I don’t pretend to be an expert on the subject of transgender issues but when Caitlyn Jenner was introduced to the world yesterday it made a huge splash everywhere. As a fellow human being I support Jenner’s journey because we all have journey’s we are taking to discover who we are. Some folks go through a more radical exploration of who they are and it takes courage to embrace it and to be who they were meant to be. She is beautiful and alive, that is a good thing.

As a person of faith I come from a community that doesn’t always understand issues of gender and sexuality outside of “traditional” norms. One thing we are missing is that Jenner and other folks in the LGBTQ community are God’s children too and they need to be treated as such for who they are. I am a believer that God has a purpose for their lives too and perhaps its one that isn’t easily understood yet. Affirming people for who they are takes courage, changing them is not within anyone’s job description. We all have to work out our place in eternity and in the universe with some fear and trembling. Life is scary if you ask me.

So I salute Ms. Jenner and others who want to be who they are inside. To the boy in the small town who is playing with dolls instead of dirt hang in there young man, life will be better. And to the young girl playing with tools instead wearing a tutu its all good life will be better. Those are the people who need the example of Caitlyn.

May we all have grace and peace today. May we all have courage to tell our story with the world.