The Breakfast That Proved Love Wins.

Saying "I love you" is meaningful, but actions truly prove it. Recently, my son took me out to breakfast early in the morning to share some news: he is interested in someone and pursuing a relationship. You might wonder, what’s the big deal? Well, my son is gay.

I felt deep in my spirit that this day would come. I prayed for preparation, and looking back, I can see how God was preparing my heart all along. My son and I love each other deeply. We have had many conversations about his life, and through every single one, I believe he has felt my love, just as I feel his. We hold different beliefs, but love binds us together.

It would be easy for me to say, "I am a Christian, so loving and accepting my son and his choices comes naturally." But honestly? It didn't. When I first found out my son was gay, it was incredibly hard. Maybe it isn't for every mom, but it was for me. As parents, whether we realize it or not, we subconsciously and consciously craft a future for our children and hope to see it come to fruition.

My husband and I made so many mistakes in the beginning. However, I truly believe that deep down in our son's heart, he always knew we loved him. Thinking of that fills me with overwhelming gratitude for God.

One day, during a church lesson on loving the LGBTQ+ community, the blinders fell off. My husband and I realized that actions we thought communicated love had actually caused our son shame. Well-meaning people told us he might just be confused. So, we took him to a therapist to help sort through his "confusion." Looking back, I see how foolish that was. He had never even been to a therapist before, and we sent him for that. I will say things like: I want you to feel like you can talk to me but my actions were saying the opposite.

Through it all, sincerely expressing our verbal love to our son saved our relationship. I believe that there are times when even when someone is doing something foolish you deep down know they love you and that helps you to maintain a soft heart.

I truly believe 1 Peter 4:8 saved our family: "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." My son’s love for us, and our love for him, covered the mistakes we made in ignorance.

I still vividly remember the night we called him while he was away at college just to apologize. We cried as we confessed how our past ignorant behavior had blocked him from being open with us.

Since then, we have worked to create a safe space for him. That is why I felt such overwhelming joy when he invited me to that breakfast. He looked at me and said, "I want to share something with you, and I want to ask you for some relationship advice."

We left that restaurant filled with food but mostly filled with gratitude This beautiful interaction would never have been possible without the strong foundation of love and respect we built over the years. My son does not share my spiritual beliefs, but he sees how my faith has shaped the woman I am, and he respects that.

After our breakfast, I called one of my best friends to share the news. She told me, "Olivia, only God can allow a gay son to ask his Christian mom for relationship advice." Her words filled me with absolute joy.

There is always a reason to be thankful in all circumstances. I am so grateful that my son loved us enough to look past our early missteps and internalize our true hearts.

Because of this journey and many other life experiences, I am incredibly passionate about coaching women. I want to help them embrace the things they cannot change, and find the courage to change the things they can just like the Serenity Prayer says.

True transformation starts from within. I had to work through my own fears so that I could be part of my son's life journey.

In my coaching program, women get to do exactly that: work on themselves, heal, and discover who they are so they can step into the women God created them to be.

Both my Spanish and English coaching cohorts are currently full, but you are more than welcome to send me a DM if you would like to learn more or join the waiting list. https://www.oliviahudsonlifecoach.com/contact-me

Remember: love has the power to cover our greatest mistakes. Whatever you do today, choose to do it in love!

P.S This post is made with my son permission. The picture bellow is from that breakfast!