Voices

God Loves Me Just As I Am

By pwsbuilder / January 15, 2019 / Comments Off on God Loves Me Just As I Am

By GMA News Recently, I received a long text message that hijacked my whole day and left me shaken and unable to do anything. It was from an old college classmate, one of my best friends. He had just finished reading my book, “Of God and Men.” We lost touch over the years, and he…

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A collage of t - shirts with the words proud is a mother.

Mississippi Entrepreneur Offers Gifts With “A Common Thread of Love”

By pwsbuilder / May 3, 2018 / Comments Off on Mississippi Entrepreneur Offers Gifts With “A Common Thread of Love”

Ask CeCe Garrett why her craft shop, SewNerdyGifts, carries a selection of Pride items geared toward the LGBTQ community and allies, she is quick and unflinching in her answer. “It’s important that my brand reflects my life and what’s in my soul. Your brand is the soul of your business. I’ve always had LGBTQ items…

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A white flower in a vase.

The Value of Spiritual Surrender

By pwsbuilder / April 1, 2018 / Comments Off on The Value of Spiritual Surrender

Holiday seasons, including Holy Week and Easter, are generally tough for everyone. For many of us in the LGBTQ+ community, holiday seasons can be even tougher, but on the other side of our deepest heartache lies our deepest breakthrough. This is because what we cannot hold alone forces us to either go mad, or go…

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A painting of a woman with candles in front of her.

Me And My God

By pwsbuilder / March 28, 2018 / Comments Off on Me And My God

My journey to self-acceptance as a brown queer God-loving woman has been a long one, with many hurdles and wrong turns.  I was raised as a non-denominational Christian. My connection to my church and my God were strong.  By the time I was a preteen, I was going to church at least two days a…

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A woman wearing a rainbow scarf in front of the supreme court.

Rev. Candy Holmes’ Resignation from MCC Leadership Roles

By pwsbuilder / March 9, 2018 / Comments Off on Rev. Candy Holmes’ Resignation from MCC Leadership Roles

Dear friends and colleagues, 

There are few things certain in life, but change is certain. Today I am writing to share a significant change in my ministry and why this shift is critical. 

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A quilt with a rainbow heart on it.

Only For A Moment

By pwsbuilder / February 16, 2018 / Comments Off on Only For A Moment

Only for a moment, was it an unmatched statistic. 

When 49 people were gunned to death in what was for some – the only safe space where they could be themselves; we watched, cried, and prayed in horror. But only for a moment did that stand as the largest mass slaying of Americans targeted by an “active shooter” actively engaged in unleashing a fusillade of bullets into a crowd of people in a confined space. Only for a moment.

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A blurry image of a christmas tree in a living room.

Tips For Getting Through The Hard Holidays

By pwsbuilder / December 20, 2017 / Comments Off on Tips For Getting Through The Hard Holidays

The holiday season is rough for many people in the LGBTQ community. Extra expectations, financial strains, and social isolation cause depression rates to rise. Many people have tensions with their loved ones over their sexuality and gender expression. When that’s coupled with the extra religious observances that take place in the holiday season, it can…

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Review: A Brief Guide to Ministry with LGBTQIA Youth by Cody Sanders

By pwsbuilder / December 20, 2017 / Comments Off on Review: A Brief Guide to Ministry with LGBTQIA Youth by Cody Sanders

When I read Rev. Cody Sanders’ new little gem, A Brief Guide to Ministry with LGBTQIA Youth, I get the feeling that I’m sitting with a very smart and very compassionate friend. He knows that I am eager, but a little intimidated. He knows that I have questions, but I’m not sure how to ask…

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A sign that says heterosexuals only hangs from a window.

I’m Planning a Wedding in a State with a License To Discriminate

By pwsbuilder / December 5, 2017 / Comments Off on I’m Planning a Wedding in a State with a License To Discriminate

As a girl, I never dreamt of marrying in the church, yet I will be doing just that in May. Growing up Southern Baptist in my hometown of Slidell, Louisiana, I received the message early on that gay people were not Christians, and did not love God or family. When my attraction to women became…

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A woman standing at a podium in front of a crowd of people.

Standing Up Against Discrimination

By pwsbuilder / December 3, 2017 / Comments Off on Standing Up Against Discrimination

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear a case about whether religious beliefs give businesses that are open to the public a right to discriminate. The case is about David Mullins and Charlie Craig, who visited Masterpiece Cakeshop in 2012 to order a cake for their upcoming wedding reception. The bakery…

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