Many people want to offer love and support to their LGBTQ friends and neighbors but aren't sure how. Bird’s unique position as a gay Latter-day Saint has given him valuable insight. In this book, he authentically details the blessings and challenges faced by gay members of the Church and provides readers with the perspective, understanding, and tools they need to more effectively minister to those who identity as LGBTQ. Expanding the Borders of Zion bridges the gap between religion and the LGBTQ community in a way that is both bold and inviting. It will undoubtedly inspire you to love deeper, grow closer to Christ, and expand your heart to more fully embrace all of God’s children.
Read MoreCome As You Are - Creating Space for the Rising Generation - Samuel Norton
With faith and testimony under increasing attack, parents can often be left wondering what they can do to help their children remain faithfully on the covenant path. Come as You Are by Samuel Norton, looks at some of the cultural aspects of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and questions if those aspects of our lives are helping connect our youth and young adults to the Source of Redeeming Love. With the notion of creating “space,” listeners will understand that the opportunities to connect with Jesus are limitless, if we will give our youth and young adults the tools and the “space” to do so their way.
Listeners will understand that the “space” needed to connect with our Savior can be encroached upon by the language we use, the lessons we teach, our discomfort with not having the answers, and our binary approach to life.
Giving the rising generation the opportunity to connect with Jesus Christ isn’t about just making sure that they show up at church and attend activities every week. It’s about making sure they understand Christ stands willing to welcome them as they are. It’s about recognizing that He will perfect them in the process of time. It’s about helping them see that everyone can Come as They Are.
Read MoreBut Jesus: A Conversation - Autumn McAlpin
But Jesus: A Conversation takes us on a journey of a family deconstructing with the use of a compass and their conscience, and reconstructing with the salve that will help bind them most of all: love. With stunning cover art by J. Kirk Richards, this book is intended to offer an open shoulder for all families who find themselves at the intersection of the LDS and LGBTQ+ conflict, and for the loved ones trying to understand the complex choices they face. All proceeds from the sales of this book will be donated to life-saving therapy programs for the LGBTQ+ community through 501c3 nonprofits Encircle and Flourish.
Read MoreLove Boldly - Embracing Your LGBTQ Loved Ones and Your Faith- Becky Mackintosh
"Mom, Dad, I'm gay." One Facebook message completely changed Becky Mackintosh's life in the blink of an eye. Though she had often wondered about her son Sean when he was young, she had never entertained the possibility that her suspicions could be true. And just like that, battle lines were drawn between siblings, parents, friends with the Church somewhere in the middle. A choice was before the Mackintosh family. Just not the one they were expecting. Experience Becky's journey and witness how her faith allowed her to embrace her religion and her gay son. She'll tell you that the answer to every question and conflict is love.
Without the Mask: Coming Out and Coming Into God's Light - Charlie Bird
Charlie Bird—the viral face of BYU during his years as Cosmo the Cougar—made waves across the nation in February when he came out and revealed to BYU fans that he is gay. Now, in Without the Mask, Bird reflects on how his identity has strengthened his testimony and how he views his sexual orientation in conjunction with his faith in Jesus Christ.
Alternating between memoir and teaching chapters, Bird's touching and authentic prose chronicles his decision to openly share that he is gay and to remain active in the faith. Highlighting the challenges Bird has faced along the way, the book also shares the blessings he's learned to recognize through his sexual orientation. Charlie feels deeply the importance of maintaining a relationship with God and hopes this message will "spark healing, bridge gaps of understanding and inspire hope" for other LGBTQ readers and those who love them.
Read MoreA Walk in My Shoes: Questions I'm Often Asked as a Gay Latter-day Saint
President M. Russell Ballard counseled, "We need to listen to and understand what our LGBT brothers and sisters are feeling and experiencing. Certainly, we must do better than we have done in the past so that all members feel they have a spiritual home where their brothers and sisters love them and where they have a place to worship and serve the Lord" (BYU devotional, November 14, 2017). A Walk in My Shoes: Questions I'm Often Asked as a Gay Latter-day Saint invites readers to act upon that counsel by following the journey of Ben Schilaty, a licensed therapist and BYU Honor Code administrator, as he works to reconcile his faith with his sexual orientation. Each chapter in the book focuses on a question that the author is often asked, such as, "Were you born gay?" "Why do you stay in the Church?" "Why don't you marry a woman if marriage is about more than sex?" A Walk in My Shoes allows readers a glimpse into the life of a single, gay, active Latter-day Saint and provides guidance for how they can support and minister to their LGBTQ loved ones.
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