An Update From Mercy Graduate In Australia…

Australian Mercy Ministries graduate, Clare, just sent me the coolest update! With her permission, I wanted to share some great news with you and show you her beautiful face. We love passing on to you the excitement that we feel when we hear a report like this. Here is the good news that Clare was excited to share with me…

Hey Nancy!!

Just wanted to let you know that I've been accepted to study Psychology and Counseling. I’ve been out of Mercy Australia for nearly 2 years and finally found what I want to do. I'm so excited because I was so worried that I wouldn't get in but I DID!! YAY…

Hope that the girls are doing well and lots of them are having amazing breakthroughs!! They're part of an amazing Mercy family!!

Love,

Clare

We are rejoicing with Clare and are very excited about what God has in store for her future (Jeremiah 29:11)!

For all of you football fans out there, I am going for the Packers! Will be fun to see how the Super Bowl plays out.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

The Super Bowl and Sex Trafficking…

Our friend who spoke at Mercy last week, Lisa Thompson, is the National Liaison for the Abolition of Sex Trafficking for the United State’s Salvation Army. Lisa just forwarded this story to me today about how there is so much happening in the sex trafficking industry around the international stage of the Super Bowl coming up this weekend. I hope you will take the time to read this and educate yourself to the reality that this gross evil and injustice is happening right here in the United States of America. We at Mercy know this to be true because we are taking in these young women who have been used and abused in the most inhumane ways. Yes, my friend…it is happening here in America. Here’s a bit of what Lisa Thompson sent out today…

Bikers rally in DFW to expose child trafficking during Super Bowl week
By Robert Engler

The slave trade is thriving in the Dallas-Fort Worth MetroPlex and business is booming during Super Bowl week for the pimps and human traffickers.

That’s because, among the football fans flooding the Big D for the big game, there are hundreds-maybe thousands-of morally hollow men who will pay the pimps so they can have sex with runaway teens and thrown-away children who have been forced into prostitution.

But a cohort of motorcyclists are also heading to the MetroPlex with a different agenda.
On Saturday, February 5 - the day before the Super Bowl - hundreds of bikers from all over North Texas will fall in behind an 18-wheeler flying a banner "Kids are NOT for sale" for a parade around Cowboys Stadium.

“We are speaking out for the children who are bought and sold for profit and pleasure, raising awareness about this appalling crime, and fighting to stop it," said Suzy Hemming, a member of the Christ Church Plano Riders motorcycle club.

The ride is being organized by Traffick911, a Fort Worth-based non-profit committed to rescuing enslaved children and helping them recover from the nightmare of being sold for profit and sexual pleasure, and the EPIK Project, a national network of men fighting to end the perverse demand for sex with children. Over 74,000 people have signed a petition asking the Super Bowl Host Committee to endorse Traffick911’s “I’m Not Buying It” campaign to raise awareness and deter potential johns. Dallas Cowboy, Jay Ratliff, is also on board and made a public service announcement entitled "Real men don't buy children. They don't buy sex.”

Traffick 911 PSA 10 from Nate Bernard on Vimeo.

TO READ MORE, CHECK OUT:
http://www.examiner.com/motorcycle-in-plano/bikers-ride-to-expose-child-trafficking-during-super-bowl-week

Mercy Ministries Hits The TV Airwaves In Support of Coach Jeff Fisher!!!

Hey Everybody!

I was crazy busy over the weekend! I spoke at five weekend services, four of which took place on Sunday. I may share more about that later, but I apologize that I haven’t taken the time to do a blog. Last week was a very busy time for me on a number of levels. One being that the Nashville news media sought me out to comment on Jeff Fisher’s decision to leave the Tennessee Titans. I thought you might enjoy getting an inside look at this story which was featured in Nashville, TN on Channel 4, WSMV TV, which is the NBC affiliate in Nashville.

Here’s a link to the story that we posted on our website as well as pictures of our relationship with Jeff and the Tennessee Titans.

I will talk more with you later!

Abolition!!! Global Anti-Sex Trafficking Crusader Speaks At Mercy Ministries

Today I want to share with you about an amazing guest speaker that we had here at Mercy Ministries in Nashville yesterday. We had a wonderful speaker named Lisa Thompson who has been working to expose the evils of sex trafficking on a global scale for almost a decade. In my view, this is the most powerful and compelling presentation I have ever seen on this subject! I thought you might enjoy seeing pictures and reading the story that we posted on our website about Lisa’s time with us. CLICK HERE to read the full story.

Mercy Supporter, Pam Winters, Highlighted in Achieve Magazine!!!

I just wanted to share with you about one of our amazingly generous supporters who goes above and beyond throughout the year to bring finances to Mercy to help us do what we do. Her name is Pam Winters, and she and her husband, Larry, and their Leadership Team Development (LTD) organization are huge supporters and dear friends of mine. Pam was recently featured in Achieve Magazine where she shares about her heart for Mercy Ministries. I wanted to give a special shout-out to Larry and Pam for their faithful support and share with you what Pam had to say...CLICK HERE!

Matthew West On Mercy Multiplied This Sunday!

Don’t forget to join us live this Sunday from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST on SuperTalk 99.7 FM while my co-host, Eve, and I talk to Christian recording artist, Matthew West, and his wife Emily! Listen in to hear how Matthew West got connected with Mercy Ministries!! And don’t forget to call in with your questions…we want to hear from you! (615) 737-9986 If you live outside of the Middle Tennessee area, listen live online at www.mercymultiplied.com! You don’t want to miss it!

Husband Of Mercy Graduate Gives Back

Sometimes people do not understand the ripple effect that takes place when a girl comes into Mercy. Their time in the program not only affects their lives, but the lives of their family members, friends, and even future spouses. 2007 graduate, Krista, came to Mercy with a severe eating disorder. I recently received the coolest letter that totally blew me away from Krista’s husband, Brian, along with a very generous financial gift that Brian had been asking God to provide so that he could give to Mercy as a thank you. With their permission, I wanted to share a portion of the letter with you to show you exactly what I am talking about:

As 2010 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the tremendous changes and blessings that have rocked my world in the past two years. Last year, I met my best friend and fell completely in love. Her name is Krista, and she is a Mercy graduate. Krista is a woman of faith, integrity, honor, passion, adventure, creativity, love, energy and so much more! The fact that you took the time to see all of that in her means so much to ME. It is obvious how deeply you love the girls and show them the mercy, grace and restoring power of God. Krista has taught me so much about God in the way she lives every day of her life. She has a deep and abiding passion for the Lord and loves others for who they are no matter what (me included). In all of this I am immensely grateful to Mercy Ministries. We are now husband and wife on a life-long journey filled with the mercy and grace of God!

I know Krista has always given back to Mercy with her time and finances, and now, as a couple, we want to start giving back to you together. We love you and I personally owe you a deep debt of gratitude for the life you have impacted. Now you are impacting mine every day through Krista!

Your Brother in Christ,

Brian

Special shout out to Brian and Krista – thank you for allowing me to share your joy with others! Also, a big THANK YOU to our Mercy supporters who give to make changed lives possible!