Podcast appearances and mentions of susan cottrell

In this heartfelt episode, Susan Cottrell, Co-Host of Freedhearts Podcast, shares her personal journey of prioritizing love and acceptance over traditional evangelical beliefs upon her child's coming out as LGBTQ. Susan discuss the challenges faced within the church, the need for adults and children to learn anti-bullying behavior, and the courage it requires to step away from judgmental ideologies. This narrative emphasizes embracing a God much larger than religious confines, valuing authentic relationships, and the dynamic nature of faith and understanding. It encourages viewers to love openly, challenge doctrinal constraints, and see God's love beyond institutional walls.To watch Susan's TedX talk, click here!To find out more about Freedhearts' work and podcast, visit this website.To listen to Susan and Robert on Freedhearts Podcast, click here!Please leave a review if you enjoy the podcast!   Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.comIf you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team as a Patreon Supporter, please check it out at this link!If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us!

Whether you are the parent of an LGBTQIA+ kiddo or you don't know yet whether or not you are the parent of an LGBTQIA+ kiddo, or you have an LGBTQIA+ family member, neighbor, friend, or colleague you're going to want to tune into today's episode.  I'm talking with Susan Cottrell. Susan is an international speaker and passionate advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. Susan shares her personal journey of accepting and supporting her LGBTQ children, despite the conservative teachings of her evangelical church. She discusses how her deep faith led her to deconstruct harmful religious teachings and embrace values of love, empathy, compassion, inclusion, justice, and kindness. You'll Learn:  0:27 Introduction to Today's Issue 1:47 Susan's Faith Journey 11:53 Deconstructing Faith 24:13 Importance of Pride Month 29:19 Engaging in Productive Conversations 31:53 Love Your Neighbor Principle 35:25 Reasonable Approach to Acceptance 40:42 Starting the Deconstructing Process 45:12 Bible as a Story, Not a Rule Book 46:09 Bible as a Vehicle for Oppression 47:06 Spreading Radical Love 47:51 Conclusion and Gratitude   Thank you so much for being with me today and for listening to this conversation. I know religion is not something I typically dive into on The Heartful Parent Podcast, but I felt like this was a conversation that was worth having here during Pride Month, and just in general as we, as those of use who do choose to love unconditionally and unequivocally work to protect all of us who are LGBTQIA+ from being vilified and being scapegoated as we move forward in the year 2024 and beyond.  And let us know how you're celebrating Pride Month where you live! Links Mentioned in this Episode:  Follow Susan Cottrell: https://www.freedhearts.org/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freedhearts/id1533444664 https://www.youtube.com/stcottrell https://www.instagram.com/freedheart Subscribe & Leave a Review: Don't forget to subscribe to The Heartful Parent Podcast and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!     Stay tuned for more Heartful conversations on parenting, love, and inclusivity. Thank you for listening!  

SUSAN COTTRELL is an international speaker whose TEDx talk has 1.6 million views. OutSmart magazine called her “The Mother of All MamaBears.” The Advocate dubbed her “our favorite affirming matriarch.” She is a prominent voice for the LGBTQ community and their faith parents who has been featured on ABC's 20/20, Nightline and Good Morning America, on NBC News Out, and as a contributor on the Our Bible app. She […]

Susan Cottrell is an international speaker whose TEDx talk has 1.6 million views. OutSmart magazine called her “The Mother of All MamaBears.” The Advocate dubbed her “our favorite affirming matriarch.” She is a prominent voice for the LGBTQ community and their faith parents who has been featured on ABC's 20/20, Nightline and Good Morning America,…Read more →

