In early 2016, I sat across the dinner table from the national trans advocate and former megachurch pastor, Rev. Dr. Paula Williams. I told her I was thinking of going public with my story and asked if she had any advice for me. She sat calmly, probing a bit, and asked me a series of difficult questions. Feeling a little like I was being interrogated, it was clear to me she was getting at something; I just wasn’t sure what... Read more
It was three weeks before my parents contacted me again, telling me they were finally ready to talk. Although it made me uncomfortable, I agreed to meet them at their house, rather than in public, so we could talk more privately. Settling into the family room in the basement that held so many fond memories for me, it was clear that this conversation wouldn’t be pleasant. My mom and dad sat side by side, presenting a strong, cohesive force. They... Read more
“Okay, Amber, we’re ready for you. Let’s head on back to the recording studio and get you set up.” I hopped off the stool where I waited for my cue and followed the engineer into the soundproof recording booth. “Have a seat right here, honey. This microphone is for you,” he explained, walking over with me to help me get situated. I placed my script on the music stand in front of me and plopped myself down in the chair.... Read more
Hello Everyone! It is with great excitement that I finally get to announce to you the official tour dates and locations for the Refocusing My Family book and speaking tour! We are still working on adding a few more, but the official dates and locations are…(drum roll please)… You can see more of the event details by visiting the Events page. Books will be available for sale at all these events and supporting your local bookstore is highly encouraged. However,... Read more
Hey Friends! I had the honor of being interviewed by Hemant Mehta on “The Friendly Athiest” Podcast yesterday. Give it a listen! The Friendly Athiest Podcast with Amber Cantorna, Author of Refocusing My Family And keep an eye out for Refocusing My Family tour dates! We will be announcing tour cities and dates very soon! Because Love Makes All the Difference, Amber Read more
At beginning of this year, I was interviewed by Cass Midgley for his podcast, “Everyone’s Agnostic.” While the majority of the people he interviews have left the faith of their upbringing (often some form of Christianity) to become either atheists or agnostics, he has also interviewed several people who have kept their faith of origin, but have undergone some kind of transformation or deconstruction of that faith. I happened to be one of those. It was an opportunity I didn’t... Read more
Hey Friends! I am working on a new blog post to get to you soon, but in the meantime, wanted to share with you that earlier this week, I had the huge honor of being interviewed by Dr. Ken Schneck on his podcast, This Show is So Gay to talk about Refocusing My Family and Beyond-Amber Cantorna. Ken’s award-winning podcast has been running for 9 years with over 500 guests. We had such a great time together that I think this is one of... Read more
Over the Fourth of July, I vacationed with my wife and a couple friends in Glenwood Springs. It was my first time that far west on I-70 in Colorado and one of the most famous hikes in the whole state is just outside that quaint little town: Hanging Lake. Before my back injury three and a half years ago, I was an avid hiker. My best friend, Stacy and I went out almost every weekend on an 8-10 mile hike.... Read more
On Wednesday morning, the LGBT Christian community experienced a wave of excitement and encouragement as Eugene Peterson was quoted in a Religion News Service article by Jonathan Merritt as being supportive of same-sex marriage. Whenever an influential Christian leader comes out as affirming, it feels like we’ve inched one step closer to having a more loving, more equal, more inclusive place to belong. But with a name as big as Eugene Peterson, who has written over 30 books and... Read more
This week, I had the opportunity of being the special guest on Serendipitydoodah’s Facebook LIVE event. Serendipitydoodah is a private Facebook group for moms of LGBTQ kids. With currently over 1,900 members they continue to grow and connect across denominations and struggles as they share one thing in common: their LGBTQ children. This is my second time speaking to this group and each time it is an honor. With the presence of my own parents absent from my life, I... Read more
Refocusing My Family
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