Returning
to the
Beginning: A Testimony of Deliverance
by Dawn J. Douglas
|
|
| Home |
| Mission |
| Donations | About Us |
| Cover Story |
| Article Archive |
| Contact Us |
| Books |
| Letters to the Editor |
| Itinerary |
Sign up for
free
Venus
Online Updates
|
Click Here to Read about VENUS' RESURRECTION! Letters to the Editor
Your article on "Redeemed" touched my heart I was sad to hear that some churches would not welcome someone that was gay. If you walked into our church, I would put my arms around you and love on you! I guess "old" traditional churches might be still very staunch. But God is moving in a mighty way in many Houses of God!! We are living Gods Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven! There is a true "move" of God to reach out to any who are oppressed, and yes you are right, there is not just one sin, there are many!!! We are all in the same boat!!! This was just a note to let you know that I love you in Christ, and know that God is going to mightly use you!! I am forwarding your article to all I know!!
Loni Smithson
I am not gay but I am a Christian who struggles with
pornography. Bj
I am a mother of 3 married to a man. We are Christians.
Your article of redemption has encouraged me to no end We are a family of believers and she knows the truth. We have tried to just love her through this but I'm sure that we have failed her as well. I know that God hears our prayers and she will one day be His again. I covet your prayers. Thank you for your wonderful article and magazine.
God bless you, T. Lewis Long Beach, CA
Your
article blessed me beyond measure
Thank You!!
Tina
Winograd Having just read your testimony I had to send you a letter
of encouragement!! I'm neither African-American or gay but I am your sister in Christ. My brother is gay and I have been praying for him to come to the same realization as you....he knows the truth and the truth will set him free!!! as it has set you free. It is my prayer that God will send incredible Christian people around you to hold you up and walk beside you in your ministry! you have no idea how much your story has encouraged me and given me hope for my brother. May God bless you richly as you declare His truth and be his vessel to lead so many others away from a stronghold of sin and into a life free of captivity thru Jesus and may many come to their own personal salvation as a result of Him calling you at this crucial time.
Stay strong and seek Him with all your being
prayers and blessings!
Charlene Sutherland
Canada
Your testimony refreshed my hope
C.M. Greensboro, NC
You have inspired me to hang in there Let me say to you how you have got one heck of a testimony and you should know that there are so many people praying for you. You are such a BOLD statement. I had goose bumps hearing about you the other night. There were thousands of us at this women's conference and we ALL had a rush with the spirit hearing about how the Lord has changed you. I just wanted to write to you and tell you that you are and will be instrumental in people's lives. I am praying for you to be strong for Jesus. So many people are so proud of what you have decided not to mention, God has a special place for you know. I will find you in Heaven and hug you. You have inspired me to hang in there with a not so great marriage. If God can change the heart of you (no offense) then I know he can and will change things in my life. Thank you for speaking out for God.
Sincerely, Amanda
We
could have nothing to do with her lifestyle Thank you for your response.
Publisher’s Note: We could have nothing to do with her lifestyle Let me say right off that I am praying for you and your husband to close the gap with your daughter. She is still your daughter and she needs you. Do not close the door on her. [I am assuming that you no longer communicate with her since her announcement.] You do not have to compromise your beliefs but you need to stay in communication with your daughter. Ask yourselves, what would Jesus do? Jesus walked among those who had sexual sin in their lives and showed great compassion toward them. He did not compromise when it came to sharing the truth with them but they could not have HEARD Him if He wasn't THERE. Be there for her. I understand how you feel. My mother refused to meet my partner of 10 years but she never fused to see ME. My ex's parents were much more welcoming to us as a couple although they DID NOT compromise their beliefs. They did not approve, yet they treated me as well as they could. I hope this does help. I'll be out of the country for several weeks on a speaking tour. I hope to hear from you via email.
God Bless!! -Charlene Charlene E. Cothran Ministries
Kay Arthur shared with 22,000 women about your ministry
I
am from Kentucky, but drove to Nashville over this past weekend.
