A wonderful young man sent me his story and I thought it would encourage many of you so, and also break your heart. So with his permission, here it is. Hi, Susan! My name is Jake* and I’m 19 years old. I’m currently a freshman in college and loving it! I’ve known that I was gay for as long as I can remember, and I don’t find myself attracted to women. Ever since I can remember, I’ve known that something was just different... Read more
“Homeless LGBTQ kids could still be at home–if the parents simply had a shift in their thinking.” Meet Gracie. Her mother (my friend) posted on FB this story I thought you would love. “For years we have described our youngest daughter, Gracie, as having a ‘Hobo Heart.’ This is a picture of her hobo heart – I took this of her a couple of months ago in New Orleans while she was watching a homeless person walking away. If we go downtown... Read more
A letter from a mom in the trenches… To those who would challenge our gay children: Thank you for providing me the forum to write this letter. I have wanted to speak on this for a very long time and the comments on the FreedHearts website (specific to the article, “To Christian Parents of Gay Children”) provided me the necessary thoughts. Let me begin by saying this: I am a Christian! I do not doubt my salvation nor my relationship... Read more
Our close friends lost their son Cody at 2:30 Saturday morning. We had just sat in the hospital with them the night before, talking to Cody as he lay in a coma, and holding the family close as they faced the inevitable. He was 18. Cody and our son David were friends from age ten, waging Nerf wars with unarmed sisters and playing video games while Cody had hour-long breathing treatments for his cystic fibrosis. “We have to play, Mom—Cody... Read more
If you are LGBTQ and struggling, I can only imagine what you face day in day out. Difficult and cruel words can be leveled at you daily, and you certainly didn’t ask for any of this! You can’t even go through the normal exploration of holding hands as a teen (the way your friends do) because there is too much backlash. If you are straight and struggling to understand homosexuality, today’s post may be eye-opening for you as well. I recently... Read more
For busybody legalists who think it’s their job to correct others: BACK OFF. Stop meddling with what YOU think is wrong with others, and deal with your own business… I’m guessing you’ve got plenty on your own plate to deal with. My blood is boiling. My friend Alice lives in a tiny military town full of extremely legalistic churches. Every Sunday and Wednesday, fire and brimstone is preached from the pulpit—but never the abundant love of Christ. Women wear only... Read more
Never dreamed I’d be called an “ugly piece of garbage” by a complete stranger on the CNN website. I thought that would come from someone who knew me. – Nadia Bolz-Weber Okay. I love this answer. Not only is it funny and disarming, it shows the right priorities. If someone who knows you insults you, well, that can hurt — I mean, come on. A little pierce to the heart. But if they don’t even know you, what difference does... Read more
The Spark Story Bible, tells this beautiful story. “Jesus went to synagogues, holy places where people worshipped, to teach people about God. He went to synagogues all over – even in his hometown, Nazareth. Jesus told the people, ‘I was sent to tell you that God loves you and poor people and sick people and people in prison.’ But the people didn’t believe Jesus’ words. ‘Why are you talking about sick people and poor people and people in prison? Everyone knows... Read more
In the face of great rejection from many in the church and former friends, and with the incredible love & encouragement of many more in the church and true friends, we have made a decision: We are making this our full-time ministry and have established FreedHearts as a nonprofit charitable organization. I cannot be silent anymore. Even if my voice shakes, I am going for it. I must speak. I have been writing this blog, counseling, writing a book for... Read more
I know you have been rejected and condemned and judged by people you used to call friends, and maybe your church, and maybe even family members. Me too. If you are a Christian parent or family of an LGBTQ child, I understand. If you are a Christian LGBTQ, I can only image your pain and struggle. But let me encourage you as I encourage myself… we need to speak the truth, even if our voice shakes. You have a deep... Read more
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