Participants: Yvonne Lewis (Host), Ron Woolsey
Series Code: PC
Program Code: PC000010
|
00:31 Welcome to Pure Choices.
00:33 I'm so glad that you decided to join us for another episode 00:35 where we're going to be dealing with another hot topic, 00:37 but yet a very serious topic. 00:39 Now, you know, that you've been with us all season long, 00:41 we've been dealing with our sexuality, 00:43 and our sex, how God created us, 00:45 and how we can strive to make Pure Choices. 00:47 Today, we're going to have 00:48 a continuation of a previous episode 00:51 part two actually of an episode 00:52 where we dealt with homosexuality. 00:54 But before we get into this topic, 00:55 I want to just take a moment 00:57 and just introduce you again to my colleagues, 00:59 and a very special guest that we have with us today. 01:01 We have, again, here with us 01:03 my Brother Pastor Alfonso Greene 01:05 who's at First SDA Church in Huntsville, Alabama. 01:07 Right. 01:08 And then we have a special guest, 01:10 you may hearing more from her Miss Lorraine Alexis, 01:13 who comes to us from Nashville, Tennessee, 01:15 and she is a second year medical student 01:18 there in Nashville. 01:19 We have with us, again, and we're glad to see you here, 01:21 Miss Sabrina Etienne 01:23 who as well is a student at Southern Adventist University 01:26 in Collegedale, Tennessee area, 01:27 and she's getting her master's in clinical counseling. 01:30 And then we have my Brother Pastor Michael B. Kelley 01:34 who comes to us all the way from Riverside California 01:37 from the Mt. Rubidoux SDA Church. 01:39 And I am your host Pastor Seth Yelorda, 01:42 and I'm glad to be here. 01:43 Today we want to continue with where we left off 01:46 last week with homosexuality, 01:48 and I just want to take a moment, 01:49 just to kind of recap for those of our viewers 01:51 who are here for the first time 01:53 and they didn't catch last week. 01:54 Last week, we talked about homosexuality, 01:56 I know specifically, we dealt with 01:58 is it right or is it wrong. 01:59 You know, where does the Bible stand with it? 02:03 What does society say about homosexuality? 02:06 What are some other areas that we dealt with last week 02:08 when we talked about homosexuality? 02:10 Yeah, I think one of the main was we found 02:12 which connected to another topic 02:13 when we discussed the idea 02:15 of how the media plays a part in sexuality. 02:17 And we said now we see it being more prevalent on TV shows 02:20 so now as opposed to becoming something that's, 02:23 you know, abnormal or something like that or different, 02:26 it now becomes more the normal or comfortable. 02:28 It's more of a comfortable environment. 02:30 Right, right. It's great. 02:31 Hey, I mean, we also, you know, just was talking about, 02:33 you know, nature versus nurture and just really... 02:35 If you're born this way versus... 02:36 If you're born this way versus 02:38 if you picked it up down the rude... 02:39 It just kind of really unpacked it, 02:40 you know, just try to impact that for the viewers. 02:44 And so, you know, just really 02:45 and just trying to get some quick counsel 02:47 from the Word of God. 02:48 Yeah, now we know that homosexuality is prevalent, 02:51 I mean, it's becoming more and more prevalent. 02:53 I mean, not just in society, 02:55 but in the church and we're seeing it. 02:58 And today, we have a very special guest with us 02:59 the Lorraine Alexis. 03:01 And Lorraine has a very interesting story 03:03 about her own experience with homosexual lifestyle. 03:05 So I just want to turn in. 03:06 Lorraine, just, you know, I thank you for being here, 03:08 and I thank you for your willingness 03:09 to be open and transparent, 03:11 I believe that someone's gonna be blessed, 03:13 and healed, and get victory from this episode. 03:16 And so just share with us, you know, briefly your story, 03:19 where you come from, and where God has brought you. 03:21 I mean, wow, thank you so much. 03:24 When we talk about homosexuality 03:25 it's such a big word. 03:27 And I think growing up I always associate homosexuality 03:30 with the psych thing that you started to do 03:33 if something really bad happened to you. 03:36 People often acquitted after being molested, 03:39 or abuse, or if your father wasn't in the home, 03:43 but, you know, you had to go through 03:44 a really traumatic experience to find yourself there. 