by Paul, June 2010
(A man struggling to overcome his unwanted same sex attraction (SSA) through prayer and Christian ex-gay programs)

God, please show me how to accept my past and be hopeful about my future.

Show me how to be more accepting of the gift of masculinity that you have given me, and give me the courage to always use my masculinity with the God-given purpose that you designed it for.

Show me how to welcome the power of masculinity.

I release my father and mother from responsibility for who I am today and I truly accept full responsibility for my life as a man.

Show me how to love and respect my father and mother.

Assist me to only respect and admire other men for their strengths, qualities and for who they are as men, for as I do this, I will be shown how I am even more like them, and have even more in common with them.

Show me how to see myself as you do, equal to other men.

Show me how I can assist other men to be true to their God-given masculinity.

I pray that you will deliver to me opportunities to demonstrate my masculinity, according to your true purpose for me, and also to help other men do the same.

Give me the courage to form lasting meaningful friendships with other men that allow my masculinity to develop further.

Assist me to be respectful of my body and mind, and to ensure that I can deliver for you through my masculinity, the purpose that you have designed for me.

I release my thoughts, feelings, desires and actions as a man into your hands, only then will I be able to use fully the nature of my masculinity that you have given me.

Allow me to see, completely and truthfully, the full masculine gifts that you have given me, and help me to see myself through your loving eyes.

I know to trust you,

I accept my God-given masculinity in your name, and with your guidance, and my faith in you, I will become the man that you have destined me to be.

The Struggler’s Prayer (revisited by an ex-gay survivor)

God, I thank you that I can accept my past and look  to the future with hope and faith.

Thank you for showing me how to accept and embrace the uniqueness you gave me, and empowering me to always use this gift for it’s true purpose…….to show your awesome creativity. I find it amazing that no matter how many billions of people there are on this planet there will never be another person like me.

Show me how to live in the power of my uniqueness and to use all the gifts you have given me, including my sexual orientation, in honourable ways. It is by being who you created me to be that I give you the greatest honour and find the greatest freedom.

I forgive all those who have wronged me in the past and will work towards finding the gift hidden in difficult experiences ……and then embrace it. Help me to accept full responsibility for my life and not blame others. For you have shown me that my background and circumstances may have influenced who I am, but I am responsible for who I become.God, I thank you that I can accept my past and look  to the future with hope and faith.

Thank you for showing me how to accept and embrace the uniqueness you gave me, and empowering me to always use this gift for it’s true purpose…….to show your awesome creativity. I find it amazing that no matter how many billions of people there are on this planet there will never be another person like me.
Show me how to live in the power of my uniqueness and to use all the gifts you have given me, including my sexual orientation, in honourable ways. It is by being who you created me to be that I give you the greatest honour and find the greatest freedom.
I forgive all those who have wronged me in the past and will work towards finding the gift hidden in difficult experiences ……and then embrace it. Help me to accept full responsibility for my life and not blame others. For you have shown me that my background and circumstances may have influenced who I am, but I am responsible for who I become.

Show me how to love and respect others as you have shown me to love and respect myself.

Assist me to respect and admire other people for all they are as people, for as I do this, I will be shown how I am even more like them; a human being on a journey of discovery.

Show me how to see myself as you do, equal to other people…not greater…..not lesser…. but that we are all one.

Show me how I can assist other people to be true to their God-given uniqueness …..and that as I shine my unique light, I encourage others to do the same. In your strength I resist the pressure to conform to the image others believe I should be and will not allow them to snuff out your divine gift.

I pray that you will deliver to me opportunities to demonstrate my authenticity, according to your true purpose for me.

Give me the courage to form lasting meaningful friendships with others that allow my authenticity to develop further.

Assist me to be respectful of my body and mind, and to ensure that I can deliver for you through my humanity, the purpose that you have designed for me.

I release my thoughts, feelings, desires and actions as a human being into your hands, only then will I be able to use fully the beautiful gift of life and uniqueness that you have given me.

Allow me to see, completely and truthfully, the gifts that you have given me, and help me to see myself through your loving eyes. Deliver me from all self loathing, for to hate myself is to hate your wonderful creation.

I know to trust you,

I accept my God-given uniqueness in your name, and with your guidance, and my faith in you, I will become the free and authentic person that you have destined me to be. I am a man, I am gay, and I am blessed.More information for strugglers here