Lift + Love

By Allison Dayton and the Lift and Love TeamSociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Parenting Kids & Family

Lift + Love episodes

May 26 "Why People Are Leaving the Church—and What We Can Learn" (with Jeff Strong) Episode 70
"Why People Are Leaving the Church—and What We Can Learn" (with Jeff Strong) Episode 70
Allison Dayton and Darice Auston interview Jeff Strong (former senior executive at P&G and Johnson & Johnson and former leader of a service-oriented LDS mission with his wife Sarah) about his book "Torn: Why People We Love Are Leaving the Church and What We Can Learn From Them", based on surveys of over 15,000 Church members. Strong emphasizes that stepping away is deeply personal and often involves long, sincere wrestling, then outlines four primary reasons: lifestyle (6%), church history/truth claims (42%), social positions and moral conflict (33%), and church experience (18%). He argues a “fifth wave”—church culture—can relieve or worsen these tensions, using a “soil” metaphor balancing protection/stability with nourishment, and notes unhealthy correction/containment increases the likelihood of leaving. He shares stories highlighting LGBTQ+ pain and belonging, estimates about 40% of formerly active members have stepped away over 25 years, and describes the need to openly discuss these conflicts.

Learn more about Jeff Strong: https://www.tornbyjeffstrong.com/about
Find his book "Torn - Why People We Love Are Leaving the Church and What We Can Learn From Them" here
Find the video version of this episode of the Lift+Love podcast here
Find resources, support meetings, events, and community (including free 13 different types of online support meetings for LGBTQ+ and those who love them) on the Lift+Love website here

53 min
May 12Parenting Trans Kids - We have a Lot of Work to Do (with Ingrid Smith) Lift+Love Podcast Episode #69
Parenting Trans Kids - We have a Lot of Work to Do (with Ingrid Smith) Lift+Love Podcast Episode #69
Episode Hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston interview Toronto-based Ingrid Smith, parent of a 28-year-old trans daughter (and a coach for parents of trans and non-binary kids), whose no-nonsense, compassionate approach has built a devoted following on Instagram @thewayforward4parents
In this episode:
Why parents need their own space to process their emotions — separate from their kids
What to do (and avoid) when your child first comes out
How to navigate family photos, old memories, and your own grief
The inner resistance many parents feel and why it doesn't make you a bad parent
Gender affirming care: what the data actually says
The unique complications for parents in faith communities
How to differentiate between God and institution (when they feel like the same thing)
00:00 Meet Ingrid Smith
02:14 Ingrid’s Story and Mission
04:56 Why Parents Need Support
08:04 What Not to Say
09:27 Repair and Rebuild Trust
11:36 Photos Memories and Pronouns
14:37 Finding a Win Win
18:56 Coaching Scope and Boundaries
20:51 Common Parent Concerns
21:26 Parental Resistance
21:47 Silence and Denial
22:50 HRT Fears and Confusion
23:39 Choice Versus Identity
26:20 Risk Data and Detransition
27:47 Faith and Gender History
30:16 Church Community Backlash
33:14 Repairing Faith Wounds
37:05 Differentiating God and Institution

Connect with Ingrid:
Follow Ingrid on Instagram @thewayforward4parents
The Way Forward Coaching Website
Get Ingrid's newsletter for parents of LGBTQ+ kids
Access free resources for parents of LGBTQ+ kids
Blog | The Way Forward
Watch Ingrid on Real Talk with Dr. Lulu
Find the video version of this episode of the Lift+Love podcast here
Find the transcript of this episode of the Lift+Love podcast here
Find resources, support meetings, events, and community (including free online support meetings for parents of trans/nonbinary kids) on the Lift+Love website here
41 min
May 05 Navigating LGBTQ+ Family and Faith (with Liz Simmons) Lift+Love Podcast Episode 68 (Mom Series)
Episode 68- Navigating LGBTQ Family and Faith (with Liz Simmons)
In this Mom Series episode of the Lift+Love podcast, episode hosts Allison Dayton and Jenie Hunter interview Liz Simmons, a lifelong church member in California and mother of three adult children, whose son came out as bisexual nearly four years ago and is now married to a man. Liz describes choosing not to lose her son or her faith, learning to claim personal spiritual authority, and navigating grief and triggers at church—especially language that makes her feel her family is “aced out.” She shares both the love and support she has experienced in her ward and painful moments when others say she is “getting ahead of the prophet” for hoping for change, including an incident involving her father, a temple sealer. Liz emphasizes assuming good intent, seeking support, reading The Sin of Certainty, and trusting God, while her husband’s steady faith has anchored her through ongoing “good sadness.”
00:00 Meet Liz Simmons
00:44 Her Son Comes Out
01:23 Faith And Dissonance
03:44 Church Triggers
04:19 Ahead Of Prophet
07:42 Making Space For Hope
10:16 Good Intent And Empathy
11:27 Grief In The Pew
13:04 Good Sadness
14:24 A Leader's Counsel
16:21 Superstar Grandparents
19:59 Letting Go Of Control
21:04 Rebuilding Trust
23:43 Finding Peace Together
25:03 Spiritual Authority Grows
26:27 Compassion For Pushback
27:55 Normalize Nonlinear Healing
28:03 Inclusion Versus Doctrine
29:06 Advice To New Parents
29:45 Books And Safe Support
31:01 Marriage Coping Styles
32:27 Grace With Son In Law
33:35 Enjoy What Is
34:51 A Community With No Handbook