I recently heard of your story
Love In Christ, Stephanie Turner
McCalla, AL
I
am a mother of a 29 year old son in the lifestyle for 4 years
Many Blessings Publisher's Note: She wants to be gay but know Christ
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
A friend emailed me the link to your article with your testimony. Thank you, thank you, thank you! A little over a year ago I found out that my younger brother is "gay". It was, needless to say, devastating news, as we grew up in a strong Christian home. I talked to him for a long time after I found out and he said that he had struggled with this for 3 or 4 years, had asked God to deliver him from these feelings he had and nothing happened. However, as he was praying for deliverance he kept himself surrounded by his "friends" involved in this lifestyle. He finally accepted this as his life and is now in a "gay" church which, of course, not only accepts his lifestyle, but celebrates it. I intend to forward this article to him with the prayer that God will use it to speak to him. I love my brother with all my heart and hate to see what he is doing to himself. Thank you again for the courage and obedience to God in sharing your testimony in your publication.
I am the mother of a very outspoken, beautiful, passionate
lesbian daughter
who is using her gifts and talents at Indiana University to further the cause of gay and lesbian rights. I was very heartened to read Charlene's story because I was afraid that since Rebekah is so involved in the lesbian lifestyle and a willing activist for their cause that even though she was raised in a Christian home and gave her heart to God at a young age that it would be very hard for her to give her life back to Him. Right now she doesn't seem to want anything to do with God or the church. Like Charlene I can see God using her boldness and her passion to further His cause and I grow weary waiting for Him to reclaim her heart. This has given me hope. I know that Satan is fighting very hard to keep her because she is going to be an unstoppable force for God!!! Again I thank you for your positive and uplifting story. If you have a group which offers up prayer on people's behalf my daughter's name is Rebekah and she will be 23 in November. Her girlfriend's name is also Rebekka and they have been together for the past 5 years (since she came out). They are now both seniors at I. U. and have made no secret of the fact they want to get "married" after graduation. I pray that God will intervene before that time and spare me the pain of having to deal with this issue. Rhonda Boothby
I am so humbled by your testimony
and it speaks to all of us sinners, whatever the form of sin. I am sharing your testimony with my two daughters, both in their 20's, who have struggled with society's unrelenting pressures to "excuse" and "accept" homosexuality (even "elevate" it!) and have even been up in arms with their own church's stance on the issue. It has been difficult to explain and defend my viewpoint to my daughters over the years without sounding judgmental (at least, to them!) -- and your testimony does a brilliant job of that very thing.
I'm in hopes that after reading
your testimony, my daughters can both find some inner peace with
their church's stance on homosexuality and realize that it isn't
condemnation of homosexuals (as people) -- but it IS
condemnation of the sin. I've tried to help my daughters
understand that ALL sin separates us from God -- it's as simple
as that. They both have had friends who are homosexual, and they
have both always been great champions of "the underdog," in
whatever form he/she takes! (It's difficult when we live
in a society that glamorizes homosexuals and their lifestyle,
bestows unqualified "victim" status on them, and considers
anyone who disapproves of the lifestyle for any reason, however
well founded, a judgmental, hateful religious bigot.)
I know your new mission to reach
homosexuals who wish to leave the lifestyle will be richly
blessed by God. I am so thankful that more and more people
are speaking out -- especially when the risks of doing so are so
great, since the backlash from the supporters of homosexuality
is often so vitriolic. I have always believed that there
are untold numbers of anguished souls caught in that morass,
desperately seeking a way out -- and they will be so much more
inclined to listen to and follow someone such as yourself who
has "been there, done that!"
YOU GO, GIRL!! And God Bless YOU!
Carol Williamson
I just want to tell you how your
website ministered to my heart tonight
Church
does not talk about it
I thank God for you and for the FREEDOM that he has given you. I will lift you up in prayer and ask God to cover you with his BLOOD and with his LOVE in the name of Jesus. I know this is a spirit that everyone is talking about and No the church does not talk about it. How can We talk about what we have not taken the time to LEARN About. This spirit will attack you at an early age and that is why so many folks say I WAS BORN LIKE THIS! There was a spiritual door that opened somewhere and the only one that can SAVE US is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. No one else can do this. No One.
Yours in Christ
in Louisiana
I am at lost of words at this time...
I fellowship with a holiness
congregation, that didn't change with this world society
when the feminist/lesbian movement changed the mind set of
women, and the dress of women. The women in the Church ought
not to have the mind of the worlds ways, If we confess
Christ in our lives we ought to dress the part, present
ourselves holy in all modesty professing the Father, the
Son, the Holy Ghost, these three are one in Christ Jesus. In
all Gods righteousness.
