Posts with the category “teenagers”
Where can I flee from your presence?
by Sarah Sedgwick on October 25th, 2024
Psalm 139 is my favourite Psalm and one that I have been reminded of three times this morning and it’s only just 9am!Why is this Psalm so special to me? Having spend 30 plus years in the wilderness, that is, apart from God, doing my own thing, I can attest to that fact that there was nowhere I went where I escaped him. Sure, I stuffed thoughts of him down, I tried to find my significance and wort... Read More
Love like Jesus
by Sarah Sedgwick on September 6th, 2024
What does God want to say to the person who identifies as LGBTQ+, and how does it differ from what they're hearing from Christians?Sadly, we live in a world where many Christians are very judgmental, and seemingly unable to love the sinner while hating the sin. That's a phrase that's often used (not one I'm very keen on), but not applied well.As this ministry has been conducting some research into... Read More
A difficult response
by Sarah Sedgwick on June 26th, 2024
This week I've been contacted by a Mum whose daughter is transitioning. Her daughter sent her a picture that simple said:"They all said the same thing about my Transition, be patient with your Mom."The sad thing is, we are not seeing that patience from many of the children who are transitioning. There is often a high demand on Christian parents to compromise their beliefs and affirm their child,... Read More
Christians talking to their kids about Pride.
by Sarah Sedgwick on June 12th, 2024
It is unlikely that your child or teen won’t have their own ideas about Pride and may speak with some authority about it.It’s important therefore that if you are going to talk about this with your kids you have formed your own views and know why you hold them. Part of that may mean you say to your kids ‘I’m on a journey of discovering all about this’ or ‘I’ve not quite made up my mind yet’, or eve... Read More
Asking why of God- accusatory or inquisitive?
by Sarah Sedgwick on April 2nd, 2024
Something struck me afresh this morning as I was reading the book of Job. It's OK to ask “why?” questions, but all too often we turn our questions against God in an accusatory way. When you consider all the people affected by questions of sexuality and faith, you see that many have, ‘why?’ questions. When I first came to faith, I questioned God vociferously, constantly querying why I was born ga... Read More
Responding to a child coming out as Trans
by Sarah Sedgwick on March 4th, 2024
This is a question we hear repeatedly, and it’s not a question that’s reserved solely for Christian parents. Despite what the media portrays, this is not an easy conversation for most parents to have. It is almost certainly going to come as a huge shock with a whole host of side questions, many of which come from our own place of fear of the unknown.‘How did I not know?’, ‘When did this happen?’... Read More
Be in the conversation
by Sarah Sedgwick on September 12th, 2023
Sometimes when you write, you have no idea if the person you are directing your thoughts at will ever read them. But, when God puts thoughts on your heart, I believe it is well worth recording them, because he has a great way of directing people to the right place at the right time. Even within this Ministry, we have had people contact us for support, who cannot even tell us how they stumbled ac... Read More
Overcoming sexual sin
by Guest Blogger on July 31st, 2023
I struggled for many years with sexual sin. It was my “go to” way for comforting myself each time I struggled with emotional pain. At times it was constantly a problem, other times I could go for several months without it being an issue, but as soon as something hurt emotionally it would begin again.When some people realise they are struggling with sexual sin they have prayer and are delivered imm... Read More
Where does SSA come from?
by Sarah Sedgwick on May 25th, 2023
In his book “Gay Children, Straight Parents: A Plan for Family Healing,” author Richard Cohen lays out his suggestion that there are 10 factors we can look at which may contribute to children developing same sex attraction. Looking at these factors myself, I can also see how some of them may also be factors that are at play when previously heterosexual adults find themselves attracted to the same... Read More
What if my teenager comes out as gay?
by Sarah Sedgwick on March 30th, 2023
If your teenager comes out as gay or has already come out as gay then you are not alone in the Christian community, there are many other families who walk the path with you. We have taken some of the advice given on an online Christian peer support group, some from parents who have recently found out their son or daughter is gay, and some from parents who have been dealing with this for many years... Read More
Our default as humans is hell
by Sarah Sedgwick on March 13th, 2023
It’s always a privilege to be asked to speak about my faith and personal testimony, it’s usually the Q & A session that I find the most fun as I get a chance to really hear what’s on people’s hearts. In a couple of weeks I am speaking to a youth group and have been furnished with their questions in advance. One question that popped out of the page to me was this, “Will LGBTQ people go to hell?We... Read More
Do I fit in here?
by Guest Blogger on February 3rd, 2023
There was a time in my life when I was out and proud in the gay community and felt that I actually belonged there. Yet at the same time I didn’t entirely feel like I was meant to be there. I had enough of a Christian upbringing to know the lifestyle I was living wasn’t for me. In church for a long time though, I had also felt very alone and I didn’t feel like I belonged there either. Having same ... Read More
Temptation - attacked by the enemy
by Guest Blogger on January 25th, 2023
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. James 1:13-14 NKJVThis is a hard topic. Temptation comes to everyone. No one is exempt. We are tempted because the enemy wants nothing more than to destroy what God has created good. Temptation i... Read More
Prodigal Come Home
by Sarah Sedgwick on January 3rd, 2023
Prodigal come home – the cry of the Father’s heart to the children who were brought up in church, yet have been drawn away by the empty promises of the world.The NLT version of the Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6 – “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.”My personal experience of this is so true. I was brought up in church and taught Biblical tr... Read More
Hope shouts louder
by Sarah Sedgwick on December 20th, 2022
As we get close to a New Year, the words “Hope Shouts Louder” have been placed on my heart. Credit must go to Rebecca Townley and Rosie Godfrey, the authors of “Hope Shouts Louder”, as the title, and content of their book spoke deeply to my heart. The phrase has been rattling around my mind for the past few days and I believe it is a significant message from the Lord for our Ministry and the peo... Read More
Warring Parents
by Sarah Sedgwick on October 28th, 2022
Christian parents sometimes ask us what do they do when their child comes out as gay or Trans? I suggest that two things are essential:Love unconditionallyGo into your prayer closet and start warring in the SpiritIf you think about it, your child has gone through an incredible struggle to get to the point of telling you. They have almost certainly warred with themselves, shed a lot of tears, suf... Read More
Wolves in sheep's clothing
by Sarah Sedgwick on October 15th, 2022
False teaching is prevalent amongst Christians today and it is heart breaking to see some of the social media groups who are leading the way when it comes to false teaching on sexuality. It’s so easy to see how teenagers are being conned into believing that the Bible is affirming of homosexuality, because of the way the text is being presented.When I myself was searching for truth, I spent a lot ... Read More
If not you, then who?
by Sarah Sedgwick on September 23rd, 2022
Often the people who approach our ministry for advice on how to talk to their kids about sexuality and faith come to us too late. The damage of the world already done, they are coming to us from a reactive stance, as their child has now announced their new-found identity in one form of sexual orientation or another. For a Christian parent, this is difficult to navigate. We desire that our childr... Read More
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