Elijah Rising

We're familiar with the importance of physical freedom for survivors of trafficking, but what happens when they are still trapped by invisible addiction? Join host Micah Gamboa and Elijah Rising's recovery specialists Jessica Gobble and Bri McCarthy as they explore a critical yet rarely discussed aspect of survivor care: SLAA. This groundbreaking conversation reveals why addressing intimacy-related trauma is essential for preventing re-trafficking and provides hope for true, lasting freedom. In this episode, you'll discover: -What SLAA is and why it's prevalent among trafficking survivors -The science behind trauma bonding and Stockholm syndrome -Common trauma responses to abuse -Why dopamine receptors take 90 days to reset and what that means for recovery -Practical treatment approaches using SLAA -How Elijah Rising is pioneering comprehensive recovery that addresses the whole person -Resources available for survivors and other organizations Send us a text Support the show Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Human trafficking happens closer to home than most people realize—often through those we trust most. Angela Williams shares her powerful testimony of surviving commercial sexual exploitation in Houston, from her first exposure at age 12 to her miraculous extraction eight years ago. Now an advocate working directly with law enforcement and at-risk youth, Angela offers raw insights into the realities of trafficking, the grooming process, and the hope that sustained her through her darkest moments. In this episode, we discuss the myths surrounding trafficking, the challenges survivors face when seeking help, and what communities can do to combat this crisis. Angela's story reveals how faith, determination, and the right resources can transform lives and break the chains of exploitation. Send us a text Support the show Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Did you know that the average age of exposure to pornography is just nine years old? Join us as we dive deep into one of the most critical conversations facing families and faith communities today. Micah sits down with Phuong, Associate Director at Demand Disruption, to discuss how churches and parents can protect children from exploitation and break the cycle that fuels human trafficking demand. In this episode, Phuong shares her expertise on targeting the demand side of trafficking through education, prevention, and community empowerment. Learn practical tools for starting age-appropriate conversations with children, creating safe spaces for families to address these complex topics, and understanding the dangerous landscape kids face online today. About Our Guest: Phuong Marquez is the Associate Director at Demand Disruption, one of the few organizations dedicated to addressing the demand side of human trafficking. She works to enhance church partnerships and implement educational workshops that empower communities to combat exploitation through prevention and awareness. Resources Mentioned: info@demanddisruption.orgimpact@demanddisruption.orghttps://disruptionu.demanddisruption.org/Send us a text Support the show Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

What happens when God calls you into a completely new season of ministry after decades of faithful service? In this powerful episode, Micah sits down with Michelle Frank, co-founder of Safe Places for Women and author of "Leading After Loss," to explore the journey of navigating major life and ministry transitions. In this episode, you'll discover: Whether you're walking through your own season of transition or simply want to build resilience for leadership changes ahead, Michelle's hard-won wisdom will encourage and equip you to lead with hope through any season. Michelle Frank has been in anti-trafficking ministry for nearly 20 years. She co-founded Safe Places for Women, which grew to serve survivors across multiple states. Now in a new season of ministry, she coaches and consults with ministry leaders nationwide through InPower Partnerships. Her book "Leading After Loss: How to Navigate Grief and Brave New Beginnings" is available on Amazon. Send us a text Support the show Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dennis and Bobbie Mark, founders of Redeemed Ministries and true pioneers in the anti-trafficking movement. After 19 years of dedicated service, they share their journey from strip club outreach to opening one of Texas's first residential homes for sex trafficking survivors. Dennis and Bobbie discuss the evolution of trauma-informed care, the challenges of building programs without precedent, and how their work has influenced law enforcement approaches to supporting victims Their story reveals the heart behind the statistics and demonstrates how commitment to serving the most vulnerable can create lasting change. This episode offers valuable insights for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of anti-trafficking work and the power of restoration. Send us a text Support the show Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Every organization working to combat human trafficking dreams of the day their services won't be needed. At Elijah Rising, we've spent 2024 moving closer to that vision through direct action, community support, and faith-based healing. Join hosts David and Micah as they share inspiring stories of transformation from their anti-trafficking work in Houston, including milestone achievements in survivor recovery, program expansion, and community impact. Learn how this frontline organization is planning an even bigger vision for 2025 to help more survivors find lasting freedom. Send us a text Support the show Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

