Can I be of ______ faith and talk to you?

Talk to whomever you are guided to… faith is in the eye of the beholder.

A friend asked me one day “isn’t it interesting how often Faith, Religion, and God come up with you? You are always getting asked about this.” My reply was “of course, doesn’t’ every one?” I thought that was usual for all Mediums to get these questions, mail with no return address, etc but after polling others who do this work I guess it is not.

Many clients I work with want to make sure I believe in God and that I am “safe and normal”. Yes I do and yes I am (at least I hope I am normal!). Most are relieved when I tell them I identify with the Lutheran faith. When I discovered this gift and had the courage to come out, I received a TON of support from people of all beliefs. I was amazed with my circle of friends! I also received some judgement in the name of religion from a few people that I knew and strangers who will not show their faces to me.

This judgment and almost visceral reaction from a few people was really foreign to me because that was NOT how I was raised. Case in point… I recall getting judgmental in church one day around eight years old about someone who I know was stepping out of their marriage. I asked my Mom why they were even IN church? Her comment was “Kristen, this is between that person, their spouse and God. Don’t you worry about other people, you just worry about yourself because what others do has nothing to do with you.” Awesome teaching moment Mom!

Even though I am a feeler…I also like my data and definitions:

• Cursory glances at data show that between 75-90% of Americans have a belief in a higher power and even more in angels.
• Dan Buettner from National Geographic is researching Blue zones around the Globe where people live much longer than the general population. One of the factors he found that impacts longevity was a belief in a higher power.
• What is faith? I looked up faith and the first two definitions that pulled up were “Complete trust or confidence in someone or something” or “Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.”

So a lot of people have faith in a higher power, this belief may help us live longer and faith is based on a spiritual belief vs “proof”. I don’t have the right to tell anyone what to believe and vice versa.

There are so many facets to faith and it is a challenge to put what I just know on paper. The way I see it… faith is belief and trust. No two people believe and trust the same way do they? No they do not. I was baptized, raised and am Lutheran. That is my personal faith and I don’t see it as 1’s and 0’s, right or wrong, better or worse. If you are guided to speak to me, another Medium or anyone else for that matter … that is your choice.

If I asked anyone of faith the ONE thing their God/ Spirit/higher power stood for, I am pretty sure that most would agree they stand for LOVE. How can you love and judge at the same time? You can’t. Those two emotions are at two separate ends of the emotional spectrum.

When someone looks to condemn me saying I can’t identify with a faith and do this work they are not honoring my faith, my life’s path or me as a person. I feel closer to God because of the work I do not in spite of it. The more I tried to fight it… the more anxious I became because I was not living my life’s purpose. This is how God made me, I love who I am and all peoples differences.
Check out my YouTube video on this subject.