The following program discusses sensitive issues. 00:00:01.36\00:00:03.63 Parents are cautioned that some material may be too candid 00:00:03.67\00:00:06.50 for younger children. 00:00:06.53\00:00:07.87 Hello, welcome to Pure Choices. 00:00:41.14\00:00:43.41 My name is Brittany Hill-Morales 00:00:43.44\00:00:44.87 and I am today's host. 00:00:44.91\00:00:46.54 Today we have a really great topic 00:00:46.57\00:00:49.21 that we're about to discuss. 00:00:49.24\00:00:50.75 It's about intimacy and prayer. 00:00:50.78\00:00:53.15 But before we begin this discussion, 00:00:53.18\00:00:55.55 let's have a prayer and talk to God about it. 00:00:55.58\00:00:58.92 Dear most heavenly Father, dear Lord, 00:00:58.95\00:01:01.06 as we're about to have another discussion 00:01:01.09\00:01:02.82 I pray dear Lord that You will be here with us 00:01:02.86\00:01:05.53 and you'll also be with the viewers at home, 00:01:05.56\00:01:07.40 in Jesus' name, amen. 00:01:07.43\00:01:09.40 Amen. 00:01:09.43\00:01:12.13 For today, we have two wonderful guests. 00:01:12.17\00:01:16.81 We have Dajanae Anderson. 00:01:16.84\00:01:18.64 She's a graduate student over in Texas. 00:01:18.67\00:01:20.84 And we also have Pastor Keith Hackle 00:01:20.88\00:01:23.18 who lives in Iowa with his family. 00:01:23.21\00:01:26.82 When I got married, 00:01:26.85\00:01:28.18 well, actually two days before I got married, 00:01:28.22\00:01:31.85 I went by this family's home 00:01:31.89\00:01:33.99 where my sister was doing my hair, 00:01:34.02\00:01:36.29 and we began having the conversation on sexuality, 00:01:36.32\00:01:39.53 and the fact that I was about to get married. 00:01:39.56\00:01:41.50 So, you know, sex, you probably have to have. 00:01:41.53\00:01:44.67 So like, "Do you have everything you need, 00:01:44.70\00:01:46.10 do you have all the information?" 00:01:46.13\00:01:47.47 I was like, "I think I do, maybe I'm not sure." 00:01:47.50\00:01:52.57 So they started giving me their words of wisdom. 00:01:52.61\00:01:56.08 And one of the first things they said was prayer. 00:01:56.11\00:01:59.98 And I said, "Prayer? Okay. 00:02:00.02\00:02:03.08 That I think, I think we can do that." 00:02:03.12\00:02:05.09 They are like, "No, no, no seriously, pray." 00:02:05.12\00:02:07.82 My sister and her husband were there 00:02:07.86\00:02:09.29 and they were like, pray, what are you talking about? 00:02:09.32\00:02:12.53 Because it sounds, you know, initially it sounds strange. 00:02:12.56\00:02:15.80 How can you integrate prayer into that moment? 00:02:15.83\00:02:20.84 What does that even look like? 00:02:20.87\00:02:22.20 Do you have to have a huge prayer session, 00:02:22.24\00:02:25.24 devotional time? 00:02:25.27\00:02:27.01 What is intimacy and prayer? 00:02:27.04\00:02:31.61 How about you guys? What was your experience? 00:02:31.65\00:02:34.25 I definitely believe that intimacy in prayer is something 00:02:34.28\00:02:39.45 that should happen in the context of marriage 00:02:39.49\00:02:42.46 that you should pray 00:02:42.49\00:02:44.03 while even during sex with your spouse. 00:02:44.06\00:02:49.16 There was something 00:02:49.20\00:02:50.53 that the Lord showed me in the Bible. 00:02:50.57\00:02:53.84 One passage is in John 00:02:53.87\00:02:56.67 and John is talking about how... 00:02:56.71\00:02:59.34 Well, Christ is talking about 00:02:59.37\00:03:03.18 how Christ yearns for us to be one with Him 00:03:03.21\00:03:06.41 just as He is one with the Father. 00:03:06.45\00:03:08.62 And in that holy, in that holy union, 00:03:08.65\00:03:12.15 the Lord showed me that 00:03:12.19\00:03:14.92 that is a part of just this oneness, 00:03:14.96\00:03:16.76 this conversation of oneness 00:03:16.79\00:03:18.39 put my mind back to Genesis, and how God said that 00:03:18.43\00:03:22.00 when man and woman come together, 00:03:22.03\00:03:23.63 there is a oneness that takes place in the sex act, 00:03:23.67\00:03:27.70 in the sex event so to speak. 00:03:27.74\00:03:30.21 And so within that it's like yes the Lord is... 00:03:30.24\00:03:34.84 The Lord being present in the... 00:03:34.88\00:03:36.61 And you're praying and being in awareness 00:03:36.64\00:03:40.28 of the presence of God 00:03:40.32\00:03:41.92 when during the sex act is definitely something 00:03:41.95\00:03:44.82 that I think we should do. 00:03:44.85\00:03:47.22 For me it was foreign, I'll be honest. 00:03:47.26\00:03:50.63 It wasn't until I was sitting in seminary 00:03:50.66\00:03:52.99 and a professor was presenting on this very topic 00:03:53.03\00:03:56.00 and she said, "You know sex and God and prayer 00:03:56.03\00:04:00.74 all go together." 