Welcome back. You belong here.

Whatever I touch turns to gold. Often in church circles, you are trained to focus on your weaknesses, or on serving in what the church allows/tells you to do.

But since leaving church about 9 months ago, I’ve felt a certain freedom to be me. Perhaps it’s not the leaving of church but the leaving of my old self. Of what I was supposed to be, what my mentors, job, self told me I was to be. And most of that was limiting.

I’m not going to blast church as a structure. Although it mostly limits leaders, creative types, innovators, I’m mostly thankful for it.

Most of my reflections the last nine months, have been on my own growth, becoming more comfortable in my own skin. Wherever I go, I succeed.

I also make mistakes.

The same ones, but continue to grow and try to make less mistakes, to be less selfish, justice oriented, and other things. To say “everything I touch turns to gold” is not being arrogant or full of pride, it’s acknowledging that this cracked vessel also has life that touches people’s lives.

But everything I touch turns to gold, that is just how God made me. He made me to succeed, to love, to help people far from God, young and old.

I also love school and education. I’ve often thought of getting my PhD (I’m still finishing my Masters), but I’ve wondered if perhaps I jump into a PhD in Religious Studies or get a 2nd Masters in Public Administration.

The past nine months have been a time of a lot of change, change of location, careers, I’ve stressed, been anxious, lacked faith, been terrified, felt fearful, and more.

But I’ve learned to be strong, to fight, to be courageous, to hang onto God by the skin of my teeth, and He  has been faithful.

You can do the same if you believe.