I would like to continue in
communications with you on a one on one basis. I
have some thoughts of writing a book about "Women, It's time
to cover it up, It was not so in the Beginning". I mainly
want to get the message to my children, I'm only responsible
for there souls and help steer them in the right way and
truth. But I am finding that the lesbian/feminist movement
is so strong out there in the world, our young women have
been snared in a trap that is hard to break loose, and yes,
only the blood of Jesus can set us free to those of us who
ask. The truth is hard to find these days, like looking for
a needle in a haystack.
I really appreciate your
testimony, God is good, and hears prayers, delivers and set
the captives free.
Sis. DJones
I’ve just
read your testimony
God Bless
Gerard Fynn,
You and I have corresponded previously through
email
I told you I will pray for you since Jesus has led you out of the gay life style and that my daughter is living the lesbian life style. Your reply was very helpful to me as a mother because you shared that your mother had prayed for you. I so much appreciated your precious honest words of encouragement.
I have a couple of questions that I
hope you will have time to respond to. I wonder every day if I
should share with N--- the disagreement I have with the
teachings of the scripture she gets from her church the
Metropolitan Church in her city. I have read the book they use
to study from and the bottom line that the book teaches is that
the Bible does not condemn same sex relationships between two
loving and committed people. The "clobber" passages are directed
toward people who engage in lustful, selfish, sex.
I showed her the book and told her I
would search the scriptures further, but at this point I am not
in agreement with the book "Set the Children Free" or "The
Children Are Free" (I'm at work and the book is at home).
I just don't know how much help it will be to continue to share
my disapproval. She talks with me everyday and shares her and
her partner's comings and goings and what they have chosen for
decorations for their new apartment etc. It's all I can do not
to tell her it's hard for me to listen to her plans to go even
further down the opposite road from where I think she should be
going. Are you familiar with these teachings and do you have
access to Christian rebuttals specific to their teachings? Do
you think it is wise to be more exclusive of N....."s friend or
treat her as our daughter's most caring friend and continue to
include her? What has your experience been if you care to share?
I hope and pray that you are
continuing to "be strong in the Lord and the power of His might"
as you struggle against our enemy who still continues to say "
hath God really said?" I think of you often and pray for you.
Thank you for your time,
-C.A.
Publisher's Note: Thank you so much for praying for me
The prayers of the saints keep me uplifted. I do remember sharing with you. I'm not familiar with the book your daughter has introduced to you but I am familiar with the church doctrine. I am working with a new Gay Christian Movement Watch group. The goal is to I.D. and respond with scripture to these many false doctrines being taught to homosexual followers. It has JUST launched days ago. I am certain this site will help answer some of your questions about how to respond to this book.
My advice on being exclusive toward your daughter's partner:
My mother refused to even meet my partner. This was VERY
painful to me. I loved her. When Mom died, her
friends met her for the first time and many said, your Mom made
a mistake not to meet such a wonderful person. I know you
want to see your daughter in a holy relationship. But do
not frustrate yourself about her spiritual journey. You have no
control over how and when the spirit will move on her to leave
this life. All we are charged to do is present the TRUTH
and LOVE them. So, I say, yes, include your daughter's
partner, continue to be genuinely welcoming to her.
Hopefully her partner will see the light of Christ in you.
Who knows, her partner may come to Christ first, prompted
by your grace. People are people. Its O.K. to get to
know her. You may learn even more about your daughter by
doing so.
-Charlene
Charlene E. Cothran Ministries
Shalom
I just wanted to write and thank you for your work, for your courage to bring out the hard truth of your life, and the changes you had to go through in order to seize your ultimate destiny. I too had to make the hard choice of walking away from the lesbian lifestyle and everything that I had built-up in that life in order to return to the Lord, Yeshua, Jesus the Christ. I know that you understand the pain that others will experience when they will turn back toward the Lord, and turn away from that comfort zone they once embraced. Keep up the great work! Shalom, my sister.
Aviella Shomayr
Shomayr Foundation
A
slap in the face to Black people
Just wanted to let you know I happened upon an article about your abandoning the homosexual way of life and changing the direction of your magazine, Venus. I was looking up an article on Tammy Faye Baker Messner when I came across your information. That is so awesome! As an ex-homosexual myself, I can testify that the only way out of ANY sin, whether it is homosexuality, adultery, envy, pre-marital sex, etc. is through leaning on Jesus Christ. I lived over 20 years of my life as a pro-homosexual lifestyle sinner and was very un-gay, very un-happy. One more thing: I am white. I always thought it to be a slap in the face to black people comparing homosexuality to skin color. NO way can you compare the two. God made the different skin colors, he did NOT make so-called "sexual orientations".
