I feel like I keep saying "This is one of my favorite chapters" but this one really has been important to me. I am very thankful for my birth family, but I have also been very thankful to learn loving, meaningful ways to detach my sense of self worth from their opinion of me, and to reframe my quest for validation from them, and really anyone else. While I don't ever recommend the scorched earth approach, for me, it was a pivotal moment in 2021 when I told my parents I was an Atheist. I knew how that would come across, but I was really starting to finally step into who and what I am, and it felt like an important step to my personal healing, to be honest and upfront with them about where I landed. I still can't tell now if that was more hurtful to them, or when I found my belief in the spiritual again, but it was still totally removed from my Christian upbringing. Neither personal opinion on reality was ever meant to wound them, only to express myself openly and honestly. When we express ourselves openly and honestly, we will get a different opinion, judgment, or conclusion about it from our friends, family and peers, depending on their own particular experiences which lead them to a specific perspective. Is it really possible for you to live up to each and every version of you out there, existing in everyone else's mind and reality? Does that bring you joy, or fulfillment, to achieve "worthiness" in the eyes of a friend, family member or peer? If you are like me, it sadly really does sometimes, and while it's nice to have the approval of your friends, family and peers, I believe it is more important to stay authentic to what truly resonates deep inside your feeling heart, and not your thinking mind. If what you have felt deeply for a long time, leads you away from some of your in-group, it can be painful, but also wildly beneficial on the other side of it. We are allowed to set boundaries, with our friends, family, peers, co-workers etc. However, there is always a choice in HOW we do the things we do, so setting boundaries can be a harsh, 2 middle fingers up telling off of the person you wish to no longer associate. However, I find that choosing to be loving, respectful and honest, is your best route forward, and leaves you feeling the most at peace with it in the end. Sometimes a hard truth is a valuable tool for the other person to hear, but often, the best route from my experience, is to start and finish with love. Some parents, especially in religious circles, will not be able to accept their child leaving 'the faith.' This is a very upsetting time for both parent and child, but it is an opportunity for both to come face to face with the solution of their dilemma: to let go of expectations they had of others, and even themselves. We are let down so often in this life, when we hold ourselves and others to unrealistic, and often parasitic standards, thoughts and beliefs about who they are, in light of the way they go through their lives. We can't really truly accept and see the world as all divine light, flowing through every single thing around us, until we release our expectations, and allow things to be as they are, and love them. This is more where we are heading, and for many of us, it is tough to let go of the attachments to expectations, and the penchant for being disappointed in someone else, as well as yourself. Special thanks again to Pamela and Gerrit who run www.jeshua.net, and were the conduit for Jeshua to channel through Pamela. They have been very warm and encouraging in our email correspondence, and I truly hope that the words from these channelings reaches more ears. email me: youhavethekeys639@gmail.com IG: @youaretheOneyouseek You can find a playlist of all the Jeshua channelings under 'playlist' on my YouTube channel.