Summary

‘Gay Girl, Good God’ recounts the history of Jackie Hill Perry. The author shares events of her life that contributed to her transformation from immorality to the Savior. Although she got molested as a child, battled against bullying, grew up without fatherly affection, and picked up various vices, the grace of God finds Jackie Hill Perry.

This book was published during the contemporary period and centers on preaching the gospel of God. It also addresses the significance of salvation, obedience, and faith in Christ.

‘Spoiler-Free’ Gay Girl, Good God Summary

The novel begins with the childhood of Jackie Hill Perry. She is born to a teenage mother and raised with barely any fatherly care. Her single mother manages a restaurant, leaving Jackie with her aunt on weekends. While with her aunt, she is introduced to the gospel of Christ. Jackie Hill Perry dauntlessly speaks about her attraction to women at a very young age. Although she feels the appeal, she knows better than to discuss it with anyone. With growth comes clarity and confidence as she soon starts to chase the women she finds attractive. At first, her romantic preference is kept secret, but her appearance changes so quickly that it is soon noticeable.

Even as a lesbian, Jackie Hill continues to believe words of the Bible. Somehow, she also cannot suppress the thoughts that her lifestyle is not pleasing to the Lord. As she increases in age, these thoughts continue to envelop her mind until she submits to them and receives Christ. Her conviction leads her to turn away from her sinful ways, marking a new beginning in Jackie Hill Perry’s life.

On her Christian journey, she finds solace in writing. Poetry becomes a way to express herself to others. Years later, she meets Preston Perry at a poetry event. They share their testimonies and friendship. Soon, they develop affection for each other and eventually get married.

Gay Girl, Good God Summary

Spoiler alert: important details of the novel are revealed below.

Part One

At the beginning of the book, the author introduces the reader to her past. Her mother meets her father when he is in search of a civilian job. Her mother, who owns a restaurant, offers to employ him as a worker. After a while, they become friends and finally lovers. When their sexual relationship leads to pregnancy, Jackie’s mother decides to evacuate the baby. Fortunately, her best friend succeeds in convincing her against it.

When Jackie is born, her father lives the life her mother feared he would. He does not take up essential fatherly responsibilities, yet he is adored by Jackie. She knows through his actions that he does not care for her, but she hopes he will change. She eventually breaks off relations with him when he tells her point-blank that although he loves her, he wouldn’t be affected if she decides to leave him alone.

Jackie Hill’s attraction to the same sex begins at a tender age. She is a curious child who does not understand why she feels the way she does, but talks to nobody about it. At first, she tries to fight off this feeling by thinking of the things she was taught about hell and unbelievers. She knows that her romantic attraction to women is not religiously right. Eventually, though, she surrenders to her passion and dates ladies.

In ‘Gay Girl, Good God,’ Jackie Hill Perry talks about the opinion of a sinner about the commandments of God. An unbeliever sees the laws of God as a stumbling block to joy. According to the author, sin is not a guest that stays in the room you put it. It envelops and controls every aspect of your life. Jackie Hill Perry finds her love for women stronger than her love for the Lord. As her affection for women becomes stronger, so does her outward appearance testify to this fact. She embraces masculinity and dresses like a stud. Jackie’s inability to see the goodness of God in his creation makes her conclude that she looks better when she acts masculine. She enjoys the attention and lust that comes from other women.

In ‘Gay Girl, Good God,’ Jackie Hill Perry confesses that when faced with real danger, however, she does not have the natural instinct to protect her lovers. She has the urge to hide as a woman would. This goes a long way to prove that she only feigned masculinity. When Jackie’s mother confronts her about her sexuality, she is relieved to be out of the closet.

All this time, Jackie Hill Perry still struggles with her conscience. Often, she is reminded of the words of God and tries to shake them off to no avail. The voice of God remains so strong in her mind that she reaches out to a cousin who is a Christian. Her cousin, Keisha, tells her she is being prayed for. She informs Jackie that God is working on her heart and there is nothing to worry about. The conversation confuses Jackie more, and she takes up smoking to feel better about the situation.

