By REY FLORES
By God’s Design: Overcoming Same-Sex Attractions, A True Story, by Judith Hartzell, published by Ambassador International Press, ambassador-international.com.
When it comes to believing in the power of God, I will be the first one to raise my hand and shout “Hallelujah!” as if I were at a tent revival meeting on a hot summer day. I have witnessed miracle after miracle in my own life, as well as in the lives of many people I know.
Perhaps the miracles people imagine are what they may have seen in a movie or on a television show where the clouds part, lights stream down in bright unbroken beams, and the sounds of heralding angels envelop everyone in Dolby stereo surround sound. Miracles aren’t like that, but I’d sure like to see one someday. The miracles I am referring to are like the one chronicled in this book.
In By God’s Design: Overcoming Same-Sex Attractions, A True Story, we read about the late Alan Medinger, a man who experienced a number of miracles as he broke the chains of same-sex attraction and homosexuality.
Medinger was a trailblazer in the Christian “ex-gay” movement as the original director of Exodus International in the 1980s and later also as founder of Regeneration Ministries. He wrote the book Growth Into Manhood, which was published in 2000, and after 35 years of being free from his sin, he passed away in 2010.
Much of the book documents how God and Medinger’s wife, Willa, helped Alan mend his ways after years of leading a double life involving alcoholism, sadomasochistic sex, and much heartache for his family.
I normally am not comfortable in dealing with the subject matter of homosexual recovery among Christians. I leave that work up to those who are good enough or willing to participate in that kind of ministry. I say this because when the opportunity was given to me to review the book, I did agree to write a review, but it took me a while to do so.
Homosexuality is one of those subjects that I try to steer clear of, unless I am giving a Catholic’s perspective on so-called same-sex marriage and my vehement opposition to it.
I must say that Judith Hartzell did a terrific job putting this book together. She was able to tell the story of a man, his wife, and those around them, who all became part of Medinger’s sin, and his recovery, for better or for worse. I was not as uncomfortable reading the book as I thought I would be, and I learned a great deal on the topic.
The book also offers a series of questions that relate to each of the chapters in the book. These are helpful questions to those who are struggling to free themselves from homosexuality and same-sex attraction and for anyone ministering to these poor souls.
I recommend this book if this is a subject matter that interests you. Otherwise, there are plenty of other books I personally would prefer to read.
+ + +
(Rey Flores is a Catholic writer and speaker. Have Rey speak at your next event by contacting him at: reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
Powered by WPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress