For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving; for then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5

I was 16 when I first looked in the mirror and said, "I'm a lesbian." It was a couple of years later that I accepted that fact about myself. I accepted the term with a good dose of self-loathing and cursed God for making me that way. All the societal messages I got told me I was damaged in some way, not natural, and therefore forsaken by God. I bought it ... and embraced it.

"Fine," I thought, "if I'm one of God's defective creations, so be it. I can live without God just fine, thank you very much."

I suppose I did live just fine while not thinking about God. But as I look back now, I know God guided me through that time to bring me where I am now. I had to walk through the valley of the shadow of death to learn some important lessons on God's love and God's grace.

The shocker of my life was to learn this simple lesson in 1 Timothy: "everything created by God is good." Why was I not told this when I was struggling to accept myself as a lesbian? Why, instead, did the church tell me I was bad and defective? Did God not create me? Certainly God did .. and "everything created by God is good!"

That was the first step to a long road back. But the next step is equally important. We are told "nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving." The one thing I never did all those years ago, was to give God thanks for my sexual orientation. I accepted my sexual orientation with loathing and hatred. The day I received my orientation with thanksgiving is the day the burden lifted and I was made a new creation in Christ!

"Ex-gay" ministries teach gay people to reject their sexual orientation. They tell them that it is not good. It's a lie! Here is the truth: God created you, including your sexual orientation, and "everything created by God is good!" But don't forget the next step: accept your sexual orientation with thanksgiving. If we do that we are promised that "then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."

Blessings,
Candace