Welcome to the Jesus Calling podcast. Today we talk with founder and president of Thistle Farms.

After experiencing abuse and trauma in her own childhood, Becca longed to open a sanctuary for survivors offering a loving community.

In 1997, five women who had experienced trafficking, violence, and addiction were welcomed home.

20 years later, the organization continues to welcome women with free residents

that provides housing, medical care, therapy, and education for two years.

Becca shares the origins of Thistle Farms

and how she put her mantra of love heels into action.

I'm Becca Stevens, and I am the founder and president of Thistle Farms, which is a beautiful justice enterprise for women who are survivors of trafficking, addiction and prostitution.

We started over 20 years ago and it was trafficking, addiction, and prostitution.

We started over 20 years ago, and it was just a housing program,

just to come find sanctuary for women who have endured so much

and survived and said, we want to be a place

where you can learn how love heals.

You know, my journey started out.

My first memory is grief.

My dad died.

He was an Episcopal priest, and he died when I was five years old, a drunk driver hit him.

And you know, so Joy has always been a big longing and a theme in my life.

And after he died, I had a great mom and four siblings.

And we had a beautiful family, but a guy came in who was you know taking over and going to work

at the church where my dad had been and he really took advantage of our family and

he started you know abusing me sexually and beginning in the

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