Find the video version of this episode here
Find the transcript of this episode here
Find resources, support meetings, events, and community on the Lift+Love website here

39 min
April 28 A Conversation with David Archuleta - Lift+Love Podcast Episode 67
A Conversation with David Archuleta - Lift+Love Podcast Episode 67
Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation and mental health struggles. If you or someone you love is in crisis, please don't wait - reach out to the 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling (or texting) 9-8-8
What does it cost to be the “good Mormon boy” when the Church’s vision of you doesn’t have room for who you actually are? In this episode, Lift+Love team members Allison Dayton (Founder) and Darice Auston sit down with recording artist and American Idol alumnus David Archuleta — whose journey from being a self-described “poster boy” for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to coming out as gay and eventually leaving his faith - has resonated deeply with LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and their families around the world.

David shares what it was like as a youth and young adult to lean on the Church’s teachings to minimize feelings he was consistently told were wrong — and what it finally took to stop. He speaks candidly about faith, identity, the cost of silence, and the unexpected freedom that came from telling the whole story — including in his recent memoir, Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself. This is a conversation about what it means to be loved fully, to grieve a community, and to find yourself on the other side.

In this episode:
• David’s experience navigating faith and sexuality as a public figure in the LDS community
• His belief that there is a way to be more inclusive of LGBTQ people while still honoring deeply held religious beliefs
• What he wants families, leaders, and allies to understand about the LGBTQ members still sitting in their pews

Find the video version of this episode on our Youtube channel here
Find resources, support meetings, events, and community for LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints and their parents, relatives, friends, allies, and leaders on the Lift+Love website: www.liftandlove.org

