I am the by-product of sin, a man forged from lust into a world of frailty and imperfection. But that is not my fault. 

There is an excuse to forgive myself for everything that has happened or will happen to me, regardless of the circumstances. For there lies a glimmer of hope that even a tarnished soul like me can find a way into the Lord’s home.

When I was younger, I believed I was a victim ensnared by domestic abuse and hate in my family. This trapped me in a cycle of blame and powerlessness. I treated those around me with disrespect and hid an anguish that shaped my life’s imperfections.

I believed I was living a life I did not want to be part of, creating  a victimhood mentality that silently stripped me of my own thoughts and potential.

Yet, I am also the son of a resilient mother who grew up on the ranches of Guanajuato and a steadfast father who has protected me since I was a baby. It was a blend of hard work and divine intervention that secured our stability in America.

Every day, regardless of how exhausted my mom was or how challenging it was to make ends meet, she would always say the same thing to me.

“Be thankful for everything we have, because God is always watching over you. No matter how crazy the world is, think for yourself and love yourself,” she’d tell me.

Raised in a nuclear, middle-class family, we cherished our privacy and independence while expressing gratitude to God daily. Politics rarely dominated our dinner table conversations, but when it did, we always agreed that the people we saw on TV needed a bit more God in their lives.

From my dad, I inherited a desire for a family. Since high school, he dreamed of having one. I envision a future where I can teach my daughter to be strong, to face her fears, and to overcome any victimhood or traumatic experiences.

Because I dream of having children one day, my political beliefs are centered around what is best for my kids and their safety in America. Like most Americans, I dream of a better future for our children and a stronger nation. 

However, I was politically moderate in a “normal” family that preferred to stay silent during political upheavals. As long as my parents knew my brothers and I were safe and out of harm’s way, they didn’t concern themselves with politics.

I write to share my story and my beliefs about what life can and should be. Being raised Christian, I understand that we are all by-products of sin. But we are also God’s children who must live through love, not through hate.

So, I started to appreciate values that may be considered politically conservative, for example: family values, accountability, pragmatism and belief in faith. 

Even today, people often assume that because I am a Christian, I must lean right on the political spectrum.

But here our nation stands in one of the most politically anticipated elections of its time with topics spiking fear and sin in God’s world.

Abortion, border security, inflation, the Israel-Hamas war, antisemitism, the Russo-Ukrainian war, Black Lives Matter versus “All Lives Matter,” white supremacy, racist rhetoric: it’s all a trigger for what hate stands for.

It is a shame that everything has to be politically correct, but everything will be OK. For as long as we recognize we are sinful creatures, I am certain we can prioritize the nation’s well-being over partisan extremes.

I find that certainty through Christianity.