.png)
FreedHearts
Freeing hearts to love and be loved! Love. Inclusion. Affirmation. Susan Cottrell is the Mom of two LGBTQ+ children; the founder of FreedHearts; an international speaker with a viral TEDx talk; a pastor and theologian; an acclaimed author; and a fierce advocate and ally. In her unique tender, relatable style, Susan is a prominent voice of unconditional love and lavish inclusion. Powerful, authentic, and relevant in today’s society, Susan has a lot to say. The Advocate calls her their “Favorite Affirming Matriarch.” OutSmart magazine calls her "The Mother of all MamaBears!" Reverend Ashley Harness from Auburn Seminary says, “Susan has this fierce, loving, don’t mess with me, Mom vibe.” If you have been excluded, or if someone close to you has been excluded because of who they are or who they love - or maybe you have been the one doing the excluding - the FreedHearts podcast is for you. Join Susan, along with her husband Rob, on the journey. You are not alone. Welcome home!
Episodes
221 episodes
5 Things You Can Do to Help LGBTQ+ People Right Now
So many people are asking the same question right now:What can I actually do that makes a difference?In this episode, we slow things down and get practical.Not perfect. Not performative. Not someday. Now....
.png)
We are NOT the Resistance. We are the River!
We’ve been told for years: be the resistance.But what if that’s why so many people fighting for love and inclusion feel exhausted?Inspired by a talk from Glennon Doyle, this episode flips the whole idea:
Breaking Free from the Approval of Others
People can't give what they don't have, and many people simply don't have approval to give. But remember, this has nothing to do with you. When faced with the rejection and disapproval of others, it’s important t...
Loving Queer Kids in a Hostile World
Loving queer kids today requires honesty: they are growing up in a world that actively questions their right to exist, to be safe, and to belong. In this episode, we speak plainly to parents, caregivers, and allies about what LGBTQ+ kids need —...
When “Just Disagreeing” Becomes Dangerous
“We can disagree and still love each other” is often framed as maturity or respect — but what happens when that disagreement puts real people at risk? In this episode, we confront how “just disagreeing” about LGBTQ+ lives, identities, ...
Valentine’s Day Isn’t for Everyone — And That’s Okay
Valentine’s Day can be beautiful for some — and deeply complicated for others. In this episode, we make space for those who feel unseen, pressured, or left out by traditional narratives of love.We explore why romantic love is of...
The Myth of "Traditional Marriage" and The "Perfect" Family
You’ve heard the false teachings. You’ve read the posts. You’ve seen the statements of faith declaring, “Marriage is between one man and one woman.”This episode is for every LGBTQ+ person harmed by those words — and for ever...
The Myth of “Traditional” Values
You’ve heard it repeated by nonaffirming Christians and right-wing politicians: “traditional values.”But listen closely — and notice what’s missing.Honesty. Fidelity. Compassion. Justice. Kindness....
The State of LGBTQ Lives: Where We Are, What’s Coming, and How We Love Forward in 2026
As we step into a new year, we name the truth of this moment for LGBTQ+ lives and rights — without panic, without denial, and without losing hope. We talk about what’s happening now, what 2026 may bring, and how we respond with ...
Do Christians know it's Christmastime at all?
This Christmas, we ask a haunting question: Do Christians know it’s Christmas time at all?When the loudest voices in Christianity celebrate the birth of Jesus while ignoring everything he taught — feeding the hungry, welc...
Christmas Lemon Trees & Blackberries
Today, since Christmas is coming up, we will talk about lemons and blackberries.I know, I know – what does THAT have to do with Christmas?I want to tell you a couple of stories from my life that involved lemons and blac...
Jesus, the Stand-Up Comedian!
Was Jesus kind of a stand-up comedian?I mean think about it... A priest, a rabbi, and Jesus walked into a bar. Only Jesus recognized the setup for a joke. I never really thought about Jesus being funny or not. I mean, we’ve hear...
Transgender Day of Remembrance
This episode is different. It’s sacred. The Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day to honor and remember the transgender people whose lives were stolen by violence, hatred, and neglect. We wish we didn’t need ...
What the Bible Does & Does Not Say About Transgender People
You are talking about this and then it happens: someone pulls out a Bible verse and declares that God is against transgender people.You’ve heard it from pulpits, from politicians, maybe from your own family.But, Belo...
How Anti-Transgender Rhetoric Harms Everyone
Politicians and pundits have made trans rights one of their top wedge issues. They stir up outrage, and push legislation designed to divide, distract, and control.We’ve all seen it: bills banning gender-affirming care, bathroom access, ...
Is God Really Alfred Hitchcock??
Let’s talk about God! Our favorite subject… Or is it?? It would be—or could be—if we hadn’t been lied to about God. Well, our job at FreedHearts is to make you feel better about God — or have no feelings about God, that’s fine....
Are Christians Following Paul Instead of Jesus?
Jesus’ message was clear: the kingdom of God is here and now. His anger burned toward those in power who oppressed the vulnerable. His focus was justice, compassion, and service — NOT personal salvation formulas.Yet so much of to...
Why Christians Don't Have to Be Afraid to Support LGBTQ
Today’s episode is a heartfelt message to non-affirming Christians — or one you can share with them.It’s a message of hope and courage: you do NOT need to be afraid to support LGBTQ+ people and same-sex relationships.
Is National Coming Out Day Different This Year?
Today’s episode is both deeply personal and powerfully relevant to the moment we’re living in.We’re talking about coming out — as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer — in a time when hostility and attacks are escalating. This ...
Fortifying Ourselves in Challenging Times
Last week, we talked about healing—the kind that doesn’t just change us, but changes the world. The healing that makes us more kind, more loving, more empathetic.But here’s the truth: while we’re doing this sacred work, there ...
If We Can’t Save the World, What Can We Do?
How are you doing? Many of us are wondering, with the barrage of news and developments, what do we do? Beloved, our job is really not to save the world because we can't do that, not in the way we think. So, what CAN ...
Our 200th Episode! Fears of the Next Generation. A Special Visit with our Asher!
It's our 200th episode, and we have something very special for you!We visit with our Asher - the one who started it all for us, the one Susan talked about in her viral TED talk. Now a transgender man, with a...
Affirmations. Do They Really Work?
Have you tried affirmations where you look in the mirror and say the things that you want in your life, or say the things you want to believe about yourself - and maybe gotten mixed results? You probably heard about the power of ...
Simply Put: The Bible Does NOT Condemn Homosexuality!
Actually, it is NOT complicated, or confusing, or nuanced. It is really simple. The Bible IS clear: There is NO condemnation against people who are LGBTQ+ or against same-sex relationships. You are NOT the ones wh...