Uncomfortable Conversations as a Pathway to Reconciliation

  By suzanne | June 29, 2012 - 12:49 pm | , , , , , , , ,
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Some day our Nation will come to its senses by allowing marriage equality to be a universal right.  On the path to this anticipated hope, already some individuals, groups, and Christian denominations have made strong statements against political supporters of same-sex marriage.  Soon after President Obama declared his well-reasoned support of equality, social media outlets became a madhouse for both sides of the debate.  On their Facebook page and website, my religion of origin the Assemblies of God boldly announced their disapproval of our President’s statement.  Even during the casual discussion stage, before any Federal actions have been taken, opponents are showing their unwillingness to be a part of the discussion except to make declarative statements.  At the same time proponents see nothing but hatred . . . Continue reading →

Take Action – Be Among the 52!

  By suzanne | May 18, 2013 - 3:07 am |
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Help us cover operational expenses so that we can focus on our mission: connecting diverse communities to become reconciled. 100% net donations help to cover expenses related to website management and obtaining not-for-profit status 501(c)(3). Currently, donations are not tax-deductible (which is one of several reasons why we need not-for-profit status). Monthly website operating costs = $35 ($420 annually) Anticipated cost to obtain 501(c)(3) = $618 (one time fee) 52 individuals donating $8.00 will cover website operating costs for one week. 52 individuals donating $12.00 will help to pay for Rainbow Unbroken obtaining 501(c)(3) status in full. If 52 individuals donated $20.00, both expenses will be paid for June 2013 – May 2014.

The Benefits of Experiencing Christianity with Other LGBTQ Christians

  By suzanne | April 30, 2013 - 2:41 pm | , , , ,
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Since jumping back into the world of online communities, I’ve been “unpacking” boxes containing things I had associated with my Christian culture prior to coming out and leaving home for good. In times past, it was anxiety-producing to peek into those boxes. It is one thing to believe God loves me for me, and welcomes my sexual orientation wholeheartedly. It’s an entirely other thing to experience the familiar culture of my past alongside my current context. When my church (I attend a Metropolitan Community Church) began using contemporary worship songs, it was very triggering and anxiety-producing for me because those songs I strongly associated with my past environment. The anxiety was about mingling together parts of me that I had kept separate. I didn’t think . . . Continue reading →

Life-Cycle of a Christian Lesbian

  By suzanne | April 25, 2013 - 12:00 pm | , , , ,
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Originally published as “About the Author” on March 25, 2006. [Note: This post summarizes my life through Spring 2006 and is not reflective of my current status.]     Original Post: In case you’ve not noticed, I’ve changed the intro blurb for Rainbow Unbroken a few times. Now, I’ve updated my Blogger profile. Writing my descriptors down, regardless of form, scares me a little bit. As soon as I claim one set of adjectives, the devil’s advocate, namely my inner-self, begins a tirade of questioning until I consider my options. Regardless, I believe it’s important to describe the author of this blog for my current and potential readers. About the Author I am a thirty-something, uniquely average, creative, goal-oriented procrastinator, task-oriented slacker, messy perfectionist, realistic . . . Continue reading →

Remembering a Rainbow Funeral

  By suzanne | April 25, 2013 - 8:00 am | ,
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Originally published as “A Rainbow Funeral” on December 9, 2005 Snow Day Today being a snow day and a day off from work, I stayed home in my jammies, chilled out on the couch, and watched t.v. Occasionally I glanced outside the window to enjoy the snow blanketing Philadelphia. Wind whistled through structural crevices. Sunrays warmed the room. Cool air sifted through the heat, reminding me of winter’s approach. Loneliness accompanied. Thoughts entertained reflections of last night’s funeral procession. Rainbow Funeral Entered eternal rest, a man, barely an acquaintance, not a friend of mine but a friend to many. An atheist, he died unexpectedly, yet peacefully in his sleep on Sunday. According to one eulogy, he passed away the day after enjoying activities with family . . . Continue reading →

Between When I Knew and Graduation

  By suzanne | April 22, 2013 - 11:30 pm | , , ,
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Contents When I Knew I Was Gay Lesbian Until Graduation Continued from The story begins, again. When I Knew I Was Gay First published November 20, 2005 In 1983, when I was nine years old, close friends of the family took a pre-teen girl and me on a camping trip. Now, I love camping, and there is nothing better than sleeping on the ground in a tent. Roasting hotdogs and marshmallows over the campfire, hiking in the woods, cooking breakfast on a Coleman camp stove–all of these and more make outdoor adventures a blast! On this particular trip, the campground had many family-type activities and events. For the first time in my life, I had the chance to participate in a swim meet. As luck . . . Continue reading →

