Just One Family

It would’ve been enough for this family to find peace. To come back home and go about their lives of quiet service. But they didn’t do that. They went home and started speaking up publicly for other LGBTQ+ Christians and their families in Sweden.

Choices

“Every conference, it’s the most common complaint – too many choices among the breakout sessions! And it’s true. We’ve tried every time to stop – to reduce the number of offerings for breakout sessions – but it’s impossible! Too many topics warrant our attention, and we want to address the needs of our attendees as much as we possibly can…” 

What My Parents Needed

“What my parents needed most was someone who could help them understand that these things they’d been taught to believe were not true – that being gay isn’t a choice and that they hadn’t caused me to be gay.

My parents needed someone who would listen to their feelings and help them navigate what was a very new and frightening territory for them.”

What the CenterPeace Conference is All About

“This passage from Luke’s gospel presents a core tenet of Jesus’s life and teachings – welcoming people who were on the margins, typically excluded by religious folk. Jesus didn’t stop with a simple welcome, radical as that might have been in his day. He didn’t just “allow” outsiders to be in his presence – he fully embraced them and extended the invitation to work right alongside him.”

A Rare Soul.

“At the height of the AIDS crisis when so many of our sons and brothers were dying, having been kicked out of families and ostracized from churches – this church was different.

…Because their preacher was different.”

Coming Out. A Quarter of a Century Later.

“It occurred to me driving on the ice that it would be so easy to just veer off the road, go through the guard rails and down into the ravine, hoping the car would just roll over and over and that I wouldn’t survive that tumble. Then I would never have to acknowledge that I was attracted to women. Never have to hurt and embarrass my family. Never have to experience the deep shame – deeper than I had already felt for years – of coming out to friends.”

Always Enough

“I knew for the first time that Mama had those same expectations that most every parent I’ve ever encountered has had – that someday she’d have a grandbaby to love on. But she never voiced that expectation to me.”

Pride

“And sometimes, when you haven’t heard the words, “I’m proud of you,” just for being you – from the ones you’re supposed to hear it from the most – it takes a whole month of parades and people around the world recognizing you to even begin to make up for the loss.”

High Hopes

 I had such high hopes for 2020. CenterPeace’s e3 Conference, traditionally held every other year, was scheduled for October of 2020. This conference was going to be extra special, not…

High Hopes

 I had such high hopes for 2020. CenterPeace’s e3 Conference, traditionally held every other year, was scheduled for October of 2020. This conference was going to be extra special, not…

REASON #9: The Documentaries

In our ongoing series of reasons why you should come to #e32020… What?! Did I hear you correctly?…Two feature-length documentaries are included when you register for e3?! No way… Yes,…

Coming to Terms…

When I came out nearly 22 years ago, the concept of “same-sex attraction” was very new to me. The only words I knew to describe the feelings I had been…

Let Me Show You A Story…

“I believe in the power of story. “Story is where we came from. Story is where we’re going. Story is what connects us and binds us to each other. It is…

Jesus & the Black-Eyed Pea

Happy New Year from CenterPeace! We’re looking forward to sharing more stories, new insights, and addressing questions from readers in 2018. If you have a question you’d like for us…

Losing Granddaughters

*Taking a short break from our series on language to address a recent episode of “The Story of Us” hosted by Morgan Freeman. We’ll get back to language next week.…

The “H” Word

I was in the fifth grade when I first heard the word ‘homosexual.’ One day at school I was sitting around with a group of my friends at the lunch…

Learning the Language

*First post in a series on language, so please be patient and know there’s much more to be said about LGBTQ language. We’ll take the conversation one step at a…

Waiting ’til College

This afternoon I’ll be speaking at my alma mater, in the auditorium where I took my first Bible class, a course in the New Testament, for college credit. Our professor…

Please Keep Talking

Today sons and daughters will come out to their parents. For the very first time they’ll tell their moms and dad about feelings they’ve most likely had for a long…

Fridays With Fathers

  Our last post of the summer series with parents comes from my pastor, Pat Bills, from the Highland Oaks Church in Dallas. Pat truly cares for the LGBTQ community…

Mondays with Moms

Every parent who’s shared a portion of his or her journey in this summer series knows that it’s just that – a portion. A very small portion. So many feelings…

Fridays with Fathers

I remember where I was standing the first time I talked to the dad who wrote this week’s post. I loved his heart then, and I love it even more…

Mondays with Moms

Here’s another beautiful story of the humility of a parent, willing to listen and learn from God, and from her daughter.  I grew up in the church. My father was…

Fridays with Fathers

The next contribution to our parent series this summer comes from one of my church leaders at the Highland Oaks Church of Christ in Dallas, or as we call them,…

Mondays With Moms

I was unprepared for the emotional whiplash I experienced when my son first told us he was “gay.” I had no idea how scared he was and how much courage it took…

Mondays With Moms

Thankful for the heart of another mom who loves her children fiercely. All of them. Here’s a new post from my friend, Dawn Domasig. Questions swirled in my head. Where…

Fridays With Family

Thank you to my friend, Keith Brenton, for the wonderful idea of “Fridays with Family” as a way of allowing family members to share their experiences with LGBTQ siblings, grandchildren,…

Mondays With Moms

Another beautiful account of the power of a mother’s love, from my friend, Darla. As you read, which thoughts or feelings expressed by this mom stand out to you? Junior…

Mondays with Moms

When we began this summer series with parents, I asked some of the moms and dad who have attended a CenterPeace PeacePrint Retreat for their help. It takes a lot…

Fridays with Fathers

WHY? Why did this happen? How did this happen? Why God? Why us? These were some of the many questions I anguished with when I found out in 2012 that…

Mondays With Moms

Start your week off right, with a reminder of God’s unconditional, unchanging love for us, through this mom’s fierce love for her son. Here’s a word from my friend, Gail…

Fridays with Fathers

The families I’ve encountered over the last eleven years of ministry who have navigated these waters most healthily are the ones who have opened themselves up to learn about something…

Mondays with Moms

Welcome to our summer series on the CenterPeace blog, featuring stories from moms of LGBTQ sons and daughters! Our first contribution from a mom comes from my friend, Liz Moore.…

Fridays With Fathers

Continuing with our guest series from fathers of LGBTQ daughters and sons on Fridays, here’s a post from my friend, Paul Mathis. Sometimes, I say the dumbest things. (According to…

Fridays With Fathers

For the rest of the summer we’ll be posting stories from parents of LGBTQ daughters and sons. On Mondays we’ll hear from moms and on Fridays, from fathers. Perhaps the…

Remembering Orlando

Today marks a year since the massacre at Pulse, a nightclub in Orlando. The first anniversary of the death of someone you love is a milestone. One of those markers…