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God Doesn’t Make Mistakes: Confessions of a Transgender Christian
What do you do if you are an evangelical Christian, politically conservative AND transgender?
Evangelical Christians are often attacked by the Left. People who are transgender are often attacked by the Right. It’s human nature to align with those who share our world view, and dismiss those who don’t.
There is a struggle going on in our culture that produces more victims than champions—we all seem to agree on that. The growing divide between the political, ideological Left vs Right and Religious vs Secularist is so sharp that even attempting to bridge the gap is a perilous endeavor.
But what happens to the people who are scorned by both sides? Shut out by the Left for their conservative views. Rejected by Christians for being transgender.
Meet Laurie Suzanne Scott. She is, indeed, both an evangelical Christian and transgender. Raised in a devoutly Christian home, she endured the unbelievably difficult and complicated odyssey of finding her identity as a woman …without losing her identity in Christ. A journey she barely survived.
In "God Doesn't Make Mistakes: Confessions of a Transgender Christian" Laurie tells her story of growing up playing a role as unnatural to her as the body she was born with. She was a living, breathing dichotomy… and there was no one who could understand. She had no choice but to keep up the pretense and keep it a secret.
She became a good son. A good Christian. And eventually even a good husband. She knew if her true identity became known, she would lose everything. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. So, she kept her secret from everyone. But she knew there was no keeping it from God.
Raised with a doctrine she believed condemned her, she decided the only way out of her constant misery was to end her life.
“Who would even want to stop me?” “Wouldn’t it be easier for everyone this way?” It was at that desperate crossroad she heard the voice of God simply say, “You’re okay.”
Since that day, God has led her on a path to heal her deep wounds of rejection by family as well as other Christians, and make peace with the way she was created.
“I thought God would be the first to reject me. But, in fact, He was the first to accept me.”
Now Laurie reaches out to Christians who are transgender, who are still struggling to believe God loves them for who they are… just as they are. It’s a difficult and often emotionally exhausting ministry. Equally important are the efforts to help the Church see their Christian brothers and sisters who are transgender as simply, their Christian brothers and sisters. Nothing more, and nothing less.
And finally, she shares the much needed message that God doesn't make mistakes, and it IS possible to be a conservative, a Christian, and transgender.
Evangelical Christians are often attacked by the Left. People who are transgender are often attacked by the Right. It’s human nature to align with those who share our world view, and dismiss those who don’t.
There is a struggle going on in our culture that produces more victims than champions—we all seem to agree on that. The growing divide between the political, ideological Left vs Right and Religious vs Secularist is so sharp that even attempting to bridge the gap is a perilous endeavor.
But what happens to the people who are scorned by both sides? Shut out by the Left for their conservative views. Rejected by Christians for being transgender.
Meet Laurie Suzanne Scott. She is, indeed, both an evangelical Christian and transgender. Raised in a devoutly Christian home, she endured the unbelievably difficult and complicated odyssey of finding her identity as a woman …without losing her identity in Christ. A journey she barely survived.
In "God Doesn't Make Mistakes: Confessions of a Transgender Christian" Laurie tells her story of growing up playing a role as unnatural to her as the body she was born with. She was a living, breathing dichotomy… and there was no one who could understand. She had no choice but to keep up the pretense and keep it a secret.
She became a good son. A good Christian. And eventually even a good husband. She knew if her true identity became known, she would lose everything. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. So, she kept her secret from everyone. But she knew there was no keeping it from God.
Raised with a doctrine she believed condemned her, she decided the only way out of her constant misery was to end her life.
“Who would even want to stop me?” “Wouldn’t it be easier for everyone this way?” It was at that desperate crossroad she heard the voice of God simply say, “You’re okay.”
Since that day, God has led her on a path to heal her deep wounds of rejection by family as well as other Christians, and make peace with the way she was created.
“I thought God would be the first to reject me. But, in fact, He was the first to accept me.”
