Brace yourself.
This blog contains words you may not like and issues that are not pretty.
Since the beginning of our journey on the race we have talked about the value of vulnerability, so I am just going to be real with you.
I am pissed off.
As I work through things with Jesus and with my community I am finding out how much hurt and confusion could be cleared up with some honest conversation. Honesty about sex and adolescence and real struggle. We tip toe around issues because why? Are we afraid our kids can’t handle it, or that it’ll make things worse?
I want freedom, not protection.
Not talking about things like porn and masturbation doesn’t make it go away. Hiding our family struggles and pains in our church doesn’t make us look good, it’s just sweeping our mess under the rug.
This isn’t directed at my parents or my church or my school, it’s directed at me, you, us who call ourselves the church.
Can we be real? Can we be honest about the crap and secret sin on our lives and families. When did the normal become pretending to have it all together because that’s not working for anyone.
For the first time in my life I am having real conversations with brothers and sisters who LOVE Jesus about real struggles and how to handle them as we live out our faith and callings.
I am 24-why is this a first?
Growing up we have learned it’s ok to struggle with a little underage drinking maybe even smoking weed, or hooking up but adultery, porn, addiction, or homosexuality- keep that buried where the devil can use it against you any chance he gets. NO don’t shine light on real issues and struggles that need real healing because that’s just too much, it might be embarrassing to our family…
I don’t want to stand on a soap box to say this because I am just as much a part of it. Healing comes with shedding light on things and all I am saying is we need to be handing people flashlights not shoving them in a closet.
Will you help bring freedom? Can you be a safe place for the people you love to share the hard things?
Update:
My friend Angela showed me this recent article that is awesome and speaks to exactly what I was thinking when I wrote this.
Check it out.
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/honesty-culture-church-taboos
