Hello, friends of Alive in Christ! In this newsletter, I’d like to share with you a story from someone who has been attending one of our support groups. Janie contacted Alive in Christ over a year ago from outside the country, looking for support with her same-sex attraction. Due to our international women’s group, she has been able to find the hope she was looking for. Here is her story:
As a 10-year-old in Singapore, I was always one of those children that wondered about life and death and life after death. In Singapore, reincarnation was a popular train of thought, and that scared me tremendously. What if I came back as some undesirable insect? Then all those Muslim temples and Hindu temples frightened me as well, walking down the streets of Singapore with my parents. Those were my childhood memories.
Fast forward to U of T campus with the Chinese Christian Fellowship. I heard of the gospel of Jesus coming to save my life and grant me eternal life, the simplified version I give you here. I dedicated my life to God and Jesus Christ, and things became clear, and I guess somehow my answers to life and death got answered. It’s very complicated how it got answered, but suddenly things made sense. The world got in natural order and gave me peace.
But then it wasn’t always a straightforward path. I focused on my career for the last 25 years and wasn’t an active Christian. At the same time as I became a Christian, I developed a same-sex attraction awareness, in other words lesbianism. Can you imagine my anguish and confusion? I tried to stop it, to change but to no avail. Moreover, I was fighting spiritual warfare against demons and the spiritualities. Every time the blood of Christ or certain phrases of the Bible was read, I had chest palpations and stabbing pains in my chest. In addition, I had visual hallucination of snakes. Certain prayers triggered me. I had no peace when the Bible was read. Certain church denominations thought I had opened my portal through the playing of Ouija board and through lesbianism, etc. They prayed for me to no avail again. So, this was the opening scene of my Christian journey. I was so conflicted that I overdosed due to my conflict with sexual identity and Christianity. I wanted to do what was right but yet felt I couldn’t. So, I left the church. At that time, I was going to Bible college. I quit and left home and started couch surfing. I didn’t know what I was going to do. At that time, my family doctor referred me to a day psychiatry program for 6 weeks. That was the beginning of my new life. I discovered a new career basically psychiatric nursing from that program. I applied for that program in the fall and got accepted and have worked in that field for the past 25 years.
Yet I wasn’t an active Christian but I still believed in God. I was involved in a couple of same-sex relationships. Satan or the devil had left me then. I had it all. Money, and I was a high-income earner. I bought my own house in Vancouver on my own accord without the aid of my parents. I was high flying woman with a good social life. I was invaluable at work. But somehow, I was lost and didn’t know it. Only when I got disabled with my physical health that I had the time to discover God, and this process of spiritual life began. Since COVID began when my disability started, I have had time to rediscover God and namely Jesus Christ through the encouragement of an old university friend. Yes, I made significantly less money. Yes, I lost my house. Yet I lack nothing. Truly, now my spiritual eyes are now opened and I am probably the happiest that I’ve ever been in my life. I can’t describe what the process and change exactly is but only God knows because He made this miracle in me happen. I can only bow my head and thank and worship Him.
The groups that I have found that has made such a difference like Alive in Christ have helped me significantly in their ministry. Their support is invaluable. I don’t struggle with same-sex attraction like I used to but know it’s always there around the corner.
Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” It is a privilege to be able to walk alongside women like Janie as they seek to submit their attractions to the Lord and to find freedom in Him. In the process, we all have the opportunity to taste and see God’s goodness!
There is still time to register for our fall retreat, October 17-19 in Ashford, Connecticut. This retreat is open to anyone who has been impacted personally by same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria. Register here!
On a personal note, the Simonds family has a high school graduate! Nathanael finished homeschooling, and the co-op our family is part of held a graduation ceremony. We are very proud of him! He will be commuting to a college locally in September. We welcome prayers for him during this new season.
And pray for Alive in Christ! Pray for the fall retreat, for our support groups, and the one-on-one mentoring we offer. We continually get inquiries from around the country from people seeking the hope Jesus has to offer those impacted by same-sex attraction & gender dysphoria. Pray for God’s power, God’s presence, and God’s provision for the ministry and its leaders as we continue to proclaim the gospel to those who desperately need it.
To give to the ministry of Alive in Christ, you can either send a check to us at the address below, give under the “Support” section of our website, or give through texting. Just text Aliveinchrist to 1-888-364-GIVE (4483). Alive in Christ is a 501(c)3, and all gifts are tax-deductible. Thank you for your prayers and support!
Alive in Christ, 1 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108