You probably won't believe this, but I actually worked up a little motivation and bravado and made contact with a lovely, like-minded, like-hearted person who is for real working with the people I want to work with. Not only did I make the contact....I followed through and met with her face-to-face yesterday morning. YAY ME!
I know that doesn't sound like that big a deal, but for me it is. I am such a scaredy-cat foot dragger. I'm still in recovery for my people-pleasing tendencies. I don't want to embarrass myself. I don't want to be wrong. I don't want my conservative friends to worry about me. Plus, I'm an over thinker and someone who has a really hard time making decisions. Why God would want to use someone as lame as I am, I couldn't tell ya. But, I mean, He has a history of choosing some super pathetic characters. If you've read the Bible, you know His choices could really be called into question. Way more often than not! You don't even have to be human to be used by God. Baalam's donkey and Jonah's big fish quickly come to mind.
So. Clearly.... I qualify.
All this time has passed.....and keeps passing......and I keep hearing about more kids suffering, more kids dying.....more hearts breaking...... These hearts aren't going to mend themselves! Of course God can sovereignly do anything, but almost always He chooses to use people to accomplish His purposes. I'm one of His people. I want to be one of the ones He uses. I want to love people, encourage people, nurture people. Show them--not just tell them, not just pray for them, but show them that God loves them.
I was telling my new friend yesterday that ....hahaha..... since becoming a Christian (at age 14) I wanted a role in the kingdom that was well-esteemed by other Christians. I'm just like everyone else; I want to be admired and applauded. You know, like mission work....saving orphans....and she said: you ARE!
Ah! Ahhhhhhh!
In my head I know it doesn't matter what other people think but what God thinks. But I like to collect accolades just as much as the next person. Believe me, there are no gold stars handed out for those of us who stand up for the rights of LGBTs.
Within the LGBT community, there are thousands and thousands of orphans. Figuratively and literally! Did you know that 40% of homeless teens have been rejected by their parents--usually based on their religious beliefs--and kicked out of their homes??
How? How can this be happening? How are we not outraged and broken-hearted over this?! How can anyone justify this? How can we not see that Jesus leaves the ninety-nine to go after that ONE. LOST. LAMB.
Sure, I'll endure the scandal. Of course I'll chance being the object of clucking tongues and righteous head wagging. It's worth any reproach I'll receive. I'll take my chances in being misunderstood. Misjudged. I'll always, always err on the side of grace and mercy. I KNOW that if Jesus were walking the earth in 2015, He would spend lots of time hanging out with these people. I'm CERTAIN that He would go after that desperate, devastated soul that has been kicked out of their home for being gay. I'M POSITIVE that He would go sit beside that anguished teen in church who is hearing again how sinful homosexuality is but yet they've hid the secret for yearrrrs that they are attracted to the same sex and who can they talk to?! NO ONE. They could confess anything else but that. I'M CONFIDENT that He would show up for the mom who's sobbing like she's never sobbed before....because He did for me. For six years now, I've walked through this process that only Christian moms like myself can understand. The shock. The fear. The worry. The grief.
I want to help the families too. It's hard. It's painful. It's lonely. But He's walked with me through it. He's loved me, comforted me, assured me, taught me, grown me.
So today I won't just write anonymously and hide it away as I've done since beginning this blog 5-1/2 years ago. For the sake of maybe just the ONE....I'll share my words and my heart. If I'd had a blog like this to read these past years, I would have so very much appreciated it.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Taking a Step
Posted by Stephanie Williams at 8:11 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Hey
Just a quick update from this procrastinator. Obviously I didn't jump right into anything after I lost my job back in July, 2013. Sheesh. I feel like I've been jettisoned into some third dimension. I can't believe how drastically different my life is from how it was when I first began this blog in 2009. I really thought that God was ready to plop me into something meaningful. I guess if I'm to be honest, I felt like I'd paid my dues (having taken care of mother) and that I'd earned some kind of ministry that I wanted. That I was really cut out for. So silly.
I'm not upset with God. I've belonged to Him long enough to know His ways really and truly are higher (better, so much better) than our ways. If something is amiss, it's definitely with me. Something--many things--are amiss, so....well, no surprise here.
I'll explain later because I actually have a purpose for this day. I'm subbing at the elementary school. Public school. But I wanted to get back here for at least a minute....prime the pump so to speak.
Okay. That's done. Until next time....
Posted by Stephanie Williams at 4:57 AM 0 comments
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Cracking My Cover!
Announcement! I no longer teach at a Christian school so I'm free to write about anything I want. Isn't that great?! I don't have to restrict myself anymore. I can write about how I actually love gay people and support gay people and can do it now without being afraid I'll lose my job! That's why it's been so long between posts. I didn't want to stir the waters, rock the boat, ruffle any feathers. Alarm anyone. So I didn't keep writing. And I've been really sad about it.
