My cup runneth over

Day two at #GCNConf 2015

If day one was an invitation to the table to break bread together, today my cup runs over. I am spiritually fed in an abundance of grace that I can hardly process. I am both filled up and emotionally exhausted. But like a gluttonous child with candy, I keep

Danny Cortez shared a testimony about his decade long journey wrestling with the Scriptures surrounding homosexuality that lead him to affirm same-sex relationships in his church. His grace filled me up in ways that I sorely needed.

The goal of our faith is not marriage equality. The goal of our faith is not religious freedom. The goal of our faith is love.—Danny Cortez

I cried silently in my seat for most of Danny’s presentation. I cried for his family, I cried for his church, but mostly I cried tears of gratitude and joy. Tears ran down my cheeks as I sat there fully present in those moments and feeling God move within me.

I keep asking myself how this group of people (myself included) can be so wounded by the church and continue to have deep faith and hope in Jesus Christ.

My thoughts for today:

1. The hymn “They’ll Know We Are Christians” kept playing in my head all day.
2. I keep hearing story after story about deep pain caused by churches, yet the faith in Jesus Christ is real and present.
3. We are at the “Gay Christian Network” conference and I keep hearing people identifying as “Gay Christians,” yet I feel that we are Christians who happen to be Gay. The love of Christ is so strong.
4. Others seem to struggle with the same things that we do with finding an affirming church. The affirming churches often require us to compromise our faith in Jesus Christ.
5. I wept today at the thought of local congregations coming together to form a “love wall” to surround and shield our event from protestors.
6. I’m feeling God speak to me in new ways this week. I’m feeling God work in my life and in my heart. I pray that these whispers continue to guide me.