03:47 And for me that was quite the opposite, 03:49 I grew up in a Christian home, both parents in the home, 03:53 who took us to church, who prayed with us, 03:55 who just loved on us... 03:57 Sabbath school. 03:58 Sabbath school, you name it, 03:59 Pathfinders, I was a part of everything. 04:01 Okay. 04:02 So on the outside, it wouldn't seem that 04:04 I'd be a part of something like that. 04:06 It will appear like there's no reason for you to... 04:08 There was no reason for it, right? 04:11 Even though the media gave its cues at sometimes, 04:14 you know, to make things easy or open, 04:17 you know, at first, I still thought 04:19 it was not something for me. 04:20 And my experience began when I was 16, 04:23 I was in high school. 04:25 My best friend, me and her became friends 04:28 through mutual sports that we played in school, 04:30 and we're really best friends 04:32 for maybe about two or three years before, 04:35 you know, during this process basically what happened. 04:37 Was it a public school or a Christian school? 04:38 This is was a public, I went to public school all long. 04:42 And, you know, we were friends 04:44 and at first nothing became of it. 04:46 You know, we were just really good friends, 04:47 went through a lot of things together. 04:49 And, you know, there came a point 04:51 where little by little the topic of experimentation 04:54 started coming into play. 04:56 And at the time, you know, it started to become 04:58 like a little crazy that people would, 05:00 you know, experiment and find things. 05:01 You know, I kissed the girl and I liked it. 05:03 And so when you saw the people doing things, 05:05 "You know, we could do it too. 05:07 Let's just try." 05:08 And that was sort of the way she initiated certain things. 05:10 "So let's just try this, this is fun." 05:12 And of course, at first it was, you know, 05:15 weird and I didn't want to be a part of it, 05:18 but little by little just like anything 05:20 you start for the first time, you keep going, you keep... 05:24 Oh, it doesn't mean anything really, you know, 05:26 there was a labels or no names that we gave it, 05:30 but little by little it started to become a lot more serious. 05:33 She started to develop feelings for me, 05:35 I didn't really know how to handle it, 05:37 she was my best friend, 05:38 I didn't want to let her down or disappoint her. 05:40 So I continued, I kept up. 05:43 And... 05:44 Can I ask a question on what you've told us? 05:46 This was your first experience, homosexuality. 05:48 Was this her first experience? 05:50 I really didn't know, as we we're going through it, 05:52 I believe that it was the first time. 05:55 I mean, later on, you know, she later disclosed to me 05:58 that she had been struggling with it for a long time, 06:00 but I never really knew. 06:02 But it was definitely my first time 06:05 even being a part of that. 06:06 So what happened as you continued to progress? 06:07 Yeah, little by little we continued, 06:10 and the relationship actually started to develop, 06:12 we actually gave each other titles as girlfriend. 06:15 So you became open at this point. 06:17 Actually no, we kept this very private, 06:18 no one really knew. 06:20 We had one friend that we really confided in, 06:22 who kind of knew what was going on, 06:23 but we never told anyone. 06:25 Our parents never suspected anything 06:27 if we would spend time together because we were best friends, 06:29 our parents expected us 06:30 to spend time together and hang out. 06:32 Yeah. 06:33 They had no problem with sleepover 06:34 as in not knowing where we were for days on ends 06:36 because they never thought or suspected anything 06:39 that was going on. 06:41 So it continued for months. 06:44 Yeah, I was going to ask, you know, one of the things, 06:47 Lorraine, that, you know, just kind of society, you know, 06:50 pretty much people feel like, you know, 06:52 if you're getting engage in this type of relationship, 06:54 and there has to be some type of inclination, 06:58 were you like any point before this 07:00 attracted to people of the same sex 07:03 or anything like that? 07:04 This is kind of a common, 07:05 you know, assumption that people make, 07:08 was that true in your situation? 07:09 Absolutely not. 07:11 I never had an inclination prior to that experience 07:14 even while it was going on, 07:16 I still have those moments I was like, 07:17 "Ew, you know, what am I doing?" 