God bless you in
your new endeavors.
David Lee
Atlanta GA
Recently my husband and I have been deeply troubled by the effects of the homosexual agenda on our local church. Our family is now attending a bible believing church and growing in love and faith and trust in the Lord. But we were previously at a church in town that has had serious struggles and division revolving around this issue. When we left, I felt like I gave up on some of those people who have refused to see and accept the truth. For the sake of our two children we had to leave that church. But this issue of gays and the church is still heavy on our hearts because it is an example of how the enemy works to infiltrate and divide the church. Satan works this way with ALL sin, not just homosexuality. If we don't put the truth out there WITH LOVE, we are opening things up to all sorts of deceptions down the pike. I know some very good, gifted, talented and intelligent people who are deeply confused by the issue of homosexuality. Your voice is a voice of truth and hope in a desert of lies and confusion. Please be encouraged to continue to abide in Jesus Christ and to lean into Him when the road ahead gets bumpy (which it will). We are praying for you!!!! Vicki & Darren Danielson
Spreading like wild fire
I was in the middle of a happy
relationship
I've recently been called out of the lesbian lifestyle as well. I was in the middle of a happy relationship that was going on 5 years, so my obedience completely uprooted us and rocked both our worlds. But the Lord is calling people out of the gay lifestyle all over the world and there are as many responding to Him and coming out of the lifestyle as there are those who coming out of the closet.
We are
in this boat together and it WILL stay afloat
and sail on into eternity! Praise God for
His mercy and patience...and for His LOVE.
Your obedience has made you more precious than
the finest gold! You are an example and a
leader. Keep your eyes on our Heavenly
Father. You are a precious gem in His
Hand.
Kim Barb
Another bible thumping
Christian
I wanted to encourage you and to let you know that reading your testimony was such a blessing. I myself am not gay but I am an older full time student at a university. I am in the Anthropology Department and have just been bombarded with lesbian students. None of them are hitting on me but I have made attempts to befriend them and have found it difficult because of the sensitivity of the issue of being Christian and not accepting of homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle. If you did not know, in the field of Anthropology being a Christian is not widely accepted.
I recently offended someone
who is a lesbian and it has made me shy away
from sharing the love of Christ with them
and other people who are gay. This is not
how I want to be, another bible thumping
Christian who blurts out 'your going to
hell' when as what you said in your article
is true, their sin is no worse than my sins.
Your article gave me hope and
encouragement in knowing that Christ can and
is working in peoples lives even if I don't
see it directly. I know my goal is not
to change them but to love them. I will
leave the heart changing up to God.
Thank you and God Bless!
Andrea Grady
Gurl ! ! !
I hope I've not offended you with that Subject Title, but that is the only way I could communicate my absolute delight at your story/testimony!
It
was credible, personal, touching and most of all -- laced with
the WORD! While I don't personally share your experience,
I have a niece and a few friends who are in that bondage
lifestyle. I've ministered to them many times but I think
your article articulates everything I've ever tried to say in
one, neat little package! I've printed the article out and
will be mailing it to each of them, directing them to your
magazine as well.
May
God continue to BLESS YOU BIG-TIME. Be encouraged and I
will be praying that you are spiritually and naturally protected
from the assorted nay-sayers, bashers, haters and heretics (for
they are surely after you now). Keep telling your story --
just as the pastor prophesied over you -- you will bring many
OUT!
A
Sister In Christ
Be
steadfast, immovable I am so grateful for Rev. Livingston speaking truth with love into your life. In our humanistic and post-modern culture, others try to re-define “love” when they say things like, “If you loved me then you would just accept me for who I am.” Or “since God is love, he would never judge me like you do.” The reality is that God is love, is the author of love, and he alone has defined what love truly is.
I recently watched Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ again. I was once again reminded of the price that God paid so that sin would no longer have control over me (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). Many would say that the crucifixion was anything but loving, but God… Scripture says that it was God’s will to “crush” his Son (Isaiah 53:10). He alone defined what love is when he sent his Son to suffer and die so that sin (as God defines it) would have no power over me, and that I might have a relationship with Him. And through Jesus’ resurrection, sin and death are defeated and I can live a life pleasing to God (1 Corinthians 15).
