Hello everyone, my name is Max, and I am a student at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater studying accounting, but I am now back home for the summer in the greater Milwaukee area. I've been visiting the site for over a year so I figure it's time I make an account. I look forward to interacting with such faithful, intelligent people.
I was raised in a very Catholic household. All of my immediate and extended family is still very into the Catholic faith, and I went to Catholic grade school and went to mass with my family just about every Sunday (I still haven't completely abandoned it yet). There was a time though where the message was no longer comforting to me, and I began to have my doubts. While for the most part my teachers and pastors tried to make the message holy and joyful, it still came down to "God is angry at you for your sins, and you need to do all these things (such as confession, praying the rosary) to get to Heaven and avoid going to Hell or Purgatory." About a year ago my fears and doubts became so strong about God that I was sure I would never be good enough, and I became mildly depressed and felt a loss of self-worth. I never let it show around my family and friends because I wanted them to still see me as the confident, upbeat guy I had always been.
Anyways, finding this site was a huge turning point, and there was a time where I read this site every day to help me recover from my fears and doubts. I remember there was one day when I was reading something on this page, I don't remember what, but that was it for me. At that moment, Universalism just clicked for me, and the peace of God came over me, nothing like I had ever experienced before, and I cried tears of joy. I am so blessed that God sent me to this website and has revealed so many wonderful truths in the last year or so, and I look forward to learning more.
Welcome Max. Yes, it is a great comfort to know that none will be lost, that no one is too far from God's reach, His love. It is the only message that makes any sense and accurately portrays God's character. Blessings on your journey.
Quote from: Warhawk17 on May 16, 2013, 09:34:46 AM
Anyways, finding this site was a huge turning point, and there was a time where I read this site every day to help me recover from my fears and doubts. I remember there was one day when I was reading something on this page, I don't remember what, but that was it for me. At that moment, Universalism just clicked for me, and the peace of God came over me, nothing like I had ever experienced before, and I cried tears of joy. I am so blessed that God sent me to this website and has revealed so many wonderful truths in the last year or so, and I look forward to learning more.
I, too, had tears of joy when I read this! :thumbsup:
Quote from: Warhawk17 on May 16, 2013, 09:34:46 AM
Anyways, finding this site was a huge turning point, and there was a time where I read this site every day to help me recover from my fears and doubts. I remember there was one day when I was reading something on this page, I don't remember what, but that was it for me. At that moment, Universalism just clicked for me, and the peace of God came over me, nothing like I had ever experienced before, and I cried tears of joy. I am so blessed that God sent me to this website and has revealed so many wonderful truths in the last year or so, and I look forward to learning more.
It was just like that for me too, although it happened before I found this forum. :dsunny:
Welcome, Max, I'm John.
I'm from Alabama.
I know you will enjoy the blessings God has for you through the believers on this forum.
May the God of truth bless your search for truth!
Never stop searching, and stay humble and steadfast (that means keep on keepin' on!). :Peace2:
Welcome Max! What a joyful story to read this morning, great way to start off the day. :) So joyful to hear of your eyes being opened to the truth and the freedom that you are beginning to experience with it. May our Father continue to lead you into all truth as I know He will. :HeartThrob: Be blessed!
Thanks everybody for the warm welcome. Although I have learned a lot of truth lately, I am not quite a Biblical expert. I don't have a ton of insight to share, but I look forward to learning from everyone on here. You guys all seem very intelligent and loving. I've wanted to make an account on here for a while, but I just got too busy with school, work, sports, and other college stuff. Don't worry, I behave myself better than most guys my age. :winkgrin: Now that I really only have work to worry about, I have no excuse. My goal is to gain more knowledge of the truth that I can take back to college with me in the fall to share and hopefully enlighten my peers.
Quote from: Warhawk17 on May 17, 2013, 09:55:23 AM
Thanks everybody for the warm welcome. Although I have learned a lot of truth lately, I am not quite a Biblical expert. I don't have a ton of insight to share, but I look forward to learning from everyone on here. You guys all seem very intelligent and loving. I've wanted to make an account on here for a while, but I just got too busy with school, work, sports, and other college stuff. Don't worry, I behave myself better than most guys my age. :winkgrin: Now that I really only have work to worry about, I have no excuse. My goal is to gain more knowledge of the truth that I can take back to college with me in the fall to share and hopefully enlighten my peers.
Awesome! Spread the light! :dsunny:
Welcome, Max! You know how God made everything, even the very atoms, and those atoms are never really destroyed. How much less us, who are more valuable than many sparrows, as Jesus said. God's job is salvation, not condemnation - even His punishments are for that. We don't serve a vindictive God who has His finger always poised over the "Smite" button, no, we serve a God of Love, of Compassion, Who has so much more in store for us than the here-and-now. :friendstu:
Quote from: Lazarus Short on May 17, 2013, 05:36:41 PM
Welcome, Max! You know how God made everything, even the very atoms, and those atoms are never really destroyed. How much less us, who are more valuable than many sparrows, as Jesus said. God's job is salvation, not condemnation - even His punishments are for that. We don't serve a vindictive God who has His finger always poised over the "Smite" button, no, we serve a God of Love, of Compassion, Who has so much more in store for us than the here-and-now. :friendstu:
LOVE IT!