Posts Tagged ‘Authenticity’
Begin To Receive
I have begun to give…begin to possess. (Deut 2:31) What could God be possibly giving to me, that I am to possess? And as I think about that, it’s interesting that it is more than just “receive”. It is possess. I think other translations talk about conquering. Funny words “conquer” and “possess”. I have to…
Read MoreInternalized Resilience—Embracing Thrivingness
I am not oppressed, I am not a victim—I thrive, I rise, I am. A few months ago, I participated at an organization’s Board of Directors meeting. It was an intense gathering where we were all challenged to stretch beyond our comfort zones and look at how each of us participates in anti-oppression work and in…
Read MoreThe Price Of Authenticity
They say freedom isn’t free. This is something I know very well. Authenticity is also not free. Lack of authenticity has its cost, as well. The price of authenticity is often added to the cost of living inauthentically and the burden is carried by everyone whose life touches any human being for whom the struggle…
Read MoreThe Role Of Faith In Caitlyn Jenner’s Transition
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect Caitlyn Jenner’s name and pronouns (September 30, 2015) On April 24, 2015, ABC News broadcast a historic interview with Olympic champion and reality TV star, Caitlyn Jenner. Over two hours with Diane Sawyer, Jenner fills in details from her lifetime, revealing her decades of struggle to…
Read MoreSilencing The Metronome: Living My Truth As A Trans Woman
The first words I spoke in the documentary I am making were that I always felt like I was different. In retrospect, those were the wrong words to say. What I should have said was, “Since I was little, I always knew I was a girl who was presenting as a boy.” We never expect…
Read MoreEncouraging Gay Men In Their Quest For Authenticity
Why retreats for gay men? My start comes from where I began. My partner and I both identify as gay men and are on a quest to live with authenticity in every area of our lives. Society challenges us at every turn and yet our determination to press forward comes from many in the LGBT…
Read MoreBeing Gay In A Post-Matthew Shepard Wyoming
We as human beings are constantly seeking our life story while sometimes comparing ours to others. This is my story. I speak on my own behalf, not for all the LGBT people in my state. I live in the big open space called Wyoming, from the small town of Lander. The youngest and only girl…
Read MoreMaking The Invisible Visible In Faith Communities: A Valuable Resource For Us All
Imagine a congregant who is commited to a straight, traditional marriage, coming to you, the pastor, distressed by finding homoerotic websites on a spouse’s computer. Or what would you think, or do, if a teenager in the youth group where you are an advisor, comes out, one evening, as bisexual? The new study guide, “Bisexuality:…
Read MoreBecoming Who God Created Me To Be
As I walked across the stage at graduation, it still did not feel like I was done with my education, and as I have transitioned into post-graduate life, I have slowly realized how correct this statement is. Life for me is like one large school; we are constantly learning and growing and changing. I think…
Read MoreLove Without Condition
I want to invite you to take a walk down imagination alley with me for a minute. You’re trying on shirts for a friend’s party when one, in particular, catches your eye. You pick it up, read the tag, and immediately throw it back into the pile. The moment you realize it is made of…
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