In this episode of Manly Monday, Tom dives into the fourth of our five YOB values — courage. A value that goes hand-in-hand with our final value, vulnerability. In order to embrace vulnerability, however, one must first take courage. Watch as Tom talks about rollercoasters, public speaking, and Holy Spirit promptings.
He was never physically affectionate; we’d never even hugged. I wanted to touch him not out of a sexual desire but from a longing to connect with him as love with a brother. I dreamed of a day when we could embrace and confess our brotherly love for each other. I put my hand on his shoulder once. He brushed it off.
What would it look like for my distant tribe to be gathered together? Didn't God long to change our shame into praise and renown? "Gather us," I prayed. I prayed that my scattered and lost tribe would be drawn together, our fortunes restored before our eyes. It was a prayer for my own benefit, but also for all of us.
All these ups and downs often caused me emotional pain. I had to take risks rather than stay safe and comfortable. My SSA made me feel weak and ineffective around all these straight guys. These painful things tested my friendship with James, too.
I'd transition to being a woman. I'd find a man to love me for who I was, and I'd become his wife. I'd run away with him and find freedom to be the woman I was supposed to be. This is not what happened, of course. Some would call it a mercy; others, a tragedy. I call it taking ownership of my gender identity.
I have a fetish, and I've had one for about as long as I can remember. I have a "thing" that, in itself, isn't quite sexual in nature. But I fetishize that thing. I idolize it a lot, fantasizing for this thing, turning what was never meant to be sexualized on a dial that was never meant to be dialed.
I couldn't be like these people. They seemed like the antithesis of everything I stood for. Finding out that the Bible forbade homosexual sex only fueled my self-righteous anger. To assert my masculinity and avoid being labeled gay at all costs, I joined my other straight male classmates in mocking gay people.
Welcome to our second episode of Manly Monday! In this episode, Tom talks about his experience at a faith and sexuality conference, including a man who falls seven times -- and what happens to him after the seventh fall.
Today, we're excited to introduce our brand new web series: MANLY MONDAY! Join me in this biweekly (bimonthly?) video series for storytime, Scripture reading, and calls to growth for the week ahead. You'll also get a little "state of the YOB" with highlights from recent comments, podcasts, emails, and more. We hope Manly Monday is a fun, informative, and challenging way to start our weeks here every other Monday. Thanks to our faithful patrons for making this new video series possible! As of this premiere episode, we currently have 125 patrons funding Your Other Brothers each month -- totally covering our yearly maintenance expenses while also enabling us the resources and time to tell even more dynamic stories and challenge further growth in this community. THANK YOU, YOBBERS. If you believe in what we're doing at YOB, consider becoming a patron today! All information is on our Patreon page. We...
By the end of the conference, I felt rejuvenated and refreshed. All the messages were so powerful and challenging, like God had opened my heart for a heart and soul operation. My best friend and I returned home, and I thought this would strengthen our friendship in the months to come.