BUILD THE BRIDGE
a guarantee, a protection from any type of detour. But I neglected to input the unpredictable human elements of free will, sin propensity, and individual uniqueness. THE GA RDEN My daughter loves the Lord. She loves her family. She’s attracted to women. She prefers to dress in a masculine way. (Courtney has given me permission to write about her sexual orientation and gender identity struggle. From time to time her voice will interject into the text.) Before I became a mom, I sure didn’t expect homosexuality and gender issues to be a part of my future family life. The unwanted and unexpected comes clothed in turmoil and suffering. The difficult rebellious situations test the mettle of even the most steadfast parent. One mom shared she thought it would be easier to have a cancer diagnosis than deal with the things she has had to with her young adults. Our children are tightly wound around our hearts, holding the place that breaks our hearts the most. God is with you. He is with me. He is with our children. When we suffer due to our children’s rebellion, God gets it. After all, He’s Adam and Eve’s Dad (Genesis 3). Temptation slinks around even where there is a perfect Daddy and the children are living in the very best environment. No household, no garden is snake-proof. When Eve came to be, Adam already was. She entered the world in relationship. A woman is an innately relational being. So when an offspring takes a life detour, a mother’s very marrow aches, and sorrow comes with each exhale. THE ME SSAG E We ask, “Why? What can we do?” Perhaps the better question is, “How can I be Mom or Dad while my child moves away from me emotionally, mentally, and physically?” In this book, you will hear stories of real faith-filled families
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