in 2021 my sixty three year old grandma passed away. she was my best friend at the time. i was 21 at the time and her and i could talk about anything. literally anything. we brushed our teeths together every night. watched movies all the time, and cooked super delicious dinners. she was the vessel that got me to be more open with my faith. most christians in my life were always playing “church”. it made me feel alienated and just different. it took me a little bit of time to realize that humans will always fail us and get it wrong. but having a relationship 1 on 1 with God was the key to my faith. wise counselors and mentors are important but at the end of the day having a personal relationship is the key. all of our relationships with God look different, he speaks to me differently than other people. don’t box God in. organized religion and empty rituals and “being perfect” is NOT the true way of following Jesus. im flawed. i get it wrong. i hurt people. im selfish. that’s why i need Jesus. it’s not about hate. it’s not about judgment. and that’s what my grandma taught me through her actions.