Human sexuality is an integral part of the human experience—we are all sexual beings.
At its essence, we champion the unparalleled brilliance of God’s design for sexuality—a design that enlightens, empowers, and transforms. We partner with individuals who aspire to align their lives with this divine blueprint, assisting them in achieving healing, recovery, integrity, and overall wellbeing.
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On October 26, 2025, Living Hope Seventh-day Adventist Community Church hosted the second annual God’s Design for Sexuality Conference (GDFS-2), a ministry of Training for Transformation®. The event’s theme was “Embracing Love & Sexuality: His Plan – Our Joy!”
The conference was designed primarily for family and friends of LGBTQ+, and pastors, ministry leaders and professionals who serve LGBTQ+ individuals. We engaged with attendees around two topics: identity and relating with the LGBTQ+ community.
In this blog, we sincerely thank everyone who helped organize and run the conference, along with all attendees. We also share the main takeaways from the event.
We deeply appreciate everyone who took part in the conference; your presence made it possible. Thank you for fitting this event into your schedule.
While there isn’t space to cover every insight from our gathering, we'll briefly highlight three important principles below. If you attended, we encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments section for this blog.
Love is central to both the gospel of Jesus Christ and the life of His disciples—loving God and loving others, as outlined in Matthew 22:34-40. This connection underscores that love lies at the heart of God’s design for sexuality; the acts of loving God and loving others are fundamental and interwoven elements in this design. That understanding inspired our conference theme: Embracing Love & Sexuality: His Plan–Our Joy.
We are ALL sinners (Romans 3:23), and we are ALL tempted to sin—temptations both from outside self (Ephesians 6:11-12) and from inside self (James 1:13-14). We believe that the way forward for ALL is to surrender one’s entire life—including one’s sexuality—to Jesus Christ as Savior AND Lord (John 3:16; Romans 6:22-23), and live by the power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-24).
We ALL need the love, grace and mercy, forgiveness, and gift of salvation through Jesus Christ (Acts 2:37-38; 1 John 4:9-10; Ephesians 2:8). Following Jesus is voluntary, not mandatory—it’s a choice. We accept that there are those who will accept and those who will reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Moreover, we accept that it’s the Holy Spirit, not us, who convicts and transforms (Romans 8:9-17; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Those in whom Christ Jesus abides and who abide in Christ Jesus (John 15:4-5), become new creations—the old is passed away and the new is come (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our unity with Christ defines our identity, which is rooted in Him. And through Him, ALL things are possible (Luke 18:27)!!!
When considering how loving God connects with loving others, Jesus Christ serves as our example. He cared deeply for people, all while consistently living harmoniously with and remaining open to God's guidance. His compassion never came at the expense of his core values—loving without sacrificing God’s truth/principles for living (John 5:19; John 14:23-26; Matthew 6:10; Matthew 7:21; Luke 9:26).
The successful realization of this conference was the result of collaborative efforts among numerous individuals, groups, and organizations. We would like to formally recognize those whose contributions ensured its success.
We extend our sincere appreciation to Pastor Christian Martin, the Board of Elders, the Church Board, and the congregation of Living Hope Seventh-day Adventist Community Church for graciously hosting GDFS-2 at their facility located at 5235 Merchants View Square in Haymarket, Virginia. The venue provided an ideal setting for the conference.
We appreciate Jennifer Jill Schwirzer, LPC, EdD, Counselor and Founder of Abide Network, for her presentation on identity, and Michael Carducci, Co-Founder, Senior Speaker, and Executive Director of Ministry Development at Coming Together Ministries, for his talk about relating with people in the LGBTQ+ community.
After each presentation, four breakout sessions took place. We would like to thank the following individuals for skillfully guiding these groups (clockwise from top left):
We also extend our appreciation to Heidi Martin, MSW, LCSW, Youth Sabbath School Division Leader and Music Ministry Committee Chair at Living Hope SDA Community Church, who was present on-site and served as our on-call counselor for attendees.
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Chariolett M. Johnson, CFMP, CMP, MTA, Owner & Principal Event Planner at CharMari Events, for her outstanding leadership and expertise during the entire event planning process. She played an essential role as a member of the GDFS-2 Planning Committee. If you are looking for experienced and dependable event support, CharMari Events comes highly recommended.
Many volunteers played a crucial role in both the planning and execution of GDFS-2. Their dedication and hard work were pivotal to the event's overall success.
Well ahead of the conference, a group of committed individuals formed a planning committee to oversee every detail of the event. While some members were part of the team from the inception, others joined as preparations progressed, and a few had to step away before the conference for various reasons. At the time of the conference, the committee consisted of:
In addition to the Planning Committee, a remarkable group of volunteers contributed their time and energy to manage the on-site aspects of the event. These individuals assisted with setup and takedown, as well as other aspects of event management.
Special recognition is due to:
The success of GDFS-2 would not have been possible without the commitment and contributions of these dedicated volunteers.
And last, but by no means least, we gratefully acknowledge our sponsors and vendors.
For further information on this subject, as well as additional resources about sexuality and transformative change, please visit our Online Resource Center.
We welcome your comments on this blog, particularly if you participated in the conference.
Email us or call us at 1 (571) 340-3316.
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Copyright © 2026 Training for Transformation, Inc. All rights reserved.
When I came across Matthew 22:37, it made me stop in my tracks.
“‘… love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
What piece of me am I not loving God with? Am I wearing a mask in my relationship with God, let alone family, friends, and church members?
To love God with all our soul, means to unmask and be real with yourself. We need to face what’s broken and unhealthy inside of us.
