To be honest, I had a minor breakdown earlier today when I heard about the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage. I have gay friends on both sides of the fence and seeing both cheers and tears tore at me. I rushed home, read some in the scriptures, and tried to write up my feelings. I then promptly fell asleep to avoid thinking any more.

When I awoke I took once again to Facebook and saw the LDS Church’s response to the announcement (read it below) and the comments friends had left about it. I don’t know if it was their comments, the Church’s response, or simply having a nap to process everything, but I felt calm and decided to write this up instead.

The succession of federal court decisions in recent months, culminating in today’s announcement by the Supreme Court, will have no effect on the doctrinal position or practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is that only marriage between a man and a woman is acceptable to God. In prizing freedom of conscience and Constitutional guarantees of the free exercise of religion, we will continue to teach that standard and uphold it in our religious practices.

Nevertheless, respectful coexistence is possible with those with differing values. As far as the civil law is concerned, the courts have spoken. Church leaders will continue to encourage our people to be persons of good will toward all, rejecting persecution of any kind based on race, ethnicity, religious belief or non-belief, and differences in sexual orientation.

– LDS Newsroom

I love how these statements are often so succinct.

I feel like I stood somewhere in the middle, able to see both sides but not resting completely in either camp. When the ruling then came it felt like each side stepped a little further away from the other, trying to take a piece of me with it.

But I know better now. As a disciple of Christ I will not fear man more than God.

Christ loves all of us. He wants us to be eternally happy. We have agency to accept that joy or to choose the ways of the world. Christ’s way to happiness is through the blessing of eternal families, marriage in the temple for time and all eternity, and peace of conscience in a turbulent world.

It’s difficult to trust in a far-off happiness when the worldly version is so enticing, but I find immediate comfort and peace in the Gospel. I trust in my Heavenly Father to provide me with everything I need.

The Church has not moved. It stands where it has since the beginning. The rest of the world is moving away from the rock of Christ.

I know it sounds like blind obedience or simple brainwashing to say things like that. But I’ve reached these decisions after years adrift, sailing without any direction at all. I choose to believe in this God because He is the only place of true shelter from the storm.

I hope that those who distance themselves from the Church because of its stance on gay marriage may understand that we do not hate you. We love you, no matter what you believe or do. There is room here for all who wish to improve themselves and come to Christ.