Developing a Prayer Life for Those of Us who are Fearful or Have Been Spiritually Victimized (Trigger Warning)

  By suzanne | April 16, 2013 - 3:43 pm | , , ,
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Contents Past Experiences with Prayer Developing Spiritual Boundaries Approaching the Uncomfortable Suggested Passages from the Book of Psalms Methods of Prayer Conversations with the Divine My Prayer for Everyone Past Experiences with Prayer Have any of you experienced these Christian practices: prayer meetings, laying on of hands, intercessory prayer, holding hands in prayer circles, “sitting in the hot seat” (a chair set aside for people in need of intensive prayer), praying in “tongues,” and related forms for prayer? I have either experienced all of the above or witnessed it. The most uncomfortable for me is face-to-face, in-person prayer, especially someone praying for me without my permission. I literally feel the “fight or flight” response, and end up being so focused on remaining calm that I . . . Continue reading →

The story begins, again.

  By suzanne | April 15, 2013 - 4:46 pm | , , , ,
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Contents Intro The Story Begins… Too Much Information Depression and Homosexuality Intro In November 2005 I created “Rainbow Unbroken” as a personal blog.  At first I wrote as someone who wanted to be ex-gay after having been in a few failed same-sex relationships.  Blogging was free and so was feedback, which beat having to pay for therapy!  The process of writing, reflecting, sharing my private information, and building an audience was a very unique experience for me.  I love to write, but until I began blogging, I did not enjoy sharing my stories with others.  My environment had taught me to listen to everyone share their stories, but to keep mine private. I didn’t discover my voice as a person whose stories were worth sharing . . . Continue reading →

All Are Welcomed Here, Except…

  By suzanne | April 7, 2013 - 5:55 pm | , , ,
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We have all seen the welcome signs at various houses of worship, inviting all to enter. Such invitations seem safe. The sidewalk billboards and various church signage boldly declare the inside of their buildings are free of expectations, judgments, and hidden agendas. Yet, many of us have seen the opposite once we’ve crossed the threshold. We learn the exception after it’s too late, after we’ve received a friendly handshake, picked up the bulletin, and have sat down alongside strangers who know a hidden agenda that will eventually cause yet another painful experience. Four months ago I started /r/GayChristians on Reddit{dot}com. Lately, I’ve been promoting it and fielding sincere questions from those who may have been hurt in the past in churches or Christian communities that . . . Continue reading →

God is Big Enough To Hear Our Anger

  By suzanne | March 31, 2013 - 2:23 am | , , ,
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Trigger Warning (Editor’s Note: Title changed from, “Hey God, is it alright for me to tell you to go suck on an Easter egg?”) While countless Christians across the world will be celebrating the resurrection of Christ the Lord, countless LGBT individuals will be reminded of the pain some of the same people have caused even though they claim to follow the One who commanded all to love one another. To all of us who’ve personally experienced pain coming from the Christian community, it is okay to feel angry and hatred for our enemies. It’s normal to want to hurt someone out of revenge for the pain that person has caused. Today, it’s understandable to not care even a little about the meaning of Easter . . . Continue reading →

Does God love the outcast?

  By suzanne | March 29, 2013 - 8:10 pm | , , , , , , ,
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(Editor’s Note: Originally published on April 8, 2006) On V.L. Carey’s website The Purple Pew (no longer published), she’s posted a sermon by Rev. Dr. Mel White founder of Soulforce. Entitled “How Can I Be Sure God Loves Me Too?,” the sermon brought me to tears. Now, if you are a conservative Christian, be forewarned that Rev. White is an actively gay minister. So, if you can set aside your objections for a minute and be open to the message, I highly recommend it! How Can I Be Sure God Loves Me Too? by Rev. Dr. Mel White Because the sermon was so moving, I listened to it a second time this morning. One part of White’s message really stood out to me: A Centurion, . . . Continue reading →

Does God answer prayers of the LGBTQ community?

  By suzanne | March 29, 2013 - 1:38 pm | , , , , , , , ,
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(Editor’s Note: First published May 31, 2012) If you practice any kind of faith, have you ever experienced receiving an answer to prayer(s)?  If you have ever wondered if God loves and cares for all His children, including the LGBTQ community, then hopefully this will be a source of encouragement. Years ago I had a medical emergency and racked up a huge bill ($30K).  No insurance.  Full-time student.  Part-time job.  During the time of dealing with finances, my church had challenged the congregation to read aloud one Psalm a day as a prayer.  As I prayed the Psalms, the experience stirred an emotional and spiritual response inside of me.  This drew me closer to intimacy with God.  I consider the felt increased intimacy was the . . . Continue reading →