Ryan makes his podcast debut as our first native Canadian on the show! He shares his unique living situation, splitting time in the big city and also a small town living in a house with his younger brother. Both Ryan and his brother are single men in their forties -- Ryan, queer; his brother, straight. How did this living situation in a faraway town come to be? Ryan tells us the story about "taking the long way" one day, along with his initial visceral reaction to the notion of living with his little brother for the first time since their youth. Ryan also shares about formerly living with a boyfriend when he was affirming, and his journey beyond spiritual turmoil to telling his testimony for more people to hear!

Do you live, or would you consider living as an adult with your adult sibling? What would be hard, and what could be beautiful?

• YOB ConvoCast 094

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• “Already Home” by Hills x Hills; 100% clearance through Musicbed.

Newcomer to the podcast but not to our community, longtime member Matt shares about his life in a celibate partnership with another man. He talks about splitting time in two locations to be close to his parents as well as his partner, with whom he co-owns a house. He shares openly how there was never any sort of road map to this particular kind of "Side B" journey, connecting with some other celibate couples over time. Matt shares the joys of hospitality with his partner, as well as some of the challenges of celibate partnership -- namely, translating the essence of his relationship to certain audiences, including secular friends and the workplace. Matt also shares his journey of becoming Eastern Catholic, finding a home in his faith amid his celibate partnership.

Are you in a celibate partnership? What are the joys and challenges of your relationship as you follow Jesus through it? Are you drawn to the notion of celibate partnership, or do you have questions, even fears about entering such a relationship that honors God?

• YOB ConvoCast 093

• Matt's "Life on Side B" podcast about celibate partnership

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• “Already Home” by Hills x Hills; 100% clearance through Musicbed.

Nhat makes his debut appearance! We celebrate his 1-year YOBiversary as he tells us his “at home” story of being married to his wife of the last four years. He shares the challenges of merging his wife’s family dynamic and his own into one new family and home, as well as the joys of complimenting one another and yearning for a better home together. We also dive into Nhat’s childhood as a “PK” or pastor’s kid and how that has impacted his faith journey, including his coming out experience at 21. How did coming out affect his parents, particularly his father, in an Asian culture often marked by honor and shame?

Are you married? What have been the joys and challenges of merging two homes into one? How have you handled your sexuality and masculinity in this new home?

• YOB ConvoCast 092

• YOBcast 092: Second Adolescence

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• “Already Home” by Hills x Hills; 100% clearance through Musicbed.

Harrison returns to discuss his societally common but YOB-ly uncommon home life: a wife and three kids! He shares the joys of noise in his home, as well as the challenges of wondering whether he measures up as a dad. We learn about the farm where he grew up, including the literal closet that was once his refuge. Harrison shares vulnerably about his struggles to feel "at home" in his male body, also pointing out the beauty of Jesus' having a human body along with the Spirit's indwelling in physical bodies today. While having kids doesn’t complete a man, Harrison also shares how having children has helped him lean into more of his masculinity. Perhaps there are fatherly energies we all possess as men, even beyond having biological children?

Do you have children? What are the joys and challenges of raising kids as a man attracted to men? Where else do you tap into your "fatherly energy" as a man?

• YOB ConvoCast 091

• Harrison's first ConvoCast, discussing male friendship

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• “Already Home” by Hills x Hills; 100% clearance through Musicbed.

Daniel returns to discuss his life in SoCal, living with two straight men! Like Andrew, he also moved across America for a new start and a new home from the Midwest. He tells us Andrew's teased "pots and pans" story from our last episode, a snapshot of pursuing healthy communication and expectations with straight roommates. Daniel shares some of the joys of living with straight men, including the activities in which they partake with each other and all of Daniel's queer friends, as well as the challenges. What will happen if and when these straight men choose to marry women and move out? Is there still joy to be found in the seasonality of such a home life?

