Hi Thingymabobie,

Welcome to freedom2b!! 🙂

Sorry that I haven’t said hello until now. I am currenly in the final stages of completing my thesis and life is very busy.

I think the greatest thing about freedom2b is the community aspect – whether that be online or face-to-face through our chapter meetings and events. You are not alone and we can definitely understand and empathise with you. We have been there and we know how difficult it can be.

Our stories are very similar in the fact that we both attended an Anglican Church when we were younger and then moved to Pentecostal churches.

I also remember praying for rain at Mardi Gras. lol. Can’t believe I actually did that. :p

For me, my journey was a process and it involved spending lots of time with God and figuring out where I was meant to go next. God led me to freedom2b and from there I found the hope, strength and support I needed to move forward. It’s amazing when you finally meet others who have experienced the same things you have…it’s like a weight is lifted off your shoulders.

I also never thought that by coming out as gay that my relationship with God would grow stronger…but it has!! I am at peace now and I have no doubts that God created me like this for his special plans and purposes.

I hope you can see just how much you mean to God just as you are – especially as you are!! 🙂

Feel free to add me on facebook and come along to our next Chapter meeting and/or Youth event (to be announced soon).

Have a great week!! 😀

Hi Thingamebobie

Accepting ourselves is often the biggest thing to deal with – especially as Christians – and it takes time. It is a gradual process and won’t happen overnight.

Learning to love ourselves is hugely important. Jesus said we are to love others as we love ourselves. We have to love ourselves first.

One of the best ways of doing this is to become part of a group of people like ourselves. Meeting with a group of very normal beautiful people who are also gay is very affirming. Freedom 2 b is a great place to do this.

God accepts us as we are – he doesn’t expect the impossible. The evidence is clear that sexual orientation is part of who we are and it doesn’t change.

The fact that God doesn’t change the orientation of gay people even after huge efforts on their part, praying for change and even spending months in change ministries is to me evidence that God does not expect us to change. I also don’t believe he expects us to deny our sexual side either. He made that part of us so he understands that need.

The Bible doesn’t talk about sexual orientation. In those days they didn’t have the knowledge we now have about medicine and health, psychology and biology so Bible writers couldn’t have understood. But God does and he expects us to use the knowledge we have.

You are a beautiful person. God loves you – so if He does you can love yourself too.

jonn-o

Hey Thingymabobie,

Wow….

I know what you’re going through, and it’s never easy. Satan tries hard to separate us, to make us all go through life in isolation. That’s not God’s plan, and by connecting with us, I know you’ll flourish and produce amazing fruit in so many lives.

God made you the way you are. For a long time, I grappled with that concept, that God could make us gay. However, I’ve known all my life (since a young boy), that I was different. I was floored when I had an amazing interpretation of Matthew 19:12:

“For there are eunuchs who were born that way…”

The dictionary definition of a ‘eunuch’ is a man who has no sexual desire for women. Wow…. it fits me to a tea!!!! In my walk with Christ, this is enough scripture for me to substantiate my being born gay.

God loves you for who you are, every bit of you. Be yourself, be free, for we’re not called to live in bondage.

I’ve read countless stories of people praying the gay away, and having demons cast of them, and all sorts of fasting and steadfast prayer, all to no avail. So either God doesn’t answer prayer (He does), or, God made you the way you are, a wonderful and beautiful creation, that he knitted in your mothers womb. Why would He change perfection? He won’t.

The most important thing, is that you’re not alone. There are countless number of guys your age to walk with you, and I know you will grow stronger.

I highly recommend connecting with Ben Gresham, he’s an incredibly close friend of mine. He’s also the Youth leader in Sydney.

Having come from Wollongong, I know hard it can be to travel to Sydney, however I can’t tell you how life changing Freedom2B can be for you.

If you have a chance, have a read of my testimony. I think you’ll enjoy reading it:

http://www.freedom2b.org/topic/1111

Take care 🙂

JD

Hey, I’m 21 and can relate to a lot this. ie. I have wayyyy too many female friends :p

Hope everything works out for you

Mate

Many people here have been on or are going on a similar journey. We can empathise with what you are going through.

The F2B crowd are a fantastic bunch of people and if you can make the meetings – that will be great – but also feel free to ask questions on here and discuss.

To coin a phrase in from a US based project – it gets better http://www.itgetsbetter.org/

I remember the terror and guilt the first guy I had a crush on – and I’ve now been with the same guy for over a decade. So hang in there and follow your heart….