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★★★★★

4.9

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242 reviews

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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!

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5 Things You Can Do to Help LGBTQ+ People Right Now

2026/04/22

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. We share five real, tangible ways you can show up for LGBTQ+ people — as an ally, a parent, a friend, a neighbor, and a human being. From advocacy and voting, to supporting queer creators and businesses, to getting involved locally, listening deeply, and sharing affirming resources that change lives. You don’t have to do everything. You just have to do something. And the best time to start—or to ramp it up—is now. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

We are NOT the Resistance. We are the River!

2026/04/08

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: We are not the resistance. We are the river. The current of belonging has always been moving — widening across history no matter who tried to stop it. Our role isn’t just to argue or brace against the world… it’s to step into that flow, find our place in it, and live the kind of life that invites others into the water too. Joy isn’t a distraction from advocacy. It’s one of its most powerful tools. Because fear can demand compliance — but only love creates movement. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

Breaking Free from the Approval of Others

2026/03/25

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 to separate your well-being from someone else’s approval. It's just their opinion, and it doesn’t have to mean anything to you.  It's not about your worth in any way whatsoever, it is about but their lack of approval, and the fears and false teachings that fuel that. How can we break free from the approval of others? Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

Loving Queer Kids in a Hostile World

2026/03/11

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 — not someday, but right now — in a cultural and political climate that is increasingly hostile. We confront the real harm caused by silence and “good intentions,” challenge adults to move beyond private support into public protection, and name advocacy as a non-negotiable part of love. This episode is a call to action for anyone who claims to care about queer kids. Because love that doesn’t protect is not love — it’s abandonment. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

When “Just Disagreeing” Becomes Dangerous

2026/02/25

“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, and inclusion stops being neutral and starts becoming dangerous. We examine the real-world consequences of polite harm, the myth of neutrality, and the cost of silence when injustice is dressed up as belief or civility. This is a call to move beyond comfort and into responsibility — for families, allies, and anyone who claims to love LGBTQ+ people. Because love that refuses to protect is not love at all. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

Valentine’s Day Isn’t for Everyone — And That’s Okay

2026/02/11

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 often treated as the ultimate measure of worth, how that harms LGBTQ+ people and their families, and what it means to reclaim a broader, more honest definition of love. This is an invitation to opt out of shame, redefine belonging, and remember that your life, your timing, and your way of loving are already enough. Because love was never meant to be narrow — it was meant to make room. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

The Myth of "Traditional Marriage" and The "Perfect" Family

2026/01/28

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 every Christian parent who affirms their child, yet still hears that sentence reverberating through their church, their family, and their faith. Let’s be clear: no one should believe the Bible condemns them — or their child — because of that claim. Because it isn’t biblical. It isn’t historical. And it isn’t truth. In today’s episode, we expose the lie and shatter the myth of “traditional marriage” and the fantasy of the "perfect" family — replacing it with what Scripture actually reveals: love, covenant, justice, and grace. Beloved, this truth belongs to you! Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

The Myth of “Traditional” Values

2026/01/21

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. So what are “traditional values,” really? Whose tradition are we talking about? From which era? From which culture? From which Bible — and whose Christianity? In this episode, we expose the myth of “traditional values,” how the phrase became a political weapon instead of a moral compass, and what real, Jesus-shaped values actually demand of us. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

The State of LGBTQ Lives: Where We Are, What’s Coming, and How We Love Forward in 2026

2026/01/07

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 courage, clarity, and love. This episode is for LGBTQ+ people, parents, allies, and anyone who refuses to let fear dictate the future. We unpack the political landscape, the shifts happening inside faith communities, the fierce resilience of LGBTQ+ youth, and the real, practical ways each of us can show up — for ourselves, for our families, and for the generations coming next. This is not a warning. It’s a roadmap. A reminder that you are not powerless — and an invitation to love boldly in 2026. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

Do Christians know it's Christmastime at all?

