The Bridge Between Us: Loving Your LGBT Identified Child Without Compromising Biblical Truth

Melinda Patrick
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When your child embraces an LGBTQ identity, it can feel as though the ground beneath your feet has shifted. You love your child deeply. You love Jesus deeply. And now you're asking questions you never expected to face. How do I stay faithful to God's Word while keeping my relationship with my child? What does it really look like to walk in both grace and truth? Is there anyone who truly understands what I'm going through? You are not alone. The Bridge Between Us is a podcast for Christian parents navigating one of the most difficult and deeply personal journeys of their lives. Each week, we offer biblical encouragement, practical wisdom, and honest conversations that help you build lasting relationships with your child while remaining firmly anchored in Scripture. You'll hear from Christian parents who have walked this road, pastors, counselors, ministry leaders, and individuals who once identified as LGBTQ and now share how Christ transformed their lives. Together, we explore how to respond with compassion, wisdom, and unwavering faith in a culture that often tells us we must choose between truth and love. You don't have to compromise your convictions to love your child well. There is a path forward—one marked by grace, truth, hope, and enduring relationship. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, pastor, counselor, or someone walking alongside a family on this journey, you'll find biblical encouragement, practical guidance, and the reminder that you don't have to walk this road alone. Helping Christian families build bridges of love while remaining anchored in God's Word.

  1. 5d ago

    Justin Greenfield: Running From Masculinity While Longing For It At the Same Time - Part One {Eps 133}

    Justin Greenfield is joining Melinda Patrick on The Bridge Between Us Podcast.   In Part One, Justin shares a portion of his testimony.    If you would like to understand the root issues of homosexuality, hear a few testimonies of those who now live a life beyond homosexuality through Christ and wisdom, or connect with healthy resources that address homosexuality check out godloveshomosexuals.com    If you're seeking spiritual direction, ministry consultation, would like to discuss a speaking engagement with Justin Greenfield, or would like to hear more about and support his ministry work go to greenfieldministries.com    Also, here are a couple to the study led by Vanderbilt University researchers on the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) of homosexual individuals which Justin mentioned on the podcast:    Synopsis from Vanderbilt https://www.vumc.org/health-policy/LGBTQ-mental-health-adverse-childhood-experiences-research   Full Article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2789482 (Note that the synopsis does not include the ACE that I mentioned on the show - incarcerated household member. It is only in the full article.)

    31 min

  2. May 28

    Staying Anchored In Jesus During Pride Month {Eps 132}

    June can feel especially heavy for Christian parents navigating the complexities of loving a child who identifies as LGBTQ while also holding to biblical convictions. In this episode, Melinda Patrick offers compassionate encouragement for parents who feel caught between truth and relationship, conviction and compassion, grief and hope. This conversation is not about fear, outrage, or culture wars. It is about staying anchored in Jesus — emotionally, spiritually, and relationally — while walking a difficult parenting journey with humility, wisdom, and faithfulness. Melinda reminds parents that culture should never disciple our emotions more than Christ disciples our hearts. You will learn 7 ways to stay anchored:  Don't panic. Stay in prayer instead of control. Keep relationship where possible. Stay rooted in Scripture. Watch your tone. Allow yourself to grieve honestly. Remember God loves your child more than you can imagine. Mentioned in This Episode Piercing the Night by Lindsey Kiser Charles Spurgeon Dutch Sheets Still Faithful mini-series Episode 117 of The Bridge Between Us Encouragement for Parents As Pride Month unfolds: stay close to Jesus stay rooted in Scripture stay humble stay faithful The Gospel is still powerful. The Holy Spirit still moves. And Jesus is still drawing people to Himself. You are not alone in this journey. Keep abiding. Keep trusting. Keep re-presenting Jesus. Resources & Next Steps Listen to previous testimonies on The Bridge Between Us Begin the Still Faithful mini-series starting with Episode 117 Subscribe to Melinda's newsletter for ongoing encouragement and equipping Stay tuned for the upcoming mini-series: Walking Wisely, beginning July 1 Restored Hope Network annual HOPE conference - June 12-13 - Colorado Springs, CO

