What A Choice

I grew up in a Christian home, and loved Jesus with my whole heart. I wanted to be a “girl preacher” as early as 7 or 8 years old. But by 10 or 11, I also knew that I wanted to marry my best friend, who was a girl also. I hid my feelings, and grew up afraid of the world, and was diagnosed with depression at a very young age. It progressively got worse as I got older and into high school. I had a secret girlfriend at 16, and my parents found out. Long story short, I wasn’t allowed to talk to her, and my secret went back to being hidden. There are painful details behind all of this that my fingers still aren’t ready to type. Finally, around the age of 21, I couldn’t bare the weight of hiding who I was. Even after being told I would go to hell, that God wouldn’t love me, I came out to more family and my closest friends. About half acceptance, half rejection. Since then I have come out to pretty much anyone and everyone who knows me or comes into my life. I am engaged to a beautiful woman, and will soon be married to the love of my life. And I STILL love Jesus, just like I did as that little 8 year old who wanted to be preacher. Never let anyone tell you that you aren’t loved. Regardless of your gender, sexual orientation, beliefs, skin color, no matter how different- we all deserve love and were created to love & be loved.