Cheryl grew up in the conservative South. She was born in Louisville, Kentucky to a Methodist pastor and his wife. In 1964 her family moved to Tuscaloosa when her father began his doctorate at the University of Alabama. She says at one time she was the "conservative of the conservatives."

It was in the late 1970's that personal events began to grab her attention. One May evening she told her friend, Karen, that she could not eat dinner with Karen and her husband because they were also inviting a gay man to dinner. Cheryl says "I think I told her that my Christian beliefs prevented me from eating dinner with someone gay. However, God was chuckling, because when I changed jobs the next week this same man worked across the hall from me."

Ironically, during this time close friends separated when the husband found a same-sex partner. Then to her utter surprise, a former student left the ministry to become a hairstylist, and get a same-sex partner. The common thread in these three stories is that all these men were affliated with her church at one time, and the church just swept it under the carpet. "It was as if their place in our community of believers never existed."

The final event that opened her eyes was in 1992 when her landlord was dying of AIDS. This man was very involved in the same mega-church that Cheryl and her husband, Michael, were members of in a major Southern city. Almost over night when this man became very sick and the Tylers had to get things ready for his unsuspecting family. Cheryl called their church--one that put rigid requirements on the gay community and people with AIDS--and the minister only visited one time.

Cheryl could not believe the lack of response, but it was similar to what happened to her friends many years before. She realized that the church needs to understand that if we live like Jesus lived, that we would be embracing instead of rejecting our loved ones. It was then that her husband said to write a book.

And You Invited Me In, is about reaching out beyond our comfort zone to embrace those who have hurt or rejected us. It is about unconditional love that goes beyond the social rules of the community. It is about hearing the heart of the person who is wounded and applying the balm of unconditional love.

After reading the book, Shawn from East Tennessee wrote, "Wow...It's like you've been watching my entire life and recorded it..." And You Invited Me In is a parable for today.

Cheryl,

I’m so proud of you and the work that you have done to create this ever so timely book. You have masterfully woven the worlds that so often wage war at each other…the church and homosexuality….but you sensitively show a respect for each and show us relationship is possible after religion. It is our prayer that pastors and leaders across the globe will read this and open their hearts to a community that God has not shut out.

God Bless!
Todd Ferrell, President
The Evangelical Network