FreedHearts

Oct 02 2024 164 ep. 27 mins 52

FreedHearts Podcast artwork

Freeing hearts to love and be loved! Love. Inclusion. Affirmation. Susan Cottrell is the Mom of two LGBTQ+ children; the founder of FreedHearts; an international speaker with a viral TEDx talk; a pastor and theologian; an acclaimed author; and a fierce advocate and ally. In her unique tender, relatable style, Susan is a prominent voice of unconditional love and lavish inclusion. Powerful, authentic, and relevant in today’s society, Susan has a lot to say. The Advocate calls her their “Favorite Affirming Matriarch.” OutSmart magazine calls her "The Mother of all MamaBears!" Reverend Ashley Harness from Auburn Seminary says, “Susan has this fierce, loving, don’t mess with me, Mom vibe.” If you have been excluded, or if someone close to you has been excluded because of who they are or who they love - or maybe you have been the one doing the excluding - the FreedHearts podcast is for you. Join Susan, along with her husband Rob, on the journey. You are not alone. Welcome home!

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In Times Like These... Caring for Ourselves and Those We Love

Oct 02 2024 21 mins

This is a very special episode that I think we all need.Certainly, we are aware of what has been happening in the world, overwhelmed with media, social media, mixed feelings of hope, followed by dread, doom and fear, then replaced with excitement -- wild emotional swings. And we expect that to continue and even heighten in the coming weeks.What do we do in times like these?Today, w

Queer Wisdom: What Queer Culture Teaches That Straight Culture Doesn't

Sep 25 2024 21 mins

Today we are going to share some queer wisdom. What is that? It is wisdom that accepts people for who they are, inclusive, affirming, celebrates diversity, and loves above all else.That is what Jesus modeled and taught – and it’s so different from what the non-affirming, rules-based church teaches.We talk about the validity of church as a construct. And we share with you 15 thi

Unleash Your Inner Champion

Sep 18 2024 22 mins

What is happening in your life? Are people telling you to go out there and hustle in an economic system that doesn’t work except for the elite?Are people saying it’s okay to be gay, but you can’t act on it – that you can only have this kind of partner or else you have to be alone?Do people tell you to believe what they believe or you’ll go to hell?That’s real life for m

You Don't Owe Non-Supportive People Anything!

Sep 11 2024 17 mins

You don’t owe non-supportive people answers when they can’t just let you be who you are. You don’t owe them your time, you don’t owe them your peace, you don’t owe them your soul. But that can be a challenge, for sure, because you don’t want to end the relationship. Or, you may have the thought that if you back off, things could still mend somehow in the future. Beloved

Strike a Pose and Light Your Inner Spark!

Sep 04 2024 22 mins

After diving in – no pun intended – to the recent Olympics, we really want to entice you to look at the spark in yourself, that may have been there from the very beginning. And to let it resurface. You may have been taught or encouraged to hide it – but we hope you are in a safer place to listen to and follow your heart, and not feel crushed that certain things may not be for

Healing with the Arts!

Aug 28 2024 35 mins

With all this talk about the teaching of contempt and religion, we thought it was time for a little relief: a little ART relief!When I had cancer five years ago, part of the available treatment was a studio program where we created art. They kept saying, “It’s about the process, not the product.” I can hardly even express the joy this has opened up in me.I was amazed to learn

30 Freeing Things We Did After We Deconstructed!

Aug 21 2024 37 mins

When we talk so much about all the hate and contempt coming from the non-affirming, rules-based church; the hypocrisy, the division out there; it can leave us feeling pretty down.When we go so deep in our journey coming out of religion, we can miss the beauty along the way.Today, we want to remind us all of the joy we have found on our journey of deconstruction, and talk about 30 f

So, What Do We Do with the Bible?? Part II

Aug 14 2024 32 mins

Today, we continue with Part II of our series asking the question: "What do we do with the Bible?"People take it literally – ignoring it’s history, as well as all the additions, edits and translations that have been done.People claim its authority – despite not really knowing who it was written by and why.And Christians use it to justify great harm to so many groups of people

So, What Do We Do with the Bible?? Part I

Aug 07 2024 34 mins

This is part one of an important two-part series where we ask the question: “What do we do with the Bible?”We need to deconstruct it because it is abused and used as a weapon. And then they accuse you of heresy when you even slightly question it. It is used to justify great harm to people - racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny etc.I know you have heard it: “The church do

What Do We Do With All This Hate?

Jul 31 2024 32 mins

We have talked about how the church actually teaches us to hate ourselves, to hate God and the natural next step... to hate others. Of course, they don’t say that it is hate… they even go so far as to call it love, or tough love. It's all part of their gaslighting! But to those on the receiving end, it IS indeed hate.When there is such a deep foundation of contempt, this underl