Wow i do not know even where to start, i guess by saying that when i was first told of your podcast i only agreed to try it because the man that suggested it, i greatly respect. i did not believe that i needed t0 “recover” from something that in my opinion i had not been overly exposed too. However i will say that i was wrong ( there is so much i could say but maybe for another post another day).
I am writing in today because i just finished the interview done last year with Bryan Townsend, it was so weird for me to listen too, because i had met him(kinda). I attended the bible college that his brother CT did, also being the church that his brother ministered at for many years and i think is now the pastor of. So naturally in the six years i spent at the church ( stayed 2 years after i had graduated) i had met the little brother of CT Townsend. i had a hard time fitting in to this bible college, i was a northen lady saved at 21 and just wanting more than anything to learn everything i could about God and how to serve Him. Man did i have a culture sock when i moved to a part of the bible belt steeped in the IFB. I went thinking we were all going to (men and women alike) be best friends and do bible studies together, pray for each other and hold each other accountable to live a true Christian life for God. Lets say that in a school that was mainly for preachers i was the only lady raising her hand in homiletics class asking questions on how to write the best outline( taught by the head pastor ). I was rejected by most of my peers ( young preacher boys), spread rumors that i was a lesbian because i would not date these hypocritical “preacher” boys or said that i thought i was “too good” for them. I was deeply hurt and confused at the time, for i knew that i was striving to live a good pure life before God challenging myself to grow in Him as much as possible while there. It got so bad that in my 3rd year the teacher doing practice preaching would tease me from the platform on the mic saying ” put your hand down, no you cant preach” laughing the whole time making fun of me ( because of the zealous reputation that i had gained ). Not to say there was not a teacher or 2 that did see me for who God was shaping me to be, and lifted me up.
I say all this to say Thank You from the bottom of my heart, for years i never really understood the rejection of me at school( I graduated as valedictorian of my class yes beating out those preacher boys, not just in my hard work in the classroom but also knowing that i grew as much as i possibly could while there). Now after listening to your guys many podcast ( i will not stop, they are amazing!) i have come to realize the culture these young men were brought up in ( more like brain washed). I was a complete example of what a women should not be…. lets just say i did not just sit there and look pretty when they would say the most nasty unchristian things at dinner ( right after we had left school for the night). I lived for God and was loud for Him. It gives me great peace finally being able to piece together the last piece of the puzzle( i knew that there was not anything wrong with me because God had taken the sweet time to show me that).
Also just for a fun fact when i found out that the Brian Edwards on here was Craig Edwards son i started screaming… Craig Edwards was always one of my favorite preachers that the school/church brought. It is so crazy how many people i know/met that you have mentioned or interviewed on this podcast(because of my ties to my bible college).
I want to say something to Bryan Townsend, wow when i heard what he did for that church restarting it from the ground up and keeping with it even through a rough time in his life…. just wow. I strive to pray for men like that I( i have put him on my prayer board). It is very hard to find men in their 30’s who have that kind of dedication and drive to just Love and want to serve God with the whole heart. If i am being completely honest my heart melted a little( when i heard him share his story). I am 37 year old lady who wants nothing more than to find a man that will love Jesus more than me ( and studies the word), I have been waiting my whole life for that type of man ( just serving God to the fullest in the meantime). So know coming from a women that loves God more than anything, your story gives me hope and inspires me. Thank you for being bold enough to share and be such a god loving man in the process ( they are very rare for us single people).
Guys keep doing what your doing, being real, loving God and helping people! praying for you and God bless!