My Loneliness Led Me To God

A boy smiling for a picture.

Simply writing the title makes me feel over-exposed. Just now walking our dog, Hobbes, I found myself contemplating my lifetime need for God. I felt extremely lonely as a child. Hard to believe in a loving household of a family of five with pets living in a small tract house with a single bathroom, sharing…

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The Dawn Of Advent: A Reflection On World AIDS Day

A lit candle in front of a bokeh background.

I make it a point to try to avoid focusing or writing too heavily on my status as an HIV positive individual, lest it comes to define me. There are two times throughout the year, however, where I make it a practice to reflect on the virus. One occurs around the early weeks of Epiphany,…

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Saints Bring Hope On World AIDS Day 25th Anniversary

A drawing of jesus and a diagram of the coronavirus.

World AIDS Day, which marks its 25th anniversary this year on Dec. 1, supports everyone affected by HIV. The day is dedicated to prevention and treatment, and honors those who died of AIDS—more than 25 million people worldwide. First held in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first global health day for any disease.  …

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Ensuring Decent Care For Transgender People

A man and woman holding a sign that says our lives are valuable.

Our first Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) Ceremony was at a small United Methodist Church in Tacoma, Washington, in 2009. There were 40-45 persons present, most from the local transgender community. Peterson Toscano was performing “Transfigurations: Transgressing Gender in the Bible.” During one segment of the service, the names of reported victims of anti-transgender violence were…

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