Take a look. Just look at the two photos. If ever there was a ‘before’ and ‘after’, it's there to see.
From a non-binary teenage homosexual
caught up in shamanic worship, through to an amazing man of God, totally
changed by Jesus.
Cam is part of Holy Trinity Church
Leicester. Like many churches in this city, Holy Trinity has been enjoying all
that the Holy Spirit has been doing at this time.
I’ll let Cam tell his own story……
I am sharing here a post that I was led to write to a private LGBTQI+ Facebook group. I am sharing it here because it contains an invitation that is supremely relevant to all human beings everywhere.
I realise that this post may upset some, and as such I ask that you read it with an open and honest heart. It has been carefully written from a place of love and the message I share, when understood and reflected on, is profoundly good news.
I am a 32-year-old from the UK who had identified as non-binary and queer/homosexual from my teenage years until a year and a half ago when I had a life changing encounter with Jesus. He called me out of the life I had been walking in. This included shamanic practices and nature worship, among other things.
But that Has changed. Jesus gave me new life.
This was a challenging process for me in which I had to separate myself from some of the communities that I had called home for many years, but throughout, Jesus was with me as a patient, loving presence and gracious guide. He showed me that all of the things that I felt as loss were going to be returned to me and to be redeemed for good. After all, He, as my creator, had placed within me those yearnings of the heart to see a radical artistic community birthed, the healing of humanity and a society grounded in love for each other.
Jesus revealed to me that my true identity is in Him, not in my sexual attraction and He told me that homosexuality was not how He had created me to be.
I learned that we can be in a close personal friendship with the infinite creator of all things, that we can wake each day with Him and walk with His Spirit protecting, guiding and loving us. Jesus came to this earth to seek and save all those who are lost - and in this world that is everybody!
Each of us have chosen our own paths in this life, thinking we know what is best. But only the author of life knows best. Our self-willed lives are in direct rebellion to our gracious and beautiful creator. Our heavenly Father wove us in eternity to walk in intimacy with Him with an abundance of life.
We have each fallen short of His glory and we are powerless to put this right. Each of us has personally rejected Him. But God is ready to forgive. He graciously made a way of reconciliation through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The Holy, perfectly just, all-powerful creator willingly chose to humble Himself, enter His creation as a man and live a life of service to the point of torture and death for a crime He hadn't committed. He took upon Himself the brutal punishment that each of us deserved.
As He hung on a cross, each breath tearing pain through his body, He spoke His last words. He said, ‘Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.’ Every human that has ever lived is in that 'they'.
He died and was buried, after three days He was raised from the dead and was seen by thousands of witnesses (most of whom were later tortured to death for refusing to deny His resurrection and deity).
Each of us put Him on that cross. It’s deeply personal. When we realise this, the only honest option is to ask for His help, seeking forgiveness for the countless ways we have fought Him through our lives.
When you choose to turn from the course of this world, ask in faith for forgiveness, from an honest heart. Invite Him into your life to guide your steps. He will run to you, rejoicing, with open arms. He will wash you clean and give you a new life. He will give you a new identity as you are adopted into His family as a Son or Daughter. He will give you a new destiny as He guides, teaches and empowers you in this life.
Most precious of all, He will gift you His indwelling Holy Spirit as a promise of these things.
Please know that He loves you (so much more than I could possibly express).
Know that no matter who you are, what you have done in this life and what challenges you are facing, He sees you, He is for you and wants to redeem every aspect of your life.
He is calling us all Home. But you have to say yes!
Posted with love, Cameron.