About

Where Faith and Paradox Learn To Breathe Together

Welcome. I'm Amanda.

I created The Hesitant Prodigal as a home for Christians who love Jesus deeply but don't the molds or expectations placed on them - and for seekers who feel drawn to Him yet hesitant because of their experiences with faith or the church.

My life has been shaped by paradox from the beginning. I grew up learning to hold tension with compassion and honesty - discovering that some stories don't have neat eyes, and that love and loss often coexist. Instead of forcing life into rigid categories, I learned to sit with the whole truth, even when it was complicated. That early tenderness toward complexity has become the foundation of my spiritual life.

Over the years, I've come to see that maturity in faith isn't found in having all of the answers, but in trusting God enough to stay open. The Hesitant Prodigal is where I share that journey, not as an expert, but as someone walking the long and gentle rod of spiritual formation.

My Background

I hold a degree in the social sciences, and my work is shaped by themes of:

faith and identity
emotional and spiritual resilience
the human longing for belonging
the art of holding tension without fear
the lived realities of LGBTQ+ Christians
contemplation, nuance, and grace

I’m not a theologian or pastor, and I don’t claim authority I don’t have.
I write and teach from lived experience, study, reflection, and the deep belief that God meets us in the honest places.

My approach is gentle, trauma-aware, and grounded in a sincere love for Jesus and Scripture.

My Mission

To help others cultivate a faith strong enough to hold real life —
a faith that can sit with tension, welcome paradox, and grow through honesty, not fear.

I believe God is not threatened by your questions, your complexity, or your becoming.
In fact, I believe He meets us most tenderly in those places.

A Final Word

Wherever you are in your journey - hesitant, hopeful, tired, curious - I am glad you are here. My prayer is that this space becomes a refuge for you, a please where you can rest, reflect, and remember that God's grace is wide enough to hold your whole story.