Lift + Love

For Little Saints - Retelling Scripture Stories for Families- Lift+Love Podcast episode #63

Lift+Love Podcast episode 63 "Josh and Sarah Sabey - Retelling Scripture Stories for Families with Beauty, Honesty, and Heart"

 

"Real stories about a real God who loves real people"

Episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston interview authors and filmmakers Josh and Sarah Sabey about their scripture storybooks and accompanying podcast, created to help families connect more deeply with God and scripture by telling Bible and Book of Mormon stories as meaningful narratives for both children and adults. They share their background -meeting at BYU, their original idea to humanize characters like Laman and Lemuel, and their process of writing a story a week, starting as blog posts that later became books despite early publisher rejections. They discuss handling difficult topics by focusing on what serves the story rather than sensational details (e.g., omitting “basket of arms”) and addressing issues like polygamy clearly but thoughtfully. They describe collaborative drafting and editing, debates over tone (e.g., Noah), staying close to the text while exploring overlooked possibilities (e.g., Lot’s wife), and their goal to preserve scripture’s beauty, grace, and “shared story” power. They are working on a New Testament storybook and note their children as a test audience.

 

00:00 Meet Josh and Sarah

01:41 How They Met

02:09 Storybook Origin

04:00 From Blog to Book

05:19 Stories for Families

06:06 Handling Hard Topics

08:40 Reframing Lot’s Wife

13:42 Talking Polygamy Honestly

16:47 Writing Process Together

18:01 When They Disagree

19:05 Editing for Kids

19:47 Is This Midrash

22:33 Stories Not Puzzles

24:45 Scripture as Revelation

27:01 Claiming Personal Authority

30:34 Saving the Old Testament

33:21 Whats Next Projects

34:55 Why Stories Stick

37:04 Kids as Test Audience

 

Find the books at http://forlittlesaints.com

Find the For Little Saints podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scripture-stories-for-little-saints/id1833375451

Find them on social media @forlittlesaints

 

Video version of this episode available here: https://youtu.be/Ax1vnENgeAg?si=MLvRM1_WOmTWm_D6

 

Transcript of this episode available here: www.liftandlove.org/podcast

 

What if General Conference is Difficult? Lift+Love Podcast Ep#62

Episode 62 - What if General Conference is Difficult? (with thegeneralconferenceproject)

**content warning - brief mentions of loss of a child, military-related PTSD, and general statements about faith transitions,  anxiety/depression and the hurt that people may feel because of the messages they hear from church leaders**

Episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston are joined by Lynell and Kendall Rogers, the mother-daughter duo behind the @thegeneralconferenceproject Instagram account, which has been providing inclusive real-time updates about General Conference on social media during all sessions since 2021.

Lynell Rogers is the social media manager for Lift+Love. She and her daughter Kendall (now a master’s student at George Washington University) created @thegeneralconferenceproject on Instagram. Even though they only post 2 weekends a year, @thegeneralconferenceproject has grown a significant following of 8000 subscribers, with an incredible 1 million post views in October 2025.

While Lynell was seeking out resources that could be recommended in a Lift+Love post about preparing for General Conference, Kendall recommended social media accounts that do updates about the Confernece, but they were unable to find any. What started as an effort to fill that need for Christ-centered content and quotes from the Conference in a safe and inclusive place, @thegeneralconferenceproject has evolved into brief summaries of each talk and announcement, with careful notes about potentially sensitive topics, which many followers (who often don’t listen to the conference sessions live) use to help them determine if a talk will be helpful for them. 

Why would anyone be anxious about listen to General Conference? Why would someone need a heads-up about the content of a talk? They discuss how uncertainty and past hurt can contribute to a stressful conference experience and how the project helps reduce anxiety, support lesson planning, and allow participation in accessible ways. They emphasize compassion, curiosity, and keeping people connected to each other and Christ.

