Tiredbutblessed - #Blessed

My plans for Lent, 2023! Not gonna lie, Lent is one of my favorite times of year. Each year has mixed results with weather or not I was truly able to stick to my Lenten fast, but I like the reminder to put God back in the center of my life where He belongs, and to keep the promises He's made close to my heart.

This year, I'm:

Refraining from taking the Lord's name in vain (I really struggle with this, I'm always saying things like "Jesus/Jesus Christ!!"/"Oh, my God/Oh good Lord--"/Goddamn it!", and uhhhhh my mom always taught me that was disrespectful to God. So this Lent, I'm trying to be more mindful of the words that I say. When I catch myself about to do it, I'm going to take a pause and spend time in prayer instead, and if/when I mess up, I'm going to ask God to help me be more mindful of my words before they're said)

Saying The Lord's Prayer every morning (to help establish a better habit of spending time in prayer)

Fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and refraining from eating meat on Fridays

Attending vesper prayer services at my church

Giving up soda and snack foods that aren't a part of a meal (i.e. no chips unless it's with a cheeseburger or hot dog as lunch or dinner. When I get the temptation I'm going to spend time in prayer instead. I really struggle with emotional eating, this is going to be pretty hard for me to do, but by the end of Lent I want to have healthier eating habits and prayer habits!)

Switching out flavored water for normal water (this is what I'm calling my "true Lent fast," because unlike the other ones, which are lifestyle changes I want to make during this season while I'm making a conscious effort to speak to God more, this isn't something I'm giving up long term. After Easter you best believe I'll be drinking my kiwi strawberry water again, but for Lent, I'm not going to let myself have it)

Spending at least 1 hour a day reading the Bible

I hope everyone who observes Lent has a safe, spiritually fulfilling season! Good luck, and God bless, friends!! 💙

Hello!

My name is Theo, and this is my blog, where I share my faith and experiences as a Christian and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community 😊

Here's a bit about me:

I'm a trans man and my pronouns are he/him/his

I'm gay/mlm

I'm Lutheran, and was baptized when I was 16

My favorite color is yellow, my favorite seasons are autumn and spring, and my favorite Bible story is the story of Esther!

God bless! 😊💕

So, something I've come to realize, is that I'm not actually genderfluid like I thought I was. I'm definitely a trans guy through and through (he/him), and it's been a little hard for me to come to terms with (thank you traditional gender roles and how that applies to life in the church /sarcasm).

I think, for me personally, I was using the term genderfluid as a way to not have to come out completely. If I believed my own gender to be fluid, that means there would be a part of me that was a woman, and I could go about my life pretending that my individual femininity meant I'm a woman in some way shape or form even though I never really felt that way, and that seemed to be what a few members of my family wanted, and I just wanted to please everyone and not rock the boat.

But I've come to realize I can't keep hiding behind terms that simply don't fit me. I can't lie to myself about who I am, and more importantly, I can't lie to God about who I am, either. He already knows every part of me. He knows my heart and soul, even when I try to hide it. But I think that means He also loves every part of me, even this part -- after all, He is the one who made me.

I'm thankful for my journey of self discovery. I feel like so many things have finally started to connect about me when before I felt like nothing about me made sense. I feel closer to my Lord and Saviour than I ever have, probably in my entire life.

I don't know why God made me or any other person trans (weather they be binary or otherwise) or gay or bi or anything else, but I trust that it's a part of His plan for me, and I rejoice in the truth of His everlasting love.

This Pride Month I pray that all of my LGBTQIA+ brothers and sisters and siblings in Christ feel loved and accepted and confident in not only who they are, but also in the love of our God. He made us exactly who we're meant to be, even if our journeys look a little different next to other Christians. I pray everyone stays safe, whether you're out marching in a parade or silently celebrating in your heart.

Happy Pride Month! God bless! 🏳️‍🌈💕

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

~ Romans 8:38-39

(That's probably my favorite Bible verse for when I need the reminder that nothing can make God stop loving me, and I'm sure other LGBTQIA+ Christian's could use the reminder, too ❤)

How does one politely tell their choir director that they will not be attending the practice in between services because the church Christmas breakfast is happening at the same time, and there will be puppies there, and you will be playing with the puppies instead? Asking for a friend.

But WHERE is my jam God Is Bigger Than The Boogeyman??

Reblogs are appreciated to get a wider sample size.