In Celebration of Pride Month

About a month ago I read “I Take My Coffee Black” by Tyler Merritt of the Tyler Merritt Project.  This book is amazing!  I learned so much!  Tyler made a YouTube video this month that inspired this post.

When I think back on my journey of life so far, I don’t have many regrets.  Don’t get me wrong I’ve made mistakes along the way, but those mistakes were learning or growth opportunities. 

I do have one regret.  First let me give you a little back story, picture it, Sicily (no just kidding!).  But seriously, in the early 90’s I was a teenager.  A teenager who was shall I say was a little awkward.  I had so many hang-ups about myself, too many to name.   I had a hard time making and keeping friends.  I spent much of my social time in a church environment.  Surrounded by Christians.  Have you figured out where this post is going? I trusted the people around me.  There are many teachings and lessons I learned by the Christians that surrounded that I still hold near and dear to my heart. 

My faith at the time taught me that homosexuality was a sin. It was the 90’s, I grew up in a small city, I was sheltered. This was before the internet. I don’t think I knew anyone that was gay.  Well, let me rephrase that, I knew gay people, I just didn’t know they were gay.  I judged gay people and if I had known you were gay, I would likely have tried to change you.  Ugh!  Just writing that makes me cringe. As a teen I was so righteous.  I look back and I’m embarrassed at who I was. 

This part of my faith has changed.  I believe God loves everyone and accepts everyone for who they are and that includes the entire LGBTQIA+ community. 

I want to use this post to say…

I’m sorry for who I was, what I thought and how I acted. 

I was wrong. 

I was wrong to judge.

I was wrong to want to change you. 

To my friends, to my family, to my readers, to anyone part of the LGBTQIA+ community know that….

I accept you today for you who you are.

I do not want to change you but embrace you.

I celebrate you during pride month and every other month of the year.

I want nothing from you, just for you know that I have come to my senses.

Reader, I want you to also know that while there are many Christians that still do not accept the LGBTQIA+ community there are also Christians who embrace this community.  I’m thankful that I was able to find a Christian community that taught me differently.  That opened my eyes, so that I can teach my children differently.  We love you and can be a safe place for you.

I’d love to hear if anyone else that has gone through a similar journey of self-reflection and self-correction. Have you taken the opportunity to apologize?  I encourage you to drop a positive, loving comment below.