There are few things that draw as much attention in our culture today as the issue of sexual identity. In the past, one could look to the church to see what the moral stance on a topic should be. That is not the case anymore… at least when it comes to this topic. We have seen denominations of the Christian faith splitting over the issue of homosexuality in recent times.

I have to admit that I come from a more “traditional” stance of sexual identity. I do not believe that same-sex marriage is God’s design, nor His plan. I believe that the Bible teaches that homosexuality (along with other things) are sins that separate us from a loving Creator.

I do realize that while same-sex attraction is not something I deal with, it is something that is very present and real in our world today. I would be able to point a person to certain verses of the Bible that could speak to the issue, but I would come up very short in the empathy category because I’ve not personally dealt with these desires.

It is for this reason that I was eager to read Jackie Hill Perry’s latest book Gay Girl, Good God. In this book, Perry shares about her sexual identity journey. She is one that has been there, faced that, and come through that. This book is a fresh look into a subculture that one can only fully understand if they have been there.

Perry is a poet and hip-hop artist from St. Louis. Throughout this book, the reader can see the artist’s pen stroke at work. She has a great way of using words to paint a vivid picture that illustrates a vibrant story.

In Gay Girl, Good God, the reader is taken on a journey through the eyes of someone who came out of the homosexual lifestyle at the call of her Creator. You see the temptations and struggles that comes with the breaking free from sin by the power of Christ and submitting to His plan. Even if you have never dealt with these issues, this book is very helpful in seeing things form a different point of view.

One of the best parts of this books is the last section. After Perry shares her life journey with the reader, she uses the final chapters as a practical resource to help the reader in dealing with same-sex attraction. In these final chapters, Perry deals with identity, endurance, and “the heterosexual gospel”. Perry carefully uses the Word of God to speak life and encouragement to those who are struggling in sin of this nature.

Recommendation

I would highly recommend getting a copy of Gay Girl, Good God. The honesty that is shared trough this book is refreshing and encouraging. Even if you’re oblivious to the struggles of same-see attraction, Perry does an amazing job of bringing the reader into that world and seeing what it is like. Perry’s use of the Bible is spot-on and very helpful. This work is one that is a great tool for the Church to help understand what some people are going through and how to properly share the love of Jesus with them.