Originally from the Southside of Chicago, the crack epidemic was in full swing when I was a young adult. And although I lived in the hood, I was not raised to be a product of the hood. I was always different. Not better than … Just different. Young and old friends and enemies seemed to be experimenting or addicted to this new chemical drug called crack. It was sad to watch the people I grew up with just wasting away. I KNEW there was more to life than just this.  

I walked into my once pristine neighborhood only to see the devastation and hopeless carnage that seemingly had swallowed the once prosperous and thriving upstanding citizens. Many were literally just existing, and I simply could not endure that life any longer. 

So, I decided to make a change. 

I left Chicago in 1997 and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where I remained for 17 years. It was in this place that I came to know God for myself. I thought I knew God. But, in reality, I only knew about Him.

I intend to share my truth, through which some may recognize and embrace it as their own truth. Some may not see it as “their” truth but will recognize it as familiar. Still, some may not embrace but may learn some things in the process. 

Join me as I pull the cover back to expose those things that caused people to flee from the church. It pains me to see so many turning away from God because of man’s rules and interpretations. I’m just sick of our young people living with such pain and anguish of rejection that the only resolution is drugs to numb the pain….or suicide to kill it. So here is where I extend a Warm Welcome Home to God,

Let’s be clear, not all churches are founded on the bias of “Come AS You Are, NOT!” Often the leadership is not even aware that their parishioners are really undercover Sadducees and Pharisees. The parishioners are turning people away from God because they believe or project that they have it all together and are sinless. As a result, we feel ostracized and unwelcomed because of the ridicule of “We don’t do that here.” 

Hence “Come As You Are … NOT!” Meaning we are accepted as long as we present ourselves as who they want us to be, not who we authentically are. 

The reality is no one wakes up one day and says, “I think I’m going to be gay!” Understanding the challenges of being gay, homosexual, lesbian, gay, transgender, we, as a community, are plagued with the ill and devastating thoughts of abandonment, ridicule, disenfranchisement, isolation, and the possibility of being murdered for sport? Oh! My bad … to be made as an example?! 

We want the right to live just like any other human being. We are not asking for anything special; we want life, liberty, and justice. We want the pursuit of happiness. 

We don’t want to stand on display with other humans standing in judgment, pointed and condemning us to hell! It is stressful enough to be careful doing simple tasks such as speaking, going to school, work, or walking down a friggin’ street, depending on how we act or dress. 

Because of some of these things, we are constantly threatened to lose family and friends, all because we chose to be our authentic selves.

So yes. Despite all of this, I chose to be and live authentically as the person God made me to be. And I want the world to know it.