July 2017 Archives - Amber Cantorna

Hey Friends! I am working on a new blog post to get to you soon, but in the meantime, wanted to share with you that earlier this week, I had the huge honor of being interviewed by Dr. Ken Schneck on his podcast, This Show is So Gay to talk about Refocusing My Family and Beyond-Amber Cantorna. Ken’s award-winning podcast has been running for 9 years with over 500 guests. We had such a great time together that I think this is one of my favorite podcast interviews yet! My interview starts right at the 20 min mark. Give it a listen! This Show is So Gay Podcast Interview with Amber Cantorna Because Love Makes All the Difference, Amber Cantorna

Wrestling With My Adventurous Spirit

Over the Fourth of July, I vacationed with my wife and a couple friends in Glenwood Springs. It was my first time that far west on I-70 in Colorado and one of the most famous hikes in the whole state is just outside that quaint little town: Hanging Lake. Before my back injury three and a half years ago, I was an avid hiker. My best friend, Stacy and I went out almost every weekend on an 8-10 mile hike. We loved the challenge of exploring new trails and training for our ultimate goal, which was hiking Pikes Peak. We planned, trained, and prepared, and we finally achieved our goal late that summer. Then we slowed down and took a bit of a break for awhile. And life, as it so often does, started to get in the way. As much as I loved escaping to the mountains, my real life with its struggles between faith and sexuality were proving to be hard enough. I got to the point where I didn’t want to work so hard at everything I did. I wanted something that I could just enjoy, without it being hard. I needed some reprieve. Stacy’s unending support led us to choosing some easier trails, and though we didn’t go out as often, when we did, it was on a trail that we enjoyed without struggle. In fact, it was on one of those very trails that Stacy and I discussed how I was going to come out […]

Eugene Peterson and My Grandmother: A Double Dose of Heartache

On Wednesday morning, the LGBT Christian community experienced a wave of excitement and encouragement as Eugene Peterson was quoted in a Religion News Service article by Jonathan Merritt as being supportive of same-sex marriage. Whenever an influential Christian leader comes out as affirming, it feels like we’ve inched one step closer to having a more loving, more equal, more inclusive place to belong. But with a name as big as Eugene Peterson, who has written over 30 books and has also penned “The Message” translation of the Bible, we knew instantly, that this had the capability of creating a large shift for inclusion in our Christian communities. Perhaps, Eugene’s affirmation would lend courage and strength to others who, up to this point, have held back due to fear of backlash? Or perhaps this would challenge the minds of unaffirming believers to look at the issue more deeply? We had hope. We felt encouraged. We thought we were one step closer to a fully inclusive church. But all that came crashing down only 24 hours later when Eugene Peterson “after reflection and prayer” changed his mind and retracted his statements saying he would not perform a same-sex wedding. Adding further salt to the wound, he said that he’d never been asked to do so and “frankly, I hope I never am asked.” This sent a shock through us all that resonated in the pit of our already aching souls. The wounds that we as the LGBT Christian community have faced have […]

Category: July 2017

Listen to this New Podcast Inteview Amber has with Dr. Ken Schneck!

Wrestling With My Adventurous Spirit

Eugene Peterson and My Grandmother: A Double Dose of Heartache