERS STRIP CLUB OUTREACH
'Cover Me' Fort Myers Transitional Home
Worship Service INSIDE a STRIP CLUB - Dayton, OH
& Other BFA News
URGENT NEED MET 4 SEX INDUSTRY OVERCOMER Michelle Roberts was in urgent need for the A/C to be repaired in her car. She lives in Las Vegas, where temperatures have been a steady 100 degrees & above. Michelle, once a prostitute in Vegas, had now been out of the industry for 7 years & co-hosts the weekly Christian, online idradionetwork program, Life After Game. She heads up the sex industry ministry @ International Church of Las Vegas where she has attended since her conversion. Having no husband to support her, she also holds down a 40 hour a week secular job. Michelle played a key role in organizing the 24/7, 4 day prayer coverage that ICLV provided for BFA for the AVN expo in January, as well as the DIVERSE PRAYER & PRAISE GATHERING for all the teams ministering @ the expo. She is a humble, gracious & prophetic soldier of God. Will you please help us to help her? The cost of the repair iwas $200. In less than 24 hours of letting this need be known, through faithful supporters, the NEED WAS MET! THANK YOU 4 ur SUPPORT Thank you, Jehovah Jireh! TOGETHER we are making a difference |
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| BFA's Julie & Myra (Outreach Team Members) embrace @ SWFL Worship Celebration, Saturday, June 9, 2007 Fort Myers News-Press Pics | BFA Outreach Team Member, Alex, praying @ SWFL Worship Celebration Fort Myers News-Press Pics |
REASON TO CELEBRATE! Friday, June 8, 2007 BFA's Outreach team delivered & served a home cooked meal from the locker room of a local strip club in Fort Myers , FL from the hours of 11:30pm to 2am. Before they departed in the early hours of the morning, they prayed with a dancer who received Christ & also prayed for the manager of the club! Never in over 4 years of doing outreaches across the nation has this ever happened inside a club. They met up again on Saturday afternoon @ a gathering of over 25 churches & 800+ of like minded Christians for 2 hours of praise & worship, as well as, a prophetic declaration for the region. They had more than one reason to celebrate @ the history making event. God is doing a new thing. For more information on the outreach & to read the prophetic declarion: See Julie's Myspace Blog |
Friday, May 11 - Mother's Day - Fliers 4 Gift Bags
BFA served a home cooked comfort meal & delivered gifts to employees inside a local strip club.
God is Doing a New Thing.....Read More
SEE BLOG 4 MORE NEWS & EVENTS
National & International XXX Ministry Happenings
URGENT HELP PROVIDED 4 SEX INDUSTRY OVERCOMER & FAMILY April 30,2007 Dawn & Curtis of New Jersey, as well as their 2 children (under 5) were in need of the body of Christ’s assistance in getting them relocated to West Virginia & caught up on their past due bills. Dawn, a sex industry overcomer, had been interviewed, applied & been accepted to receive assistance through BFA’s Rahab’s Hope Fund. Below is a list of the detail of the funds they were in need of & the amounts BFA was able to provide: Car Loan $1192.14 (April & May $932.52+ late fees $259.62) REC'D $578.58 5/13! Geico (auto ins) $ 238.81 REC'D 5/13! Verizon Cell Phone $ 310.80 (turned off 4.30.07) Budget Rental Truck $ 468.00 REC'D 4/30! Gas to move down to WV $ 160.00 ($60 personal car + $100 moving truck) REC'D! Approx Gas expense one month $ 250.00 REC'D! Groceries for one month $ 350.00 REC'D $200 5/2! Diapers for one month $ 45.00 REC'D! Canaan Storage May thru Nov $ 113.30 (1 month + deposit) REC'D 5/1! June Rent $ 550.00 REC'D $500 5/19! Forklift Certification 4 Hsb $ 250.00 REC'D 5/22! While God has enabled BFA to give away thousands of dollars in assistance to people in, from and/or associated the sex industry & to ministries working with these people, because of the pressing needs we are made aware of nationally, we literally give the money away as it comes in & we were in need of provision to help Dawn & her family. Please know as well that 100% of all donations designated for individual recipients go to pay their expenses & if not designated goes to outreach & transitional assistance. We, nor any advisory board members, receive any monies for our own living expenses, pensions, commissions &/or administrative costs for the ministry. We believe strongly that God will provide for us & He’s called us to be a vehicle in which we can help others, but we need your help. If you would like to help us help them, you can make online donations through our website on the Donations page or mail to the address in my signature. Please indicate that the gift is for ‘Rahab's Hope Fund’. We never give monies directly to recipients & use it to pay their vendors/bills directly and acquire gift cards for various living expenses. Thank you for prayerfully considering helping us to help them. TOGETHER we can make a difference. |
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| April 4, 2007 With the recent success of sex industry survivor, Kris, in her new surroundings, we have been receiving a lot of interest and inquiries about the New Life Center for Men & Women. This center is an outreach ministry of Word of Life World Outreach Center, here in Fort Myers, FL. Bishop Gaspar & Pastor Michele Anastasi are executive board members to BFA & the church is also where BFA's founder, president and other advisors attend. The residential program offers men & women an opportunity to be restored to wholeness through the power of God. They believe and have experienced first hand that, when you make Jesus, His desires and goals your main focus, miracles take place. All of the counseling, teaching and activities are founded on the Word of God & directed toward restoring lives to wholeness. This life changing program has the capacity to accommodate 50 men and 50 women. The Centers are on the same campus of the Church & the residents interact fully with the congregation. They also accept pregnant women & currently have 7 babies & mothers. Residents are provided with food, clothing & housing; a safe place to live, heal, be restored & renewed. At 7 months they are assisted in acquiring full time employment while they continue to live in the dorms. Once the 12 & 18 month program is completed for women & men respectively, they will not only have a job & savings account, but will also have acquired a biblical college degree. If you are interested in attending, please contact us. We will do whatever we can to assist you in getting here. We are fully committed to helping people become all that God destined them to be. |