00:04:00.77\00:04:02.10 And I'm sitting there and I'm trying to... 00:04:02.14\00:04:03.47 I'm grappling with that thing because for a long time 00:04:03.51\00:04:05.11 I thought it was just me and my wife. 00:04:05.14\00:04:07.08 I hadn't thought about the fact 00:04:07.11\00:04:08.78 that God sees and knows everything 00:04:08.81\00:04:10.58 and that this is a union between me and my wife. 00:04:10.61\00:04:13.42 So if we're doing something that pleases God 00:04:13.45\00:04:16.82 or that God has ordained 00:04:16.85\00:04:18.52 then it makes sense that He would be in the midst, 00:04:18.55\00:04:20.72 and so therefore we should bring Him in before, 00:04:20.76\00:04:25.06 during and even after the sex act. 00:04:25.09\00:04:28.90 Yeah. I know even when... 00:04:28.93\00:04:31.63 Like when I was in high school and my relationship with God, 00:04:31.67\00:04:34.04 I was 14 and so I was a freshman in high school. 00:04:34.07\00:04:38.17 And my relationship with God became very serious. 00:04:38.21\00:04:43.38 The Lord showed me that He was always there 00:04:43.41\00:04:48.62 that when I asked Him to be in my heart 00:04:48.65\00:04:52.12 and to live in me and to be present with me, 00:04:52.15\00:04:56.56 then that meant wherever I went, 00:04:56.59\00:04:59.09 God was there, God was in the midst with me. 00:04:59.13\00:05:01.73 And for me that wasn't a... That wasn't a bad thing. 00:05:01.76\00:05:06.53 I think that's the beauty that comes with 00:05:06.57\00:05:09.34 being in a relationship with God first 00:05:09.37\00:05:12.57 and then with another human being 00:05:12.61\00:05:14.54 because with God you realize that God sees your good times, 00:05:14.58\00:05:19.55 God sees your bad times, and God yearns for you still. 00:05:19.58\00:05:24.09 God desires a relationship with us still. 00:05:24.12\00:05:27.09 And that's what takes place in a marriage relationship. 00:05:27.12\00:05:30.13 Your spouse does not just see your good times 00:05:30.16\00:05:33.33 like the people who you interact with in public. 00:05:33.36\00:05:37.00 Your spouse sees when you do things 00:05:37.03\00:05:39.53 that aren't the smartest things in the world 00:05:39.57\00:05:41.44 or when you get upset, 00:05:41.47\00:05:43.51 your spouse sees all of that and yearns for you still. 00:05:43.54\00:05:47.78 And so that amount of... That to me is intimacy. 00:05:47.81\00:05:52.51 Just the desire to know my good and bad and still want me 00:05:52.55\00:05:56.42 is something that is extremely intimate. 00:05:56.45\00:06:00.49 And so that, that's where I see those two things 00:06:00.52\00:06:03.36 definitely come together, prayer and intimacy i.e. sex. 00:06:03.39\00:06:08.60 It's interesting that we would just briefly, 00:06:08.63\00:06:11.73 we would pray over our food. 00:06:11.77\00:06:13.77 We pray and ask God for travail and mercy... 00:06:13.80\00:06:16.50 We pray and ask God to protect our children, our family. 00:06:16.54\00:06:19.41 So we ask Him to be involved 00:06:19.44\00:06:21.24 in all of these other facets of our life. 00:06:21.28\00:06:23.35 But it's interesting that there's one area 00:06:23.38\00:06:24.95 where we're like, 00:06:24.98\00:06:26.31 "No, God can't be involved with that." 00:06:26.35\00:06:28.15 And I think that should be an area 00:06:28.18\00:06:30.29 where He's more involved 00:06:30.32\00:06:32.65 because then it limits the things 00:06:32.69\00:06:34.82 that we're willing to do. 00:06:34.86\00:06:36.19 Understanding that God is in the midst of this thing 00:06:36.22\00:06:39.36 and it becomes a holy act and not just some dirty act 00:06:39.39\00:06:44.03 that some individuals would classify it. 00:06:44.07\00:06:45.67 Right. 00:06:45.70\00:06:47.04 And as we keep on having this discussion 00:06:47.07\00:06:48.40 about intimacy and prayer, 00:06:48.44\00:06:50.27 some of them might be wondering, 00:06:50.31\00:06:51.67 "Wait, God doesn't cover his eyes during sex, 00:06:51.71\00:06:55.11 during sexual intercourse. 00:06:55.14\00:06:56.91 He doesn't give me that moment private," 00:06:56.95\00:06:59.41 because like, Dajanae, as you were saying, 00:06:59.45\00:07:01.08 God is everywhere. 00:07:01.12\00:07:02.75 He sees everything, hears everything 00:07:02.78\00:07:05.42 that might have... 00:07:05.45\00:07:06.79 Kind of startled a few people that He hears everything 00:07:06.82\00:07:09.62 but He's always there. 00:07:09.66\00:07:11.93 So why does God not cover His eyes? 00:07:11.96\00:07:15.00 I really don't want Him to cover His eyes. 00:07:15.03\00:07:17.47 There may be something that happens 00:07:17.50\00:07:19.37 during that encounter 00:07:19.40\00:07:20.74 that I would really want God, if need it be, 00:07:20.77\00:07:22.74 need Him to be there and be on duty 00:07:22.77\00:07:24.44 to make sure everything was going well. 00:07:24.47\00:07:26.54 But it's interesting that we even have this ideology 00:07:26.57\00:07:30.75 and it reminds me of a story that I heard about nuns 00:07:30.78\00:07:33.82 who would go into the bathroom but not take their robe off 00:07:33.85\00:07:36.82 because they didn't want God to see them naked. 