Don’t Go It Alone

Every day we hear from hurting Christian parents with LGBTQ+ loved ones who are desperate for help.

• “I need some support. My son has come out in the last year, although I suspected he was gay for a while.”
• "We have no church family to speak of, but I strongly suspect that our Christian friends and family will not be supportive of my son or us if we support him.”
• “I feel alone. My other children support their brother, but my husband doesn't.”
• “I need real people who I can talk and listen to and learn from.”

Our Embracing the Journey team of 36 caring Christian parents help other parents navigate the myriad of emotions that come with learning your child is LGBTQ+. Check out this excerpt from a letter we received from a new parent in one of our support groups this past week.

We are available to walk with you. If you or a loved one are interested in joining one of our parent support groups or seeking a mentor or coach to help you process the myriad of emotions you are experiencing, we are here for you. Send us an email and we will schedule a time to talk in person. Because of the generous support from parents and churches blessed by our ministry, we do not charge for any of our services.

This Month’s Favorite Quote

One of our favorite quotes is by Canadian author Ann Voskamp who says:

Too often, when we learn that our beloved child is LGBTQ+, it seems overwhelming, like some massive juggernaut that you can't envision getting your arms around. And yet, as Ann points out, it is God's Holy Spirit who lives in us, enabling us to embrace the journey God has set before us victoriously.

Volunteers Needed

The need is enormous to walk alongside hurting Christian families with LGBTQ+ loved ones. And our need for healed parents to help facilitate parent support groups is equally significant. If you are interested in making a difference in this highly fulfilling role, please send us an email.

Upcoming Events

Greg & Lynn Teaching

Greg and Lynn will be speaking at the Parents in Process event on Thursday, October 28th, 2021. If you're a Christian parent who has an LGBTQ+ child and lots of questions, this event is for you. Are you wrestling with what it means to honor God, and continue to love and embrace your child after they've come out? If so, you are not alone on this journey. The Reformation Project is offering Parents in Process for parents just like you during their annual conference scheduled for October 28–30, 2021.

At the conference, you will hear from inspiring keynotes Christian leaders like Jen Hatmaker and, of course, the Reformation Project’s founder Matthew Vines. This year’s conference will take place at the Crowne Plaza Phoenix-Chandler Golf Resort in Arizona.

Team Spotlight

Mike & Kat Tindol

ETJ Board Members, Coaching, Counseling, and Leadership Team.

Mike and Kat are an incredible couple with big hearts who have a gay daughter and a gay brother. Kat is a former corporate travel agent, personal trainer, triathlon coach, retreat sales coordinator, and Christian counseling scheduler. Mike is a former business owner of 26 years and now enjoys working as a business consultant and life coach.

The Tindol’s are “all in” when it comes to Embracing the Journey giving of their LIFE. LIFE being an acronym for (Labor, Influence, Finance & Expertise). Now retired, both Kat and Mike serve on the Board of Directors, coach parents with LGBTQ+ children, co-lead an Embracing the Journey virtual parent support group, and are the lead trainers for Embracing the Journey. As Mike and Kat often say, “It may take us by surprise when we find out that our child is LGBTQ+. However, it doesn't take God by surprise. God has trusted us to be their parents, and he has a plan and purpose for everything.” Together God uses the Tindol's to heal and positively impact countless families with LGBTQ+ loved ones. Mike and Kat reside on Georgia's Atlantic Coast with their two furbabies. This picture is of Kat and Mike and their 24 years old daughter Nicole who just graduated with her master's degree at Georgia Southern University

How Embracing The Journey Came to Be

Seven years ago, our small group was studying a series that our pastor Andy Stanley was teaching. As the series came to a close, Andy asked the question, "What breaks your heart?" Immediately Lynn and I turned to each other and said, "It's the LGBTQ+ community." In other words, it was the pain and suffering we witnessed as Christian families were being torn apart over the previous thirteen years since learning our son Greg Jr. was gay. This was the genesis that started Embracing the Journey.

For most people, every now and then, our circumstances or something as simple as someone raising a question can cause us to make a radical change in our life. I believe there is something innate in all of us that if we see someone being harmed, it doesn't sit well. If the person being harmed is in some way marginalized, it really doesn't sit well. But if the marginalized individual being harmed is done so in "The name of God," well, that simply is not our God. This is what catapulted Lynn and I into action, to extend the love of God by building bridges between LGBTQ+ individuals, their families, and the Church even when they seem at odds. You see, it is not in spite of the bible that we do this; it is because of the bible. Earlier this month, in a conversation with a new friend from Cape Cod, he profoundly said, "I need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable." How about you, is there something making you uncomfortable that breaks your heart?

Until next month,
Your friends, Greg and Lynn

Embracing the Journey Inc. is a government approved 501(c) non-profit ministry funded purely by donations. Please consider partnering with us by making a one-time or reoccurring monthly tax-deductible gift.