Now Laurie reaches out to Christians who are transgender, who are still struggling to believe God loves them for who they are… just as they are. It’s a difficult and often emotionally exhausting ministry. Equally important are the efforts to help the Church see their Christian brothers and sisters who are transgender as simply, their Christian brothers and sisters. Nothing more, and nothing less.
And finally, she shares the much needed message that God doesn't make mistakes, and it IS possible to be a conservative, a Christian, and transgender.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2018
99 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 16, 2020
A timely book that could not have come soon enough...
As a Christian body we need to re-learn to love as Christ loved. WITHOUT JUDGEMENT or CONDITIONS. As important as it may be to bring the transgendered into a loving nurturing relationship with Christ we need that ourselves as badly. The Great Physician is still healing sadly it is we Christians walking around thinking we are not sick, or need it, as TGSOB planned.
As a Christian body we need to re-learn to love as Christ loved. WITHOUT JUDGEMENT or CONDITIONS. As important as it may be to bring the transgendered into a loving nurturing relationship with Christ we need that ourselves as badly. The Great Physician is still healing sadly it is we Christians walking around thinking we are not sick, or need it, as TGSOB planned.
December 19, 2020
A mind changer.
I started this book as a skeptic of transgender being real, but finished it with a new understanding of the subject. At first I pitied Miss Scott, but through her expert writing I gained the need to open my heart to her and others like her. She truly is a gifted author. Also as a life long Christian, I now see that God really doesn't make mistakes. Thank you Miss Scott for this wonderful book, and your strength to tell your story.
I started this book as a skeptic of transgender being real, but finished it with a new understanding of the subject. At first I pitied Miss Scott, but through her expert writing I gained the need to open my heart to her and others like her. She truly is a gifted author. Also as a life long Christian, I now see that God really doesn't make mistakes. Thank you Miss Scott for this wonderful book, and your strength to tell your story.
June 30, 2020
Excellent Book
I really enjoyed this book. I read it while listening to the audiobook which was also very well narrated. I highly recommend either one or both of these.
It restored hope to me that I can find a church that celebrates Christ while affirming me in my life without condemning me for being a transgender female lesbian.
I really enjoyed this book. I read it while listening to the audiobook which was also very well narrated. I highly recommend either one or both of these.
It restored hope to me that I can find a church that celebrates Christ while affirming me in my life without condemning me for being a transgender female lesbian.
March 27, 2024
AN HONEST AND DETAILED TESTIMONY OF A [M-TO-F] TRANS EVANGELICAL
Author Laurie Suzanne Scott wrote in the Introduction to this 2018 book, “this may be a topic with which you’re not familiar… you’re at least curious … about how it is that someone can be born with one body and think of themselves as belonging to the gender of the opposite body. Perhaps even more curious might be how a person like this can call themselves a follower of Christ?... I grew up wondering how it is that I could be born a boy yet feel like I should be a girl… I also know what it is to be an outcast from family and the Church because I am transgender. But here’s the good news---Jesus… died on the cross for ALL humanity and rose… to give us eternal life for those who will believe… In this book, I don’t try to prove that you can be both Christian and transgender, because Christ’s salvation isn’t dependent upon your gender [Gal 3:28].” (Pg. 5-6)
