Sexual Sin and God’s Grace | What to Do When You Keep Messing Up

/ Freedom From Sexual Sin & Shame, Healing, Sexual Addiction, Singleness & Dating / 13 Comments

In the midst of the guilt, shame and pain of sexual sins, painful thoughts fill my mind, “I can’t believe I sinned… again. Does God hate me for my addictions? Will I ever find freedom?”

If you are struggling with sexual sin today, I’ve been in your shoes. I’ve spent a lot of time talking about finding freedom from sexual sin and the importance of fighting for purity on the blog, but I haven’t spent enough time talking about grace.

To help you better understand grace, here are a few definitions.
Grace is the beauty of following Christ.
Grace is unmerited favor.
Grace is God loving us when we don’t deserve it.
Grace is God’s riches at Christ’s expense.
Grace is the divine means by which God makes Himself everything we need.

When we mess up, God gives us grace. When we feel shameful and defeated, God gives us grace. When we hide from Him, God gives us grace.

Just like Adam and Eve who hid behind fig leaves after they sinned, we run, hide, and build our own fig leaves. What fig leaves are you hiding behind? (more…)

Does God Allow Rape? | Guest Post on Bible.org

/ Healing, My Guest Posts, Rape, Resources, Sexual Abuse / Comments Off

Have you ever wondered if God allows rape?

As a victim of rape, I thought the rape was my fault. I did not fully understand that I was experiencing the result of sin until years later. No matter the reason for the rape, it still wounded me deeply. Because of my hurt and pain, I often wondered why God would allow His children to suffer.

During the months following my abuse, God felt closer than ever before. He never moved. When I cried out in agony, He was by my side. When I prayed with tears streaming down my cheeks, He was there. When I begged Him to take away the pain, He held my hand.

He was there.

Right beside me, holding my hand, and helping me find healing. He was there and He knew this would happen…

Click to read my whole guest post on Bible.org.

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Finding Forgiveness from Sexual Sin

/ Devotional, Freedom From Sexual Sin & Shame, Healing, Pornography, Prayer, Sexual Addiction / 2 Comments

It’s easy to be angry at the people we sin sexually with. It is easy to blame them. We might think, ‘they pushed me further than I would have gone.’ This might be true, but we still are at fault. Our sexual sins hurt God, hurt ourselves, and they hurt others. We must come to God in prayer asking Him for forgiveness. (more…)

For the College Freshman Girl Who Was Raped

/ College, Healing, Rape, Sexual Abuse / Comments Off

I’ve been there. I was a college freshman who was lost searching for what would give me an identity. What would give me hope. What would make me feel loved. As a college student, one desires to fit in and find her place and to meet a guy.

At least, that is what I wanted. (more…)

When You Can’t Imagine a Life Without Pain

/ Devotional, Grace, Healing, How to Know God Personally, Prayer, Relationship with Jesus / 2 Comments

We can’t imagine a life without sin, pain, shame, death, loss, grief, tears, etc. The list can go on and on. Our only experience with life is living in a sin cursed world. We’ve never known a life without these things, yet God promises that one day we can experience a new life if we trust in Jesus.

As the news unfolds of tragedy after tragedy, how do we believers hold on to this promise? (more…)

8 Truths to Know When You’re Tempted to Sin

/ Bible Study, Devotional, Freedom From Sexual Sin & Shame, Healing, Pornography, Relationship with Jesus, Sexual Addiction / Comments Off

The moment of temptation right before you sin happens in a matter of seconds. The enemy wants you to sin. He wants victory over your life. The good news is that God has promised us that no temptation is too big or too strong for us to conquer. In this post, I hope to provide practical tips and encouragement through Scripture to help you become more like Jesus, fight temptation, and experience freedom. (more…)

This Father’s Day, Get to Know Your Heavenly Father

/ Devotional, Healing, Love, Relationship with Jesus, The Journey / 1 Comment

Our view and relationship with our earthly dad is reflected in our view and relationship with our heavenly Dad. For this reason, I believe it is incredibly important to turn to scripture and learn about our heavenly Father this Father’s Day. If you don’t have a great relationship with your earthly dad, I pray that today you would spend extra time getting to known your heavenly Dad. One way to do this is to begin understanding the names of God, which will help us understand His character. (more…)

Sexually Abused in College – Now What?

/ Healing, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Your Story / 5 Comments

My time in college was nothing like what I planned. I entered college thinking I was a Christian. I believed in God, but I didn’t know Him. I didn’t know His heart, His character or that He was the only one who could satisfy the longing in my heart to be loved.

Instead, I thought that hole in my heart could only be filled by a guy. (more…)

Sexual Addiction and Freedom – The Power of the Holy Spirit

/ Devotional, Freedom From Sexual Sin & Shame, Healing, Pornography, Relationship with Jesus, Sexual Addiction / 1 Comment

Freedom. We want it, we crave it, yet we think it’s impossible to have.

Even as believers, there are a lot of us living in chains. Slaves to our desires. Slaves to our sin. We have heard of the concept of freedom, but we have never experienced it for ourselves.

Most days we think we can earn this freedom. Maybe if we pray more, do more, or work more, then we will experience freedom, but eventually we run out of steam. (more…)

Experience Freedom from Shame

/ Freedom From Sexual Sin & Shame, Healing, Love, Rape, Relationship with Jesus, Sexual Abuse, Surrender Life to Jesus / Comments Off

I’ll never forget how I felt the first time I looked into the mirror after being date raped. I stood there naked, alone and ashamed. I began to question God and his love for me.
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Archive of ‘Healing’ category

Have you ever wondered if God allows rape?

As the news unfolds of tragedy after tragedy, how do we believers hold on to this promise? (more…)