Another Year, Another Chapter

That's definitely how I feel about this past year.  At the end of 2006, I started one major chapter in my life:  coming out.  2007 definitely presented new challenges and new opportunities that allowed me advance myself and my life.

This past year during the 2007 Soulforce Equality Ride, I experienced being called anti-gay epithets, spending the night in jail for over 26 hours for writing messages of inclusion, being ran out-of-town by police, being confronted with anti-gay protesters at Bob Jones University and so many other experiences.

I came out as an ex-gay survivor and attended the Beyond Ex-Gay Survivors' Conference in Irvine, CA.  I shared my ex-gay experiences on the HDNet World Report segment of "Beyond

 Belief: The Changing Face of Religion."  Since then I've been able to actively share about the experiences with the ex-gay movement and to openly share my testimony through different avenues.

I was able to reclaim and live out my faith to its entirety.  Having had beliefs so jumbled after coming out and being kicked out

of Azusa Pacific University; I was able to finally return to a place of spiritual healthiness.  Through lots of prayer and time in the Bible, I've been able to reclaim my Christianity and feel confident in my relationship with Christ again.

I reclaimed my education finally.  It felt so good to take control of my academic life again, after being displaced a year ago.  I found a new field of study that totally interests me now: Religious Studies.  I would have never thought that I would be studying religion this in depth and enjoying it.

I met some amazing people.  Made some new friends and life long companions.

This year was amazing for me.  I know that 2008 will only bring me more excitement and new roads to cross.  God has blessed me this year and I am thankful for what I've been given and experienced this past year.