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GraceFilled Community
The GraceFilled Community Podcast is a place where faith, connection, and community come together. We explore meaningful conversations with guests who share their unique insights, experiences, and stories to inspire and empower others. Each episode offers listeners practical wisdom for living out their faith, creating belonging, and building community. Whether you're looking for spiritual growth or ways to connect deeper with those around you, the GraceFilled Community Podcast provides valuable content that enriches both your personal and spiritual journey.
GraceFilled Community
From Kidnapped to Redeemed: The Lauren Burns Chronicles
Lauren Burns shares her remarkable journey of being kidnapped at age seven by her Muslim father and taken to Jordan, and the miraculous rescue orchestrated through divine intervention and a team of ex-military operatives.
• Raised between two homes - Christian mother in Texas and Muslim father who had returned from Jordan with changed religious practices
• Lauren's father took her to Jordan under false pretenses during a Halloween weekend visit
• Her mother discovered the abduction when Lauren didn't show up at school and confirmed she was on a flight to Jordan
• Series of divine appointments connected her mother with former military specialists willing to attempt a rescue
• Mother's breakthrough came through three days of fasting and prayer in a motel room
• Rescue team searched Jordan for weeks before miraculously spotting Lauren through a school bus window
• Daring extraction involved hijacking a school bus and escaping across border into Israel
• Lauren discusses healing from father wounds and trauma after rescue
• Testimony demonstrates God's faithfulness and detailed orchestration even in seemingly impossible circumstances
Connect with Lauren on social media and through her podcast to hear more testimonies of God's redemptive work in impossible situations.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenburnsredeemed
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@laurenburnsredeemed
Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/redeemed-podcast22
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenBredeemed/
Website: https://www.laurenburns.net/
If you're seeking community, email grow@gracefieldcommunity.com and we would be happy to connect you with trusted community partners near you.
Connect with Us:
Visit our website at www.gracefilledcommunity.com
Follow us on Facebook: GraceFilled Community
Follow us on Instagram @gracefilledcommunity.
My name is Nicole Cater, your host, founder and servant leader of Graceville Community. I want to thank you for tuning in to Graceville Community Podcast. This is a safe space, a place in which we just share stories of how God has touched individuals' lives all across the world and how they are now impacting the kingdom of God. Thank you for tuning in. Blessings to you, hello, hello, hello. Welcome again, gracefield community. I am so excited to have you tuning in. Whether you're watching or watching or listening, I just want to welcome you. Welcome to Gracefield community. I am thrilled to have our guests on today. I'm excited for the topics that we will dive into. I'm already knowing that they are so near and dear to my heart and I'm praying that they are just as dear to you. As always, graceville Community is here to be a place where you are inspired and encouraged to enter into or continue your walk and journey with Christ Before we get started. So today, as I was just preparing, in the sense, for our podcast, one of the things that I want to do is, wherever you are, if you're driving and tuning in, please do not stop driving, but I'm going to ask you just to take one hand and place it on your heart and I'm just going to say a brief prayer about receiving through this podcast. So, abba, father, we thank you for who you are. We enter into your throne gates right now with praise and thanksgiving. The fact that we have air in our lungs and a heartbeat going means that there is something that you have for us today and there is something that we can give in the very same way today. So, lord, I ask that as we listen in to the things that you have us here, may we not just pay attention to the individual that's speaking, but may we pay attention to the words that come from Holy Spirit, inspired direction and guidance. Thank you for this time. Thank you for being with us. We love you and we honor you In Jesus name. Amen, all right, so today I'm uber excited. Now, some people I've said uber excited before and people are like Nicole is that a word? Yes, it's more than just like calling an uber guys. It literally is a form of excitement, it is an adverb. Yes, homeschooling mom coming through right now, and so, keeping that in mind, I am very, very excited I will use the word very excited to have our guests today, and so, as always, I do want to share a little bit about our guests before we dive in. So today we have Ms Lauren Burns.
Speaker 1:Lauren is a compelling speaker whose story has been featured in major media outlets such as People Magazine, the Washington Post and NBC's made-for-TV movie, desperate Rescue. At seven, lauren was kidnapped by her father and taken to Jordan, where she spent years adapting to a new culture before her daring escape. Her journey of faith, family and freedom inspires readers to find hope in the darkest circumstances. Lauren now speaks at events and podcasts, sharing her message of redemption. So, gracefield community, help me welcome Lauren Burns. Hey, lauren.
Speaker 2:Hi Nicole. Thank you for that amazing introduction. I appreciate so much being on your show and being able to visit with your listeners today.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I mean, it is my pleasure, but it is an honor to have you on the show and I am today. I'm just like our listeners. I definitely want to tune in and I'm like what, even as I first read your bio and I initially even just went through a little bit of a recap there y'all that's not all of it, but a recap there and I'm like I I have to hear about this, I have to hear about it. So please just share with us your story.
