There is so much I can learn from my past life as a young pastor at my childhood religion. I have tried to avoid this history, but the truth is it is a significant part of who I am today and I need to create an open conversation between it and my current life especially because the majority of my life as a religious person was actually pretty fun and might even be better in most respects than what I have now.
- A group of close friends with core beliefs that are similar
- A larger community where a measure of prestige is possible
- A rich inner life that consists of learning deep truths (borderline philosophy)
- A platform to teach those truths I was learning (public talks, preaching, Bible studies, Deaf ministry)
- A skill (sign language) that I felt confident about
- A direct experience of helping and seeing that I am making some difference in other people’s lives (Deaf)
- Mentors whom I regularly talk with and communicate about my deeper ideas, thoughts, and who teach me how to be better in what I was doing.
Here is A comparison of my past religious life and my life today