I was raised in another more restrictive religion, and left it behind when I was still a teenager. I never stopped believing in God, but I was having trouble with some of his followers. Anyway, after N*'s sister died, she asked about going to church. How do I say no to that? So, I looked around, and found a church with a mission statement along the lines of "God loves you. Yes you, the sinner. Come on in, we're sinners, too."
The sermons don't browbeat. They encourage us to do better, to help others, to forgive, to heal, to laugh, to love, to spend money wisely, to be thankful for what we have, etc.
In fact, last year, the church put on a program for parents of troubled teens. Yes, there are angels among us. I am thankful for the support for both me and N*, and that they care for both of us, even though they know our story.
