I am a Mom of five (nearly) grown kids I homeschooled, married to Rob for 26 years, and a churchgoing Christ-follower for decades. I know the lingo, got the t-shirt. Certainly I’ve figured out that most Christians I’ve met avoid The Gay Debate. When friend or fam pop up as gay, many Christians say, “It’s a sin — I didn’t say it, God said it!” Then they can “love the sinner and hate the sin” with abandon. I don’t blame them for avoiding the debate, honestly. Who wants to poke that hornet’s nest? And when a Christian learns of this cousin or that nephew or the other friend’s daughter, they must come up with something coherent to believe so as not to abandon Jesus’ word nor His principle. His word, they’ve been taught, says homosexuality is a sin. His principle, they observe, is mind-blowing, life-affirming, unconditional love to the deepest part of their being. And so they fool themselves into thinking that as long as they love the sinner, they’re all good to hate the sin.
But it’s not that simple. Place one foot in this issue and you’ll discover it’s multifaceted… thus this blog. Turns out “Love the sinner, hate the sin” feels to those on the receiving end just about the same as “hate the sinner.” Also turns out “Love the sinner, hate the sin” comes from Gandhi — same person who said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians, they are so unlike your Christ,” which might be more instructive to us.
So why would a married Christ-loving mom join in this great debate? Two reasons. 1. Jesus called me. 2. I can’t help myself.
1. Jesus called me through a series of experiences, culminating in one path-turning moment: I was listening to an impassioned speaker talk (on another topic) about responding to God’s voice, no matter the cost. As she spoke, the Holy Spirit whispered to me: “I want you involved in gay ministry, no matter the cost.” I was in tears — have you ever been undone by the voice of the Holy Spirit? I wanted to do what He asked. But I know Christians. I knew I may as well say I’m gay myself for the response I would get. But I couldn’t not follow Him. So I asked him to confirm it for me. Then the woman sitting next to me said, “You remind me of Ellen.” I stared at her. “I know,” she nodded apologetically, because we all know Christians agree about this topic, yes?? [No.] “You just look like her.” Well, by this time, I was having a good internal laugh with Jesus. I’d never heard I look like Ellen Degeneris, but leave it to Him to speak a language I could understand. And I’ve never… well, I’ve rarely… looked back.
2. I can’t help myself. My Jesus-compassion for this community started when my best friend in high school told me he was gay. I had no thought of judging him, nor of others I’ve encountered since, who find themselves unable to step off this path (despite the intensive prayers most people pray once they discover they’re gay). I cannot look at them and say, “You must change, or live celibate lives (though you do not feel called), or you are in trouble.” Is it right? Is it wrong? I don’t think I can say that for someone else. Why not? I will discuss that more fully in future posts, but for now, I refer you to meat sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 10:25-30).
Mostly I can’t help myself because love is the right thing. Jesus’ love is the right thing. He surprised many religious people by those He loved.
I’d love to hear from you in the interface between gays and Christians (no hate mail, please). What has been your experience?
CLICK HERE to read “What’s a Christian’s Responsibility re: Equality in Marriage?”
Susan Cottrell & FreedHearts 
Hi Susan,
This is the first post of yours that I’ve read and I just want to say, Thank You! I am not Christian, nor am I gay. But my daughter recently came out to me, and it’s a very beautiful thing to see there are religious Christians out there who are more focused on Love than Fear. I have zero difficulties continuing to love and accept my daughter for the amazing human being she is; however, I am deeply hurt by some of the reactions she has received by people we both care about. She has been shunned, feared and called “unnatural” by people she has been close to her entire life. Thank you for being a light in the darkness, and for answering your call. I will be reading more! 🙂
Jenn V
Thank you for your kind words, Jenn. I’m so sorry about your daughter’s rejection by “close friends.” Tragic. (Even those who think it’s wrong wouldn’t end friendship with someone who gained 100 pounds from emotional eating, would they? People DO treat this as a special category. Jesus was NEVER about shunning those we disagree with.) But I’m SO GRATEFUL she has YOU in her life! Yea!! 🙂 You’re more than welcome, and I’m glad you’re here. 🙂 Thanks for writing.
Pingback: A Mom, Some Gays, and the Bible | FreedHearts | PFLAG Atlanta
Hey susan! I’m Gerry.. I’m a gay guy that lost his boyfriend because of the preacher told my bf that gay is a sin. Please help me how to convince my boyfriend about becoming gay and Jesus still loves us
Thank you! GBU!