This Quoircast episode it brought to you by The Seeds of De(con)stuction by Nat Turney. he book is published by Quoir and is available now.In this episode we chat with Susan Cottrell.SUSAN COTTRELL is an international speaker whose TEDx talk has 1.5 million views. OutSmart magazine called her “The Mother of All MamaBears.” The Advocate dubbed her “our favorite affirming matriarch.” She is a prominent voice for the LGBTQ community and their faith parents who has been featured on ABC's 20/20, Nightline and Good Morning America, on NBC News Out, and as a contributor on the Our Bible app. She is a public theologian and through her nonprofit organization—FreedHearts—Susan expresses her authentic love for the LGBTQ+ community and families; and she sees love as the healing foundation of family, faith, and community. She spent 20+ years in the nonaffirming Evangelical church, has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and served as the Vice-President of PFLAG Austin. Her FreedHearts Blog and YouTube videos have millions of viewers, and her books “Mom, I'm Gay”—Loving Your LGBTQ Child and Strengthening Your Faith; True Colors: Celebrating the Truth and Beauty of the Real You; Radically Included: The Biblical Case for Radical Love and Inclusion; and Be the Love You Want to See in the World are critically acclaimed. She and her husband Rob have been married for 34 years and have five children, two of whom identify as queer.You can follow Susan on:Facebook     Instagram     Check out FreedHearts on there websiteLike, follow and listen to Susan's podcastYou can purchase Susan's books on Amazon.comYou can connect with This Is Not Church on:Facebook     Instagram      Twitter     TikTok     YouTubeAlso check out our Linktree for all things This Is Not Church relatedPlease like and follow our Quoircast Partners:Heretic Happy Hour     Messy Spirituality     Apostates Anonymous    Second Cup with Keith     The Church Needs TherapyIdeas Digest     The New Evangelicals     Snarky Faith Podcast     Wild Olive     Deadly FaithJonathan Foster     Sacred Thoughts     Holy Heretics     Reframing Our StoriesEach episode of This Is Not Church Podcast is expertly engineered by our producer The Podcast Doctor Eric Howell. If you're thinking of starting a podcast you need to connect with Eric!

SUSAN COTTRELL is an international speaker whose TEDx talk, for a crowd of 5,000 at TedxMileHigh in Denver, has 1.6 million online views. OutSmart magazine calls her “The Mother of All MamaBears.” The Advocate dubs her “our favorite affirming matriarch.” She is a prominent voice for the LGBTQ+ community & their faith parents; allies; and others who are marginalized…Read more →

In the lead up to the PAA conference happening in August this year, we have a series of short podcast episodes to introduce each of the workshop presenters. On this episode we have Susan Cottrell.   The PAA strives to continue promoting the expansion of the Pilates Method as a professional and valued healthcare and fitness discipline. The goal of the PAA podcast is to explore the many facets and layers of the Pilates industry  through conversations with the community. PAA Course Competency Criteria standardsVisit the PAA website Find us on Facebook Join the PAA Member Forum (Members only)Find us on InstagramEmail us at support@pilates.org.au

SUSAN COTTRELL is an international speaker whose TEDx talk, for a crowd of 5,000 at TedxMileHigh in Denver, has 1.6 million online views. OutSmart magazine calls her “The Mother of All MamaBears.” The Advocate dubs her “our favorite affirming matriarch.” She is a prominent voice for the LGBTQ+ community & their faith parents; allies; and others who are marginalized and in the midst of deconstructing from harmful, false, religious teachings. Susan has been featured on ABC's 20/20, Nightline and Good Morning America, on NBC News Out, and as a contributor on the Our Bible app. She is a public theologian and through her nonprofit organization—FreedHearts.org—Susan challenges people to love as the foundation of their faith. She spent 20+ years in the nonaffirming Evangelical church, has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and served as the Vice-President of PFLAG Austin. Her FreedHearts Blog and YouTube videos have millions of viewers; the top-rated FreedHearts Podcast has more than 100,000 downloads and is heard in nearly 150 countries; and her books “Mom, I'm Gay”—Loving Your LGBTQ Child and Strengthening Your Faith; True Colors: Celebrating the Truth and Beauty of the Real You; Radically Included: The Biblical Case for Radical Love and Inclusion; and Be the Love You Want to See in the World are critically acclaimed. She and her husband Rob have been married for 36 years and have five children, two of whom identify as queer, as well as one grandchild and another on the way. “Susan has this fierce, loving, don't mess with me, Mom vibe.”—Rev Ashley Harness, Auburn Seminary “What impresses me about Susan is that she's not someone who argues and strongarms people into seeing things her way. She's someone who listens and cares for others really well. Her presence challenges Christians who reject our friends in the LGBTQ community to understand the love of God.”—Michael Hidalgo, Lead Pastor, Denver Community Church --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/latiska-powell9/message

SUSAN COTTRELL is an international speaker whose TEDx talk, for a crowd of 5,000 at TedxMileHigh in Denver, has 1.6 million online views. OutSmart magazine calls her “The Mother of All MamaBears.” The Advocate dubs her “our favorite affirming matriarch.” She is a prominent voice for the LGBTQ+ community & their faith parents; allies; and others who…Read more →

Recent and possible upcoming Supreme Court rulings, battles in conservative states over books and transgender human rights – and remembering back to a clerk in Kentucky, a baker in Colorado, a florist in Washington...  All of these, in one way or another – sometimes direct, sometimes indirect – are all discriminating against LGBTQ+ people, women, children, people of color, and many others, all in the name of 'religious liberty.'  It is indefensible to just add God to it, and expect to get away with all this hate and harm. Well, we are doing this episode because we want to join the growing voices who will not remain silent, who are not going let them get away with it anymore.Support the show

We often talk about parents who accept their LGBTQ+ kids, and about parents who don't.Today, we flip the script and talk about children who condemn their LGBTQ+ parents, and how to respond to that.   Maybe this is for you, maybe for someone you love.Let's talk about how we can best protect our hearts against what can feel like a relentless, intimate attack, and how we can respond to these common arguments. Support the show

In this episode, we talk about how affirming parents respond! When they are a child's advocate and ally, a child's defender and protector – to family members, sometimes very close family members, and friends, who are NOT affirming. Not accepting.  Way too often openly anti-gay and cruel.We want to share a letter a mom wrote on behalf of her transgender daughter. It is beautiful.Sometimes we stand behind our LGBTQ+ kids in support. Sometimes alongside them in solidarity. And sometimes we stand in front of them to take the arrows coming their way. It's called love and it's what a parent should do. Support the show

Embracing sexual orientation is one of the leading factors and catalysts for faith shifts and deconstruction. Susan Cottrell tells her own story that began when one of her children came out as queer. This launched a radical reevaluation of her theology, leading to discover the overriding principle of love over rules. Susan and her husband, Robert, founded FreedHearts, whose mission is to promote love, inclusion, belonging and hope for all. They provide educational resources and support for those who identify as queer, their parents and churches. Susan's work can be found on social media platforms, YouTube and Ted Talks. Find out more at www.freedhearts.org. 

How are you doing? Are you a bit discouraged? Disillusioned?  For those of you with a faith background, those of you deconstructing… How are you doing with your faith overall, spiritually, with church even as a concept?  Have you had it with church?  Don't really know what do to with what you're feeling? Yeah, I hear you. This is the perfect episode for you.  Let's talk. Support the show

Today we're doing something very special. We're going to revisit the most popular episode we have ever done! It was first broadcast in October 2020. But now, two years later, it's even more important than ever. It's about one of the deadliest teachings in all of humanity. In all of human history.And, unfortunately, it's a teaching that seems to have become normal today.Support the show

There are lots of issues in the news about gender, and about transgender children.We talk a lot about the binary teachings on gender and sexuality that are so prevalent in the patriarchal, nonaffirming church. These false teachings have led to so much harm to marginalized people. So much hate masked by false teachings. We are NOT going to let hate win, and part of that is helping free our hearts from all the junk we have heard for so long. Deconstructing those false teachings and harmful beliefs.Today, we want to do that around parenting a child – and how parents can avoid gender stereotypes for kids!Support the show