She continues, “I know it’s easy to call things we don’t like, that make us uncomfortable… a sin. And that’s when we often go looking to the scriptures to justify via our faith, that it’s okay to disapprove something. We go to the Old Testament, we go to the New Testament---wherever the verses are is where we go to justify our ‘beliefs.’ … If I thought it was a sin for you to eat bacon, I would quote Deuteronomy 14:8… If you ordered a bowl of clam chowder … I would give you Leviticus 11:10… 1 Peter 3:3 could be interpreted women shouldn’t be allowed to make themselves more attractive with makeup, hair and jewelry… In fact, if a woman doesn’t give birth, she can’t be saved---just look at 1 Tim 2:15! Those verses are black and white. If you disagree, that must mean you’re wrong… My point is this---there are more to the verses, their context… within the culture of the day… We shouldn’t be so quick to …. [use] the Bible to support our personal biases.” (Pg. 7-8)
She goes on, “There are studies … of the brain that show that parts of the brain of someone like me, and male-to-female… transsexual, are much more like someone who is born female than someone who is born male… I’ve always said I don’t need science to … justify in my mind that I was born this way---because there is no other explanation. However, a scientific answer may help others, particularly those who feel this sense of being ‘in the wrong body’ is a sin. Just as it’s not a sin to be born deaf or left-handed, it’s not a sin to be born transgender.” (Pg. 8)
She explains, “I was compelled to write this book, because I could no longer just idly sit by and listen to Christians in total ignorance talk about how people who are transgender are out to destroy families, attack women and girls in bathrooms, pump children full of hormones and ruin society in general. Nor could I allow Christians who are transgender complain about the ‘evangelical church’ … and how hateful and un-Christ-like it was. I am a conservative evangelical Christian who is transgender, so I am likewise hurt when I see a similar ignorance displayed toward churches and people with whom I identify.” (Pg. 9)
In the first chapter, she states, “Being transgender can’t be fixed, prayed away, or ignored. I know---because I tried. I tried every way possible. There are people who think something must have happened early in life… to twist an innocent mind to think they are not what their body says they are. To them, since God doesn’t make mistakes, I therefore couldn’t possibly have been born this way. Well, He doesn’t and I was… The fact that I’m transgender has no bearing on my decision to follow Christ. Why would it?” (Pg. 11-12)
She recounts of her childhood, “Even being surrounded by all things male (my dad, brothers, and the neighborhood boys)… I always wanted … the Kenner Easy-Bake Oven… I wanted to bake just like my mom and grandma because I wanted to be like them… The next few years during elementary school were a time of discovery for me… I would play with my mom’s lipstick in the bathroom… at least for a few minutes, I got to be like a girl…. My most common prayer was ‘God, please make me a girl.’” (Pg. 18-19) Later, she adds, “Every day this would be what I wanted, and all I could do was try to act like a normal boy.” (Pg. 23)
She explains, “My relationship with Jesus was personal, deep, and very much tied up with my secret about being transgender… So, I didn’t talk about Jesus. I was at church every Sunday morning and evening… But talk about it at a personal level? Nope.” (Pg. 32)
Eventually, “I WAS now married and now feeling (in a way) stuck… she was feeling the need to start a family… The thought of being a father to a child, a father I knew I could never be, paralyzed me. I couldn’t fake it that long… After a year of ‘trying’… I went in for a testicular biopsy… the results came back… I was sterile… she didn’t recognize my lack of agony or pain as an issue…” (Pg. 41-42) She adds, “it’s probably a good thing that Jan wanted to go with artificial insemination, because that forced me into telling her.” They divorced, after 4 years of marriage. (Pg. 45)