Eventually, she is threatened by God. After she is told that a lover will cause her death, she totally surrenders. She realizes that she needs freedom not just from lesbianism but from every sign of ungodliness. She accepts Jesus as Lord, and although she is aware that it is a long road ahead, she trusts that God will see her through.

Part Two

The outward changes in Jackie Hill Perry are somewhat instant after her salvation. She arrives at work the day after her encounter with Christ and a colleague comments on her bright countenance. The author says that when salvation takes place in someone’s life, that life is set free from the penalty of sin and its power. Without the Holy Spirit, sin is an unshakable king. After Jackie Hill’s salvation, It is difficult for her to quit the relationship with her girlfriend. Although painful, she knows it has to be done to move her relationship with God forward. She also stops wearing masculine clothes.

As a new Christian, Jackie struggles with the temptation of her previous sins. Some of these temptations she passes, some she fails. When she begins to worship at a new Church, she is surprised at the warm welcome. For a long time, Jackie was judged by her sexuality in the Church, and it made her withdraw into herself. She had felt comfortable in the Gay community because even when their background and sexual orientation differed, there was no judgment. Meeting with Christians who gave her more support than she ever had helped her heart open up more.

One night when she’s watching videos on YouTube, she meets Santoria. Santoria’s knowledge of the scriptures amazes Jackie, and she eventually meets her in person after sharing her salvation testimony. Her relations with Santoria open her eyes to other sins in her life. Sins like pride, fear, anger, and laziness are exposed to her. Santoria also teaches Jackie to fight sin with the gospel. A believer is not to think that the gospel is only an introduction to Christ. It is to be meditated on, trusted in and clung to.

Jackie Hill Perry embraces poetry as a means to express herself and communicate with others. She meets Preston Perry while in Los Angeles to perform a presentation. At their first meeting, his heavy voice keeps her spellbound by his rendition. They become friends that share a lot about their past and present. While other men are frightened of relating with Jackie, Preston is not. Soon, she starts to feel affectionate toward him. She is led to pray against temptation, but when the feelings don’t dissolve, she asks God to place it in Preston’s heart to pursue her. Preston tells her of his interest, and they begin to date. This new development brings about a war between them as Jackie fights with being the woman in the relationship. Used to take the lead, she becomes frustrated and tries to leave, yet Preston is persistent and kind. After a while, he proposes marriage, and she accepts. While engaged to Preston, they start pre-marital counseling that helps Jackie identify her weaknesses. She prays for healing so she can love Preston the right way. She learns to trust God and submit, not to Preston, but to Christ.

Part Three

The final part of this book addresses Same-Sex-Attracted Christians. Jackie Hill Perry declares that the LGBT culture has succeeded in destroying the initial identity that God created for human beings by promoting sinful identities that please them. The struggles that a newly saved Same-Sex-Attracted person has to face are spoken about. Jackie Hill Perry believes that Same-Sex-Attracted believers need sanctification when it relates to identity. She gives categories that are expected to help these believers get their deliverance.

She implores Christians to be able to identify immorality. While sin is attractive to sinners, saints are to be repulsed by it. It can be tempting and exciting but should not be surrendered. This book also states that believers should be righteous. However promising temptations are, a Christian should be strong enough to uphold godliness. The author also speaks on the loneliness associated with being a Same-Sex-Attracted Christian. She encourages the Church to be more accommodating of struggling believers. They should not be judged and cast out but comforted.

The book eventually beseeches believers to always remember the identity of God. He is gracious and merciful, kind and caring. He also accepts anyone who accepts Him. Jackie Hill Perry insists that salvation does not require gay people to become straight. Unbelievers are only to surrender to the love and commandments of God. She warns against preaching the heterosexual gospel to people who identify as gay.

Heterosexual Christians are to note that people are more than their sexuality. Marriage is not the pinnacle of the Christian faith, and singleness is not a curse. Jackie Hill declares that there are many blessings to be found in the life of single Christians, and not everyone will end up married. Evangelism to gay people should be about meeting and knowing God, not promising a “cure” for their Same-Sex-Attraction.

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