We've all seen the increasing divisiveness in our culture over every little thing! It's funny, they used to make jokes about how a church can split over the color of the carpet! Well, now that religion and politics seem so entwined, these private divisions have spread into the general public, and we continue to divide over Every. Single. Thing. A mom brought us a verse she saw a religious leader use—Luke 12:51—that talks about how we are not here to be "politically correct" or cater to society, but to follow God's teaching.This has been misused as permission to be so cruel to each other in the name of religion. But when a nonaffirming Christian throws out a verse like this, it can be hard to answer.  Let's talk about that today, and about how we respond to divisiveness. Support the show

We hear it every day… horror stories from LGBTQ+ people, and other outliers, about how they have been mistreated by families, so-called friends, community… their lives have been ruined.  And the people, the churches, who have done this just explain it away, ignore it. Frustrating. Infuriating. People are so easily ruining lives.  In this episode, we talk about a Mom who is so blinded that not only does she not see the damage she has done with her beliefs, she thinks that WE are the ones who ruined her relationship with her son!  You need to hear this. Support the show

Actually, it is NOT complicated, or confusing, or nuanced. It is simple. The Bible IS clear: There is NO condemnation against people who are LGBTQ+ or against same-sex relationships.You are NOT the ones who need to defend your beliefs. The non-affirming church is! They ignore the truth of Scripture, and they ignore the devastating, deadly impact of their false teachings. In this episode, we are going to give you a clear, simple explanation of why the Bible does NOT condemnation homosexuality. Support the show

Deconstructing faith means tearing down ingrained, false, damaging, nonaffirming beliefs, and replacing them with empowering, inclusive, affirming beliefs.  This leads to a deeper faith, being more in love with Spirit, and being more aligned with the simplicity and love of Jesus!It helps us be more free. And who doesn't want you to be free??  People who want to control you! And they are trying to convince you that deconstruction is a bad thing. It's not! You do not need to be scared of deconstruction.Faith should be about questions we can't answer, instead of answers we can't question.Support the show

The author of Harry Potter has lost her freaking mind on her indefensible attacks on our transgender community. So why are we talking about Harry Potter? Because: just to push away Harry Potter and all that it's meant to us—even as we rightly push away its author—may not be the best option for us. We don't have to let her steal this from us. The stories are ours!We're here to help navigate new possibilities for our relationship to Harry Potter, that has meant so much to so many—so you can be in the healthiest and most empowered place for you.  Support the show

In this powerful episode, we are going to go deep on the idea of honoring yourself. I hear from people all the time who doubt who they are—who aren't sure if it's okay to be who they are! They look in the mirror, they ask people around them, they read scriptures, they ask God, and they never find peace because even when they hear a YES, YOU'RE GOOD! they don't believe it! Beloved, the Spirit will lead us in all truth. Our hearts are good. We can listen to and trust that still small voice of Spirit.Let's talk about truly honoring our bodies and honoring ourselves.  Support the show

A phrase we hear a lot is codependence. Many of us are probably in a codependent relationship – which is not healthy – not the ideal – and we don't even know what that looks like. What that means. Codependence can be a slippery term, and it can be tough to define.Today we talk about if we more codependent than we think, and how we can set ourselves, our hearts free. Support the show

There've always been absurd ideas, and those who believe absurd ideas. And no amount of counterevidence will make any difference.  ‘Absurd' comes from the word for out of tune, dull, irrational.  Religion, political groups, subcultures, continue to maintain and endorse many absurd ideas. So much so, that they have become normal! So, let's take a look at a few. This is going to be fun!Support the show

