Nancy Houston - Love & Sex: A Christian Guide to Healthy Intimacy

Praise for

LOVE & SEX

So many couples struggle in their sexual lives because they divide sex and love, which never works. True sexual fulfillment only really works in the context of intimacy and love; intimacy and love express themselves in the completeness of sexual fulfillment. Nancy Houston has written an excellent, practical, and very hopeful book on how to reintegrate the division. Love & Sex is highly recommended.

John Townsend, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling author of Boundaries, founder of the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling, and psychologist

Without question, one of the greatest communicators of our generation on Christian sex and intimacy is Nancy Houston.

Amy Ford, president of Embrace Grace and author of A Bump in Life

Love & Sex: A Christian Guide to Healthy Intimacy is a must read! Nancy Houston communicates with excellence the meaning of healthy intimacy in a relevant and natural way. You will be drawn into the compelling stories as you discover truth upon truth regarding this hot topic. As fully restored pastors who have overcome the impact addiction to pornography and betrayal has had upon our marriage, we know from our own experience that many people will find hope while reading this incredible book. We believe without a doubt that Nancys encouraging and insightful words will help many take that next step in opening up and reaching out with their own struggles and into the ultimate freedom God has in store for them.

James and Teri Craft, authors, recovery coaches, and co-founders of The Novus Project

In Love & Sex: A Christian Guide to Healthy Intimacy, Nancy Houston uses storytelling in a powerful way to bring insight, healing, and revelation to the deepest and most complex issues of sexuality.

Jimmy Evans, founder and CEO of Marriage Today

Nancy Houston unlocks all the tough questions on sex for both men and women. There are no barriers she wont break through. We have literally watched the lights go on in the hearts of both men and women as she unfolds the reasons behind unhealthy behaviors and fears regarding our sexuality.

In a world filled with perversion of truth surrounding this subject, Nancy shines a brilliant light through the darkness. Read this book, then give it to everyone you know! For future generations freedom from taboos, for marriagesLove & Sex.

Paul Cole, president of the Global Fatherhood Initiative, and Judi Cole, a talented artist and founder of the One Heart Brunch

Love & Sex is a book that addresses one of the most important and confused aspects of our humanity. In this book Nancy Houston gives solid, practical, professional, biblical advice and perspective on a subject that affects everyone. A must read for those engaged and a resource for the rest of us working to live out our marriage commitment in loving connection with each other.

Tom Lane, lead executive senior pastor/Dallas campus pastor at Gateway Church

My friend Nancy Houston has helped me redeem my sexuality in such a godly way. After being molested as a child I coped with that pain by viewing pornography. For years I viewed sex and sexuality through a lens God never intended. Nancy has helped me understand Gods plan and perspective about sex and my sexuality and I have been freed to enjoy it with my wife in ways I could never have imagined! Love & Sex: A Christian Guide to Healthy Intimacy will help you understand love and sex Gods way. The right way. The fun way. ENJOY!

Tim Ross, senior pastor at Embassy City Church

Copyright 2018 by Nancy Houston

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, website, or broadcast.

Regnery is a trademark of Salem Communications Holding Corporation; Regnery is a registered trademark of Salem Communications Holding Corporation

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Cataloging-in-Publication data on file with the Library of Congress

e-book ISBN 978-1-62157-715-7

Published in the United States by

Regnery Faith, an imprint of

Regnery Publishing

A Division of Salem Media Group

300 New Jersey Ave NW

Washington, DC 20001

www.RegneryFaith.com

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Books are available in quantity for promotional or premium use. For information on discounts and terms, please visit our website: www.Regnery.com.

The Author is represented by Ambassador Literary Agency, Nashville, TN.

CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

To my husband, Ron.

Without you, this book wouldnt be possible.

Thank you for loving me, encouraging me, and pushing me to be

braver than I would be without you. I love doing life with you;

even when we fight we find our way back to each others arms.

Your love holds me steady and allows me to explore this

beautiful life we share!

G od had us in His heart when He created the world. He wanted a playground for His children to discover and explore the mysteries and intricacies of the heavens above and the earth below. Mostly, He wanted His creative design to draw us deeper into intimate knowing with Him. To top off His artful display, He created males and females with longings, desires, needs, and the potential to share bodies in sexual intimacy. Our human sexual drives arent a mistake or a glitch in our engineering, even though Im pretty sure all of us have wondered at times, Why is this so complex? STDs, rape, assaults, sexual confusion, abuse... well the list could go on and on about how we humans have misused this beautiful, nearly majestic part of our bodies, souls, and spirits in ways that havent enhanced our lives.

Rather than taking a clinical peek into human sexuality, or attempting to describe Gods glorious plan for these sexual bodies of ours, I have chosen to tell a story. A story of very real people (no character is based on a person, but rather a character sketch of intermingled lives) and how they were shaped sexually, because we are all shaped sexually, even if we have never taken an honest look at how that shaping went. As we follow their stories, we will meet the people they have loved, desired, and married, and how they have hurt and betrayed each other. We will also discover how sexuality either enhanced that love connection or destroyed it.

My prayer is this book will capture your attention, engage your mind, and mostly expand your heart to discover the goodness of Gods design in creating youa sexual creature. May you find healing in the pages your fingers are wrapped around.