07:20 But when you have someone there that you do care about, 07:22 you know, sometimes you kind of push those 07:24 little feelings to the side and say, 07:26 "It doesn't really mean anything, 07:27 I can try or I've already done this 07:30 so I might as well keep going, I might as well continue." 07:33 So, you know, I didn't have an inclination. 07:36 It became a monogamous friendship. 07:38 Just friendship. 07:40 Amazing that it could start from there. 07:41 It just started as friendship and, you know, 07:44 at first it started out blazing, 07:45 you know, experimentation, it's cool, 07:47 it's what's going on in, 07:49 and it became a lot more serious 07:50 as time progressed. 07:52 As you progressed, you know, 07:53 how did you come victory like what was the process? 07:58 So I think like I said all along, 08:00 you know, I did have that feeling 08:02 knowing that I shouldn't be a part of this, 08:04 you know, I still went to church, I still... 08:06 Sometimes she would come to church with me 08:08 or you know we still open Sabbath 08:10 as a family so my parent... 08:12 You know, should be around my family. 08:15 And it happens, take one day 08:16 where I happen to go to the Sabbath school, 08:18 and the Sabbath school teacher 08:20 was talking about homosexuality, 08:22 and how it was an abomination. 08:24 And within about three or four minutes 08:26 into the lesson, 08:27 I immediately felt this burning inside of me knowing that, 08:31 "Oh, my goodness like this is for me. 08:34 I cannot be a part of this." 08:36 And I literally ran out the church just in tears, 08:38 just crying, crying, crying in the car, 08:41 I thinking to myself, "How did I get this far? 08:43 You know, months have gone by, 08:45 almost a year has gone by, how do I get this far?" 08:48 And I remember that day, 08:50 you know, just really praying like, 08:51 "God help me get out. 08:52 I'm going to get out right now, I'm out." 08:55 And on that day I called my friend 08:56 and explained to her that, 08:59 you know, this could go on no longer. 09:01 And it was devastating. 09:04 Let me ask this when you were going through the relationship 09:07 and obviously still going back and forth to church and around, 09:10 you know, other church people and things like that, 09:13 I know you said you felt like something wasn't right, 09:16 did you not feel comfortable to confide in somebody else 09:19 because of the way you heard 09:21 maybe other people responding to individuals 09:24 who are in the same situation, 09:25 like, you said there's one friend you confided in, 09:27 I'm wondering was that friend somebody 09:30 who was trying to help you out or, 09:31 you know, was there or were you not comfortable 09:33 because of the way maybe you felt like 09:35 you would have been received 09:36 if someone knew what you were going through? 09:37 Right. 09:39 First off, that friend was not a friend 09:40 who was part of the church so I think at times, 09:42 they actually encourage the relationship to continue. 09:46 So they didn't really enforce 09:48 or suggest that maybe you should stop 09:51 if I was feeling anyway, you know, 09:52 they would sort of say, "Well, you feel like this today, 09:54 but tomorrow may change, 09:56 you know, we like the two of you together," 09:58 or something like that. 10:00 At the time I really would never have thought 10:02 of coming out in the church because A, 10:05 I had not admitted it to myself 10:07 that I was a part of this, why should I say something, 10:10 you know, inside the church, 10:11 then I would be forever labeled as being a part of this, 10:14 and that's not something I was ready to do. 10:16 I had not admitted it to myself. 10:19 And I could see how the church even just society views people 10:23 that are part of this, 10:25 you know, they're unclean and dirty, 10:26 and they're almost contagious by all means... 10:29 Stay away. Stay away. 10:31 So why would I tell the people in my church, 10:33 you know, who already carry those views. 10:35 And so most people that actually do feel were family, 10:37 you know, I didn't want them to see me any different, 10:39 I didn't want them to look at me as though, 10:42 you know, I wasn't the same anymore. 10:44 You said something that there was this part... 10:46 A question for me, you said you did admit to yourself 10:50 almost like you had a hard time with it. 10:51 Can you unpack that, this sounds like powerful 10:53 like you are in something, but you said, 10:55 "I couldn't admit it to myself therefore I didn't get, 10:58 you know, maybe extra help?" 11:00 Can you impact that maybe if you remember any? 11:01 Yeah, absolutely. 