More about David Archuleta:
EP Features Music Inspired by His New York Times Bestselling Memoir DEVOUT - Losing My Faith To Find Myself – here
Listen to Sample of “Old & Young” HERE
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 18, 2026 - DEVOUT, is an instant New York Times Bestseller while also dominating the top spot on Amazon’s Pop Artist Biographies and Popular Music Books charts.
Good Morning America - Here
Rolling Stone - Here
People magazine - Here
Entertainment Tonight - Here
Queerty - Here
Spin Magazine - Here
Sherri Shepherd Show - Here
USA Today: Here
"At just seventeen, David Archuleta rose to national fame as the runner-up on American Idol season seven, captivating millions with his angelic voice. Behind the scenes, however, he was struggling with a truth he feared would destroy everything: he was attracted to men—and a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In DEVOUT, David takes you inside his deeply personal journey as a closeted Mormon teen turned international pop star, torn between faith, fame, and identity. From dealing with the pressures of being on a hit television show to a domineering father who controlled every aspect of his career—even being banned from the show’s set—David reveals the emotional abuse and inner turmoil that he says plagued his childhood.
This searing memoir reflects on David’s ventures with American Idol, a tour with Demi Lovato, and a two-year sabbatical as a missionary in South America, charting his path through heartbreak, estrangement, three engagements, thoughts of suicide, and finally, his courageous decision to leave the Mormon Church in order to live authentically as a queer man. Featuring never-before-seen photos, DEVOUT is a must-read for fans of pop culture, American Idol, and anyone deconstructing their religious upbringing, or who’s ever wrestled with who they are versus who they’re told to be."
“A lot of people who saw teenage David on TV thought they knew me. In DEVOUT, I share that there was a lot more going on behind the scenes than many realized—with me, with my family, and with the show. I had to recondition almost everything I learned or was taught to believe, and that process can be challenging. This is a story about finding courage within yourself during your absolute darkest moment to persevere and become who you truly are.”
In addition, David will also release a 3-song EP here of new music written specifically about themes in the book. With DEVOUT, David delivers one of his most intimate and vocally powerful projects to date. The DEVOUT EP serves as a musical companion to his memoir, capturing the emotional in-between of deconstruction, healing, and self-acceptance. Stripped back and raw, the songs place David’s voice front and center as he takes us on the journey of accepting “you don't have to be perfect and that you are human.”
The focus track, “Old and Young,” captures the “state of limbo you feel you're in after going through a big life change.” Through rich, dynamic vocals, David explores the challenge of starting over- feeling older yet newly inexperienced.
DEVOUT is a deeply personal chapter in David’s artistry, and ultimately showcases a voice that can bring both honesty and hope.
David shares more on the Devout EP - "Since this book is looking back at the prequel of my life as it is for me today, I wanted to go back to the feel of how I approached music as a young musician trying to figure out himself, and how younger David approached his life or felt like he had to approach his life with music. The songs are a bit more raw, more vocally focused, and really about telling the story to complement the story I tell in my memoir. The focus track from the EP is “Old and Young” HERE – “Old and Young” is a song about the state of limbo you feel you're in after going through a big life change. We don't see things the same way as we once did. You've gotten so much older but yet are starting a completely new chapter of life so you feel like a baby in terms of experience and knowing what to do. In the process you realize you don't have to be perfect and that you are human.”
On Season 7 of American Idol, David Archuleta made over 30 million television viewers swoon with his angelic voice, ultimately winning runner-up on the show at the age of seventeen. His journey has included turning out multiple platinum-selling hits, achieving global acclaim as a live performer, becoming a New York Times Bestselling author and emerging as an undeniable fixture on the pop-culture scene. Since his first single “Crush,” he has released eight studio albums, twenty-four singles, and twenty-one music videos. Hit singles “Crème Brulée” and “Hell Together” have marked a striking evolution and new chapter for David as an artist and creative entrepreneur while continuing to expand his audience globally. Having grown up as a poster child for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, David struggled to be his true self and didn’t come out as queer until 2021. He now advocates for members of the LGBTQ+ community. He lives in Los Angeles, California.
#gallerybooks
#simonandschuster
#devoutdavidarchuleta
Follow David Here:
TikTok 1.3M Followers + 22M Likes
Instagram 812K Followers
Facebook 3.4M Followers
YouTube 902k Subscribers
Spotify 2.7M monthly listeners
Twitter 1.1M Followers
37 min
April 21 Gender Diversity (with Dr. Lisa M. Diamond) PART 2 - Best Practices for Parents of Gender Diverse Kids Ep. 66
Lift+Love podcast episode 66 - "Gender Diversity" with Dr. Lisa M. Diamond (part 2 - Best Practices for Parents of Gender Diverse Kids)

In this episode of the Lift+Love podcast, episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston are back with Dr. Lisa M. Diamond, professor of developmental psychology, health psychology and gender studies at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on sexual orientation development and sexual identity.

In part two of a discussion with Dr. Lisa Diamond, the hosts talk about the fear and confusion many parents experience when a child discloses gender diversity and emphasize that loving and protecting a child is a parental instinct, not an ideology. Dr. Diamond encourages parents to thank children for trusting them and to focus on connection and safety, noting research that 50–70% of gender-diverse children report lack of family affirmation. She shares the “LEAD” framework: Let your affection show, Express your pain/confusion away from your child, Avoid rejecting behaviors (including subtle cues), and Do good you can.

00:00 Podcast Mission
00:48 Gender Diversity History
01:39 Parents In The Deep End
02:44 Love And Protect First
04:19 Love Without Ideology
06:49 Thank Them For Trust
07:57 Why Affirmation Matters
09:16 LEAD Let Affection Show
12:51 LEAD Express Pain Elsewhere
15:54 Lifelong Adjustment
18:05 LEAD Avoid Rejection
20:48 Grace And Do Good

link to the map of gender-diverse cultures mentioned in this episode:
https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/content/two-spirits_map-html/

Find the video version and transcript of this podcast on the Lift+Love website www.liftandlove.org/podcast
24 min
April 14 Gender Diversity (with Dr. Lisa M. Diamond) PART 1 Ep 65
Lift+Love podcast episode 65 - "Gender Diversity" with Dr. Lisa M. Diamond (part 1)

In this episode of the Lift+Love podcast, episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston welcome Dr. Lisa M. Diamond, professor of developmental psychology, health psychology and gender studies at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on sexual orientation development and sexual identity.

