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“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom 10:17)

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“Storms, whether the actual or figurative kind, are a common but difficult part of life. One of the longest and most trying storms of my life came to an end Monday with the Supreme Court’s ruling in my case, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.

As a cake artist who owns my own shop, I have always been willing to serve everyone who walks through my doors. But that doesn’t mean that I create every cake requested of me. If asked to design a cake that celebrates an event or expresses a message in conflict with my faith, I’m obliged as a matter of conscience to decline. But I still offer those customers anything else in my shop and tell them that I’d gladly create them a cake for a different occasion.

That is exactly what I did in July 2012, when I was asked to create a custom wedding cake to celebrate a same-sex marriage. But even though I offered to design the couple a cake for another event, they filed a lawsuit against me, commencing a six-year legal storm.

Most storms bring some elements of surprise. The lawsuit against me was no different. I was shocked at how many people dismissed my decision as making much ado about nothing. Yet those folks fail to understand that, as an artist, I pour my heart into my wedding cakes, and that my conscience will not allow me to celebrate something in direct conflict with my faith….

And I’ve been greatly distressed by the death threats hurled at me. Few things approach the horror of hearing another vow to take your life.

I was also disturbed by this thought: If the Supreme Court would have ruled against me, what would have happened to the millions of other people of faith… I worried that they would face the loss of their livelihood, financial ruin, death threats and even jail time for their beliefs. . . .

I was forced to turn over the future of my cake shop to nine Supreme Court justices. My fate was no longer my own.

As I waited for their decision, I wondered whether I’d see a break in the clouds — a ruling that the state was wrong to punish me for living according to my beliefs — or another looming storm. Would the court make clear that I don’t have to hide my faith? Or would it banish my beliefs and allow the government to bully me?

Now that the decision has arrived, I can see the sun once again. The Supreme Court affirmed that the government must respect my religious beliefs about marriage. It welcomed me back from the outskirts where the state had pushed me. At least for the moment, it has brought an end to my storm.” (Excerpted from USAToday , column by Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop.)