Today marks a year since my first serial novel, The Magician, debuted in paperback format. But more importantly, today marks a year since the tiny church that my other half and I attend in my little swath of the Midwest voted almost unanimously to become the first open and affirming church in the city. Those that attend the church decided that every VOICE, every NAME, every PRONOUN, every BACKGROUND, every STORY was important and should be honored in a church setting, no matter what.
Some people left over it. Others came and pledged their memberships. And in that year, things have happened. But the story continues and everyone continues to belong.
But in that year, the environment around us seems to have changed. In my opinion, it hasn’t changed for the better either. We are given so many reasons to divide ourselves. Any mention of allowing people to be diverse, equal, or included is met with hatred and viewed as an attack. There is a movement to make the country I live in “Christian” again, yet that version of Christianity gives language to hate those who are refugees or neurodiverse or poor or female or LGBTQIA+ because words get cherry picked and twisted. Anyone who speaks out for those marginalized are looked at as “woke” and “un-American,” even as the very thing they are doing is so American that it’s even written into history.
It all often feels like it is too much. We often feel like we don’t belong.
But the story still remains. That love is still there, waiting and calling. That hope is there, expectant and shining. That joy remains, effervescently brilliant even in grief. That peace waits patiently for someone to find it amidst the chaos of hate. That light still illuminates, pushing away the darkness. And these issues we are facing today aren’t unique to this generation. They aren’t even unique to this millennia. In fact, these same issues that shape the world today have been faced since the gospel was first spoken and the church has always been in the thick of it. That very first church in Acts was inclusive in a world that excluded. They were diverse in a culture that wanted uniformity. They were equal in a world where men ruled and slavery was rampant….
“There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
~ Galatians 3:28 (NRSVUE)
We all belong. There is space for all of us, male or female, immigrant or native-born, cisgendered or on the LGBTQIA+ continuum, neurodiverse or neurotypical, old or young. Let the divisions fall away. Be a voice in the wilderness, reminding all that they are fearfully and wonderfully made just the way that they are. Be willing to write your own story and learn the ones of those around you. Be willing to build that bridge instead of a wall. Be willing to take that first step of faith, whether it be to reach out to one hurting because they only know the “Christianity” that is so pervasive right now or to take a first step because you’ve been hurt. You belong.
You belong.
YOU BELONG.
Stay magical, friends.
Write your own story.
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And as always, #writeyourownstory
K. S. Wood Writes 