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Valentine's Outreaches Across Nation 2007 marked a record number of strip club outreaches across the nation. From California to zero degree weather in Minnesota & Michigan, Georgia, Kentucky, Texas & all the way to Virginia & South Florida, strippers, bartenders, bouncers & management were given everything from elogant gift bags with lovely gift items & bibles to long stem roses w/simple messages of unconditional love & hope. Reports have come in that all outreaches were executed smoothly with great favor & reception. Praise God for raising up so many laborers! |
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UNITY DEMONSTRATED at World's Largest Adult Entertainment Expo Former sex workers & volunteers from over 9 churches & ministries joined together in unity for January 2007 Las Vegas porn expo. Putting aside doctrinal differences & focusing on what we have in common, Jesus Christ as our Savior & Lord, more than 5000 Word of God materials (bibles and/or cd's) were distributed and the teams were met with greatest amount of favor than ever before. |
HELP PROVIDED for FORMER PORN STAR in TRANSITION 12.3.07 She Quit Porn Industry & Turned to Christ - The FL Times Union Jacksonville Oct 6, 2006 a young porn star committed her life to Christ & we have been in a position that we have been spiritually advising & financially assisting her. She recently acquired a job as a receptionist for a law firm, and was donated a car. BFA specifically does not use the names of people we assist, especially the 'stars'. We feel strongly that we do not want to expose these individuals in a worldly manner. Having worked with this woman previously as a donor herself, she chose us to assist her partly because of our policy. She's actually been approached repeatedly by another highly marketed ministry offering to meet her needs IF she consents to them allowing them to use her name & pics for promotional purposes. As tempting as it's been for her, she has refused to allow herself & name to be used, which we commend as integrity. However, if individuals, on their own, decide to bring to the public eye that we have or are assisting them, we have no objection. This woman has made public now our assistance to her with a recent blog (1/1/07) on myspace & in light of her actions, we requested that we be able to make her needs known on our website. She gave us permission to do so & to link to her myspace page so that you can see the fruit of her life now. As a result of this ALL her needs were met! THANK YOU! She is God's trophy of grace. She is in church, a small group, has accountability & is doing great. Even though porn websites are still up using her pics, she has not received any income from them in months. She refuses to & is trying to do what she can to get the websites & her pictures removed...a very long, intense legal battle. Below is was a list of her needs that YOU helped us to meet for her. In the past 3 months we have been able to assist her with her rent each month ($1700/month) along with other misc. expeneses. Harmony Dust of Treasures Out of Darkness has now accepted the responsibility of mentoring her & also was willing to do the instate transaction of the vehicle that was donated to this former porn star, Christina. Christina received her first full pay check January 26th & we are officially 'passing the baton' of her assistantance now to Treasures Out of Darkness & Oasis Church in California. We are grateful for the opportunity to be Christ's hands & feet in Christina's transition & delighted that we are able to network with others for this new season of her life. THANKS YOU again for all your prayers & financial support....TOGETHER we are making a difference one life @ a time! HER NEEDS WERE: Rent - RECEIVED 3.5 MONTHS! Car or Reliable Means of Transportation - RECEIVED! Car Insurance - RECEIVED 6 MONTHS! $$$ for Basic Bills; Water/Sewage, Utilities, Phone, Cable, Refrigerator Rental, Health Insurance & a Doctor Bill - RECEIVED 3 MONTHS! $$$ for Groceries - RECEIVED 3 MONTHS! 100% of all donations earmarked for her went to assist her & her needs. We don't take anything out for salaries or administration costs. Please go to DONATIONS to help other women through our RAHAB'S HOPE FUND. |
West Palm Beach Strip Clubs December 16, 2006Christmas Gift Give Away 30 red gift bags including the Father's Love Letter Outreach DVD, tracts, designer perfume samples & make up, lotions, facial cleansers & home made chocolate chip cookies were distributed @ the Cheetah of Palm Beach & the Mermaid. 2 women from Covenant Centre International, Ruth & Kim, assisted Julie handing out the gits individually to each dancer @ the Mermaid while Julie & Ruth's husband prayed in the car. Julie then was able to get access the club locker room via a manager @ the Cheetah she used to work for, where she personally handed the gifts to dancers, told them God loved them & was able to directly interact with them. Both clubs received the gifts & team with favor. |
Watch LIVE TV Show
taped 2 days before our website disappeared!