In this episode, David and Dawn break down the recent P. Diddy trafficking allegations to explore a crucial but often misunderstood aspect of sex trafficking: coercion. Drawing from their extensive experience in anti-trafficking work, they discuss how traffickers use psychological manipulation, false promises of stardom, and drug-based coercion to exploit victims. Learn why many trafficking victims don't initially identify as such, and how cultural influences and power dynamics play a role in exploitation. This eye-opening conversation challenges common misconceptions about trafficking and provides valuable insights into recognizing the signs of coercion. Send us a text Support the show Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Elijah Rising was founded as a prayer meeting. In this episode we share how prayer was foundational to us becoming who we are today, but also how it has helped us continue in the mission to combat human trafficking. Send us a text Support the show Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Stuart Greaves leads the Executive Leadership Team of the International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOPKC). He has been part of IHOPKC since 1999. For 20 years Stuart led the NightWatch - the section of the main Prayer Room which goes from midnight to 6am every night. Stuart is recognized as one of the primary teachers at IHOPKC and thus at the International House of Prayer University (IHOPU). He teaches verse by verse through various books of the Bible. His passion is to equip people to cultivate intimacy by growing in their understanding of the beauty of Jesus, and to engage in worship and prayer for the great harvest along with partnering with the Lord as He prepares the Church to be a prepared Bride (Rev. 19:7). He has been married to Esther for 25 years. For more by Stuart Greaves, we recommend False Justice: Unveiling the Truth About Social Justice. Support the showLearn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Stuart Greaves leads the Executive Leadership Team of the International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOPKC). He has been part of IHOPKC since 1999. For 20 years Stuart led the NightWatch - the section of the main Prayer Room which goes from midnight to 6am every night. Stuart is recognized as one of the primary teachers at IHOPKC and thus at the International House of Prayer University (IHOPU). He teaches verse by verse through various books of the Bible. His passion is to equip people to cultivate intimacy by growing in their understanding of the beauty of Jesus, and to engage in worship and prayer for the great harvest along with partnering with the Lord as He prepares the Church to be a prepared Bride (Rev. 19:7). He has been married to Esther for 25 years. For more by Stuart Greaves, we recommend False Justice: Unveiling the Truth About Social Justice. Support the showLearn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Cindy travels internationally, teaching on how to effectively engage the world we now live in with relevant language, understanding and a nonjudgmental approach to seekers everywhere. God has given her strategies on how to communicate Jesus to a world who doesn't know Him, His attributes and His heart for them. She is extremely effective in raising up teams of people who can be themselves and communicate the love of God in every place and every walk of life. Buy Words That Work by Cindy McGill Learn more: https://www.cindymcgill.org Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

If we want to effectively combat human trafficking we must listen to those who are lived experience experts. In this episode of the podcast, Tre9 and James discuss pimping, and what factors lead someone to that lifestyle. We also ask the question about how to best reach out to pimps with the love of Jesus, and the answer may surprise you! Learn more about Eyes On Me Inc.: https://www.eyesonmeinc.com/ Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Andrea Cressy is the Forensic Nursing Program Director at Houston Methodist. She is also a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurse with both national and international certifications to conduct forensic exams. Andrea talked to us about the importance of training SANE nurses to identify women in trafficking situations, resources Methodist provides women they suspect are being trafficked, and challenges they face when helping women identify themselves as being exploited. Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

A study done by the University of Texas at Austin states there are more than 300,000 victims of human trafficking in Texas, including almost 79,000 minors and youth victims of sex trafficking. In our experience of doing outreach and intervention we also come across teens being trafficked on the street and even in strip clubs. In this episode, we are shedding light on the vital need for minor restorative care homes. We interview Amber Sharp with Home of Hope to learn more about their safe home and the challenges they face in this work. We hope this podcast will help you learn more about what it takes to run a safe home for youth survivors of sex trafficking. To learn more about Home of Hope: https://homeofhopetexas.org/ Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

A major focus of Gen-Z is getting behind causes, especially in the realm of social justice. In this podcast we interview two Elijah Rising Staff Members, Sage and Janae. They work in our Restorative Care Program and they are passionate about anti-trafficking work and sharing the Gospel. We talk about social justice, ministry, and the hyper-sexualized culture which targets this generation. Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Studies show that over 90% of victims of trafficking have had some involvement with drug or alcohol abuse, whether voluntary or involuntary. You really can't talk about one without the other. We have found in our work at Elijah Rising that most women we serve have experience with drug or alcohol addiction, and Sharpen Recovery has found that many women they serve in recovery have also been trafficked. We want to work to bridge the gap between the recovery community and the anti-trafficking community, so we sat down with our Recovery Coordinator, Jessica Gobble and the Founder/Executive Director of Sharpen Recovery, Nick Long. We talked about how critical it is for anti-trafficking organizations to have recovery resources and how critical it is for recovery organizations to have an awareness of trafficking. Learn more about Sharpen Recovery: https://sharpenrecovery.org Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

In Elijah Rising's experience doing intervention and restorative care, we have found that many of the women we've encountered have a drug or alcohol addiction in addition to being trafficked. We realized we needed to be able to serve women in recovery from addiction well, so we now have a Recovery Coordinator, Jessica Gobble. In this episode, Jessica and Nick Long, the Founder and Executive Director of Sharpen Recovery, talk to us about the connections between recovery and the redemptive power of the Gospel. Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Since Elijah Rising was founded, prayer has played a crucial role. In this episode, you will hear from Elijah Rising's Prayer Director, John LaChapelle, and hear from Tiffany Pardue, Executive Director of The Greater Houston Prayer Council. If you are wanting to grow in your prayer life you will gain some new insights and encouragement that will enrich your relationship with the Lord through prayer. To learn more about The Greater Houston Prayer Council visit https://ghpc.us/ » Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »

Despite increased efforts to bring awareness to the issue of human trafficking, there are still many people who do not know or understand the reality of trafficking. Elijah Rising believes in the importance of bringing awareness to communities in order to combat trafficking. In this episode we talk about the new digital museum and how van tours are changing in 2022. Visit the digital museum at: https://www.elijahrising.org/museum/ Send us a Text Message. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »