A Mighty Man and a Woman of Great Strength

Here is the updated post about Jimison and Connie Clark . . ..

Last night I was privileged to attend the testimony of a friend of mine, Jimison Clark, and of his wife Connie. Jimison is a man who has been part of the Pure Iron Men, a support and accountability group that I facilitate at my church, Richland Hills Church of Christ. Pure Iron Men is for men who are coming out of pornography and other sexual addiction. Jimison has felt for some time that he needed to go public with his struggle and do something to help other men who are caught in that same web of bondage. It's a vicious addictive cycle, and it's something virtually all men are vulnerable to.

I've talked to Jimison many times over the past year or so, and prayed for him often about this. This is something that takes a lot of courage. Porn and other sexual addictions are the great hidden sins. You can go to a lot of churches and find help for alcoholism or drug addiction, but most won't offer any help for sexual addiction, and most don't even want to hear about it. I don't know how many times I've had men come to Pure Iron Men who simply can't get any help at their home church, and have encountered roadblocks that range from "Oh, we don't have that problem here," to "You must not really be a Christian if you like that stuff." It makes my blood boil, sometimes.

Jimison's church, Abiding Word, isn't like that. When Jimison spoke to the church leadership about what he wanted to do, they supported him and basically created a special service just for him and his wife, Connie. More about Connie later.

Jimison invited me to hear his testimony, and I was excited and happy to do so. One of the best things about being involved with Pure Iron Men is seeing one of my brothers start a group or ministry of his own. It has happened several times in the past few years, and it fills me with joy and pride.

After a scripture reading, a song, and some prayer, Jimison got up and related how he had grown up in a good home, but had fallen in with a friend who got him in to gangs and dealing drugs. God saved him from that, and he didn't carry any of those problems with him into adulthood. But porn addiction did. He was very open about his addiction and how it took a mighty effort on his part and a mighty work of God to free him. But free he is, and God impressed on him the need to go public and start his own ministry, Thirteen to Thirty, to help others gain freedom.

I was so proud of him! It takes great courage to admit to any fault and to admit to sexual addiction is way over the top in terms of difficulty. But he did it, and his testimony was very powerful.

Then Connie began to speak. I had never previously met Connie. I knew little more about her than her name and the fact that she was married to Jimison, and freely forgave his sins against her with pornography. That right there was enough to make me a big fan. But there was so much more.

I can't go into Connie's story here. It's hers to tell. I will tell you this: Connie's story made Jamison's look tame. She has overcome so much! What a mighty family! It is my honor and privilege to know them and to have had some small part in Jamison's freedom.

Jamison and Connie have both created websites to help those who struggle as they do. For Jamison's site, go to www.13233.org. For Connie's site, go to www.dndm.org.

I pray that their stories help you with yours.