Approximately six years ago, Laura surrendered her life to Christ and then walked away from the transgender life, embracing her God-given female gender.
Laura returned home to her parents, Paul and Francine, who were members of First Baptist Church Bartlesville, Oklahoma. After years of struggle and ruptured family relationships, God began the healing work.
“When I walked away from the transgender life, I honestly thought that I would be miserable for the rest of my life,” Laura said. “I knew the Lord was asking me to leave it all, but I had no hope of transformation. I didn’t understand the healing that God could bring.”
Life transformation
Since her radical life transformation, Laura has shared her story in several settings, including at churches and Christian events. She now works with a local ministry called First Stone Ministries that seeks to bring help and hope to families affected by LGBTQ-related issues.
Laura was increasingly content in her role and accepted her singleness.
Meanwhile, Perry Smalts, who currently serves as worship leader and associate pastor at Baptist Temple of Oklahoma City, also thought he would remain single.
He said that neither he nor Laura had dated for six years.
Through mutual friends, God allowed the couple to meet, and they became friends.
What Laura and Perry did not realize at the time was that the Lord was bringing them together. After months of dating, the two would become husband and wife.
Many twists and turns in life led up to their wedding day in May, a ceremony which was attended by beloved friends and family who had prayed for Laura for many years.
New life
“This is a testimony to how the Lord has redeemed her life,” Perry said. “Some people ask if I had problems with her past life. No. The person that she once was no longer exists.”
He added, “When she asked Christ into her heart, she became a new person. Her old life is gone, and a new life has begun.”
Perry marvels at God’s grace available to every person.
“Isn’t that wonderful that God’s grace is greater than our worst sin? I think that sometimes we don’t like people who have a different sin than we have,” he said.
“It makes people uncomfortable, but God’s grace is for all of us,” he noted. “Whether we’ve sinned big or little. It’s just a wonderful testimony that brings God glory.”
God has continued to help each of them work through their personal issues.
“I realized that I had to stop looking at him [Perry] through the lens of my past and choose to trust him,” Laura said. “God has used him to bring so much healing.
“It’s such a reflection of the gospel and how God begins to reveal Himself to us,” she said. “We have to stop looking at God through the lies that we believed in the past and start choosing to believe His Word. This is very powerful to me.”
Today the couple have made their home in Oklahoma City as they seek to share in the ministry together.
They host a couples Bible study in their home and remain active in their local church. Laura continues to speak and share her testimony.
When asked what advice Laura would give to families affected by LGBTQ issues or other relationship issues, she said, “Never ever give up on your prayers! I know people were praying for me. God may not reveal it for a long time, but God was still working on me the whole time.”
A new podcast interview with Laura and Perry Smalts is available now on baptistmessenger.com/podcast
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Brian Hobbs and originally published by Baptist Messenger.
