bob & sharon Thomas
Bob and Sharon have been married for a short 53 years. They are the blessed parents of three wonderful sons and fun-loving grandparents to eight grandchildren who are all now in their teens and older. They are both retired, Bob from management, Sharon from school teaching, and then her calligraphy business. Bob served as a volunteer soccer coach in the community for over 20 years. He now enjoys woodworking and planning their next trips, and Sharon enjoys calligraphy, watercolor painting, sewing, and gardening. They both love spending time with family and friends, reading and researching, traveling in their RV, hiking, exploring new places, and serving others through their church.
Their two older sons were nearly 16 and 12 when God changed their lives and added son #3. They raised their children in the Southern Baptist church and later landed in an independent Bible church. Bob served as Worship Leader for many years, and Sharon taught older children in Sunday School. As extremely conservative Christians, they both believed they understood exactly what the Bible said about people who are LGBTQ+ and adamantly stood their ground in the face of the changing culture.
After their youngest son went away to college, life fell apart for him and Bob and Sharon. After years of struggling with addiction, their youngest son finally came out in his late 20s and told them he was gay. By this time, though they had many questions, they knew without a doubt that God had given them this precious son and that nothing could change their love for him. Their hurt and confusion were agonizing, with no one to trust or confide in. In desperation, they began to read and learn; eventually, they found the book Embracing the Journey and became involved in their first support group. They found understanding, community, genuine Christian caring, and a safe place to ask questions, learn, grow, and thrive. Now, their strongest desire is to serve other parents well, who are in similar situations, to be present for them, and to walk alongside them in their journey through Embracing the Journey small groups.
Their two older sons were nearly 16 and 12 when God changed their lives and added son #3. They raised their children in the Southern Baptist church and later landed in an independent Bible church. Bob served as Worship Leader for many years, and Sharon taught older children in Sunday School. As extremely conservative Christians, they both believed they understood exactly what the Bible said about people who are LGBTQ+ and adamantly stood their ground in the face of the changing culture.
After their youngest son went away to college, life fell apart for him and Bob and Sharon. After years of struggling with addiction, their youngest son finally came out in his late 20s and told them he was gay. By this time, though they had many questions, they knew without a doubt that God had given them this precious son and that nothing could change their love for him. Their hurt and confusion were agonizing, with no one to trust or confide in. In desperation, they began to read and learn; eventually, they found the book Embracing the Journey and became involved in their first support group. They found understanding, community, genuine Christian caring, and a safe place to ask questions, learn, grow, and thrive. Now, their strongest desire is to serve other parents well, who are in similar situations, to be present for them, and to walk alongside them in their journey through Embracing the Journey small groups.