Diamond explains that the “right” term is what a family member prefers and describes why LGBTQ+ letters have expanded as cultural awareness and research have recognized more diversity. The conversation highlights how distress comes from societal expectations, how culture shapes brains through early learning and ongoing neuroplasticity, and why parents can add new understanding over time (including with pronouns). Diamond distinguishes assigned sex/gender at birth from complex biological sex, outlining multiple layers of sexual differentiation, and explains increases in Gen Z identification as a knowledge and category-expansion effect, accelerated by internet access, not “social contagion,” encouraging parents to learn with and from their kids.

Part 2 of this conversation (episode 66) is available now!

Find the video version and transcript of this podcast on the Lift+Love website www.liftandlove.org/podcast
39 min
April 07 Can I support LGBTQ & Still Have a Temple Recommend? Ep 64

Episode 64 - Can I Support LGBTQ Loved Ones & Still Hold A Temple Recommend?
In this episode, Allison Dayton* and Jenie Hunter** tackle one of the most common questions they hear from parents with gay children (and from other relatives and friends who want to be supportive): Can I support my child, gay marriage, or LGBTQ people and still qualify for a temple recommend in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
They introduce the topic by naming the tension many feel between showing love and support for LGBTQ loved ones and concerns that they have based on the questions that may come up in a temple recommend interview, setting the stage for a deeper conversation about what support can look like in that context.

00:00 Intro
00:03 Temple Recommend Interviews
00:05 Supporting LGBTQ Loved Ones
00:14 Can I Support Gay Marriage?

*Allison Dayton is the founder of the Lift+Love organization, original Lift+Love podcast co-host, and the parent of an LGBTQ+ child.
**Jenie Hunter is an original Lift+Love podcast co-host, LCS certified life coach, and parent of an LGBTQ+ child.
Lift+Love website www.liftandlove.org
Connect With Us: Call the Lift+Love voicemail line (801) 382-8420 to share ideas for topics you’d like us to discuss in future episodes.
Tags: #LGBTQ #LDS #Mormon #ParentingLGBTQ #Faith #Family #TransYouth #ChurchOfJesusChrist #QueerFaith #LiftAndLove
29 min
March 31 For Little Saints - Retelling Scripture Stories for Families- Lift+Love Podcast episode #63
Lift+Love Podcast episode 63 "Josh and Sarah Sabey - Retelling Scripture Stories for Families with Beauty, Honesty, and Heart"

"Real stories about a real God who loves real people"
Episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston interview authors and filmmakers Josh and Sarah Sabey about their For Little Saints scripture storybooks and accompanying podcast, created to help families connect more deeply with God and scripture by telling Bible and Book of Mormon stories as meaningful narratives for both children and adults. They share their background -meeting at BYU, their original idea to humanize characters like Laman and Lemuel, and their process of writing a story a week, starting as blog posts that later became books despite early publisher rejections. They discuss handling difficult topics by focusing on what serves the story rather than sensational details (e.g., omitting “basket of arms”) and addressing issues like polygamy clearly but thoughtfully. They describe collaborative drafting and editing, debates over tone (e.g., Noah), staying close to the text while exploring overlooked possibilities (e.g., Lot’s wife), and their goal to preserve scripture’s beauty, grace, and “shared story” power. They are working on a New Testament storybook and note their children as a test audience.

00:00 Meet Josh and Sarah
01:41 How They Met
02:09 Storybook Origin
04:00 From Blog to Book
05:19 Stories for Families
06:06 Handling Hard Topics
08:40 Reframing Lot’s Wife
13:42 Talking Polygamy Honestly
16:47 Writing Process Together
18:01 When They Disagree
19:05 Editing for Kids
19:47 Is This Midrash
22:33 Stories Not Puzzles
24:45 Scripture as Revelation
27:01 Claiming Personal Authority
30:34 Saving the Old Testament
33:21 Whats Next Projects
34:55 Why Stories Stick
37:04 Kids as Test Audience

Find the books at http://forlittlesaints.com
Find the For Little Saints podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripture-stories-for-little-saints/id1833375451
Find them on social media @forlittlesaints

Video version of this episode available here: https://youtu.be/Ax1vnENgeAg?si=MLvRM1_WOmTWm_D6

