Blog Archive

My Book Bucket List

August 24, 2021 General

Shawn the Book Maniac created a Mookes and Gripes Bucket List Book Tag on YouTube and tagged me. Here is the podcast his tag is celebrating. And here is my video, as well as my poll for yo...

On My Ordination Anniversary

July 14, 2021 General

Three years ago today, I was ordained as a Lutheran pastor in the ELCA. photo credit Zober Images - July 14, 2018 As an out bisexual trans guy, I was ordained under a circus rigging, where w...

May Wrap-Up and Reality Check

June 03, 2021 Books

Hi everyone! So, here's my reality check... I can't do all the things in the time I've got and still have enough rest and wind-down time. I'm going to take a brief breather from making YouT...

April Wrap-Up and May TBR

May 09, 2021 Books

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a lovely May. How are your reading and writing journeys going? I was able to read 10 books in April, as well as continuing my progress on my BookTube channel...

March Speed Review + BookTube Channel!

April 03, 2021 Books

Hi everyone! I can't believe it is April 2021! I hope you are all doing well. And hurray - spring is here! I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I read in March, and I almost completed my Marc...

Life goals: More books please

March 06, 2021 Book 1

I'm still working on draft two of my novel, but I'm also diving into reading more, and being intentional with reading goals, particularly reading or listening to more books in the mystery and non-...

Happy National Black Literacy Day!

February 14, 2021 Books

Happy National Black Literacy Day! Semicolon in Chicago, a bookstore and gallery space owned and operated by a Black woman, actively involved in literacy programs for the community, organized...

Black History Month 2021

February 02, 2021 TBR

For Black History Month this year, I wanted to share some book recommendations I've seen on my feeds. I haven't read any of the books yet but will definitely be adding them to my TBR (To Be Read...

Happy Holidays!

December 31, 2020 General

Wishing you and yours a healthy, safe, and happy 2021! This year was, um, interesting, yes? Here's what I did in my 2020. I continue to work full time as a tech support person. I still solv...

Here goes!

November 01, 2020 Book 1

Alright, NaNoWriMo - I hope I'm ready for you. The goal - write 50,000 words in the month of November. I'm as ready as I have ever been, and last night finished the latest draft of my outline. ...

Interlude

October 30, 2020 Book 1

Hi friends! Wishing you all health and hope and peace. It sure has been an "interesting" few months. I wanted to drop a quick note to give an update on my work and call. I am currently ...

#tbt My Ordination / Circus Filled Fundraiser Video

June 25, 2020 Exuberant Love

I've been meaning to post the video of my ordination and circus filled fundraiser online since the videographer gave me the USB drive almost two years ago. So here ya go :) It starts with ...

Farewell Sermon to the Flame - 5/31/2020

May 31, 2020 Exuberant Love

Beloved friends and family of the Flame! I can’t believe today is my last day as your pastor, and this is my farewell sermon. Wow. It is also surreal to be stepping away as pastor in the m...

Exuberant Love 2018

January 09, 2019 Exuberant Love

Leo's Ordination and Circus Filled Fundraiser! July 2014, 2018 - We gathered to celebrate God's exuberant love for all and Leo's ordination as an ELCA pastor. We continued with a celebration o...

Good Friday Meditation

April 15, 2017 General

Willamette River, 2017The following is the meditation I shared at St. Andrew Lutheran tonight at the Good Friday service. We did the seven last words of Jesus, and my passage was the Luke 23:32-34...

Christmas Letter, 2017

December 24, 2016 General

To my beloved Friends and Family,Wishing you a beautiful holiday season, and all that is good and joyful in 2017! I’m grateful for each of you. I write this on the day that the Electoral College v...

Finding Leo: The Flame

September 15, 2016 PQ Monthly

This article was first published in PQ Monthly, Portland, in September, 2016. I was in a bar the other day, telling a story about what’s new with my life. I began by saying, “Well, I’m sta...

Finding Leo: Three Glass Marbles

August 15, 2016 PQ Monthly

This article first appeared in PQ Monthly, Portland, in August, 2016. The other day I had a conversation about feelings, specifically my anger and frustration with all of the hate and viole...