As many have said, what cannot be named, cannot be healed. Once we’ve named or identified those places within our heart, we can surrender them and be healed.
Emotional wellness isn’t about having a perfect life. It’s about being honest with ourselves and taking the necessary steps toward healing. A simple but powerful process to achieve this is using this equation:
Emotional Wellness = ITripleA or IA3, where I = Identify; A = Acknowledge; A = Accept; A = Act.
Let’s walk through each step.
The first step is to Identify the pain.
We need to take time to reflect and be honest with ourselves. We often go through life carrying emotional pain, struggles, and wounds without fully identifying them. Ask yourself: What are the things that keep me stuck? What are the things that prevent me from fully loving God and others? Consider whether it’s past hurts, toxic work or home environments, unresolved anger, fear, or even guilt.
Identifying the root of your emotions is the first step to healing.
Once we identify what is broken, we need to Acknowledge it.
This step requires courage. Acknowledging doesn’t mean staying stuck in the pain, but it’s about being real with yourself, and God. For example, a trusted friend asks, “Are you okay?” Instead of the automatic “I’m fine,” breathe and admit “I think I’m really stressed. I feel anxious all the time, and I don’t know how to slow down.”
This honesty removes the power of that hidden pain.
The third step is to Accept.
This step is about accepting the flaw or brokenness within us. For instance, you might realize that a toxic friendship is draining you, but you’ve been avoiding the truth because you don’t want to let go. You can tell yourself, “This relationship isn’t healthy for me, and I need to set boundaries.”
We are not perfect or superheroes. It doesn’t mean liking the situation or issue that you are in. Rather, it means facing it so you can move forward.
The final step is to Act.
After identifying, acknowledging and accepting what’s wrong, you need to make changes. If stress is overwhelming you, start prioritizing rest and seeking help. If it’s a painful past, begin therapy, prayer, and forgiveness. If it’s an unhealthy relationship, take steps to distance yourself and find healthier connections.
Healing doesn’t just happen overnight, and it requires action on our part.
Remember, emotional wellness isn’t about ignoring pain, it’s about working through it!
When you follow the steps in the Emotional Wellness equation—Identify→Acknowledge→Accept→Act—then you open the door to healing, growth, and peace.
As you take this journey, be hopeful because you are … Beautifully Broken!!! As the song says:
Every tear, every doubt
Every time you’ve fallen down
When you’re hurting, feeling ashamed
When you’re numbing off your pain
When you’ve lost your way
And feel so far away
You’re not
You’re beautifully broken
And you can be whole again
Even a million scars doesn’t change whose you are
You’re worthy
Beautifully broken
…
Do not let past situations and traumas keep you from loving God with ALL your soul. He knows you are Beautifully Broken, so love yourself as you grow because God loves all of you!
Join Our Email List on our Home page to be notified when new blogs are posted and to receive other TFT updates.
Visit our Online Resource Center for resources on sexuality and positive, transformative change.
Contact Us to schedule TFT Services: life coaching, communications, or consulting.
Copyright © 2025 Training for Transformation, Inc. All rights reserved.
We live in a culture where sex is front and center all around us. For example:
Yet, while our culture is highly sexualized, many—unfortunately—still have only a limited understanding of human sexuality. What does it include, and what influences how it develops, how people experience it, and how it is expressed? Exploring these questions can lead to a broader and more thoughtful understanding of the topic.
Let’s take a closer look.
Definition
“Human sexuality is the way we experience and express ourselves as sexual beings.” To understand this definition more clearly, it helps to begin with a simple frame of reference. It may seem abstract at first, but it will make sense as we continue.
Experience
The term experience can refer to several related ideas:
Express
The word express has several related meanings, depending on how it is used.
Sexual
To better understand sexual in this context, it helps to organize its meanings into a few related categories.
Key Point
Human sexuality is a fundamental part of being human. It is woven into our nature and reflected in both how we experience it and how we express it.
Factors That Shape How People Experience and Express Their Sexuality
This section highlights five interconnected dimensions that shape how people experience and express their sexuality, including:
The following subsections define each dimension and provide examples of how each one may shape a person’s life.
Body
The body dimension includes:
In this context, examples include:
Mind
The mind dimension includes:
In this context, examples include:
Spirit/Heart
The spirit/heart dimension includes:
In this context, examples include:
Personal History, Behavior, and Lifestyle
The personal history, behavior, and lifestyle dimension includes:
In this context, examples include:
Social, Community, Environmental, and Broader Societal Influences
This dimension includes the social, community, environmental, and societal factors that help shape how a person experiences and expresses their sexuality. These influences can be grouped into three related areas:
Examples of these influences include:
Why This Matters
As you think about these dimensions—body; mind; spirit/heart; personal history, behavior, lifestyle; and social, community, environmental, societal influences—it may be helpful to pause and ask: What is shaping me right now? And what might God be inviting me to do next? Paying attention to these areas can help you understand your sexuality more honestly and respond with greater wisdom, intention, and hope.
Learn More
If you’d like to explore this topic more deeply, we invite you to visit our Online Resource Center for additional information and helpful resources.
And, we’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts on this blog in the comments.
Connect with Us
If you have questions or would like to learn more, feel free to email us or call 1 (571) 340-3316.
You can also contact us online to learn more about TFT life coaching, communications, or consulting services.
Want to stay connected? Join our email list on our home page to receive updates when new blogs are posted, along with other TFT news.
And if you’d like to keep exploring, visit our website to read more blogs, browse resources, learn about upcoming events, or support our nonprofit ministry with a donation.
Copyright © 2026 Training for Transformation, Inc. All rights reserved.