The Hardest Part

Carpenteria, California

    While I sit here tonight on my couch bed, I start to think about what the hardest part of being an "open" Christian is (when I say "open" I mean a Christian who is open about his faith to other people). The hardest part by far is when you tell someone about your faith and then later in the night they apologize for saying something just because you are around them, kind of like you are that different from the group because they think they have to change their ways to be around you. The reason why this comes up is because this week is wedding week for my sister Sarah and her fiance Jacob and I am in the wedding party. Well with every wedding there is a bachelor's party and at the bachelor's party someone asked me what the bracelet on my wrist represented. When I told him that my faith first group made them red to resemble the blood of Christ, he automatically changed his ways whenever he cursed or did something inappropriate. It kind of made me feel like a burden for the rest of the night.
    The unfortunate thing about this, is that this happens a lot to any "open" Christian. This definitely is not the first time that this has happened to me because it happened every time I told someone on the golf team that I didn't drink and that I was a devoted Christian. Every time I got the same reaction, "Oh... I am sorry for earlier when I was cursing." It's nice to know that they understand they are doing something wrong, but it sucks that they just realize it once you openly profess your faith to someone.
     The lucky thing is that we have this amazing help on our side, Jesus Christ. It's great to have him in times like these. It is nice to know that whenever I am in trouble I can look up to see him right next me to help me get through it.

"I hear you say my love is over, it's underneath. It's inside, it's in between. The times you doubt me, when you can't feel. The times that you've questioned, is this for real? The times you're broken, the times that you mend. The times you hate me and the times that you bend. Well my love is over, it's underneath. It's in inside, it's in between. These you're healing and when your heart breaks. The times that you feel like you've fallen from grace. The you're hurting, the times that you heal. The times you go hungry and are tempted to steal. In times of confusion and chaos and pain. I'm there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame. I'm there through your heartache, I'm there in the storm. My love I will keep you, by my power alone. I don't care where you've fallen, where you have been. I'll never forsake you, my love never ends. It never ends." - Times by Tenth Avenue North