I’ve not had a great relationship with church for a while now. I guess you could say we’ve been “on a break,” although to tell the truth, it’s more like I’ve been pretty savagely dumped and kicked to the curb. It’s only very recently that I’ve felt like I might actually be healing a little, and it’s a scary place to be, because what if I just run right back? What if it happens again? I’ve gone back before, been vulnerable again, only to have my heart broken another time. I don’t want more scar tissue, I don’t want more anger, I don’t want more tears. I want to be whole again. I want to be myself.

And, as I’m sure you know if you’re bothering to read this, I’m not alone. There are legions of us, people who don’t quite fit the mold, people whose edges can’t be smoothed…