SUPPORTING LGBTQ topics & CHALLENGES

On this day called Mothers Day, I thought I’d attempt to answer a question some of you have asked of me, what’s it like being a mom?  Here’s my attempt at answering that.

You might have noticed that it’s been several months since a new article has been posted.  It’s not that I haven’t had anything to say, or that I haven’t been mindful about those of you who read my blog.  It’s that I’ve been working on 2 new projects that aren’t yet ready for viewing.

I hear it over and over again in my work with those questioning their sexual orientation; “I don’t see how my Christian faith can co-exist with being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, or transgender.”

Finding the right therapist for our distinct personalities and unique circumstances can be tricky. There are those therapy “horror stories” of therapists answering phone calls in the middle of a session simply to chat with the person on the other end and counselors falling asleep in the middle of their patients sharing an emotional story.

Facebook often sends me photos of past events I’ve posted. Kind of like a nostalgic, hey remember all the fun you had 5 years ago?! The last “reminder” really got me.

Caitlyn Jenner, a stranger among us.

Exodus 23:9- “You shall not oppress the stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourself been strangers in the land of Egypt.” This commandment guides us in the ways of empathy. 

As a child I remember the scariest thing about Sodom and Gomorrah was that Lot’s wife turned to salt for looking back at her home as it was being destroyed. I felt completely scared that I, or my family would somehow disobey God and immediately turn into a pile of white powdery mineral.

I’ve never been this open about being gay in church…it’s weird to be here…I feel nervous…My heart is pounding just hearing the worship music …I feel dizzy…I’ve never held my partners hand in church before…I cried the entire service…

My mom took me to what was, in my remembrance, the second movie I ever saw in a theatre. By the time this fateful day had occurred, I had been through my school’s sex education class and understood the basics of this thing called “sex” but I didn’t really understand very much aboutit.

I remember it like it was yesterday, the day I realized I had been sexually abused. I was 6 years old and riding bikes with my best friend Abby making what must have been our millionth time around the block.

Trying to discover who you truly are is never an easy task for anyone.  Add to that being a person of faith and finding that you are LGBTQ, many times begins a long, painful process; I know it did for me.

Two years ago, I was co-pastoring a little church in inner-city Vancouver. That Advent season, my co-pastor was leading us in imaginative storytelling: we’d take turns choosing a person from the Christmas narrative and telling the story from that character’s viewpoint.

Last weekend my dad drove up the 3 hours to where my wife and I live to spend time with us…well mostly to spend time with our children. It’s just about the sweetest thing ever to see my dad’s love for my kids.

In honor of the holiday season, Thanksgiving next week and the fast approaching Christmas I thought I’d post a previously written blog of mine.  May each of you who are spending this holiday season in the closet find comfort and hope in my words.

At the age of 21, I was the first gay person I knew. I’m sure I had talked with gay people before; in fact, I know now that there were other LGBTQ people in my extended family, but at the time I realized I had a same sex attraction, I did not know one other person that was also gay.

“I can love you while still hating your sin” is what the email said. As you can imagine after my last blog, I’ve gotten lots of different kinds of responses from all kinds of people. I have to be honest; I’ve been super surprised to find that most of the messages I’ve received have been filled with encouraging messages of support.

There have been multiple requests to make all of my older articles available for new readers, so here are essays I wrote between 2013 – 2014. As always, let me know what resonates with you by commenting, and feel free to share your thoughts with other readers by reposting!