Read Online My Soul Cries Out by Sherri L. Lewis - Free Book Online

about?”
    Trina rolled her eyes in disgust. “Monnie, please wake up. I never met anybody as blind as you.”
    â€œWhat are you saying?” I stared at her. “Is that why you left?”
    â€œAmong other reasons.”
    â€œNow who’s homophobic?”
    â€œIt’s not that I’m homophobic. I just have a problem with a pastor who sticks his head in the sand and pretends he doesn’t see what’s going on in his church. Or maybe even condones it. I don’t think Kevin is the only person in a position of leadership that has sexual identity issues.”
    I had heard rumors about Love and Faith being D.C.’s “gay church,” but I never took them seriously. “Well, it’s not Bishop’s fault he has a church full of them. It’s not like he puts a banner up and tells them all to come there. I guess they enjoy the Word, so they come.”
    â€œAnd he lets them stay in their sin. And word gets around. Here’s a church that’s ‘gay friendly,’ so they all flock there.”
    â€œSo what’s he supposed to do? Preach against homosexuality every Sunday?”
    â€œNo. I don’t think that’s the answer either. When I was visiting churches, there was this one pastor who preached this horrible message about homosexuals. How they were all filled with the devil and going to hell, and if he ever found a homosexual in his church, he would throw them out the door. He said all sorts of stuff about limp-wristed sissies and men switching worse than women and gay men singing soprano in the choir. It was so bad I left in the middle of the sermon. I bet he doesn’t preach that hard against fornication and adultery.”
    â€œSo what are you saying? They can’t ignore it, but they can’t preach against it. What are they supposed to do?”
    â€œI don’t know exactly. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any church effectively deal with homosexuality.” Trina picked up her spoon and dug out a big scoop of ice cream. “That’s a deep story. Poor Kevin.”
    My eyes bugged out. “Poor Kevin? What do you mean?”
    â€œI don’t know. His side of the story puts a whole different spin on the situation. He wasn’t some blatant homosexual who married a woman to cover him so he could continue his life of sin while he looked straight on the surface. Sounds like he really struggled with it and thought he was through with that lifestyle.”
    I dropped my spoon. “You’re taking his side?”
    â€œIt’s not about taking sides, Monica. It’s about trying to understand why he did what he did. At least it makes more sense now.”
    â€œWell, I’m glad it all makes sense to you.”
    â€œI’m not saying it all makes sense. I’m not justifying what he did. He lied to you, or withheld the truth, and there’s no excuse for that. I’m just saying—”
    â€œWhat?” My nostrils flared.
    â€œCalm down, Monica.” She passed me the ice cream and put my spoon back in my hand. “I know what it is to be caught up in sexual sin. I know what it’s like to cry out to God for deliverance and think you’re okay and then find yourself climbing out of a man’s bed to get to Sunday service in time. I know what it is to love God with all your heart, but to have this thing inside of you that you can’t control, no matter how hard you try.”
    â€œHow can you compare your old fornication issue with Kevin being gay? Are you saying that fornication and homosexuality are equal?”
    â€œAren’t they? Sin is sin.”
    â€œI don’t see it that way. Homosexuality is . . . gross. It’s perverted. And plus, they make a lifestyle of sin.”
    â€œI’d say I made a lifestyle of fornicating back in the day.”
    â€œYeah, but you got delivered.”
    â€œThank God for that. He led me to a church where they