Have you heard the term intersex? Do you know what it means? You might, or maybe you are not sure.Have you met an intersex person? You probably have and you didn't even know it. For all of us, it's time to be quiet and listen, It's time to learn.In this special episode, we want to give up the mic so-to-speak, and share with you the stories and insights of intersex people about everything from common misconceptions to what they wish you knew.Support the show

Ever wonder what God REALLY thinks of your LGBTQ+ child, friend or family member... or what God really thinks of YOU??We want to address the ultimate question today. The big one.  Often we are so scared of the answer, we don't even want to go there.  But hear me now… you have NOTHING to be afraid of. Nothing! Beloved, You really need to hear and take in the answer to the question: “What Does God Really Think of Me?”Support the show

When someone comes out – it often changes everything in relationships.   Sometimes for the better as they get deeper, richer, more authentic, more inclusive and accepting.  But sometimes not, and these relationships - parent-child, friends, family – that we considered a given – may now seem unsure and shaky. And at times, they are unsafe. But how do we know? How can we tell if a relationship is safe??Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

How do you think people feel about the IRS? I can tell you the answer: People don't love the IRS. It's intimating—it wields unrestrained power, and you have no recourse—it's virtually impossible to fight back.  Let's be honest, a lot of us have the same experience with religion. Hurt so badly by manipulative false teaching given with unrestrained power, and then told it's just the way it is. We feel like we have no recourse, like we can't fight back. But beloved, we can! You can! Let's talk about this false narrative and how we can respond. This episode includes one of the most powerful, transformational teachings we have ever done! This is going to be great!Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

Sometimes we feel like if we take care of ourselves, focus on ourselves, love ourselves – it means that we are NOT doing that for others. Wrong!But, we often feel guilty for taking care of ourselves. So we don't!  It can even make us resent serving others, especially compared to false expectations placed on us.So, we want to talk today about if we can please ourselves AND please others.Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

Every day via email, social media, comments we get questions from non-affirming Christians that are supposed to stop us in our tracks.  Stump us.  Be unanswerable. Recently, someone shared two questions from their pastor.  Did they stump us? Nah. Are they unanswerable? Nope. Does this sounds familiar?? Religious leaders approached Jesus with questions they thought would undo all his teaching – but what it really did was reveal their heart and focus. Let's do this!Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

Many of you came out of the church - out of nonaffirming religion.  The evangelical church, denominations.   And many of you are now deconstructing your faith. Discovering what the Bible does and does not say about a lot of things including LGBTQ.  God has gotten bigger.  The universe, spirit has gotten more personal. It is beautiful! As we have said: When we open the box we have God in, all heaven breaks loose. But now what? Especially… What do we do about church??Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

What do you do when you and your spouse disagree about your LGBTQ+ child? This is such a tough situation because the issues that divide are often deeply-held beliefs. You know the ones.I am pretty sure it has cost you relationships – but what happens the relationship at stake is your marriage? Big, difficult, scary. Yeah.A special, important episode. Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

Susan Cottrell joins the show to discuss her work creating safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community and their families. She shares her personal and difficult story of disconnecting from her church "home" before finding hope and wholeness on the other side.https://www.freedhearts.orghttps://www.mattkendziera.com

What does and does not work when talking to non-affirming evangelical Christians?  It can certainly be tough and frustrating.  We are dealing with patriarchal, moral-majority driven false teaching. All taught with God's name attached to it – and grave consequences if you don't just fall in line. But we, like a growing number of people, were surprised when we opened that box we had God in.  In this episode, we will talk about how we can change the hearts and minds of non-affirming Christians. Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

We visit the FreedHearts Inbox and answer three tough questions that affirming people often wrestle with.  We are gaslighted with these. Manipulated. But they are false at their very core and they DO have answers that bring us peace and clarity.In this episode, we talk about these three questions you have certainly heard and may have yourself… and we answer them!Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

We hear from so many people who have been deeply wounded by parents, by family, by friends, by those in the church who claim to speak with God's voice.   Deep wounds. Physical, spiritual, emotional. Sometimes there is an apology from the person who did the wounding, but sometimes that is just not enough. Does an apology mean we have to reconcile?? Absolutely not!  We're often made to feel guilty—but we know that sometimes, an apology is just not enough.Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