You have taken a step of obedience Charlene, and I will continue to pray that God will protect and encourage you as you walk with him in faith. May God honor your heart and your spirit as you step out on faith to confront sin, speak the truth in love, and point those who are lost to the loving arms of Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, my beloved (sister), be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Pastor of Adult Ministries
Keep it simple
Your conversion to Christianity is wonderful!
No doubt about that. I think, though, as Christians we
too often begin to quote scripture "at" people and forget
that if they were not raised to know Christ, they have
absolutely no idea what we are talking about. And
therein lies part of the problem. They feel we are
trying to keep a secret from them by the way we speak and
the words we use, words they don't know. They may have
never set foot in a church or heard one word of the Bible
read. How then do we expect them to understand
"conversion to Christ" or asking for "repentance" when they
don't know what it is they are supposed to repent of or to
whom they are supposed to repent?
Keep it simple. The church community in
general has turned off way too many people because of how we
speak. When I talk to my family or my friends, I
certainly don't speak like they do in the Bible (or how it
is translated). So, when I speak to someone who is not
familiar with Jesus, I don't quote scriptures at them or use
"religious" terms that will only serve to frustrate and
confuse them.
As a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, I
am right there with you! Great message! But if I
were someone who was new to all this, or hearing about Jesus
for the first time, I wouldn't have a clue what you were
talking about. And I certainly am not trying to take
away from the power of the Holy Spirit to instruct people.
Don't get me wrong there. I'm just talking about
keeping it real and keeping it simple.
Thanks to all those who have shared their
stories about coming out of the gay lifestyle into the
lifestyle of Jesus Christ! God bless you all.
Hope W., Mesa, AZ
Wonderful!
My name is André, I'm French and studying English so please, excuse my bad English. I just read your testimony and I'm totally amazed. I am Christian for 2 years now and I am gay. I know one day God will deliver me from it, don't know exactly when or how or if I'll be totally free from it.. but anyway, the most important thing is that now I'm saved and I want ALL my friends to be saved too. I guess you already received thousands of insults, disagreement or other bad things but I want to congratulate you. Not because you found Jesus but because you ACCEPTED it, as I did. I know how hard it is, how unbelievable it is to imagine a life with Him which seems so complicate, so difficult, until THE moment when we finally say : OK, Take me Lord! I just want to encourage you and to confirm the prophecy you already have and that I believe : Who, better than a former gay/lesbian, can win gays/lesbians to Christ ? The whole influence you have built for all these years reached perhaps its summit and now, all your readers have read your transformation, they know that IT IS POSSIBLE, and I know that many of them wouldn't have listened to anyone preaching or just talking about Jesus. Be blessed more and more each day, you already are a blessing. May our marvelous Father be with you and carry you in His arms. Hang on my dear sister. You've won the battle but, as he did for me, there's someone who is suffering from your new lifestyle, the devil. Just to tell you, when I gave my life to Jesus, my mother had a dream. In it, I was sleeping in my bed but in the same time fighting against the devil (she didn't see him but could feel him). And eyes closed I did all my best to save my soul, dealing blows to him until she finally wake up. What amazed her most was the strength with which I was fighting. She told me that even if I was sleeping and eyes-closed I was aware of one thing, I had to resist! He [the devil] has been touched and will do all his best to regain you. God bless you. May you find in this mail the love, the support and the understanding you need but also the strength and the power to fight the devil. André (A French brother who will be so happy to meet you one day in heavens, see you there!) Istres, France
Publisher's Note:
God Bless You,
Poke Holes Publisher's
Note Mention this website to them and ask them what they think. Perhaps a discussion, after they peruse it, might lead into the conversation and Word you'd like to share. I don't feel that this answers your question directly, as there are no magic bullet points to tear down beliefs they have. Just the right Word on the right day, shared with love.
Periods
of my life
I read your story thru a link in Christianity today and checked your website. Wow! The Lord can do wonderful things. Though I never lived an openly lesbian lifestyle, I did have periods of my life where I experienced the wrong kind of attraction. I knew enough about the Bible to now it was wrong. I know now that the Lord protected me from acting out on those fantasies and I praise Him for that.
I have been a born-again Christian for 3 years and
happily married for 2. It's a great encouragement
to know of people like you. I have some friends who
don't know the Lord that think being gay is ok.
