GAY with GOD!

Jeremy is an amazing soul.  Although emotionally crushed while working with a corporate business, and struggling to find his place in the world, something divine happened.  Jeremy found his authentic self. 

That came at a price as his attempts at coming out did not go well.  He was hurt by the church and by a beloved family member.  He tried to please others until he realized that he had an inner calling that he had to follow.   

To find his authentic path to be a Spiritual Leader, Jeremy would experience many ”No’s” and some very scary ”HELL yes’s.” Jeremy realizes now that life is not a destination and he can embrace his own journey.

Two people living as cishet women meet in church and begin to sense a deeper connection during the time they spent together in their daily Bible Discipleship group. The attraction was Divinely magnetic and they found themselves being drawn together. Their story is one of bittersweetness as they are embraced and abandoned by family. They have taken that pain and formed a Where True Love Is Movement! LOVE is the key in the three most powerful ways, ”Love God, Love Your Neighbor, and LOVE Yourself.” Bonus Content in this episode is learning about Suzanne‘s book; Sex with God. You have to hear what that is about; it will surprise you!

What would you do when you were told that as a girl, if you followed your intuitions concerning your body that you were a ”whore” and should be stoned. If everything about your life made you feel a sense of debilitating ”self-loathing.” If your marriage was an abusive ”life sentence” and then your precious son died of cancer? For Stacy Morataya-Pilkington, she chose the path of the Phoenix! She kept rising up and stepping out into a life of authenticity and love. She made it through, along with a beautiful love story. Such an inspiring life that continues to rise!

Joey‘s mother told him, ”I don”t know you. My son died the 24th of April.” This, in response to the man he had become since indulging in drugs and alcohol and becoming a person that none of his family recognized. Joey was spinning out of control and needed an answer. One fateful night, he found himself in a very dangerous and traumatic experience. He never dealt with that night and dove deeper into his addiction. He admits he is ashamed and not proud of the things he did to continue to feed his addiction. At one point, he even asked his probation officer to get him into prison because he knew that was the only place that could save his life. Joey went from believing in God, feeling abandoned by God, and asked the question, ”Where the Hell was God and why didn‘t he save me?” He reports, ”I couldn‘t even find God in prison. Tune in to find out what seed was planted in Joey and why he, as a self proclaimed Agnostic who hated God, continues to search for God in his life.

Joey believed that God was real. He was raised in the Pentecostal/ Southern Baptist Churches. He was told by his family and his church that homosexuality was an abomination. His entire family used homophobic slurs about him and after coming out to his mom, she gave him the silent treatment. He did not grow up with his dad and when he did connect with him and came out to him, his dad told him he was ”Disgusting.” He felt that if, ”my own flesh and blood doesn‘t accept me.... how am I going to survive?” He was kicked out of the Navy after a year for being Gay. Joey went into a deep depression and addiction was a constant. He says, ”Alcohol was my religion.” Joey wants to want to believe. Will he get to the place that he can?

Alicia Brock grew up in the Midwest, in the 90‘s, during the height of the purity culture..... not in her wildest very bad dream would she believe she would be gay. SURPRISE! She made every effort to make her marriage last until the authentic pull was far too great. She had to walk away from God before she became determined to reclaim her relationship with God. She knew deep down, God loved her as she was. Now, if her family would believe that as well.

How can one person be so diverse? Joyce Hagen-McIntosh has a podcast: Books, Bible, Beer & Queer! She is also a comedian and a librarian! She came out to her parents, her father is a self proclaimed Agnostic and her mother is a proud to be for all of her life, Methodist. They were brilliant people and awesome parents; but still had questions. Her mom needed to clarify, ”Are you a guy?” ”Can you still talk to Jesus?” Joyce is a delightful and insightful person. She and her brother; almost put a period in their relationship after she first came out. But they live by the code: ”Don‘t put a period where God has put a comma.” What a wonderful conversation of being authentically you and living your most unique journey!

Karrie was called a ”TOM BOY” in school, baptized at 12 years old in the Baptist Church, and knew...”I was different.” For 14 years, Karrie tried not to be gay. She found Exodus International, ”and thought I found it!” She went to Exodus International Conferences, read every ”ex gay” book she could find, suppressed all her authentic feelings, and for a while, she thought God had change her. She was even a volunteer at Living Hope; as a counselor to help other people become straight. Then .... everything changed.

Chris had the 3 M‘s ..... She was Mormon, Married, and a Mom, until she didn‘t. Chris grew up in the Mormon Church of Latter-day Saints. She had some early thoughts that she might be gay, but could not allow herself to belief it after a13 year old boy, Charlie Howard, was murdered for being Gay. The people of the town, members of the church, and her family members joked about it and started calling it the Chuck-a-Queer Bridge. Chris realized for sure she was gay much later after her brother died and she needed inpatient care to heal. She resigned herself to living the next 17 years with her own truth until her children were grown; and then she planned to kill herself. Her story of resilience, compassion, and bravery is one that you will want to hear.

How do you go from being paid to memorize Bible verses to being a witch? Rachel has a diverse background, routed in seeking her authentic spirituality through Religious and Sexual assault. She has served children and families so that they can survive poverty and hunger. She is a mom who supports her daughter who identifies as Lesbian, and Rachel, recently came out as Bisexual after 39-40 years of living without understanding why at age 12 she was attracted to boys and girls.