A woman who walked away from her lesbian relationship to pursue Jesus has told The Christian Institute how God turned her life around.
After hearing a song she knew from her churchgoing childhood on the radio, Sarah Sedgwick explored the possibility of living as a ‘gay Christian’.
But she realised, through the ministry of her Methodist church, that the Bible is clear why homosexual practice is wrong. She ended the relationship with her lesbian partner and committed her whole life to God.
Living hope
Speaking exclusively to The Christian Institute, Sarah explained that she wants to inspire others to read and understand what the Bible actually says about God’s good design for men and women.
I’d felt that I was really unlovable because of my sin.
She also wants to encourage parents to persevere in praying for their ‘prodigal’ children.
Speaking over Skype, Sarah from Derbyshire shared her powerful conversion, what changed as a result, and how there is a living hope in Jesus.
Unlovable?
“I wasn’t looking for God at the time”, said Sarah because she believed: “I was really unlovable because of my sin”.
Watch the whole interview
But after stumbling across a familiar song on a Christian radio station, she began attending church.
Initially, she hunted for a way to “have both things” – a lesbian partner and a Christian life.
Very difficult
However, a sermon at the church brought God’s conviction that such a life was impossible.
“I’ve looked at everything that man has to say”, she realised, but after praying over time knew that, “if I was to be a Christian, I needed to be obedient”.
Also see:
‘I was gay, but I found Christ and now I’m married to a woman’
‘I was living a gay lifestyle but Christ transformed me’
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Then she had to have a “very difficult conversation” with her partner. “I said to her: ‘I want to become a Christian’, and then told her what that really meant”.
“That was really tough”, Sarah admitted, but: “I gave my life to Jesus and that was incredible, it was like a weight lifted and I just knew that I’d done the right thing”.
Keep praying
Asked why she would want to speak out on the controversial topic, she said it was to help others avoid being misled on such an important issue.
…if I was to be a Christian, I needed to be obedient
And she added that people prayed for her for decades and so she wants to encourage parents to continue praying for their child because “God can redeem and save them”.
Sarah’s pastor, Arnold Dixon, told The Christian Institute that he admires her for holding to her beliefs. He said: “There’s definitely a tension she faces between friends who disagree and her Biblical stance, which can be isolating. But she’s not afraid to speak out.
“All credit to Sarah, she’s following scripture and that’s the most important thing.”
‘There is hope’
Sarah’s message to people currently in a relationship with a same-sex partner is clear: “Seek God”, “read his word”, “pray to him”.
She encourages people to look at the Bible’s big picture of God’s “design for men and women” – from creation through to Jesus’ words in the gospels.
“All credit to Sarah, she’s following scripture and that’s the most important thing.”
Acknowledging that the issue of “same-sex attraction is real”, people need to be honest with God about their struggles, Sarah said.
“Jesus helps you overcome temptation” and when we come to him and say “‘this is my struggle’, God is good to see you through that”.
“There is hope”.
Watch the whole interview
Evangelical Methodists
This week, the nationwide Methodist Church was urged to back same-sex marriage and civil partnerships.
The Methodist Church’s Marriage and Relationships Task Group also welcomed “informal cohabitation” and advocates considering the production of “liturgical resources” to use “at the ending of a marriage”.
However, Methodist Evangelicals Together said the Bible only teaches marriage as between one man and one woman for life.