Testimony

Testimony


Here’s a brief version of my testimony



In the mid 70’s the Jesus People Movement impacted the Melbourne area. As a result of the impact this had on the community and the witness of Judy Anne Sherfy, I surrendered my heart to the Lord September 1976. I did so during a youth lock-in at around 5AM Saturday morning.



I grew up with a verbally abusive and emotionally distant father who was prone to sudden mood swings.

Being one of eight siblings I disappeared into the crowd, most of the time having parents forget my name and going through the list until they got to it.

When I was five I experienced some traumatic events most of which have been blocked from my memory.

I was awkward, sensitive, intelligent, artistic, and overweight with an overdeveloped sense of modesty.

At puberty which started early, my need for connecting with the same sex became eroticized.

As a Christian I found this horrifying. I also was deeply disappointed due to easy believism that led to unrealistic expectations.

I experienced the labeling in Junior High and stayed clear of the whole public shower scene.

I was a “popular loner” who had a congregation of those who didn’t fit in with the surfers, rednecks, jocks, or preppies.

In college I began to “come out” to a few friends about my struggle with same sex attraction. Somehow I managed to target those who also struggled in this area, and we formed a sort of loose support network.

In 1984 I gave into temptation and had a brief physical relationship that I broke off within two weeks. Later that year I went through counseling at the church I was attending and started with others organizing a campus ministry (not a support group, a general Christian ministry for those at Brevard Community College).

In 1986 I entered into an emotional dependent relationship that caused me to fail all my courses that semester.

Around this time I heard Sy Rogers share his testimony and found out about “Be Whole Ministries’ which would then become Eleutheros and then Exchange Ministries. I didn’t have transportation and was too fearful of being found out to find a way to get there.

Eventually I had become addicted to gay pornography via the internet.

After many years of repression, oppression, expression and regression I got to the end of myself. To the place of confession.

Between what felt like a nervous breakdown and the anger from the unblocking of repressed memories I finally gave up trying.

When I gave up trying to fix myself and put it all in the Lord’s hands, suddenly I found one breakthrough after another.

At that time Soar With Him Ministries formed at Calvary Chapel Melbourne.

Soon after that it seemed that most major ministries to those struggling with SSA were moving their headquarters into my neck of the woods.

I connected with Alan Chambers at Exchange Ministries in Orlando through the Exodus Website. (Soar With Him Ministries actually started as a group under Exchange Ministries.)

I am now assistant Director of Soar With Him Ministries at Calvary Chapel Melbourne which provides a safe environment for those seeking freedom from unwanted same sex attractions.