So What Do You Do When You're Not At The Tent?

[jabcat]

Hey everyone.  Over the course of time it seems we often reveal pieces of ourselves, about our lives, struggles, interests, etc.  I've wondered what folks are generally up to in their lives, and thought I'd ask.  In fairness, I'll take the lead and be willing to be open first...without faces and often without names it can be hard to get to know our brothers and sisters...thought I'd give this a shot.

I'm 49, married 28 years (to the same person, even), have 2 kids (20 and 23).  My wife's a nurse and I'm trained as a mental health counselor and currently work for corporate America as a Behavioral Health Care Manager for Wellpoint in St. Louis...right down the street from the Gateway Arch.  I play a lot of golf, play the keyboards and sing in a new band that I think we may call "Reconciled"...Been seeing UR for about a year and a half.  Currently attend Sunday mornings at a large Baptist building with a steeple, but not sure how much longer I'm willing to do this.  My son attends but is very open to UR and new things.  He is on the 6-7 year college plan and still lives at home and works for AT&T.  My daughter doesn't really go to "public worship with others" much.  Her husband's in Iraq, she's living with us for the time being and her schedule revolves around when he can contact her either by phone or email. 

It was during what I thought was a very dark time in my life that God showed me UR.  I had just lost (actually, been blessedly relieved of) what in some ways was a good job, but actually very stressful.  I was in a bit of despair and was spending a lot of time online.  That's when God led me to J.Preston Eby's writings and began to show me things I had only hoped for.  Praise Him for that!

Personally, I deal with a long-term inherited depression that I function with, but that also has affected my life in many ways.  I have gone through periods of rebellion in my walk with the Lord, but I have to trust that He is still working all things for my good.

Alright, anybody else care to take a turn?

God's blessing, James.

[dboutwell]

OK, I'll be next.

I am a nurse and work at a family clinic in my town. I make an effort to sing with our little praise band at my church(interdenomination). This July I will have been married 35 years(sheese that sounds like a long time) to the same man. We have three sons and one daughter and seven grandchildren.... Amber, James, Riley, Claire Anne, Allie, Haley, and Kelsey.

:grin:

Debbie

[Paul Hazelwood]

Hi Jabcat,

I am 43, married 25 years (same woman as well).  Been to the Arch several times ;).   I am an auto technician and have been doing that for the last 26 years.  My wife is in college to become a high school teacher.  Two boys 21 and 24.


God slowly brought me to UR and the truth about who is the mastermind behind this life long journey.   I can no longer view myself as set apart from anyone else simply because I happened to "choose" Jesus Christ as my Savior during this life.   I recognize the importance of each human being whether they fit my mold of what is right and wrong or not.  Only God has the authority to determine the heart and worth of each of us.

This does not mean that I excersize that knowledge with any degree of perfection, only that I will not allow that goal to ever be erased from where I wish to be in my heart.

I had to leave the church environment and that is another story in itself.   I too suffer from depression and anxiety and recently have realized that I too seem to have inherited that disposition.

But, the funny thing of it is, some of my most revealing moments with my Lord is during those emotional bouts, and that too, is yet another story.  But, that season may be ending as I am seeking medical help for something that was growing stronger and more uncontrollable each year.  As the medicine I am on now is appearing to have a positive effect I am not losing my desire to read the word and share with others the awesome LOVE that God has for everyone.

Everything happens for a reason, I do not use that to excuse the poor treatment I have given others through this emotional trial, but I do not have to allow that to strengthen the cycles of emotion I battle daily.

[Nancy]

Hi Jabcat and all,

I am 41 and have been married for 15 years, but have known my husband for 21 years altogether.

We don't have any children.  Well i do have a baby of sorts, my little dog Sam who is a cross whippet and whom i adore.

I work part-time as a waitress in a fish and chip restaurant in Essex, England.

In my spare time i play with my nintendo ds game, read loads, walk my dog, talk to hubby, watch tv and general bits and pieces.
I too have suffered from anxiety and was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder but my husband suffers from depression and he has done most of his life.

In February, my life evolved a bit more, as i found the 'Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle sitting in Borders bookshop and decided to give it a try.  It basically states that we are to live our lives in the one moment of Now which is all there is.  He mentions Christs' teachings and he makes them come alive, especially where Christ mentions that He is the Life, etc.  Christ is talking of the I Am that He and all of us are.  And he mentions that everything that happens is meant to happen because the universe (God) is and couldn't be otherwise.  A lot of what he says matches scripture but tells it in a way that makes total sense.
So that's where I Am at the moment.