She states, “I didn’t even have any verses to think that being transgender is a sin, it’s not like I’m choosing it---it’s not something I DO, it’s something I AM.” (Pg. 52) She was feeling suicidal, and began seeing a therapist. (Pg. 60-64) One day after an appointment, “I was questioning myself: ‘Was I doing the right thing?... What if she determines that I’m NOT transsexual?..’ All these questions were… in my head… Then… I heard these two life-changing words: ‘It’s okay.’ … At that exact moment, I suddenly KNEW that I could put all my questions and worries about my gender identity behind me. God had told me … that I was ‘okay’…and that ‘Laurie’ was okay to continue to be who I REALLY was, who He created me to be.” (Pg. 66)
She came out to her family: “They were confused, and they were angry… [A brother told him] ‘You’re going to wind up homeless and living in the gutters in San Francisco.’” (Pg. 80-81) She had gender reassignment surgery, and called her mother to tell her she was okay, and she heard “the sadness that something she could have never imagined in her baby’s life had happened.” (Pg. 104-105)
She observes, “men have a harder time accepting it than women… Maybe it’s that they feel I’m a traitor to ‘the fraternity’ of brothers… maybe that’s why women are more accepting, it’s as if I’ve ‘come to my senses’ and they are welcoming me to ‘the sisterhood.’ … all I DO know is that … the fear of rejection was always there.” (Pg. 121-122)
She asserts, “God made me the way He made me. Am I perfectly made? Nope. But I am wonderfully made. So many people are born with birth defects… did God make a mistake?... Being transgender isn’t the only condition that science has no answers for…” (Pg. 133-134)
She was involved in a church, but after explaining her situation, the pastor told her, “we need you to know that you can no longer be a part of the women’s ministry… Pastor John continued that by my … continuing to live as a woman (even though my surgery was seven years ago) constitutes sin, whether I thought so or not...” (Pg. 137) She adds, “I could no longer be considered a member of the church if I didn’t ‘change back.’ Because they wanted to ‘help’ me, they were now willing to pay for whatever services I needed to do so… I got up and literally ran out of there…” (Pg. 141-142)
She notes, “One thing that I’ve learned… is that the Church is not God… when people get hurt by the Church… many times they feel that God has let them down… Christians who are transgender want to be a part of Christ’s family… and yet they are rejected by the Church, called sinful, and told they need to change. The result is these people forever walking away… and losing their faith in God…” (Pg. 149)
He found another church, and one of its female pastors “wasn’t familiar with people who were transgender, but she was of the love first, figure it out later mindset… She saw me as one of His children, period, with no qualification necessary at all… Sharon was showing nothing more than the simple love of Jesus toward me.” (Pg. 154) But the main pastor felt differently, and ultimately Laurie moved back to Texas. (Pg. 205-206)
She laments, “Being a heterosexual woman, I find men attractive. Being Christian, I would only want a Christian man to be that one special person in my life. The rub comes when I think, ‘What Christian man would want someone like me?’” (Pg. 218)
Finding another church, she still recalls, “I DID feel alone at church… my friends… didn’t know about my background… I couldn’t tell them about how significant my baptism was. About hearing God’s voice… ironically, the church where the amazing transformation of my life has taken place if the only place I CAN’T share my story.” (Pg. 248) Later, she adds, “I am called to a ministry, and my own church seemed to be part of my mission field.” (Pg. 256)
She concludes, “Do I ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after? My story is still being written… My church is a work in progress… My circle of friends … who know my full story is slowly growing… the evangelical church … can make it hard at times to feel welcome. There are many, many people like me still in the shadows of our churches…” (Pg. 280-281)
This detailed and heartfelt testimony will be of great interest to any Christians wanting to know more about transgender issues.
