Do you have a secret? How big is it? How do you think people will respond if they find out? It wasn’t always clear to Santiago Salazar that somewhere inside him was a Lisa that would someday—a long time into the future—show herself to the world. After living the first forty eight years of life as Santiago, a married, heterosexual man and father of three children and devout Christian, Santiago was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a term that describes the... Read more
Well, my heart is broken. Yet another mom has emailed me that their daughter came out to them as gay, and her husband, the girl’s father, kicked her out. Dad said, “I don’t agree with her lifestyle; she will have to leave.” (Bear in mind there was no ‘acting on this’ yet, no “lifestyle” – it was simply the daughter revealing her heart.) Mom disagrees with Dad – she is wondering how she can continue to live with a husband... Read more
Can you be Christian and gay? What does the Bible say and what does it not say? What does the Bible mean and not mean? If you are a Christian parent of an LGBTQ child, or a Christian LGBTQ, these are questions that you must answer to be at peace with your faith. In his new book God and the Gay Christian, Matthew Vines does an incredible job at just that, as he gives insight and historical context that helps... Read more
“Jesus wept.” But not because of gays. This is Rob, Susan’s husband. I wanted to share my heart with you today. This past year the Supreme Court handed down rulings supporting gay marriage. Many Christians used words like abomination, devastating, disgusting, tragic. Mike Huckabee, the ultra conservative right wing TV personality and former governor of Arkansas, sent out a simple tweet: “Jesus Wept.” Mike, I agree, Jesus wept. But not because of gays. Perhaps Jesus is weeping because of the... Read more
Picture yourself entering the woods by a winding path. You wander in, exploring the trees — all various shades of green, red, yellow, orange. The clear blue sky peeks through the interlaced leaves. You come to a fork and you must choose one of several paths. You choose and you move forward. There are rocks in the path, and you step carefully so you don’t stumble. Soon you discover you can step more firmly and quickly, because your foot has learned... Read more
“Students should not be forced into an environment where they are coerced to accept or affirm a teacher’s gender identity issues.” – Andrea Lafferty, President, Traditional Values Coalition ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) has been in the news lately, with grave concerns expressed in opposition. “Should transgender people be allowed to teach in the classroom?” And, “If a formerly male teacher comes to class female, what would you tell your child?” These are excellent questions. In this multiplicity of beliefs, thought, orientation and faiths: what... Read more
Sarah Gronert is a 27-year-old retired German tennis player. She won a total of ten titles in her career and made it into the top 200 players in the world. Sarah was also intersex with both male and female genitalia. She had surgery at the age of 19 to become legally a female. Intricacies of the universe are reason to say, “Hm, what a magnificent universe!” – not reason to bend and break it until it fits into our box.... Read more
Yesterday, I wrote to encourage moms. Today, I’d like to take apart the misapplication of the Proverbs 31 woman and her endless abilities, piling a terrible load of guilt on women over the centuries. She pops up every Mother’s Day, like a taunt, a symbol of all that we’ve failed to do, all that we can never do, even though we pour our heart and soul into our family. It’s crazy-making. Well-meaning pastors have unwittingly piled expectations on us as women for generations... Read more
Moms, would you sit with me here for a minute? I posted yesterday about a damaged mother-child relationship. Mother’s Day came and went. You went to brunch with family, got a call from the kids, maybe opened a card or a present. Or not. If you got a card, it is quite likely that reading those words of appreciation brought simultaneous joy and guilt! Seems to be the nature of motherhood. Please, come sit. I’d like to talk to you as a mom. Mother’s Day is supposed to make us feel... Read more
More today from my Saturday “Jesus Blog” – a word from Jesus to you… How is your sleep going? Do you sleep well at night, or do you toss and turn, worrying about what is ahead for you? You may fear you never have enough: time, money, rest, love. When I’m your guide, you don’t lack any of these things. (That’s what David meant when he said “The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing.”) You don’t have to get yourself all... Read more
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