Spring is a time to be reborn and start over fresh
Springtime is awesome.
The sun warms the earth and triggers an abundance of new life across the landscape.
Plus, there is Easter.
I know this world is very diverse and not all people believe in what I believe.
Some fellow Christians would shun me because of my views of the world.
But it’s not about that. It’s about my own personal struggle to understand who I am and where I am going. Easter reminds me of my escape from a deathly past.
Back then, if someone was attempting to do what I am doing right now, telling you this story of what Easter means to them personally, I would have laughed at them.
Life was a game to me, and I was out to win. I wanted the most, the best, and I wanted it now.
I didn’t care who I hurt or who I had to do to get where I was going. It was about me and only me.
That was until six years ago.
I was about to start college in Grand Rapids, and I had everything I wanted.
It is the only way I can say it. I can’t explain it, so don’t ask me to.
I can only share what it means to me.
My life changed.
It wasn’t with some magic wand, where roses bloomed, birds chirped and I had a fairy tale ending living happily ever after.
It was something inside of me.
I felt different and I felt loved for who I was.
It was weird and wonderful at the same time.
For the past six years, I have questioned everything, including my faith.
I am not perfect, but I am different today.
I am not a holy roller and I don’t believe voting for a Democrat or supporting the women’s right to choose will send you to hell.
I believe in this message of hope, love, peace, grace and forgiveness.
There’s consequences for my actions.
I am free to do what I want, though not everything I do is good for me.
But at my core is repentance.
I’m saying sorry for what I have done.
It’s something I say daily.
I struggle every day.
I struggle loving people who call themselves Republicans.
I find myself sometimes praying for the destruction of all of them who hate liberals, gays and the new health care reform.
I am sorry for that.
We Christians have really screwed up the message of Jesus.
I want to say sorry to all those who have been hurt by Christians.
It isn’t supposed to be this way.
God is not like that.
God is the business of redeeming and restoration.
This is what Easter and my faith mean to me.
It means a struggle with loving myself.
I know there is renewal in my life.
Whether you believe or don’t believe this Easter, we are still people and we all are the same.
I know love will always win.