00:07:36.85\00:07:38.69 And as I heard that, I'm thinking and I'm saying, 00:07:38.72\00:07:40.56 "Well, wait a minute, God can see into the building, 00:07:40.59\00:07:43.36 so He can see through the walls of the building. 00:07:43.39\00:07:45.33 He can see through the walls into the bathroom, 00:07:45.36\00:07:47.66 but all of a sudden His ability stops 00:07:47.70\00:07:49.66 when it gets to you being naked. 00:07:49.70\00:07:51.27 And that doesn't make sense at all. 00:07:51.30\00:07:53.74 And so the same thing happens as it relates to God 00:07:53.77\00:07:56.47 seeing us in our intimate times, 00:07:56.50\00:07:59.41 Him seeing us in our low times, our emotional times 00:07:59.44\00:08:02.68 like we want Him to always be on guard, 00:08:02.71\00:08:06.95 be on duty and be there to be our God, 00:08:06.98\00:08:09.22 that's who He is. 00:08:09.25\00:08:11.69 Yeah, I know, I definitely agree with that. 00:08:11.72\00:08:13.82 I definitely agree with that. There is a... 00:08:13.86\00:08:17.36 There is a comfort that comes with knowing that God is there. 00:08:17.39\00:08:23.67 There is a... 00:08:23.70\00:08:25.57 Like you were saying, 00:08:25.60\00:08:26.94 if within the marriage bedroom say, 00:08:26.97\00:08:31.57 you know, say I do something wrong 00:08:31.61\00:08:33.21 or say my spouse does something wrong, 00:08:33.24\00:08:35.34 being able to pray about it afterwards 00:08:35.38\00:08:39.08 and saying, "Okay, Lord, 00:08:39.11\00:08:40.45 how can I better serve my spouse 00:08:40.48\00:08:43.59 in this sexual encounter 00:08:43.62\00:08:48.26 that I'm having with him?" 00:08:48.29\00:08:50.76 If God's not... 00:08:50.79\00:08:52.13 If God wasn't there to see what I did wrong, 00:08:52.16\00:08:54.26 you know, then how is God going to tell me 00:08:54.30\00:08:57.13 how to better be intimate with my partner. 00:08:57.17\00:09:00.14 And so thinking about sexuality 00:09:00.17\00:09:02.14 as another level of being intimate 00:09:02.17\00:09:04.21 is a better way to see it that if God, 00:09:04.24\00:09:08.28 you know, the Bible talks about Christ... 00:09:08.31\00:09:10.48 God knowing when you leave and when you come in, 00:09:10.51\00:09:13.85 no matter where you are, the presence of God is there. 00:09:13.88\00:09:16.85 And so, you know, like I've already stated there is... 00:09:16.89\00:09:20.72 there is a blessing in knowing 00:09:20.76\00:09:22.79 that God is there in the good and the bad there, 00:09:22.82\00:09:26.80 when I know what I'm doing and when I have no clue 00:09:26.83\00:09:30.03 especially when it comes to the marriage bedroom. 00:09:30.07\00:09:33.74 I would even add if you're having feelings 00:09:33.77\00:09:37.41 of not fully being there, 00:09:37.44\00:09:39.44 something else was on your mind, 00:09:39.47\00:09:41.21 and you're feeling remorseful, and you want to say, 00:09:41.24\00:09:44.01 "God, my spouse thinks I was there 00:09:44.05\00:09:46.08 but I wasn't there..." 00:09:46.11\00:09:47.45 To me that happens and you say, 00:09:47.48\00:09:49.22 "God, how do I...? Do I have this conversation? 00:09:49.25\00:09:51.49 Can you forgive me 00:09:51.52\00:09:52.85 for not taking this opportunity serious?" 00:09:52.89\00:09:55.02 People have different emotions, different feelings. 00:09:55.06\00:09:57.59 And if God wasn't there 00:09:57.63\00:09:59.79 it's kind of like you feel guilty for no reason... 00:09:59.83\00:10:02.36 Or you are going through these different feelings 00:10:02.40\00:10:04.90 and they're not justifiable 00:10:04.93\00:10:06.27 because God wasn't there 00:10:06.30\00:10:07.64 to comfort you through that time. 00:10:07.67\00:10:10.01 And knowing that God was there helps. 00:10:10.04\00:10:12.77 And that pulls into the other question 00:10:12.81\00:10:14.84 that some people are asking, 00:10:14.88\00:10:16.44 "Wait, you want me to pray 00:10:16.48\00:10:20.02 to God during sex? 00:10:20.05\00:10:23.45 What? 00:10:23.49\00:10:25.25 Isn't praying to God been a little bit over religious? 00:10:25.29\00:10:27.92 Aren't you guys doing the most?" 00:10:27.96\00:10:30.19 I wouldn't say so. 00:10:30.23\00:10:31.66 I wouldn't say as I do, I pray. 00:10:31.69\00:10:33.43 So, you know, I'll just say this isn't some... 00:10:33.46\00:10:35.73 This isn't like some abstract thing that, 00:10:35.76\00:10:38.33 you know, we're having a conversation about. 