A Journey Towards Understanding Islam

Assalamu alaikum, I'm from the southern U.S. and was raised Christian all my life. Recently, I've felt a strong pull towards studying and learning about Islam. Growing up, I had negative views due to misconceptions, but I've realized how mistaken I was. Now, I'm concerned that if I embrace Islam, my family and friends might distance themselves because of their conservative Christian background. Yet, I feel deeply that Allah has guided me here, and I trust that path. I've always aimed to educate myself rather than follow without question. I've gotten a Quran and compared teachings between Christianity and Islam, finding that Islam offers profound moral guidance. My challenge is wanting to learn as much as possible while facing the difficulty of letting go of my lifelong beliefs and becoming something many in my community won't understand or accept. I know that everything is in Allah's hands, but it's still a bit scary. Any advice would be so appreciated.