Flowers for the Living

It was a big day nonetheless. Graduating from seminary, I enjoyed family and friends here to celebrate, and so many more cheering me on from afar. I felt loved, valued, appreciated, seen, and heard! Gifts and well wishes rained down from Mamas in FreedHearts Moms, my secret online support group. I received many more wishes …

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

Jesus Blog: Let Your True Colors Come Out

This is a special Jesus Blog post for National Coming Out Day! Please grasp the heart of this message, but please keep yourself safe. You know your situation. Do not do anything rash that could put you (or your situation) in danger. If you are in that kind of circumstance, but feel like it is …

Dear Susan: Are Gays God’s Second-Best?

Too many in the non-affirming church say this type of thing... Gays are just born 'broken', a result of sin, family curse, tendencies that are not 'God's ideal.'  Gays can't help it - but they need to be 'fixed.' People have no idea how deeply offensive this is and how contrary to the truth and …

Into The Second Closet: Christian Parents With Gay Children

"If these young people, in moments of exhaustion or anger or complete desperation, do share that deepest of secrets with their Christian parents, and even if those parents do choose not to disown them or expel them, something else happens almost instantly; the whole family goes into the closet together; into a second hiding." We have …

The Son God Gave Me

"My child's struggle to figure out who he was called everything I believed into question. With my strong faith and lots of soul-searching, the answers finally became clear." We have been blessed to meet and get to know many transgender people and their families since we began our journey as parents of a gay child, …

Jesus Blog: God Has No Expectations of You

More today from my Saturday “Jesus Blog” – a word from Jesus to you… There is nothing you can do to disappoint God, and there is nothing you can do to make God love you more. God loves you. Regardless of how well you think you are behaving. Regardless of how well others think you …

Dear Susan: What About Sleepovers?

As parents of LGBTQ children, sometimes we are just starting to be at peace with our child coming out and they drop a bomb on us that the love in their life wants to sleep over! Okey dokey then. Something else to deal with. It's all part of this journey of growth, trust and unconditional …

Is Jesus a Threat to Christianity?

This is Rob, Susan’s husband, and something is heavy on my heart today. Susan has been betrayed by those closest to her. She has written about how she has been judged, how her faith has been questioned. She has talked about people who tell us we are leading people into hell, and people who shun …

Do They Call You ‘Different’?

Do people make you feel like you're different because you're LGBTQ? Maybe you're the parent of a child who has been called 'different' because they are gay. I want to share a story you might relate to. 🙂 I’m a single man, going on thirty-three Folks are probably wondering if there’s something wrong with me …

The God of the Gays

I've been thinking of you – as I always do! – and the oppression of being told to live in a way it's not possible for you to live. (I'm talking about being told to somehow live straight when you're gay.) What a day-in day-out grind it is to live contrary to who you are, as you …

Jesus Blog: It is a Lie. I Have No Part In That.

More today from my Saturday “Jesus Blog” – a word from Jesus to you… God may be leading you to love like you have never loved before. To love people you have been taught to reject and even hate. That's a wonderful thing. God is love. But many people - in my name - have …

Dear Susan: Does My Gay Son Have a Reprobate Mind?

"Does my gay son need to come back to a normal life? Did God give him a reprobate mind because of bad influences? Is my gay son condemned by God and will he face God's judgment?" I hear these questions a lot and I look forward to addressing them today. I write Dear Susan posts …

Until My Knees Buckle & My Arms Fail

"We will not patronize, exclude, or ignore the gifts of any person, male or female, gay or straight, young or old. We declare solidarity with the poor, and with all who are suffering, oppressed, or excluded." This was an affirmation prayer that was part of a recent church service. I, along with so many others, …

Back to Square One – The Perfect Place

Rob and I were having dinner with friends, a couple who are parents of a gay child. The Dad said, "I grew up where life was sort of gray, meaning I could see everyone's point of view. Then we began to go to bible studies, and church and my world became very black and white. …

If I Have Gay Children: Four (or 5!) Promises From A Christian Pastor/Parent

We talk with countless Christian parents of LGBTQ children - many just after their child has come out to them. It was usually not something the parent had thought about or prepared for. And their initial reaction can have a life-changing impact on their child. This is Rob, Susan's husband, writing today. 🙂 This article, …

Jesus Blog: The Time is Now

More today from my Saturday “Jesus Blog” – a word from Jesus to you… I never told anyone to write down the things I said when I was here. I never told anyone to start a religion in my name. I told people to love God and love others. And I told people to follow …

Dear Susan: Is Christianity Selfish?

I write Dear Susan posts every Friday. Sometimes they will be poignant, sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes tender, sometimes funny… but hopefully always worth the read.  🙂 Dear Susan, Christianity is all about being selfless. (Or is it?) The thing that they market the most is how life will be better after you ‘choose Jesus.’ “How much …

Love Yourself Hard

My darling friend (codename Salarcon) is consistently more joyful than many of us put together. She has her struggles, as do all of us, but she has an incredible peace in the midst of those struggles, as do few of us. She is also a Poetry Slam Goddess and host of a new YouTube poetry program, …