“Thank God I’m an alcoholic — because otherwise I wouldn’t have known grace!” JP We dislike trials. We hate difficulties or roadblocks or obstacles. We want nothing insurmountable because we want to be strong enough to surmount anything. After all, we like to feel good about ourselves, and we like to know that whatever happens, we will know how to work around it. But when things don’t work out and we begin to feel powerless, we have to look beyond... Read more
Beloveds, we have faced so much in these volatile days. My heart goes out to Christians torn by their compassion for the LGBTQ and their sense of duty to uphold their moral standard. I continue to pray for God’s revelation to everyone on every side of this issue. I am always moved by Jesus’ answers when He is challenged on points of any debate. The religious leaders tried to trap Him at every turn: paying taxes, the resurrection, divorce. What... Read more
I had a big argument with someone very close to me today, a mentor. Someone I love very much. She was angry at me for my blog, saying I am being unfair to Christians who are kind and loving, that it goes both ways, that we hear only stories of Christians’ anger toward LGBTQ instead of love? She told me about a Christian woman who had served two gay men for years in her printing business, but finally said she... Read more
Bullying is devastating. If you have experienced it, you know what I mean. Sixth grade was hell for me, as I was singled out for abuse, ridicule, and pain. I honestly did not know how I drew this hatred, but I knew I would never be at ease among these kids from River Oaks in Houston. I know now that I just came from the wrong side of the tracks, but the earlier messages I’d already internalized made me an... Read more
The Gay Christian debate rages on, with what seems like more interpersonal casualties every day. How in the world can we find common ground in such a deeply personal and sharply divisive issue? I think we’ve been asking the wrong question. We’ve been focused on the rightness or wrongness of being gay, instead of: whose job is it to determine right and wrong? Let’s start with the distinctive that is Christianity. What sets it apart from any other world religion?... Read more
A group of prominent evangelicals recently declared that if marriage equality becomes law, they will disobey it. These God-fearing meticulous Bible-followers feel so strongly about gay marriage that they are willing to flout this law they don’t agree with. I really, truly understand their commitment about something that goes against their deeply held principles. I have just one question: What are they so afraid of? I believe they are afraid that the principles they believe this nation stands on will... Read more
“Christians are becoming increasingly irrelevant. They are dragging Jesus down with them.” The eyes of the nation are on the Supreme Court as we wait for a ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act and Prop 8. What is at stake for Christians in this battle? Does our stance even matter now that it’s in the hands of the Court? Some Christians support it based on their understanding of scripture, but their position in this battle has deep ramifications. Marriage... Read more
After 32 years, Exodus International shuts down, and President Alan Chambers apologizes to the LGBTQ community for harm done. Chambers acknowledges that he has “hurt so many by failing to acknowledge the pain some affiliated with Exodus International caused, and by failing to share the whole truth about my own story.” While Chambers retains his views on traditional marriage, he no longer believes it is the only right way. Read more on the Huffington Post. All of our prayers and... Read more
“They kicked me out on my 18th birthday for being gay… I’ve tried to contact them… I don’t know if they still love me.” Jonathan Allen, America’s Got Talent My husband and I sat stunned as this young man sang Pavarotti on “America’s Got Talent.” Tears filled our eyes as his story settled on us, that his parents kicked him out for being gay. My husband said in a shaky voice, “How could they be so ungrateful for this son... Read more
“People have been badly wounded by the false hope that if they would just pray, study, and counsel, then change can occur. But it doesn’t.” True Story is the theme of next week’s Exodus conference in CA. I’m holding out hope that this will mean less theory and more lived experience, the only thing for healing damage caused by false hope to the LGBTQ community. If “ex-gay therapy” were pain relief medicine, it would be off the shelves with the... Read more
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