2025/12/17

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, welcoming the immigrant, loving without condition — something’s gone terribly wrong. In this episode, we take an honest, sometimes snarky, always heartfelt look at how Christian nationalism and ultra-right beliefs miss the very heart of Christmas. We’ll talk about the hypocrisy, the fruit of those beliefs, and what it really means to live out the radical love of Jesus in our world today. Because Christmas isn’t about power, control, or culture wars. It’s about love. Real, Jesus-shaped love. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

Christmas Lemon Trees & Blackberries

2025/12/10

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 blackberries, and what I learned about abundance. At this time of year, when we all make our lists of things we want, and of things to give, maybe it is the perfect time to really understand abundance. This is going to be fun and sweet... cause, you know, blackberries! Yum. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

Jesus, the Stand-Up Comedian!

2025/12/03

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 heard the stories 1000 times and... I usually smile at the funnier parts, but I never exactly said, Jesus is really funny! Then I found a little book that really opened my eyes. I will share that with you today as we talk about how funny, profoundly funny, Jesus was. We sure could use a few laughs right now. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

Transgender Day of Remembrance

2025/11/19

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 a day like this. We wish the world were already safe and affirming for our trans family and friends. But the reality is, many lives are lost each year—and too often, those lives are ignored, erased, or dismissed. So today, we stop. We pause. We remember. We honor. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

What the Bible Does & Does Not Say About Transgender People

2025/11/12

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, Beloved, here’s the truth: the Bible does NOT say what these people claim it does. In fact, what the Bible does say about this is actually fully affirming! So today, we dig in and set the record straight about what the Bible doesn’t say, what it does say, and why this matters so much right now! Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

How Anti-Transgender Rhetoric Harms Everyone

2025/11/05

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, policing pronouns, especially in state legislations. Leaders pushing them claim it’s about “protecting children” or “upholding values.” But, it’s not! This is about consolidating power through fear. And while trans people feel the sting of this, the harm doesn’t stop with them. It ripples outward, touching every one of us. Because when anti-trans rhetoric spreads, it erodes compassion, truth, and freedom—for everyone. Send us a private message. *Note: INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you'd like us to answer. :-) Support the show

Podcast reviews

Read FreedHearts podcast reviews

4.9 out of 5

242 reviews

★★★★★

egiop 2025/07/16

Peace in Chaos

I LOVE your podcast! It is encouraging, transformative and a source of peace in the midst of Chaos. Thank you!

★★★★★

Musicgurl65 2024/09/05

Fantastic blessing

This is a great listen for those trying to deconstruct or break free.

★★★★☆

Johnsm44 2025/05/28

Dude monopolizes conversation

The male host talks way too much. Is the female host allowed to speak?

★★★★★

HallelujahGirl22 2024/08/30

Amazing

This is redemption and restoration in a podcast!!!

★★★★★

MTNestor62577 2024/07/10

Best podcast EVER

Thanks for bringing common sense spirituality to a very noisy evangelical world! Can’t get enough of these podcasts- you guys are the best at pulling ...

★★★★★

ABG121006 2024/04/24

Bless you both!

Finding you both and this podcast has been at the most perfect time in my life! Thank you for speaking the TRUTH and LOVE of Jesus Christ!

★★★★★

ImFrugalAF 2024/03/20

My favorite podcast out of 50 I subscribe to!

I subscribe to over 50 podcasts and Freed Hearts is my favorite of them all! I play it immediately when a new episode is released!

★★★★★

SafetyPants 2024/02/27

Best of the best advocates

The hosts of this podcast truly appreciate and live the Truth that the Scriptures as well as Jesus of Nazareth’s mission and ministry are about uncond...

★★★★★

Balcaman 2023/12/30

Love this

Thank you. Your work is so important!!!!

★★★★★

CalebWW13 2023/10/30

Valuable lessons/wonderful advice!

Susan and Rob’s banter is excellent and the subjects they discuss are SO important to the LGBTQ+ community. I highly recommend this podcast to anyone ...

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