Transgender & Bathrooms: Who Are The Ones Who Really Need Protecting?

What do you when the bully in a school is the teacher? What impact does it have on a child’s life when those he thought were there to protect him, turn out to be the biggest threat? J.D.’s mom, Shawna DiCintio, recalls J.D. as a happy, carefree kid, an up-and-coming advocate for youth, a leader …

You Had Me at Hello… My Advice to Adele

She was so upset. Almost to the point of tears. And nearly an hour later, you could still see the shame on her face. But why? Her voice. Her beauty. Her charm. She plays to sold-out stadiums. She delights her fans and moves people to tears. I am simply mesmerized as I watch her—including her …

“You must obey!” It’s One of the Biggest Lies in the Church

One of the biggest lies perpetrated throughout Christendom is that God is primarily interested in our obedience. Not true. Patently false. To say our first responsibility to God is to obey is a big fat lie and distortion of the relationship God wants with us. God’s paramount interest in us is a relationship. Didn’t Jesus …

We Have A Secret Weapon Hidden in the Anti-Gay Church!

Shhhhh. We have a secret weapon. Powerful. Effective. Ready to change the world. And it is hidden right in the middle of the nonaffirming conservative, evangelical church. There is a wall, erected by Christian leaders who are nonaffirming, between the church and people who just so happen to be LGBTQI. Their teachings have encouraged or …

Post 11/9: The Election is Over. How Do We Move Forward?

Beloveds, it’s a strange time, isn’t it? I don’t even mean the outcome of the election or the electoral college, I mean the ongoing aftermath. Regardless of whether or not your candidate won, it is likely that the whole thing feels vaguely gross. Like waking up someplace you should never have been, and now you …

Do Those on the Other Side Love Their Children Too?

Well here we are, caught in a maelstrom. The fear has never felt so intense, the fracture never so deep. Stephen Colbert said 50% of people on both sides feel terror of what the other side might do. Abject terror. Those who fervently voted for their candidate, and those who merely voted against the other …

The Slippery Slope… of Judgment!

Freeing Hearts to Love and Be Love.  By Susan Cottrell I’m a mom of 2 queer kids and 3 straight/cis kids. But tonight I speak to you as a pastor! Every day I fight to stop the damage inflicted on the LGBTQI community by parents and Christian conservatives. My name is Susan Cottrell, founder of …

LGBTQI: You Deserve to Love & be Loved! You Deserve to be Free!

Well, here you are! You're gay or bi or lesbian or transgender or intersex or queer in some way or other. You may be or agender or pansexual. Or you may not yet be sure what the heck is going on! I understand. I really do. You may even be in a straight marriage and …

Are You the Parent of an LGBTQ Child? You Are Not Alone.

“Mom, I’m Gay!” You want to shove those words back in and put the lid on. But you can’t. Having a gay or trans child may may go against everything you’ve been taught. It was not what you had in mind, and you instantly wonder where you went wrong. When you become a parent, you …

Coming Out to Christian Parents

If you are LGBTQI, coming out to your Christian parents and family can be overwhelming. You don't know their response until you tell them... and then it's too late. I hope this article, written with a gay friend, will help. Be honest This is the most fundamental piece of advice, and also the most important. It …

My Daughter… the Wise, Wonderful Heretic!

“If the you of five years ago doesn’t consider the you of today a heretic, you are not growing spiritually.” — Thomas Merton My delightful daughter Hannah, whose AMAZING coming out post we ran last year, has written another great post on her Facebook page. She is always thought-provoking and I just had to share …

Eat, Pray, Love Who You Love. Elizabeth Gilbert Comes Out.

I love how Elizabeth Gilbert - the bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love - came out today about her relationship with Rayya: she just came out. Not gigantic fanfare, just a Facebook post saying, this is our relationship. She came out now because Rayya has cancer, and they want to be able to walk in a …

Does Christian Scripture Really Condemn Homosexuality? (Hell No!)

Rejection, shunning, condemnation, ridicule, bullying, all in the name of God. If you are LGBTQ, or the parent of an LGBTQ child, or anyone who is affirming and including, you have likely been on the receiving end of this kind of treatment. And worse. Does such treatment have anything to do with God?  No, not …

A Boy in a Tutu, a Mom, and the Scary Words of a Stranger

"My son wears tutus. It was fine... until yesterday!" This is the story of the innocence of a child, the love of a Mom, and the scary, hurtful words of a stranger. Unfortunately, it is a situation repeated on a tragically frequent basis. Is it hate? Ignorance? Misguided interference? You decide. I will let Jen, …

As a Person of Faith, I Fully Accept and Affirm LGBTQ

“You’re a Christian! How can you support LGBTQ people and gay marriage? Don’t you realize you are condoning sin? You are leading people into hell!” This is Rob Cottrell, Susan’s husband, and I have heard it all! Multiple times a day from strangers. Frequently from people who claim to be friends. And more than I …

To Worried Parents of LGBTQ Children

I write today to Christian parents of LGBTQ children who are worried about their kids. Struggling with this whole thing. From a Mom's heart to yours. Easter is the day Christians celebrate new life in a risen Savior. It’s a day to think about crucifixion and resurrection. What God is calling us to do versus …

Would Unconditional Love Change Things?

It's women’s gymnastics time again! It is my favorite Olympic event, of all time, period. I feel the adrenaline as I watch them. Those young women perform skills so hard they shouldn't be possible! They work years to develop their ability--and they make it look easy! Consider the balance beam: the commentator says the gymnast's boldness is …

It’s Baaack! The Nightmare of Ex-Gay Reparative Therapy

So-called “reparative therapy” is in the news again! Yippee! Nevermind that those who have been through it report the horrific abuse involved, the lifelong scars sustained, the devastating self-loathing that results. Don't worry that the medical and psychiatric community has decried it as not only failed as a practice that doesn't deliver the hope-for result of a …

A Letter from Susan

In our post yesterday, we reminded you of our new FreedHearts website. I sure hope you visit us. I wanted to write a personal letter here on our WordPress blog - just to share my heart, my vision and my hope. If you are in the evangelical church, or if you are in the LGBTQ …

NEW Website, Books and Resources!

We wanted to let you know that all the information about FreedHearts, details of Susan Cottrell's books, other key programs, and all of our resources are now located at our new website! Visit the main Susan Cottrell FreedHearts website at: http://freedhearts.org Email us at freedhearts@gmail.com Our mailing address is: P.O. Box 8161, Austin, TX 78713-8161