Friendship — Exodus International Blog

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

November 12, 2010 By Brenna Kate Simonds

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: Abuse, Addiction, Bible, Biblical Sexuality, Brenna Kate Simonds, Change, Christians, Church, Counseling, Ex-gay, Family, Fear, Friends, Friendship, God, Gospel, Grace, Homosexuality, Hope, Identity, Jesus, Lies, Pain, Relationship, Scripture, Sexual Abuse, Sexuality, The Gospel, Therapy, Transparency, Trust

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: Abuse, Addiction, Bible, Biblical Sexuality, Brenna Kate Simonds, Change, Christians, Church, Counseling, Ex-gay, Family, Fear, Friends, Friendship, God, Gospel, Grace, Homosexuality, Hope, Identity, Jesus, Lies, Pain, Relationship, Scripture, Sexual Abuse, Sexuality, Therapy, Transparency, Trust

Go Ahead, Get Off Your Perch

November 8, 2010 By Randy Thomas

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: Christians, Church, Exodus, Faith, Freedom, Friends, Friendship, God, Grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Resurrection, Scriptures, Sin, Testimony, Transparency, Truth

What’s Healthy vs. Unhealthy Same-Sex Relationships? – Real Answers Article for October 2010

October 20, 2010 By Kristin Tremba

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 I discern the difference between healthy and unhealthy same-sex relationships? by Kristin Tremba When I was struggling with same-sex attraction, I found myself attracted to women who offered to meet all my emotional needs. These relationships were intense, secretive, and all-consuming. Instead of admiring a fellow female as a friend, I worshiped her as an idol. Why did … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Homosexuality, Lesbian, Post-gay, Purpose, Q & A Tagged With: Emotional, Exodus, Friends, Friendship, Giving, God, Identity, Intimacy, Kristin Tremba, Life, Love, Men, Needs, news, Normal, Relationship, Relationships, Satisfaction, Women, Worship

New Book “Naked Surrender” by Andy Comiskey

October 20, 2010 By Randy Thomas

Today I want to post an interview I did via email with Andy Comiskey about his new book titled "Naked Surrender." I have posted the interview exactly as it happened. There has been very little editing (spelling, formatting.) Also, all emphasis (bold and italics are mine. Without further ado :) ... First of all, congratulations on your new book. The provocative title is "Naked Surrender: coming home to our true sexuality." When you say "Naked Surrender" is that both literal and figurative? What does it mean to "come home" to our true sexuality? Andy: 'Naked surrender' refers … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Church, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, God, Identity, Jesus Christ, Marriage, Pop Culture, Post-gay, Sexuality Tagged With: Andy Comiskey, Catholic, Christians, Communion, Emotional, Facebook, Freedom, Friends, Friendship, God, Guide, Healing, Honor, Interview, Intimacy, Jesus, Joy, Life, Love, Marriage, Men, Needs, Relationship, Relationships, Sexuality, Trust, Truth

Why Does The Gay Community Refuse to Acknowledge Our Testimony?

September 21, 2010 By Randy Thomas

This question was left on my formspring service after I wrote this post on my personal blog. I will answer it by parsing out the different points. First ... How can people in the gay community make that claim dismissing a person once being gay? I think some (not all) make that claim just like Conservatives and/or Christians who used to claim (some still do) that there are no truly gay people. What I have discovered is that people on both sides, actually people in general, are not usually happy with others whose identity and/or moral systems are based in direct opposite views to their … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Post-gay, Q & A, Religious Liberty, Sexuality Tagged With: Change, Christians, Church, Community, Culture, Culture War, Ex-gay, Exodus, Freedom, Friends, Friendship, Gay, Gay Community, God, Grace, Heart, Homosexuality, Hope, Identity, Jesus, Journey, Life, Love, Men, Post-gay, Redemptive, Relationship, Relationships, Sexuality, Sin, Soul, straight, Testimony, Truth

