Here is the great tragedy of the church: it has distorted God’s message for humanity to be all about behavior. The “astoundingly good news” (that’s what gospel means) is NOT that we can now be well behaved. In fact, Jesus never talked about being well behaved but about how lavishly God loves you. God doesn’t want us focused on behavior but on relationship. Between you and God, you and the Divine. The thing is that people really like power… and... Read more
I took my laptop with me to the kitchen for a lunch break from writing — I like to enjoy TED Talks as I cook — and today it was “10 Most Inspirational Ads.” It was ad number eight, I think, that got me. I won’t do it justice here but essentially: the little boy was caught stealing medicine for his mother, but a kind man gave him a break, paying for the meds and giving him soup as well... Read more
Time flies whether you’re having fun or not. Mary Engelbreit. Mother’s Day. My sweet husband had posted this picture of me when my children were young, and I marveled at my youthful face… I received Skype calls from four children and a phone call from the fifth one whose Skype didn’t work. <3 And I noted my kids as they called had that same youthful face! That smooth skin, that life. LIFE. Time flies – that’s my point! Time flies... Read more
“What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.” Isaiah 5:20-21. Christianity has been used in many ways throughout history: to support slavery, to demean women, to abuse children, to oppress LGBTQ people, to empower the powerful, to keep the powerless in line.... Read more
You may believe that by teaching against homosexuality, you are keeping people from being LGBTQ or allies. That may be why you think you teach that way. But you don’t really understand this at all. In my moms group — a secret FB group of moms of LGBTQ kids — we talk about the ways we’ve been treated (vilified and rejected), with our thoughts toward healing not only of ourselves and our beloved children but of your children whom you... Read more
It’s a dangerous book, a deadly message and you should know about it. It is Gay Awareness, the new book by Landon Schott. Kathy Baldock, a dear friend and the author of Walking the Bridgeless Canyon, did an absolutely superb job with this Amazon review and I wanted to share it with you. Here you go… Texas-based, traveling evangelist Landon Schott is certainly not unique in his strongly anti-gay theological and ideological beliefs. His lack of academic integrity and immature... Read more
The American Idol Finale. For fifteen years we have watched as this show has turned out countless megastars. On the final show, Trent became the last Idol to become a household name, the last of the big winners, the last American Idol. Okay, what about the rest of us? What about you, slogging away, doing your own work day after day, and no one knows your name? What about you who are barely making it to the next day, barely... Read more
People have always been bigoted—in any number of ways. Jesus’ enormous challenge to “love your neighbor” and the accompanying, “everyone’s your neighbor” is part of the challenge to overcome our bigotry, to love in spite of our inclination to turn away and say, “No.” If it were easy, everyone would do it. But there are not two sides to this. This is crystal clear if you just think it through. Take out the word “gays” and insert the word “blacks.”... Read more
I write today to Christian parents of LGBTQ children who are worried about their kids. Struggling with this whole thing. From a Mom’s heart to yours. Easter is the day Christians celebrate new life in a risen Savior. It’s a day to think about crucifixion and resurrection. What God is calling us to do versus what we want. It’s a day of new beginnings. My favorite memories of Easter as a child are the Easter baskets (of course!), the matching... Read more
We recently announced my new book with Westminster John Knox Press, and launched our new FreedHearts website. As we make these changes – and there is more exciting news to come! – I want to share my heart, my vision and my hope. From my heart to yours. 🙂 If you are in the evangelical church, or if you are in the LGBTQ community, you know that the church today is fractured. Parents love their children to the ends of... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In