Eyes Wide Open: Why I Still Walk the Path—With or Without Certainty

I didn’t arrive at this place by accident. I didn’t inherit my faith blindly. And I certainly didn’t cling to religion out of fear.

No—what I have today is something different. Something earned.

I’m a Christian minister. That much is true. But not in the way many people assume when they hear that phrase. I didn’t choose this path because I needed a club to belong to.

I chose it after a very personal, undeniable early-morning encounter with the Divine—one of those moments where you know, in your bones, that something beyond you exists. From that day, I gravitated toward the religion I was raised in. It was familiar. It had language for what I felt. It had structure to grow in.

But here’s the key—I’ve been walking with my eyes wide open ever since.

What does that mean?

It means I’ve outgrown the idea that one group has it all right. I’ve outgrown the need to control others with my convictions. I’ve outgrown the smallness of a God who only loves those who “get it right.”

Because here's the truth: if I have two sons (and I do), and one knows me well while the other doesn’t know me at all… they are both still my sons. My love, my concern, my care—it’s for both. Even if one of them walks away or doubts me or curses my name—I’m still his father.

That’s how I see God.

Not a religious mascot. Not a tribal deity. Not some cosmic gatekeeper.But a Divine Parent—concerned for all humanity, even those who don’t believe, even those who’ve never heard the name.

And so yes, I’m a Christian. But I’ve evolved.

I believe there is a Divine Presence. I truly do. But I won’t pretend to know the full nature of that presence—how could I? I’m the creation, not the Creator. I can feel it. I can walk with it. I can wrestle with it. But I can’t claim to define it fully. And frankly, neither can anyone else.

So if there is a God—then my walk is one of alignment, of openness, of service.And if somehow there isn't—then this path still matters. Because it’s about recognizing that we all have our issues. And the last thing I want to be is someone who condemns another person’s struggle while ignoring my own.

We all need help. We all need grace. And we all need each other.

Some people’s struggles are so harmful to others that they have to be removed from society for everyone's safety—and I accept that. But I don’t think anyone’s soul is beneath redemption.

And I sure don’t think religion should be used as a weapon to divide people, to control them, or to puff ourselves up in false righteousness.

Religion can be a tool. A powerful one, if it’s used to awaken us to our own capacity for love, healing, and growth. But when it’s used to separate, dominate, or destroy—then it’s just another system of ego.

That’s not what I’m here for.

So I walk this path. Not because I need to be right. But because I want to be real. Because helping each other matters. Because compassion is sacred—whether you're religious, spiritual, or neither. Because building a better world starts with the honesty to say: “I don’t have it all figured out… but I care enough to try.”

And to anyone reading this—believer, skeptic, atheist, seeker—know this:

You are not less valuable because of your doubt.

You are not excluded because of your questions. And your worth is not measured by your church attendance or theology.

You matter. And if God is anything like what I believe…Then you’ve always mattered.

#WalkWithPurpose #EyesWideOpenJourney #LiveWithConviction #AuthenticFaith #InnerPeacePath #GraceAndGrowth #RedemptiveLiving #BeTheLightYouSeek #LeadWithLove #HelpEachOtherHeal