00:10:38.37\00:10:40.47 I believe all three of us pray. 00:10:40.50\00:10:43.54 I know I pray during 00:10:43.57\00:10:45.27 and there's a peace that I have, 00:10:45.31\00:10:48.41 an understanding that this is worship, 00:10:48.44\00:10:50.35 and understanding that this is approved by God 00:10:50.38\00:10:53.45 and understanding this that this act is sacred 00:10:53.48\00:10:57.19 that there is a... 00:10:57.22\00:10:58.92 It just adds that much more rich, 00:10:58.95\00:11:02.36 richness to the event that, 00:11:02.39\00:11:05.43 that no, the whole world doesn't see. 00:11:05.46\00:11:09.16 But there are holy angels, pure and undefiled 00:11:09.20\00:11:13.20 that God himself approves of what I'm doing right now 00:11:13.23\00:11:17.77 and is actually empowering the moment. 00:11:17.81\00:11:22.38 And I don't, I don't see, I don't, 00:11:22.41\00:11:24.91 I don't see anything wrong with it. 00:11:24.95\00:11:26.82 Me either. I fully agree with you. 00:11:26.85\00:11:29.35 And we ask God, right? 00:11:29.38\00:11:31.25 So before when we get married, before we get married 00:11:31.29\00:11:33.42 God blessed us as union. 00:11:33.46\00:11:34.86 We say, "I do, God bless this union." 00:11:34.89\00:11:37.43 And then there become certain areas of our marriage 00:11:37.46\00:11:40.40 that we stop taking to God. 00:11:40.43\00:11:41.90 Now we've asked Him to bless this union, right? 00:11:41.93\00:11:44.00 And so we need to ask Him to be in all facets of this thing. 00:11:44.03\00:11:48.34 When we join together 00:11:48.37\00:11:50.07 and we're having the sexual experience, 00:11:50.11\00:11:52.07 sexual encounter, 00:11:52.11\00:11:53.51 we need God for you to direct us, 00:11:53.54\00:11:55.61 make sure that we don't go outside of the bounds 00:11:55.64\00:11:58.41 where we should. 00:11:58.45\00:11:59.78 Make sure we're not bringing in ideologies or practices 00:11:59.81\00:12:02.62 that don't glorify you. 00:12:02.65\00:12:04.69 I think the word that you used worship is vitally important. 00:12:04.72\00:12:08.52 If we look at it as a form of worship, 00:12:08.56\00:12:11.49 then that makes it more special. 00:12:11.53\00:12:13.56 And so if I'm worshipping, 00:12:13.60\00:12:15.80 then I definitely want God to be a part of this thing. 00:12:15.83\00:12:18.20 I definitely need you to come in and to direct 00:12:18.23\00:12:20.80 and to give us guidance as we go through this thing 00:12:20.84\00:12:23.77 because we don't know everything. 00:12:23.81\00:12:26.34 And we want to make sure that this is a mutual experience 00:12:26.37\00:12:28.81 that we're both happy, 00:12:28.84\00:12:30.98 that we're both being fulfilled. 00:12:31.01\00:12:32.35 And if that's not taking place, 00:12:32.38\00:12:33.95 then does that really necessarily please God? 00:12:33.98\00:12:36.62 Right. Right. 00:12:36.65\00:12:37.99 And there is... 00:12:38.02\00:12:39.35 With the conversation of the reality 00:12:39.39\00:12:42.02 that when you marry your spouse, 00:12:42.06\00:12:44.03 you do not know your spouse 00:12:44.06\00:12:45.49 as well as God knows your spouse. 00:12:45.53\00:12:47.86 That's just a reality and to... 00:12:47.90\00:12:52.00 For those who may not be married, 00:12:52.03\00:12:54.80 it is not automatic 00:12:54.84\00:12:58.31 that you receive pleasure right away 00:12:58.34\00:13:00.88 if, you know, I'm saying that way, 00:13:00.91\00:13:02.71 then not everyone receives 00:13:02.74\00:13:04.88 the maximum amount of pleasure in the bedroom. 00:13:04.91\00:13:09.18 But there are some... 00:13:09.22\00:13:10.62 There are little things that you have to know 00:13:10.65\00:13:12.69 what to do in order for your spouse 00:13:12.72\00:13:15.06 to receive the maximum amount of pleasure. 00:13:15.09\00:13:17.39 And who better to consult with than God 00:13:17.43\00:13:22.46 because sometimes your spouse may not be able to tell you, 00:13:22.50\00:13:25.70 you know, they may try but to be... 00:13:25.73\00:13:29.90 Me personally and I'm not perfect in it. 00:13:29.94\00:13:32.37 But me personally, 00:13:32.41\00:13:33.74 when I am in conversations with people, 00:13:33.78\00:13:37.01 especially when it's maybe like in a counseling session 00:13:37.05\00:13:40.08 where I'm trying to help them, I'm trying to serve them, 00:13:40.12\00:13:43.65 then I am processing what they're saying to me, 00:13:43.69\00:13:46.59 the information that they are giving, 00:13:46.62\00:13:48.16 but I am still, but I'm also praying in my mind. 00:13:48.19\00:13:52.19 So when we say prayer, that's not necessarily 00:13:52.23\00:13:54.63 while you're in the act, 00:13:54.66\00:13:56.00 you're out loud talking to God like, you know, 00:13:56.03\00:13:58.73 and maybe some people do that, 00:13:58.77\00:14:00.10 but I don't quite see how that works. 