At the end of the book, I was left thinking one thing - this is the story of a genuinely courageous woman. I don't mean it in the sense of a person standing up against the prevalent culture, although that is precisely what she is doing in an age where everyone says that to be true to yourself and authentic, you have to give in to your innermost, inexplicable desires. In this book, Amy Riordan details how she distinguishes her desires from the truth of God's world-working words, and His lovely plan for His people, and how that gives her hope and joy instead.
So really, the true courage she displays is really laying out her entire life, from the beginning to the point she is at, with no holds barred. Every 'shameful' detail is laid out. And the effect of that is probably summed up well, once again, at the end of the book. Admitting that her desires have not left her entirely (but perhaps have abated a bit), she stresses once again that it's not the pursuit of perfection in terms of overturning her sexuality, rather it is the pursuit of Jesus, the only one who can satisfy that longing for intimacy. She explains at length at how He is the source of intimacy with other people, from her husband, to her female friends (this would be important for those afraid of getting too close to friends for fear of falling for them), to key people in her past who've shaped who she is today. This sort of courage is what I believe will draw seeking individuals to see themselves as the God-shaped people that they are, worthy of love and wholeness in and of themselves, and with others.
To demonstrate that, I gifted this book to a lady friend of mine who has been recently struggling with same-sex affections for someone. Her response to me, after devouring the book intensely over the night, was that there was no other book which touched her to tears in such a profound way. Other books or accounts of strugglers of SSA tended to be more technical and general, yet Amy's autobiography spoke familiar truths to her in a living way. She also realized how the people surrounding her have been such a great source of love and support.
So overall, while I am unfamiliar with the realities of struggling with SSA, I think this book would be a well-rounded book to recommend to someone who needs some form of clarity and encouragement. However, I also benefited from it in understanding such realities from the horse's mouth, and so I also would recommend this to those who are interested in knowing the inner worlds of those struggling with SSA. It is extremely timely in these days, where not only is unrestrained homosexuality becoming more accepted, but those who are beginning to get disillusioned by the promises of a lifestyle of 'freedom' are seeking the pure form of freedom that God promises. It will all be for the better if we learn how to support them. It would also be good for those of us who have at some point in time thought about what intimacy means to us, and how we can best fulfill it in God rather than in earthly things or people.
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