Let Us Give Thanks and Praise!

by Whosoever in Letters to the Editor

Scripture readings:

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know the Lord is God!
It is he that made us and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him, bless his name!

For the Lord is good:
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

(Psalms 100)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let all know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-9)

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

What are your thanks and praises?

  • Finding family (gay) that are also in my other family (Christian)!
  • Knowing that God loves me.
  • Having good friends.
  • Having two wonderful nieces.
  • Nature.
  • Being understood.
  • Feeling love for and from others.
  • The sharing between two people.
  • God’s giving me insights into who He is, LOVE.

Patsy

 

For knowing that no matter how many others in life may have tried to put me down and discourage me from being myself, I am a sacred and valued precious child of God and was created as I am for a reason and a purpose. For the gift of accepting and embracing my sexuality and the fact that I am bisexual, rather than crushing and repressing it. For inner peace and the deep inner knowledge that God loves and accepts me unconditonally as I am and for God liberating me from the prisons of guilt, fear, and shame. For seeing my bisexuality as a gift and a blessing, and knowing that one of the reasons I was made this way was to be more open and accepting of all people, both those like me and those different from me. For God sending me a multitude of angels disguised as humans to help me through the rough times; everyone at my UCC/DOC church, and other UCC churches where I have found a Loving and accpeting Spirit; for all of my friends and those who have been there for me in the BiNet Long Beach support group.

Things I praise God for:

I think that it would take me the rest of my life to thank God for everything I feel grateful for; most of all I am grateful to God for saving me from the trap and prision of sexual guilt, fear, and shame and the repression of my natural sexuality that led to some very negative and self destructive behaviors such as alcohol abuse and in the worst cases, attempted suicide. This past year, after silently struggling off and on with fear to the point where I was expereincing panic attacks so severe I could not move or breathe, afraid God was going to “punish” me or “force” me into denying my biexuality and “becoming heterosexual”, even to the point where the anxiety became so severe it ended up costing me a job, I went to a conference for bisexuals where I found hundreds of others like myself that God had created that had been brought togehter for support and sharing strength. During that weekend I expereinced such a liberation and a joy in knowing I was not alone-God was taking care of me.

John Campbell

 

Every day, at least that’s how often it seems, I meet another lesbian or gay man that has been ostrasized by her/his own family because of their sexual preference. I am MOST thankful, that my family has always, ALWAYS been understanding and supportive of me. No matter who or what I am, they love me and stand behind all the decisions I make for myself. They don’t pass judgement on me, nor do they try and change me in any way. I am thankful for their love.

Things I praise God for:

I praise God for letting me be born into the family that I have. It was HE that chose who my family is.

DeLinda