It has bee awhile

[Sherrie]

I see some names that I recognize from other forums that are no longer around and just wanted to see what you are all thinking about these days.  It was about five years ago that God exploded the borders of my mind that boxed Him in and I saw for the first time His Sovereignty over all and it is only when He has mercy on someone that they believe.  He will have mercy on all in due time.   Like many of you changed your mind about other things I too have as well.  Look forward to hearing what you all are saying.

Sherrie

[ScarletWren]

HI Sherrie,

Welcome back, tho I am fairly new to this forum myself.  Looking forward to you sharing your ideas with us.

[rosered]

 

  Ditto , I am kind of old and new as well  :thumbsup:   God bless you all  :HeartThrob:

[Sherrie]

Thank you Scarlet and Rosered for your warm greetings.  I don't know you but would like to ask you both a question.  What has been the most mind changing revelation you have had in the last couple of years and what brought it about?

Sherrie

[Paul Hazelwood]

Welcome, Sherrie

[firstborn888]

What has been the most mind changing revelation you have had in the last couple of years and what brought it about?

Sherrie

Welcome Sherrie!

Probably the biggest shift of ideas in the last couple of years for me was coming to an understanding that the transformation of mankind from living in the darkness to living in the light is not going to happen through (what we call) the evangelical church. In fact, the negativity spewing from pulpits across the globe made it impossible for me to even remain in that system at all.

I now work freely together with 'secular' organizations who's goal is the relief of oppression and suffering for humanity. Now I now can clearly see the heart of God manifesting itself outside the walls of Christianity as well as within.   :Sparkletooth:

[ScarletWren]

Hi again Sherrie,

That's a bit difficult for me to answer.  I have been recovering from a very shocking divorce that left me reeling.  I thought i was getting pretty spiritual and weening myself from the physical when wham, I'm left alone with the problem of trying to figure out how to support myself.  I had never been alone in my life (I'm 59 now, had just turned 54 when it happened) and I became crippled emotionally and in other ways.  So I guess I learned that I didn't know anything about myself and I found myself in situations I never imagined I could be in and didn't react very well.  By His grace I have battled my way out of the blackness but I have a long way to go to be what I feel I should be.  I really identify with Mickiels' thread about the other side of bondage, I seem to have been given a whole new vantage point of what God is doing and have withdrawn from the orthodox 'church' but I don't feel I'm worthy of the 'vision' I've been given. (I had been learning this prior to the time my ex left me....he had no interest in any of the things I had been studying but never complained about my change of belief....he had never really been much into spiritual things, never that he would share with me anyway)   But God is the potter so we'll see what he's fashioning in due time.

Other than the discovery that no one was going to the traditional concept of 'hell' I think the thing that rocked and thrilled me (prior to the time of my personal dilemma)  was that God had a purpose for all this suffering and evil that has entered into His universe.

Hope your 2009 brings you joy and contentment in our Lord.

[Sherrie]

Hello to you Paul.

Thanks also for the welcome Firstborn  and thought a lot about what you said: 

"I now work freely together with 'secular' organizations who's goal is the relief of oppression and suffering for humanity. Now I now can clearly see the heart of God manifesting itself outside the walls of Christianity as well as within."
You have certainly been given a gift to see the heart of God manifesting itself outside the walls of Christianity and made me think about that.  Thanks for sharing.

ScarltetWren,
I was humbled by your words of suffering as one can read between the lines and can't even imagine what you have been through these last five years or so.  I am so sorry.

It was encouraging to hear that by God's grace that you have been battling your way of blackness and that He has shown you that He  has a purpose in all the evil that is in the world and also all that He has a purpose for good in the evil that has come upon you as well.  It sound like you are enduring and that has a great reward!  Thanks for sharing as well.

Sherrie

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Welcome to the board again Sherrie. I am like rosered, was here, then not here, ect.

ScarlettWren, I just want to offer a word of encouragement. The same thing basically happened to me when I came to the Lord, but it took a few years. The Lord showed me that that was one of the reasons He appeared to me in my life then, because without Him I would have never had the strength to go through all that I did during the time period that was to come.

