Evolution is a fact of human life. Today, nothing is the same as it was during the beginning of time. Cultures, lifestyles, and feelings - everything human-related - have experienced some kind of change. Unfortunately, some societies worldwide do not accept people who openly identify as LGBTQ.

The topic of sexual orientation is complex and sensitive, but it should be discussed under the limelight so that more people are informed about it. Still, millions of people remain unsure of their sexual orientation,which can cause severe anxiety. The fact that they are dealing with mixed and confused emotions daily should be addressed.

Religion is a major reason that limits the discussion of this topic. Manyworld religions condemn LGBTQ individuals, which has put many people of faith in a dilemma. Lee Allen Howard discusses such people in hisResponse to a Concerned Heterosexual Christian. The author is popular for writing LGBTQ horror, young adult gothic, psychological thrillers, and supernatural crime fiction but also writes non-fictional religious content for Christian audiences.

As a mature and professional writer, Howard comprehends the complexity of this pressing matter and has penned his personal thoughts and experiences in this book. His journey to recognize his true feelings and accept his sexual orientation as a practicing Christian was not easy. To ensure that his journey of discovery would not go in vain, decided to compile a book.

RealizingHis True Self

Lee Allen Howard belonged to a religious family. His father, Rev. LaVerne R. Howard, was employed as a student pastor at a church in Swannington, Indiana. His mother, LoRena Nadene (Baker) Howard, was a homemaker and seamstress who played piano at church and taught Sunday school. It was inculcated in him that it would be a sin to go against their evangelical beliefs. This made him feel obligated to his faith. Despite this, his parentsnever discouraged him from writing gut-wrenching horror plots. Keeping up with his interest in writing thrilling horror stories, Howard has established himself as a popular dark fiction writer. He is known for famous books such as The Bedwetter: Journal of a Budding Psychopath, The Sixth Seed, Death Perception, and others.

Howard graduated with honors from Indiana University of Pennsylvaniain 1984, earning a Bachelor's in Arts in English, and he also acquired a Master of Arts degree in Biblical Studies in 1996 from Christian International School of Theology. In 1984, Howard began working as a word processor and spent 18 months in Rockville, Maryland. He then started his career as a technical writer after moving to Pittsburgh in 1986. The next year, he married Linda Crawford, a youth minister at Rev. Howard's church in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

The couple began God's Plan Ministries as a house church in 2002. Howard pastored there for three years, after which the ministry was dissolved. He also founded a Christian publishing company, Beautiful Feet Publishing, Inc. Through this corporation, he published You Are the Body of Christ. The publishing company was also disbanded. During this time, Howard struggledto accept his sexual orientation. Although he loved his wife, he felt inclined towards the same gender. He was slowly realizing his true self and recognizing his coreidentity. This led to an amicable separation from his wife.

The thought of betraying the word of God and going against the teachings of his religion deeply disturbed him. He tried everything over the course of twenty years to rid himself of same-sex attraction. He then realized he could no longer deny who he was because his spiritual community held narrowly prescribed notions of what was acceptable, moral, and holy. So, he decided to be true to himself and discover the real creation of God.In 2006, he came out as a gay man. He struggled for acceptance and often was badgered by thoughts of suicide. He wrote about this experience in Response to a Concerned Heterosexual Christian in 2012.

This book is about Lee Allen Howard's journey of self-acceptance as a gay Christian. It details his struggle and everything he did to overcome it. With twenty years in the charismatic evangelical church, a master's in biblical studies, years in Christian publishing and missions work, and time spent pastoring, Howardpresents this contemporary issue from a personal viewpoint that's scripturally educated.