Oh wow. I can’t tell anyone what to do about that, but he will have to trust Jesus for himself and whatever Jesus has to tell him. I’m so glad you wrote. I’m going to email you. 🙂
Susan, I found your blog when it was sent to me via PFLAG. My amazing son is gay. I have always loved him. I always will. I believe God always has and always will too. The thing that breaks my heart is that he doesn’t believe that he is loved. I blame the church for that. I blame the church for turning my son and both my daughers away from God because of the church’s stance on being LGBT.
Some of your bloggers say that Jesus says being gay is a sin, but he does not. Please go to your Bible and read Matthew 19:11,12. I have heard people say that people who “hate gays” also hate women. I think it is curious that when people quote the story of Lot at Sodom, they fail to notice that nothing happens to Lot when he offers to send his virgin daughters to the gang to be gang raped. I believe that people who use the Bible as a weapon against other people – to judge them in the name of God – they grieve the Holy Spirit, deeply grieve the Holy Spirit.
I search for a way to be “out” as the mother of a gay son who believes that he has a place in this world, and the next, and a place where I can worship the God that I have come to know, not the God that is only about judgement, but the one who is full of compassion. My prayer is for my own courage in the face of the rejection I feel for myself and for him.
Thank you for your blog.
Virginia I totally know how you feel. Both my sons are gay. Our family was very active in our church in religious Ed, youth group, retreats etc. My younger son graduated from a Catholic University. My older son even worked at the church as a youth director. Both did not come out until their 20’s. They still hold their faith beliefs but feel alienated from the church they grew up in because they are not fully accepted. It’s Ok to be gay but you cannot be the whole person God created you to be. It is so contradictory — they teach you are created in God’s image but only part of you is good. You have to deny part of yourself or we don’t want you. My youngest son is now turned off on God all together.
I keep attending Mass because I want to worship and I believe in the Eucharist and the sacraments but I feel no joy in my heart anymore. The whole time I’m in church i feel sad. I feel like I can’t belong anymore in a place that doesn’t accept my kids. I don’t know what to do with these feelings. With all my heart I believe God loves them.
Marilyn, thank you for your heartfelt comment. I agree that the biggest risk facing this issue is turning people off to God altogether, when we weren’t given that job. So sorry for your pain.
Marilyn, your post is spot on to how I feel in church. Why do people continue to say being LBGT is a “choice” when it is not? It is no more a choice than which family you are born into. – and that by the way, is possible to change. The choice for LBGT folks is whether to reveal their status. Why would you love someone today but not love them tomorrow simply because you know one more fact about them today that you didn’t know yesterday? They haven’t changed, maybe it’s just that you have become someone they want to try to trust. – sorry Marilyn, not preaching to you, I know you already know this. Peace to you.
Dear Virginia, Somehow I just saw your comment — thank you for writing. I know it’s difficult. You make some excellent points. I think we’re misguided on this because we don’t see the cultural context, and we don’t see the bigger picture (of redemption and restoration). Bless you on your journey, Sister.
Just found your blog, and I can’t stop reading! There are a lot of us moms (and dads) on the same journey. I feel, like you, that God has a plan for me through this journey. I have NEVER felt so close to Him as I have since my son came out to me at 14!
I’m listening to His voice, and he sends me messages, through people like you, all the time. The night I found out, a friend sent me his testimony about wrestling with God through the years. I’m telling you, it WAS from God!
I saw a link to your blog about how Christian parents should respond to their gay child, and you are SPOT ON! I feel the exact same way as you!
Thank you for speaking out through your blog. I think God is calling me to be an example in my small, southern town. Thankfully, that’s all He’s asked of me, so far lol.
It’s so great to find a kindred spirit! Keep on blogging!!
Lol! You’re more than welcome, and I appreciate all your kind words! Yes, I believe God is doing something big in the culture on this topic. I have seen God work through this in profound ways. Love to you, Susan
Hello Susan. I knew Rob through Hope Kids. I am still trying to find the Christian-correct response to homosexuality. It is a sin. No doubt about that because the Bible says it is a sin. Love the sinner. Hate the sin. So I do. I hate the sin (homosexuality). I love the sinner. I can’t think of anything that is more loving than to love the sinner yet stand by your convictions that homosexuality is a SIN. God said it is a sin. How can I be wrong when I stand by what God says? That does not mean I cannot talk with them, interact with them, pray for them. But I should NEVER give in to their sin and just “accept it”. That is what Jesus would do. He would accept their presence and talk with them. But he would never give in to their whining/insistence that he should accept them as they are. He never just accepted sinners as they were.