Unconditional Surrender by Gwen Gibson – Real Stories for August 2010

August 26, 2010 By Randy Thomas

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. --- Unconditional Surrender by Gwen Gibson I struggled with same-sex attraction for nearly twenty years. In college I hung around lesbians and developed lesbian friendships. Finally one asked me, “If you aren’t homosexual, why do you hang out with lesbians?” It was like she held a mirror up to my face and said, “Who are you, and why are you here?” In my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Identity, Lesbian, Post-gay, Sexuality, Testimonies, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: Change, Church, Counsel, Counseling, ECA, Emotional, Exodus, Freedom, Friends, Friendship, Giving, God, Grace, Healing, Heart, Homosexuality, Identity, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Journey, Lesbian, Life, Love, Men, Online, Relationship, Sexual Identity, Sexuality, Sin, Soul, Testimony

Facebook Flashbacks and Friendship

August 18, 2010 By Randy Thomas

Facebook is crazy. And little bit scary. Almost every significant (still living) relationship I have ever had is represented in my friends list. It's been an astounding adventure to reconnect with people from almost every stage of life from my past to present. It all started in August of 2008. Two years ago I was on sabbatical and had a thought, "Hmmm... I wonder if my high school friends have found facebook yet?" Two hours later I had found 15 of them and was quietly tripping out on how much life had changed for some and was completely the same for others. This has led to a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Encourage, Exodus Blog, Friendship, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Post-gay Tagged With: Abuse, Anger, Change, Christians, Facebook, Family, Fear, Friends, Friendship, Gay, God, Heart, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Jesus, Kid, Life, Love, Men, Relationship, School, Sexuality, Sin, Teen, Testimony, Video

Eighteen Years and Counting

July 23, 2010 By Randy Thomas

This is cross-posted on the ETC Blog. Here is an audio file (embedded at the end of this post as well.) *** Today is the day that I remember the actual moment in which I turned away from my gay worldview and began my Christian post-gay journey. This is *not* the day I became a Christian. I was born again before I turned away from homosexuality. The anniversary of accepting Christ as Lord and Savior is in the last week of May. So yes, I considered myself a "gay Christian" for the whole two months between May and July of 1992. During a prayer time 18 years ago the Lord (no … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Friendship, Gay, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Post-gay, Sexuality, Testimonies, The Father Tagged With: AIDS, Bible, Change, Christianity, Christians, Church, Community, Counsel, Criticism, Ex-gay, Exodus, Faith, Family, Fear, Friendship, Gay, Gay Community, God, Heterosexual, Homosexuality, Identity, Intimacy, Jesus, Journey, Joy, Life, Love, Men, Ministry, Post-gay, Prayer, Relationship, Reparative Therapy, Sexual Orientation, Sexuality, Sin, straight, Teen, Testimony, Women, Worldview

British Comedienne, and Former Lesbian, Becomes Happily Married Mother of Four

July 12, 2010 By Randy Thomas

From How I Went from Committed Lesbian to a Happily Married Mother of Four: Looking at my four children racing around the garden with their father, it seems almost impossible to believe that only a few years ago I never imagined having a family. Or rather, when I did stop to think of myself as becoming a mother, I imagined the only way I'd do so would be through an anonymous sperm donor. Today, with five-year-old triplets, Thady, Frank and Orla, and a seven-year-old daughter, Saoirse, a husband and a home in a leafy London suburb, I could be viewed as the archehtypal wife and mother, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholic, Culture, England, Exodus Blog, Identity, Lesbian, Post-gay, Sexuality, Testimonies Tagged With: Addiction, Books, Criticism, Emotional, Emotional Dependency, Exodus, Facebook, Faith, Family, Friends, Friendship, Gay, Heart, Homosexuality, Lesbian, Lesbianism, Love, Peter Ould, Post-gay, Sexuality, straight, Truth, Women

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

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

Go Ahead, Get Off Your Perch

What’s Healthy vs. Unhealthy Same-Sex Relationships? – Real Answers Article for October 2010

New Book “Naked Surrender” by Andy Comiskey

Why Does The Gay Community Refuse to Acknowledge Our Testimony?

Unconditional Surrender by Gwen Gibson – Real Stories for August 2010

Facebook Flashbacks and Friendship

Eighteen Years and Counting

British Comedienne, and Former Lesbian, Becomes Happily Married Mother of Four

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