00:14:00.14\00:14:02.10 When I say I pray during intimacy with my husband, 00:14:02.14\00:14:07.74 it is in my mind, it's not out loud, 00:14:07.78\00:14:11.88 yes Lord, yes Jesus, 00:14:11.91\00:14:13.52 I need you to tell me out loud, 00:14:13.55\00:14:15.52 like no, no, no, I don't do that. 00:14:15.55\00:14:17.85 But there's a... 00:14:17.89\00:14:19.25 But there's a, "Oh," like, "Lord, you're here. 00:14:19.29\00:14:21.29 You're watching." Or, "Okay, Lord..." 00:14:21.32\00:14:23.46 You know, just different things. 00:14:23.49\00:14:25.39 So when you're that that it makes... 00:14:25.43\00:14:29.40 I'm just trying to say it makes, 00:14:29.43\00:14:31.07 it makes sense to pray. 00:14:31.10\00:14:33.34 And I believe that I'm just repeating the reality 00:14:33.37\00:14:36.04 that it just as I... 00:14:36.07\00:14:39.14 When I'm trying to help somebody, 00:14:39.17\00:14:40.88 I'm asking for the spirit of the Lord 00:14:40.91\00:14:43.21 to give me wisdom from on high as I'm serving my husband, 00:14:43.24\00:14:47.18 I'm also in the marriage bedroom 00:14:47.22\00:14:49.75 and as my husband is serving me, he prays too. 00:14:49.78\00:14:52.89 We are both in tune with God's presence in the act 00:14:52.92\00:14:59.59 and it works for us. 00:14:59.63\00:15:01.70 Yes. 00:15:01.73\00:15:03.06 And I want to add a little more to that. 00:15:03.10\00:15:05.90 Keith was talking a little bit earlier 00:15:05.93\00:15:07.74 about the importance of prayer as we're discussing 00:15:07.77\00:15:11.81 and it reminded me of the first year of my marriage 00:15:11.84\00:15:16.24 with my husband. 00:15:16.28\00:15:18.01 The couple had told us, 00:15:18.05\00:15:19.55 "You don't have to do long extended prayers, 00:15:19.58\00:15:22.22 just simply say, Holy Spirit be with us 00:15:22.25\00:15:25.69 as we're about to do this." 00:15:25.72\00:15:27.92 And they said the benefit of it was because it helps you 00:15:27.96\00:15:33.09 to focus on that moment and fully being there. 00:15:33.13\00:15:38.83 I'm a recovering pornographic addict 00:15:38.87\00:15:41.84 and I've been celibate for many years now. 00:15:41.87\00:15:45.41 But when I got married, one of the problems 00:15:45.44\00:15:50.45 and I've spoken to other female addicts, 00:15:50.48\00:15:53.01 one of the problems is images kind of come back to your mind. 00:15:53.05\00:15:56.72 And when I'm with my spouse, 00:15:56.75\00:15:59.32 I don't want to think about anything else but him. 00:15:59.35\00:16:01.46 I don't want anything else coming through my mind. 00:16:01.49\00:16:03.83 It ruins our connection. It makes me not be fully fair. 00:16:03.86\00:16:08.66 It's not fair to him. 00:16:08.70\00:16:10.10 I feel guilty, remorseful all these different things. 00:16:10.13\00:16:13.64 So during that time 00:16:13.67\00:16:15.00 which is the most intimate moment with my spouse 00:16:15.04\00:16:20.18 where we truly know each other and become one, 00:16:20.21\00:16:24.45 I say a prayer and say, "Dear Lord, 00:16:24.48\00:16:28.15 I can't do a 20 minute prayer with you right now. 00:16:28.18\00:16:31.85 But you know my history, you know how far I've come. 00:16:31.89\00:16:35.26 In this moment, 00:16:35.29\00:16:36.62 don't let this moment be robbed by my past, 00:16:36.66\00:16:39.89 allow me to be fully here so I can be with my husband..." 00:16:39.93\00:16:44.20 Because sexuality 00:16:44.23\00:16:45.57 and that kind of falls into the other part, 00:16:45.60\00:16:46.94 the importance and the essence of praying, it's not just sex. 00:16:46.97\00:16:50.41 We're not just doing an act. 00:16:50.44\00:16:52.17 There are so many things that's happening... 00:16:52.21\00:16:54.74 And for me, this is just me personally. 00:16:54.78\00:16:58.38 I knew that having sex, 00:16:58.41\00:17:00.05 I could be able to produce children. 00:17:00.08\00:17:01.78 It was just a fact that I accepted 00:17:01.82\00:17:03.69 before I got married. 00:17:03.72\00:17:05.39 And I didn't want the moment my daughter was conceived, 00:17:05.42\00:17:10.23 if I had a son, I have a daughter, 00:17:10.26\00:17:11.93 for my daughter to be conceived during a moment 00:17:11.96\00:17:14.76 where my mind was somewhere else. 00:17:14.80\00:17:17.00 I wanted to know that I was fully fair with my husband 00:17:17.03\00:17:22.27 that we were fully connected that she was created in love, 00:17:22.30\00:17:27.28 in complete love with God's blessing there seem. 00:17:27.31\00:17:30.68 "Yes, now is the time for you to be pregnant 00:17:30.71\00:17:33.78 and to produce this child." 00:17:33.82\00:17:35.25 I didn't want some crazy people that I saw 10, 15 years ago 00:17:35.28\00:17:40.49 to be in that moment. 