Hello Tim. I’ll say hi to Rob. Well, I’m going to disagree with you on this. Jesus accepts us exactly where we are. Then, as He lives His life through us, He grows us and frees us over time. “Love the sinner, hate the sin” has become a free pass NOT to love the sinner, and those on the receiving end don’t feel loved by it. I’d say we have about 1000 miles to go to learn to love the sinner before we even think about hating anyone else’s sin. That gives us lots of time to hate our OWN sin and let Jesus deal with that. We’ve been given one job that sums up the law and the prophets: love God, love others. That will be more powerful than anything else we could possibly do. Thanks for writing.
Susan, this response is perfect! I agree with you 100%.
Thank you, Valoree.
Tim, I went through repairative therapy through Exodus International in the late 1980’s, was given all manifestation of spiritual gifts, went through deliverance, had multiple pastors lay hands on me, was in a accountability group, much like a twelve step program for those who were attracted to the same sex and was in therapy for almost twelve years. I am the poster child of someone who took scripture literally and not in the context of the audience it was addressed nor the political climate during the life of the authors. Picking up a letter that has been transcribed by numerous scribes, fought over by Roman bishops at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. and fought over again during the Reformation should make each and every follower of Jesus Christ pause before lifting scripture from the page and literally translating it. By loving the sinner and hating the sin you are making a claim that homosexuals are defective. Again, you are basing judgement on an entire population of people without doing your due diligence in examining the original Greek and Hebrew translations of these verses typically used to degrade gay people. Check out the Oxford Annotated Third edition bible and you will see footnotes regarding each of the verses that you use to judge the gay community and it is clear that these scripture have been misinterpreted. Oxford is a pretty dependable source for defining language, and I trust biblical scholars who know their Greek and Hebrew above an evangelical minister who is a literalist. Jesus mentions that slaves should be faithful in their station in life regarding their master. Do you think Jesus was against the Civil Rights Movement? In his day there was no thought of life without having slaves as a source of labor. How might things get done? No society had been effective without slavery up to Jesus’ time in history. Those quotes of Jesus regarding slavery were used to fan the flames of segregation in the 1950’s and 60’s. Would Jesus be for segregation today? Jesus was far more interested in everyone being allowed at the table. We must have the courage to let go of traditional ways of looking at scripture to uncover it’s true meaning and intent. James Tola Keller Williams Realty Metro Atlanta
James, thank you so much for that. You stated all those points beautifully, and taught us something. I will be checking the Oxford Annotated Third Edition Bible! Best to you.
A friend of mine sent forwared this to me Monday and I am so happy to read other’s stories. My son says he cried and begged God to help him not to be like this and it did not go away. I have been brought up you would go to hell for this. I myself can’t imagine God letting these people that is so helpless go to hell. What is your opinion on this. I really need to get some information and read up on all this. I have got pass the shock and love my children and their loved ones,but still dealing the the will they go to hell for this.
The Bible says that God offers us reconciliation to Him through Jesus Christ. We go to heaven if we have accepted Jesus as out Savior. Actions do not send us to hell, but rejecting the offer of salvation. That’s it. I know it’s difficult when you have believed something for so long, but if your son knows Jesus, he will not go to hell, he will go to heaven! That’s the astoundingly good news of the gospel!