11:02 I mean, you doing something 11:04 and you being something it's two different things. 11:06 You know, I can take something from a store, 11:09 but I may not be a stealer, 11:11 I mean, I want to be called somebody who steals. 11:14 So it's easy to do one task and do the next task 11:17 and go to this place and hold hands with this person, 11:20 but if now all of a sudden, you give me a title that means 11:24 that I'm associated with all these other people 11:26 that I don't want to associate with, 11:28 I don't feel she had the same characteristics 11:30 as I do, it's very difficult. 11:32 You know, that's similar 11:33 to what we see taking place in society 11:36 where you have especially men who will say, 11:38 "I'm not homosexual. 11:40 I just like sleeping with other men." 11:41 Yeah. 11:43 You know, it's like their down-low epidemic 11:44 that's taking place. 11:45 You know, so they compartmentalize, 11:47 "No, I'm not homosexual, I just like to sleep with men, 11:49 but I'm not homosexual." 11:50 One thing that I think it's powerful though, 11:52 Lorraine, that you shared though 11:53 is I think it was the realization 11:54 when she went to that Sabbath school's class that day 11:57 like where you were trying to compartmentalize 12:00 these two different things 12:01 it's kind of when you brought it together. 12:03 And it was like, you know what, 12:04 "Man, the Lord is speaking to me about this." 12:08 Once you embrace that because as you are denying it, 12:11 it's still have power over you, and once you embraced it 12:14 then it opened the door for God to come in 12:16 and to actually begin the process 12:18 of deliverance in your life. 12:20 What that process look like? 12:22 So you went to Sabbath school, they told you, 12:24 you heard the Sabbath school teacher talking about it, 12:26 you went out, you called your friend,, 12:27 you know, your friend gave you some flak from there, 12:30 I mean, was it just like cut and dried, 12:32 it was over, you were done, 12:34 did you cut the friend off, like, what was the... 12:35 Not at all, like, I said 12:37 this was the beginning of sorrow for me and my friend. 12:40 You know, she was just so hurt 12:42 and so upset that I had decided this, 12:44 you know, she cursed the church from left to right, 12:47 you know, told me I was foolish and crazy. 12:49 All of a sudden, I was being brainwashed, 12:51 "Why can't I listen anymore?" 12:54 She became depressed, I became depressed, 12:57 it was a cycle of abuse of threatening, 13:00 you know, almost attempted suicide at one point. 13:03 You know, she threatened me that if I would not change, 13:04 that she would kill herself. 13:06 Wow. 13:07 And that took, you know, a really big toll on me, 13:09 and actually put me in a moment of remission 13:11 where I started to say, "Okay, I'm sorry, 13:13 like, I didn't mean that, 13:14 you know, we can go back to how things were. 13:16 Relapse. Kind of relapse. 13:18 And it took several months for me even just to come back 13:21 and say, "Okay, no, I really have to go back to this. 13:23 You know, I don't know what's going to happen, 13:25 but I know that I can't stay here." 13:27 Amen. 13:28 You know, I had an opportunity to be baptized shortly after, 13:31 and for me, that was like a great big step saying, 13:34 "I'm not going back to this, you know, this is over for me." 13:37 And that did not change for my friend, 13:39 you know, that was just a symbol 13:40 it meant nothing to her, 13:42 she was still trying to convince me 13:43 that I need to come back and, you know, do this again and, 13:46 you know, she was just so emotional about it 13:49 and it brought my emotions down... 13:51 Like I said she was my best friend 13:52 and so I didn't know how to handle that, 13:53 I didn't want to lose her friendship. 13:55 So it was a very tough time for me, 13:57 and I think afterward that it really impact me 14:00 in ways I really had not understood. 14:03 I had a lot of issues with self-image, and worth, 14:07 you know, if I was unclean, 14:09 you know, our church puts a nice big veil over 14:11 how young women should be and I was like, 14:13 "Man, I'm not that girl anymore and, 14:16 you know, will someone love me?" 14:19 And also I struggle about who I really was like, 14:23 "Did I always like women? 