"The Secret Thoughts of An Unlikely Convert"-- Book Review

In this amazing autobiography, we are introduced to a woman who makes the enormous leap of faith from a feminist, liberal, Lesbian lifestyle to becoming a Christian, wife of a pastor, and the mother of 4 adopted children. It is quite an amazing transformation.

Author Rosaria Champagne Butterfield, PhD. is a woman who is the product of contemporary education in a liberal society. Born into a feminist family, Ms. Butterfield was none-the-less raised under the tutelage of nuns in a Catholic School. Once she entered the university, however, she threw away all ties to Christianity, and became a LGBT spokeswoman. She continued her education at an Ohio University where she completed her PhD in English Literature and Cultural studies. Moving with her Lesbian partner, she became a tenured professor at Syracuse University in English Literature and Queer Studies. Ms. Butterfield spent her spare time in council to the LGBT community on her campus. She participated in Pride rallies and was about as far away from God as anyone could be.

The turning point in Ms. Butterfield's life came about when the Promised Keepers came to the University's campus. Following a Promised Keepers conference on campus, Ms. Butterfield wrote a scathing column in the local newspaper voicing her displeasure. She sat back afterwards and waited for the mail to pour in. One such letter was written by a local pastor in town. He did not directly address her column, but instead questioned her suppositions on the Bible. Ms. Butterfield agreed to have dinner with the pastor and his wife to discuss the subject. They continued to meet for several years afterwards to continue their discussions.

During her study, Ms. Butterfield came upon two startling truths:

1. Homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin. Unbelief is the unforgivable sin. Homosexuality is not a root sin, but the fruit of a sinful root. (Romans 1)
2. Obedience leads to understanding, not the other way around.

Over the course of the next two years, Ms. Butterfield continued to study the Bible. Her heart and life were transformed into the image of Christ as she sought to understand what the God of the Bible expected of her.

The book concludes with descriptions of her life post conversion; how she met and married her husband, the process and stories of her childrens' adoptions, and how the hospitality she learned in the LGBT community has helped her as a pastor's wife. The book also contains a note from the pastor who wrote the letter to her that would change her life.

Ms. Butterfield's book gives the reader an amazing opportunity to delve into the LBGT community in a way that many have not experienced. It offers the opportunity to follow someone who has been there through the process of learning who Christ is and what it means to be a Christ follower Christian. I definitely recommend this book to all believers, particularly those who have contact with the LBGT community.

Available online is a brief retelling of her testimony by Ms. Rosaria Champagne Butterfield. I highly recommend it. http://youtu.be/DVOWfUitLx8

How many Gods are there?

A recent discussion in my Home Team class has had me thinking recently about the commandment "You shall have no other gods before me."  These gods are often described as things that take your time like sports or work or money, etc.  These are also referred to as idols.  What God showed me this week though is that another god does not have to be any of those things.  Even when one thinks they are worshiping God, they may be following another god instead.  How?  Well, the tendency I see among Christians is that they will often create a god in their own image.   Whatever is important to that person, that is what their god stands for.  When we hold on to things contrary to scripture, we create our own god for ourselves and in so doing, break the first commandment.  God wants us to follow Him, not the god of our own ideas or desires.

God's Healing Choices

We are going through a series in Home Team called God's Healing Choices.  The book is supposed to talk about how to be free from our hurts, habits and behaviors that keep us from being healthy in Christ.  It occurred to me on my drive home that what so often happens is that people will have a hurt or a pain and they will apply Christ to it as though applying a salve to a wound.  But then they go back resuming where they left off.  It makes as much sense as a stunt man applying a bandage to an injury and then going right back into doing dangerous stunts.  If you are to be fully free from the bondage these things bring, then you must do more than apply Jesus to the wound.  You must be willing to accept a complete transformation.  God may not choose to fix the problems you come to him for, but instead he may choose to address some other area in your life.  You must be willing to accept his guidance as he brings it and let him deal with the hurts and hangups in his own time and manner.

Secondly, you can't expect God to act in your life to heal the brokeness without you first becoming obedient to him.  He may do it, but he may not.  Even if you don't see him working in the areas that you ask him to, be open and willing for him to work in other areas.  Begin in obedience to his word, even if you aren't "feeling it."

Welcome post

I really don't know if anyone will read this, but I wanted a place where I could put all the different things that God is showing me and has been showing me lately.  I thought it would be nice also to have a log where I could look back and see how he has worked in the past and how he continues to work in my life.  I don't know if I will post any ponderings really.  This is mostly just to share the things God is revealing to me.  If you read it, I hope you enjoy it and I hope God will use something to bless you as well.