asc: Thanks for your response!! It's nice to meet you!! I understand the triggers (to the extent that I possibly can, since I'm NOT you) and will be praying for you. Let me know if you need any specific prayers or support... I'm always here! I'm glad to see that you're using your experiences to help others. I really believe that's a huge part of our purpose here. Know you're making a difference in people's lives!!
**Formerly 11.13.2006**
I cry, "Father, Father, forgive me!"
You say, "Child, I already have."
...I'm the guilty thief that's hanging by your side,
And my shame is dying with your sacrifice.
And all my fears come crashing down as I look in your eyes - I see paradise.
Hallelujah! You are beautiful redemption. -Joy Williams
Angel, the others are probably right!! =] Pastors stay VERY busy and it often takes time to respond to everyone. It's their job to be understanding and to try to get people the best help and support possible, but this can take time! Maybe give it a few more days or so? Try not to be discouraged!
Rosie: Hello, it's nice to meet you! I like the name Rosie. =]
**Formerly 11.13.2006**
I cry, "Father, Father, forgive me!"
You say, "Child, I already have."
...I'm the guilty thief that's hanging by your side,
And my shame is dying with your sacrifice.
And all my fears come crashing down as I look in your eyes - I see paradise.
Hallelujah! You are beautiful redemption. -Joy Williams
Hiya, I've been here before but not in a while. I was wondering if some of you could possibly help ease my mind a bit? I went to a Church service recently where in the prayers, God's Law was described as just and gentle. I then immediately questioned this and thought "how is capital punishment gentle and how is forgiveness just?", to which two people basically attacked me and said I wasn't let off the hook and must be a bad Christian. I feel awful! I know it's not God's intention to have death penalties and stuff, I just naturally question and counter-argue a lot of things. Now I feel like I've done the ultimate sin by blaspheming God's Law or something - I know it sounds stupid but I have a lot of 'God-related' issues which often perpetuates my self-destructive behaviours. Please tell me that what I said wasn't really that bad?
Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world awaits in darkness for the light that is you.
no, no it wasnt. my reaction to those two people was "what?!?" Read some of the Psalms by David- he certaintly questioned God a lot and was angry at Him, and he's called a man after God's own heart (not to mention he was a murderer and adultress). I'm a very logical person too. The one thing I keep coming back to is we can't fully understand God or either we would be God or He wouldn't be an infinite perfect God. We talked about this kinda stuff in theology last semester- one thing the professor pointed out was that all aspects of God's nature are equally perfect. His grace, love, mercy, and justice all equally co-exist, none diminish the others. The punishment described in the laws was not always carried out, especially once we get to the New Testament. Paul says a lot of stuff about the law in his letters. Another thing to remember is that when the Israelites left Egypt, they had no laws, no organization- they'd been slaves for hundreds of years. They needed some structure or they never would have survived. Also, compared to other nations at that time, their laws were far more just than others, while also having a higher standard of morality. The Israel nation was chosen to be used as the nation through which God revealed Himself to the rest of the world, and as such He instituted laws etc. so this would happen.
It doesn't sound stupid that God-related issues contrinutes to your self-destructive behaviors. I think the two in a way can go hand-in-hand, in a sort of cycle- we struggle and question God and struggle more etc.
Its ok to question God and admit we're angry- just, as with David, need to remember He is soverign, and let the questioning and anger take us nearer to God.
Sorry for the length :S
And by no means do I follow everything I've said up there, been struggling lots lately.
Every day the world is made a chance to change but i feel the same.
And I wonder why would i wait till i die to come alive?"
All alone the way she feels
Left alone to deal with all the pain-drenched sorrow relief
I had an interview yesterday for an internship at my friend's church. It's a year volunteering in the church (they pay for a house and bills for interns).
I have been offered a place on the internship programme, but I am not sure whether to take it or not. I know several people in the church, and all the people as individuals (that I know) are nice people. However, I found the service not right for me, and I am not sure how I feel about it. The church is an Evangelical branch of the CofE, and it felt too much like the CofE, but not enough like it. It also seemed too big a church for me, my current church is the biggest I have regularly attended, with 75 regular members. The church with the internship has 250 members.
I'm at university, and want to take a year out anyway (just finished my second year), but I will miss my friends and church if I do the internship, and I don't know if I can handle it.
I am thinking that I should just continue with university, even if I have to retake a year (I'm late on a lot of assignments, and I was going to complete them in my year out, if I take a year out)
I just don't know what to do.
I would really appreciate it if people would pray for me to make the right decision for my future.
Thanks
><>
Death is one moment, and life is so many of them.
Don't look forward to the day you stop suffering, because when it comes you'll know you're dead.
~ Tennessee Williams
I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad,
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had.
I'm actually a girl. My nickname was given by a friend and stuck ;)
Hello everyone... I just wanted to introduce myself to this thread. I'm Mandy, new to the forums and I was pretty excited to find this thread. I'm a Christian but I don't know many others, especially none that I can discuss things like SH with.
Going off on a branch of what teardownoldwalls said, psalms are awesome. Two of my favorites are 6 and 13. They really help me connect when my mind is a mess. Might be worth reading if you're struggling... I have a list of music I also listen to that makes me feel stronger and more at ease with problems that are going on.
Rambling now, so I'll end by saying I'm looking forward to getting to know you all soon :)
I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be strong enough
hi fiyera (Mandy?) nice to meet you. i also LOVE psalms, although i think my current favourite book is Ezekiel. i will have to spam the thread with quotes...
I haven't actually read through Ezekiel... I'm trying not to spam quotes / passages / songs, it's tough though! Okay right now I'm listening to Strong Enough by Matthew West. Very inspirational song, it goes on repeat sometimes when I'm feeling overwhelmed.
I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be strong enough
Hey, Mandy!! Nice to meet you!! I also connect with Psalms, especially when I'm struggling. =] Hope you're doing well!!! Take care.
**Formerly 11.13.2006**
I cry, "Father, Father, forgive me!"
You say, "Child, I already have."
...I'm the guilty thief that's hanging by your side,
And my shame is dying with your sacrifice.
And all my fears come crashing down as I look in your eyes - I see paradise.
Hallelujah! You are beautiful redemption. -Joy Williams
Glad to here he got back to you :) Don't worry about it, I'm sure he won't push you into talking aobut anything you don't want to, just think of it as a nice oppurtunity to talk things out, maybe get some advice.
Let the Force be with you
I'm not short, I'm space efficient
We are going to see the pastor tomorrow , he dont know about us and we are going to keep it that way it's too complicated to talk about and there is so many issues around it as well , we dont even have a diagnostics of DID yet.
I know this is kinda off-topic but I could really use some help from those who know the Bible a bit better. I need a quote from the Bible that talks about how some things are irrelevant and shallow and how others are more important. Any passage will do. Thank you!!!
Angel Girl, Matthew 6:25-34 may help for your first point, and Mark 10:42-45 for your second
"Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged,
sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and wrong because sometime in your life you will have been all of these."