14:25 Was there something I was naturally inclined to do?" 14:27 You know... 14:28 So there was that confusion there? 14:30 Extreme confusion. 14:31 And who do you talk about this with? 14:33 You know, you're 16 years old, you're like, 14:35 "How do I discuss this with someone 14:37 and them not automatically judge me 14:39 from that point forward." 14:40 Right. 14:41 I'm really trying to figure this out. 14:43 Right. So it was very difficult. 14:44 Why not just look at the Bible? 14:45 I mean, why not just open the Word, 14:47 and, I mean, clearly spills everything out there for us 14:50 and take your cues from that? 14:53 I mean, to be honest, I'm not quite sure 14:55 why I didn't go to the Bible at that point, 14:57 but I feel like you need more at that point 14:59 is something relevant in your face, 15:01 you need someone to just tell you that, 15:02 "I love you," like, "It's going to be okay." 15:04 The Holy Spirit really led me on a process of growth 15:08 and conversion to see God's plan for me, 15:11 but at that point, I just needed someone to tell me 15:12 it's going to be okay. 15:13 You know... 15:15 Some spiritual community. 15:16 Some spiritual community like, "It's going to be okay," 15:17 like, "Your friend she is going to be okay, 15:20 you know, she is not going to kill herself, 15:21 or we're going to support her too, 15:23 we're going to support whatever you really need right now 15:25 we're going to support you right you." 15:26 You mentioned earlier when we before taping that, 15:30 you kept hearing a voice saying to you 15:31 that this is not you or something along those sorts, 15:34 and that's what kind of always put you uneasy 15:38 with the decisions that you're making 15:39 in your homosexual lifestyle. 15:41 Now let me ask you a question, 15:42 I don't want to take us too far left field 15:44 when we think about those who are engaging 15:45 in homosexuality or in the process of it, 15:48 they may be having thoughts about it, 15:49 do you think many of them right now the uneasiness 15:52 that they're feeling may be their moral compass 15:54 speaking to them and letting them know this is not 15:56 who they truly are? 15:58 I think that's a little bit of everything. 15:59 I think what the society around you 16:02 saying it's not right, 16:04 then there is that little voice inside you saying, 16:06 you know, "This is strange, this is foreign." 16:10 Right. Not normal. Right. 16:11 This is not normal. 16:12 And then there's another part of you that wants to defy, 16:15 you know, a little rebellious, 16:16 you're not that age or even at any age where, 16:19 you know, you want to be part of 16:21 whatever it is that you admire 16:23 or you want to be happy, or love, 16:26 and the people that are giving that to them 16:28 and environment that you're finding that 16:29 then you're going to want to stay in. 16:31 Right. And that's natural for anyone. 16:32 So, you know, I think it's like a personal discovery 16:36 like God really impressed on my heart 16:38 that this was not for me. 16:39 Because I do think that 16:41 society does cause those who are feeling 16:44 and contemplating homosexuality 16:46 to feel like they can't come out. 16:47 However, in your case particular, 16:49 you said that you kept feeling uneasiness about it. 16:52 And, I guess, what I'm saying is that, 16:54 what I'm thinking about is that 16:55 for those who are feeling that same feeling that you had, 16:58 maybe if they would begin to investigate 17:00 and explore it now, 17:02 they wouldn't delve into the homosexuality 17:05 and things like that and begin to live that lifestyle out 17:07 if they begin to investigate 17:09 and just kind of nip it at the root cause 17:11 of what they're feeling now. 17:12 I think that be important 17:14 if you had someone that you can confide in 17:15 or if you felt in environment 17:17 where you can sort of talk it out actually hear it, 17:20 sometimes after I spoke it out loud, 17:23 "This is what I was doing, this is what I was a part of." 17:25 I really started to say, 17:26 "Wait a second, this was not..." 17:27 You know, I started to put the dots together and see, 17:31 "What made me start doing this? 17:32 Was this something I was doing all along? 17:34 No. Was it this person that I started do it? 17:37 Was I manipulated perhaps?" 