What Caused Me to Have SSA? Part 3 – The Role of Abuse
This is an incredible ministry let alone article. I am so amazed!! My eyes have been opened even wider when I thought they couldn't possibly stretch any further! As I've said before, when I signed up for Writing I, I had no idea what I was getting myself into! 16 weeks crammed into 5 weeks is crazy when I think about it- 2 essays a week plus "digging" into issues I've never searched myself for. I had NO idea the amount of soul searching which would be required in this class; in all honesty I picked it because I thought it would be an easy way out. Wrong!! lol
I have had to do some tremendous soul searching and truth seeking during this semester, which only has 2 more days!! Woohoo! lol ANYWAY, it has been hard but through it I can honestly say I've come out stronger. I've had to search my heart, my beliefs, etc. for hard & essentially important issues which I'd never thought about prior to this class. Subjects like Racism, sexual orientation, marriage/ divorce, sexual harassment, etc. Honestly, I was living in a fairytale prior to this class; I was aware yet unaware/naive (if that makes sense) to the darkness & cruelty of this ever-increasingly fallen world. As I've mentioned before, I struggle with black & white thinking; so to me the thought of good AND evil existing in ONE world was impossible & didn't make sense; to me this sounds stupid but it's literally a cognitive distortion I faced and continue to face. I've had to come to terms these past five weeks with the harsh reality that this world is fallen and evil & I don't have all of the answers. I want so badly to take all of the evil & darkness out of this world - to bring EVERYONE to Christ; however this is unrealistic, sadly! I can either choose to get discouraged that my "dream" is impossible or I can choose to follow it anyway, knowing that in reality not EVERYONE will come to Christ as I wish could! "Happiness doesn't mean that everything is perfect, but that you've decided to see past its/life's imperfections." So true! If I would wait until everything was perfect to be happy, I'd NEVER be happy! Happiness is a choice available to EVERYONE!! NO ONE is exempt no matter what the circumstances! God truly does change ashes into beauty! Sorry, I'm going off in a tangent! My mind has so many thoughts whirling around in it as life is insanity!
My next and LAST essay topic is on sexual orientation. This, at first I didn't even need to think about- it was an automatic no-no because the Bible said so! Well, I couldn't use this as proof and my stance on an issue- this class requires "wallowing in complexity", empathy & an open mind. It was hard at first for me to come to homosexuality with an open mind, even though I'd never researched & dug into this issue for myself. In college there are so many different viewpoints & opinions- that's an understatement!! Those who "speak the loudest" are the ones, obviously, we hear from the most. This world has actually become, in my opinion "black or white"- right or wrong. It seems to me that people have lost respect for each others beliefs and instead want to prove them wrong & to in fact BE RIGHT themselves! WE have all of the answers seems to be the key thought. When this happens, I don't believe that we can solve these issues with the attitude of in fact, pride that OUR view or whatever is BEST! Humility is lacking - GOD is lacking! God can't be the leader if we ourselves choose to dictate our own lives and thoughts. Anyway, in class there is so much bashing of the Christian faith- there's ALWAYS a fault in everything as that's the easiest part to find- however beauty is what is harder to find & requires hard & dedicated effort. It would be much easier for me to abandon my faith at school as I seem to be a minority as a Christian there. I could get discouraged about what this "nation under God" is turning into; however, I'm taking a stand to make Christianity the MAJORITY! I feel so misinterpreted, misunderstood, overlooked, etc. as a Christian- Stereotypes are hurtful! God was right when He said this life wouldn't be easy! I am searching deeply into the issue of homosexuality as this essay is a chance for me as a Christian to "be heard" & take my stand as a writer. After briefly researching homosexuality I've come to see it through new eyes- it is indeed an addiction just as an eating disorder is. After I looked at it through the eyes of an addiction & an eating disorder, I was able to empathize and better understand. THAT made sense! In class we were given a handout on Exodus International Ministries & they indeed "tore it to pieces" & even the Christian faith as a GROUP! They "trashed" Christianity I now realize! I had NO idea what this ministry & was well aware that there are indeed false prophets in this world so I began to doubt this ministry by what my teacher said about it without even giving this organization a chance! After talking with one of my bff's Leigh Ann, she encouraged me to check out this website & I was in shock! I would've missed a HUGE & beautiful picture of Christ! I've learned that I cannot go by what OTHERS say about something- MY OPINION COUNTS & is valid! We are all so different yet want to put each other into an identical box- IMPOSSIBLE! We can't function properly without diversity! GOD is the judge! My faith has been tested and indeed strengthened and I choose to take a risk and enforce or enlighten the goal of this ministry & to show my own perspective- to decrease the stereotype of Christians as judgmental, hateful, etc. people. I want to make it clear that I, as a Christian do not hate people, I hate sin; those two things are completely different! I am taking a stand for Christianity! Now, I don't want you to look at me differently now - as someone lower or indeed higher then you but I am not going to change your thoughts! Just know that all things are possible through Christ- He is my source of strength & the same can be true for anyone! God is working in me as He is in you also, if you're willing to give Him control! I love you all & pray for strength and encouragement for each one of you! I have an amazing support system around me- beauty surrounds me!