Rainbow Cross by Adam PageI'm not sure if this is the right time to post this or not, but here it is. On June 1st, I started a quarter time position with the Lutheran church to do advocacy for and ...

Finding Leo: Of Love and Pride

June 09, 2016 PQ Monthly

This article first appeared in PQ Monthly, Portland, in June, 2016. Pride is defiance. Pride is art and beauty. Pride is my community. Pride is a celebration of love, human dignity, and...

Finding Leo: The Holes In My Heart

May 20, 2016 PQ Monthly

This article first appeared in PQ Monthly, Portland, in May 2016. Warning: It is a dangerous thing to open our hearts. Love is risk and vulnerability. Love is fear and hope. Love for our f...

Finding Leo: The Binder Adventure

April 15, 2016 PQ Monthly

This article was first published in PQ Monthly, Portland, in April, 2016. I came out as trans in 2013. This revelation introduced a whole new level of questioning and much emotional energy ...

Hate Will Not Have The Final Word

March 31, 2016 General

photo from Holden Village, 2006Republican lawmakers in North Carolina on Wednesday pushed through a broad sweeping anti-LGBT bill, removing local ordinances for equal rights based on sexual orienta...

I Was There

March 26, 2016 General

A view from Holden Village, 2006[This is my meditation from last night's Good Friday service at St. Andrew Lutheran. There were seven readers, each with a part of the passion narrative from the Go...

Finding Leo: One Chest Hair Is Enough

March 15, 2016 PQ Monthly

This article first appeared in PQ Monthly, Portland, in March, 2016. I have been on testosterone for 21 months, and still only have one chest hair. One. It’s faint, and sometimes I need m...

Finding Leo: My Best Valentine

February 14, 2016 PQ Monthly

This article was first published in PQ Monthly, Portland, in February 2016. It’s raining outside. I’m scrolling through Facebook past angry political posts and memes about cats. And then I ...

Finding Leo: Back to the Beginning

January 15, 2016 PQ Monthly

This article was first published in PQ Monthly, Portland, in January, 2016. Coming out as trans, starting with my own self-realization on March 26, 2013 was both terrifying and liberating. ...

Protest and Renewal: Working for Welcome

January 15, 2016 PQ Monthly

This article was first published in PQ Monthly, Portland, in January 2016. You are not alone. You are lovable and worthy. You have a place at the table. For those of us longing for a comm...

Finding Leo: Light a Candle

December 15, 2015 PQ Monthly

This article first appeared in PQ Monthly, Portland, in December, 2015. When I look back over 2015, there were many bright moments. I had a few firsts in my life as a trans man: taking off ...

What's New?!

December 15, 2015 General

Hi friends,I wanted to take a moment to share a quick update of what keeps me busy, inspired, and energized.This year I got more involved volunteering for ReconcilingWorks, a national non-profit th...

Finding Leo: A Place at the Table

November 15, 2015 PQ Monthly

This article first appeared in PQ Monthly, Portland, in November, 2015. I love autumn leaves and pumpkins, turkey and mashed potatoes, my friends and my family. I really want Thanksgiving t...

Finding Leo: My Crotch and My Faith

October 15, 2015 PQ Monthly

This article was first published in PQ Monthly, Portland, in October, 2015. Disclaimer: This my own story and not intended to depict all trans experiences. You probably knew that already. ...

My First Radio Interview!

May 18, 2015 General

Me at Wild Planet RadioI had the privilege of sharing some of my story on our local radio station, Wild Planet Radio. Chris Hyde and Catherine Chapman invited me to be a guest on their show, Progr...

Region 1 What?

April 18, 2015 General

At a fundraiser for the youth at my churchphoto credit: LeeAnne KrauseI am so thrilled to be a part of the work of ReconcilingWorks as the new Regional Coordinator for Region 1, a volunteer positio...

Good Friday - Crucify!

April 04, 2015 General

A meditation I delivered for Good Friday:Mark 15:1-20 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him ...

