“But not all Christians……”

Once upon a time, I was told by other Christians that because I am female, I should not hope to hold any positions of power, that I should be better off just pursing a life inside the home instead of out of it.​

Once upon a time, I was told by other Christians that I would be going to be going to hell because I was about to marry a divorced man.

As often as earlier this year, I was told by other Christians that I’m not truly a Christian because I write fantasy works full of magic, the mystical, and sorcery.

Over the course of my life, I have had other Christians tell me that I am not good enough, not holy enough, not sacred enough to be a Christian myself. I am not churchy enough. My views aren’t Biblical enough. I am too radical in some of my ways of thinking and not radical enough in other ways.

Yet, Christianity is the religion I was raised with. It is the thing I believe in, even though I have dealt with these words being thrown at me. And while I make no secret that I am a Christian, I get attacked more often than not by other Christians because I don’t fit the mold they want me to fill.

Which is why I understand anybody that struggles with accepting Christians. The Christian faith attacks itself when one hand states the other is not biblical enough, not loving enough, not churchy enough to be part of the body of Christ. So when I read negative posts regarding my faith from people that are part of communities that have been judged, even persecuted by Christians over and over again, I totally understand where those posts are coming from.

And no, I don’t counter any of their arguments with “but not all Christians…..” because many Christians they have met are like that. And I know they are like that because I have been treated the same way by the same sets of Christians even being in the same belief system. It’s not my job to argue with those who have had negative interactions with others in my faith, because it will only harden them towards accepting any of what I believe in.

First off, let me state this loud and clear. I am far from perfect myself. I know I can be judgmental and set in my own ways. I regret things I have said and done in the past. I regret things I have said and done last week. Humanity is flawed by design and I am part of that crazy race. But I can only continue to move forward, since I can’t take back any of the past.

I will say this as well. I try to keep an open mind, an open heart, and open up my arms to new ideas and new people as I can. After all, Jesus didn’t strut around with the perfect people or those who were considered righteous. He mingled with the marginalized and the outcasts, the sinners and the thieves. He loved all and understood them all. If I am to be more like Christ, I need to learn to do the same.

I try to be light and love and magic, shining it as best as I can and bringing a smile to all. I try my best to accept people for who they are. And while I hope one day others will be able to do the same, I can only try and continue my own course.

But I firmly believe that the body of Christ needs start emulating Christ instead of fragmenting the world further. We are an entire body, a family of choice, a group of different believers and systems brought together by a common belief in one God in three parts. As C. S. Lewis writes, the entire umbrella of Christianity is a house in which there are different rooms. Just because one has found the perfect room for them doesn’t mean that one has to then tell others their room isn’t perfect as well.

If my shine, my magic, my love brings anyone into the house at all, then I have done my part. If it changes someone’s mind so that they maybe learn that not all Christians are out to judge them, then so be it. I will continue to be a safe place for those who need it, an advocate as I can and need to be, a friend to those in trouble. And while sometimes I know I will stumble and fall, since I am not perfect, I know I can count on others to pick me up and help me to regain my way. I strive to do my best at staying magical and writing this own old story of mine, no matter where it takes me.

I hold a position in my church as a board member and a worship leader.

I have been married to that divorced man now for sixteen years.

I will continue to write my fantasy stories and whatever other stories my mind creates.

And I will continue this wonderful journey of love, hope, peace, joy, light and magic. That is what I strive to focus on. That is what makes my story uniquely my own, even as I help to write the stories of others.

Not this Christian….

Stay magical.

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If you wanted to see some of the fantasy works I have written, check out my Portals Series or The Magician (Click the titles to call up the links).

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