Author Laurie Suzanne Scott wrote in the Introduction to this 2018 book, “this may be a topic with which you’re not familiar… you’re at least curious … about how it is that someone can be born with one body and think of themselves as belonging to the gender of the opposite body. Perhaps even more curious might be how a person like this can call themselves a follower of Christ?... I grew up wondering how it is that I could be born a boy yet feel like I should be a girl… I also know what it is to be an outcast from family and the Church because I am transgender. But here’s the good news---Jesus… died on the cross for ALL humanity and rose… to give us eternal life for those who will believe… In this book, I don’t try to prove that you can be both Christian and transgender, because Christ’s salvation isn’t dependent upon your gender [Gal 3:28].” (Pg. 5-6)
She continues, “I know it’s easy to call things we don’t like, that make us uncomfortable… a sin. And that’s when we often go looking to the scriptures to justify via our faith, that it’s okay to disapprove something. We go to the Old Testament, we go to the New Testament---wherever the verses are is where we go to justify our ‘beliefs.’ … If I thought it was a sin for you to eat bacon, I would quote Deuteronomy 14:8… If you ordered a bowl of clam chowder … I would give you Leviticus 11:10… 1 Peter 3:3 could be interpreted women shouldn’t be allowed to make themselves more attractive with makeup, hair and jewelry… In fact, if a woman doesn’t give birth, she can’t be saved---just look at 1 Tim 2:15! Those verses are black and white. If you disagree, that must mean you’re wrong… My point is this---there are more to the verses, their context… within the culture of the day… We shouldn’t be so quick to …. [use] the Bible to support our personal biases.” (Pg. 7-8)
She goes on, “There are studies … of the brain that show that parts of the brain of someone like me, and male-to-female… transsexual, are much more like someone who is born female than someone who is born male… I’ve always said I don’t need science to … justify in my mind that I was born this way---because there is no other explanation. However, a scientific answer may help others, particularly those who feel this sense of being ‘in the wrong body’ is a sin. Just as it’s not a sin to be born deaf or left-handed, it’s not a sin to be born transgender.” (Pg. 8)
She explains, “I was compelled to write this book, because I could no longer just idly sit by and listen to Christians in total ignorance talk about how people who are transgender are out to destroy families, attack women and girls in bathrooms, pump children full of hormones and ruin society in general. Nor could I allow Christians who are transgender complain about the ‘evangelical church’ … and how hateful and un-Christ-like it was. I am a conservative evangelical Christian who is transgender, so I am likewise hurt when I see a similar ignorance displayed toward churches and people with whom I identify.” (Pg. 9)
In the first chapter, she states, “Being transgender can’t be fixed, prayed away, or ignored. I know---because I tried. I tried every way possible. There are people who think something must have happened early in life… to twist an innocent mind to think they are not what their body says they are. To them, since God doesn’t make mistakes, I therefore couldn’t possibly have been born this way. Well, He doesn’t and I was… The fact that I’m transgender has no bearing on my decision to follow Christ. Why would it?” (Pg. 11-12)
She recounts of her childhood, “Even being surrounded by all things male (my dad, brothers, and the neighborhood boys)… I always wanted … the Kenner Easy-Bake Oven… I wanted to bake just like my mom and grandma because I wanted to be like them… The next few years during elementary school were a time of discovery for me… I would play with my mom’s lipstick in the bathroom… at least for a few minutes, I got to be like a girl…. My most common prayer was ‘God, please make me a girl.’” (Pg. 18-19) Later, she adds, “Every day this would be what I wanted, and all I could do was try to act like a normal boy.” (Pg. 23)
She explains, “My relationship with Jesus was personal, deep, and very much tied up with my secret about being transgender… So, I didn’t talk about Jesus. I was at church every Sunday morning and evening… But talk about it at a personal level? Nope.” (Pg. 32)
Eventually, “I WAS now married and now feeling (in a way) stuck… she was feeling the need to start a family… The thought of being a father to a child, a father I knew I could never be, paralyzed me. I couldn’t fake it that long… After a year of ‘trying’… I went in for a testicular biopsy… the results came back… I was sterile… she didn’t recognize my lack of agony or pain as an issue…” (Pg. 41-42) She adds, “it’s probably a good thing that Jan wanted to go with artificial insemination, because that forced me into telling her.” They divorced, after 4 years of marriage. (Pg. 45)
