Evolution

The evolution of my faith was not a slow or gradual one.  I was on one track, and was forced off it by the church I grew up in.

I had been wild in my youth, I never left the church, I was just wild and a troublemaker.  But was a leader and teacher, on my way to living a life as leader in a church.

Then I was raped.  I told my boyfriend, who told the leaders of the college program, who told the leaders of the children's programs.  Victim blaming broke me.  I lost many friends, I lost my plan in life, I lost my goal, I lost my boyfriend, I lost school, I even lost faith in humanity, but never lost my faith in God.

I was too broken to keep going as I had been.

One friend helped me make new friends, I quickly rebuilt some aspects of me, but what I saw as who I would be was not to be regained.

I left churches for awhile, when I went back it was to Lutheran churches, then an African Methodist Episcopal, then I game to where I belong.