For those who haven't figured it out by now, I'm a fan of Saint Francis. I wasn't always, but a few life journeys really inspired a new journey of my faith.

For years, I served in a leadership role at a non-profit ministry. As part of that experience, I got the opportunity to travel to Italy, including a few days near the town of Assisi, where Francis (Francesco) grew up and began his servant's ministry. During that visit, I began reading more and studying a bit about the ways Francis viewed his faith and living life. I was drawn to it.

There is a simplicity to the life he chose. But that simplicity doesn't come easy. It's a journey of giving up—of choosing to put away personal preference for others. It is a choice to have a simple faith; one that simply believes in expressing love and acceptance, a lack of judgment, and a fullness of "joy in the moment."

I'm a long way from fulfilling the type of life Francis led. But I want to do things that reflect the type of faith life he had. Though I grew up in a very legalistic church, I now find myself what many in Western church would consider "liberal."

I've just recently left a ministry role, serving as a communications director for a non-denominational church. The reason for leaving is a long story that I will share in time. A portion of that tale, however, is centered on the basis that I no longer feel comfortable in the typical western/evangelical church. I've seen the politics. I've seen the hypocrisy. I've seen the lack of acceptance and judgmental ways that the church has proclaimed itself, and it saddens and frustrates me.

Most importantly, I don't often see Jesus in church—at least the Jesus I read about in the Bible. Like Francis, I tend to see Jesus in other places—in people, in nature, in open arms and helping hands. I see Jesus in the marginalized, in those our pharisaical denominations have told are unwelcome or unfit. I would prefer to be considered one of those, because that's where I feel I can find Jesus.

I'm starting a new experiment today; joining the mass of TikTok creators and telling some of my stories. I hope that I might be able to be that "instrument of peace" that Francis prayed for. Because I don't believe the church is ending; I think the church is suffering from its own doing. I believe Christ's church may be in a season of simplifying, renewing, refining, and soon looking a lot different than it has.

I have that hope because that's the hope I have for myself.