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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...]

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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...]

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

November 17, 2010 By David Fountain
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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...]

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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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Memories of Bullying

October 13, 2010 By Brenna Kate Simonds
upset boy against a wall

The recent suicides that are related to bullying have brought back some not-so-pleasant memories for me. I’m sure I’m not alone.  Coming out of the closet (or rather, being pushed out kicking and screaming) as a high school student in 1990-ish in small-town New Hampshire was not fun. I always joke that Ellen didn’t come out for another 7 years :)  I was made fun of, harassed, threatened, and insulted.  I remember sitting in class and having a peer tell me that all gay people should be put on an island and blown up, as my teacher sat there and said nothing.  I spent many classes just … [Read more...]

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Finding a Safe Place– Real Stories for September 2010

September 22, 2010 By Randy Thomas
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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 am a wife of a man with undesired same-sex attraction struggles. Together we have attended two Exodus conferences. Through the ministry of Exodus, God showed me that He truly cares about human brokenness. He loves homosexual men and women. He also loves my husband and desires to free him from his past and present pain, fears, and shame. The Exodus Freedom conference … [Read more...]

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How can my struggle with same-sex attraction help to benefit others in the Body of Christ? – Real Answers Article for September 2010

September 22, 2010 By Angela Buchanan
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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. --- How can my struggle with same-sex attraction help to benefit others in the Body of Christ? Sometimes in the midst of struggling we are so focused on getting through the day that we forget what our struggle may eventually mean to others. Our stories are powerful. Our God loves to use our redeemed and restored lives as testimonies of His grace. I believe the Body of Christ is … [Read more...]

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God Is Not An Enabler

September 14, 2010 By Mike Goeke
learning to ride a bike

God is Not an Enabler Mike Goeke, September 2010 “God is love.” This statement, which is indeed Biblical, constituted a friend’s rationalization for his decision to leave his family and pursue a life defined by both direct sinful behavior and a general pursuit of what he claimed made him happy and satisfied in life. “I believe God loves all His children,” he told me. I had to agree with him, but as I mulled over his comments to me I realized that for my friend, ‘love’ meant that God cared nothing about his behavior or how he lived his life. To him, God was a sentimental … [Read more...]

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