Saturday, January 10, 2015

A Path of Love

This morning I woke up wondering what this morning would bring.  I wasn't uneasy or fearful...just expectant.  I am on the 3rd day of the amazing Gay Christian Network Conference  We have heard inspiring and courageous voices such as Danny Cortez and Jeff Chu and over 1400 people have worshipped God, shared meals and shared our stories.  It has been an amazing time of humility and growth and compassion.  God is moving and God has been honored here in beautiful ways.

So when I heard that some christian brothers and sisters from Westboro Baptist Church were planning on picketing our gathering this morning, I felt sad. Sad for them, that they have not experienced the community that comes from God's diverse and beloved children coming together to worship Him. Sad that they feel a need to be here. Sad that they have "missed it" in so many ways.

When they picket this morning, they will in essence be picketing the unconditional love and grace of God.  Oh if only they had God's eyes to truly see.  

But that is not the end of the story...  When local churches heard about the picket, they organized to come this morning to the convention center and form what they called a "Wall of Love" separating the attendees from the picketers and lovingly welcoming the attendees in. Providing them safe passage into God's "grace place."

Funny how this wall of love turned out to be also a Path of Peace as hundreds of local church members, moms and allies lined the sidewalks and provided a way in from the rain and the cold and hate.
local churches and GCN parents and allies form a path of love to shield attendees from westboro 

But wait, it gets even better!  After about 45 minutes of standing together in the rain as the ugly chants and songs from the westboro gang assaulted and wounded my LGBT brothers and sisters there arose a new song...coming from the community of peace that stood in defiant love for All Gods children...."We are one in the spirit. We are one in the Lord...and they'll know we are Christians by our love."   As our song rose to the heavens it began to drown out the obnoxious warbling of the westboro brethren... and then God showed up.

All at once, the sun peeked through the steel grey skies and slowly, like a sunrise, He gave his children...all of us, A beautiful rainbow and our eyes and hearts were lifted to heaven in a holy moment of awe and peace and wonder.



Here's a question to ponder....Is the love you are showing in your churches, communities and workplaces a wall or a path?







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