I loved working with the kids--love them so much--but the one thing I really didn't like was feeling like I had to suppress my views on controversial subjects. Keep my heart hidden. Which is difficult for me because I'm...at least I used to be, a really open book.
But now, now I'm free to express myself! The school I was employed by is seeking accreditation and wants to hire only certified teachers, and I'm not certified. So they did not renew my contract for this year. And I'm glad! Well, I'm not thrilled with having to search for another job....but maybe now I can find a job that I'm even better suited for. Maybe now I can do something even closer to my heart. I really knew when I took this job that it wasn't my favorite, my dream job. I have settled....compromised....stifled myself.
No more! Now I want to really get out there and help people that other Christians are afraid of. Get into some messy stuff. Controversial stuff! Jesus stuff.
So....I guess you could say I'm coming out!
Posted by Stephanie Williams at 12:28 PM 0 comments
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Here's the Problem
The other day I received word from a family member that a friend's friend's son had killed himself. The text message read:
This 19 year old kid was gay and having trouble dealing. His first day on job at restaurant in Louisville someone harassed him and he killed himself. So wrong.
Then I was forwarded an email giving more information. The boy's name was Madison Alexander Cox. I was able to look through a photo gallery of pictures of him and his family. He went to a Christian school. He apparently was raised in church. What a beautiful boy with a radiant smile! My heart breaks for this family. I am aching for this mother...especially his mother.
I really want to make a difference. I keep coming back to it...over and over and over. For years, literally years, I have wanted to do something to help gay people, especially the kids.
Here's the problem:
Christians--real Christians-- want to love. They really do. However, they are afraid that by unconditionally loving gay people, they will be condoning their "choice" and their "lifestyle" which they just cannot bring themselves to do. So instead they just ignore the problem altogether. Pretend that it doesn't exist. Turn away! Turn away! Don't acknowledge!
But there are people in our churches who are gay. It's a FACT.
So. What are we going to do?? Keep making it unbearable for them...so unbearable that they finally give up and leave? Can't we just love them? Why can't we just love them? Why can't we just accept people, love people, and trust Jesus with them?
If we don't, they suffer alone.
Can you imagine the agony they go through? Do you remember how it felt to be a teenager and to feel like you were different in any way? Magnify that torture a thousand times. Without someone who will unconditionally love and accept them, they will do one of the following:
A) Continue to suffer in silence. And when one part of the body suffers, we all suffer. 1Corinthians 12:26
B) Leave the church. And often they leave God. And sometimes they even choose to leave this world.
Posted by Stephanie Williams at 6:18 AM 0 comments
Belated Update
Once again I'm guilty of blog-neglect. Guilty. And once again I vow to keep going.
I have two excuses, neither of which are good. A) I'm too busy. B) I'm afraid.
*hangs head in shame*
Now I won't belabor the excuses, and the ridiculousness of same. Instead I choose to quiet myself and be brave.
Okay, so moving on...
I last wrote about Daniel and The Great Disappointment. Here's the follow-up:
I will no doubt get some of the details wrong because this was eight months ago (geez.) but when Daniel returned to Omaha, and to Luke, he of course was still hurting. And they talked about it, I'm sure a lot. Well guess what? I'm so proud of both of them--Luke told him he must forgive them.
Yes! You read that right! Luke.....who obviously is also GAY....tells Daniel to forgive the Christian friends who hurt him.
Amazing.
He told him that for better or worse, there are some people who will always be in our lives. So forgive them. Daniel, who has always been quick to forgive, did just that. He sent the bride a FB message saying that he saw her wedding pictures and that she looked beautiful in her wedding dress. He said he hoped his gift hadn't been too lame (he still had not received a thank you or even an acknowledgement).
I am SO PROUD of my son. Then he sent me a text telling me about it all and saying that I can forgive them now too because he'd received a nice message. "How nice?" I asked. He forwarded it to me.
I read it and didn't respond. Because I didn't want to interfere with his peace. But I didn't find it nice enough. Not at all. It was just -- in my opinion -- an obligatory "hey! thanks! we love you! response in order to not be rude. AGAIN.
But what matters is that Daniel and Luke have the right attitude. They have the right heart, beautiful hearts. Forgiving hearts. Hearts with unconditional love.
Which is what he should have received from his former Christian family. For shame.
Posted by Stephanie Williams at 5:51 AM 0 comments
Sunday, September 4, 2011
A Sad
I've been ridiculously negligent of my blog. But something happened recently that begs expression. My only hesitation is that I do not want to, ironically, "out" the offenders. In these days of social media, the only way to be entirely discrete and, therefore, kind, is to never tell anything, either verbally or in writing.
Posted by Stephanie Williams at 2:46 AM 0 comments
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sarah and Rachel
Becoming a mother helped me understand God's heart so much better than I had previously known. He loves us more than this?! I adored my baby even before I saw her face.
Posted by Stephanie Williams at 1:57 PM 0 comments