Speaker 2:Well, first, you know, this happened when I was seven, in 1987. And so it's 37 years later, because now I'm 44. And some people have asked me, lauren, why now? Why now are you sharing your story in such a public way? The movie came out in 1992, made by NBC, but the movie's not going to tell you what God did in my life.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I really felt a year ago, god calling me Lauren, it's your turn to write your story. So for the person listening maybe the entrepreneur that's like I don't know what I'm doing, this is so out of my comfort zone. Y'all that was me. I'm a full-time physical therapist, I am a mom, soccer mom, like I have no extra time. But when God calls you to do something, number one, you pray about it and you pray some more, and then you step out in faith and you're like okay, god, I don't know what I'm doing, I don't know how to host a podcast, I don't know how to write a book, but I am not going to let my story sit any longer if you're calling me to share it, because there's power when we share our testimony. And so I want to encourage the listener if you have some fear or some doubt or that imposter syndrome, pray about it and let God lead you. And man will he open some doors? My, I always tell people my. My childhood started a hot mess. My parents met in Dallas, texas. My father is from Jarrosh, jordan, jordan, is near Israel, and he's Muslim, and my mother is from Florida and Christian. So you might already be thinking how is this going to work out. You know, christian and someone that's Muslim like this is not going to work. But when you're like 19, 20, you're probably not thinking those things. And you know my mom just fell in love and they got married and and started their family in Dallas and I was their first child. My mom found herself pregnant after they were married for about four years and my father told my mom that he needed to go to Jordan to take care of his sick father Jordan to take care of his sick father. And instead of being gone for a few weeks, he was gone for three months. My mom thought she had been abandoned. I mean, nicole, this was her first time to be pregnant, so you can imagine she was afraid she was by herself. Her only people that she had in her life was her good friends, beverly and Rick Lambert, and if you love country music then you know the name. Lambert is Miranda Lambert, the country singer, songwriter. She was one of my close friends, grew up. I've known them my whole life. They helped raise me. So for the person listening that knows also what it's like to not have family around, god will put people in your life. He will put that support to walk through the things that you're going to walk through, even when you don't know what you might be going through, and that was the Lamberts. So there was my mom and she was emotional. She's a hot mess.
Speaker 2:My dad came back from Jordan. He looked different and he was dressed in his traditional clothing. He was praying on his prayer rug. He was going to the mosque and my mom was freaking out. She was like where have you been? I thought you were never coming back. And he said well, I went to Jordan to make a home for us. I found a job, I found a home. And my mom was like what are you talking about? We never talked about leaving Dallas, let alone the United States. No, I don't want to move. So by the time I was six weeks old, my mom was in the process of filing for divorce. So that's how my life began.
Speaker 1:Wow, okay, I mean there's so much there already. I'm like talk about the beginning of a movie scene which, as we know it definitely turned into such right. But just the thought of like a Christian and a Muslim coming together, I imagine, and probably from your mom's account, that when they first came together maybe he was what we would maybe consider like more American eyes, was not necessarily practicing. Okay, okay, and just think about, I think about the shock, like all that it takes in our aspects of being pregnant. I mean, our listeners know I endured some very all of my pregnancies were high risk.
Speaker 1:Our listeners know and if you don't know, you know that I lost our first child and I carried pregnancies following, had a twin pregnancy, and I'm just thinking of all the things that come along with pregnancy. I mean, let's just talk about hormones alone, right? Yes, already sensitive in so many ways, your hormones are, we'll just say, not aligned typically, and so, with that, how she probably set in the aspect of, like you said, abandonment, feeling just left in the hour when you really need that support. Okay, so, from there, so he comes back right and he starts practicing, she files for a divorce, and then how do we get to you being in Jordan?
Speaker 2:So for seven years. So my mom, you know, and again God put the right people. So my mom was me, was working with Miranda's grandmother and Wanda introduced my mom and Beverly. And then Wanda also introduced my mom to a woman by the name of Joyce. She was about 10 years older than my mom, was never able to have kids and she asked my mom if she wanted to, if we could move in with her, and she was going to help my mom get, get on her feet a total stranger right. So we lived with this sweet lady and she became my aunt, joyce. And my mom wasn't like trying to figure out how do you buy diapers and formula and all the things, but god was providing and my mom could always figure out how to make money. She's very smart business woman. So she was able to get out of that hole and so for seven years I went back and forth between two homes. You know my mom had full custody of me, but anytime my dad wanted to see me he could. They actually had a good relationship.
Speaker 2:My dad remarried to a woman. Her family was from the Middle East but she was raised in the United States and I loved my stepmother. She was awesome. They had two other children, so I got to be a big sister. So on the weekends I'd go spend with them. And I got to be a big sister and I was in a house full of family and then it was just my mom and I getting our chores done around the apartment and getting things done. So we were like she's like my best friend, and that's all I knew. I didn't know anything else other than going between two households. I call my dad the Disney dad. He was always taking me to fun places and the movies, and you name it. We had a great relationship.
Speaker 2:But everything changed in 1987. When I was seven years old, my father asked my mom if I could stay one extra night with him to go trick or treating with my siblings. And my mom said sure, no problem, just make sure that Lauren gets to school on Monday. And he said absolutely, she will be there, don't worry. So that weekend he came to pick me up on that Friday and I had my suitcase ready.
