"Being the son of a Pastor is hard enough. Being gay makes it near to impossible, or so I thought."

My dad is a Presbyterian Minister. I remember the comments and remarks when gay people were awarded their due rights and were set free from legal bondage, just four years before I realised who I was: "They are animals", "They will never be truly happy", ''They are going to hell". I too remember re-iterating those words, lacking full understanding of the callas, age-old deception, passed on from generation to generation. Ignorance is never bliss but rather a silent thief; you never know it is there until you realise your loss. It is usually too late and this thief is also deadly.

Realising I was gay was incredibly difficult, as I was torn between who I was and who I wanted to be. I did not want to be gay, no, "that was sinful". So I thought the only way to go straight would be to find a girlfriend. I met a girl and the relationship did not last at all. Within a month, it was over.

My belief at this point was that it was a sin to be gay. I developed a lot of bitterness towards God and the Church. I felt that God had no room for me and, as a result, I turned away from Christianity and turned to the world. The world was great at first, I felt free from all boundaries, but I was lonely. None of the relationships felt complete. I eventually felt totally alone.

Then, my friend Tirone, and I grew to love each other. I had known him for many years already. We both realised that we needed Christ in our lives to complete our relationship. I was still not at peace about my salvation and felt that there was no way I could be gay and Christian. We were introduced to Deo Gloria by a friend who was attending services regularly. So began the biggest turning point of my life.

My brokenness was healed and I was set free from the plaguing thoughts and fears of eternal damnation. God's face was revealed to me. God was not judging me but rather loving me. It does not matter who you are, gay or straight - God loves you just the same. The message of love set me free. I rededicated my life to Jesus. My life has never been the same since. The loneliness and emptiness no longer exists. It has been replaced with the love of God. My life was mended through the power of God. My dad now supports me. I feel confident in my life. I feel like I belong.

The journey is not over, I know I am not alone and I will not fear. God has instilled peace into my heart and continues to work in my life. I want to proclaim my Saviour�s name so that all may be set free and live in God's glory.

Jesus, you are my Saviour.