Teen Became Addicted to Pornography After Being Sexually Assaulted. Says God Helped Her Recovery
Gracelyn Sorrell is not even 20 yet, but she has grace, wisdom and a message of redemption to share.
Though she’s an outspoken purity advocate, she has experienced some lows that have helped her value the movement she’s now involved with. In one of her introductory videos, she explains the life she used to live.
She grew up in church and gave her life to Jesus, but was bound by an addiction to pornography, which began when she was 14 and practically still a child. It all began with an attack and brokenness.
“When I was 14 years old,” she said, “I was sexually assaulted by the same sex, and I began watching porn at this point in my life. Soon after, my dad passed away, the first day of my freshman year of high school. This is when I became unhealthily addicted to pornography.”
At one point, she was watching hours of pornography a day, which cut into her sleep and life, causing her to start doing very poorly in school.
“I was watching about four hours of porn every day, one in the afternoon and then three or four hours non-stop at night,” she said, according to the Daily Mail. “When I watched the videos it gave me an adrenaline rush. It was like insulin to me, I needed it.”
“I dealt with heavy confusion, identity issues and I didn’t think that I could get help — until I became transparent, until I got accountability,” she said. “When I realized that pornography was dehumanizing and it was toxic, and that I was only trying to fill a void, I needed help.”
So she turned toward the only source of help she could, seeking God in her situation and looking for guidance.
“And around 2015, I was so desperate that I prayed to an invisible God. I didn’t know that God was real, I didn’t know that I could have a relationship with him personally.”
“I said, ‘God, if you’re real, I need you to reveal my own heart to me. I need you to show me what is wrong with this addiction.’ I started praying until I started fasting and worshiping and realizing that I became convicted, and my soul didn’t even want to watch porn anymore.”
She also told her mom about her addiction, and together the two prayed through it. Sorrell deleted any apps off her phone that might take her back toward those paths of addiction and put her energy into more positive pursuits like journaling and reading her Bible.
As the years passed, the messages she was sharing through social media caught people’s attention and she started to get more involved in the purity movement.
“Inspired by her mother at just 16 years old, Gracelyn decided to say ‘yes’ to living a pure lifestyle,” her website reads. “Not fully aware of what this lifestyle truly meant at the time — there were many obstacles and daily questions as to what her purpose in life was.”
“Due to long inspirational Snapchat stories, many requested Gracelyn to begin creating content and sharing relationship and lifestyle advice. In the process of discovering purpose Gracelyn developed a love for people, giving, mentoring, and uplifting hearts.
“Gracelyn then became a YouTuber in April 2016 with now over 18,000 views. Soon after, she became a radio show co-host, podcaster, blogger, author of ‘The Purity Posture’ and conference host all at ages 17-18.
“Gracelyn is currently pursuing full-time ministry and in preparation of her much-anticipated Purity Conference. As this 19-year-old purity advocate expands with events, community involvement, and mentorship, she needs everyone to know that in a world full of impurity that ‘Purity Is Possible.’”
Her stance and message are certainly unique in this time, and she hopes to reassure people that no matter what their past entails, “there is always redemption through Christ Jesus.”
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