She states, “I didn’t even have any verses to think that being transgender is a sin, it’s not like I’m choosing it---it’s not something I DO, it’s something I AM.” (Pg. 52) She was feeling suicidal, and began seeing a therapist. (Pg. 60-64) One day after an appointment, “I was questioning myself: ‘Was I doing the right thing?... What if she determines that I’m NOT transsexual?..’ All these questions were… in my head… Then… I heard these two life-changing words: ‘It’s okay.’ … At that exact moment, I suddenly KNEW that I could put all my questions and worries about my gender identity behind me. God had told me … that I was ‘okay’…and that ‘Laurie’ was okay to continue to be who I REALLY was, who He created me to be.” (Pg. 66)
She came out to her family: “They were confused, and they were angry… [A brother told him] ‘You’re going to wind up homeless and living in the gutters in San Francisco.’” (Pg. 80-81) She had gender reassignment surgery, and called her mother to tell her she was okay, and she heard “the sadness that something she could have never imagined in her baby’s life had happened.” (Pg. 104-105)
She observes, “men have a harder time accepting it than women… Maybe it’s that they feel I’m a traitor to ‘the fraternity’ of brothers… maybe that’s why women are more accepting, it’s as if I’ve ‘come to my senses’ and they are welcoming me to ‘the sisterhood.’ … all I DO know is that … the fear of rejection was always there.” (Pg. 121-122)
She asserts, “God made me the way He made me. Am I perfectly made? Nope. But I am wonderfully made. So many people are born with birth defects… did God make a mistake?... Being transgender isn’t the only condition that science has no answers for…” (Pg. 133-134)
She was involved in a church, but after explaining her situation, the pastor told her, “we need you to know that you can no longer be a part of the women’s ministry… Pastor John continued that by my … continuing to live as a woman (even though my surgery was seven years ago) constitutes sin, whether I thought so or not...” (Pg. 137) She adds, “I could no longer be considered a member of the church if I didn’t ‘change back.’ Because they wanted to ‘help’ me, they were now willing to pay for whatever services I needed to do so… I got up and literally ran out of there…” (Pg. 141-142)
She notes, “One thing that I’ve learned… is that the Church is not God… when people get hurt by the Church… many times they feel that God has let them down… Christians who are transgender want to be a part of Christ’s family… and yet they are rejected by the Church, called sinful, and told they need to change. The result is these people forever walking away… and losing their faith in God…” (Pg. 149)
He found another church, and one of its female pastors “wasn’t familiar with people who were transgender, but she was of the love first, figure it out later mindset… She saw me as one of His children, period, with no qualification necessary at all… Sharon was showing nothing more than the simple love of Jesus toward me.” (Pg. 154) But the main pastor felt differently, and ultimately Laurie moved back to Texas. (Pg. 205-206)
She laments, “Being a heterosexual woman, I find men attractive. Being Christian, I would only want a Christian man to be that one special person in my life. The rub comes when I think, ‘What Christian man would want someone like me?’” (Pg. 218)
Finding another church, she still recalls, “I DID feel alone at church… my friends… didn’t know about my background… I couldn’t tell them about how significant my baptism was. About hearing God’s voice… ironically, the church where the amazing transformation of my life has taken place if the only place I CAN’T share my story.” (Pg. 248) Later, she adds, “I am called to a ministry, and my own church seemed to be part of my mission field.” (Pg. 256)
She concludes, “Do I ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after? My story is still being written… My church is a work in progress… My circle of friends … who know my full story is slowly growing… the evangelical church … can make it hard at times to feel welcome. There are many, many people like me still in the shadows of our churches…” (Pg. 280-281)
This detailed and heartfelt testimony will be of great interest to any Christians wanting to know more about transgender issues.
November 25, 2020
Secret life
Larry started life as a man and changed his life when he became Lord this is the story about how he had to keep it secret how many did tell her to people affected how do I know him and his life. This is a very emotional and wonderful story and I love the way that Laurie told her. I recommend this book
Larry started life as a man and changed his life when he became Lord this is the story about how he had to keep it secret how many did tell her to people affected how do I know him and his life. This is a very emotional and wonderful story and I love the way that Laurie told her. I recommend this book
February 18, 2021
Well-written biography of Laurie's life up to the present time. Her story is extremely poignant as to the many challenges, turmoil, and assaults she faced as she came out and carved a new life. Her courage and strength in the midst of rejection, judgment, misunderstanding, hatred, and transphobia were inspiring yet deeply saddening as she faced the complete rejection from her birth family, church family, and some friends. In spite of the lowest, darkest times she walked through, she was able to hold on to her faith, and to the reality of the others who loved her, accepted her, embraced her in her fullness as a transgender Christian. I deeply admire her tenacity in the face of so much cruelty and blatant bigotry.