Sometimes we need not just arguments against
homosexuality but also true experiences of people who
have come out of that lifestyle by choosing Christ to be
the true lover of their soul. Your story is truly a
blessing.
If people understood the joy that comes to us when we embrace Christ as Lord and Savior, they would realize that what we renounce, those illicit pleasures associated with sin, is infinitesimally small compared to Him... The beauty of the Lord is infinite. And I'm glad you found it.
I pray the Lord will use your testimony to convict many
self-righteous "believers" who use their faith wrongly,
to condemn others. May it remind them that we once were
all in the same pit of filthiness, according to
Ephesians 2. We were all children of wrath by nature...
And yet it pleased the Lord to save us. May all
Christians who read your testimony extend a hand of
mercy over those people in their community who are
living a promiscuous lifestyle (whether in heterosexual
relationships or as gays or lesbians), witnessing out of
compassion for their souls.
One of my best internet friends is a formerly gay man. I love him dearly in the Lord and knowing him has helped me experience greater compassion for all Christians who are struggling against "left overs" from their past sinful life (including myself). All Christians, including the best ones, are a work in progress. May the Lord continue to do His wonderful work in you, and use your life to touch many souls! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Carina from Buenos Aires
Today my life is different
My name is Shanahn Smith pronounced Shannon. I'm
currently 28 years of age and male. I recently came across
an article on a Christian web page with your story in it.
I've visited your page and with great excitement and joy I now
write this letter. I spent most of my youth confused,
alone, and constantly searching for another male to love me.
On Feb. 2nd 2003, after fourteen years of heartache, drug abuse
and even witchcraft, I finally came to know the man of my
dreams. Of course, I speak of the Lord.
Today my life is as different as night
from day. I was ordained a minister almost a year ago and
have been working very hard at getting my first book revised.
I was married on Sept. 2 of 2006 and my wife discovered she was
pregnant on March 15, 2007. We are due Nov. 10th.
I said all that I guess to say
this...God Bless you for all that you are doing! Many
times I have broken down in tears at the thought of the masses
that are still confused, hurting and alone. Thank you for
being so bold in your beliefs. I can't help but believe
that hundreds if not thousands will be effected by you and your
testimony.
Please, never stop speaking and
never stop pushing. God has brought you out for such a
time as this!!! You have my blessings and my prayers, but
also my respect.
God Bless
Shanahn Smith
She's
a temptation for me Thank you for your patience.
Publisher's Note:
I have given the question some thought and prayer. I
must ask you to consider that a victorious LIFE in Christ is
the best of testimony to your friends. Please know that you
do not have to place yourself in the way of temptation in
order to spread God's message. You mention that you
are 'more influenced by things than her.' It is very
important to protect your 'YES' --your commitment to
Christ. We must protect our 'YES' as a mother protects her
baby. She is NOT going to allow her baby to stand too
closely to the edge of falling or near something that might
burn him or let him stand in the road where he might not see
a car coming. Do you understand? Your NEW mind
is the mother of your [baby] spirit. For now, I advise
you to develop a stronger prayer life. How often do
you pray alone, not in church? How often do you
fast--turn down food, only seeking God for food for the
soul? How often are you studying the Word and
receiving revelation [clear understanding] from God?
Work on building these areas of your Christian journey.
You are experiencing a 'soul tie'. This is an emotional tie used by the enemy to bring back feelings and connections to things from which we have been set free. Like you, I want to save the
whole world! I am so excited about being saved that I
feel nothing can get to me. But, here is a story...
Several months before I accepted Christ, my gay friends of
25 years and I planned a big reunion party for all the
lesbians we worked and partied with from all around the
United States. I had invested hundreds of dollars in
the the idea to get the plans moving. After I came to
Christ, I thought I would still go and that this would be an
excellent opportunity to be a witness to all the lesbians
that would come! I would surprise them all with a
speech about how 'God has saved me, changed me and He will
save you too.' But the closer the time came, I knew in
my spirit that all those beautiful women, in that
gorgeous environment, good music, low lights, attentiveness,
alcoholic beverages being sent to my table [I do not drink
anymore] -all this might just be too much temptation for me
to manage.
So I tried to cancel, but they had already advertised my
coming. "This is going to be a BIG affair! It'll be
like old times. You had BETTER be on your way!" my friends
said. In the
end, I did NOT go. Many of my them are still angry
with me for not showing up.