00:17:40.52\00:17:42.12 I only wanted God and my spouse in that moment with me. 00:17:42.16\00:17:46.23 And that's why I pray, 00:17:46.26\00:17:48.16 that's why I continue to pray... 00:17:48.20\00:17:50.23 After that first year, 00:17:50.27\00:17:51.60 I haven't really had that many thoughts 00:17:51.63\00:17:53.00 but the devil can be tricky sometimes. 00:17:53.03\00:17:55.64 But that's how I feel even now. My baby is nine months. 00:17:55.67\00:17:59.61 You know, I know with sex you can get pregnant 00:17:59.64\00:18:02.51 and that's what I pray, "Lord, I'm angry at him. 00:18:02.54\00:18:06.61 Help me to be in the mentality that I need to be in 00:18:06.65\00:18:09.18 because I want us to be connected." 00:18:09.22\00:18:11.42 "Because I understand other things can happen too." 00:18:11.45\00:18:14.26 "I want that union, I want that bond." 00:18:14.29\00:18:17.09 Is there any other reasons why it's important 00:18:17.13\00:18:19.56 or essential for us to pray during intimacy? 00:18:19.59\00:18:21.73 I would just... 00:18:21.76\00:18:24.30 I appreciate your transparency. 00:18:24.33\00:18:29.34 I appreciate your transparency 00:18:29.37\00:18:30.94 for any of the viewers out there to know 00:18:30.97\00:18:34.34 that if you have fallen into any sexual thing 00:18:34.38\00:18:38.91 that you can still pray and come before God 00:18:38.95\00:18:43.05 when you are having intimacy with your spouse 00:18:43.08\00:18:46.62 that that is possible. 00:18:46.65\00:18:48.69 I, you know, I too before marrying my husband, 00:18:48.72\00:18:52.63 years before marrying my husband, 00:18:52.66\00:18:54.43 I did have intercourse with another man. 00:18:54.46\00:18:57.00 And for me when it took place most of the time I would cry 00:18:57.03\00:19:03.10 before it was over 00:19:03.14\00:19:04.81 because of the evil presence that I felt that was there. 00:19:04.84\00:19:09.91 Other times I would cry 00:19:09.94\00:19:11.41 because I would hear the voice of the Lord 00:19:11.45\00:19:13.62 as I'm fighting in my own mind in the act 00:19:13.65\00:19:16.58 with this person I'm not supposed to be with. 00:19:16.62\00:19:18.69 I would hear God saying to me, 00:19:18.72\00:19:21.02 I love you and it would mess me up 00:19:21.06\00:19:24.89 like it would all the way messed me up 00:19:24.93\00:19:28.16 because I'm like, "You see this evil 00:19:28.20\00:19:31.67 that I'm doing before you." 00:19:31.70\00:19:33.07 I'm having a conversation asking you to leave me alone 00:19:33.10\00:19:36.71 so that I can do what I want to do. 00:19:36.74\00:19:39.11 And what's your response to me is that you love me 00:19:39.14\00:19:43.14 that's crazy like, that's crazy, 00:19:43.18\00:19:46.31 and for me I know this is God because this is not something 00:19:46.35\00:19:51.09 that I've necessarily experienced 00:19:51.12\00:19:52.95 in another human being to be loved this way. 00:19:52.99\00:19:56.86 And so when... 00:19:56.89\00:19:58.49 So now that I'm in a marriage that God approves of 00:19:58.53\00:20:03.03 and as I've shared, 00:20:03.06\00:20:07.30 as I've shared with you before there... 00:20:07.34\00:20:11.57 My husband has also was celibate 10 years 00:20:11.61\00:20:14.68 before we got married. 00:20:14.71\00:20:16.04 And so the reality of accepting God is something 00:20:16.08\00:20:20.55 that we're accepting God in that moment is something 00:20:20.58\00:20:23.08 that we're excited to do 00:20:23.12\00:20:25.25 because we no longer 00:20:25.29\00:20:27.06 are participating in this shamefully 00:20:27.09\00:20:30.69 but in rejoice that all of heaven is rejoicing 00:20:30.73\00:20:34.70 as we are exhibiting the unity 00:20:34.73\00:20:37.43 that Christ wants to have with us. 00:20:37.47\00:20:39.67 I think it's a beautiful thing. 00:20:39.70\00:20:42.44 And I appreciate both of the testimonies. 00:20:42.47\00:20:45.51 And it just brings back or makes more plain the text 00:20:45.54\00:20:50.01 that says pray without ceasing. 00:20:50.05\00:20:51.81 Because you can think that I'm entering into this thing 00:20:51.85\00:20:53.31 and this is something 00:20:53.35\00:20:54.68 that God shouldn't be a part of, right? 00:20:54.72\00:20:56.18 But we need God to be there every single minute 00:20:56.22\00:20:59.02 of every single day. 00:20:59.05\00:21:01.19 And so just trusting in Him 00:21:01.22\00:21:03.73 and asking Him to guide us, to direct us. 00:21:03.76\00:21:06.09 As you asked, what are some other areas 00:21:06.13\00:21:08.13 or some other reasons why we should pray. 00:21:08.16\00:21:10.37 Let's say a partner is having some discomfort 00:21:10.40\00:21:13.94 or something of that nature, right? 