 

Meet Lynell and Kendall

How They Connected

Why Start the General Conference Project

How It Has Evolved

Understanding Conference Anxiety

Representation and Inclusion

How to Use the Resource

Christlike Curiosity and Empathy

Gratitude

Join Lynell and Kendall every General Conference weekend (during all sessions) on Instagram @thegeneralconference.com

Learn more about Lynell on the Lift+Love website here

or contact her at lynell@liftandlove.org

 

The Faith Matters podcast episode that Allison references (re: central nervous system crisis) is  When Your Faith Breaks (with Tucker Boyle)

 

Find the transcript of this episode here: www.liftandlove.org/podcast

Find the video version of this episode on our Youtube channel here

Find resources, support meetings, events, and community on the Lift+Love website here: www.liftandlove.org

Holy Saturday - with Dr Ben Schilaty - Lift+Love Podcast Episode #61

**content warning - description of witnessing a medical emergency that was thought to be the death of a parent, mourning the death of a parent, Alzheimers disease**

 

Social work professor and therapist Dr. Ben Schilaty joins episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston on the Lift+Love podcast to discuss the concept of Holy Saturday—the silent, uncertain day between Good Friday and Easter—and how it mirrors unresolved grief and waiting for redemption. Ben shares a painful experience visiting his mother with advanced Alzheimers, and how that crisis led him to reflect on “loss that has not yet found resolution,” learning to hold present pain alongside hope in Christ’s resurrection. After his mother later passed away, he describes unexpected sorrow and healing moments. The hosts connect Holy Saturday’s stillness and uncertainty to faith journeys in the LGBTQ Latter day Saint space, emphasizing trusting God, and navigating ongoing tensions around belonging, church policies, and romantic relationships.

 

00:00 Meet Ben Schilaty

01:28 What Is Holy Saturday

03:58 Ben's Mother

07:24 Quote That Clicked

08:59 Holding Pain And Hope

10:42 After Mom Passed

13:08 Grief Surprises

15:16 Lessons In Uncertainty

16:32 Trusting Gods Plan

19:34 Faith Beyond Certainty

21:31 Trust God Moments

22:59 Belonging and Warmth

24:50 Liberty Jail Stillness

27:13 Cherry Tree Tension

29:13 Actively Single Choice

31:55 Eternal Hope in Christ

34:11 Alzheimers and Resurrection

36:49 Trust When Dark

 

Find more information about Dr. Ben Schilaty on his website here

 

Ben's book "A Walk in My Shoes" is available in the Lift+Love online store here

 

"The Sin of Certainty" by Peter Enns is available here

 

Find the transcript of this episode here: www.liftandlove.org/podcast

Find resources, support meetings, events, and community on the Lift+Love website here: www.liftandlove.org

 

Dania - A Mother Reflects on Parenting an LGBTQ+ Child - Episode #60

 

Lift+Love episode #60 "Dania - A Mother Reflects on Parenting an LGBTQ+ Child"

Episode hosts Allison Dayton and Jenie Hunter welcome guest Dania Alvarez for the first in a new podcast episode series featuring mothers with LGBTQ+ children sharing the lessons they have learned in their personal journeys.

Dania Alvarez is a real estate agent and mother of three (including an adult daughter who came out as LGBTQ+ as a teen). Dania describes how her home’s religious practice has shifted as she is now the only one attending church weekly. She talks about her daughter's healthy and loving relationship with her girlfriend Bella and how they love Bella as part of the family. She shares how she has been successful in creating a safe, respectful space where she can still express testimony, maintain simple rituals like family dinner and prayer, and separate "worth" from church activity. Dania advises moms to give themselves grace, get support elsewhere so children don’t carry parents’ emotions, protect a child’s identity, and focus on healthy relationships, love, and growth in Christlike capacity.

