Christianity and the LGBTQ Community

We all belong, in the eyes of God.

Well, it took me long enough to get back here, didn't it? I drop a bomb on you like "I'm pregnant after 10 1/2 years of trying" and then I disappear for weeks at a time. Sorry about that! I'm nearly 19 weeks along, and we have our first ultrasound coming up in early May. We've heard the heartbeat twice and it's pretty incredible. The whole thing is a whirlwind, that's for sure.

But let's talk about something else for now, shall we? This isn't a 'Stephanie's having a baby' blog, though I'll post small updates from time to time like now. It's a blog about following, step by step, on the path that God has laid out for each of us, but walking together at the same time. It's okay not to believe in God and still be a follower here -- it's okay to be who you are here, no matter what. Truly being a Christian is about embracing and loving. Not simply 'tolerating' (worst word EVER) people who we feel are different from us. Because the bottom line is, no one's that different, really. We're all human, we all have a brain and a heart and blood running through our veins, and we all have the capability to love or to hate. I choose love. I hope you do, too.

Lately, you may have noticed that a great deal of my blogs or Facebook posts or tweets have been about the LGBTQ community. It's been on my heart very strongly for many reasons -- politics and the media and so-called 'Christians' are just three of them -- but I've discovered it's more than just that. I am feeling led to write about it. Not on the blog. A book. A full-fledged book, filled with stories and research and discussions about the LGBTQ community and Christianity, from the perspective of Christians and non-Christians, LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ persons alike.

I won't go into a lot of detail at the moment because, to be honest with you, I don't have a lot of detail yet. I don't know what the play-by-play will look like. I do know what the end game is, and that's that LOVE wins. (You can check your bibles for that one, it's in there!) I sent out a preliminary survey on social media today and, within just a few hours, received over 250 responses. SurveyMonkey only lets me have 100 for free, so I'll have to pay to see the rest, but it will be worth it. I'm gathering information that will help me to formulate the direction of the narrative I'm being prompted to tell the world. From the fast and far-reaching response in just these few hours, I can tell that it's not just on my mind and my heart... it's on YOUR mind and YOUR heart, too. Everyone has something to say, and I want to hear it.

Then I want to tell you what God has to say.

I can't wait!

Stephanie Jean