Spiritual Conversations with Our Neighbor
Jonathan is our neighbor. The lights in front of his house have light blue and pink lightbulbs to celebrate transgenderism. Though Jonathan goes by his male name, he enjoys cross-dressing and walking around the neighborhood. He often has manicured nails, bright pink yoga pants, and a Barbie sweatshirt.
We have befriended him during our walks and conversations. This past month, he shared with Holly how he and his girlfriend broke up, leading him to question whether he’d ever get married. (A common misconception of men who cross-dress or identify as trans is that they have same-sex attraction. This shows that gender dysphoria is separate from who one is attracted to.)
Holly invited him to Easter service, but he could not attend due to his career as an aeronaut (hot air balloon pilot). Though he couldn’t come to church, Holly asked, “You know, I’ve never asked your spiritual background before. Were you raised in any faith, or have any now?” Jonathan was excited to share his family legacy of being Christians as far back as his grandparents. One grandmother lived in Honduras for 80 years as a missionary, and he seemed proud of her legacy. He then shared that his parents were raised in the church, but his dad left when Jonathan was about 9 years old, causing them both to stop attending church. He said he’s more agnostic now but thinks the Bible is a good moral book.
Though Holly did not get to bridge into discussing the gospel, it revealed that he is open to conversations about faith, God, and the Bible. She is praying for their discussions to continue as they meet sporadically during their morning walks. It is not a coincidence that our neighbor experiences some form of gender dysphoria, and Holly is pursuing her Doctorate to assist individuals with gender dysphoria within the church. Please pray as we continue to get to know him and engage in sharing Jesus with him.
Personal Update
Briella was baptized over Easter, and we had many family and friends come to celebrate. We are so proud of her public profession of faith in front of 3,220 people at our service!
Matt has a follow-up appointment in early June for his weak heart. He appears to be doing slightly better. Thank you for praying for him.
Thank you for your prayers and love for our family! We love serving the Lord alongside you!
