How to Make the Most of Opportunities

Once in a while, we get "lucky." As Christ-followers, we see these moments as God-appointed occasions, but most people just call them lucky moments. They are when you finally get that meeting with who could be your biggest client. Or maybe when you speak to a person or group of great influence. It's having the opportunity to learn under a brilliant man or woman who changes your perspective on the world. Good leaders make the most of every opportunity-whether planned or not.

In early 2007, Wellspring Living had just celebrated its 6th year of residential care with adult victims of sexual abuse. As President of the organization, I was thrilled to see God growing us in our niche, and we were very comfortable with this calling. However, conversations with pastors and other community leaders were often taking my train of thoughts in another direction. I was being educated about the heinous crime of child sex trafficking in Metro Atlanta.

I was absolutely heartbroken by the statistics, stories, and faces I came across day after day. Over 100 girls are sexually exploited in Metro Atlanta every night. Girls are lured into as early as the age of 12. Some experts estimate that the average victim of sex trafficking will be dead within 7 years from their first exploitation.

God was clearly burdening my heart personally, but was this the direction for our organization? I presented my thoughts to the board, and they agreed we must see what could be done. As our staff and board explored our involvement, we found many logistical hurdles that prevented us from doing anything. Because of the way our organization was structured and how the state processed these girls, we didn't feel there was an effective way to be involved directly.

Or so we thought.

That next March I was contacted and told I had a meeting with the governor of Georgia. To this day, I still don't know how he got my cell number, but he gave me a very unique platform. God had afforded me 15 minutes to share with the governor what would need to change for private organizations to be able to do residential care for young victims of sex trafficking in Georgia.

I nervously walked in to the meeting. We were praying that he would even be interested in what I had to say. Could God use these short 15 minutes to save the lives of young girls in Georgia?

15 minutes turned into 20 minutes... that turned into 30 minutes... that wound up being 43 minutes! I was sure this busy man would tell me "good job," and be done with it, but with a heart of compassion, he started a Governor's Task Force to streamline the way these victims are identified and placed!

Since then, Wellspring Living has become an international leader in the residential treatment of adolescent victims of sex trafficking. Instead of a future that led to death, we have seen girls graduating from high school and going to college! We have seen families reunited! We have seen lives restored!!

That day in March of 2008 was a huge day for victims of child sex trafficking in the state of Georgia... and it all happened because of what most would call "luck."

Good leaders make the most of every opportunity.

Guest post from Mary Frances Bowley, Founder, Wellspring Living. For more information on Wellspring Living or to get involved, visit http://www.wellspringliving.org.