About Me

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I'm a wife, a mom, a singer/songwriter, an author, a public speaker, an abolitionist, an encourager & freedom coach, a seminary student, a worship leader, a lover of life and joy, and most importantly, a follower of Jesus Christ.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Coming Out

I'm taking a short break from our preparations to share something that has been on my heart for a few days.

Some of you know me as friend, cousin, family member, singer, songwriter, worship leader, random blogger, crunchy treehugger, spinach-chugging cook, gentle hippie mom, food enthusiast, minister, encourager, pray-er.

What you may not know is that I am what some people refer to as "ex-gay".

You may have figured this out long ago if you clicked on some of the links on my blog. Or maybe my recent posts about the upcoming conference gave it away.

The reason I've been hesitant to bring this up is - well, there are quite a few. But there are 2 main reasons.

1. This is not an "ex-gay" blog. My purpose for starting this blog was to talk about my life, which of course involves the ministry that I do & am very passionate about, but that's not the only thing, or even the main thing, that I wanted to talk about.

2. I don't like putting that out there as the 1st thing people know about me.

That may sound as if I'm ashamed of my past or my present. No, I'm not ashamed, though I wish sometimes that I had made different choices. The problem with sharing with people what I do for ministry is that they jump to conclusions based on it. I won't dive too deep into that, but I am many things, and the fact that I was gay-identified for a decade is just one of many things that has shaped on some level who I am today.

I'm bringing this up now because I may be live-blogging from the conference. And I figured it was as good a time as any :)

Really, I just want people to know me as Brenna Kate Simonds, not based on some label and the baggage it carries. I tell people when they ask about the ministry that I'm really just an average person. I don't have an agenda; I just help people who want my help.

End of story :)

If you didn't know this about me and it bothers you on some level, I hope you will give me a chance. I really am just an ordinary person who serves an extraordinary God.

4 comments:

  1. Well, the only concern I have of you is how y'all pronounce your vowels and really hit those hard consonants with the tenacity not seen much in my neck o' the woods.

    Oh and that green stuff you drink ... that concerns me too. So, just watch it sister.

    :)

    Seriously though, I know I am biased but I am speaking the truth, I hate the label "ex-gay" as well. That term is not anywhere near the radar when I think of you friend.

    Groovy? ... yes. Ex-gay? ... nope.

    Just sayin'

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  2. All I know is that you're my cool, smart sister, mom of my adorable nephew and wife of my favorite little brother. And that you have a much more daring appetite than I do with those green smoothies ;->

    Love ya Brenna!

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  3. Oh my gosh! I wish you had told me sooner!!!! ;) J/K

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  4. It's not always an easy thing to tell people. You did it with grace and beauty. :)

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