I’m not sure how this all started. All I know is, it has.
You are of the LGBT community, I am not, but I might as well be. You have a LGBT child, I do not, but who knows what could be.
A pastor who was once lost in anti-LGBT’s ignorance and delusion, now a pastor whose fight is to bring Light to the confusion.
Your story is my story, and my story, your story. Not exactly, but yet exactly—a glue that cannot be unglued from what God has knit together. You in my heart, and my heart with you—together.
Not out of some benevolence, as if you were some come kind of mission, but out of pissed-off objection to truths that have seen their evil omission. This is a violent world, and you, a prime recipient. Blind spots here, ignorance there—religion, both the product and the primary cause. You are a beautiful creation of the Creator and the victim of a darkness that only Truth can give pause.
A terrible, disgusting injustice has been done, you have been lied to flat out, and lies about you. Poisons of the Poisoner, hate from the Hater, deceptions of the Deceiver—proof texts, and cons from the removal of context, all from the Accuser. The waterfall of evil’s river, holding you under with shame, it’s time for the captive to be set free, to awaken to your true Name.
“Beloved”
There is nothing to be changed, not a problem to be solved, nor a choice to regret—no shame from which to hide, or a mistake for which to apologize. Nothing to cure, run from, remove, discipline, or overcome. You are not a blemish solved by Grace or some sympathetic exception, but a divine creation, no less than all the others, you are God’s intention.
Tolerance is reserved for things that annoy us, acceptance reserved for that which we deem abnormal. Run from it, all of it, a spiritual veil to an empty offering. Beauty and blessing are things to be desired—you deserve to be desired and I, desire you.
From the affection of the Father, the pride of His gleam, His favor poured over—I desire you.
I want to curse dark skies with you, wrestle out depression’s claws with you. I want to battle haunts in your head, stomach rejections’s vomit with you. I want to stand in “straight” lines, dine at homophobic tables with you. I want to walk on broken family glass with you, pull back the knife in your hands with you.
I want to catch fading breaths with you, beat ignorance’s chest with you. I want to dance in parades with you, laugh to the point of peeing with you. I want to rejoice at the dawn of a new day and celebrate the God-affirmation of being lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or gay.
If you didn’t have before, you do now—a warrior defending your side, a wing under which you can reside, a protector proclaiming your innocence, an ear that hears with no pretense, a mutual tear crying, a mutual heart sighing.
You have never been alone. You are not alone. Not ever before, not now.
Let’s take this hill together, run the race together—until strength we have no more. Let’s raises our glasses, stand up to the masses, “greater is He that is in us, more are they in heaven that are with us.”
Never giving up, never giving in—we will not stop, we will not retreat, we will not be silent
No chance, no way, not ever.
This is our day.
This is our time.
This is our life.
This is our truth!
If you didn’t have a pastor, you do now—never received a love letter from a pastor? You have now.
It’s about damn time.
You deserve to be desired, and I… desire you.
Amazing post as always chris great work my friend love it 😀
Thanks Daniel!
Pastor Chris: You are one of the brave souls on the cusp of revolutionizing Christianity – quite simply bringing Christians back to being “Christ-like”. I am the mother of a gay son, and I thank you, and may God continue to bless and keep you.
Patti, thank you so much for this gracious comment. I am just honored to know people like you, and to be a voice of encoruagement
I’m crying. Thank you.
I loved this. I read it like Eminem was saying it; not sure why. But like a rap. I shared it with my FTM adult child because he needs to know he can have faith and be trans. Thanks, A Mama Bear
Yes Diane, this was written with a poetic vibe to it. Just sort of happened that way. Sure would love to meet him or connect in some way!
Awesome words man. Touch my heart and I’m not gay. Just a Jesus lover and that my friend is great work. Thank you coach Wes
Hey Wes, so cool that you have checked out my blog! Thanks for the encouragement!
Thank you for those beautiful down-to-earth reassurances. You something else, man! Love it!
Jem, thank you. So appreciate you and your encouragement!
This is beautiful, it’s made me all teary-eyed.
From a gay man who spent 15 years trying unsuccessfully to change because the church said I needed to:
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Chris, it is my honor!
I echo you, Chris, in saying that God created LGBTQ people and is tickled pink with His creations! Preach on, my friend!
Amen Paul!