In Tender Leaves of Hope, Meghan Decker shares her experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother, and queer member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For decades, Meghan was tormented with shame and she felt that her attraction to other women was an indication of her brokenness. From her own experience as well as dozens of other women she interviewed, Meghan shares the insights she’s gained into her sexual fluidity and how she sees these multi-faceted attractions as a gift, not a curse. She has come to know God’s tender compassion, patience, and love for her as she has learned to make her own choices not just from duty, but rather out of the deepest desires of her heart. Tender Leaves of Hope teaches universal principles about using your spiritual gifts, seeking direction from God, and serving others, and provides an intimate look at the experiences and faith of a LGBTQ Latter-day Saint women.

Reviews

Meghan Decker’s Tender Leaves of Hope brings a much-needed intelligent and compassionate view into the lives and loves of women in the LDS community. This book gives a warm welcome to those who experience themselves as lesbian and want to be part of the Church—and at the same time offers respect to those who choose a different path. A fine contribution!

~ Carol Lynn Pearson, poet, playwright, and author of Goodbye, I Love You

“I encourage every Latter-day Saint to read this book. If you are LGBTQ or want to better support LGBTQ Latter-day Saints, Meghan’s book will help you. Meghan does a wonderful and courageous job of sharing her story as a gay Latter-day Saint and also bringing to light many other stories of LGBTQ Latter-day Saint women.”

~ Richard Ostler, host of Listen, Learn, and Love podcast and the book by the same name.

“While she is a powerful and skilled educator, the real beauty of Meghan’s work is her desire to step to the sideline and elevate the stories of other queer women. She recognizes that she is not the only one who has been called to share her story, and that many thousands of others will feel and have felt that call as well. Meghan’s courage and authenticity will help cultivate tender leaves of hope in those who read her story. Church leaders will see how they can minister more effectively, families will better understand their LGBTQ loved ones, and women like Meghan will build Zion as they share their hearts and minds with their communities.”

~ Ben Schilaty, author of A Walk in My Shoes: Questions I’m Often Asked as a Gay Latter-day Saint and co-host of Questions from the Closet podcast.

I felt alone and hopeless. I didn’t want others to feel the same.

REACHING FOR HOPE: An LDS Perspective on Recovering from Depression

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When my husband served as Bishop of our ward, he asked if I would be willing to share my experience with depression. I started writing about it because I couldn’t talk about it. Then I met Betsy, a therapist, and we started writing together.

We wanted to reach out from recovery and let others know they are not alone. There is hope for brighter days ahead.

Do you feel despair and hopelessness even when you are doing the things that used to bring you joy? Do even little tasks, like making dinner, seem overwhelming? Instead of feeling the familiar comfort of the Spirit when you pray, does it seem as if your prayers are hitting a lead ceiling that is covering your head?

If you are experiencing these or similar feelings, you may be suffering from depression. The World Health Organization ranks depression as the number one health problem for women today and projects that by the year 2020 it will be the number two health problem for people in general. In Reaching for Hope: An LDS Perspective on Recovering from Depression you will learn how to recognize depression in yourself or a loved one and how to begin healing.

Written from a uniquely LDS point of view, this informative and inspirational book offers important clinical information for dealing with the disease, including an overview of the symptoms of depression and suggestions for choosing a therapist, considering the use of medication, and finding hope to move forward—one step at a time.

In addition, it explores the spiritual healing that is essential to overcoming depression, showing how we can use the atonement of our Savior to help us forgive, heal, and move forward.

Reaching for Hope offers much-needed information and support for family members, friends, and church leaders. It includes special insights for bishops that may help them understand what a depressed person is experiencing and how this physical brain illness may manifest itself emotionally and affect the person's feelings of spirituality and personal worthiness.

If you or someone you love is struggling with depression, this book will not only help you understand and cope with the illness, it will help you look forward with hope to healing.