    17 min

  3. May 13

    Still Faithful - New Life Can Still Come From This {Eps 131}

    After months of walking through grief, surrender, shame, boundaries, courage, renewal, and unresolved pain, we come to one final question in the Still Faithful series: Can new life still come from this? In this closing episode, we talk about hope — not the kind that demands immediate answers or guaranteed outcomes, but the kind that trusts God is still present and still capable of bringing life, even in difficult and unfinished stories. This conversation is for the parent who feels weary, uncertain, or afraid to hope again. It is a reminder that redemption does not erase pain, and that God often brings restoration in quieter and deeper ways than we expect. As this series comes to a close, we also begin looking ahead toward what it means to walk wisely through ongoing relationships, emotions, and decisions with greater steadiness and discernment. In this episode, we explore: • Why painful parenting seasons can make hope feel fragile • God's pattern of bringing life from places that feel barren • Why redemption does not minimize or erase grief • What "new life" may actually look like in unresolved stories • Learning to entrust both wounds and hope to God • How healing often begins in the parent, not just the circumstances • Transitioning from survival into wisdom and grounded living Reflection Questions • Where do I long to believe that new life is possible? • What might resurrection look like in my story — even in small ways? • What am I willing to entrust to God again? A Gentle Reminder Healing is not only about what happens around us. Sometimes healing begins in how we stand: Steadier. Softer. Wiser. More grounded in God. Looking Ahead In the upcoming Walking Wisely series, we'll begin exploring: • How to discern God's voice when emotions are loud • How fear and guilt shape parenting decisions • Emotional steadiness in difficult relationships • Grounded, faith-filled decision-making • Learning to move forward wisely in unresolved situations Because faithfulness is not only about surviving hard seasons. It is also about learning how to live wisely inside them. Support If you're realizing you want help living this out in real life — not just listening to it — coaching is available to support you as you discern your next faithful steps with greater clarity, steadiness, and wisdom. You can learn more at www.melindapatrick.org For more information on Restored Hope Network's HOPE 2026 Conference: HOPE

    13 min

  4. May 8

    Still Faithful on Mother's Day: Hope for the Mom Carrying More Than She Says {Eps 130}

    Mother's Day can be beautiful — but for many mothers walking difficult parenting journeys, it can also feel deeply tender. While others are celebrating, many moms are quietly carrying grief, estrangement, worry, disappointment, exhaustion, or unanswered prayers connected to their children. In this special Mother's Day episode of the Still Faithful series, we talk honestly about the emotional weight many mothers carry and the hope God offers in the middle of unfinished stories. This conversation is a gentle reminder that painful seasons do not make you a failure — and that your motherhood is not defined only by what is hard. If this day feels complicated for you, you are not alone. In this episode, we explore: • Why Mother's Day can stir grief and emotional pain • The invisible weight many mothers quietly carry • A different kind of hope for unresolved stories • Gentle reminders for mothers who feel weary or discouraged • Why your child's choices are not the full measure of your motherhood • God's care for the mother who has been carrying so much Reflection Questions • Where have I been carrying more than I was meant to carry alone? • What would compassion toward myself look like today? • What has God sustained me through that I haven't stopped to acknowledge? • Where might God be inviting me to receive His care again? A Gentle Reminder You are allowed to grieve what is hard. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to experience joy. And your child's story is not the full measure of your motherhood.   Connect with Melinda: melinda@melindapatrick.org Related previous episodes: Gretchen Stockman: Help For The Parent Who Is Estranged Episode 27: Hope and Encouragement For All Moms   For more information on the HOPE 2026 Restored Hope Network Conference:  HOPE 2026

    13 min

  5. Mar 30

    Still Faithful: What Faith Looks Like Moving Forward {Eps 129}

    After walking through pain, courage, renewal, and joy, many parents find themselves asking a new question: What does faith look like now? Not before the hardship. Not once everything is resolved. But here — in the middle of an unfinished story. In this episode of the Still Faithful series, we explore what it means to live out your faith in real, daily ways when life still feels uncertain. This conversation reframes faith as something active and present — not something we pause until circumstances improve. If you've been waiting for clarity before moving forward, this episode will gently remind you that faith is not about waiting for resolution, but about how you live and walk with God in the in-between.   In this episode, we explore: • Why faith is not just waiting, but a way of living • What it means to walk with God in the middle of uncertainty • How faith matures in the in-between, not after resolution • The difference between faith that deepens and faith that hardens • What everyday, lived-out faith can look like in this season   Reflection Questions: • How has my faith changed through this season? • What practices help me stay anchored now? • What kind of believer am I becoming?   A gentle reminder: Faith is not something you pause until life improves. It is something you live inside the uncertainty.   Support: For many parents, this is the point where something begins to shift. You may find yourself wanting to move from simply understanding these truths to actually living them out with clarity and consistency. Coaching offers a space to process what God is doing in your life, discern your next faithful steps, and stay grounded as you continue forward. You can learn more at www.melindapatrick.org Connect with Melinda: melinda@melindapatrick.org For more information on Hope 2026 at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs: www.restoredhopenetwork.org

