To the Brave Mamas: A Letter to the Ones Who Chose Love

Today, we honor the sacred strength of mothers. But not just any mothers.
Today, we honor you—the mother who chose her LGBTQ+ child in a world that told her not to.

We see you.

We see the way you were met with condemnation from your church when your child came out. The whispers. The phone calls that stopped. The invitations that disappeared. The subtle messages that said, “You can be part of us, but only if your child disappears.”

But you didn’t disappear your child.

You chose them.

You chose them over tradition.
Over appearances.
Over fear.
Over theology that doesn’t look anything like Jesus.

You said, “If I lose everything, I will not lose my child.”

And that, dear mama, is holy.

“This is my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.”
That’s what God said—and it’s what you said, too.

We’ve walked this road with tens of thousands of moms like you. Moms who sat in pews their whole lives, only to be told they were no longer welcome—because they stood by their child. And we know what that kind of rejection does. It’s devastating.

But we also know what your love does.

It heals.
It restores.
It saves lives.

You may not even realize it, but your choice—to stand up, to speak up, to stay close—has changed everything for your child. That love creates safety where there was fear. It creates confidence where there was shame. It creates hope where there was none.

And it doesn’t stop there.

Your courage ripples out.
Other moms see you.
Other LGBTQ+ kids see you.
People who thought they were alone see you and realize: Maybe I’m not so alone after all.

You are a mamabear. A peacemaker. A bridge-builder. A warrior of light.

You’ve done the hard thing. The right thing. The Christlike thing.

This world often gets it upside down—telling mothers like you that you’ve strayed from the faith. But from where we sit, it’s clear:

You are embodying the Gospel.

Because what greater faith is there than to choose love when it costs you everything?

So on this Mother’s Day, we want to wrap our arms around you. We want to honor your heartbreak and your hope. We want to say: You’re not alone. We see you. And we thank God for you.

You are showing the world what a mother’s love can do.

And it’s the kind of love that looks just like Jesus.

To the moms who choose love… You are our heroes.

Happy Mother’s Day.