on walking alongside...

Who are you walking alongside to support and encourage in the faith? Who are your disciples? This topic has been rolling around between myself and a few close friends for the past several months. We are commanded to make disciples. Specifically, I’ve been commanded to love and walk alongside LGBTQ individuals and love them well. While at the same time, encouraging church folk like myself to grow in their knowledge and love as well.

At times it has seemed daunting. I’ve felt out of place. But I’ve not been able to deny that this is what my heart longs to do.

Today I got to chat with a woman who, though she lives far away from me, has a very similar heart to mine with respect to the LGBTQ community. We connected through a mutual friend who knew that both of us share a similar heartbeat- wondering what it looks like to walk alongside young men and women with sexuality and gender identity questions.

I WAS SO EXCITED!

For years now, I’ve felt the undeniable movement of the Holy Spirit in me pressing me in the direction of loving and serving those young adults who pop into my sphere who would describe themselves anywhere along the LGBTQ spectrum. How this came about is told in this post here.

Though there has  never been a lack of people to walk alongside, I have often felt like a very odd duck in my evangelical circles.

My close friends are incredibly supportive and often cheer me on as I walk alongside people. But none of them share my passion. And while that is certainly not necessary, it was amazing how refreshing it was to talk to someone who completely “got me”. It was like we spoke a similar language, shared similar experiences, and wrestled with the same questions.

Realizing that God had, through the Holy Spirit, moved in her heart in ways like me, brought an incredible sense of humility. And it also made me wonder who else he was stirring in?

God has been about redeeming humanity to Himself, and He moves and raises up who He will. I am frail, filled with doubts and insecurities. And yet, He chooses to accomplish His plans through me as I  move forward in obedience.

He has always been about reaching towards the marginalized. He speaks often in the scriptures about the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. His desire is to see people loved well, people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and orientations.

In our world today there is an explosion of gender identity questions, and no shortage in the sexual identity department. The church seems quiet and unprepared to love well and reach into these lives and stories with the redeeming love of our Savior.

If you feel the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart as you read this, drop me a note. I’d love to talk, encourage, and prod you to love well. And to walk alongside someone for the long haul.

We need a fleet of mature Christians ready to reach out in love.

Is that you?