Maundy Thursday - On Fear

April 03, 2015 General

This is the second of two meditations I gave tonight at our Maundy Thursday service.Mark 14:66-72 - While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. When...

Maundy Thursday - On Racism

April 03, 2015 General

This is the first of two meditations I gave tonight at our Maundy Thursday service.Mark 14:53-65 - They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were as...

A Guest Post from Carl Dahlquist

April 03, 2015 General

Adam, Carl, Leo and Logan cleaning up after the RIC ServiceA Guest Post from Carl Dahlquist:This Lent, Carl was asked to deliver a meditation during our church’s midweek service. The theme for this...

Raising the Roof

February 01, 2015 General

Post-church selfie with Adam Pageafter community RIC service, January 18, 2015**this is the text of a sermon I gave at Mission of the Atonement (MOTA) on January 25, 2015.Texts for the day:Jonah 3:...

Finding Leo: Transitioning in Church

January 15, 2015 PQ Monthly

This article first appeared in PQ Monthly, Portland, in January, 2015. O! Let me speak into the darkness! Remember with anger and grief the too many deaths through suicide and murder! Let o...

Happy Holidays 2014!

December 20, 2014 General

Me in my Superman Onesie - Christmas 2014Happy Holidays! Thank you all for being in my life, and for the ways you support and encourage me!!For those of you who may not know, I came out as transge...

Faith in the Midst of Lament

December 11, 2014 General

At the protest in 2008 at the School of the Americas,Fort Benning, GA.This is the text of the advent meditation I gave this evening on the theme of Sir Up... about how someone has stirred up my fai...

Physical Reminders

August 14, 2014 General

Standing at the baptismal font on my naming dayPhoto courtesy of Lee Ann KrauseA note: My goal is never, ever, EVER to try to get you to go to church, or convince you to believe in God. That is jus...

Enter the Lion

August 01, 2014 General

July 27, 2014Dear friends,You are such an inspiration to me, and I can never sufficiently express my gratitude for all of the ways you have loved and cared for me, especially since I have come out ...

A Happy Pride

June 17, 2014 General

Portland Pride 2014Photo Credit Dustin VanceTo fully explain my amazing weekend at Pride this year, I need to take you back almost 15 months to some of the fear I experienced as I was first coming ...

What's in a name?

January 21, 2014 General

At the Oregon Coast with friends Psalm 138:13-14 "For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderf...

My thoughts on peace

December 20, 2013 General

Power Ranger, Halloween 2013[This blog post is the text of a sermon I delivered on December 11, 2013]Luke 7:36-39, 44-50One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharis...

An Odd Duck

October 05, 2013 General

AIDS Walk Portland 2013Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"This week has been another of those h...

The Gift of Not Knowing

September 13, 2013 General

Bat n' Rouge PortlandPhoto credit: Marty DavisMatthew 28:20b "[Jesus said,] 'And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"As many of you saw in my previous blog post, I shared that I...

Finding Leo

September 10, 2013 General

Killer croquet. Photo by Andrew ShaydeRomans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor d...

Where Jesus Is

June 27, 2013 General

Defeat of DOMA RallyPhoto credit: PQ MonthlyAmos 5:24 "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.."Today we celebrated the end of the Defense of Marriage ...

I Need to Remember

May 26, 2013 General

Nothing can separate usRomans 8:38-9: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anythi...

A Promise of Paradise - My Good Friday Meditation

March 30, 2013 General

Lincoln City 2013Luke 23:39-43: "One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you...

Rally in Red

March 27, 2013 General

Rally for Marriage Equality, Portland, 3/27/20131 John 4:7-8 "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love doe...

Drawn Into Relationship - Week 2

March 02, 2013 General

Holden Village, 2010. View from a HikeLuke 22:24-27 "A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles lord...

Lying Liars

February 23, 2013 General

Pumpkin carving party 2012Isaiah 41:10 "Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."...

Drawn Into Relationship - Week 1

February 22, 2013 General

A path through the woods.... I cannot see where it will lead.Holden Village, 2010Psalm 10:1 "Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?"On Sunday, February 10t...

Know What?

