Star Light Ministries

Star Light shares unconditional friendship and love with women who are exotic dancers so they will not forget that they are also loved and valued by God.

In days of old, missionaries “brought” God to people. They visited the tribes of Africa, and they brought God with them. They went into “dens of iniquity,” bringing God with them. Now we know better. God is everywhere. We don’t “bring” God with us when we go visit a club. God is already there.

One former dancer told me, “Some days, I could see God working in the club.” Another woman says, “Every time I walked into the club, I could feel God’s presence. Sometimes it was protection. Sometimes it was in an act of kindness by a customer or a coworker. Sometimes the presence of God was coming through me as I helped clients and coworkers feel loved.”

If we’re not “bringing God,” then what do we bring? Star Light stands as a reminder to the women who are exotic dancers that they are not alone, and that there are people who do not judge them for what they do. The hardest thing to imagine as a dancer is that their are people outside of the clubs who do not think that they are worthless. On the contrary, we think they are amazing!

Star Light

People often ask why I named Star Light “Star Light.” There are three common theories. I’ll let you decide.

Theory One
Star Light is named after the little poem that children say when they see the first star of the evening.

Star Light, Star Bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.

I believe if you have a wish or a dream, you can make it come true. Sometimes just making the wish is the hardest part. It is my hope that every dancer will have something that they wish for, and that each of them can achieve that dream.

Theory Two
Star Light is named after the Madonna song, Lucky Star. Good guess! Check out the lyrics and see if it fits:

You must be my lucky star
‘Cause you shine on me wherever you are
I just think of you and I start to glow
And I need your light
And baby you know

Chorus:
Starlight, star bright first star I see tonight
Starlight, (star bright) make everything all right
Starlight, star bright first star I see tonight
Starlight, (star bright) yeah

You must be my lucky star
‘Cause you make the darkness seem so far
And when I’m lost you’ll be my guide
I just turn around and you’re by my side

Chorus…

Theory Three
In The Book of Esther, Esther is a beautiful young woman who is taken to live at the house of King Xerxes. The king falls in love with her, and marries her. The king has a nasty man named Haman who advises him on political issues. Haman decides that all the Jews in the country should be killed. Esther’s uncle Mordecai comes to see her to beg her to use her power to save the Jews. He says, “Who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther is a young woman who has no idea of her own power and strength. She finds that inner strength and saves the Jews. Esther’s name eventually morphs into the word Star. Coincidence? I think not.

So there it is. Those are the three theories. Which one do you think is true?

A Prayer of Thomas Merton

God, we have no idea where we are going. We do not see the road ahead of us. We cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do we really know ourselves, and the fact that we think we are following your will does not mean that we are actually doing so. But we believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And we hope we have that desire in all that we are doing. We hope that we will never do anything apart from that desire. And we know that if we do this you will lead us by the right road, though we may know nothing about it. Therefore, we will trust you always though we may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. We will not fear, for you are ever with us, and you will never leave us to face our perils alone.

Thoughts in Solitude, p. 83, adapted

Many of you know that I work in a bra store, in addition to running Star Light and preaching in a congregation in Richmond. Bras are interesting, but what happens in the dressing room is even more interesting. Nearly as interesting as congregational care.

What I see most often is this: women who hate their bodies. Not just their breasts, but also their hips, rear ends, and stomachs. It’s my least favorite part of the job.

If there’s one thing that working with women who are exotic dancers has taught me, it’s that all bodies are different. Women come in all shapes and sizes, and not one is worse than the other. All women’s bodies are beautiful.

And there’s another thing: if there’s anything that IS attractive in a woman, it’s confidence. It doesn’t matter WHAT your body looks like, just that you are comfortable and happy with it.

The principle of gratitude can help make us feel more comfortable and happy with our bodies. I am always thankful for the things that my body can do. It can walk, carry things, protects me from the heat and cold, provides pleasure, and gives me all the strength I need. I am grateful.

Thinking about the great capabilities of our bodies can ease us to that other place: confidence.

You are beautiful!

I’ve apparently been tagged by a friend on her blog and now I have to do this.

First, the rules. Then, the meme.

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

3.At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Eight Random Things/Habits About Me

1. Sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing, but I fake it, and most people can’t tell.
2. I have the best friends in the world. One friend drove all the way from Alabama to Washington, D.C. to help me move.
3. I don’t know when to use “who” and when to use “whom.”
4. I can’t use shampoo or body was that has sodium laurel sulfate in it–my skin has crazy allergies.
5. Speaking of allergies, I’m deathly allergic to shellfish. I have dreams that I am eating shrimp sometimes. It’s usually fried shrimp. I miss shrimp. But then I realize that I like breathing better than shrimp.
6. Sometimes I want to do PhD work in Hebrew Bible.
7. El Salvador is my favorite place in the whole world. I’m staying in Chinatown this week, and it smells a lot like El Salvador to me.
8. I have a collection of crosses and crucifixes. Tons and tons of them. And every one has a story. My favorite is a brass crucifix that was on the casket of a very dear friend’s father. It’s beautiful.

Who shall I tag? Whom shall I tag?

I’ll tag Lady Tramaine, and, as all my other favorite bloggers have been tagged by Jennifer, who sent this to me, I’ll be done with it!

Lauren Bethell, an American Baptist missionary serving as a consultant on issues of trafficked women throughout the world, received an award for courage from the Whitsitt Society at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in June. At the meeting, she talked about how she helps women create ministries to women who have been trafficked. She advises the teams of women to pray, “Help us discover these women’s greatest need.”

Star Light decided at its Board meeting in July to create an advisory Board made up of women who have been exotic dancers and women who are currently dancing, in order for us to “discover these women’s greatest need.” This group of women will guide Star Light in building our model for ministry and will advise us in reaching those needs.

Would you like to serve on this team? You can make a difference for exotic dancers and former dancers everywhere. Send me an email through the contact sheet on this website. The group of women will meet together regularly, probably by phone, to formulate ideas, think through concepts, and hold Star Light accountable to the women that we are serving. Come join us!