Letter of hope and healing about a brother who was molested

	BEGINNINGS and Metanoia Ministries - Equipping the Church and empowering people on the journey toward sexual and relational wholeness. Together we are finding Freedom in Christ.

Letter to Metanoia

Hello!

I'm sitting here filling out bills and as I'm writing our monthly check that we've decided to give your organization, I'm reminded of just how rich you've been. Not only to us but also to many, many others. I know our monthly gift is not much but I hope that it is never taken as a reflection of our appreciation for you and your effort in bringing God's light. Love and TRUTH.

Our "affiliation" with Metanoia came years ago, soon after we were made aware of my brother-in-law's lifestyle. A school counselor molested Steve and from 15 years he old began a homosexual lifestyle. Without giving the many painful details of his life and events, the point I want to make is that prayer was so awesomely powerful in Steve's salvation. For years my husband fervently prayed for his brother, and you know what happened? Steve's "sin" was made public over the radio, talk shows, TV and newspapers. (God! Where are you? One might say). This brought much more pain and grief to our family but through the tears and continued rejection from Steve and now by passers who listed intently to all the "gore and disgust" about one of our family members and naturally judged us in the same way, prayer continued, now more than ever. Steve was imprisoned for a homosexually related crime (which had to do with exactly the "act" committed to him as a young boy.) Steve continued a self-righteous attitude and for years up to this point wanted nothing to do with family. Brian, my husband, sensed the Lord's nudging that it was time to try and make contact once again with his brother, rejection or not. Steve agreed to have Brian come and visit him at the prison. Brian would be praying in the Spirit and crying out to God to and from the prison during the hour-long drive. He prayed under his breath usually most of the visit and sometimes just saying a few words and nodding. Steve was busy filling Brian in on just how wrong everybody else has been to him. "No change" one might say, but remember we have a great and powerful God! God put counselors who loved Jesus and were full of wisdom in Steve's life. One night Steve had a dream and told it to his counselor. Her face changed. She had had the same dream (this was pertaining to Steve's sentence)! Impossible you say? Remember that we serve a God of miracles and nothing is impossible with Him. We KNEW God was at work and praised Him for that confirmation.

Eventually Steve was released to a hospice home because, you see, Steve was dying of AIDS. He made amends with our family and he grew extremely close to his parents. He had several close calls with death and throughout his prison/hospice confinement he continued to hear about God's love through Brian and many others whom God "placed" there for Steve. He soon saw the need to have Jesus as his personal savior. My husband now had tears of joy. His sobs of pain and sorrow turned to sobs of pure joy and praise. Steve kept a beautiful journal and many times wrote notes and letters to the Lord. On the day of his passing, we found a handwritten prayer that depicted Steve's heart of love to help those (others) dying around him to understand God's love for them and to help him "get out of" focusing on his own pain and be used by God. Steve was known to be wheeling around in the wheelchair or walking (when he could) "preaching" God as the only answer.

We see so strongly now that it was an answer to prayer that he was imprisoned because it was there God had his full attention and eventually God's deepest desire...to have Steve, his beloved son, eternally with Him, a choice Steve had been given.

How many times we hear of similar "crime cases" that we tend to find little, if any, compassion toward the offender. God wants to be Lord of, yes, even that person's life. Let's not write them off to the point of "Well they deserve that" and leave it at that. I challenge you to cry out to God to help you see them as God sees them, intervene in their life prayerfully and allow yourself to be a catalyst for Christ in whatever way the Lord has for you to be in their life.

I wanted to take the time to write this in hopes of encouraging you and your effort there at Metanoia/Nexus. Most people who knew of Steve via newspapers, TV, radio, etc. several years ago, only knew what the media had to say about him, they had no idea of God's greatest plan for Steve. Now you've heard the deeper and more meaningful truth of "Steve's life. Thank you again for your encouragement to us over the years. God bless you and your efforts.

Cathi F.

P.S. My husband has recently been involved (again) in a similar experience with a friend's brother who died of AIDS and who knew Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He knew the importance of having water baptism. Just days before his death, he was well enough for baptism so a brother flew from another state to be there for the occasion and in the small gathering of family and there in his hospice home, he was baptized. Within several days he went into a coma and went home to the Lord with a peace in his heart. God is faithful!

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Metanoia Ministries
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