February 17, 2013 General

Valentine's Day 2013 at the petition signing party for the Freedom to Marry campaignPsalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."My degr...

Happy Valentine's Day!

February 14, 2013 General

New Year's Eve hug with my friend TimJohn 13:34 "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."Well, friends, it is Valentine'...

An Open Letter Regarding the "Traditional Prom"

February 12, 2013 General

Posing with my mom at a Superbowl party, 2013The news story about Sullivan First Christian Church makes me angry and I have to speak out.Romans 15:7: “Welcome one another therefore, just as Christ ...

I had forgotten...

February 04, 2013 General

Dressed up for a cold but sunny training ride for Ride4CAPJeremiah 1:5-8 "'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you to a prophet for t...

Only kinda...

January 28, 2013 General

glitter-izing my bra for AIDS Walk 2012 to cover my top lady-bits1 Corinthians 12:12, 26 "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one bod...

What's Your Super Power?

January 21, 2013 General

The Tooth Fairy and Genie at AIDS Walk 2012(This post is inspired Pastor Robyn Hartwig's sermon today. Thank you, Robyn!)1 Corinthians 12:4 "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit."...

So Who's Greatest?

January 16, 2013 General

Luke 22:27: "For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.""A hero fell, but good prevailed." photo ...

Not Even Wolverine

January 15, 2013 General

Romans 8:38-39: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creatio...

Reset button

January 14, 2013 General

New Year's Eve Super Hero birthday partyLuke 3:21-22: "Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus had also been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit desce...

Ah, happy...

January 09, 2013 General

Psalm 34:8: "O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him."Happiness, 2013, taken by twitter.com/AndrewShaydeSo I'm sitting here, watching a British murder mystery ...

Beautiful Wheels

January 08, 2013 General

Isaiah 52:7a: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news..."Ride4CAP 2012Tonight I went to spin class for the first time in a couple o...

Unconditional Love

January 07, 2013 General

1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love."Today I got back from a fantastic weekend with the boys; 17 of us in a house on the beach o...

In the night.

January 05, 2013 General

Psalm 91:5 "You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day,"Friends at the beach, 2013, photo taken by twitter.com/AndrewShaydeSo one of my struggles is with nighttime a...

Even Then...

January 04, 2013 One of the PDX Boys

January 4, 2013. Photo of me in a lovely ensemble from Bat'n Rouge - raising money for Cascade AIDS Project, 2012. Daniel 9:9: "The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have ...

Audience Participation

January 03, 2013 General

Psalm 102:7 "I lie awake; I am like a lonely bird on the housetop."Row River, OregonDISCLAIMER: Today's bible verse is not how I feel. It is my example of a verse and a psalm that describe loneline...

New Year's Gratitude

January 02, 2013 General

Philippians 1:3: "I thank my God every time I remember you,"Happy 2013!As I start this New Year, I want to share my gratitude for each of you and the ways you have touched my life. Tonight I got t...

Goodbye 2012

December 31, 2012 General

Matthew 28:5: "But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified."How often I am stuck on the bad news of the past instead of seeing the go...

Social Anxiety Catch 22

December 31, 2012 General

Romans 8:35: "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or sword?Do you ever have that moment of social anxiety where you've...

What would Jesus do with his lotto winnings?

December 29, 2012 One of the PDX Boys

Luke 4:18-21: [Jesus said], "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has appointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight ...

A new take on Twilight

December 29, 2012 General

Luke 12:25 "And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?" Can you imagine if we could figure out how to add time to our lives by worrying? If worrying lengthened my life...

New Years Resolution Thoughts

December 28, 2012 General

John 13:34: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." Awkward family photo night -- taken by twitter.com/AndrewSha...

The Cowardly Lion

December 27, 2012 General

Acts 18:9: "One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision,'Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent.'" So tonight I went to a Blazer game (we won - and got free Taco Bell Chalupa coupons. w...

Merry Christmas

December 26, 2012 One of the PDX Boys

John 1:5: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." NRSV So hey, y'all.... I decided to start a blog as some sort of devotional. On Sunday, one of my pastors enco...

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