17:40 And I do think that's an important point, 17:42 you know, when you start to feel uneasy and, 17:44 you know, I believe that's the Holy Spirit 17:45 really tapping on you saying, "Something is off." 17:48 You know, I think I want to say something 17:50 about those feelings just, you know, 17:51 and I think those are very important, 17:53 Holy Spirit does, of course, use those. 17:55 Sometimes though our feelings can deceive us in a sense 17:58 because it could be someone out there 17:59 who's in gauging that and not feeling that. 18:00 Right. 18:02 And so they need to understand even though you're not feeling 18:04 that this is wrong or inappropriate, 18:07 there's some principles you have to look at to say, 18:09 "Okay, if I'm not feeling right, 18:11 but what is the principle and standard?" 18:14 I think that's a blessing 18:15 that you are able to get the feeling, 18:16 I know some folk they just don't feel it, 18:18 and that's what sometimes they wait for, 18:19 they wait for the feeling 18:21 to kick in then know what's wrong, 18:23 but it never comes, I think sometimes feelings... 18:26 I mean, convictions don't always come in the form, 18:29 I think always a feeling sometimes it's seem something 18:32 and just becoming aware in a different sense. 18:36 I think something else to add onto that 18:37 as far as what has kind of helped to, 18:40 you know, the Lord have the room to work 18:42 in this situation 18:43 is just the emphasis on the type of environment. 18:46 And I know that some of our churches or some churches 18:49 or some situations are not conducive 18:51 to be able to be honest and open 18:54 about the real struggles, 18:55 but that's I think the vision for all of our church, 18:58 but I think that's even the vision 19:00 for this Pure Choices 19:01 because what we want is to create a dialogue 19:04 even on the internet 19:05 and wherever where you can really share 19:07 what you're dealing with, and what you're going through, 19:10 and that's part of the process of finding that deliverance. 19:11 To find that spiritual community even if it's online. 19:13 Even if it's online. 19:15 And I also think, you know, 19:16 we have to stop compartmentalizing sin. 19:19 You know, we have to stop making 19:20 one sin bigger than the other 19:21 or one sin more evil than the other. 19:23 It is all sin. 19:24 And God really had to show me that, 19:26 you know, the person who lies, they're just like you, 19:28 "You know, you made a mistake, you sin, you went against Me, 19:32 but I restore you, I can you make you better, 19:34 I can make you new." 19:36 There's nothing he can't bring you back from. 19:37 There's nothing he can bring you back from. 19:38 So I mean, they say hindsight 2020, 19:40 looking back into the situation. 19:43 I mean, what do you think the church could do, 19:45 you know, and then what do you think that individual 19:48 who is in that situation needs to do, you know? 19:51 Definitely, church has to show more love towards... 19:53 Openness. 19:55 Openness so that people can come forward 19:57 doesn't matter what it is. 19:58 You know, I think... 19:59 Whether it's homosexuality, or immorality, or whatever. 20:01 Homosexuality, or immorality, or whatever it is 20:04 even if it's just one specific incident 20:05 or event that happened 20:07 and you're not quite sure how to deal with it, 20:09 there should be an outlet for or a venue 20:11 where you can sort of share this and unpacked it 20:13 without any kind of judgment, 20:15 you know, where you can even just talk it out, 20:17 and I think that's really important. 20:20 For people who are going through this, 20:21 you know, you're not worthless, 20:25 you're not, you know, there will be life after this. 20:27 God can really show you happiness 20:29 that you have not yet experienced. 20:30 And I think what kept me there for a long time 20:33 or it kept my mind, you know, 20:35 really reeling from all of it was that, 20:37 okay, I had some sort of happiness there, 20:39 but it wasn't real it didn't fit into the real life 20:43 that I really had, it was this little glimpse 20:45 and the secret place that 20:46 really wasn't what life was about, 20:48 it wasn't what God had wanted from me. 20:51 And, you know, hindsight I'm seeing 20:53 how God has brought me out, 20:55 and seeing what He's done for me is tremendous, 20:56 and I could have never seen that in my little hole 20:58 in what I thought would make me happy. 