We all have our lessons to learn and I’d like to share mine today. When I got up this morning, my day was set and I was ready. An awesome church service (because there has never been one that wasn’t) followed by a possible short lunch with my BFF here in Austin and then boom – the rest of the day I was going to spend working on my book. Sundays are my writing days and I was ready. Read more “Little Whiney Me”
Some of you are aware that I’m writing a book. Most of you know me pretty well, but there are some of you who don’t. It would really be thoughtful of me as the author to at least meet the expectations of the reader created by the title and cover.
So I need your help, I’d like to know based just on the working title of my book (and this make-shift cover) 1. Would you even be interested in picking it up to check it out if you ran across it in a bookstore or on Amazon? 2. What would you expect to read in the book? 3. What would you HOPE I include in this book? I’m about halfway done and now is a good time to get this kind of feedback.
The working title is “The Church Almost Killed Me, Thank God!” (How I survived being Christian, Conservative and Transgender)
Feel free to comment below or you can email me at Laurie@TransfiguredHearts.com or message me on Facebook. Thank you. I so appreciate your taking the time to do this!
A SPECIAL TREAT and guest blogger for you this time. Pastor Sharon Bollum is a FRIEND, a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and my spiritual mom who lives in California (don’t blame her – California needs saving too and someone has to live there to get the job done.) Growing up life wasn’t always easy for her and even as an she adult has faced challenges that would shake the faith of most of us. But God has richly blessed her with an UNSHAKABLE faith and as a result with a special wisdom that I’ve found speaks at a level that’s well… REAL. Don’t treat this as just a “scan it and forget it” post. It’s so good I asked her for permission to post it to my site, because it also expresses my heart how we as Christians (including me) need to do better – MUCH better. Read more “It’s Time for a Family Talk – A Bonus Guest Writer!!!”
It starts with saying “hi”. You see them again a few days or weeks later and you say “oh, hi again – I’m sorry but what was your name again? Oh great – so glad to see you again!” No one can explain the connection, but it’s there and yet you don’t think much beyond “that’s a nice person.” You might not see them again for many more weeks or even months, but you see them again and then you say “hi, so good to see you again, let’s have lunch sometime and get better acquainted.”
This is how that very vague bridge between acquaintances and friendship starts. Today was one of those “God” days for me – and it was NOTHING like the above. Read more “When Acquaintances Become Friends and God is just well—God”
The other day I inadvertently sent a link from my TransfiguredHearts.com website to a client of mine. About half an hour later I realized what I had just done, and after a several more moments of panic, she responded back Read more “It is NOT the Job of the Church to Drive People Away from God!”
You read that right – my pinky toe. And to be specific – the pinky toe on my right foot. You might be trying to think ahead and are imagining me stubbing my toe against something, or maybe I dropped something heavy (like a hammer) on it and the ensuing pain led to some brilliant revelation that I’m about to tickle your brain with.
Well you’re wrong. No pain inducing events involving my little pinky toe are the catalyst for these words. What I’m talking about is a dreaded form of clinodactyly. Oh the horror you say? More likely your thinking “what on earth is clinodactyly”? Read more “What I Learned From My Pinky Toe”
I’d like to introduce you to my brother (whom I’ve never met) from another mother in New York, Andy Hill. He attends a church called Forefront, and recently they made a video of him telling his story about the church. What he shared about feeling unconditionally loved AND unconditionally accepted at his church is my goal for shall we say the more conservative evangelical churches and their Christian brothers and sisters who are transgender. I share a similar story with him, and totally identify when he talks about how he wouldn’t have been able to share his pain with churches he had attended in the past. That should make Christians at those churches and all churches like that pause and beg God for forgiveness, that someone – a Christian brother who was hurting didn’t feel safe or welcomed enough to come to them. Many in the church are uncomfortable with the subject – I get it. But that doesn’t mean it’s right or ok, and part of my goal with this site is to gently and lovingly get people to think about what they believe to be from God, and does it line up with what we as Christians are supposed to do, love and accept one another. Replace gay with transgender in the video and there you have my heart. Well said Andy!
I read an article by a Pastor in Michigan who used that word in describing other Christians who didn’t accept their transgender brothers and sisters. She accused them of CHOOSING fear and hate rather than love and compassion. In my eye, she’s just as ignorant as those Christians she accuses of fear and hate.
It’s ignorance about WHY someone is transgender that makes people uncomfortable Read more “Christians Opposed to Transgender People Don’t Automatically HATE!”
(I’ve omitted my personal information, everything else is exactly as I literally MAILED it TODAY to the Governor.)
Dear Governor Abbot,
I live in Lakeway. I’m politically conservative (I voted for you and Ted Cruz), I’ve been a conservative Christian all my life and attend and serve at one of the churches responsible for the Good Friday event at the Erwin Center, and I’m transgender.
I’m NOT an activist. I have a small computer repair business. My clients don’t know I’m transgender. A few pastors at church know I’m transgender (because I didn’t want it to ever be an issue) but no one in the membership knows. I’m very private about it, writing you is well – unusual to say the least. Read more “My Letter to the Governor of Texas over the BATHROOM Issue”
I think about my parents every now and then. I wouldn’t say often – maybe a few times a month.
Fortunately I often FORGET that I’m getting pretty close to 60 years old. I certainly don’t feel it and HOPE I don’t look it.
But thank God for public education in the 60’s I CAN DO MATH! My parents are just about 80. All my grandparents passed away in their early 80’s. I sometimes cry (ok – yes like now) when I think about the possibility of either of them passing away and never ever speaking again. It’s always been a hope of mine that we could at some time reunite in some way – in ANY way. Read more “My Parents are Alive but, well? …I Don’t Know”