2 books, 2 conversations

  **Just a heads up that this is a gay related post, for those who may be bothered by those.

The books

    Anyone who knows me very well, knows I like to read. I have a lot of books, and am currently fortunate to be in a 3 bedroom house. One of those rooms is my library...... and it is only fiction. Not all of my books would fit in there.

  Some years back, I got into reviewing books. It is ideal. I get free books, and post reviews. And what book lover doesn't like getting free books?

 I am currently doing something I normally don't do: I am reading two books at the same time, both are books I am reviewing.... and both deal with gay related issues.

Holy Sexuality

   The first one is Holy Sexuality by Christopher Yuan. I enjoyed his first book, and had the privilege of hearing him speak a few years ago when he was in my area. He has a lot of great things to say in the book, but I'll share something that really stuck out to me.

   He related meeting a devastated mother whose gay son had moved in with his boyfriend. She wished aloud that he was normal like his brother, who had a girlfriend and a baby on the way. See anything wrong with that statement? Christopher pointed out that her other son was just as sexually broken as the gay one. The "normal" one was having sex out of marriage, and even had a girl pregnant out of wedlock. He had a lot more to say about that, but it struck me hard for a reason. I have often wished that I had been attracted to girls and thought it would have been better to have had sex with several girls instead of this crap I deal with. I have even looked at unmarried young guys who seem to be doing everything wrong, and thought to myself several times "at least they can get a girl pregnant...I am such a failure, I can't do that."

 But the only holy sexuality is faithfulness in marriage and chastity for the single person. Heterosexuality will not get us to heaven. (direct quote from the book).

A War of Loves

   The second book is A War of Loves by David Bennett. I started following him on Twitter and Facebook several months back, and became interested in his upcoming book. He had an application to be on the launch team for the book, and I got on it. He has an amazing story that is really impacting me and making me think, and also see things from different viewpoints. David was a very outspoken gay activist, and an atheist who hated God, Christianity, and the church. He has interesting perspectives since he was so immersed in that, and it wasn't easy for him to just walk away.

   There are some things I don't really agree with him on, but they aren't major things. For example, I am still leaning against Christians using the gay label, whereas he uses it often, usually with celibate.....which I am not so keen on using either.....more on that later.

   His conversion is nothing short of miraculous, and I was really convicted at how he came to a point of surrendering his gay identity and the intense desire for a boyfriend to God. I find myself wondering if I have ever truly had that surrender.

   His book isn't out until November 13, and I highly recommend it. It is one of those books I wish every Christian would read, as it might help them understand gay people and help them be more loving and encouraging.

 The conversations

Ben

  I started following Ben on Twitter, as I follow a lot of people on there I run onto who deal with same-sex attractions. He is one who though he follows the Biblical teaching on sexuality, uses the gay and queer label. He has been really enthusiastic about the Revoice Conference, which I have some issues with....mainly because they use the bisexual, gay, queer, transgender, etc labels so much.

  Anyway, I messaged him to get his thoughts on something, and we ended up messaging back and forth for several minutes on there. He had some helpful things to say, and pointed me towards a couple of Facebook groups for same-sex attracted people he thought might be helpful to me. I appreciated him taking the time.

Joshua

 I have been friends on Facebook with Joshua for several months now. He is also same-sex attracted, and a while back posted on Facebook that if anyone ever needed to talk that he was available and wouldn't judge. (by the way, I have 5 Facebook friends named Joshua. Of those 5, 3 are same-sex attracted guys.)

 I am not one to bother people, but have a lot bothering me and have been very depressed and discouraged. I did what I rarely do, and reached out to him. It took close to 2 weeks before we were able to talk, but we did yesterday. He was on a 3 1/2 trip home from a wedding, and we talked most of that 3 1/2 hours. He had a lot of encouraging things to say, related some personal stuff, and had me reading a few chapters of the Bible over the phone. He must have a lot memorized, as he could pinpoint verses, and would comment on some.

 He seriously helped me a lot, and is even going to send me a couple of books. He has something to do with a ministry for same-sex attracted/gay people. The guy in charge of it, who I am also friends with on Facebook, has written 2 books. One is to do with SSA, and the other is on something else Joshua thought would be helpful.

  I was impressed. How many Christians would spend over 3 hours trying to help and encourage someone they have never met? Most of us are too busy...often with things that won't matter in eternity, while there are discouraged people all around us.

 I wish I had support, but I don't. The only support I get is online from Facebook groups and friends on there who deal with SSA. And I wish more Christian in general would read books like I mentioned and learn more about what so many of them have no clue about.