A question of faith.

Disclaimer: These are just things I needed to vent/get off of my chest tonight. My heart has been very heavy with convictions to verbalize what I believe. I totally don't mind if you skip over this post. And I know not everyone will agree with me. This post is also all over the place. I apologize in advance.

God has been challenging me lately. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. It gets tiresome, but I know that my faith will come out stronger because of all of this. All of the people who doubt me, who claim that I don't know what I'm talking about... they only fuel my fire. I know what I'm doing. I know what I'm saying.
The words that come out of my mouth are thought out before I say them (or in this case, type). I carefully consider how I choose to present myself. I don't want to be written off as a stupid girl, pretentious and uppity. And the very last thing I would ever want someone to think of me is unfaithful to my beliefs.

Lately, it seems that my faith has been called into question. And it hurts. I've never wanted (nor have I given) anyone to have a reason to think that I don't believe the teachings of God.
But I feel that this is God pushing me harder to achieve my goals. To follow through with my plans of being a leader in a church someday (and it seems that the church will have to be in somewhere other than Missouri). God has called me to do great things. He's called me to lead. He's given me a platform on which I can relate to other women so easily. I've been through so much and it is God's promise to me that it was not for nothing.
I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. A personal relationship. It's mine, not yours. It's not yours to question or to tout that I am not a believer of what the Bible says. I have read the Bible. I believe every word of it.

I also believe in the separation of church and state.
I believe that a woman has the right to choose.
I believe that Jesus would befriend the homosexual before He would ever befriend the devout Christian who looks down on someone for their sexual orientation.
I believe that women are equal to men, and that the only person a women should ever have to answer to is Jesus Christ.
*you may have my parents to thank for these beliefs that have been instilled in me (thanks mom and dad!). but over the past few years, I've grown to realize that these are important factors in my belief in God. these things have made me love Jesus even more. 

I believe in a lot of things that "normal" Christians don't. And you know what? Who cares what the normal Christians think?
Because I know my relationship with God is a solid one. That my hope and my future lies within His promises. Not the promises of a church, nor the promises of a politician.
I hope that I am never considered a "normal Christian." When you become normal, you become complacent in your faith, with no room to grow. We all need to be radical Christians. Not just in the way we view the world, social issues, etc. but in how we speak to others. How we respond to those who think differently.
You may think differently than I, but I will never question your faith. I guarantee it.
This generation of believers are radical and they are on fire for God and I am so proud to be part of this movement of believers.