21:01 So, you know, to trust God and it's not going to be easy, 21:04 you know, they're going to be people 21:05 who are going to look at you different, 21:06 who are going to find you funny, 21:08 but God is able. 21:09 You know, I was going to just ask Lorraine, 21:11 you know, one other things that, 21:12 you know, where I first heard 21:14 you shared this was at a Bible conference. 21:16 And I don't know if that was at the first time 21:17 you've shared it. 21:19 That was the first time I shared that 21:20 with a larger group of people. 21:22 I've shared it one-on-one with people 21:23 that I know we're going through some of the struggles. 21:24 What was it about that environment 21:27 'cause we talk about really trying to, 21:30 you know, create an environment 21:32 where people can actually be open and share... 21:34 What was it about that Bible conference 21:36 that kind of allowed you to be 21:37 able to feel comfortable to share? 21:39 I mean, the Holy Spirit was there, I have to say that. 21:43 And it started opening 21:44 when people just started sharing. 21:45 You know, it started even little by little, 21:47 "Man, you know, I'm in a relationship with a guy, 21:49 and we're doing things that we really shouldn't be doing." 21:52 And then or, "Man, you know, 21:53 God really brought me out of this situation." 21:55 You know and I really felt the Holy Spirit nudging on me 21:58 that "you need to share this." 21:59 Many people share their testimonies, 22:01 and it seemed like people were getting heeling. 22:03 And for me I didn't really feel like I needed healing, 22:05 I actually thought that I was healed, 22:06 I actually thought that I was fine, 22:08 but that voice was just saying, "You need to speak." 22:11 And out of obedience, 22:12 out of just listening to the voice of God, 22:14 I just shared, you know, I just shared, 22:16 this is my story, this is what I went, 22:18 you know, I didn't need any sort of healing, 22:19 but I need to share. 22:21 And I realized that through me just being obedient 22:25 it was someone else's cure for healing. 22:27 It was someone else's door to say, 22:30 "Okay, I can move pass this 22:32 if I'm struggling with the same thing 22:33 or I can share my testimony that something different, 22:36 you know, how God has blessed me, 22:37 and even if I'm still in it, He's going to get me out of it, 22:40 and I believe that He's going to get me out of it." 22:43 I wanted to ask when you came to that point 22:46 where you are like, you know, 22:48 enough is enough going back just a little bit, 22:50 and you told your friend even the second time, 22:52 "Hey, I'm away from that." 22:53 Were you able to continue your friendship at all? 22:56 For a long time, I really tried to, 22:58 but I tried for so long to continue our friendship, 23:01 but it was impossible, it was impossible to do so. 23:04 And it's something I think 23:06 I still wrestle with to this day 23:08 is that that friendship was never the same. 23:11 But I blame myself a lot, you know, 23:13 our church as being on evangelism almost like, 23:15 we're individual evangelizers, 23:17 you know, we have to bring people to Christ 23:19 and I kept feeling like it was my role, 23:21 but I was not strong enough at that point 23:23 to bring her back. 23:24 I need God to work on me and, you know, 23:27 I prayed for her all the time 23:29 that God would just work on her heart, 23:31 and even help her to forgive me, 23:33 forgive me for, you know, 23:35 the hurt that I've caused or the pain 23:36 that I caused to her while I was still confused. 23:40 So there was a point though 23:41 because I think it's important for, 23:43 you know, listeners to know 23:45 that sometimes we have to separate ourselves 23:47 from the situation. 23:48 Absolutely. 23:50 I mean, the Bible says that it's like Amos 3:3, 23:51 "Can two walk together unless they be agree," you know, so... 23:55 As somebody else is rolling out and help 23:57 bring that person to Christ. 23:58 Right, right. 23:59 And I just think it's probably because it's the idea of, 24:02 again, we never show pure choices 24:04 in order for you to make those other choices 24:06 you had to make a very difficult choice 24:08 that obviously still today 24:10 obviously what you knew had to be done, 24:12 was it easy in order for you to be where, you know, 24:14 where you are today? 