00:21:13.97\00:21:15.30 And so, God, I need You to help us to know what to do. 00:21:15.34\00:21:18.81 Maybe we should abstain for a moment 00:21:18.84\00:21:20.48 while this thing is getting checked out. 00:21:20.51\00:21:21.88 And so now especially as a male 00:21:21.91\00:21:25.01 and I'm not comparing sex drives or anything like that, 00:21:25.05\00:21:27.52 I'm just saying if the woman, 00:21:27.55\00:21:29.22 if the wife is going and getting checked out 00:21:29.25\00:21:32.35 and things like that or the doctor says, 00:21:32.39\00:21:33.72 "Listen for a period of time you all need to..." 00:21:33.76\00:21:35.46 I need now to... 00:21:35.49\00:21:37.06 Lord, for you to give me the strength to support my wife 00:21:37.09\00:21:41.26 as we're going through this thing, 00:21:41.30\00:21:42.63 to let her know I still love her unconditionally. 00:21:42.66\00:21:45.17 And then when we come back together to make sure 00:21:45.20\00:21:48.00 that we implement the steps that don't cause us to regress 00:21:48.04\00:21:51.27 but we continue to move forward. 00:21:51.31\00:21:53.41 So it's always just asking God to guide that whole process. 00:21:53.44\00:21:57.21 And we want Him to be there. 00:21:57.25\00:21:58.58 We need Him to be there 00:21:58.61\00:21:59.95 in order for it to be pleasing to Him. 00:21:59.98\00:22:01.32 Yeah, I agree. Yeah. 00:22:01.35\00:22:03.85 And I think another factor, 00:22:03.89\00:22:05.55 another beauty element of praying is 00:22:05.59\00:22:08.29 it recognizes that your spouse is a gift. 00:22:08.32\00:22:11.69 That when you're engaging in intercourse, 00:22:11.73\00:22:13.80 you're not just in... 00:22:13.83\00:22:15.16 You're not just doing this with anybody. 00:22:15.20\00:22:16.63 When you're saying this prayer, you're recognizing 00:22:16.67\00:22:18.70 that your spouse is important like you always say things 00:22:18.73\00:22:21.77 like what if they're in pain, 00:22:21.80\00:22:23.14 what if they're having problems. 00:22:23.17\00:22:24.51 They're saying, "Lord, help me with this gift 00:22:24.54\00:22:27.91 that you have given to me." 00:22:27.94\00:22:29.58 "I love this person, I care about this person, 00:22:29.61\00:22:31.81 I want the best for them. 00:22:31.85\00:22:33.78 So help me to be what you want me to be for this person 00:22:33.82\00:22:36.85 because what if this person had maybe abuse history." 00:22:36.89\00:22:41.49 "We're about to enter this moment. 00:22:41.52\00:22:42.99 It could make a trigger for them." 00:22:43.02\00:22:44.49 It could bother them emotionally, physically, 00:22:44.53\00:22:47.03 it could, you know, mess them up. 00:22:47.06\00:22:49.03 So dear Lord, help them in this moment 00:22:49.06\00:22:51.40 to not think about what happened to them 00:22:51.43\00:22:52.97 when they were 10, 00:22:53.00\00:22:54.34 to be able to interact with me right now 00:22:54.37\00:22:56.00 and to feel loved by me and to know 00:22:56.04\00:22:58.31 that I am there for them in the deepest way 00:22:58.34\00:23:03.81 that the other person stole from them, 00:23:03.85\00:23:06.85 that I am here to give what was taken in a way 00:23:06.88\00:23:10.69 that is bringing restoration and healing 00:23:10.72\00:23:13.56 because that is extremely important. 00:23:13.59\00:23:17.89 Your spouse is a gift, your spouse is feeling hurt, 00:23:17.93\00:23:21.13 emotional pain to know that even though they are 00:23:21.16\00:23:25.80 as I might say crazy, 00:23:25.83\00:23:27.54 some may think like our spouses are crazy, 00:23:27.57\00:23:29.64 they do some ridiculous stuff. 00:23:29.67\00:23:33.11 But despite that ridiculous stuff, 00:23:33.14\00:23:34.54 I still want you, 00:23:34.58\00:23:35.91 and I'm going to pray to God for your benefit. 00:23:35.94\00:23:38.21 I'm not going to be selfish. I want you to be blessed too. 00:23:38.25\00:23:41.72 Right. There is a stewardship. 00:23:41.75\00:23:44.95 There's definitely a stewardship 00:23:44.99\00:23:46.55 that takes place when you enter into a marriage. 00:23:46.59\00:23:50.19 You are caring for a daughter 00:23:50.23\00:23:53.56 and, you know, for the men you're caring for your wife, 00:23:53.60\00:23:56.46 you're caring for a daughter of God. 00:23:56.50\00:23:59.00 For my husband, I'm caring for a son of God. 00:23:59.03\00:24:03.74 And so there is a... 00:24:03.77\00:24:05.14 There's a video that was circulating 00:24:05.17\00:24:07.01 while I was at Oakwood in my undergrad, 00:24:07.04\00:24:08.98 a Phillip link I think put it together. 00:24:09.01\00:24:12.01 I don't remember who the guy is. 00:24:12.05\00:24:13.38 I was actually speaking and gave his testimony. 