{"id":48633,"date":"2024-06-29T12:11:51","date_gmt":"2024-06-29T17:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/?p=48633"},"modified":"2024-07-01T09:17:17","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T14:17:17","slug":"from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"From pride to Christ: One Missouri Baptist woman\u2019s journey back to Jesus"},"content":{"rendered":"

JEFFERSON CITY<\/b> \u2013 \u201cI don\u2019t think I can live a gay life anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Every June, our culture celebrates Pride Month, an entire month dedicated to affirming sin. As our culture propagates LGBTQ stories, Christians should be encouraged that God is still in the business of graciously bringing people out of darkness and into his glorious light.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kayla Walsh grew up in St. Louis in a Southern Baptist church. She had a typical church experience \u2013 she attended her church\u2019s Vacation Bible School, went to youth camps, attended mission trips, and even sang in the church\u2019s youth choir.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Kayla Walsh<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cChristianity has always been in my life,\u201d explained Kayla. \u201cI grew up in church and was in church even in my mother\u2019s womb. It was one of those things that I thought I would live my life a certain way because I was a Christian.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, as she grew older, Kayla experienced some significant trials and progressively distanced herself from Christianity. Before long, she began living a homosexual lifestyle and eventually married a woman. For some years Kayla lived an LGBTQ lifestyle but could never shake the doubt and conviction that she wasn\u2019t living right. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis year, there was such an overwhelming anxiety that I just couldn\u2019t take it anymore.\u201d Kayla describes that \u201cGod would be sending me dreams, and it would almost be flashbacks of what my life could have been and what my life could be if I wasn\u2019t in my current marriage.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Coming under conviction from the Holy Spirit, Kayla couldn\u2019t run from the Lord anymore. As she cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord heard her cries and answered her. <\/span><\/p>\n

Kayla describes the moment of turning back to the Lord as a painful experience that nearly broke her. \u201cEverything inside made me feel like I was breaking. I [couldn\u2019t] live a gay life anymore. It felt like the chains of my heart snapped. Grace fell over me like a blanket. [When] the chains broke in my heart, [it] took me to my knees and I bawled. It hurt so badly, but I realized I either had to choose Hell by continuing to live that life or turning away and choosing God. It was the hardest choice. It was an overwhelming experience, and as soon as I let the LGBTQ life go, it was like a switch flipped. I went from feeling anxious and depressed, to being in the light\u2014almost like a bird escaping from a cage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Kayla opened her Bible for the first time in years, God led her eyes to Isaiah 30:21, \u201cThis is the way you should go.\u201d It was as though the Lord was speaking directly to Kayla, leading her in the straight path back to him. She also began reading Jackie Hill Perry\u2019s book, Gay Girl, Good God<\/i>, a gift from her loving mother, who had continued to pray for Kayla all those years. As Kayla resonated with Perry\u2019s story, she began to feel hope that she could truly change. <\/span><\/p>\n

Though Kayla\u2019s road back to the Lord hasn\u2019t been easy, she doesn\u2019t want to return to her former life. Not only has she noticed a difference in her perspective and demeanor, but those around her have noticed a change as well. \u201cI feel mostly peace. A lot of people have noticed that I smile a lot more, I\u2019m out of my shell. But peace is the biggest thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked what Pride month means to her now, Kayla explained that she never felt like she fit in with the LGBTQ community. \u201cPride has always been weird. Pride is about who I am as a gay person, but I wasn\u2019t proud of being gay. I changed my outer appearance to try and fit into that community, but it didn\u2019t make me proud.\u201d Rather than feeling pride in a sinful lifestyle, Kayla now feels pride in God\u2019s love for her. Her hope is now in Jesus alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since turning away from homosexuality, Kayla has been rejected by the LGBTQ community. \u201cSome in that community have gone against me and rejected me. I didn\u2019t want to be trapped in a box anymore. I was trapped by those chains. That community won\u2019t understand unless things change in their hearts. The rainbow wasn\u2019t meant to be pride but a promise from God. God is still there and still loves me through all that sin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked what she would say to someone still in the LGBTQ community, Kayla urges, \u201cIf there\u2019s even a slight doubt in your mind that you\u2019re doing something wrong\u2014anything in you\u2014know that it\u2019s not nothing. It really is the Holy Spirit attempting to get you. If there\u2019s any ounce of doubt and conviction within you, then know He\u2019s there. You just must be ready to accept it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that Kayla had Christian family and friends who continued to love and pray for her, Kayla encourages Christians to not give up on their LGBTQ loved ones. While she admits most in the LGBTQ community are not interested in hearing Scripture, she said little reminders of love and encouragement can go a long way. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t give up, continue praying, and do random check-ins. God can make little things into big things.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

