A CHRISTIAN THREAD

[tom_no.1]

Welcome to a place where Christ should be exalted and "Self" should be abased!!

Welcome to a place where the BIBLE can be discussed rationally, intelligently, and positively without unnecessary argument!!

Welcome to a place where prayer can be requested and encouraged!!

Welcome to a place where positive and encouraging thoughts from scripture can be shared in a caring and loving way!!

Welcome to a place away from all the arguments, recriminations, and negativity of the outside world!!

Welcome to a place of rest and safety!!

Welcome to a place where Philippians 2:3 is practiced: "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."

Welcome to this Christian thread.



(Please leave all aggression, bitterness, and philosophy outside the door and please wipe your feet before coming inside!!)


  

I live in my own little world. But it's OK... They know me Here!

[wattie515]

Good Morning All........

Lucie......that thought happens to me off and on.....I think a person just needs a little change in their lives.
Time to think about things in a different way or do things in a different way......I found what works the best for me is just to "lay back and little" and have more laughs! Maxine jokes, always make me laugh so I have a least 50 of them laying around.....:-D

Here's one that might work....



Have a good day, everyone :-x

[midlife*mom]

((Lucie)) I think we ALL go through periods of faith-wavering sometimes. I know I do. Not that I ever doubt His love or presense, but I do fall out of fellowship with Him. Life gets busy, and I tend to put other things before Him. It's my fault; my choice, since He never abandons me. I have learned to keep "me" out of my prayer life and focus more on gratitude and praise. Seems that when I do, I feel more at peace. "Be still, and know that I am God." - Ps 46:10

We are such a want-it-now society, and all of us (including me!) are guilty of falling prey to its appeal. We say that prayer doesn't work because things don't happen they way WE want it to, WHEN we want it to. We forget that He does all things in HIS time, and that His time is not our time. And when His answer to a prayer is "no", we need to be grateful for that, too, as His plan for our lives is much bigger and better than we can even imagine. We need to trust that "...all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (King James version)

A song that calms my soul at times of faith-wavering is Sandy patti's "Breathe On Me":

breathe on me breath of God
bring my life close to your spirit
beat in me heart of God
my soul's in prayer to be near it
focus my eyes
to only see what's you
and breathe on me
breathe on me breath of God
breathe on my breathe of God
I am a vessel to be filled
comfort me peace of God
Lord, I am restless for your will
silence my fears
so that I may hear from you
and breathe on me
breathe on me breath of God

surround me in your glory
make your presence known
set the path of grace before me
let your breath become my own

breathe on breath of God
cover my sin with your mercy
speak to me word of God
give me a light for my journey
show me your way
and draw me close to you
and breathe on me
breathe on me
breathe on me breath of God








--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂

[wattie515]

Laurie.....((((((((HUGS)))))))))):-x

[survivornikki]

Awwww ((((Lucie))))--I can't be much help on the Christian end, but I would like to help in any other way. If you need a shoulder, or sounding board, I would be glad to help that way. If you could give a hint, there may be someone here, or someone might know someone who might be able to give a hand. The wonderful email offering help to me came from someone who does not usually read this thread. If you can think of any way I can help, please just ask.

[mazyvr]

(((Lucie)))
Take time out, kick back and relax, He is and always will be with us.

Excerpt from Footprints in the Sand by Mary Stevenson

"Lord, You said that
once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all
the way. But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life, there is only one set
of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed
you most you would leave me." The Lord replied,
"My son, My precious child, I love you and I would
never leave you. During your times of trial and
suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it
was then that I Carried You."

[squiddley_diddley]

Thank you so much to all of you for the advice, prayers and especially that Maxine joke -- it brought a much-needed smile to my lips.

I really do think that I need to take a break from the "traditional" ways of connecting with God because they're not working for me at this present time. For the last 6 years or so, it's been a constant struggle -- trying to deepen my faith and ending up taking 2 steps forward and 1 step back. Now I've grown weary from the effort. Reading the Bible just makes it worse at the moment because all the contradictions therein are making me frustrated and sometimes even angry at God.

Unfortunately, I DO doubt his presence and his love these days -- I've just had too much physical pain in the last 10 years or so and I've seen so many others suffer unjustly that the concept of a loving God is getting harder & harder for me to believe. The only prayer that I'm able to say is one of gratitude for the good parts of my life. The idea of praising God for suffering & misfortune is a concept that seems really unhealthy to me. I know that there can be redemptive suffering which makes you grow but when it goes on and on and on without any growth occurring, it seems rather cruel & pointless to me.

I think I need to spend more time in nature and with people with a fun, positive attitude. There's so much sadness and tragedy in the world these days -- it's all you see in the news and everywhere else. Gotta find another way to connect with my spiritual side. I'm not giving up the search, just looking for another approach, but I'm still seeking.

