About Decompressing Faith and its Author

My name is Erin and I live in Portland, Oregon with my husband and two sons. I have loved Jesus all my life, but through a series of challenging events over the last few years, the expression of that love has evolved from traditional and conservative to liberal and unconventional. This blog was born of a need to articulate this journey, even in all it's ugliness, so that I might see myself more clearly. I have met countless wonderful fellow travelers along the way, they are you.

I am no smarter than anyone, no more spiritually adept. I simply awake in the morning and breathe in the life-giving Love of God each day, with Jesus being my definition and experience of God.

I believe God loves with an intense and passionate Love; every expression of Love on earth is God. I have moved beyond wishing, into embracing the belief in God's ability (in limitless Love) to make room for everyone. I no longer follow, nor insist on for anyone else, a set of prescribed rules regarding spirituality. Although my life will always revolve around Jesus, I won't try to persuade you to join me. However if you are seeking and you ask, I am willing to share with you why I follow The Carpenter.

I believe God is outside of space, time, gender and religion. I believe God is in the earth and of the earth and over the earth.

I am unafraid of other faiths and spiritual traditions; I appreciate the opportunity to learn from them, for wisdom is collective and ongoing.

I love to talk to people, and I believe everyone has a valuable voice and an interesting story. Even if you don't follow Jesus, you're a friend here.

This is a place of respect, where everyone's thoughts and opinions are equally valued. Please extend the same measure of grace to people who differ from you as you would expect for yourself.

Welcome.


Stand in the wind and feel its life
the rain a drumbeat of peace
trees bowing and stretching touching
seeking the face of God
an eagle might tell me the future by the direction it chooses
a flower might bring me joy
feeling the sand in my toes I wiggle
as the tides do their thing
a moon or a star to sail by is all I ask
illuminating my path
and so I go.


You can reach me by e-mail: erinword at gmail dot com

My Blogger profile can be found here.