At the young age of 15, Jeffrey McCall fell deep into the homosexual lifestyle. He would eventually become so entangled in this world of sin, he began to see himself as a woman named “Scarlet.”
This lifestyle brought along the abuse of drugs and alcohol, and even homosexual prostitution.
Having turned away from God, the church, and Scripture, Jeffrey plunged into a world of darkness and depression.
By the spring of 2016, he had hit rock-bottom. Laying in his bed, Jeffery cried out to God in his darkest hour. And the response he received was unbelievable!
Speaking to the Christian Post, Jeffrey recalls that night, “I said, through tears: ‘God, will I ever have a relationship with you?’ And all of a sudden, my thoughts in my mind and everything was just interrupted. And I heard the Lord say: ‘Yes, you will live for me.’”
Jeffrey began looking to the Word of God to rediscover who he was truly meant to be.
“It was a couple of months after that … I threw everything away in my life that was related to being ‘Scarlet.’ All the hair, makeup, jewelry, clothes, shoes, everything. I just threw my life as I knew it away. It was an encounter with the Lord.”
The Bible records a similar response when a group of sorcerers had chosen to turn away from their deeply wicked lifestyle in the Book of Acts:
“A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”
When we seek for God to transform our lives, He asks us to destroy and remove everything related to our previous sinful life.
Jeffrey was obedient and did exactly that.
But God had more plans for Jeffery. He wanted Jeffrey to bring God’s Word and his own experience to others in the LGBT community.
Clearly being led by the Holy Spirit, Jeffrey was inspired to organize a march for those questioning their lifestyle choices and who were seeking to reconnect with their Christian values.
He told Newsweek, “It came to my mind very suddenly, like everyone is having marches, why can’t we have marches … we have come out of those lifestyles and we want to tell our story.”
And thus the Freedom March was born.
Jefferey was soon able to gather others who felt as he did — who had turned away from who God created them to be, who questioned their decisions and lifestyle choices — but longed to live for God and be their true selves.
So far, two marches have already been held with one in Washington, D.C. and another in Los Angeles. Other marches are in the works, including one in Orlando, Florida next year.
Jeffery McCall has a unique perspective now that he’s rededicated himself to the Lord and is living as the person He called him to be.
He wants the LGBT community to know that the marches are not about judgment, but salvation, as John 8:11 states, “‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”
He tells Newsweek, “We are not trying to do any conversion therapy, we are trying to do the Holy Spirit … when we make mistakes, we confess it and we just do what the scripture says. I don’t push anything on anyone, I just want our stories of freedom to be heard because we’re such a small minority.”
McCall knows his ministry has drawn backlash from the homosexual and transgender communities who feel a sense of betrayal that he abandoned the lifestyle he embraced for so many years.
But Jeffery is joined by others who share his experience. They were lost and hurting. They were questioning their identities both physically and spiritually, feeling completely alone — until McCall reached out for them to join his mission in organizing the Freedom March.
He chose the name, of course, because he and others now have the freedom in Christ to be who God intended them to be. They no longer live in fear and darkness, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.
McCall tells the Christian Post, “But what I want people to know is all of these stories that will be told at the Freedom March are so unique. Every single story is different but it’s completely wrapped in love. And it’s just as the Scripture [Romans 2:4] says: ‘His kindness leads us to repentance.’”
The stories they share are about love, repentance, and redemption — not judgment or hatred.
Though all of those who participate in the march share a common experience, each brings a story and perspective all their own to those struggling and looking for answers.
In fact, one man who had been at Pulse Nightclub the night of its tragic shooting is also part of Jeffrey’s ministry and speaks at Freedom events.
He shared his story on Facebook saying, “Going through old pictures of the night of Pulse a memory were my struggles of perversion, heavy drinking to drown out everything and having promiscuous sex that led to HIV my struggles were real [sic]. The enemy had its grip and now God has taken me from that moment and has given me Christ Jesus. I’ve grown to know his love in a deeper level.”
There are dozens of similar testimonials being shared as the Freedom March movement grows.
Jeffrey also calls for churches to reach out to those caught in the homosexual lifestyle. He asks them to provide support and healing — believing that the only way to turn the tide of hatred and judgment so prevalent in society today is for Christians to reach out and bridge the gap.
He wants others living as he once did to know that everyone makes mistakes, but there is always hope in Jesus Christ and no one is past redemption.
He notes that the journey to return to his true self was not an easy one, nor was the change immediate, but encourages the “broken and contrite” to trust in God to heal them in His perfect love.
“I want to say to them that there is mercy. The God of Heaven and earth is so, so merciful. He is sitting there waiting for them to turn around and follow Him. He is the God of multiple chances. He’s always looking for those who will turn to Him with a broken and contrite heart because He wants to pour out so much mercy. Let Him bring you back.”
For more testimonials or to learn more about Freedom March, you can visit their site at www.freedommarch.com.
We invite you to share this story of freedom with anyone you may know in the LGBT community or in the hopes of inspiring other believers to reach out.
