“What in the world is ‘Wugga’?”, you might ask? Well, Wugga is just an affectionate term coined over the years to take the very long name of Where Grace Abounds, shorten it to our acronym “WGA”. Then shorten it even more, so folks just call us “Wugga” occasionally. Now onto the “Merch” and “New Resource” part of our title. You recall that all through 2023, the Staff had been working on our “Uphold” Video Series for parents of LGBTQ loved ones, which we debuted last year in February.
We chose the name Uphold for a variety of reasons. We want to uphold God’s truth and grace. We want to uphold one another in support. Christ upholds us all. The series consists of 10 hours of content (starring the WGA Staff), along with digital downloads and additional supplementals. We’ve been promoting this new resource over the last year. Our new “merch” is a project our designer Wes suggested—A 30-Day Devotional for parents that would accompany the video series. We thought it was a unique idea. I oversaw the project, and we just did the “book launch” at our recent Story Slam (which ironically this year’s theme was Uphold). So, introducing our latest resource, Prayers of Hope.
3 Movements We’d Like to Journey with You
I don’t know about you, but I really love devotionals. Not everyone’s cup o’ tea for sure, but I find the daily journey they take you on quite meaningful. But boy, what a project for 2024! How do folks create one which spans 356 days? To save us a bit of writing time, I initially scanned through the last 7 years of blogs, found ones written by each of us that might apply to our theme. We each chose 6 (to equal 30), tweaked, edited, added a prayer, scriptures and found an order to the chaos. Our friend Elodie did a major edit, our designer Wes added his creative skills and viola, a devotional was born. Here is the trajectory we’d like to share with you over the 30 days:
When the Unexpected Becomes Reality
Of course, parents connect with us in a variety of places regarding their child “coming out” as LGBTQ. Whether they’ve known for a while or it’s a sudden shock, parents are grappling with and getting used to a new reality. Some questions they may be asking might be—“What do I do when I don’t know what to do?” “Where do we as family go from here?” What does God’s Truth & Grace look like in our present situation?” Initially, a genuine season of bewilderment is evident.
A Gamut of Legitimate Emotions
One of the things I wished I could have offered my parents at my own coming out, was a safe place to express and feel their emotions. I had years to internally process my conflicts with same sex attraction and gender incongruence—they should have been due the same courtesy. Prayers of Hope offers our readers a space to explore a variety of emotions—disillusionment, avoidance, anxiety and grief. As I said earlier, any transition to a new reality will be accompanied by a flurry of various legitimate emotions.
Towards Reconciliation & Hope
Finally in our 3rd movement we hope to turn a corner. How can God use the painful things (suffering) in our life to bring growth, healing and transformation? Where is God providing comfort, a supportive community and healthy self-care in the process? God’s heart beats for reconciliation and that will always be His most hoped for outcome. Of course, our wanderings are never this linear, regardless of the struggle. It’s never a smooth, 30-day experience but a constant “one step forward and two back.” Yet, Prayers of Hope can offer a greater vision for the journey.
Anchoring Our Faith in God
We hope our devotional offers a lifeline to those navigating the storms of uncertainty, pain, and unanswered questions. With honesty and tenderness, it guides you to pray with boldness, wrestle with God in faith and rest in in His infinite love. Crafted to blend the warmth and precision of WGA’s compassionate theology, Prayers of Hope calls you into a deeper communion with Christ. Each day’s reflection serves as a steppingstone toward anchoring your faith in the God who meets you with 100% grace and 100% truth. Whether you are seeking healing, restoration or simply a way forward, this devotional invites you to experience God’s presence afresh. Let these prayers and reflections lift your eyes to see that hope abounds, even in the hardest moments.
Do You or Someone You Know Need Hope?
A big piece of our motivation working for the last 2 years on the video series and accompanying devotional was to not only provide resources for hurting parents, but to also offer the supportive community Where Grace Abounds has done exceptionally over the last 4 decades. Do you know someone with an LGBTQ loved one who needs hope, encouragement and additional? Our new “merch” is a helpful way to get started.
To order the Prayers of Hope 30 Day Devotional for $15 + $5 shipping click here.
To check out our Uphold Video Series (view the trailer and other helpful info) click here.
Scott Kingry
Program Director
A staff member since June of 1992, Scott is a key player in the WGA discipleship ministry. He plans, organizes, and implements every aspect of the Thursday night support group. In addition to public speaking, counseling group participants and training leaders, Scott maintains personal contact with many group members and it is to Scott’s credit that many group members feel personally welcomed, cared for and loved.
Although he holds a degree in graphic arts, he attributes his ministry qualifications to the “school of hard knocks.” God’s abundant grace continues to be the instrument of growth in his life, and he desires to be firmly grounded in the forgiveness and freedom of relationship with Jesus Christ.
Scott attends a Presbyterian Church.
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If you enjoy reading WGA’s blogs and would like to show your support, please consider making a donation. Where Grace Abounds is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The majority of services, including support groups and discipleship counseling, are provided free of charge. Your financial gifts help to cover the costs associated with offering a free program to those who seek WGA’s services.