If I could share anything with you of hope, let me tell you that although it looks dark, He has a plan to put you exactly where you were destined to walk at this time, and with whom. He has a purpose for those born of this generation that is greater than we can imagine, and greater than anything we leave behind.

We cannot outdo God, His best is always part of the plan, though we may have to walk through some dark times before we see it in the natural, it was in His heart to give it to us all along. Continue to praise Him, even when you don't feel like it, and your circumstances will change faster, because once the circumstances can't control you, there will be no more need for you to have them to overcome. Blessings to you.....

[Taffy]

Hi Sherrie
Welcome Once more... :icon_flower:

[Molly]

:cloud9: Welcome to the board again Sherrie. I am like rosered, was here, then not here, ect.

ScarlettWren, I just want to offer a word of encouragement. The same thing basically happened to me when I came to the Lord, but it took a few years. The Lord showed me that that was one of the reasons He appeared to me in my life then, because without Him I would have never had the strength to go through all that I did during the time period that was to come.

If I could share anything with you of hope, let me tell you that although it looks dark, He has a plan to put you exactly where you were destined to walk at this time, and with whom. He has a purpose for those born of this generation that is greater than we can imagine, and greater than anything we leave behind.

We cannot outdo God, His best is always part of the plan, though we may have to walk through some dark times before we see it in the natural, it was in His heart to give it to us all along. Continue to praise Him, even when you don't feel like it, and your circumstances will change faster, because once the circumstances can't control you, there will be no more need for you to have them to overcome. Blessings to you.....

wow that's amazing.  The same thing happened to me.  well, first a physic threw me out of her office because she couldn't handle all the negative stuff she was seeing in my future (I was seeing psychics in those days).  Then Jesus showed up and introduced himself.  Then all hell broke loose.

I never thought of it that way before, but, you're right--I wouldn't have had the strength to face hell without him.

Hi Sherrie!

[ScarletWren]

Thanks for your support and understanding.  Sympathy in small doses is always welcome, lol, but I can't afford to bask in it for long.

I have had my suspicions that God was giving me some of the revelations to comfort me when this all hit, I even have some suspicions that some of my experiences during my searching contributed to my ex leaving me. 

They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  I'm not so sure.  No, I didn't turn to drugs, didn't give in to long term depression, but I just can't figure out what I'm supposed to do.  I have no obsession in my life as far as a cause or vocation goes.  I work as a caregiver right now and it has its rewards but ...well I won't go into all that now.  I have been blessed in some ways.  Anyway, God has provided and I will trust Him cuz that's all I can do.

Thanks again, and I do laugh every day.  I'd go crazy if I couldn't find something to laugh about.

Peace!!

[Mark Christopher]

Pleasure to meet you Sherrie!

[jabcat]

Hi again Sherrie,

That's a bit difficult for me to answer.  I have been recovering from a very shocking divorce that left me reeling.  I thought i was getting pretty spiritual and weening myself from the physical when wham, I'm left alone with the problem of trying to figure out how to support myself.  I had never been alone in my life (I'm 59 now, had just turned 54 when it happened) and I became crippled emotionally and in other ways.  So I guess I learned that I didn't know anything about myself and I found myself in situations I never imagined I could be in and didn't react very well.  By His grace I have battled my way out of the blackness but I have a long way to go to be what I feel I should be.  I really identify with Mickiels' thread about the other side of bondage, I seem to have been given a whole new vantage point of what God is doing and have withdrawn from the orthodox 'church' but I don't feel I'm worthy of the 'vision' I've been given. (I had been learning this prior to the time my ex left me....he had no interest in any of the things I had been studying but never complained about my change of belief....he had never really been much into spiritual things, never that he would share with me anyway)   But God is the potter so we'll see what he's fashioning in due time.

Other than the discovery that no one was going to the traditional concept of 'hell' I think the thing that rocked and thrilled me (prior to the time of my personal dilemma)  was that God had a purpose for all this suffering and evil that has entered into His universe.