Speaker 2:And when I started sharing my story, you know God provided every detail. My mom had given me a box 20 years ago and labeled it Jordan and I just if you've ever been through trauma. You know what it's like, that you don't want to relive it and you just put that stuff literally in a box and shove it away. And that's what I did. I never opened it, but when I felt God calling me to write my book, I pulled that box out and opened it, and that was hard to do, but I found photos of me in my little cheerleading outfit that Halloween weekend. It was a blue and yellow cheerleading outfit, my hair and pigtails. My mom gave me some makeup to put on. I have all my mom's journals that she wrote every single day that I was gone. I have cassette tapes hours of cassette tapes that I listened to, of my mom calling Jordan every day, begging to see me, and so it's been quite the journey to relive.
Speaker 2:So my dad picked me up, I had that little outfit on and I was super excited and I got in his car and my stepmom wasn't there, my siblings were not with him and he said Well, I have a surprise for you, lauren, we are going on a big trip, we're going to the airport. And so I was totally confused, nicole. I'm like what do you mean? We're going to a treating? And he said no, actually we're going to the airport. I'm taking you to Jordan so you can go meet your family.
Speaker 2:Well, I started asking all the questions, you know, as he's driving. Mom never told me we were doing this. She said that I was supposed to go to school on Monday. Does she know? Is it okay? And he's like it's fine. She didn't want to ruin the surprise. Your stepmom can't go with us because she's pregnant and she might lose the baby if she flies. Well, I'm seven, I don't know. I'm trusting him and so the more questions I ask as he's driving, the more upset he gets, and I just sort of stopped asking all the questions, have stopped asking all the questions.
Speaker 2:Well, that Monday, that same day, you know God was already moving my mom. I told you she's a single mom, she's working nonstop. You know how hard it is to stop your day to go have lunch with your kids. She never had that opportunity. She was always hustling, but on that Monday, it's like the Holy Spirit was already talking to her. She decided to go have lunch with me and so she went to my school. She goes to the courtyard when, with all the kids are lining up to go to the classroom and she's scanning the line and she doesn't see me. And the teacher sees her and walks over to my mom and she begins to tell my mom well, kathy, lauren, they've never came to school today. And my mom is mad because the last thing she said to my dad is make sure Lauren's at school.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And so she goes, and this is in the 80s, there's no cell phones. So she walks over to a pay phone and she dials my dad's house and the phone rings and rings and nobody answers. Then she calls his restaurant Him and his brother owned a restaurant, and they told my mom that my dad had never gone to work that day. Well, that anger then turned to concern.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and it's like right there at that pay phone. It's like the Holy Spirit was sort of guiding my mom all over again at that payphone. It's like the Holy Spirit was sort of guiding my mom all over again. The third phone call she made, nicole, was to the Royal Alia Airlines, and the headquarters is in New York City. My mom had gone to Jordan nine years before this had happened, so before they got married to go meet my father's family, and she remembered the name of the airlines. So she called and when the lady answered she said do you have a Lauren and an Ollie on your flight reservations? And the lady said ma'am, I can't give out that kind of information. Well then my mom's voice changed and she got desperate. She said please, I think my ex-husband's taken my daughter. Can you please help me? The lady came back on the phone and said yes, ma'am, I have a Lauren and an Ollie arriving in Amman, jordan, this evening.
Speaker 1:No-transcript oh, my goodness, wow. You know, I'm gonna say, as a mother who has grieved a child that you lost, I can't even imagine knowing that this, this child, like for your mom, knowing that you are alive. But yes, she lost you. You know, um, man, man, so your stepmom didn't come and your siblings didn't come, yeah, correct. So, like curiosity is running, just you went. Have you ever considered, like, why was it just you? Or maybe you go and tell us later, um, or where we're like why the stepmom and your siblings didn't go.
Speaker 2:Well, I've learned a lot listening to those cassette tapes. My oldest son is 14. And when I started listening to these tapes, there were times where I would just play it without my headphones in and my son was like Mom please, I can't handle hearing Mimi. My mom, I can't handle hearing Mimi's voice like that. Will you please turn it off, Because it is so emotional and so hard. Like you said, she is begging, begging for my dad to bring me back. But listening to those cassette tapes I have learned a lot of the answers.
Speaker 2:My father did not want my stepmother to know what he was doing. He sent my stepmother away to be with her family, saying hey, you're pregnant, why don't you go on a little vacation? Take the kids with you, Y'all take a week off on a trip. Sounds good, right? And so that way he could take me. And his thought was she will give in because she didn't have a career, she didn't really have an education, so she had no way to make an income. And he figured that she was going to give in and just go to Jordan and they were going to have this life together. So that's what was in his mind. But before I get too far ahead. I want you to hear the Jesus I mean God, is all in this story.