Welcome to the show.  Today, I have special guest, Susan Cottrell.SUSAN COTTRELL is an international speaker whose TEDx talk has 1.6 million views. OutSmart magazine called her “The Mother of All MamaBears.” The Advocate dubbed her “our favorite affirming matriarch.” She is a prominent voice for the LGBTQ community and their faith parents who has been featured on ABC's 20/20, Nightline and Good Morning America, on NBC News Out, and as a contributor on the Our Bible app. She is a public theologian and through her nonprofit organization—FreedHearts—Susan champions the LGBTQ community and families with her authentic love; and she challenges people to love as the foundation of their faith. She spent 20+ years in the nonaffirming Evangelical church, has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and served as the Vice-President of PFLAG Austin. Her FreedHearts Blog and YouTube videos have millions of viewers, the FreedHearts Podcast has more than 50,000 downloads, and her books “Mom, I'm Gay”—Loving Your LGBTQ Child and Strengthening Your Faith; True Colors: Celebrating the Truth and Beauty of the Real You; Radically Included: The Biblical Case for Radical Love and Inclusion; and Be the Love You Want to See in the World are critically acclaimed. She and her husband Rob have been married for 34 years and have five children, two of whom identify as queer.  ————————————www.FreedHearts.orgTo connect with me, learn more about services, or get some good free tools, simply visit:To connect with me on Instagram, visit here."Create Your Calm:" Guided Meditation DownloadForgive to Heal: 10 Steps to get you there (Digital Course)"Jumpstart Your Healing" Single Session Coaching for ClarityChurch Trauma Package (1-1, 6-week coaching for LGBTQ+)Coaching for the Parent of a LGBTQ+ Child of any ageBoundary Setting 101: Single Coaching SessionSupport the show with a $5 gift.To visit my website and get all my freebies and learn more!Visit www.jkeithbrown.com and look at the top of the landing page to grab your FREE copy of this .pdf worksheet. Then, simply go through the steps and you will be better interpreting Scripture immediately. If you need more help, consider joining one of my Rainbow Champions group coaching journey. I think we all suffer stress in the crazy days. I wanted to offer you a FREE copy of my Create Your Calm guided meditation. Just click HERE to grab your copy.

Selfcare is so important, now more than ever. A listener wrote us about being triggered by something and going into a full blown panic attack. Scary. Things like that, and even the rapid pace of deconstruction, can cause a lot of stress. And we often forget to take care of ourselves. So, in this episode, we want to talk about what effective selfcare looks like.Beloved, you deserve it! Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

In this episode we chat with Susan Cottrell. SUSAN COTTRELL is an international speaker whose TEDx talk has 1.5 million views. OutSmart magazine called her “The Mother of All MamaBears.” The Advocate dubbed her “our favorite affirming matriarch.” She is a prominent voice for the LGBTQ community and their faith parents who has been featured on ABC's 20/20, Nightline and Good Morning America, on NBC News Out, and as a contributor on the Our Bible app. She is a public theologian and through her nonprofit organization—FreedHearts—Susan expresses her authentic love for the LGBTQ+ community and families; and she sees love as the healing foundation of family, faith, and community. She spent 20+ years in the nonaffirming Evangelical church, has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and served as the Vice-President of PFLAG Austin. Her FreedHearts Blog and YouTube videos have millions of viewers, and her books “Mom, I'm Gay”—Loving Your LGBTQ Child and Strengthening Your Faith; True Colors: Celebrating the Truth and Beauty of the Real You; Radically Included: The Biblical Case for Radical Love and Inclusion; and Be the Love You Want to See in the World are critically acclaimed. She and her husband Rob have been married for 34 years and have five children, two of whom identify as queer. Yo can follow Susan on: Facebook     Instagram Check out FreedHearts on there website Take a listen to Susan's podcast You can purchase Susan's book on Amazon.com You can connect with us on    Facebook     Instagram      Twitter Want to help us with our future episodes of This Is Not Church Podcast? Join us on Patreon where you will get access to exclusive patron content such as early access to episode, videos of upcoming episodes, and live Q&A sessions. Also check out our website for upcoming interviews and blog posts Each episode of This Is Not Church Podcast is expertly engineered by our producer The Podcast Doctor Eric Howell. If you're thinking of starting a podcast you need to connect with Eric!

