I Surrender All

When contemporary Christian artist, Clay Crosse, married Renee, (his high school sweetheart), in 1990, he wore a white tuxedo and she a white gown. This symbolize they had remained virgins until marriage. "We saw this as a way of glorifying God in our wedding ceremony and telling other young couples it is possible to wait for sex until marriage. Unfortunately, eight years would pass before I would begin to do the work to make this desire a reality." Even though he and Renee were virgins when they were wed, Clay hadn't stayed pure. Too many other images had polluted his mind.

In the worship centers of our churches, as well as the hallways of our homes, pornography addicts hide behind fragile masks of shameful silence. The enemy has run rampant far too long when it comes to wrecking lives through pornography. The God of the second chance is willing and able to restore all that has been stolen from a marriage torn apart by this evil.

Difficult words fill the chapters of “I Surrender All.” There is a heaviness to their story. Together, Clay and Renee write about his struggles with pornography and lust, as well as her desire to forgive and trust him. Within the narrative, there is overwhelming compassion and a sense of urgency about this sin.

When it comes to biblical standards, purity is not overrated. It is required by a holy God. Certain everyday practices assumed culturally “neutral,” i.e. using coarse language, laughing at crude jokes and viewing movies regardless of sexually explicit content began the downward spiral for Clay and Renee. There were several times we were convicted to make a mental inventory of our TV and movie viewing habits and be intentional about making changes. This is not a one-time makeover . . . it is a daily battle!

Practical tips for avoiding temptation and dealing with the variety of emotions experienced during a time of trial and healing permeate this team effort. Redeeming hope resonates throughout the pages. The transparent, candor by the Crosses' is what the body of Christ needs to hear today!

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--posted by Dale Lewis