15 YEARS LATER...

 

11 YEARS LATER

Thanks for all the messages on this 11th Anniversary of my publicly coming out (10/13/10)...here's a sampling of some of my favorites from Facebook in the last few hours...Ken and I will celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary in a few weeks, and our 10th anniversary of being together in a few months...since that night in October of 2010, he and I have lost both of our fathers, gained 3 more grandchildren, and have enjoyed every single day of our life together...Metron Community is now in its 8th year, and we will have our 12th Meditation Weekend in a few days...life is good...thanks for remembering!

10 YEARS LATER

 10/13 - #tenyearslater

 ...So this was 10 years ago...October 13, 2010...so much has happened since that time...I continued pastoring #churchinthenow for another 4 years after coming out, and also started #churchinthenowmidtown during that time...wrote ‘First, The Good News: The Positive Truth About God, The Gospel and What it Really Means to be Gay’, and we’re now into our 7th year at 

Metron at Landmark's Midtown Art Cinema

...

In a few months, 

Ken Marshall

 and I will have been together for 9 years, and in a few weeks we will celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary...2 grandchildren between us when we got together, now we have 5...I stood by his side while we watched his father cross over into immortality, and 2 1/2 years later he stood by my side while we watched my father do the same...

10 years ago I couldn’t have imagined that #marriageequality would become a reality as quickly as it did...I also couldn’t imagine that just a few years later it would be threatened in the courts as it is now...don’t know what’s going to happen in the immediate future...don’t know if my marriage is going to be declared illegal or not...believing for the best, and hoping that the powers that be will do the right thing...but, aside from that, I have nothing but gratitude for these last 10 years...a million thanks to all of you who have been so supportive of my telling the truth...love this date, and I love you all...#lovewins #noregrets #lifeisgood#enjoylife #liveyourtruth 

#positivewords

9 YEARS LATER

Yesterday was National Coming Out Day, this weekend is Atlanta Pride (the above pic with the rainbow cake was taken last evening), and tomorrow is the 9th anniversary of my public coming out...the outpouring of beautiful messages that I've received today in response to the pics below, which I posted on Facebook and Instagram, has been literally overwhelming...too many to post here...several times today I've teared up at reading your beautiful, affirming words, and I am flooded with thoughts of gratitude this evening...

I'm especially grateful for where I am on my journey these 9 years later...Ken and I have been together 71/2 years now, and will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary in December...we were together through the last 2 years at Church In The Now, the 5+ years of METRON, his father's illness and passing, the birth of his 2 granddaughters, the birth of my 3rd granddaughter, the care of my elderly parents, the passage of Marriage Equality, my 60th birthday, and countless happy days and joy-filled experiences...we see our six children regularly and are so proud of all of them, love the METRON COMMUNITY, enjoy living in the city, and daily live the life that we have imagined...

On this 9 anniversary of this important day, I want to express my profound gratitude to all of you who have supported me/us, and especially to those who have stayed with me as a part of my ministry...

I feel the love...

TOP LEFT: GOOD MORNING AMERICA; TOP CENTER: CNN; TOP RIGHT: CNN
CENTER LEFT: DON LEMON SHOW; CENTER: WSB-TV; CENTER RIGHT: JOY BEHAR SHOW
BOTTOM LEFT: PEOPLE MAGAZINE; BOTTOM CENTER: CREATIVE LOAFING; BOTTOM RIGHT: GA VOICE

PEOPLE MAGAZINE #8yearslater

Jeff Truesdell Appreciate your trust in allowing me to share your story — and it’s obvious how you have only continued to enlighten and inspire. You will always have my respect and admiration.

Manage

Jim Swilley Hey, Jeff! So good to hear from you! The respect and admiration is mutual, and I’ll always remember how much your kindness and professionalism meant to me at the time...still does. A lot of good things came into my life as a result of that article. Glad we’re still in touch!

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Tamara Stoops I read it then, was inspired by the article and found you on FB❤️ I think you're an amazing human.

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Jim Swilley Thanks, Tamara...I’m so glad you found it!

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THANK YOU

Melissa Floyd Hall All these years later.....and there is never ever an October 13 that goes by that I don't think back to that night....sitting there with at least 100 knots in my stomach waiting for you to begin to speak....knowing that love never fails, but also having no idea how the community, and world at large would respond. Other than my kids, I am not sure I have ever felt so protective over another human being than I was of you at that moment. As your truth flowed out, my anxiety began to turn to relief and then finally I had this overwhelming sense of peace settle in. I left with so much excitement and happiness in my heart. You did what someone very close to me could not find the courage to do and it ultimately cost them their happiness and their life. That night , watching you living out my friend's dream of being authentic healed a wound in me. I remember I was on such an adrenaline high that I found it hard to sleep that night. There are many reasons that you will always be a part of my life but October 13 was one of those moments that must be similar to being in a foxhole during wartime with a fellow soldier. When you go through something like that with someone, there's a bond that goes beyond words. I am still as proud of you today as I was that night all those years ago. <3 span="">

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Jim Swilley Wow...no words...thank you so, so much for that...<3 span=""> <3 span=""> <3 span="">

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