Jesus said that we had to be prepared to be crucified to follow Him.  When in battle, we needed to take up our cross and carry it.  His Apostles did just that and many became martyrs for the church, dying for what they believed in.

If any one comes to me without hating his father^* and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.   Luke 14: 26-27

I’ve taken this to heart and many times I find myself in the crossroads.  I easily could keep my thoughts to myself and remain silent.  Or I could pick up my cross and carry it.  Many times, I can say I have carried my cross.  However, it comes with a price and sometimes the weight of it can be very heavy.

We live in a very secular world filled with secular thinking people.  It can be difficult sometimes to stay true to the person I want to be.   I can’t say I am 100% the best version of myself.  I can’t even say I am 75% of the time.  But I am trying and I will continue to try to get there.

I won’t allow negativity to silence my faith and my beliefs.  Sometimes people in my life try to do that to me.  It grows rather frustrating and becomes a vicious cycle that doesn’t seem to end.  Clearly these people don’t know how deep I am in my faith and that I will carry my cross to the end.

I can’t be broken.  I won’t be broken.  I stand with Jesus and my church all the way to the end.  Nothing on this earth can change this.

Personal situations will not cloud my judgement and move me away from the church.  Instead, I will carry my cross because Jesus told me.

The Truth will set us free.