    8 min

  6. Mar 25

    Still Faithful: Rebuilding Joy Without Betraying the Pain {Eps 128}

    After a long season of grief, uncertainty, and emotional weight, joy can feel complicated. Many parents find that when moments of lightness or happiness begin to return, they are quickly followed by guilt. It can feel wrong to experience joy when your child's story is still unresolved. In this episode of the Still Faithful series, we talk about what it means to rebuild joy without betraying the pain. This conversation offers permission to experience joy again — not as a replacement for grief, but alongside it. If you've been hesitant to receive joy, or unsure how to hold both sorrow and hope at the same time, this episode will gently remind you that both can exist together. In this episode, we explore: • Why joy can feel uncomfortable or even inappropriate in hard parenting seasons • How grief and joy can coexist without canceling each other out • Releasing guilt around happiness • Understanding that joy can actually strengthen your faith • God's delight in His children experiencing life, even in difficult seasons   Reflection Questions: • Where do I feel guilty enjoying life right now? • What brings me joy in this season — not before, not someday, but right now? • How might allowing joy actually strengthen my faith? A gentle reminder: Joy does not mean the pain didn't matter. It means God is still present. Closing Encouragement: You are allowed to experience moments of joy, even while your child's story is still unfolding. Joy is not a betrayal of love. It is often what sustains it.   Connect with Melinda: melinda@melindapatrick.org For more information on coaching sessions with Melinda: Coaching For information regarding the Hope 2026 Conference hosted by Restored Hope Network.

    8 min

  7. Mar 13

    Still Faithful: Courage When The Story Isn't Finished {Eps 127}

    When a parenting story remains unresolved, courage can feel difficult to define. Many parents believe courage means having answers, confidence, or certainty about the future. But faith often asks something different. In this episode, we explore what courage looks like when the outcome is still unknown. Rather than dramatic strength, courage in these seasons is often quiet — choosing to stay open, continuing to trust God one step at a time, and showing up in love without guarantees. If you are navigating uncertainty in your relationship with your child, this conversation offers reassurance that courage does not require certainty. Sometimes courage simply means continuing to walk with God in the middle of the story. In this episode we explore: • The difference between courage and certainty • Why trusting God daily is more sustainable than trying to trust Him with the whole future • What it means to show up with love even when outcomes are unclear • How courage in painful parenting seasons often looks quiet rather than dramatic Reflection Questions • What am I afraid to hope for right now? • Where might God be inviting me to trust Him one step at a time? • What might courage look like in this season of my life? A gentle reminder Courage may not look like being strong. Sometimes courage looks like staying open before the Lord.   Connect with Melinda: melinda@melindapatrick.org www.melindapatrick.org   Thank you for sharing this episode and Still Faithful Series with other families.

    9 min

  8. Mar 6

    Still Faithful: When God Invites You To Rise Again {Eps 126}

    After long seasons of grief, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion, many parents find themselves in a kind of spiritual winter. Life has been focused on carrying, praying, waiting, and holding tension. But sometimes, quietly, something begins to change. In this episode of the Still Faithful series, we talk about what it looks like when God begins inviting you back into life again. Not with pressure or urgency, but with gentle renewal. This conversation explores spiritual winter seasons, the slow timing of renewal, and how to notice the small stirrings of life that God may be awakening in you. If you've felt emotionally dormant or unsure how to move forward after a long season of carrying so much, this episode offers reassurance that renewal does not require rushing or forgetting the past. God often restores life slowly — and slow restoration is still real restoration. In this episode, we explore: • Why spiritual "winter" seasons are a natural part of faith • How God often brings renewal quietly and gradually • The difference between rising again and rushing forward • Noticing the gentle stirrings of life after a season of dormancy • Why renewal does not erase love, concern, or the past Reflection questions: Take these slowly. There is no pressure to resolve anything quickly. • Where have I been emotionally dormant? • What feels like it may be beginning to stir in me? • What would it look like to say "yes" to life again — slowly? An important reminder: Renewal does not require forgetting the past. It simply means allowing God to grow something new alongside it. You are allowed to experience life again even while your child's story is still unfolding. Support: For many parents, renewal can feel unfamiliar after long seasons of carrying pain and uncertainty. If you're sensing new stirrings but feel unsure how to move forward with wisdom and steadiness, coaching can be a space to discern those invitations. You can learn more at www.melindapatrick.org

    9 min
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When your child embraces an LGBTQ identity, it can feel as though the ground beneath your feet has shifted. You love your child deeply. You love Jesus deeply. And now you're asking questions you never expected to face. How do I stay faithful to God's Word while keeping my relationship with my child? What does it really look like to walk in both grace and truth? Is there anyone who truly understands what I'm going through? You are not alone. The Bridge Between Us is a podcast for Christian parents navigating one of the most difficult and deeply personal journeys of their lives. Each week, we offer biblical encouragement, practical wisdom, and honest conversations that help you build lasting relationships with your child while remaining firmly anchored in Scripture. You'll hear from Christian parents who have walked this road, pastors, counselors, ministry leaders, and individuals who once identified as LGBTQ and now share how Christ transformed their lives. Together, we explore how to respond with compassion, wisdom, and unwavering faith in a culture that often tells us we must choose between truth and love. You don't have to compromise your convictions to love your child well. There is a path forward—one marked by grace, truth, hope, and enduring relationship. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, pastor, counselor, or someone walking alongside a family on this journey, you'll find biblical encouragement, practical guidance, and the reminder that you don't have to walk this road alone. Helping Christian families build bridges of love while remaining anchored in God's Word.

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