"Out: One Christian’s Experience of Leaving the Gay Community" by Bob Fife and Ron Hughes
Written with profound honesty, "Out" follows the journey of Bob Fife from his difficult childhood through his teen and young adult years, to decades later where his relationship with Jesus has radically changed who he is. Bob holds no punches as he recounts being sexually molested in his youth, leading him down a road towards homosexuality. Although he did become a Christian in his youth, and was even married to a woman and became a father, he followed his homosexual urgings and abandoned his family to become fully immersed in the gay lifestyle. However, after years of indulging his every want, Bob realized that his lifestyle was not what he - and God - actually wanted, and with God's strength he was able to leave that lifestyle behind.
I greatly enjoyed being able to come to know Bob and his story through the pages of this book. As he warns, some of the sections are painful to read, especially as chooses to leave his wife and his son behind, meaning that he missed out on the best years of his child's life. I can't imagine the pain that this caused his family, and obviously to Bob as well, even though at first he didn't realize the consequences his choices would have. Most amazingly, Bob is able to speak to the truth of what God's Word says - that acting on homosexual feelings has been and always will be contrary to God's plan for our lives. Bob offers a different option, a difficult option to be sure, but one that embraces God's grace and love and truth all at the same time. He shows that walking in close community with other believers, people experiencing homosexual attraction can walk in freedom from living in that lifestyle. I think the book makes a profound point, that you cannot "argue" someone out of homosexuality, but that you can "love them out" by putting the person ahead of the need to be right. Bob's story illustrates how important it is for the church to reach out with love and grace, not compromising the truth, but being willing to walk along side each other for the long haul, no matter the sin we are struggling with.
"Out" is very well written, and I am confident that any Christian would benefit from reading this biography. I award this book 4 out of 5 stars. Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher.
about the author...
Bob Fife is an Ontario-based businessman and a former practicing homosexual. Today he devotes his time to mentoring men and women who are looking for alternative ways to deal with same-sex attraction.
Find out more about Bob at http://www.bobsexperience.com
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