Speaker 2:My mom at that payphone. She called rick, rick and beverly. Rick was a police officer for the dallas county and at this time he actually him and his wife, beverly opened a private investigation company called lambert and lambert. She paged rick 9-1-1. They knew my dad very well they're probably the only people in my life that actually knew my father and she paged rick. And I interviewed rick and bever Beverly on my podcast and they said that they were actually working together at the Dallas County Courthouse that day and they grabbed the phone at the clerk's office and called my mom back and my mom begins to tell Rick, Ollie has taken Lauren, I don't know what to do. So, Rick and Bev, they jumped in their car and they drove 100 miles you know as fast as they could down the Dallas Expressway to my mom's house in Richardson. And in that townhouse is where everything began to unravel All that fear, all the emotions. And the first thing Rick said is go to Radio Shack, get a recording device and put it on your phone so every time you try to call Jordan or you call the police or you call the State Department. We can re-listen to those tapes because, Kathy, your mind's going to be everywhere and we need to be able to get a clue of where Lauren might be. Because of that, I have phone calls.
Speaker 2:So day after day, my mom is calling Jordan and most of the time people only can speak Arabic. So in broken English they're saying Ali's not here, Lauren's not here, and my mom's saying please, I am Lauren's mother. This isn't right. You have to bring her home. I you know this is where she's supposed to live. I won't prosecute Ali, I don't care about Ali, Just bring Lauren home. And day after day, they just kept saying she's not here, we can't help you. And then my mom would call the police and the police said ma'am, this is out of our jurisdiction. You know he's a Jordanian citizen. Yes, you have full custody in the United States, but there's nothing we can do. So day after day, the answer is we can't help you. We can't help you. My mom's not eating, she's not sleeping.
Speaker 2:You can imagine the chaos in that townhouse. But, Nicole, it's totally God, because Bev and Rick had moved in with Miranda Miranda's like four years old. They moved into my mom's townhouse and they were with her day and night helping her, and this particular day Beverly was visiting her brother. I mean, this conversation could have happened in person, but I have it on the on a recording. She calls and my mom was like Bev, please pray over Lauren, no matter if she's in the mosque or she's in the streets of Jordan and Jerash, that God would protect her and God would bring her home.
Speaker 2:And Beverly starts praying this mighty prayer over me of protection. And then Beverly stopped and she said Kathy, you have got to get away from all of the noise and the chaos and the confusion and you have got to be alone with God and you've got to pray and put your eyes on Jesus. And then she said I read a book that talks about fasting and how fasting brings you the closest to God. And my mom's crying and she's like you're right, Beverly, and I've got to get rid of these cigarettes. My mom has smoked for a long time, but she told me that at this point she was smoking like two cigarettes at a time, all day long, because she was so stressed out. And when I share this, I'm not saying if you smoke cigarettes that you're going to hell, but just from my mom, she was running to that instead of running to Jesus.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And so my mom agreed with her and she said before I can go, rick had made an appointment for my mom to go to the grand jury in Dallas to hopefully get a warrant out for my father's arrest. So if he came back to the United States they could at least capture him, arrest him and try to find out where I was. So, as Rick is driving my mom to that meeting, he's telling my mom, kathy, there's no guarantee that they can help us. This is just checking the box. We're going through the procedures. It's the next step in the right direction, but don't get your hopes up. So she walks into that grand jury and she stands before them and begins to tell her story about me being taken.
Speaker 2:My father is a Jordanian citizen, she has full custody. And so they tell her Nicole, I'm sorry, there's nothing that we can do, it's out of our jurisdiction. The United States does not have a treaty with Jordan. And my mom said can I be real with you right now? She breaks down. It's not fair that we spend billions of dollars in foreign aid every year and you're telling me you can do nothing to get my daughter back. And so they agree with her. Every person there shakes their head and they agree with her. And one man stood up and opened his wallet. His name is El Zapanta, he's still, he's big in the military, he still works in political world today and he took out his card. My mom has no clue who this man is, Right.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Takes out his card and said my name is El Zapanta. I work for the State Department. If you're not happy with the State Department, give me a call and I'll see what I can do. She took his card and you know, when you're in the midst of a dark place of depression and anxiety and fear, you can't even see. When God is like that light in the darkness, you can't even see it in front of your face.
Speaker 2:Yes, she takes the card, she walks out, she goes back to the townhouse and Beverly can see how depressed she is and Bev's like how did it go? And she said they can't help me, they can do nothing to help me. So she grabbed her Bible and she grabbed her suitcase and said I don't know where I'm going, but I got to get out of here, I'm just going to be alone and pray. So she got in her car and she drove towards Fort Worth, had no clue where she was going. She found some little motel in Fort Worth and she was there for three days and three nights and she fasted and prayed. And on that third day, with her on her knees in the floor of that motel room, god gave her a scripture verse in Daniel motel room. God gave her a scripture verse in Daniel.
Speaker 2:Daniel was fasting for 21 days over the Israelites and the angel Gabriel came to Daniel and in verse 10, 12, the angel said do not be afraid, daniel. Since the first day you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before God, your words were heard.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:God was telling my mom Kathy, I see you from the moment you walked into this motel room and you took your eyes off your situation and you put your eyes on me. I see you. And then Daniel, the angel Gabriel continues to tell Daniel there is a war in the heavenlies fighting over the Israelites. And it's like God was telling my mom there is a war in the heavenlies fighting over your daughter. But do not be afraid, because I'm going to go with you. But there's some things you're going to have to deal with first.