Hope your 2009 brings you joy and contentment in our Lord.

Welcome Sherrie.... and Scarlet, wanted to let you know I really appreciate this post.  "Not worthy of the vision"...excellent description.  I got'cha  :thumbsup:.   God's blessing, James.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Hi again; I had to smile when you said you were working as a caregiver. I don't know if you were working as a caregiver prior to this, but I just wanted to tell you of about 10 people I know who God latched onto, ALL OF US, including me, were led by Him into caregiver work, in one form or another, having never done it before. I think it has to do with humbling, and with the woman with the alabaster box.

The earthquakes of our life are when we feel the least control and wonder if God is in control, but that's actually when He is doing the most, we just can't see it until after the dust has settled. Blessings....

[ScarletWren]

Hi Cardinal,

No, I've always worked in an office when I worked.  One summer, back in Ohio, a neighbor asked me if I would help out his mother who had Alzheimer's and was staying with him for 6 months so his sister could have a break.  His wife worked and absolutely refused to take care of her even when she was home.  So he managed to recruit 3 of us in the housing addition to help her get up and showered and dressed in the morning and breakfast.  He pretty much got her ready at night.  On occasion I would go down in the afternoon to clean her up after an 'accident'.  He paid us tho I would probably have done it for nothing.  She was a sweetheart most of the time and it made me feel good to be a help.

I got a really good job as a legal secretary here in AZ when I first started looking but I couldn't handle the stress.  There were many reasons, only one other part time employee, too many court systems and billing ways and tho the attorney was a very nice woman in most ways, she had this way of rubbing me the wrong way with her views on money and her clients.  So I quit and then could not find another job--my age and lack of Spanish is a hindrance.  I decided to try caregiving and managed to get some financial help from the school itself.  The clinicals were a nightmare and I knew I could not work in a nursing home, but I tried an assisted living home.  In the Alzheimer's unit.  I couldn't take that either, there wasn't enough help and I felt like I was swimming against the current trying to treat the people like human beings and my back killed me all the time.  I now am working for an agency going to people's homes and only dealing with one client at a time.  It is much better and as I said has its rewards, yet there are no 'normal' benefits, not even vacation time.  I get paid only for the hours I work and unless I want to work weekends and evenings (usually weekends) I don't get enough hours as most of the clients only contract for 4 hours per day.  I have one that I stay 6 hours for one day a week.  I did work evenings and weekends a lot in the beginning but it severely limited my social life and seeing my kids so I rarely do it anymore.  But it has taught me a lot .  Anyway, my time in this field is limited unless God intervenes. 

I certainly have had all "sorts" of clients, some sweet, some otherwise, but it has been an adventure, lol.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: I know EXACTLY what you mean. He put me in home health after my divorce. I did it for 10 years then went to work for a group home company for 6. I learned much, both in the natural and spiritually. One of the most important, was to keep my mouth shut, LOL.

One day I was mad, and I was complaining to Him and very nearly went in to tear into my scheduler because she had removed me from a little old lady I was attached to, to put her friend in there instead. Just as I neared the bend to her office, He spoke to me, "SHE didn't send you elsewhere, I DID!"

Game over, slunk back down the hall, tail between legs, mouth SHUT.  :sigh:

[Paul Hazelwood]

What has been the most mind changing revelation you have had in the last couple of years and what brought it about?

It really was the realization that Gods love will never fail and that is one cause of universal reconciliation.

How it was brought about was through a personality conflict with the worship leader at the last church I went to of all things.

[jabcat]

Pretty "always" bothered (if not terrified) of the idea of hell and the eternal aspect of it...seemed like way too long to me  :laughing7:.  God brought me to what I thought was a terrible, depressing time in my life...then right in the middle of it, voila!   UR!  Thank you, God.  Just recently it seemed He told me He had to take me to that "awful" place to reveal it to me.  I certainly don't know the mind of God, but hey, He knows what works  :thumbsup:.