In a culture where sin is celebrated and all appears lost, God graciously continues to change people\u2019s lives. Kayla\u2019s life is living proof that God still answers prayers, that people can truly change, and that God is still in the business of performing miracles. Freedom from all sin and lifestyles is still found in Jesus Christ, the One who promises, \u201cIf you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free,\u201d (John 8:31-32).<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cI don\u2019t think I can live a gay life anymore.\u201d Every June, our culture celebrates Pride Month, an entire month dedicated to affirming sin. As our culture propagates LGBTQ stories, Christians should be encouraged that God is still in the business of graciously bringing people out of darkness and into his glorious light.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9192250,"featured_media":39507,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_selected_social_profile":null},"categories":[41,7,8,9,48,17],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nFrom pride to Christ: One Missouri Baptist woman\u2019s journey back to Jesus<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cI don\u2019t think I can live a gay life anymore.\u201d Every June, our culture celebrates Pride Month, an entire month dedicated to affirming sin. As our culture propagates LGBTQ stories, Christians should be encouraged that God is still in the business of graciously bringing people out of darkness and into his glorious light.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From pride to Christ: One Missouri Baptist woman\u2019s journey back to Jesus\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cI don\u2019t think I can live a gay life anymore.\u201d Every June, our culture celebrates Pride Month, an entire month dedicated to affirming sin. As our culture propagates LGBTQ stories, Christians should be encouraged that God is still in the business of graciously bringing people out of darkness and into his glorious light.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pathway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/mbcpathway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-06-29T17:11:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-07-01T14:17:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jesus-3135229_1280.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"682\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jeremiah Greever\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@mbcpathway\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@mbcpathway\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jeremiah Greever\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/\",\"name\":\"From pride to Christ: One Missouri Baptist woman\u2019s journey back to Jesus\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jesus-3135229_1280.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-06-29T17:11:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-01T14:17:17+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#\/schema\/person\/0dac532fd37790a3d91540e39ec6b341\"},\"description\":\"\u201cI don\u2019t think I can live a gay life anymore.\u201d Every June, our culture celebrates Pride Month, an entire month dedicated to affirming sin. As our culture propagates LGBTQ stories, Christians should be encouraged that God is still in the business of graciously bringing people out of darkness and into his glorious light.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jesus-3135229_1280.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jesus-3135229_1280.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":682},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"From pride to Christ: One Missouri Baptist woman\u2019s journey back to Jesus\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/\",\"name\":\"Pathway\",\"description\":\"Baptist & Christian News\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#\/schema\/person\/0dac532fd37790a3d91540e39ec6b341\",\"name\":\"Jeremiah Greever\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0bef429a0cf127979966a063f555ceb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0bef429a0cf127979966a063f555ceb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jeremiah Greever\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/author\/jeremiahgreever\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"From pride to Christ: One Missouri Baptist woman\u2019s journey back to Jesus","description":"\u201cI don\u2019t think I can live a gay life anymore.\u201d Every June, our culture celebrates Pride Month, an entire month dedicated to affirming sin. As our culture propagates LGBTQ stories, Christians should be encouraged that God is still in the business of graciously bringing people out of darkness and into his glorious light.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"From pride to Christ: One Missouri Baptist woman\u2019s journey back to Jesus","og_description":"\u201cI don\u2019t think I can live a gay life anymore.\u201d Every June, our culture celebrates Pride Month, an entire month dedicated to affirming sin. As our culture propagates LGBTQ stories, Christians should be encouraged that God is still in the business of graciously bringing people out of darkness and into his glorious light.","og_url":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/","og_site_name":"Pathway","article_publisher":"http:\/\/facebook.com\/mbcpathway","article_published_time":"2024-06-29T17:11:51+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-07-01T14:17:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":682,"url":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jesus-3135229_1280.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jeremiah Greever","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@mbcpathway","twitter_site":"@mbcpathway","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jeremiah Greever","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/","url":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/","name":"From pride to Christ: One Missouri Baptist woman\u2019s journey back to Jesus","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jesus-3135229_1280.jpg","datePublished":"2024-06-29T17:11:51+00:00","dateModified":"2024-07-01T14:17:17+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#\/schema\/person\/0dac532fd37790a3d91540e39ec6b341"},"description":"\u201cI don\u2019t think I can live a gay life anymore.\u201d Every June, our culture celebrates Pride Month, an entire month dedicated to affirming sin. As our culture propagates LGBTQ stories, Christians should be encouraged that God is still in the business of graciously bringing people out of darkness and into his glorious light.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jesus-3135229_1280.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/jesus-3135229_1280.jpg","width":1024,"height":682},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2024\/06\/29\/from-pride-to-christ-one-missouri-baptist-womans-journey-back-to-jesus\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"From pride to Christ: One Missouri Baptist woman\u2019s journey back to Jesus"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/","name":"Pathway","description":"Baptist & Christian News","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#\/schema\/person\/0dac532fd37790a3d91540e39ec6b341","name":"Jeremiah Greever","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0bef429a0cf127979966a063f555ceb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0bef429a0cf127979966a063f555ceb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jeremiah Greever"},"url":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/author\/jeremiahgreever\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48633"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9192250"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48633"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48637,"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48633\/revisions\/48637"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39507"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}