Godbless
Nancy

[onlytruth]

hi everyone,im 41 -42 in less than a month.i have 5 kids,same wife for 12.5 years.i have my own business(this is a total God thing)i have just recently been made aware of Gods great love for all mankind.prestons bible studies were a great help.
i love to share what God is doing and saying but this gets me into a lot of touble.im learning to rest in what God is revealing and starting to enjoy life again.i wanted to let people know so badly-when they didnt i took the rejection pretty hard.this i beleive has led to skin afflictions(they will go away though)
my wife has come through a lot,depression,anxiety,fear.this was a hard time.the drugs gave her wild thoughts of harming the kids and herself.wow i had to hang on to God and all the nice sounding words from christians didnt help much.we came through and now my wife has a lot of authority in this area.she packs alot and when she prays stuff breaks.
i generally read everyones responses to see where people are at-and quite often i get confirmed in what God is trying to tell me
so keep being sensitive to the spirit and share what the Father is putting on your heart.i for one really appreciate it
Gods blessings in the kingdom- fred

[jabcat]

These posts so far have been so nice to see.  IMO, it's sort of warming to get to know folks a little more and see how much we really have in common instead of often just "talking at each other". 

I was talking with someone about the depression/emotional/behavioral issues theme, and we may like to start a thread on that at some point.  It seems like it's a common thing to many folks on here.  I know that's one thing Gary has talked about, how the fear of hell (and perhaps many teachings around it/based on it) really affects folks emotionally.  I also think that one of the connections has to do with this...that some of us who already tend to be more sensitive and have some emotional issues to begin with, are probably more aware of and affected by the hell stuff more than others who just sort of "let things roll off their back".  Some seem to not give it another thought, or even seem to revel in it, i.e., "they'll get theirs".  Often these may be some of the same folks that also don't understand how someone may suffer from depression or anxiety, "just get over it" sort of mentality. 

Anyway, later, I'll get back out and let folks share what they're up to. Thanks everyone, and God's blessings to you. 

[willieH]

willieH: Greetin's Bro's  :boyheart: & Sistiz  :girlheart:

I am 62 (63 in a few weeks)... Married to the same wonderful woman for 32 years...  Have 2 daughters (32-30) 1 son (34), 9 grandchildren with one on the way...

I am a pro musician playing several styles of music.

I am a writer, ...have written 400-500 songs... 3 novels... many poems...

I began my Christian walk in the 7th Day Adventist church (5yrs) and then went to the Salvation Army for almost 20yrs...

My road to the belief in the Salvation of ALL MEN:

I was troubled in many areas of my life, and amidst those troubles, I went to a solitary place which overlooks a river... in tears, I just told God, that the various Religions even within Christianity had me very confused and frustrated...

I then informed Him, that it IS, ...MY WISH, that He get HIS WISH, that NONE perish, and that ALL would come to repentence...

I went home, and immediately wrote a narration called "The WISH"... from that day forth, GOD has continued to REVEAL who HE is, which is NOT the false image that  RELIGION has "created Him" to be...

I LOVE Him with all my heart, and through all my faults (many of which are seen here at TM  :mblush:), ....I KNOW that He LOVES me as well...

I see ALL men/women through His eyes, not mine... each one precious BEYOND VALUE, ...each one uniquely RARE, ...each one a member of a family which would be INCOMPLETE without them...

Peaceunto all...

...willieH  :icon_king:

[martincisneros]

I've thought about this thread ever since it got started, and genuinely haven't come up with anything else to add to it.  A slightly different question could probably get a more expansive answer, but seriously, when I'm not at Tentmaker all I'm really doing these days is spending time with Jesus 'cause He's all I've got.  No real hobbies unless voracious reading of dictionaries and encyclopedias counts.  That's where I've been at for a couple of years.  Yeah, I share the Word when there's the open door.  And I'm sure I've had more interesting years in the past, in the way that some would look at it, when it came to hobbies or "staying busy."  But right now, Jesus is all that I've got and all that I want.  Nothing else matters right now.  I may get around to having more interesting years in the future, in the way that some people look at it, if our Lord is willing, but right now Jesus is all that matters.

[jabcat]

What's that slightly different question you have in mind?  I was just curious as to what foks are up to...and spending time with the Lord is the most interesting and fulfilling thing we can do, yes?  I understand the encyclopedia thing, I seek a lot different kinds of knowledge and information as well, it's just in quicker hits and shorter pieces, as I'm afraid that on top of everything else, I have a bit of ADD. :lazy:.