In this very special episode, we're going to share something that came from a mom of transgender daughter.She wrote it to share with her pastor, with anyone, who is trying to sort out transgender, gender nonconforming, nonbinary—trying to understand what that community, and their families, go through.This is an incredibly powerful story. It is beautifully written and conveys so well the heart of what it is to parent a transgender child.Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

Our transgender children and family members and friends are beautiful. And beloved. Living their authentic lives.What an amazing truth. Amazing stories. Amazing beauty. False teachings, binary thinking, denial can cause us to miss it all – and cause great harm to those we love. Don't deny the beauty of being transgender! Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

Some Christians mistakenly suggest that if you take the Bible seriously, you must stand against the existence – as well as the health and even humanity of transgender people.Actually, the OPPOSITE is true!In this episode, we are going to talk about how the Bible AFFIRMS transgender and gender non-conforming people.  And, how misinterpretations and binary thinking cause people to follow harmful false teachings.Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

So, how are you doing?  Any family issues?? We have some... we have family holding events, celebrating and we were not invited.  We have celebrations with part of our chosen family.When family is at odds over core beliefs and major heart issues, it can certainly get tricky.  So, we thought it might be an ideal time to ask… What in the world IS family anymore. And… Is this even still my family???Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

In this episode, we commune with Susan Cottrell.She is considered the Mama Bear of the LGBTQ+ community. She is a  powerful and profound voice reminding us to always choose love and inclusion.She shared with us that the height of spiritual abuse is to take God away.She taught us how to decolonize God!Susan explains how we are called to be radically included and- yep- that means radically inclusive of others.  We discover that Jesus does NOT want to you throw out your child because of who they love!Find out if your convicted or conditioned.  If you are confused, ask God to show you how you are loved.A freed heart won't take it if it feels like fear but, most of all...if it feels like love it's God!Personal Websitewww.FreedHearts.orgSocial Media linkhttps://www.facebook.com/FreedHearts/------Support Caravan of the HeartMore about Caravan of the HeartA podcast...a blisscast by Troubadours of Divine Bliss, Aim Me Smiley & Renee Ananda, a touring folk music duo, inspirational speakers, retreat leaders, and advocates for this planet and its people.On this podcast, we have heart-to-heart conversations around freeing our dreams and amplifying love in all things. Enjoy an exhilarating melange of exchanges where the arts meet awareness to champion and elevate the love of yourself, others, and the Earth.Join this caravan of seekers sharing what they find that empowers love in every part of the journey. Summon a revolution of Love through devotion, purpose, creation, Earth care, and community."Come, come, whoever you are. This is not a caravan of despair."  RumiLove is Spoken HereLearn MoreSupport Caravan of the HeartSupport the show (https://ko-fi.com/caravanoftheheart)

“What if you're wrong?”  People ask us this all the time, and then usually follow up with “Aren't you afraid of leading people astray?”  This seems to be the underlying fear for so many Christians.We have addressed this on an individual level but, today, we want to talk to the church!It has so consumed the Church, with this fear being spoonfed to people for decades, it hardly thinks to turn the question around on itself.So we are asking: Well, Church, what if YOU'RE wrong?In this episode we give 7 reasons why the Church should be afraid NOT to fully affirm LGBTQ+. Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

