With this year quickly coming to an end, I wanted to take a moment and highlight some of the amazing ways God has shown up for Dirty Girls Ministries (DGM) in 2010.
In February, DGM was transformed from ONE small group of women at ONE church to web-based ministry reaching hundreds of women with the message that pornography addiction isn’t just a problem for men. How I led groups locally was now at the reach of women from around the world.
And that was only the beginning.
As the weeks and months continued on, people started to catch wind of what was happening at DGM and they wanted to know more about it. This resulted in first, an article in Christianity Today that quickly led to an article in the New York Times. And we also got to be a part of a pretty phenomenal documentary.
That’s when things really got going.
While also working on my upcoming book Dirty Girls Come Clean, I began to see that God had bigger plans for DGM than any of us had imagined. I started to research what it would take for DGM to become a non-profit organization. This led me to attend a conference for start-up non-profits where I was able to learn some of the first steps. Following that experience, I began to prayerfully assemble an incredible Board of Directors. We held our breath and said a prayer as we prepared the paperwork necessary to apply for non-profit status and awaited the IRS’ decision.
But the ministry didn’t wait with it.
With traffic to our website growing daily as a result of the media exposure we had received, we decided to launch TheCity, a web-based communication platform that empowers community seven days a week. And now have nearly 175 active members.
Here’s one of the God-sized stories from inside this community:
“So I have been on this site for a month or so now… and don’t really comment or anything, just read. I update my status and have made a few friends. But last week I slipped up and I was soooo mad that I said enough is enough. I texted a friend who knows and she called to check up later. I installed Covenant Eyes and I got on this site and decided to start opening up. That is when I read a post by a girl who just joined. She was totally open and in it mentioned campus ministry. Her story sounded super simmilar to mine. This caught my attention because I am a campus missionary. I couldn’t get away from God pressing on my heart to message her. So, I did! She wrote back excited and I followed up asking where she was at in school etc. and mentioned what school I am working at and things. Well, she wrote back with a crazy reply… totally shocked because she is at the exact same school. In all of the country, world, etc. and God said talk to her… and she is right here! We are both kinda nervous and excited. We shared our stories with each other via chat for about 2 hours the other night. I know what ministry she is involved in and I know what dorm she lives in… heck we may have even passed each other on campus! Who knows! Isn’t God crazy! Out of all the people on this site God said… talk to her… and look what happened! Just wanted to share how awesome He is in arranging things and thank you for this site! God is present here!”
But that’s not all.
We also led several recovery groups online this year. ONLINE! It has been so cool to see God use technology to bring women to a recovery group they would normally not have attended. These are women who 1) perhaps are too timid to step out in public yet with their addiction or 2) don’t even have recovery groups in their areas . . . or country. Dozens of women have taken advantage of these groups with dozens more women anticipating our groups in 2011. It has been doubly exciting in that we are developing apprentices to lead and co-lead more and more groups in the months to come.
We also had the incredibly opportunity to speak to several conferences—giving a voice to the women living in secret and silent bondage to addiction. And what an absolutely humbling experience that is…each and every time.
And then we become official.
On November 6, 2010 we received our approval letter, establishing us as a 501c3 Non-Profit organization. This has been a very long process but we are thankful to God for the favor He has shown us throughout it. And we are thankful for your prayerful support. DGM is official—and even in the eyes of the government! It is humbling to see how far God has brought us this year.
End of year giving?
As a 501c3 organization all financial contributions made to Dirty Girls Ministries are now tax-deductible. But not only is a year-end gift to DGM a smart financial decision (see what I did there?) we know there are many wonderful organizations to give to—we just hope you will prayerfully consider us as you make your year-end preparations.
God promises to do more than we could ever ask for imagine (Ephesians 3:20) and we’ve seen Him do that in 2010. And we’re expectant that He’ll do so in the year to come. Thank you for being on this journey with us.
Merry Christmas and Blessings in the New Year!
Crystal Renaud
Founder & Executive Director of Dirty Girls Ministres
