"Please come back and do more shows. Before you walked into the room everything was so stressful, everything was tense, but then as soon as you walked in there was immediate peace. It felt like everything was going to be okay." -a model to us after the show.
"Nobody in this industry cares about anyone else. They are all out to get things for themselves and become successful. Nobody cares about anyone... Except you. You are different. There is this sweet spirit about you..." -a model to me while talking backstage
The models have stolen my heart. Really. I feel overwhelmed with love for them. Their lives are so precious, yet many of them don't even know.
Each show we worked we were able to invite our models to be a part of Models For Christ (MFC). MFC is a family of fashion professionals in NYC, LA and Miami that is designed to be a family of support and encouragement for fashion professionals. Many of them appeared quite interested in getting involved. One male model we met said that he was really struggling to make friends in LA, and he was feeling the pressure of constantly having to change his appearance to please the agency he was working for. He was a young caucasian guy from Oregon, who had dyed his hair and tanned his skin because he needed to be able to work as a Latin American model. This young guy was so grateful that we cared about him that he stayed with our group most of the night, just so he could finally have the joy of being with friends. It was great. He assured us he would come to MFC because he was desperate for interaction with people who would really love him.
One night after the shows we were about to leave the parking lot when a model in her car asked if we would want to go eat with her and her friend, so we invited them to hop in our big YWAM van and we went to a restaurant together. It turns out that they were Christians too and the model had even done a YWAM program in Nashville. We were able to pray with them and encourage her friend who was struggling because of rejection he experienced with other Christians. I actually ran into the model yesterday on the street in Huntington Beach, she recognized me and invited us to attend a party with her next weekend. God is so fun.
I met a model backstage who was here working because she was a contestant on Russia's Next Top Model. She had never been in America and was only going to be here for the one day, so it was fun to be the first American to really welcome her. I invited her to MFC and was able to give some input on a decision she was making in her modeling career. She was a sweetheart and it was obvious that our time together really meant something to her.
The last model I dressed was difficult because she appeared completely uninterested in relating to me at all. I was even a bit confused as to why God would have me working with her, because I had prayed so much I was sure that God would put me with someone who had been fully prepared in her heart to receive some loving! But no, I was with a model who didn't want me there! Haha but actually that wasn't true. After about twenty minutes of me helping to hold her gown and attempting to converse with her, she finally turned around and said, "I'm sorry this is my first show and I am really nervous." After that we were finally friends! (I am laughing as I write this because it really was an exciting moment for me) After that my sweet new friend allowed me to speak with her and take care of her, because it turned out she was sick too. At one point I asked if I could pray for her and she quickly grabbed my hand and bowed her head so that we could pray. It was amazing! When I finished praying I opened my eyes to see another of my YWAM girls praying for her model. After the show my model ran to me to hug me, thank me, take photos with me, and ask me if I thought she did well. It was a total turnaround from the beginning of the show.
One model had to carry a dress that weighed 45 pounds and she was literally bending because of the weight of it. In her desperation she let three of us pray for her to have strength to carry the dress.
My last night I was SO blessed because one of the models that arrived was actually one of my close friends from Models For Christ. We didn't know we would both be there, and it had been a while since we spent time together, so it was a HUGE gift to sit and talk with her before the show. She had actually been going through a uniquely difficult situation that I was able to speak into, so the timing was really perfect.
God so adores these models. He is completely passionate about pursuing their hearts and revealing His love to them. It is always an honor to be a part of that process.
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