Growing up, I heard time and time again that we are all sinners and broken people going through life and trying to do the best we possibly can to love and live like Jesus. Or that we are all inherently bad people that Jesus had to die for us just so we wouldn't burn in hell and that we're all just hanging on by a thread until Jesus comes back...and hopefully he comes back soon. 

Have you ever had that nagging feeling that you're walking through life in lack?

Lack in finances?

Lack in relationships?

Lack in purpose?

When I was first asked to share my testimony I was thinking, “Oh man, what should I even say..?” I’m not going to lie ya’ll, I was kind of dreading if it ever came time for me to be asked. I was sitting in my car and had just gotten back from my lunch break and immediately God interceded and said, “You have plenty to share and I’m only asking for a snippet to encourage the women of your church family.” This is a bit long, so bear with me, ladies!

The act of physical intimacy – and I’m not just talking about sex – is intended for marriage because that is the closest relationship we can have on earth.  Sex functions within a marriage, and functions extremely well!  When we misuse sex (outside of marriage), it is dysfunctional.  Our spirit gets confused because we are participating in an act with someone that isn’t our spouse.  Our spirit wants to become one with the other person’s spirit because that is what sex was designed for.  But the spirits can’t mesh because the individuals are not married. Sex outside of marriage can never become one and sex was designed to create one flesh from two people.  This causes loneliness, confusion, distress, shame, and a conflict that arises within our spirits. 

Shame is a terrible feeling and is something that can truly hold you back from moving forward with your life and even prevents you from intimacy with God because it makes you feel unworthy and distant from Him.