Speaker 2:And God began to tell my mom you got to lay down those cigarettes. And my mom said I will not smoke again if you bring my daughter back cigarettes. And my mom said I will not smoke again if you bring my daughter back. And then God told my mom you've got to lay down some areas of unforgiveness and some bitterness and anger, because when you've got unforgiveness and bitterness in your heart it's going to block those prayers. The prayers of the righteous are answered. So my mom had to wrestle with God in that motel room and Nicole, she walked out of there, went back to the townhouse. Beverly opened the door and she looked at my mom and she said you don't look the same.
Speaker 2:And my mom said I'm not the same, I know I'm going to get Lauren back. God told me I'm going to get Lauren back and everything changed in my story after that. Hey, let's take a quick break to tell you about Grace Filled Community.
Speaker 1:Grace Filled Community is an organization that focuses on the primary principles of the Church of Acts, centered around building communities that impact the Kingdom of God. We do this through three core extensions. One, graceville Church Network, where we empower churches and nonprofits for God's success and growth. We offer tailored growth strategies rooted in biblical principles that will help you expand your reach and impact your communities. Just like the early church, we focus not on attendance and numbers, but on discipleship, providing leadership teachings and trainings to today's ministry leaders. Our second extension is Project of the Grace Field, where we provide biblical counseling, mentorship, workshops and events that are dedicated to encouraging individuals to live a life filled with grace and purpose, rooted in the understanding that all have fallen short and are a working project. Let us help the individuals in your community grow as they walk with God and experience the fullness of his love. Our third extension is Grace-Filled Business. Grace-filled Business is here to help small faith-based business owners develop their business in a way that honors God, that brings increase and allows them to pour back into his kingdom, through marketplace ministry and financing his kingdom. We do this through our 15 years of experience of virtual administrative work, digital marketing, business development and consulting. Welcome back man, you know it makes me think of.
Speaker 1:There's a scripture that says and some things come out through prayer and fasting, right? Yes, I love how like she turned to that and she sat with him in it and understood that there was a sacrifice to be made, right, sometimes we have to let something go Most of us, right. Let something go that is holding us or blocking us from receiving what God wants to feel in us or give to us, right. But I just, first of all, what a Testament. And I just want to pause and be as individual.
Speaker 1:I don't know about you listeners, but I want to pause and honor your mom. I want to honor her willingness to war, spiritually as well as physically, on behalf of getting her child back right To war, even in the war of your protection, right To sit in that and do the thing, do the spiritual thing, when I'm sure everything in physical said give up, like you know, everything said sit in. You could, you could sit in the state of depression you could, you could become angry at God. You can turn from the very thing that you need. And so I want to pause and honor her, which I'm sure you honor her consistently, but just in my heart and my mama's heart. I'm like, oh my, taking your pain before God.
Speaker 2:It's much easier to be angry at God and turn your turn. Your you know, like you know be mad. But you're right, she, she pressed in and you're exactly right. I think it's in Matthew where God says some things are fought through fasting. There's some demons. You got to go deeper and my mom had to go deeper and then she had to let some things go, and the Bible talks about faith. You know, for the person that the entrepreneur, that's like stepping out into faith, doing something new. You got to pray but then you got to act and that was the next step. So my mom was in that place of prayer, but now she had to act. So she pulled out that card that El Zapanta gave her and she dialed the number and Al began to tell my mom.
Speaker 2:One week before Al was in that courtroom that day, he was in Washington DC with a friend of his named Everett Alvarez. Everett Alvarez is the second longest held POW. He has many awards in the military, very well known, and during this lunch Everett was telling Al about a group of men in North Carolina that were ex-military Green Beret Delta Force Army Ranger, where they would go into the Middle East and their job is to rescue hostages Now. They had never rescued a child. But, nicole, are you following what I'm saying? A week before, al was in the jury room, he was talking with his friend and God placed him in that jury room that day to hear my mom ask for help. God was already ordaining the footsteps, but my mom had no clue. And so if you're listening and you're fighting some big battles in your life and some big career moves, god's already making the path. You just got to keep your eyes on him and keep walking forward in faith. Because we don't know what he's doing Right, we don't. Everything changed with that. My mom called those men. Well, my mom was like Al, I don't care what he's doing, right, we know. Everything changed with that. My mom called those men. Well, my mom was like Al, I don't care what it takes or how much money it costs, I want to talk to those men. And I was like wait a minute, kathy, it's going to cost a lot of money. The United States cannot help you if this mission goes south, that you're going to risk your life, and they've never done anything like this for a child. And my mom was like I don't care.
Speaker 2:So she flew Don and Dave into Dallas, met them at a hotel near the Dallas airport. They met my mom. They were blown away by her. She walked in ready. She had all these photos of my father, photos of me. My dad had like 12 siblings. She had a. She had a typed up notebook about all of the siblings, what they did for a career, every characteristic about them. She had maps of the city. She had drawn by memory what the house looked like. She was prepared. And so, after speaking with her and they said the same thing Kathy, it's going to cost a lot of money, we cannot guarantee your safety or Lauren's safety. And my mom said I don't care, whatever it takes. And so they agreed. So they said yes to the mission within a few hours of talking to my mom.