Hi Melissa – I’m new here but wanted to let you know that I, too, live in the South (but in a large southern town), and I am finding it horribly difficult to even hint at being an ally for my son. I’m co-leading a Bible study, and the class members have made some horrible comments about the LGBT community. Only my co-leader knows about my son, but she’s of the “love the sinner, hate the sin” ilk. I hate that phrase. I think God has me in that group for a reason, and should the subject arise again, I will be addressing it, but it is HARD. I have been ostracized by quite a few “friends” in the Christian community, those who believe that my son is gay because of bad parenting on the part of my husband and me. Gee, that’ll ruin a friendship in a two seconds flat. 🙂 People avoid me. I feel like I can’t even be myself around them, so I can only imagine how gay people feel. Anyway, I didn’t mean to drone on and on, but I wanted to let you know that, as a fellow southerner, I am struggling … and I want to be “out-loud” supportive. There is a cost. A big cost. But I’m thinking that this is part and parcel of my Christian journey, and I need all the help I can get. How sweet of God to let us know that we aren’t alone! God brought this blog to me the very morning after I spent a HORRIBLE night in despair, begging Him to help me deal. That was my answer. 🙂
Boy, I really thank you for such a heartfelt comment – and sad commentary on the church’s position. People who’ve told me they treat this “like any other sin” (do you hate that?) are deluding themselves. The judgment of “what the parents did to cause it” are disheartening at the least. I would not be surprised it God was really shaking down the evangelical church to root out this special class of citizenship for LGBTQ. Many in the church react in fear because the LGBTQ threaten their worldview, and though their answers don’t fit, if they pound long enough, maybe they can make them fit. A shame. I join hands with you to say, go wherever God leads you. Perhaps a church you hadn’t thought of, a group you didn’t know about. Other denominations. Perhaps God will show you a place to take a stand. Whatever one’s biblical interpretation, the treatment of the situation is Pharisaical. I pray that God grant you a place of healing and a place to use your considerable gifts without fear of reprisal. Bless you on your journey, my friend! And GOOD FOR YOU for your love-in-action for your son!
I have been looking for a site like this. My son told me he was gay at 35. I missed a lot, but it didn’t take me but 5 minutes to know that there was no choice involved. We raised our son in the First Baptist Church and since I have known my son is gay, my church home had nothing to
offer but rejection and outdated dogma. Thank God and the Lord I believe in that I know he never intended those scriptures to address truly homosexual people they were only used in conjunction with lust and imm
in concluding my comment. It is good to read about other mothers who feel angry about the church’s response to people like my son who grew up in their very presence. Praying to change being homosexual is like asking God to give you brown eyes when you were born with blue eye. Bottom line God knew us before we were formed in the womb and he made us straight and gay. Christians are failing miserably as representatives of Christ.
Yes, I do feel angry at the church’s response.… Although I’m sure I’ve expressed that adequately. 🙂 God has called you into the fight – bless your heart!
I so agree with you, Miriam. It’s brutal out there on this issue. I’m glad you found me and look forward to what God has in store! God bless you, sister.
I also wanted a way to be “out” as the mom of an LGBT kid, but I know that trying to start conversations with some people would only lead to debate/argument. So I’ve taken a rather passive approach to it, in a way. I started a facebook page that included many of mine and my daughter’s friends who were already “in the loop” or who were already “allies.” (Team Rainbow). The I designed Team Rainbow T-shirts. I just ordered mine. It sports a rainbow on the back that appears to be dripping, like wet paint, and says “LGBT MOM… dripping with pride”.. There are others that say “Parent of an LGBT Kid” or simply “ALLY” .. dripping with pride! I figure the naysayers will at least have my opinion up front and only the boldest will come against me. I will wear my shirt with pride and love for my daughter, and for all the underdogs out there who have been brave enough to be themselves in a world that often rejects them. 🙂
Hi Jenn. My name is Chris. I am a gay Christian. Speaking as a Christian, I would like to say I’m really proud of you. I can see that this is not easy. As a lesbian, I want to say thank you.
Hello Survivor Girl –
Your story is so like mine! I’m from the south, raised my children in the church, did everything that religious community demanded. What I’ve learned is that there are lots of folks with a plank in their eyes that are pointing out the specks in other’s eyes. I joined my local PFLAG chapter – for a long time it was the only place I was “out” as the Mom of a gay son. It’s not a religious group, but it is a place to meet loving and compassionate people (what you expect to find at a CHURCH!). That’s where I learned about this web site — http://notalllikethat.org/ – it is full videos posted by Christians who are “not like that” It might help you to visit this site and see that some of us Christians actually get it. I did have to change churches, but in the end, I don’t regret it.
You may have a PFLAG chapter in your area. I urge you to contact PFLAG.org to learn more about them, or especially to attend a meeting.
Hang in there. You are not alone.
Glad you have this site, Susan!
So glad you’re here, Virginia!
I have a son and daughter that are gay. I love them very much and would not disown them. I let them know I am not happy with their decisions and pray they will change. They both have parterners and I think a lot of them, they are humans just like us and need love and attention. The main thing is I don’t preach to them,I let them know I love them and still praying.They know when they vist me they are welcomed at my ome ,they theyhome but have to stay at a motel.
