More today from my Saturday “Jesus Blog” – a word from Jesus to you… 🙂 How are things going? How is your heart? How are your thoughts when you are all alone? I know how much pressure and stress you feel sometimes. I want you to know that God loves you completely and fully, and it has absolutely nothing to do with what you do, or don’t do. My heart for you is that you be free. Free from fear.... Read more
Are we so terrified of an angry God that we choose to err of the side of judging a person instead of loving them? Unfortunately, the answer is “yes” for much of the church. And it is destroying the lives of people and entire families – many of whom we call brothers and sisters in Christ. What if it is wrong to condemn same-sex relationships? What if it is wrong to affirm same-sex relationships? “What if you’re wrong?” It is... Read more
Tuesday was election day and for those of us working for the human rights of the humans who so happen to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, it was not a good day. This is Rob writing again today, but I speak for both Susan and myself. There have been several times in my life when I have been frustrated with politics and with those to whom we have given the privilege of being in power in our country, our... Read more
This is Rob, Susan’s husband, and something is heavy on my heart today. Susan has been betrayed by those closest to her. She has written about how she has been judged, how her faith has been questioned. She has talked about people who tell us we are leading people into hell, and people who shun and reject us. Why? All because of our love, support and advocacy for our daughter and other LGBTQ. Of course, they don’t see it that... Read more
I talk to a lot of parents. I’m glad to report that many of them – more every day – love and affirm and embrace their LGBTQ kids, and most of those have stopped trying to change them. That’s the good news. But still, amazingly, there are too many parents who have not gotten the memo that they will not be able to change their child. They continue to try, and the cost to their child’s heart and soul by... Read more
“Loneliness is America’s poverty.” – Mother Teresa How many people in your life could you call in a middle-of-the-night, dire-straits, emergency? Two? One? For most of us, if we don’t count family, we may have no one we can really put our weight on when we need it. This includes those who faithfully attend church every week. For years. I have been in a handful of churches throughout my adulthood. I am a married, articulate, likeable mother of five. I’m... Read more
More today from my Saturday “Jesus Blog” – a word from Jesus to you… 🙂 What is that you’re saying to yourself? Your frustration with your perceived flaws. Your quick anger at your perceived failures. Your desire to reshape and reorient things about you, and your fear and depression that you cannot. Beloved? Where did you get this picture of yourself? I wish you could see you as God sees you. Because you would see yourself as lovely, and whole,... Read more
If many Christians and churches truly believe gay people are “lost” – shouldn’t they do everything they can to keep them close, instead of doing things that clearly push them away, and even into tragic, life-threatening situations? Shouldn’t they simply share the unconditional perfect love of God — A love they so freely accept for themselves, but selfishly withhold from those with whom they disagree? Instead of condemning, rejecting, shaming, shunning, and kicking them out of their homes and churches…... Read more
“Victory is not won in miles, but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more.” – Louis L’Amour I’m amazed at all I have learned over the last 18 months — since I came out of the closet as the Christian parent of a gay child, and began my work as an ally and advocate for the LGBTQ community. I share what I’ve discovered, along with my takeaway, and hope it speaks to... Read more
Did anyone see “Twice-Told Tales,” the 1963 horror classic with Vincent Price? It’s a campy retelling of three of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories, perfect for Halloween. (I won’t watch for-real scary movies – yikes, are you kidding??!) As I watched the middle story, “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” I thought of you – you’ll see why. Rappaccini is a scientist who infects his daughter with radioactive poisoning, so that anyone who touches her will die. (Uh… Thanks, Dad.) His idea is to protect... Read more
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