Last Saturday morning at 6:00 AM I woke to teach Awaken Love.
Whoah!! That’s a little early to talk about sex, isn’t it??!!
Not if the women live in Kenya, where the time was 3 pm in the afternoon.
Lily started leading the Awaken Love class in Kenya 5 weeks ago and she had asked if I would zoom in for one of their sessions . In the class were 8 women – some friends of Lilies, others new acquaintances – all on a mission to learn about sex and create more intimate marriages.
Lily found me last June when she read a review of my book Awaken Love on Gary Thomas’ website. She runs an online book club in Kenya to encourage women to read books to strengthen themselves and their relationships. She is a true pioneer that is unafraid to dream big and ask with great expectation that God will move!
After leading her book club through Awaken Love, Lily became convinced that she needed to lead a 6 week Awaken Love class that would allow for a deeper dive. I was happy to set up access for Lily to study the video classes and encouraged her to adapt the curriculum as needed. Friends of mine delivered copies of Awaken Love to Nairobi on their way to their mission trip and the pieces slowly came together as Lily and her team continued to pray and trust God in the details.
Along the way I received email messages from Lily …
Oct
I have been struggling with setting up the class. Suddenly I feel so inadequate for the task. I feel too small for what is ahead of me. Pray with us even as we set the date to be mid November. May God give me courage and strength to accomplish what he so desires in his people. Have a blessed day.
Nov
We have pushed the date to January.
I saw the location which we shall use for the classes last week and it is quite a serene place, tucked away somewhere private and accessible. I am assured, the plans are still underway. Pray. Pray for our first participants. We have started recruitment. Sending posters out and trusting God that we will get the numbers. (Not many – even 10 will do.)
Jan
If I had wings to fly, I would have flied to where you are now, just to give you a warm hug to express my joy and gratitude for what your words are doing to women and their marriages.
God gave me strength to start the classes. We had an introductory class and women shared what made them enroll.
We are 8 ladies, 3 will join us virtually while the rest will be meeting physically.
These are the reasons why they chose the class
- Feeling of stagnation in their marriages
- Lack of connection in their marriages
- The idea that sex should be done for the man
- Keeping to self and denying the husband intimacy (i bet this is a direct translation from swahili)
- Being forbidden while young then joins the Marriage union with high expectations then feels its a let down, one withdraws, and sex grows cold.
Lily is right. The reasons that marriages struggle with sex are universal.
So at 6 AM Saturday morning, I dragged myself out of bed, tiptoed into my office and waited for the flickering screen of zoom to let me into the call in Kenya. Though excited, as a middle class white American, I couldn’t help but wonder how the Awaken Love class would translate to women in Kenya.
Just Like Us
But as the women shared their stories, I soon realized they struggled with many of the same things that we do. Some feel like sex is a duty, others wish their husband wanted more sex. Many struggled to see their genitals as beautiful, or something to appreciate and understand. Some questioned whether oral sex is a loving way to connect, or a sin. They all understand the challenges that come from lack of privacy. Some needed help understanding the intricacies of different erogenous zones and how to engage them to create pleasure. They all had very busy lives filled with work, homemaking, and raising kids – yet they chose to devote 6 weeks to understanding sex and improving their marriages. Ladies, we are in this together. If we have the courage, we can claim the freedom that God wants for us.
Regardless of where we live, our social economic background or how old we are, God has a design for sex, that will challenge us, grow us, and can create deep connection . We are all impacted by things that make sex challenging. Awaken Love classes are a powerful resource to begin moving towards the intimacy God wants for us. If you are ready to make a difference for struggling marriages, email me and we can pray and talk about the possibilities. Don’t be afraid to dream big. Our God is powerful.
Future Plans for Awaken Love in Nairobi
Lily is already planning to offer another Awaken Love class in Kenya in March, and that is just the beginning. If you know of a woman in Nairobi that might benefit from Awaken Love, please email bookclublily@gmail.com to find out more information about upcoming classes. Pray for my friend Lily and the women in Nairobi as they claim God’s design for sex.
Awaken Love Class Opportunities
With Ruth
For Wives Starting April 6, Wednesdays at 12 central time meeting over Zoom for 6 weeks
For Wives Starting April 4, Monday Nights at 7 pm meeting in Plymouth, MN for 6 weeks
Email Ruth.awakenlove@gmail.com for more information or to sign up!
With Stacey
For Wives over Zoom Starting March 7th, Mondays at 6:30 – 9 pm central time
Email slwelman@gmail.com for more information or to sign up!
With Lily
For Wives in Kenya
Email bookclublily@gmail.com for more information or to sign up!
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