I’m so glad you love and welcome your kids and their partners. What a wonderful blessing to all of you. I would suggest to any mom in your position not to express your disapproval any longer – I’m sure they understand it by now! It’s words of love and acceptance people need to hear again and again. 🙂 Good for you, sweet mom.
I am enjoying all this I am reading.I wish I had seen this earlier. I pray for the families that disown them being like this. Thye are humans and want to be loved also. I am so thankful i have a wonderful relationship with my daughter any my son. This is their choice. Love them and respect them.
Thank you, Karon. I wish so too.
I’m so happy a friend shared your blog with me. A few years ago, when in a Religion class in college (as an older student) I felt led to do my paper on this very subject. I tried to avoid it, but it was impossible. I cried for three weeks. I have an older brother who is gay, so it is an issue very close to my heart. Since that time I have known I also have a job to do… I just don’t know what it is yet. Thank-you for your blog.
Oh, so sweet! I know how you feel — I just reminded my daughter this morning of me sitting in a conference with the speaker encouraging us to go where God was leading, and Him telling me, “I want you to talk to the LGBTQ community.” I had no idea where it would go, but I KNEW He was speaking. Just keep following Him, even when you’re afraid. He’s more important than any other voice you will hear. And let me know how it goes!
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that.
🙂
For me, the issue has been family members who are unaccepting of me being gay. I’ve been cut off from my immediate family because they’re sending me “tough love” so that I won’t be gay. But here’s a little context:
I’ve known since elementary school that I’m gay. (I think the moment I realized was when I was looking at a book of Greek art and found that I was very interested in the depictions of men rather than women.) I kept this to myself for decades and didn’t come out to anyone until I was 33. It is incredibly lonely to believe that you can’t trust anyone with who you are.
I came out after many years of dodging the question about why I wasn’t married or even dating anyone. (I’m not unattractive and I make a good living and, gosh darnit, people like me.) After coming out, my family just told me that they didn’t agree with it and that I wasn’t welcome until I changed my ways.
So the result of the tough love is that I have learned that I don’t need the family I was born into. I’ve found that I can choose my family–one that loves me. I’m attending a wonderful and spiritual Episcopal church, and they have become my family. And maybe one day, I’ll even find a special guy to share my life with.
You see, that is the result of such “tough love.” It is tough, but it’s not always love. I wonder if any of the family who rejected you has issues with their weight? Gluttony, maybe? Anyone disposed to gossip? Slander? Do they warmly welcome strangers? (Not doing so is the sin for which God judged Sodom – Ezekiel 16:46-50.) And are they expelled from the family for those things? Even if we are convinced it’s wrong, we are not told to disfellowship family over it. I’m so sorry for your story. Lesson: disfellowship your family, lose the opportunity to love them as God says, and lose any relevant voice you would otherwise have in their life. I’m happy you have church family now. God bless your journey, and thank you so much for sharing.
Sweetie,I am so sorry you dealing with this. I have a cousin that his mother has had nothing to do with him for years and it hurts me so bad.My son is a Doctor and is Gay. This don’t make him a bad person,and he is so loving and it did hurt for a long while,but I would never ever give up on my child.He has a partner and now engaged,they buying a home and intend to adopt. I am now learning to speak out for people that are so negative on this. God loves you,and I am so proud of your decisions.u
Thank you for your sweet comments. I’m so glad you are listening to God to do the right thing. I’m sad for your cousin. The Bible does not tell us to reject our family for their choices. It says love Jesus first and foremost, above anyone else including family, but it does NOT tell us to reject our family for their choices. Good for you for listening to God!
FOR GAYS ONLY: Jesus predicted that just before His return as Judge, there will be a strange, spontaneous, mind-twisting fad – a global steamroller notable for its speed, boldness, violence, and impudent in-your-face openness. In Luke 17 He called this worldwide craze the repeat of the “days of Lot” (see Genesis 19 for details). By helping to fulfill this worldwide mania quietly coordinated by unseen spirit beings, gays are actually hurrying up Christ’s return to earth and making the Bible even more believable!
They’ve actually invented strange architecture: closets opening not on to bedrooms but on to Main Streets where kids can see naked men having sex in “Madam” Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco Brothel District. We wonder how soon S.F.’s underground saint – San Andreas – will get a 10-point jolt out of what goes on over his head (see the dire prediction about cities in Revelation 16:19)!
What’s really scary is the “reprobate mind” phrase in Romans 1:28. A person can sear his conscience so much God turns him over to S, the universal leader of evil who can turn such a person into Mr. Possessed with a super-human strength that many cops together have trouble restraining.