Pastor Interviews Former Stripper/College Coed
Previous Episodes and other TV Appearances & Videos
Beauty From Ashes
A Woman's Story of Transformation
Women's Ministries of the Village Church, Fort Myers, FL hosted a French Bistro on Friday,
November 17 2007 featuring special guest speaker Julie Taylor Shematz, Founder &
CEO of this ministry. She presented her dynamic story of transformation and service. Julie grew up without a father, and early in life became a victim of abuse. The foundationless childhood permitted her to make many wrong decisions, which turned her life to ashes. Even after earning a college degree, she was trapped in a self-destructive lifestyle, but God, her heavenly Father, graciously and patiently led her full circle. Because she has experienced the agonies of hitting bottom, restoration gave her a passion to reach out to touch the lives of
other women. Since then her lifelong dream of being a full time homekeeper and artist was realized. After serving two years as bookkeeper for the Sanibel Community Church, she and her husband, Steve, are committed to assisting and helping others find freedom and wholeness.
Watch Julie's Testimony
UNITED STATES & CANADA TOLL FREE HELP LINE
877 4BFA SOS (877.423.2767)
2006 - 2008 © Beauty from Ashes™ Ministries, Inc.
All rights reserved.
All artwork used by permission © Julie Taylor Shematz
Available for purchase/100% of all profits go to Beauty from Ashes™ Ministries, Inc.
Website by Beauty from Ashes™ Art
A Woman's Story of Transformation
Women's Ministries of the Village Church, Fort Myers, FL hosted a French Bistro on Friday,
November 17 2007 featuring special guest speaker Julie Taylor Shematz, Founder &
CEO of this ministry. She presented her dynamic story of transformation and service. Julie grew up without a father, and early in life became a victim of abuse. The foundationless childhood permitted her to make many wrong decisions, which turned her life to ashes. Even after earning a college degree, she was trapped in a self-destructive lifestyle, but God, her heavenly Father, graciously and patiently led her full circle. Because she has experienced the agonies of hitting bottom, restoration gave her a passion to reach out to touch the lives of
other women. Since then her lifelong dream of being a full time homekeeper and artist was realized. After serving two years as bookkeeper for the Sanibel Community Church, she and her husband, Steve, are committed to assisting and helping others find freedom and wholeness.
Watch Julie's Testimony
 HALLOWEEN STRIP CLUB OUTREACHES IN TAMPA, FL The individually wrapped packages included 2 custom made CD's & a custom DVD, outreach brochures & sealed invitations to see the recently released movie, 'One Night With the King'. With arms full of festive foil & ribbon wrapped boxes, silver gift bags and a huge bag of home made chocolate chip cookies the team was met with favor & a warm reception from management & employees. Gifts were delivered to Diamond Dolls, The OZ Gentlemen & Ladies Club, The Gold Club, Thee Dollhouse & Diamonds. All in all, over 450+ CD's were given away & over 150 DVD's. See pictures . . . & Read Julie's blog . . . |
BFA's Founder Julie Taylor Shematz LIVE on YOUR TURN NOW Wednesday, Oct 25th 12:30 2007 Fox 13 WTVT in Tampa , FL, in a live referendum debate alongside Florida Family Association President David Caton. REFERENDUM OPPOSING ADULT INDUSTRY WINS MAJOR SUPPORT Hillsbororough County Commissioners placed the following referendum on the November 7th ballot after becoming concerned that the City of Tampa was doing nothing about the extraordinarily large number of sex shops operating in the city. Should the local governments within the borders of Hillborough County regulate sexually oriented businesses to the fullest extent allowed by the law? The voters overwhelmingly approved Tampa has more sex shops than all the rest of Florid's major cities combined & the results of this referendum will be to call upon several law enforcement officials to devote significantly more resources to vigorously enforce the law at adult businesses.the referendum by the following vote: YES 58.46% 157,957 votes NO 41.54% 112.258 votes |
LABOR DAY XXX OUTREACHES 9/5/06 BFA's 'Special Ops' Team delivered over 150 gifts to adult bookstores, strip clubs and sex clubs in the Tampa/Clearwater, FL area on Monday, Sept 5. Each gift included 's custom CD's & DVD's including testimonies, the word of God & music by Evetree.com, BFA's outreach brochure with Juile's 'Sex Workers Only Letter', contact pen, mints & chocolate chip cookies. They were met with favor in all business establishments & was even allowed in a locker room to minister one on one with dancers. Plans are underway for a Halloween Outreach to the same concentrated areas. If you'd like to assist, please contact us. |