Ahhh, the joys of Christian guilt. (sigh)In this episode we talk about how this guilt deeply impacts those in the LGBTQ+ community.  Specifically how false teachings and manipulation have been systemically used to cause people to hate who they are.Let's talk about Christian guilt below the belt. Support the show (https://www.freedhearts.org/donate)

When Susan Cottrell was faced with the decision to either support her daughter (who'd just come out as a lesbian) or maintain alignment with her evangelical church, she chose her child. Then, she created Freed Hearts (https://www.freedhearts.org) because she knew that other people had to make similar choices, and needed resources, support, and belonging. We welcome Susan to The Kate & Colby Show with wide open hearts, astonished by her tenacious insistence to love people unconditionally. Listen in as Susan talks about her journey of discovery that sometimes in order to more closely follow Jesus we must shift away from conventional religious systems. To learn more about her story, watch her TED talk which has been viewed over one million times: https://youtu.be/rP01bH9Ljf4 ——— ALSO IN THIS EPISODE Viewer Check-in: What's one of the hardest decisions you've had to make? Who's Team Are You On?: Join in as Kate and Colby go head to head in a duel to see who viewers more closely align with. This week's topic: Around the House. Who are you, Team Kate or Team Colby? ——— ABOUT THE KATE & COLBY SHOW Our mission is Holistic Care for the Soul. As post-Evangelicals, and self-identifying Progressive Christians (or at least, most days), we offer unique insights into the world of relationships, spiritual practices, parenting, and more. We met when we were in Junior High, got married in 2003, and soon grew our family to four kids. Living in San Diego, we also co-Pastor the church we started in 2014, Sojourn Grace Collective: https://www.sojourngrace.com The Kate & Colby Show was a podcast first (and still is!), and is also now a LIVE Show that streams on Wednesdays at 7pm pacific. ——— THREE WAYS TO SUPPORT THE SHOW 1) Financially Express your gratitude and help with the costs of producing and growing the Show with one-time gifts or monthly backing: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/kateandcolby 2) Socially Subscribe to our channel here on Youtube Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateandcolby​ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateandcolby Get our Newsletter: https://www.thekateandcolbyshow.com 3) Reviewingly Listen, Rate and Review our Podcast. - iTunes: https://apple.co/2VfFgb3 - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Vh4jdH - Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2VeotoT - Podbean: https://bit.ly/3fZ4yCj ——— SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR MONTHLY BARISTAS
(aka, our Supporters on Buy Me A Coffee) Susan, Joel, Anna, Melanie, James, Julie, Bill, Patty, Amanda, Lisa

FreedHearts founder, Susan Cottrell, joins Michael sharing her story choosing her bisexual daughter over conservative Christianity. Her organization helps those in the LBGTQ community deal with family, religious, and community wounds and find a chosen family. They help the non-affirming church be more inclusive and help parents understand their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children, keep their kids safe, and their family strong.  Michael and Susan have a illuminating conversation on what it's like to come out of evangelicalism when forced to choose between a religion and a child. Susan shares how she came to realize something was terribly wrong with the Rulebook approach to interpreting homosexuality in the Bible and what she learned in her research. Rejected by many family and friends, she evolved into a voice for the wounded, developing courses and content that help people in the LGBTQ community deal with rejection, bullying, and gay bashing. Her work also helps parents, when entrenched in religiously-motivated judgmentalism, to find a new love-affirming paradigm that accepts, includes, and cherishes their gay children.  Visit Susan's FreedHearts to learn more and Michael's Spiritual Brewpub to learn about getting help with deconstructing fundamentalist and evangelical Christianity. 

Susan Cottrell, is the prominent voice for faith parents of LGBTQ children. Her story is born out of her loving heart as a mom. We explore what it looks like to take our next step in wholeheartedly loving, including and embracing the LGTBQ Community - with the wild, expansive love of God. We also learn about her organizatin FreedHearts you can learn more about Susan and FreedHearts here: FreedHearts.org