Have you lived with straight men? What's been joyous and difficult about sharing space with someone whose sexuality differs from yours? Have expectations been hard to communicate or meet?

• YOB ConvoCast 090

• Andrew's ConvoCast about moving across America to live in SoCal

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• “Already Home” by Hills x Hills; 100% clearance through Musicbed.

Andrew returns to tell the tale of his cross-country move from Ohio to Southern California! What led him to leave the only home he’d ever known to find a new one? He shares about his upbringing in the Midwest, including many years of homeschooling, and a friend who prompted him to ponder the possibility of a new start. Andrew basks in the literal and existential sunshine of his new life in SoCal, talking about his new queer community and an accepting church that makes him feel at home in his faith and sexuality. But what of his masculinity? Where does and doesn't he feel quite "at home" in that arena?

Have you made a big move for a new start? Do you perhaps want to make such a move but feel incapable, and what's holding you back? Where have you experienced found family or chosen family beyond your biological family? Where do you or don't you feel at home in your masculinity?

• YOB ConvoCast 089

• Andrew's first ConvoCast, discussing Heartstopper and asexuality

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• “Already Home” by Hills x Hills; 100% clearance through Musicbed.

Matthew returns to discuss his home life: always living with his family even as he enters his late thirties! He explains the importance of family within his Navajo culture, sharing why he enjoys regularly going home to the reservation after moving away from it. But Matthew also shares why he doesn’t disclose anything about his sexuality with his conservative family. Despite this withholding, Matthew feels at home with his churches and friends, particularly his male friends, claiming he’s never felt more masculine and comfortable in his body than he does now. Will he always live with family, or does he aspire for another living situation in the future?

Do you live with family, and if so, what are the joys and limitations of your living situation? How does your faith, sexuality, and masculinity affect your family, and vice versa? Are you out with your family, or do you hope to be one day? Do you aspire toward another living situation outside your family?

We spend over half our lives at home; let’s discuss how where we live impacts our faith, sexuality, and masculinity! Join us all summer AT HOME, as we connect with a different YOB community member in a different life stage and living situation. Today we welcome back Marshall to talk more about his unique home life: a 20-acre farm, living alongside 23 people in a central house, cabins, tiny houses, and RV’s. How has Marshall enjoyed living alone in the past, and did he second-guess living with younger single men as an older single man? How did Marshall’s many living situations over six decades lead to his buying this farm, and what’s joyful and also challenging about leading such an intentional community of believers?

Would you like to live on a large property with lots of people in intentional community, particularly if you live a single life longterm, or does that feel daunting to you? Do you definitively know whether it's better for you to live with others or perhaps alone?

• YOB ConvoCast 087

• YOB ConvoCast 064: Tom's visit to Marshall's farm

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• “Already Home” by Hills x Hills; 100% clearance through Musicbed.

We kick off a new summer series, AT HOME: how our current life stages and living situations impact our faith, sexuality, and masculinity. Join us each episode for a new member of our YOB community sharing his story from various life stages and living situations. We start with our “plain old gay” Matt, who has been living with other gay men, both affirming and traditional, after 15 years of living by himself. We learn Matt’s home environment growing up, including how that shaped his view of what the future would look like. What have been the joys and challenges of sharing his current and recent homes with other gay men, and what does he think of the “optics” of having fellow gay roommates, if anything at all?

Have you lived with other gay men: Side A, Side B, or otherwise? What were the joys and challenges of sharing a home with gay roommates? Have you lived alone for an extended part of your life, and how has that shaped your sense of home?

• YOB ConvoCast 086

• Matt's first podcast on being a "plain old gay"

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“Already Home” by Hills x Hills; 100% clearance through Musicbed.

It’s our State of the Sparrow podcast/community update! Tom goes on an off-the-grid trip, a new YOB ConvoCast summer series is coming, and we need new websites for YOB and YOS – which requires a talented web designer! Know anyone? Email Tom: [email protected]