 GOOD FRIDAY TAMPA, FL OUTREACHES 4/15/06 Hoping that the recipients will accept God's free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ & understand how much they are loved by Him this Easter weekend, 100+ gift bags; including Bibles, testimonies/music cd's, & dvds, were given to employees of 4 adult entertainment clubs on Good Friday. The BFA team, consisting of 2 sex industry survivors - one of which worked in the Tampa clubs - and a mother of two, hand delivered the gifts to the people they are burdened to reach out & offer help to. Traveling 3 hours North, into the nation's most concentrated city for SOB's (sexually oriented business), the team also gave out another 75 cd's to 3 other strip clubs & people on the street. |
Tax Exempt Status Granted by IRS 3/31/06 It is with great joy we are annoucing that Beauty from Ashes™ Ministries, Inc. has been approved by the IRS as a 501(c)3 tax exempt public charity. Effective date of exemption is February 25, 2005. All contributions, since we have been offically recognized as a not for profit corporation are tax deductible. See Donations for information regarding all contributions & gifts. Special thanks to retired CPA John Freeman for his excellent advice & help preparing our application. Extra special thanks go out to our prayer partners & everyone that has supported the vision that God gave us for this organization. We were approved 34 days from the date we submitted our application - which is miraculous. The normal response time is 120 days & from what we have been told, most applications are not approved first time around. To God be all the glory! |
Website Disappears On February 21, 2006 our 20 page website, that we spent over 3 years & 1000's of hours building, dissappeared mysteriously into cyberspace. Unfortunately, we were contacted & told by our hosting site that they were unable to restore any of it. Interesting enough, this came less than a week after we had completed 5 strip club outreaches (Valentine's Day/Fort Myers & Daytona 500 - distributing 200+ gifts) & Julie Taylor Shematz, a former exotic dancer & our founder, appeared on a national live call in television show, Live Prayer, sharing her testimony, encouraging & praying for callers - which were from a secular audience (250,000+) & predominantly from the adult entertainment industry. Think it not strange that our primary means of communication with the world mysteriously dissappeared! What you are viewing is the rebuilding & restoration of our site. God's doing a new thing & we're excited about it. We trust that He's always been in control & are believing that He will restore what was stolen from us 7 fold (Proverbs 6:31). The new website will have new features such as a Blog page to enable our volunteers & visitors to publicly post comments, ask questions & communicate. We'll also have a new Outreach Tools page (similar to our previous Ministry Tools page) to enable you to see & order the same items we distribute in our outreaches. Although our not for profit has existed 'officially' a little over a year, we've been doing strip club outreaches for over 3 years & have distributed 1000's of bibles, devotionals, contemporary Christian music, DVD's, videos & misc. gift /makeup items to employees inside strip clubs, as well as, to sex industry survivors across the United States. God has enabled us to offer hope, unconditional love, support & encouragement for sex industry workers, survivors, their families & those concerned for them world wide. The new site will also have our Prayer Requests page again. We are blessed with over a 1000 intercessors world wide & all requests are prayed over repeatedly. We believe in the power of prayer & that those prayers have resulted in the vast number of like ministries that have developed in the past three years. In our effort to unite those organizations, we'll also have our extensive international list of like ministries, sex industry survivors & help links. We are stronger together as a team, than we are independently. If we cannot help you, we will do everthing we can to put you to put you in contact with someone that will. Together we can make a difference. We're working as fast as we can to complete the new site, so please be patient with us if it doesn't seem complete. Please do contact us if you find typos, links not working, etc. We were getting over 3000 hits a day on the old site & feel it necessary to get something online, even if it's not complete. We want you to know we're still here, still doing what God's called us to do & committed to uniting the efforts of all who are reaching into or to get out of the largest & fastest growing industry in the world. For now, look at the website this way, it's like we all are, a work in progress. Keep coming back, we'll be updating & changing content regularly. Thanks for visiting us. God bless you |
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