I do think the book could have been shorter, leaving out some of the details of her many experiences, without having lost the soul of the story. Nonetheless, she does a great job for her first book, and I definitely felt myself deeply challenged and changed by her story, which helped me recognize my own lack of understanding and love towards transgender folks and the incredible struggles they are faced with to just exist and be who they are. I hope Laurie's life and message will reach others, especially so-called Christians who are quick to judge and slow to love.
I do think the book could have been shorter, leaving out some of the details of her many experiences, without having lost the soul of the story. Nonetheless, she does a great job for her first book, and I definitely felt myself deeply challenged and changed by her story, which helped me recognize my own lack of understanding and love towards transgender folks and the incredible struggles they are faced with to just exist and be who they are. I hope Laurie's life and message will reach others, especially so-called Christians who are quick to judge and slow to love.
December 1, 2019
Hope in print
Laurie's story is hard and beautiful. Every Christian, transgender or cisgender, should read this book. For those of us who are cisgender, it is a raw and honest telling of a woman who experienced hurt and loss; it gives insight into how we treat others. For those who are transgender, Laurie's story is one of hope and proof that you are not alone and that you are lovable and loved.
Laurie's story is hard and beautiful. Every Christian, transgender or cisgender, should read this book. For those of us who are cisgender, it is a raw and honest telling of a woman who experienced hurt and loss; it gives insight into how we treat others. For those who are transgender, Laurie's story is one of hope and proof that you are not alone and that you are lovable and loved.
January 15, 2019
Good autobiography
I liked the detail. She absorbed pretty horrible amounts of abuse from churches earlier on. Sadly, she finishes the book still dealing with a merely okay situation, and with some red flags still flying that I still worry about. I guess that's life, though.
I liked the detail. She absorbed pretty horrible amounts of abuse from churches earlier on. Sadly, she finishes the book still dealing with a merely okay situation, and with some red flags still flying that I still worry about. I guess that's life, though.
September 1, 2019
Well meaning, earnest, and important - but often frustrating, both because it could use editing, and because the author distances herself so much from the loving queer community could provide her with the fellowship she craves.
February 5, 2020
Understanding your journey
I loved hearing Lauries journey into finding herself and finding God through the process. It is definitely an inspiration to finding ones own story and coming into oneself.
I loved hearing Lauries journey into finding herself and finding God through the process. It is definitely an inspiration to finding ones own story and coming into oneself.
October 1, 2019
Outstanding
Excellent and informative. I am trying to understand my loved one. This book helped a lot. Laurie thank you for this book.
Excellent and informative. I am trying to understand my loved one. This book helped a lot. Laurie thank you for this book.
February 16, 2022
What a blessing from God!
I found this book while searching for books to help me be more feminine. I'm just starting my journey to womanhood and I am a Christian and have been hit by the phrase "God doesn't make mistakes" from my own sister. I know for a fact God led me to this book!!!!!! I encourage all christians to read this book especially if you are transgender!!!! Thanks first to God for his love and Laurie thanks for sharing your story it's exactly what I needed to find at this time in my life!!!!!!
I found this book while searching for books to help me be more feminine. I'm just starting my journey to womanhood and I am a Christian and have been hit by the phrase "God doesn't make mistakes" from my own sister. I know for a fact God led me to this book!!!!!! I encourage all christians to read this book especially if you are transgender!!!! Thanks first to God for his love and Laurie thanks for sharing your story it's exactly what I needed to find at this time in my life!!!!!!