[spendmama]

(((((Lucie))))) Best to take time and do what you feel is right for you. Kick back and rejoice in life's simple pleasures.

Happiness is as a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. (Nathaniel Hawthorne)

If you want to be the salt of the earth, you have to be willing to be shaken out of the box.

[squiddley_diddley]

Very wise words indeed, Nellie -- I will keep them in mind.

[spendmama]

Not meaning to say you're not happy - just saying happiness could be anything that is being pursued, whether it be success, wealth, health, etc. and things seem like it's always beyond your grasp. :)

If you want to be the salt of the earth, you have to be willing to be shaken out of the box.

[squiddley_diddley]

".....just beyond your grasp" --- ain't it the truth? --- that can be soooo frustrating! Better to stop grasping for a while and see what happens.

[midlife*mom]

Well, I can see that, once again, I was of no help here. Talk about frustration. 😞

I think I need to step back, too.

*backing out...waaaaaaaaaaay out*








--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂

[squiddley_diddley]

MLM: Noooo, your comments were very helpful to me. It's just that I'm going through a really dark period right now and I can't just "snap out it" quickly (if you know what I mean). This will take a lot of time and work on my part but please don't feel discouraged, it wasn't my intention to make you feel badly.

[survivornikki]

Goodnight everyone. God Bless you.

[writingjessamyn]

((Lucie)). Thank you so much for sharing what you have been going through. I am in a similar position and feel lost or disillusioned or something (I can't quite put my finger on it). I was thinking today of one of my favourite Steven Curtis Chapman songs which came into my life at another very difficult time. It's called the Mountain and it describes how we have to go through the valley so that when we get to the mountain we can appreciate it more. I've been in a valley for so long that I sometimes doubt there is a mountain, but I know it's there because I've been on it before. I'm not sure if I'm making sense, but here are the lyrics to the song.

The Mountain:

I want to build a house up on this mountain
Way up high where the peaceful waters flow
To quench my thirsty soul
Up on the mountain

CHORUS

My faith is strengthened by all that I see
You make it easy for me to believe up on the mountain
Oh, up on the mountain

I would love to live up on this mountain
And keep the pain of living life so far away
But I know I can't stay
Up on the mountain

CHORUS

I said I'd go, Lord, wherever You lead
For where You are is where I most want to be
And I can tell we're headed for the valley
My faith is strengthened by all that I've seen
So Lord help me remember what You've shown me
Up on the mountain

CHORUS 2
You bring me up here on this mountain
For me to rest and learn and grow
I see the truth up on the mountain And I carry it to the world far below
So as I go down to the valley
Knowing that You will go with me
This is my prayer, Lord
Help me to remember what You've shown me
Up on the mountain
Up on the mountain

I cherish these times up on the mountain
But I can leave this place because I know
Someday You'll take me home to live forever
Up on the mountain

[squiddley_diddley]

That's very beautiful Jess, thanks for posting it. I'm not even certain that I've ever been up on that mountain .... I'd have to give it some thought. The last time would probably have been when I was a very little girl and I was so trusting & innoncent. I blindly believed everything that I was taught at school and at church by nuns and priests because we were told that they were the human beings that were closest to God's heart.

I know better now but therein lies the struggle to evaluate what I can really believe as an adult and what I have to leave behind.

[wattie515]

Lucie.....

[squiddley_diddley]

:^O Thanks Shirley!

[wattie515]

I can't beleive it.......about an hr. ago...was sleeping so good.....one of those hi-powered snow mobiles went ripping by my house......I live on the north end of town with a hay field right out my front window.....it's usually so quiet here!! must be that full moon.:-D

[squiddley_diddley]

The guy driving it probably hasn't sobered up :^Oyet since last night.

[lr4941]

I can't just "snap out it" quickly

I know exactly that feeling! I was there for more than two years.

I'm not saying it's the same with you, but for me, prior to that blackness I had been slowly drifting away from God. So many things had happened and instead of focussing on God and what His will was and my walk with Him, I focussed on trying to solve the problems. By the time I realized I was in the darkness, it didn't even occur to me to turn to God. I tried to suck it up and plow through it. I lost my marriage, my home, and worst of all, a baby. The list of pains and troubles is huge.

I tried everything I could think of to get myself out of the blackness. I tried ignoring it; I tried self-help books; I tried exercise, gardening, music, dabbling in eastern religion, pouring myself into my work, even a taboo love affair. (I never renounced God or Jesus, though. Somewhere inside I knew not to do that.)