Speaker 2:So the next step was Dave. He was sort of they call him, call him grandpa. And, by the way, when I started this podcast, I had not reconnected with the men that rescued me. Ever since my rescue, when I started this journey of doing the podcast and writing my book, I have reconnected with all of the people that did my rescue and six months ago my mom and I went to North Carolina and we did a reunion in person. I got to hug their necks and to tell them thank you. That's what God does when you say yes to things he's calling you to do. That's been amazing.
Speaker 2:So Dave's job was to go into Jordan to try to find an escape route, because you can't just put me on a plane and fly me out of there. And so he goes into detail on one of my podcast episodes of all the different escape routes that he tried to plan and he researched and the reasons why they wouldn't work. And then, while he was doing that, my mom went to Washington DC to try to get paperwork for me, to get a passport and visa and entry stamps, because you need all of that stuff to get me out of the country. Dave was in Jordan for three weeks and he could not find me and he could not find my father's home. So he called for three weeks and he could not find me and he could not find my father's home. So he called Don and JD. He's like I need help. I can't. I can't find this kid. What if she's not even here? They started thinking what if I'm in Lebanon or somewhere else? So Dave and JD came in and they were searching the streets. They were in the schools, you name it, and they were under disguise. They were changing their rental cars every day to hopefully that no one would find them suspicious.
Speaker 2:Right, and after days of searching for me, dave and JD are out on. I'm sorry, don and JD are out on the street and JD just starts praying. He's like all right, god, I've done everything. I know how to do. You know, he's an expert in his, in his career. And he starts praying. He's like God, you got to help me find this, this girl in his career. Right, and he starts praying. He's like god, you got to help me find this, this girl.
Speaker 2:As he's standing on the street, a school bus pulls up right where JD is standing and he turns and looks through the window and there I sat and I turned and locked eyes with him and he ran over to Don and shook Don by the shoulders and he said I saw Lauren. And Don's like what are you talking about? How do you know? And and JD said I saw her eyes. You see, I have all of complexion skin, I have dark hair, but my eyes are like a bright blue, and so that was sort of the time they realized the bus had already gone off and they couldn't follow it. So they call my mom. At this point she's in Cyprus waiting to find out if they had spotted me. And so they said Kathy, we have found Lauren, she is in Jerash. But we can't find your ex-husband's home. We need you.
Speaker 2:So my mom got in disguise, she flew into Amman.
Speaker 2:Don and Dave and JD met her in Amman and drove her into Djerash, and she was so confident that she would easily be able to find my father's home.
Speaker 2:But as she began to drive into the town, everything looked different.
Speaker 2:The dirt roads were paved, the little bitty buildings were now big, because they sort of build on top of each other.
Speaker 2:And that fear started overcoming her again and my mom got down in the floorboard of that car, in the front seat, while Don was driving, and she started praying out loud, crying God, you have to help me find Lauren. You haven't brought us all this far to not even find the home. And with my mom's eyes closed, it's like the Holy Spirit just started reminding my mom of the streets and the turns and the road and she began to say go left, go straight, turn right. And all of a sudden she looked up and out her window there was a white Mazda with Texas license plates sitting on the street and my mom froze in fear. And a couple blocks away she was finally able to say I saw his car, so don turned the car around and drove back by. And as soon as he drove past he saw my dad walk out of the building. So again, nothing happened and still people started praying jd praying on the street, my mom praying in that car. It's like god's saying hey, I want you all to know who's in control here.
Speaker 1:Right, right, yeah Every step of the way.
Speaker 2:So the mission once they realized where the house was in a busy area of town and there's a police station right next door and they thought it's too dangerous to get me out of that house. So they watched the school bus and the school bus had one stop on the outskirts of town at a real farmhouse. So they decided the best way to get me was to hijack that bus and get me off that way. And the plan was to escape over the Jordan river Like how symbolic is that into Israel. So the day of the mission and I just learned this recently Don Feeney's wife is Judy. She's also in the military. She was in the military. She also worked for CTU. She was in North Carolina running things stateside. And so the mission, the code word the day of the mission was the sun is shining. But Judy said tell Kathy, the sun is S-O-N, not S-U-N. Was the sun is shining, but judy said tell kathy, the sun is s-o-n, not s-u-n, because the sun is jesus. Even the code word, god was in control every step of the way. So the day of the mission, dave was in one car. His job was to watch the house to make sure I actually got on the bus that day and I was actually going to go to school and then the other car was my mom and JD and Dawn. So after I got on the bus, dave drove to where they were and said Lauren's on the bus Missions to go. As soon as the bus passed, dawn. Dawn parked behind the bus as it as it parked at that farmhouse and they blocked the bus in. Dawn got out and went over to the driver's side of the bus and distracted the bus driver speaking in English to distract him. Jd went over to the passenger side and pried open the doors and my mom they're all dressed in disguise she went over to the bus window. She had spotted me sitting on that bus and she tapped on the window.
