Session Description:
Individuals share their different stories of faith and hope.
Target Demographic:
General
Courageous Curiosity
Stephen Tadlock
forthcoming
Two Arms For Hugging
Justin Vance
Justin shares his life lived in duality through the lens of union rather than division. Drawing on his background in math and English, Justin reflects on faith and sexuality, belonging and doubt, and discipleship amid complexity. Firmly knowing himself as a loved child of God—and also as a bisexual Latter-day Saint, husband, and father—he testifies that Jesus Christ works patiently with the whole of our lives as we follow Him.
Our Family Story: Confusing, Messy, Hard, and Worth Every Moment
Lora Nehring
How do you navigate the different and varied experiences of an LGBTQ family? How do you get answers when you don’t always know what the questions are yet? How does everyone’s voice get heard, even when what is being said is hard to hear? Our family doesn’t have all the answers to those questions but, thankfully, we are a work in progress—God’s work. The story of our family is confusing, hard, messy, and yet worth every moment.
How One Letter Changed My Marriage, My Parenting, and My Heart
Ashley Nance
“I wasn’t aware that was something a person could do.” Growing up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ashley assumed her lack of sexual attraction was normal—a natural result of keeping commandments. But when she learned what “asexual” meant in 2018, it reframed her entire life story. Suddenly, something she’d thought pointed to exceptional righteousness turned out to be immunity to temptations that affected almost everyone else. In this honest and hopeful talk, Ashley shares how discovering she was asexual opened her heart to others’ experiences, enriched her marriage and parenting, and taught her the difference between judgment and compassion. Featuring insights from her asexual teenage daughter, this is a story about growth, curiosity, and the unexpected gifts that come from finally understanding yourself.
Finding Light Through Art and Overcoming the 4D’s
Martin Reid
This is a story of overcoming a long dark mental battle, how to recognize “the 4D’s” (Doubt, Denial, Distraction and Delay) that will keep us from progression in any area of our lives, and four things that helped me to overcome and bring more light into my life.