[Paul Hazelwood]

But right now, Jesus is all that I've got and all that I want.  Nothing else matters right now.  I may get around to having more interesting years in the future, in the way that some people look at it, if our Lord is willing, but right now Jesus is all that matters.

This is an interesting thing I sort of just thought about fairly recently.  Oddly, I realized my church upbringing and the years spent in that environment made me look for the great and wonderful experience that would shake the foundations of my life.

I have witnessed the Lords slow prodding at my life,  a prod here, a push there, a thought here, knowledge there.  And really without realizing it,  I hunger to read something about God everyday.

It is not a prideful thing, it is not about my ability to be obedient, I just find myself reading, no ritual, no routine, it just IS that way.

Th neat thing is I do not really desire that huge emotional needle in the vein anymore, God has drawn me to just be with him and there is not much I did to bring it about. 

[jabcat]

To me, that's "living, breathing, and having our existence in Him".  It's so different, it can be a little scary to me.  As God has lead me out of orthodoxy, which had included my sort of "forgetting Him" through the week and trying to get a charge on Sunday morning, I agree, it's more of a drawing to Him, a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute relationship that's part of the whole process...that He initiates and lives through us.  Talking with a friend who's still in orthodoxy, he was talking about his struggles, that worship meant nothing to him...I mentioned the daily walk rather than waiting for the Sunday morning service, and he said, "I don't ever think about God" :dontknow:.  Each day, He's breaking down the thought that I can do anything, and replacing it with anything I am or do is only Him empowering me and working through me...to forgive, I need Him to do it through me...to be forgiven, I need Him to do it for me...to pray effectively, I need Him to empower me and take me into the Spirit and basically pray for me...in my weakness He can be...

[Paul Hazelwood]

I really grieve for a friend from the church,  he has an incurable muscular disease, and believes that when he accepted Christ he had some restoration of his body.

I have no reason to doubt it at all,  but I cried for him when one day at a bible study he responded to a question about how he was doing with   "I am just existing".

Ever since hearing about my direction with the Lord I never get a phone call from him.  But from time to time I send him an e-mail because I just get placed on my heart to send him the encouragment that God has purposed his life for Glory no matter how it seems.

I honestly cannot relate to having such a disease, but I know what its like to feel powerless to overcome something damaging.

I may never know if my prompts to him will ever help or matter,  but I love my friend dearly and cannot bear the thought of not trying.

[jabcat]

If this sounds in any way to be "arguing with God", please don't anyone take it that way.  However, in a situation such as this, in my desire to "know", to understand, I wonder "where is the hand of God" in situations like with your friend...why is he where he is, and you for instance, are being led where you're being led?  Those types of dilemmas is something I've actually really been struggling with for awhile now.  The thing that I believe God has just given me is along the lines of "some are being called now to be the Sons of God, that He will use to release those pains and captivity of the rest of creation that is groaning and crying for deliverance".  It's the best understanding I have right now...that God will lovingly take care of your friend and my friend as well, and where you and I, by the grace of God, are being led, will serve a purpose in their deliverance as well.  To God be all glory.

[Average_Bear]

Blessings to all  :Sparkletooth:
I'm 42, married 10 years, I have a daughter 9, and son 6. My wife is Colombian. I keep busy working most of the time. When I find time between family and work obligations I like to read a lot - on line books like "Hope for all Generations" (one of my favorites). Just bought a Young's Literal Translation with the goal to read it all the way through. I also like to write - I've written several articles and published them on scribd.com (click on the globe to the left - I hope they don't bore you too much) The first one I wrote - "Where the Hell is Hell?" contains my testimony of the struggle I went through before discovering UR. Currently I attend an A.G. church which I don't really like at all - but I had to become a member so my kids could attend the school there. While I was struggling with feeling out of place I prayed and I felt the Lord told me "Look neither to the left nor to the right, but only look unto me" So that's what I try to do. While they subtly proclaim Jesus is the Big Loser who miserably failed at his mission to save the world - I try not to get upset, but only Praise the Lord who came to save the world and he did it!!!

[Paul Hazelwood]

While they subtly proclaim Jesus is the Big Loser who miserably failed at his mission to save the world - I try not to get upset, but only Praise the Lord who came to save the world and he did it!!!

The  leadership of the church I just left recently promoted the teachings of Robert Morris.   In Roberts Dream to Destiny series he has an opening statement that just nauseated me.

Basically God has a Destiny for us, but unfortunately most people will not realize it. 

In reality it is not a weak God they try to serve after investigating this series.  They worship themselves and they want the glory for what they achieve.

But in the end, the God they follow is a weak God who cannot figure out how to "Train his Children in the way they should go"