Speaker 2:And there's a lot of things I have forgotten because I went into shock with all of this happening. But I'll never forget the day I saw my mom looking through that window. She was knocking on the window and trying to motion to me, but, nicole, I froze. All I could think of is that looks just like my mom. But how can it be? She's all the way in Texas. I must be dreaming. I thought I was dreaming, I froze, I would not move.
Speaker 2:So my mom pushed past JD and she got on the bus and she scooped me up and got my backpack, like every mother would do. And then she's pulling me off that bus. There's a lady chaperone. The lady chaperone jumps on my mom's back because she has no clue what's happening, and my mom lets me go and she turns around and she punches the woman in the nose. So now the woman's bleeding, there's blood coming down this woman's face. So I'm super freaked out and JD and Dawn see what's going on so they come over and help my mom. They get me into the car. They took the keys from the ignition of the bus and they threw them into some bushes, hoping that they would go looking for the keys instead of going straight to the police. And that's exactly what they did. And then we got in our car and we drove off and a couple of blocks down the road. Dave switched cars with us.
Speaker 2:He took the car that we just used to hijack the bus and he drove back towards the city to be a decoy On the day of the mission, my mom had booked flights for us to fly out of Amman Airport back to the United States, hoping that the police would look for us at the airport, dave, and interviewing him and hearing the details of the story. And all of these men are Christian, like it's just you know, to hear them tell the story is amazing. But Dave got pulled over on the side of the road. They interrogated him for 30 minutes. They're digging through his whole car looking for anything that would resemble us. They bring the, the bus driver, to him. The bus driver, speaking in arabic, saying that's the car. But I don't know who this man is because, remember, he wasn't at the hijack. And all of a sudden, on the, on the radios, the police radios, dave can hear alia airport, alia airport. They all jumped in their cars and they left Dave on the side of the road. They all went to the airport looking for me. They shut down the whole airport and Dave was able to escape, like, just you know, a total miracle.
Speaker 2:So we're driving towards Israel and it's about a 45-minute drive from where they hijacked the bus to the border and the fog was so thick that they could only see the front of the car and my mom is holding me and she's praying and she's trying to keep calm because any minute we could get pulled over right. And all of a sudden she said what is that bright light as she's looking into the distance through the front window. And Dawn said well, kathy, that's the sun. The sun is shining over Israel, bright light as she's looking into the distance through the front window. And dawn said well, kathy, that's the sun. The sun is shining over israel and it's like god is so good. He's like kathy, I see you, I'm not gonna leave you. It's just he just keeps giving you these little breadcrumbs the whole way through.
Speaker 2:So we get to the border and you can't back. Then. You couldn't just drive over, you had to leave your car, get out, give them your passports and your visas and all the border passes that she worked so hard to get in Washington. We get on the bus and we're trying to stay calm. There's big barbed wire fences, big military shacks with men with machine guns. It is a very secure border.
Speaker 2:Jd and Don and Dave had searched that border. They knew every inch of it. But if they realized who we were, what were we going to do? Right? So we're on that bus for like 30 minutes, felt like forever and my mom's trying to keep calm. And finally the bus cranks up. We start to drive over the border. Well, right at the middle of the bridge, you the israeli flag and there's a little shack and there's an israeli soldier and bus driver and they get on the bus to switch because they drive you on over into israel. As our bus is about to cross over, there's a big commotion at the border where we had just left. They had just realized that we weren't at the airport but we were on that bus. But, nicole, it was too late. We had already crossed over into Israel. We got on the other side, we got off and all those emotions my mom had been holding just came out my mom's crying.
Speaker 2:I'm crying I'm speaking mainly Arabic at this point because I'm in shock. And there's a group of women and they go over to JD and JD's this big, handsome military guy, and they were like sir, what's wrong with that woman, what's wrong with that little girl, are they OK? And JD turns and he's got tears coming down his face and he said you see that little girl and you see that mom. That little girl's been gone for three months and we just rescued her out of Jordan. Her father had taken her, but we just brought her home to safety and those women began to sing Hallelujah, we've come to the Holy land and we've seen a miracle. And it came around us and started hugging and praying with us. It's like, even on the other end, god was there with his welcome party to celebrate with us. And it's just. God is so good and we can't fathom his greatness. We can't fathom his goodness when we pray. It's like we can't even understand what all he is capable of. And he sees you in your darkest moments.
Speaker 2:You know, nicole, when I share my story in the book that I'm writing, I'm writing it because I have a whole nother journey of father wounds that I had to deal with forgiving my father and I had to trust my heavenly father. And you might be listening thinking well, of course it's easy for you to trust. At seven, you saw your dad do a big miracle. Now, guys, I was angry for many years because I thought you know, if you're such a good God, why did you even let this happen to me? Because we had to change my last name. I had to live in hiding for many years. I moved like 14 times before I got to high school. So I've had a lot of anger and a lot of daddy wounds, but God can heal all those broken places.