I started getting headaches. Then other physical symptoms came. I went to the doctor and she was concerned. She sent me to a neurologist. They were worried about the possibility of a problem in the brain. I had MRI's, was put on all sorts of drugs... nothing worked and they could find nothing wrong. I kept telling them I was suffering, that it was stress of some sort, an emotional crisis, but they kept looking for something physical.

Still, it did not occur to me to focus on God - I wanted my problems solved. Even if I had prayed, my prayers would have been focussed on me and not Him anyway.

I became more and more physically ill. No one seemed to really understand. Finally, there came a day when I knew I was in big trouble. I called my friend and told her to come over. Then I collapsed. She found me on my living room floor and called an ambulance.

At the hospital, they found all sorts of things physically wrong with me. My body had started to shut down. One of the doctors commented "We don't know how you've been walking around like this for so long." They wanted to keep me in the hospital. I got upset and all I could think about was getting back to work. I couldn't be sick - I had to work.

They said that they thought the physical problems were triggered by a serious depression and I needed medical treatment for the physical problems, but also needed help for the depression. (Well! I had been trying to tell people that for months! Duh!) I actually managed to convince them to let me go. I went to work the next day.

By the next week, I was bed-ridden. I begged not to be hospitalized (only sick people go to hospitals and I was going to get myself out of this). My doctor and my son agreed that if I could receive care at home (from my son and my friend) that I could go home. I couldn't even get up to go to the washroom.

The physical stuff healed, but still, getting myself a cup of coffee was a major effort that exhausted me. At this point I wanted to pray, but I couldn't. I wanted to cry out to God, but I was too ashamed. I felt that I had betrayed Him. I couldn't even say His name.

Things got better, but were still not okay. (In the midst of all this, I also had someone stalking me - he broke into my house and the whole bit - he still would be happy to kill me).

For a very long time, I was still in that darkness. I got really angry with myself, really frustrated, because I couldn't "snap out of it". Even with the medical help and anti-depressants, I could not "snap out of it" or even crawl out of it! To the world, I appeared to be just fine. Inside I knew I wasn't. Again, I spoke to my doctor. I wasn't "sick enough" to get counselling and I couldn't afford to pay a private counsellor.

I began talking to my sister. We had been estranged for seven years. She found Jesus and reached out to me as a result. I didn't trust her, but could talk to her about God and her faith. I met another person - a Christian, and poured out my troubles and how I was afraid to speak to God. He encouraged me. I thought about God and knew I believed, but still could not pray.

I went "church shopping". I volunteered. Still... I believed but couldn't connect. I visited my current church for the first time. I walked in cold, and walked out bawling my eyes out (I don't cry in front of people, so this was something). I was finally able to pray. I was finally able to connect.

Did this make things all better? Nope. But suddenly I was able to cope. I focussed on Him and what He did for me. Slowly, but clearly, I started to come out of the darkness. Now I pray and praise like I never have in my whole life.

Many of you know that my troubles didn't stop, but that my prayer and praise haven't stopped, either. I don't know why God does the things He does, or why He allows certain things. It is only now that I can see that He never left me - but wow, did it ever feel like He wasn't there! I never want to know what it's like to really be without Him!

I still struggle with physical fatigue, although it's not as bad. The doc says that will probably not go away. There are times when I work 15 hours in a day and it's amazing because I really shouldn't be able to do that. I know that it is His strength, not mine. I am so weak that there's no way I could do what I do without Him. I am happy, now. Finally. My doctor is a non-believer, but she thinks that what's happened to me is pretty cool.

Lucie, I don't know where you are in your darkness, but I'm writing all of this in the hopes that it can somehow be of encouragement. Apparently, I should be dead, yet I'm more alive than I thought I could be. I'm not without troubles or challenges - far from it. It wasn't until I threw away what I wanted and even what I needed and focussed only on "God, what is your Will for me today" that I could even begin to see any light. And now I see light every day. I only need to look at Him (for who He is, and not what I want from Him). That sounds easy, but it is very very hard.

I understand your frustration with the Bible. Hang in there and find a place that you deem "safe" to ask questions. When I started reading it again, I felt fear. I felt frustration and confusion. For the first while, I found it better to stick to specific verses that were encouraging.

If you've been feeling this way for longer than six months, it might be time to visit your doctor. In my experience, the doctor didn't fix everything, but everyone is different.

You might want to try "church shopping". Perhaps you need a change. Whatever you do though, I'm pleading with you, don't isolate yourself from the Body of Christ. The first step to cutting a person down is to isolate them. Don't get isolated.

I know that we don't really know each other, but, well, I feel a very real love for you right now. I'm praying for you right from my heart.

I know you can't feel it right now but, Lucie, He loves you. I know you can't see Him, or hear Him, or feel Him right now, but He is with you. He's not leaving. Lucie, you are His sheep and He will travel to the ends of the earth for you.