December 31, 2020
Wow! I didn't know if I would like this book but I really enjoyed reading Laurie's story. This topic is such a difficult topic for many Christians. I believe her premise of loving Christian brothers and sisters is spot on. I really love that when people in her circle really knew her and knew that she absolutely loves Jesus, they began to see her as who she is. Thank you Laurie Scott for having the courage to share your journey.
March 2, 2021
God doesn't make mistakes that is why you are born the gender you are. You are not a female inside of a man or a man inside of a female. God made you the gender you are suppose to be at the time you are conceived. I'm not trying to offend anyone. I love everyone, but you have to speak out on sin. Love the person, hate the sin.
March 4, 2022
Moving journey well told
I lost count of the number of times I teared up or outright sobbed while reading this transparent story of Laurie’s transgender journey. I saw my reflection in the bad and some of the good. May the Church become more and more Christlike and loving as it seeks to impact our culture for Gods glory.
I lost count of the number of times I teared up or outright sobbed while reading this transparent story of Laurie’s transgender journey. I saw my reflection in the bad and some of the good. May the Church become more and more Christlike and loving as it seeks to impact our culture for Gods glory.
February 10, 2025
Fabulous book!
I really loved this book. It is very sad that those that are transgender have to live with the lack of acceptance from others. Acceptance of others should be a given and our default way of relating to others. I am grateful to Laurie for also showing that one can be conservative, Christian, AND trans. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
I really loved this book. It is very sad that those that are transgender have to live with the lack of acceptance from others. Acceptance of others should be a given and our default way of relating to others. I am grateful to Laurie for also showing that one can be conservative, Christian, AND trans. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
October 23, 2018
You go Laurie
Congrats on taking your life back and becoming who you were meant to be. Bill has more Church stuff than I care to read about but the rest made me cry and smile!
Congrats on taking your life back and becoming who you were meant to be. Bill has more Church stuff than I care to read about but the rest made me cry and smile!
May 5, 2019
Uplifting read
This was a quick read and very eye opening. I would highly recommend it for an open discussion of transgenderism.
This was a quick read and very eye opening. I would highly recommend it for an open discussion of transgenderism.
August 18, 2019
Heartfelt and Needed
This book opened my eyes and I thank the Lord for the chance to learn more about His love for us all. He does not make mistakes!
This book opened my eyes and I thank the Lord for the chance to learn more about His love for us all. He does not make mistakes!
March 4, 2021
This is by far the best book I have read so far about Christian transgender people. Laurie's inspiring story will really make you think, no matter what side of the fence you're on!
November 22, 2021
A lovely and honest memoir. Thank you, Laurie for sharing your most painful and precious moments, and the faith that sustained you throughout your journey.
April 22, 2025
really helped me understand what I was feeling. would recomend
August 25, 2021
Brought tears to my eyes
Very heartfelt story. Great book for anyone struggling with their relationship with the church, whether they are transgender or not! It is not preachy, or judgemental. It is just a very personal story and journey and the emotion shines through. Very touching!
Very heartfelt story. Great book for anyone struggling with their relationship with the church, whether they are transgender or not! It is not preachy, or judgemental. It is just a very personal story and journey and the emotion shines through. Very touching!
January 4, 2020
A Very Personal Account
I highly recommend this book to all Christians and to Transgender People looking for a Christian Church. Reading this book could change minds and hearts of Christians in churches that are not open and affirming. If not, it at least encourages dialogue and understanding.
I highly recommend this book to all Christians and to Transgender People looking for a Christian Church. Reading this book could change minds and hearts of Christians in churches that are not open and affirming. If not, it at least encourages dialogue and understanding.
March 5, 2020
It was nice to read and learn about the experience of a transgender Christian and the (unfortunately) inherent hardships involved with that. I’m glad Laurie has put herself out there and been brave enough to share her experience.
May 6, 2019
This is a perspective I hadn't encountered before — the voice of a conservative Evangelical Christian who is also a transgender woman. I can imagine this would be a good book for a discussion circle in the kind of church I'd like to attend.
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