Newsweek

Today’s Newsweek (dated May 21st) has as its cover story a very good article on transgender people and issues in America. It is also available on their web site. I was interviewed as part of the story and there is a nice picture of Joanne and me in the magazine. In general they came pretty close to understanding and articulating things well; even though they did get some facts about me (name – I am Julie – and surgery) wrong.

Newsweek’s conversation with me was primarily about religious issues related to being transgender. I explained to them that the blatant discrimination against transgender people (and often the whole LGBT rainbow) was without Biblical warrant and counter to the clear teaching of Jesus summarizing all of the law and prophets with calls to love relationships and actions toward God and all people. MY web site has an article on Old Testament law and New Testament grace and I will gladly email other writings to any who ask for them.

For me, being Julie has brought authenticity to my relationship with God and a depth to worship beyond anything I have ever known. Should it surprise us that when we come before God without pretense that this should happen? God made me (or allowed me to become) the person I am. I am Julie and I love the Lord with all my heart and am walking faithfully with Him.

Joanne and I have been faithfully waiting upon God’s leading every step of our journey these last few years. Sometimes we have felt like Abraham in “going” but being not quite sure where we were headed. But we have walked by faith every step of the way and have seen God before us and felt His presence with us again and again. Those that confuse human teaching and cultural conditioning with God’s Word have trouble with this. Those that know our hearts have walked with us.

God has made a world filled with the joy of differences. Animals, flowers, and even bugs display a God of immense creative diversity creating many marvelous expressions of His pleasure throughout the universe. LGBT people are part of that wonderful diversity of God’s world. We honor Him when we celebrate the diversity He has given to us.