Transcript of this episode available here: www.liftandlove.org/podcast
39 min
March 24 What if General Conference is Difficult? Lift+Love Podcast Ep#62
Episode 62 - What if General Conference is Difficult? (with thegeneralconferenceproject)
**content warning - brief mentions of loss of a child, military-related PTSD, and general statements about faith transitions, anxiety/depression and the hurt that people may feel because of the messages they hear from church leaders**
Episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston are joined by Lynell and Kendall Rogers, the mother-daughter duo behind the @thegeneralconferenceproject Instagram account, which has been providing inclusive real-time updates about General Conference on social media during all sessions since 2021.
Lynell Rogers is the social media manager for Lift+Love. She and her daughter Kendall (now a master’s student at George Washington University) created @thegeneralconferenceproject on Instagram. Even though they only post 2 weekends a year, @thegeneralconferenceproject has grown a significant following of 8000 subscribers, with an incredible 1 million post views in October 2025.
While Lynell was seeking out resources that could be recommended in a Lift+Love post about preparing for General Conference, Kendall recommended social media accounts that do updates about the Confernece, but they were unable to find any. What started as an effort to fill that need for Christ-centered content and quotes from the Conference in a safe and inclusive place, @thegeneralconferenceproject has evolved into brief summaries of each talk and announcement, with careful notes about potentially sensitive topics, which many followers (who often don’t listen to the conference sessions live) use to help them determine if a talk will be helpful for them.
Why would anyone be anxious about listen to General Conference? Why would someone need a heads-up about the content of a talk? They discuss how uncertainty and past hurt can contribute to a stressful conference experience and how the project helps reduce anxiety, support lesson planning, and allow participation in accessible ways. They emphasize compassion, curiosity, and keeping people connected to each other and Christ.

Meet Lynell and Kendall
How They Connected
Why Start the General Conference Project
How It Has Evolved
Understanding Conference Anxiety
Representation and Inclusion
How to Use the Resource
Christlike Curiosity and Empathy
Gratitude
Join Lynell and Kendall every General Conference weekend (during all sessions) on Instagram @thegeneralconference.com
Learn more about Lynell on the Lift+Love website here
or contact her at [email protected]

The Faith Matters podcast episode that Allison references (re: central nervous system crisis) is When Your Faith Breaks (with Tucker Boyle)

Find the transcript of this episode here: www.liftandlove.org/podcast
Find the video version of this episode on our Youtube channel here
Find resources, support meetings, events, and community on the Lift+Love website here: www.liftandlove.org
34 min
March 17 Holy Saturday - with Dr Ben Schilaty - Lift+Love Podcast Episode #61
**content warning - description of witnessing a medical emergency that was thought to be the death of a parent, mourning the death of a parent, Alzheimers disease**

Social work professor and therapist Dr. Ben Schilaty joins episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston on the Lift+Love podcast to discuss the concept of Holy Saturday—the silent, uncertain day between Good Friday and Easter—and how it mirrors unresolved grief and waiting for redemption. Ben shares a painful experience visiting his mother with advanced Alzheimers, and how that crisis led him to reflect on “loss that has not yet found resolution,” learning to hold present pain alongside hope in Christ’s resurrection. After his mother later passed away, he describes unexpected sorrow and healing moments. The hosts connect Holy Saturday’s stillness and uncertainty to faith journeys in the LGBTQ Latter day Saint space, emphasizing trusting God, and navigating ongoing tensions around belonging, church policies, and romantic relationships.

00:00 Meet Ben Schilaty
01:28 What Is Holy Saturday
03:58 Ben's Mother
07:24 Quote That Clicked
08:59 Holding Pain And Hope
10:42 After Mom Passed
13:08 Grief Surprises
15:16 Lessons In Uncertainty
16:32 Trusting Gods Plan
19:34 Faith Beyond Certainty
21:31 Trust God Moments
22:59 Belonging and Warmth
24:50 Liberty Jail Stillness
27:13 Cherry Tree Tension
29:13 Actively Single Choice
31:55 Eternal Hope in Christ
34:11 Alzheimers and Resurrection
36:49 Trust When Dark

Find more information about Dr. Ben Schilaty on his website here

Ben's book "A Walk in My Shoes" is available in the Lift+Love online store here

"The Sin of Certainty" by Peter Enns is available here

Find the transcript of this episode here: www.liftandlove.org/podcast
Find resources, support meetings, events, and community on the Lift+Love website here: www.liftandlove.org
35 min

About Lift + Love

From the publisher's feed

The Lift+Love podcast is rooted in faith, family, and the conviction that all are alike unto God and that loving LGBTQ+ people is a calling to be embraced—not feared. Produced by the Lift+Love team, this podcast features topics relevant to Latter-day Saint LGBTQ+ individuals and their parents, relatives, friends, and others who are navigating this space with faith.

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