24:15 I mean, I was the only Christian representation 24:17 in that person's life 24:18 and that made it very hard for me to walk away. 24:20 So I kept thinking like, what if she's not saved, 24:22 you know, like I want her to be in having to, 24:24 and how could I walk away and leave her, 24:27 but God actually showed me like, "You can do this, 24:29 I will just take care of it, just trust Me, 24:31 we're going to get to a place that's better than this." 24:33 And I didn't see that at first, 24:35 I fought it for a very long time, 24:36 but, you know, looking back and I can definitely see 24:38 that's what God has brought me to. 24:39 Lorraine, how is the life now for you? 24:42 It's good. 24:44 You know, I've really seen how God has brought me through, 24:47 He has given me a new self-image, 24:49 and, you know, I'm not so concerned, 24:51 I have no secrets. 24:52 And that's like a great feeling 24:54 to know that God has blessed me, 24:55 and He's going to use me, and it's not easy, 24:57 you know, I still sometimes get scared 24:59 about being associated with this or with that, 25:02 but I want to be in heaven so. 25:05 You know, I firmly believe you have nothing to be ashamed 25:07 of which you got victory over it. 25:08 Absolutely. 25:09 You know, as God gives you victory, 25:11 "Listen, I'm not ashamed, you know, this is who I was, 25:13 this is where I was," and God, He restores. 25:16 The Bible clearly says He makes all things beautiful 25:19 in His time. 25:20 So though I might have made some mistakes, and messed up, 25:22 if I just placed my life in the hands of the master, 25:25 He will make me, you know, into His image. 25:27 And I think that's perfect to understand 25:29 because God will send people to love you 25:32 in spite of all of that, 25:33 and I think for a long time I believe that 25:34 no one would love me because of it, 25:36 and people know and love me anyway, 25:38 and that's like a beautiful thing 25:40 they know exactly what I've done, 25:41 and they love me anyway because I'm not the same. 25:43 So if you could in the last few moments we have, 25:46 somebody is in your situation right now 25:48 or something similar 25:49 whether it's be being because they pulled in, 25:51 maybe some others things have happened, 25:52 they've just experiment making their choice, 25:54 what's their first step? 25:55 What do they do to make sure 25:58 they don't get caught up in more of a cycle 25:59 so it becomes increasingly different to get out? 26:01 Definitely pray, and ask God for some peace. 26:05 I think separating yourself 26:06 from the situation even temporarily, 26:08 you know, to get that little window 26:09 so that Holy Spirit can really speak to you 26:12 is really imperative. 26:13 I think I needed that little break of time, 26:15 and I think God will really, 26:17 He will really show you what you need to do next. 26:20 I think more importantly, 26:21 I want to speak to those that are around those people, 26:23 sometimes, you know, I've seen people suspect 26:25 that certain things are going on, 26:27 don't talk about those people, 26:28 you know, really just encourage them, 26:30 and love on them as God really works through them 26:32 because everybody's moment 26:34 with the Holy Spirit is different 26:36 and they got to get there on their own. 26:38 You know, that reminds me 26:39 nothing I think I said last week 26:41 when we we're talking about this that 26:43 the church's response should be one of the God judges, 26:46 the Holy Spirit convicts, and the church loves. 26:50 You know, and if the church would just do that just love, 26:52 you know, regardless of what's your issue, your sin, 26:54 your stumble, your mistake, 26:56 "Yeah, we love you 26:57 and we're going to love you back into Christ." 27:00 And a lot of times, unfortunately, 27:01 we look at love as though 27:03 I accept everything you do, right. 27:05 And love is not I accept everything you do, no, 27:07 I mean, love is I see you in spite of what you do, 27:12 I see you as God sees you, and God sees you as a child, 27:15 you know, he sees you as what you are to become. 27:18 I thank you for being here. Thank you. 27:20 I pray God for how He's delivered you, 27:21 and I know that through your testimony, 27:22 He will deliver others. 27:24 Praise God. 27:25 We pray that you are blessed today, 27:27 we want you to follow us on Facebook, go to Facebook, 27:28 type in Pure Choices if you have a question for Lorraine, 27:30 we'll make sure she answers your questions 27:32 for more conversation and dialogue. 27:34 Listen, we'll see you next week, be blessed, and, 27:37 you know, we just praise God for you. 27:39 Bye-bye. |
Revised 2018-01-18