Looking ahead to next Sunday and Jesus "the Good Shepherd".

Two years ago a gentleman living in the Bible Belt DMd me asking about how I can reconcile my sexuality and my faith. I prepared myself for a quick back-and-forth having all the usual "clobber passages" thrown at me...

..ending with me blocking another homophobic troll.

But that's not what happened.

In his 2nd message, he said he'd always been taught to see it one way, that he took his faith and the Bible very seriously, and that he'd always just "loved the sinner, hated sin", but now...

..his son had come out to him 2 yrs before. He and his wife had refused to accept it or talk about it. The son left home and was living with a partner whom they had never met. Their daughter (still at home) was no longer talking to them, angry they had driven her brother away.

"So I guess what I'm asking is, how do I remain faithful and not lose both my kids?"

We had several conversations. We discussed scripture, sexuality, his kids, his church, his view of God.

One day he messaged: "My son is coming for dinner and bringing his boyfriend."

I messaged him a week later: "How'd it go?" He messaged back "Tense. Weird. Hard. But good. We're talking."

And that was it. He disappeared off Twitter. He had my email but I never heard from him.

One day a parcel arrived at my church. A statue of The Good Shepherd...

...with a note, saying "I was a lost sheep and you found me. And I still have my faith. I still have my lambs. So thought this would be a good way to say thank you."

I put it on my office windowsill next to a crystal cross, which refracted the light.

I took this photo for him.