 

Find the transcript of this episode here: www.liftandlove.org/podcast

Find resources, support meetings, events, and community on the Lift+Love website here: www.liftandlove.org

 

How to Build Your Testimony As the Parent of An LGBTQ Child - Ep 59 Lift+Love Podcast

Lift+Love Podcast Episode #59- How to Build Your Testimony as the Parent of an LGBTQ Child

 

Allison Dayton reintroduces Lift+Love’s most-listened-to April 2022 podcast episode, re-introduced for a new audience, featuring a conversation with episode co-host Jenie Hunter and guest Anita Ervin (who leads Lift+Love’s Trans Parent Support Group). 

 

Prompted by a friend’s sincere question about how Anita stays active in a church that is often perceived to be “against” LGBTQ people, Anita shares a three-part framework for “deconstructing and reconstructing” testimony: focusing first on Jesus Christ and His grace to overcome fear and hopelessness; maintaining faith in the restored gospel through the Book of Mormon and belief that revelation is ongoing; and viewing the church as an imperfect organization led by people learning over time. They discuss practicing non-judgment, responding with love after strong emotions, advocating with leaders to reduce harm to youth, and staying to strengthen community and make church safer for families.

 

00:00 Podcast Throwback Intro

01:48 Mamas Retreat Highlights

03:21 Why Community Matters

05:07 The Big Question Staying

07:32 Point One - Focus on Christ

08:50 Deconstructing Culture Fear

14:06 Protecting Hope

16:30 Point Two - Restored Gospel

17:33 More Revelation Ahead

18:47 Learning Line Upon Line

20:23 Grace Through Change

21:22 Hope Amid Division

22:40 Part Three- Leaders Are Learning Too

25:17 Dropping Judgment

26:18 Advocating With Love

30:58 Called To Stay

34:40 Cairns On The Path

37:17 Rituals For Hard Days

38:01 Trading Pearls For Truth

39:36 Community And Farewell

 

Find the transcript of this episode here: www.liftandlove.org/podcast

Find resources, support meetings, events, and community on the Lift+Love website here: www.liftandlove.org

 

 

Sodom and Gomorrah - Its Effect on the LGBTQ Community (with Dan McClellan) - Ep 58

Episode 58 - "Sodom & Gomorrah - Its Effect on the LGBTQ Community"

**content warning - discussion of sexual assault (in Biblical context and in modern context), human sexuality is discussed**

Episode hosts Allison and Darice are joined by Dr. Dan McClellan (aka @maklelan with over a million followers on Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter) PhD in Theology & Religion, Honorary Fellow, Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion.

In this episode of the Lift+Love Podcast, Dan McClellan discusses his experience working in a church office environment while creating TikTok content, noting occasional backlash but also significant support and a deeper understanding of church administration and its institutional priorities. The main focus of this episode is a reinterpretation of Sodom and Gomorrah: Dan argues the core sin is inhospitality to outsiders expressed through threats of sexual violence meant to shame, dominate, and emasculate, not homosexual orientation or consensual same-sex relationships. He compares Genesis 19 with Judges 19, references Ezekiel 16:49’s emphasis on prosperity and neglect of the needy, and challenges common appeals to Jude 7 by explaining the Greek phrase “other flesh” as a boundary violation involving angels rather than same-sex attraction.

The hosts explore the Joseph Smith Translation’s narrative adjustments around Lot and his daughters, the harmful rhetorical use of hyperbole that can eclipse the value of life, and the damage caused when the story is weaponized against LGBTQIA+ people, including the persistence of a scripture footnote linking Genesis 19:5 to homosexuality. The discussion extends to how misreadings influence interpretations of Leviticus 18 and 20, emphasizing power hierarchies and noting the Hebrew Bible’s silence on female same-sex relationships. Dan and the host also talk about the church’s gradual openness to non-KJV scripture options and how this challenges KJV supremacy as an identity marker for English-speaking members, and they share an example from Dan’s ward where his Gospel Doctrine teaching briefly created a safer space. The episode closes with Dan describing his LGBTQIA+ advocacy, shaped by lifelong relationships and Matthew Shepard’s 1998 murder, framing his motivation as standing up to bullying and calling faith communities to prioritize mercy, hospitality, and the second commandment to love one’s neighbor.

