You are here: Home / Archives for God / Holy Spirit

Of Life and The Yellow Lights

January 21, 2011 By Randy Thomas
yellow light

I really dislike approaching yellow lights.  I am not a driven Type-A personality but I just don't really care for in town driving ... and not getting my way ... ummm... When it comes to yellow lights, do I hurry through and possibly get a ticket or run over that confused looking squirrel? It never gets cold here so when it does repeatedly, the wildlife and native Floridians don't quite know what to do. Do I hurry through or do I just stop on a dime and scare the guy in the Lexus behind me talking on his phone way to close to my bumper? If the light is green I can just keep on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Encourage, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Post-gay, Support Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Overcoming Homophobia

January 10, 2011 By Randy Thomas
confession

B writes: I have a severe case of homophobia to the point of my body physically reacting to it.  I shake, I get angry and my heart beats very quickly even at the mention of it.  I know the issue isn't the sin itself it's repentance and those whom identify with homosexuality are no different from me. I know all the textbook answers but I'm struggling to fix myself and I can't seem to find any help or advice that doesn't involve the social annoyance with Christians. Hi B, thank you for sending in your message. With regards to the inordinate and even bodily reaction to the anger you feel, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bi-sexuality, Church, Culture, Educate, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Post-gay, Purpose, Sexuality, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I Found Acceptance And Fulfillment in Christ – Real Stories for January 2011 by Rochelle

January 4, 2011 By Randy Thomas
dove

This testimony appears in both our offline and online newsletters.  To receive testimonies like this along with the full newsletter online via email or offline through the postal service please sign up here. --- When I was growing up, I was always searching for something - something to learn, to fill, to numb, to distract me from myself. From a young age, I was certain there was something wrong with me and I needed to fix it in order for people to like and accept me. I was convinced I was unlovable, but believed if I just tried hard enough, I could correct my flaws and finally be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Encourage, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Post-gay, Testimonies, The Father, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How Do you Pick Up The Pieces After A Child “Come Out” During the Holidays? – Real Answers for January 2011 by Terri Brown

January 4, 2011 By Terri Brown
QA

This article appears in both our offline and online newsletters.  To receive articles like this along with the full newsletter online via email or offline through the postal service please sign up here. --- It is quite common for gay-identified individuals to “come out” to their family during the Christmas holidays. Many parents may now be left with a plethora of emotions and questions. How do you pick up the pieces, face the New Year and return to some kind of normalcy while reeling from what is perhaps shocking news? First, understand that while this may have taken you by … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Educate, God, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Marriage, Parents, Post-gay, Purpose, Q & A, Sexuality, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Telling Your Story: Sharing Your Struggle With Family at the Holidays

December 16, 2010 By Brenna Kate Simonds
family

The holidays can be intense time.  Food, family, fun - and often friction.  It’s also a time when those of us who are struggling to overcome same-sex attraction may choose to “come out” to our families. I came out to my dad as gay-identified at around 15 or 16, then a post/ex-gay at 25, and then as an Exodus ministry leader probably around 29 or 30.  He raised me as a single dad from when I was an early teen, and my mom was in and out of the picture.  At one point, a family member out’ed me to my mom, but she & I never talked about it since our relationship has always been … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bi-sexuality, Encourage, Friendship, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Parents, Post-gay, Support, The Father, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“I Am The Vine and My Father is The Gardener” – David Fountain’s Testimony

November 17, 2010 By David Fountain
photo

This testimony appears in both our offline and online newsletters.  To receive testimonies like this along with the full newsletter online via email or offline through the postal service please sign up here. — I love this description of God as “The Gardener.” As someone who made a lifelong decision to embrace the process of change over 13 years ago, I can certainly relate to how God chooses to reveal Himself by this title.  Night after night, I would beg God for freedom from my struggle with same-sex attractions.  I knew that my feelings and attractions were outside of God’s … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Jesus Christ, Post-gay, Support, Testimonies, The Father Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What’s in a Name? The Story of Brenna Kate Simonds – Part 2

November 12, 2010 By Brenna Kate Simonds
My Wedding Day

Yesterday, I shared the first half of my story.  This is the second half. I had just become a Christian.  In one sense, I felt hope, but at the same time, the labels were still haunting me.  Even though at the time I could not voice what was going on, I continued to spiral out of control with my eating and relationships. I was so desperate for love that I entered into a relationship with an 18 year old woman with a drug problem (I was 24 at the time). After 3 months, this woman (having been raised in a Christian home) said to me, “Listen – the Bible says you must either be hot or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bi-sexuality, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Marriage, Post-gay, Purpose, The Father, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What’s in a Name? The Story of Brenna Kate Simonds – Part 1

November 11, 2010 By Brenna Kate Simonds
Brenna with a mohawk from having her head shaved

A Christian speaker recently reminded me that words are a container for power. The book of Proverbs says “reckless words pierce like a sword”, “the words of the wicked lie in wait for blood”, and “when words are many, sin is not absent”.  In the Bible, words & names are very important. Throughout my life, I allowed people and circumstances to label me, name me, and define who I am. I was born prematurely in May of 1975. I was given a 50% chance of survival and rode in an ambulance to a hospital 50 miles away since the hospital where I was born did not have premie … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bi-sexuality, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Friendship, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Marriage, Post-gay, Purpose, Support, Testimonies, The Father, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Go Ahead, Get Off Your Perch

November 8, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Photo Credit WORLD Magazine

This post is actually inspired by a private conversation I am having with someone who has rejected Christ.  It involves the false standard that some people believe concerning Christians should be "better" than other people. It should be stated that I have known this person for over 20 years and I love them dearly.  We have a very free and open friendship in that in spite of our deep disagreements we do love each other unconditionally. --- I have been a Christian for 18 years now but I noticed as a young believer that my non-Christian friends had an easier time talking about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Post-gay, Scriptures, The Father Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jesus Likes Me This I Know

October 11, 2010 By Mike Goeke
Jesus Likes Me

Jesus Likes Me This I Know Mike Goeke, October 2010 I am sort of a weird guy. I prefer the term quirky, but semantics aside, I am weird. My interests are not typical (or maybe I should say that they are not stereotypical) of your run-of-the-mill guy. I remember sensing that I was different at about age 5. In many ways, my early years were spent feeling odd and yearning for friends and some sort of acceptance. These days, I don’t worry so much about being weird. For the most part, I am comfortable with myself. I can still feel lonely at times, and I can feel like that little 5 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Friendship, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Post-gay, Support, Testimonies, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Next Page »