Remember, gays don’t have to stay bound to their slavery. Their emancipation is found in a 5-letter name starting with J – no, not James or Julia. As soon as they can find out the all-powerful J name, gays will really start living!
[I found the above approach on the net. What thinkest thou?]
Ezekiel 16:49 says: “‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.” Instead of welcoming visitors (a HUGE part of what was expected of them in that culture), they threatened to gang rape these two visitors who dared step foot in their city (Genesis 19). This video makes all this clear from the verses in question. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgm4SXaEszU
A reprobate mind (a mind without judgment) is a mind NOT focused on God (Isaiah 26:3). Jesus offers to renew our minds as we lay aside the old ways and focus instead on Him (Ephesians 4:23).
As for an “approach,” it’s more of a reproach, full of error and completely void of love and understanding. We need not fear any of this when we love God with all our hearts and love others as ourselves. Everything else fits into that (Matthew 22:37).
Susan,
Thank you so much for heeding God’s call. Unlike you, I am, really for the first time, truly studying Christianity and how to be a Christian. I don’t know enough yet but I want to learn all that I can and I feel in my heart you will be a wonderful teacher on the this subject as it relates to life as a Christian.
What I do know about is love and acceptance and your posts have always been, at their core, about that. I can’t wait to learn more from you!
Thank you, JoAnn. What a gift you give me! I love that Jesus pulls us in, then He teaches and loves and conforms, and we look back and say, “Look at what you’ve done!” It’s not by our might (and struggle and effort) but by His Spirit. Well, I’m all up for that! Feel free to ask me anytime with specific questions here or on email. Seriously. 🙂
I am interested in your blog as well for two reasons: I have an ex-husband and daughter who both wrestle with homosexual issues and I am in a support ministry for those who have loved ones that deal with this issue. I rarely know which way to go because of abiding love for my dear ones, God’s Word and my Savior. I think quite often my most difficult path is my choice of knowing what to say. I know that my heart wants always to love, but how that love will express itself when words are necessary is ALWAYS difficult and painful for me. I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to lead you and you will find wisdom that you can share with others who are seeking to love in His name.
Oh Marta, thank you for writing. What an ordeal. Living on this earth is full of experience we never could have predicted or understand. Your heart always wanting to love is Jesus’ heart in you. Don’t be afraid to follow that love — He overwhelmed(s) people with love! And please do not take anyone else’s behavior on as your own. Don’t we have enough of our own stuff to deal with?? But for Him, none of us stand a chance. I will be addressing more practical aspects of this in upcoming blogs; please continue to comment and/or ask specific questions. Thanks for your prayers as God does something wonderful!
In my life, the interface is family. I have a beautiful niece who is 25 who, is a lesbian and has been living this lifestyle since she was about 17. She has attempted suicide on several occasions. It can get really dark for her.
She will talk with me about Christ. But I think its because I try to talk only about her original identity, in God. I don’t talk with her about her sin. I just feel very very constrained on this issue. So I trust the internal constraint and it works well i.e the door is always open to talk about Christ / Christlife with her without angst. I’m not asking her to change anything, I’m asking to her to join me in my gaze in a certain direction!! Big difference.
I applaud your passion and am very keen to hear more about your journey into this area.
Great insight, Sue. Yes, it is what we all have to talk about with each other at any time: our gaze at Christ. He is the only one to prick any of our hearts about anything anyway. Thank you. I’m keen to follow this journey as well!
She’s trying to have a relationship with you and you’re failing her. You can’t pretend the elephant doesn’t exist. Everything you exchange will be facile and false until you address it. The question is, do you have to wait for the inevitable confrontation (or as in another blog entry, self-harm) to occur before you reconsider your views?
I would love to hear your distinction between not asking her to change and asking her to look at what you’ve deemed to be virtue. I’ll save you the trouble: there’s no difference. But it’s not she that needs to change.
Sidebar: Immediately after reading this I went to your website to see your picture again because I knew you had longer brunette hair unlike Ellen D. It never dawned on me but you two do indeed look a little bit similar! 🙂
Back to the topic: God bless you for your courage in the face of all the possible conflict you may encounter. I’m in your boat even though I find it difficult to express, especially to my self-righteous, traditional, religious friends and peers. May God give us both strength and courage to stay true to His love for world. All are precious to Him.
Amen, Krista. Thanks for the reply, and God do the amazing work He has in mind.