 

00:00 Dan’s TikTok + Working in the Church Office Building

03:35 What Was Sodom’s Sin? Inhospitality, Not Orientation

05:56 Ezekiel, Jude, and “Other Flesh”: Clearing Up the Prooftexts

08:19 JST Changes, Lot’s Daughters, and the Problem of ‘Hero’ Narratives

13:19 Hospitality Then vs. Now: Nomads, Cities, and a Better Modern Lesson

15:27 ‘Who Are the Men of Sodom Today?’ Power, Shame, and Sexual Violence

17:51 How Misreading Sodom Warps Leviticus—and LDS Classroom Culture

20:12 Why the Footnotes Don’t Change (and the Bible Dictionary Problem)

22:40 Mercy Over Judgment: Jesus, the Good Samaritan, and James 2

27:03 Scripture Translation Plurality: Cracks in KJV Supremacy

30:31 A Gospel Doctrine Detour: Creating a Safer Space in the Ward

33:06 Dan’s LGBTQ+ Advocacy: ‘I Don’t Like Bullies’

37:41 Closing: Refocusing on Welcoming the Stranger

 

Find more resources and support for LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints and their family, friends, allies, and leaders at www.liftandlove.org

 

 

Disordered Eating in the LGBTQ Population - Episode 57

Episode 57 - Disordered Eating in the LGBTQ Population 

**content warning - eating disorders and eating disorder symptoms/practices, self-harm (including cutting), suicide, suicide-ideation, negative body image**

Episode hosts Allison and Darice are joined by Carey Baldwin (RDN, CIEC), who shares her personal eating disorder recovery story and how it led her to specialize in outpatient eating disorder care in Denver, serving many LGBTQ clients.

The conversation explains that eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening mental illnesses with a high mortality rate, outlines common diagnoses (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and mixed presentations), and discusses why rates are especially high in LGBTQ populations. Carey cites research indicating up to 54% of LGBTQ youth report a diagnosis or suspected symptoms, nearly 9 in 10 report body dissatisfaction, and gay men—about 5% of the total population—make up roughly 45% of all men diagnosed with eating disorders; she also notes particularly high risk among non-binary and trans male youth due to dysphoria and body dissatisfaction.

The hosts and Carey describe contributing factors such as stigma, discrimination, bullying, internalized shame, lack of family acceptance, and using food control as a coping mechanism, as well as the impact of diet culture and social media. They review signs parents can look for (preoccupation with weight/calories, tracking apps, eliminating food groups like carbs or sugar, overexercising, mood changes, and food avoidance) and emphasize that eating disorders do not always present in underweight bodies, noting only 6% diagnosed are medically underweight. The episode also addresses elevated risks of suicidal ideation and non-suicidal self-injury (including cutting), stating that LGBTQ youth with eating disorder history have attempted suicide rates four to six times higher than those with eating disorders alone, and explaining how malnourishment affects brain function, anxiety, depression, and isolation.

Protective factors highlighted include affirming and supportive adults and family, connection at school and with peers, modeling self-compassion, proactive selection of affirming and trained providers, and seeking specialized eating-disorder treatment (therapist, dietitian, medical checkups and lab work). Carey shares an example of a parent advocating for birth control to suppress periods to reduce distress in a trans male youth, and the hosts discuss avoiding shame, approaching concerns with curiosity, and giving parents grace when symptoms are hidden.