Love,
Charlene
So Powerful! Make a Movie!
Gave Me Hope
Can You Please Help
Me Publisher's
Note Example, when I said 'YES Lord, I'll do whatever you want me to do, go where ever you want me to go, groom me for your service,' not only did God deliver me from lesbianism, He took out of me a very mean spirit. Over the years I developed this quick mean tongue. I was so proud of it. I could take you down in a few short comments. But God delivered me, tamed my tongue by showing me how hurtful this was to others. This was just as dynamic a change in me as the gay thing. Another example, I had trust issues like no other. This prevented me from developing lasting friendships, it slowed me down in business relationships, etc. but God took that away from me too! I don't have to watch my back anymore. ALL battles belong to God, as long as I COMPLETELY belong to Him. I can REST on that. It feels great! A, I want to pray with you. Lord, we come to you knowing that you see who we are more clearly than we see ourselves. We ask, in the mighty name of Jesus, that this defeated spirit be lifted from my brother. Lord, we pray for my brother to give His WHOLE heart to you now. We pray for him to say YES, totally and completely; that you will fill and consume every area of his life, not just the gay part. Lord we know that you cannot lie, and you WILL hear his prayer. Lord we know from your Word that you WILL answer when we cry with our WHOLE heart. Lord, we bind the strong hold of this fleshly desire trapping my brother. Break this yoke from him as you have done for me. The enemy has convinced him that it cannot be broken, but we command, in the name of Jesus, that the bonds of this lie be broken from around his heart and from his body--your temple. Lord, set him FREE. We believe it is DONE! We will now WALK AS THOUGH it is done. Thank you Lord, for your faithfulness. What you've done for me, you have also done now for my brother. Thank you God. Amen. A, there is work to be done by you in order for this covenant with God to stand. Read His word, apply it to your life daily, find a good fellowship, don't allow yourself to be tempted by Satan with regard to men calling you, wanting you. Practice REBUKING Satan by replacing negative or tempting thoughts with affirming scriptures and holy thoughts. You have to KNOW the word in order to use it as a weapon against Satan. Find a bible study group to help you grow. Satan sounds powerful but he's actually 'not all that.' God's word says we who are redeemed have power OVER Satan. Satan HAS to flee when you call on the name of Jesus. DO THIS when you feel weak or on the edge. God WILL deliver!
Go all out to PROTECT your
deliverance, your 'YES'. Protect your 'YES' like a mother
protects her child. She won't let ANYTHING harmful get near her
baby. Don't worry if you don't FEEL different.
We must ACT differently, or 'practice' our faith for it to, again,
become our first nature. You will feel differently after a
while but know for sure that this is a FAITH walk, not based on
feelings. Don't kick yourself when you make a mistake--confess
it, ask for forgiveness, and go on. Give your testimony to others,
that you are FREE. This is probably the most important part.
You are LIBERATED by your own testimony AND it will also liberate
others!
I can say, too, I am
changed.
I was Doing a Wrong Thing
Now that's
powerful stuff
John Hyde
I've got many problems with homosexuality
I'm sorry for my very bad English, I'm
French...lol I just want to say "thank you
God" about you and your testimony. I pray that it will be
blessings for many and many gay and lesbian people, and of
course, for Christian people who have problem with their
sexual identity. Your position in the homosexual
community is very important, in Europe too, and I believe
that God wants to use it to His glory. For me,
I'm a Christian girl, who belong to the Lord since 16 years
ago, but my life is a little bit difficult : since 3 years
ago, I've got many problems with homosexuality (bisexuality
is a better word) but, thank you Lord for your strength, I
never practice. I pray to be delivered, and with ups and
downs, I walk on the way that God wants for me.
So, your testimony encourages me, really, and I hope that
many people like me will read it and feel the same thing.
Against opposition and struggles in the future, continue to
proclaim the God's will for our lives and I pray that you'll
help thousands people. Jesus bless you.
Regards,
Elina Moulinié
Thank you for Telling the Truth
So For Real
Christians Forget Where We Came From
I Could Not Help but Cry
I Saw the Grief
Blessings,
"But with Charlene E. Cothran is her God to help her
and to fight her battles".
Welcome,
Welcome, Welcome
Bless you.
AWESOME!
In His Service
That's Quite a
Story
What a Powerful
Testimony!
|