I served for 20+ years in the ministry, including more than 5 years in youth ministry, 11 years as Senior Pastor of a Southern Baptist Church, and 4 years as Pastor of an independent, Evangelical congregation. My bachelor’s degree is in Religion, with a concentration in Biblical languages and a double minor in English and Psychology. My seminary training was in advanced religious studies, and biblical languages.

My ministry was successful, though I harbored a dark secret—I struggled with what was deemed “same-sex attractions.” To comply with the teachings of my conservative Christian faith, I spent more than eight years trying almost any snake-oil approach to change my sexual orientation.
It was brutal, exhausting, often demeaning, and cruel.
It was also unsuccessful!

Since abandoning those futile efforts, I’ve spent three decades as a vocal opponent of the deception and dangers of programs now known as Conversion Therapy, or “ex-gay” ministries, as well as their debunked practices. I’ve written about it extensively, worked with national legal organizations to make such “therapies” illegal, and my story has been featured in multiple media outlets—magazines, radio, and television.

I share this to give a better understanding of me, and to give insights as to why these themes are featured so prominently in my books.

After leaving the ministry, I built a successful career in public relations and communications.
Now I’m retired, living outside Dallas, Texas with my husband.

Want to know more?

This is what I call the public-facing version of my story, but it certainly doesn’t tell it all. Or even enough.

I included the “Deeper Dive” to give a more extensive (“juicier?”) examination of my bio. It includes details of my years in conservative Fundamental/Evangelical ministry, as well as how I became involved in what is now known as “conversion therapy,” eventually moving into a prominent leadership in that malicious movement.

It also includes the apology I wrote when I realized my own deception and the damage I had caused to others. We thought we were helping; in hindsight, I see we were spiritual abusers.