00:00 Reuniting & Introducing Carey Baldwin (Why This Topic Matters)

01:22 Carey’s Story: From Personal ED Recovery to Dietitian Work

03:50 What Eating Disorders Are (and How Serious They Can Be)

04:57 Why EDs Hit LGBTQ Youth Hard: Stats, Body Dissatisfaction & Stress

08:50 Red Flags Parents Can Spot: Diet Culture, Restriction & Over-Exercise

11:44 Diet Culture Everywhere: Trends, Movies, Social Media & Generational Shifts

14:34 COVID Surge, Shame, and the High-Risk Link to Self-Harm/Suicidality

17:17 Starvation Brain: Anxiety, Depression, and Feeling Overwhelmed

17:52 When Restriction Drags On: The Body Under Chronic Stress

18:28 Self-Harm & Eating Disorders: Why Cutting Can Become a Coping Tool

19:27 Stop Calling It ‘Attention Seeking’: What Parents Should Watch For

21:18 Protective Factors: Support, Connection, Self-Compassion, Affirming Care

22:52 How to Intervene: Get Curious, Seek Trained ED Help, Medical Checks

25:34 Affirm Now, Learn as You Go: The Risk of Delaying Support

26:45 Proactive Healthcare Advocacy + A Puberty Distress Case Example

30:29 Parent Guilt & Hidden Struggles: Eating Disorders Don’t Always Look ‘Underweight’

33:29 Final Takeaways: Awareness in LGBTQ Families & Why This Conversation Matters

 

Carey Baldwin is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist providing nutrition therapy at an outpatient eating disorder clinic in Denver, Colorado. Carey sees a diverse clientele with many who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Carey volunteers with Lift+Love as the Support Group Coordinator and also co-lCarey Baldwin is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist providing nutrition therapy at an outpatient eating disorder clinic in Denver, Colorado. Carey sees a diverse clientele with many who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Carey volunteers with Lift+Love as the Support Group Coordinator and also co-leads an organization in Colorado called Rainbow COnnection. Carey and her husband, Scott, are the parents of 5 adult children.  In her free time Carey enjoys time in the mountains, reading, playing tennis and quilting.eads an organization in Colorado called Rainbow COnnection. Carey and her husband, Scott, are the parents of 5 adult children.  In her free time Carey enjoys time in the mountains, reading, playing tennis and quilting.

 

You can contact Carey Baldwin at careyannb@gmail.com

Find more resources and support for LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints and their family, friends, allies, and leaders at www.liftandlove.org

 

 

Sanctuary - A Filmmaker's Journey and Conversation - Episode 56

Episode 56- "Sanctuary: A Filmmaker’s Journey and Conversation" with guest Autumn McAlpin

Join hosts Allison Dayton, filmmaker Autumn McAlpin, and archival producer Darice Auston for an in-depth conversation about the documentary film "Sanctuary." This powerful film explores what happens when traditional religious spaces fail to provide safety for LGBTQ individuals, and how communities are reimagining sacred spaces to be truly inclusive.

Autumn shares the origin story of the film—from meeting an architect who builds physical sanctuaries at Pride festivals out of recycled materials, to weaving together stories of affirming pastors, liturgists, and queer individuals seeking belonging. The documentary features scholars, faith leaders, and personal narratives that demonstrate what's possible when we intentionally create safe spaces for all people.

The conversation covers:

• The making of the film and its powerful message about authenticity and belonging
• Audience reactions from screenings across the country
• The importance of confronting uncomfortable truths about religious harm
• How sanctuary can be found in people, not just places
• The film's dedication to lives lost, including Preston Dayton and Levi Martin

Whether you're navigating faith and LGBTQ identity, supporting loved ones, or seeking to create more inclusive communities, this episode offers hope, practical insights, and a vision for what sanctuary truly means.