This is an incredible ministry let alone article. I am so amazed!! My eyes have been opened even wider when I thought they couldn't possibly stretch any further! As I've said before, when I signed up for Writing I, I had no idea what I was getting myself into! 16 weeks crammed into 5 weeks is crazy when I think about it- 2 essays a week plus "digging" into issues I've never searched myself for. I had NO idea the amount of soul searching which would be required in this class; in all honesty I picked it because I thought it would be an easy way out. Wrong!! lol
I have had to do some tremendous soul searching and truth seeking during this semester, which only has 2 more days!! Woohoo! lol ANYWAY, it has been hard but through it I can honestly say I've come out stronger. I've had to search my heart, my beliefs, etc. for hard & essentially important issues which I'd never thought about prior to this class. Subjects like Racism, sexual orientation, marriage/ divorce, sexual harassment, etc. Honestly, I was living in a fairytale prior to this class; I was aware yet unaware/naive (if that makes sense) to the darkness & cruelty of this ever-increasingly fallen world. As I've mentioned before, I struggle with black & white thinking; so to me the thought of good AND evil existing in ONE world was impossible & didn't make sense; to me this sounds stupid but it's literally a cognitive distortion I faced and continue to face. I've had to come to terms these past five weeks with the harsh reality that this world is fallen and evil & I don't have all of the answers. I want so badly to take all of the evil & darkness out of this world - to bring EVERYONE to Christ; however this is unrealistic, sadly! I can either choose to get discouraged that my "dream" is impossible or I can choose to follow it anyway, knowing that in reality not EVERYONE will come to Christ as I wish could! "Happiness doesn't mean that everything is perfect, but that you've decided to see past its/life's imperfections." So true! If I would wait until everything was perfect to be happy, I'd NEVER be happy! Happiness is a choice available to EVERYONE!! NO ONE is exempt no matter what the circumstances! God truly does change ashes into beauty! Sorry, I'm going off in a tangent! My mind has so many thoughts whirling around in it as life is insanity!
My next and LAST essay topic is on sexual orientation. This, at first I didn't even need to think about- it was an automatic no-no because the Bible said so! Well, I couldn't use this as proof and my stance on an issue- this class requires "wallowing in complexity", empathy & an open mind. It was hard at first for me to come to homosexuality with an open mind, even though I'd never researched & dug into this issue for myself. In college there are so many different viewpoints & opinions- that's an understatement!! Those who "speak the loudest" are the ones, obviously, we hear from the most. This world has actually become, in my opinion "black or white"- right or wrong. It seems to me that people have lost respect for each others beliefs and instead want to prove them wrong & to in fact BE RIGHT themselves! WE have all of the answers seems to be the key thought. When this happens, I don't believe that we can solve these issues with the attitude of in fact, pride that OUR view or whatever is BEST! Humility is lacking - GOD is lacking! God can't be the leader if we ourselves choose to dictate our own lives and thoughts. Anyway, in class there is so much bashing of the Christian faith- there's ALWAYS a fault in everything as that's the easiest part to find- however beauty is what is harder to find & requires hard & dedicated effort. It would be much easier for me to abandon my faith at school as I seem to be a minority as a Christian there. I could get discouraged about what this "nation under God" is turning into; however, I'm taking a stand to make Christianity the MAJORITY! I feel so misinterpreted, misunderstood, overlooked, etc. as a Christian- Stereotypes are hurtful! God was right when He said this life wouldn't be easy! I am searching deeply into the issue of homosexuality as this essay is a chance for me as a Christian to "be heard" & take my stand as a writer. After briefly researching homosexuality I've come to see it through new eyes- it is indeed an addiction just as an eating disorder is. After I looked at it through the eyes of an addiction & an eating disorder, I was able to empathize and better understand. THAT made sense! In class we were given a handout on Exodus International Ministries & they indeed "tore it to pieces" & even the Christian faith as a GROUP! They "trashed" Christianity I now realize! I had NO idea what this ministry & was well aware that there are indeed false prophets in this world so I began to doubt this ministry by what my teacher said about it without even giving this organization a chance! After talking with one of my bff's Leigh Ann, she encouraged me to check out this website & I was in shock! I would've missed a HUGE & beautiful picture of Christ! I've learned that I cannot go by what OTHERS say about something- MY OPINION COUNTS & is valid! We are all so different yet want to put each other into an identical box- IMPOSSIBLE! We can't function properly without diversity! GOD is the judge! My faith has been tested and indeed strengthened and I choose to take a risk and enforce or enlighten the goal of this ministry & to show my own perspective- to decrease the stereotype of Christians as judgmental, hateful, etc. people. I want to make it clear that I, as a Christian do not hate people, I hate sin; those two things are completely different! I am taking a stand for Christianity! Now, I don't want you to look at me differently now - as someone lower or indeed higher then you but I am not going to change your thoughts! Just know that all things are possible through Christ- He is my source of strength & the same can be true for anyone! God is working in me as He is in you also, if you're willing to give Him control! I love you all & pray for strength and encouragement for each one of you! I have an amazing support system around me- beauty surrounds me!
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