Speaker 1:Yes, oh man, lauren, what a testament. I can't even call it a story, I'm thinking like just chronicles. I'm literally like this is chronicles because it is multiple accounts of how God was there. I always say God is a God of the details and I just feel like this is chronicles of how he was present. He had a plan and he was just like trust me, I'm in this, I'm in this man, you know, I can, I can consider what you're saying in the aspect of like you would think that because you experienced that at seven, there's just like, oh, I trust God and I know who God is and I seen him do miracles, Right, but I think about so many times in the Bible, right, we think about even the Israelites, how many times that they see, well, we don't have food or we don't have right.
Speaker 1:And it's this aspect of it's a daily choice. And it's this aspect of it's a daily choice. I'm sure even now for you and for me too, it is a daily choice to say I'm going to trust you, as hard as it may be, as much as there may be those past wounds that, yes, I'm sure you went through a process and a healing journey in it. I wish we had all this time to talk about it, because I'm all about healing journeys and process and a healing journey in it. I wish we had all this time to talk about it because I'm all about healing journeys and process, but it's a daily choice, I'm sure to say Lord, because things still happen.
Speaker 1:You're still living a life today which I'm sure carried all kinds of experiences. I mean you have children that now are hearing this story. You have your mother who I'm sure is giving praises to God, yet still has to sit in. This is our story. You know, there's one thing we talk about here in Graceville community is that we can never go back and change our story, and so there's a part of it that our story has shaped us. Our story has changed and helped us be who we are and how we can be an impact to the kingdom.
Speaker 2:That's right. That's why we're here sharing.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, and I am so grateful for you coming on and sharing. I mean, I was sitting here like somebody give me the popcorn, Like are you serious? What is this? I'm like I want the details. I cannot, so tell me please where. Where are you with this book? I mean, how can we stay connected? Cause again, I feel like there are details that I am missing and, just like in reading the Bible, I'm like what, what, that's how?
Speaker 2:I feel Like.
Speaker 1:I want to know the chronicles. I would love to know the details. So the book, tell us about it. I would love to know the details.
Speaker 2:So the book, tell us about it. I am about 70 percent done with the manuscript and I am praying that God show me the next steps. So you know, do I self publish? Do I try to find a publishing house? And I just want to hear from God and you know that means fasting and praying and slowing down because Lauren wants everything fast, I want to know everything quick and God's like let me show you, don't get ahead of me. So that's where I'm at in the book. I have the Redeemed podcast, which has been amazing, to share my story, and I have other people on my show to share their amazing stories and that's opened some cool avenues. And I'm on social media. That's a great easy way to find me no-transcript stories of how we've overcome.
Speaker 1:yeah, only only with Christ, right? Uh, for our listeners, I would like to encourage you please connect with Lauren, follow her social pages, connect with her. I'm going to connect simply because not simply because, yeah, with the thought of the moment she says that this book is ready, I'm ready, I am ready to read and really dive into your story. Thank you so much for your vulnerability, your vulnerability and choosing and being obedient to sharing your story For those of us. It has encouraged me today. I pray that it's encouraged those that are listening and that are watching in our journey with Christ. Thank you Can.
Speaker 2:I leave. Can I share one scripture that's just God's really put on my heart? It's in Isaiah 43. But now, this is what the Lord, your creator, says, o Jacob and he who formed you, o Israel, do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. Whatever journey you're walking through if it's marriage, career, children, diagnosis, you name it god will be with you. Just keep your eyes on him ah, thank you so much, la.
Speaker 1:I greatly appreciate you being here. What a good word, what a good story and a testament unto the God that we serve. What a glorious God we serve, and so thank you again for being here. Gracefield community as always, I am honored that you even tapped in to hear some of the stories of just how God is forever present and moving. He is the same God yesterday, today and forevermore. Therefore, if you are seeking community and you are like I want to continue hearing what God is doing and I would like to walk through this journey and see what the Lord can do for me Please feel free to reach out to us at Graceville Community. You connect with us via email at grow at gracevillecommunitycom. Or, as always, check the show notes. All the links will be there, as well as links to connect with Lauren. All the links will be there, as well as links to connect with Lauren. We just want to ensure that you have community around you that can support you in this journey and this life that we do, walking alongside Christ here on earth. As always, blessings to you. We love you. We're praying for you. May God be with you. Thank you for tuning in to today's episode of Graceville Community Podcast, we would like to invite you to visit gracevillecommunitycom.
Speaker 1:Graceville Community is all about doing church the way Church of Acts did, using five main principles that we see in the book of Acts Sharing resources, as believers pooled their possessions and resources to support those in need, as we see in Acts 2.44. Through hospitality the early Christians practiced hospitality by opening their homes to others, as we see in Acts 2 and 46. By financial aid the church in Antioch sent financial aid to believers in Judea during a time of famine, as described in Acts 11 and 29. Prayer and encouragement they supported each other through prayer and encouragement, as we see in Acts 4 and 24. And finally, spiritual guidance the apostles and elders provided spiritual guidance and teaching to help strengthen and build the community, as we see in Acts 15 30. I would like to encourage you. If any of those areas are areas in which you are in need or can contribute, please reach out to Graceville Community. We are working together across the world with ministries and individuals alike to help bring back the church of Acts.