Learn more and request screenings at sanctuarydoc.com

Watch the official trailer for the Sanctuary film and find information and updates here: https://sanctuarydoc.com/

Find Spencer LaJoye's song "Plowshare Prayer" on Spotify here or watch a live performance here

Read Vienna Boyes' Lift+Love Story here

Learn more about the resources and support available to LGBTQ+ youth and adults, parents, relatives, friends, allies, and church leaders on the Lift+Love website here: www.liftandlove.org

Video version of this podcast episode is available on Youtube here

But Jesus - Episode 55

Episode 55- "But Jesus"

Episode Hosts:  Allison Dayton (Founder of the Lift+Love organization, original Lift+Love podcast co-host, parent of LGBTQ+ child) and Darice Auston (Lift+Love Director of Getting Stuff Done, Gather Director, Lift+Love Store Manager, parent of a trans child)

This episode features a deeply moving conversation that episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston share with special guest storyteller Autumn McAlpin about her book, "But Jesus, A Conversation" a collection of poetic vignettes born from her experience as a mother when her teenage son came out as gay. Autumn shares how the book emerged through late-night prayers, conversations, memories, and moments of grief, love, and faith, and how it became a way to tell her family’s story. The discussion explores the spiritual and emotional impact on parents of LGBTQ+ children and the profound compassion, sensitivity, and gifts these children bring to the world. Woven throughout is a testimony of choosing both faith and family, following an inner spiritual compass, and discovering a deeper, more personal relationship with God grounded in unconditional love, inclusion, and the example of Jesus.

"At 3a.m. one night during the quiet shade of the pandemic, a 17-year-old boy entered his parents’ bedroom to reveal a truth he’d been navigating alone for years. In his confession, he not only came out as gay, but also conveyed the depths of the mental health struggles he’d been battling as a result of conflicting messaging he’d endured in the religious institution in which he'd been raised. Autumn McAlpin’s haunting literary memoir, But Jesus: A Conversation replays the various conversations that emerge during one family’s coming out story—interchanges with loved ones who lean in and those who pull away, the back-and-forth with various LDS church authorities, and the quiet (and not so quiet) pleas of a mother as she petitions the higher power she believes in—one who offers unconditional love and hope for all. But Jesus: A Conversation takes us on a journey of a family deconstructing with the use of a compass and their conscience, and reconstructing with the salve that will help bind them most of all: love. With stunning cover art by J. Kirk Richards, this book is intended to offer an open shoulder for all families who find themselves at the intersection of the LDS and LGBTQ+ conflict, and for the loved ones trying to understand the complex choices they face."

 

You can find Autumn's book "But, Jesus - A Conversation" for sale in the Lift+Love online store here: www.liftandlove.org/books/p/but-jesus-a-conversation

Learn more about artist J. Kirk Richards here: https://www.jkirkrichards.com/

Learn more about the resources and support available to LGBTQ+ youth and adults, parents, relatives, friends, allies, and church leaders on the Lift+Love website here: www.liftandlove.org

 

The Story of the Lift+Love Stories - Episode 54

Episode 54-

Episode Hosts:  Allison Dayton (Founder of the Lift+Love organization, original Lift+Love podcast co-host, parent of LGBTQ+ child) and Darice Auston (Lift+Love Director of Getting Stuff Done, Gather Director, Lift+Love Store Manager, parent of a trans child)

Allison and Darice are joined by storyteller Autumn McAlpin to tell the story behind the Lift+Love Family Stories. Over 150 stories of LGBTQ+ individuals and families have been shared through this project over the past few years, with Autumn as the storyteller. Darice, Allison, and Autumn discuss how this project came to be, how these stories have impacted the community of LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints for good, what the most impactful stories have been for them, and what the future holds.

 

Video version available on our Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/JBWZ9dxhttps://youtu.be/lInix1QiKU0QPnY

 

Resources Mentioned:

Listen, Learn, Love Podcast  https://www.listenlearnandlove.org/podcasts

Levi Martin's story: www.liftandlove.org/stories-2026/levis-story

Elder Steven E. Snow's story: www.liftandlove.org/stories-2026/elder-steven-e-snow

The Lift+Love Family Story page: www.liftandlove.org/stories

Call the Lift+Love voicemail line (801) 382-8420 to share ideas for topics you’d like us to discuss in future episodes.

Tags: #LGBTQ #LDS #Mormon #ParentingLGBTQ #Faith #Family #TransYouth #ChurchOfJesusChrist #QueerFaith #LiftAndLoveorg