00:24:13.42\00:24:16.62 But in his testimony he was saying 00:24:16.65\00:24:18.59 how he was praying for his wife. 00:24:18.62\00:24:20.12 And there is this particular woman 00:24:20.16\00:24:22.19 that he wanted to marry. 00:24:22.22\00:24:23.93 And so he was praying to God 00:24:23.96\00:24:26.06 and he was saying that, "God I want her, I want her. 00:24:26.09\00:24:28.33 Please give her to me." 00:24:28.36\00:24:29.70 And he said that he believed that God said to him, 00:24:29.73\00:24:32.57 "You will never have her because she belongs to me." 00:24:32.60\00:24:35.50 And so there is this understanding 00:24:35.54\00:24:37.71 that he had that God wasn't saying 00:24:37.74\00:24:39.21 you will never be in a relationship with her. 00:24:39.24\00:24:41.28 God was saying that she is my daughter. 00:24:41.31\00:24:44.28 And so if I allow you to enter into a covenant with her, 00:24:44.31\00:24:48.42 understand that I am also involved in this 00:24:48.45\00:24:51.55 and that you have to report to me. 00:24:51.59\00:24:54.26 And so it's another, 00:24:54.29\00:24:56.49 another connective piece in that 00:24:56.52\00:24:58.23 is that you take the story of Moses. 00:24:58.26\00:25:01.86 Moses was a shepherd of another man's flock, 00:25:01.90\00:25:05.07 Jethro, his father-in-law. 00:25:05.10\00:25:07.07 He was a shepherd of another man's flock 00:25:07.10\00:25:09.60 and because he was a faithful shepherd 00:25:09.64\00:25:12.14 of another man's flock, God then gave him His flock. 00:25:12.17\00:25:16.31 God gave him Israel to take care of through the wilderness. 00:25:16.34\00:25:20.98 And so understanding this gospel message 00:25:21.02\00:25:23.39 that is so prevalent within a marriage relationship, 00:25:23.42\00:25:26.86 and is so prevalent within the act of sex 00:25:26.89\00:25:29.89 that when you are engaging, 00:25:29.92\00:25:31.99 this is not just for your own enjoyment 00:25:32.03\00:25:34.70 but that you are caring for this other person, 00:25:34.73\00:25:38.07 you are a shepherd of another man's child. 00:25:38.10\00:25:42.47 And so you are why not and it's... 00:25:42.50\00:25:45.11 But this, but this other man God, 00:25:45.14\00:25:50.78 God is not as limited as human beings are. 00:25:50.81\00:25:55.75 And so it's not as perverted 00:25:55.78\00:25:58.19 as it may be if the actual father, 00:25:58.22\00:26:02.42 the biological father was in the room, right? 00:26:02.46\00:26:05.06 But there is this God that understands sexuality 00:26:05.09\00:26:08.13 far better than I do. 00:26:08.16\00:26:09.63 And so why not invite Him. 00:26:09.66\00:26:11.43 Yes. Yes. 00:26:11.47\00:26:12.80 Definitely, definitely, definitely. 00:26:12.83\00:26:16.81 Going back to that question of, can you overdo it? 00:26:16.84\00:26:22.24 Is there a way that we can all fully bring religious prayers 00:26:22.28\00:26:27.88 into our sexuality? 00:26:27.92\00:26:31.25 Is there a line that should not be crossed? 00:26:31.29\00:26:34.32 And I think one thing that we need to go to 00:26:34.36\00:26:38.23 when we're asking this question 00:26:38.26\00:26:39.59 is what is my relationship with God? 00:26:39.63\00:26:41.86 How do I connect with Him? 00:26:41.90\00:26:44.77 And I believe God will let you know 00:26:44.80\00:26:47.20 if you're pushing the boundaries. 00:26:47.24\00:26:49.17 If you're saying stuff that you're not supposed to say. 00:26:49.20\00:26:52.11 If you're praying something towards your spouse 00:26:52.14\00:26:54.84 in a negative way, God will rebuke you 00:26:54.88\00:26:56.64 and say, "You need to stop doing what you're doing." 00:26:56.68\00:27:00.22 "This is not respecting me and praying to me." 00:27:00.25\00:27:03.15 So we're about to finish the discussion 00:27:03.18\00:27:05.55 but we want you to keep on having the discussion. 00:27:05.59\00:27:09.42 How about you? 00:27:09.46\00:27:11.29 Do you believe in prayer in your intimacy? 00:27:11.33\00:27:14.10 And how can you incorporate it? 00:27:14.13\00:27:16.03 How can you use it to enhance your relationship 00:27:16.06\00:27:19.40 with your spouse? 00:27:19.43\00:27:22.40 My husband and I, we need Jesus to guide us 00:27:22.44\00:27:26.04 and to lead us in every facet of our lives 00:27:26.07\00:27:30.11 especially in our sexual relationship. 00:27:30.15\00:27:33.15 The Bible says in Luke 6:39, "Can the blind lead the blind? 00:27:33.18\00:27:39.49 Will they not both fall into a pit?" 00:27:39.52\00:27:42.12 So yes, we need to be praying to God to help us 00:27:42.16\00:27:45.79 in this particular area. 00:27:45.83\00:27:47.70 And another thing if God is with us, 00:27:47.73\00:27:49.90 who can be against us. 00:27:49.93\00:27:51.37 Thank you for joining us today, 00:27:51.40\00:27:53.00 and please remember to make pure choices. 00:27:53.03\00:27:55.60 Yes. 00:27:55.64\00:27:57.07