After hearing a lot about Jackie Hill Perry and listening to some of her spoken word poems and interviews, I decided to buy her book Gay Girl, Good God. Don’t let the title fool you though – this book does a lot more than discuss Perry’s background as a homosexual girl who became straight. This book, at its core, is about the miracle of a person who was “dead in trespasses and sins” that has been brought to life by the Savior Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-9). This is a story of redemption and restoration. No matter who you are, what you’ve been through, what you struggle with – if you are a believer, this is your story too.
This is a story of redemption and restoration.
The beginning of the book is the story of Jackie’s past – who she was, how she was raised, what she did, what she thought about life – with relevant stories from the book of Genesis laced throughout. Perry uses a whole chapter to shed light on the fall of man and the effects of our sinful nature. From the introduction of Gay Girl, Good God, you can tell that Jackie Hill Perry knows just as well as anyone that there is no such thing as “good sin” or “bad sin”; ALL sin separates us from our Father and Creator.
But don’t worry, the story has a happy ending. Jackie explains how she came to know Christ and how He rescued her from “the law of sin and death,” (Romans 8:2). She talks about the people who mentored her, the church she started going to, and the Gospel poetry she started writing. She was sure to include how she grew in her faith and how she was able to overcome temptations when they crept up. Toward the end of the book, Perry discusses our need for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and how God has “delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,” (Colossians 1:13).
You will be challenged, encouraged, and overjoyed by reading Gay Girl, Good God.
I was deeply encouraged by this book even though Perry’s story is much different from mine. I now have a better understanding of what people who identify as “gay” need from the body of believers that make up the Church. Perry gives these believers a blueprint of sorts in how to most effectively preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people who are living in sin. By reading this book, I now understand what it is like for someone to feel rejected and uninvited by the church and what we as the body of Christ can do about that. Through Gay Girl, Good God, Perry encouraged me to be more accepting of others and show them Jesus rather than being hard-hearted and hoping they find Him through some other avenue.
If you or someone you know has ever committed a sin (which we all are guilty of), you should read this book. Be prepared to be challenged, encouraged, and overjoyed by the testimony of Jackie Hill Perry. Her story of being a sinner brought to life in Christ is no different from any other true believer’s story. I hope that you find as much beauty in your redemption story as Perry has unashamedly acknowledged in her book Gay Girl, Good God.
You can purchase a copy of Gay Girl, Good God by clicking here.
Grace and peace,
Bethany
