Brothers and sisters, God didn’t invite us to be “fine"... Jesus Christ wants to live His life in us...We all face crosses we didn’t choose, but somehow, He allowed them for us....Christ is alive in us – every fragile, slipshod, striving part. Let’s not be afraid to meet Him. His longing Heart is waiting.

| Anna Carter, "An Invitation to the Longing Ones" 2017 |

 

None of us are called to walk alone. We are called to go together, inviting each other deeper into Christ's Heart.

 

On April 29th, 2017, Anna Carter and Shannon Ochoa launched Eden Invitation with this blog post, an Invitation to those with Longings like their own. To celebrate the community that God has grown from this one Invitation, we asked our Community Members to share the impact this mission has had on their lives.

 

Below are 9 of the hundreds of striving disciples experiencing same-sex desires, gender discordances, a lack of sexual desire, or a mix of LGBTQ+ experiences

who found our website amidst a seemingly hopeless scroll for answers

who clicked the video link their friend or family member sent them

who decided to open our blog after a Community Member extended the invitation

who chose to look into their Longings, the Canyon in their heart

and step into the Longing to encounter Him there.

 

We invite you now to click through their stories- some short, some long, all beloved and unrepeatable.

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A Pastoral Note

You may notice not all of these stories include faces.
Being "out"-- sharing about an LGBTQ+ experience-- is a privilege as not all people may feel or be safe in doing so. We are so grateful for those who do offer their witness and ask that you hold each person with deep reverence--as holy ground.
Our mission seeks to create a faithful space for disciples to feel safe and thrive amidst an LGBTQ+ experience, while also inviting the wider Church to seek the same.