The Way of Hope: A Fresh Perspective on Sexual Identity, Same-Sex Marriage, and the Church Kindle Edition

I heard the author on Moody's In the Market with Janet Parshall and bought the author read audio CD's. After hearing the author, I wanted to learn what the church / me was missing when it came to people in the church with same sex attractions. What I found was the book touches all people seeking Jesus, and that I had a few locked closet doors in my heart opened to the light of day. My life and the authors are nothing alike, however I think this book is a wonderful reminder that we are all lost, broken and can be saved by grace through faith in Jesus the Christ. I will recommend this book / CD's to my friends and family.

Melissa Fisher gives the reader a refreshingly real look into the private struggles of a young lady as she journeys through the horrors of sexual and emotional abuse. Her voice comes through so clearly with wisdom earned through her life journey with a thread of a unique strand of humor as she journeys from wounding to healing. The Way of Hope is a perfect title...it was a long journey for her. I believe the subtitle limits the breadth of her story. Fisher's book does give insight to a woman's struggle with sexual identity, church member judgment and making peace spiritually. But, it is so more...giving insight into shame, judgment, forgiveness, vulnerability and faith...and of course...hope.

I thought this book was going to help me deal with the feelings I have about my daughter who is in a same sex relationship, but I found out that this book is helping me heal my own brokenness. Melissa Fisher gives such practical words to show the reader we all need the Savior. Thank you for helping to open my eyes to my judgmental attitude. I am reaching out to Jesus to make me more like him.

My thoughts on the first page, first sentence "Girl, you are so brave!!!"

My thoughts after reading the first few chapters, "I can't wait to keep reading because you get to tell your truth and I'm just going to love you through it because it's always easier to love people through their difficult journeys than it is to go through them ourselves. The obstacles seem so big- so insurmountable, the peaks so high - summits so false but when you speak truth, others will hear it, digest it and love you even more on the last page as on the first page."

My thoughts on the last page, "It's true, everything you so bravely shared makes me love you even more. And for the first time in my life I want to personally thank the people you acknowledged right along with you because they helped give birth to something that will have such an amazing impact on people and lives and help make the world a better place."

My thoughts on how you show up in the world. "To me you were the brightest beacon at church from the get go, you make me laugh and cry simultaneously and when I read your truth it breaks my heart for you but also makes my heart soar as well because when someone is brave enough to be as honest as you have it makes you so proud of the one who was brave enough to tell the truth and it leaves a mark on the soul of those privileged enough to read it, that they will not soon forget."

My personal biases. "I'll admit I was curious about your story but when I heard you were writing the book I was hesitant to read it the first week it came out because I didn't want you - or my beloved church - to tell me gay people are wrong/going to hell/misguided/need to change/bad/unlovable, etc. I have many gay friends and love them for who and what they are which is a glorious creation of God. But the 2nd week I downloaded the sample and boy has each day of my life since then been enriched! You give the world options - with God's help, that I didn't even know existed. These options may not work for all, but I believe you are a voice and a point-of-view that needs to be heard and you can and will have a huge healthy and positive impact on the world (gay and straight)."

My thoughts on who should read this book. "Everyone! I'm a straight Mom (of a wonderful Marine son) who is in her 50's and although I too have had issues in my life (coincidentally during the same time-period as Melissa) my issues were wholly different than Melissas (we all go through our own trials) and same-sex struggles are not an issue in my life but I still had one 'ah-ha!' moment after another and that's because of the way Melissa explains scripture. I'll admit, reading scripture is not my thing because I don't seem to see what others seen in it which is why when John Burke and Melissa explain it to me it helps me so much and I learned so many thing that I can use to apply to my own life. So do not for one second think this book is not for every single person you know, it is a gift to the world and you are doing yourself a dis-service if you miss it. Personally, I've been asking Christians for YEARS (it seems) 'So are you telling me if I just rely on God to meet ALL my needs, like my rent, electricity, food, etc He will? Just give it ALL over to Him?? Right! Introduce me to someone (just 1 person) who has done that and then I'll believe it.' Well....Thank You Lord you have answered my prayers. You all must read the book so you can understand how Melissa answered my prayers."

Bottom line, Bravo Melissa - you are my new 'Shero' because you the bravest, most honest, most extraordinarily obedient child of God and you may not remember me (we've only met once), but I now know why you have always stood out as a shining beacon, it's because you are a wise teacher filled with the Holy Spirit and you are as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside and now I know why and love you all the more for it. You didn't have to tell your hard story to the world, you could have stayed silent but I am so proud of you and thankful to God for all he's done in your life so you can be the woman God made you to be. Your story makes us all better in so many ways - we can ALL learn so much. LOVE!

This has been very helpful to me, may read parts of the book over to help me remember how much God loves me.