I found this story from 2012 in one of my journals yesterday. It made me smile to see what God did not only in this story, but in my life since this story. And don’t worry. It has a G rating!
Praying for a strip club
For years I drove fairly often on an east/west street through town that had some pretty sketchy parts. I found myself noticing a strip club called Baby Dolls smack dab in the middle of the sketch.
In 2007/08, I felt God telling me to pray that Baby Dolls would close down. Really? Did I hear that right? He was persistent, so I did. I committed to praying every time I drove by it, which was usually multiple times per week on various excursions. Many trips got a 2-fer: a prayer on my way somewhere and a prayer coming back home.
I prayed all kinds of prayers: for salvation of the owner; that the women would find better work opportunities and not have to work there; that the men who went would leave unfulfilled and realize they were craving something more…someOne more, and would stop going; I even prayed that there would be cockroaches in the kitchen and the health department would shut them down. Whatever it took!
I prayed with vigor many of the times, fully believing that God would do it and it would be so amazing. But many times I didn’t pray so confidently and wondered if it even mattered if I prayed or not. I heard the lies—“What’s the use?! Like your prayers could really do anything.” But I prayed anyway.
Fast forward to May 2012
The last couple of years, I haven’t traveled that way as much, but still prayed as I passed. Then, one night in May (2012), I was coming home after dark and realized the parking lot was empty. Hmmm!
The next night, I passed by again, and again–the parking lot was empty. Could it be?! I saw a pink poster board sign on the door. I strained to see, but couldn’t read it. Hmmm… Maybe they were just spraying for cockroaches. Hehe!
As I passed each time for the next couple of weeks, I started getting more and more excited about that empty parking lot. Then one day, the front of the building was stripped of the beer ads. YES! BABY DOLLS WAS CLOSED!! I giggled and gave God a high five every time I passed. After at least 4 years of praying – my prayers were answered! It felt AWESOME!
Did it even make a difference?
I told someone that I had prayed for it to close and that it did. He asked if I thought it was really going to make a difference in this city. And you know what? Probably not. Maybe it will in the life of the owner and the women and the men that I prayed for all those years—I don’t even know the specific reason it closed. There are still other clubs and adult book stores around town.
But I don’t think that was the point. I got to join God in something He wanted to include me in and I got to see Him answer prayer prayed over a long period of time. That’s pretty cool!
But I have to admit, I had some questions. Why did He answer prayers that I had prayed for something that wasn’t really near and dear to my heart while He hasn’t answered prayers I’ve prayed for a whole lot longer that are very near and dear to my heart??
God is faithful
He reminded me of His faithfulness and His love for me and that what’s near and dear to my heart is near and dear to His. That He has been at work thru all of my prayers in ways I can’t even imagine and will answer them in His own way and timing. To keep on praying even when I doubt it’s doing any good.
So now, every time I pass that empty strip club, I am encouraged to continue praying with renewed fervor: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up!
Looking back on what God has done since I wrote this over 7 years ago blows my mind. He really was working on answering those prayers that I had been praying for literally decades!
So lovely one, if you have been praying so hard, for so long–DON’T GIVE UP! He’s working on answering your prayers and He’s also working on growing you in ways you can’t even imagine.
