Sabine Grant

Salut BG... I have not been on line this week. I am glad you opened up that thread. I have shared in the past in other threads and also on private PMs how my conversion has allowed me to grow.... simply grow. The process is still on.. My faith has allowed me to get in touch with myself and realize the potential I have as a human being. As many people who came from dysfunctional homes, I lived for years as an adult child trying to rebuild myself or " who I was meant to be " out of my own strength. It was a constant battle as I was remaining restless and unable to relate to my own emotions. I had the feeling of being abnormal. I partook in a support group " Making peace with your past"' a 12 step program drawing from the attributes of Christ to promote healing. It was as if I were taking my first steps out of an emotional wheel chair.
The notion of grace is what freed me from the need to be someone I was not. I learned to get to know myself and cherish my potential. I found an acceptance of myself thru Christ. I did not need to perform anylonger and attempt to please the entire world to find a sense of worth.
Instead I found a motivation thru faith to use my potential. I reduced my need to place expectations on others and by doing so became more accepting of their own limitations. I truly came to terms with the necessary process to not judge anyone. I was not afraid anylonger to deal with my own weaknesses. I now cherish the fact that I can be moved and touched so easily.
All that I considered to be handicaps in my personality, is now a tool to work with people. I am not afraid anylonger of whom I am. I feel my emotions and am grateful that I have them.
My conversion was the start of healing.

Ronin

Hey, Sabine! Missed you much, doll.

I hope you're not experiencing any of that notorious French bashing down there in FL.

Great personal testimonial.

Of course, you know where I stand, and I have yet to have the issues I posted addressed...either here or in our fiery past.

Let me know when you can resolve anomaly of the biblical fable presented as the characterization of Christ with the common concept of a good and loving person.

Perhaps, it may be for another day or another thread.

Stay safe, stay happy.

GrandDesigner

I wont go into detail but I will say it wasn't as much finding Jesus as much as just seeing how things work. I am not Christian but I certainly feel like my soul has been awakened over the past few years. But getting to that point, leads me to comment on a statement like this next one...

You know, I really thought that Christians would actually like to share what their beliefs have done for them.


You see, the point I arrived at was quite wonderful, and I imagine it's the same for Christians...or anyone who gets there. But seeing how everything works and realizing a lot of the why's and whatnots, that go on, made me reflect. I dont know about anyone else but after arriving at that point I realized I didn't want to spoil it for anyone else. Because everything leads up to that moment.

I will say that the beginning of that road started with a small happening in my life which made me realize everything has been laid out rather neatly. There is a reason for everything. Know it.

Grand Ol Designer

Ronin

SARS, HIV....etc.

Then again, you didn't assert that there was a good reason...so, perpetual and natural interdependent causes and effects do work together, I will agree, if that is of what you speak.

Amos

Nice, very nice and that is where you might have an advantage over Christians who never really had a change to arrive at "that point" in their life and therefore they will try to spoil it for everyone else.

Like you say, everything has a purpose and the end of our searching will be to arrive at the place we first started and know it now as if for the first time. Christians are really to be pitied here because they/most/all of them will have been led into the desert long before their own time and therefore will never re-cognize that everything in life has a purpose.

Sabine Grant

Missed you too .... I am considering flying my french flag on July 14th... Thanks for the kind words. Definitly another day or night and other thread.
Grosses bises, Vero.

malookiemaloo

Speaking personally, I found I was utterly convicted by the authority of the Bible and the Gospel message in particular.

A new creature I believe refers to status befire God-it does not mean a Christian stops sinning.

I think my personality has not changed but I do tend to have a bit more consideration for others (not trying to blow my own trumpet, by the way).


m

Stephen T-B

I’m a sentimental old fool and have been quite moved by the stuff I’ve read here. HelenM’s little statement and GeoTheo’s longer ones made it quite difficult to read the screen...
My ambivalent feelings about religion have, as a result, been increased.

I suppose the fact is that the efficacy of religious beliefs is demonstrated by the fact that they are so widespread and have endured for so long. They do things which nothing else can, and when it’s good it’s very very good.
But when it’s bad, it’s horrid.

I’m half inclined not to dwell on that side - seems a bit negative - but hey, this is an Infidel’s site where we are supposed to bang the gods around a bit. (And I console myself with the thought that the Christians who come here are perfectly aware of that - and presumably can cope with it.)

So here’s what I know: I was brought up within a very demanding Christian movement which required of its followers that their lives be changed, and one way of showing that this had happened was to adopt a proscribed manner which included a spring in the step, a happy expression and a positive outlook.
It came naturally, I’m sure, to those who had recently been “changed,” but as the years went on, it became an increasingly tough facade to maintain and caused, I am perfectly sure, considerable stress.
The facade was, of course, just part of a much larger package which, I think, considerably increased the stress for many.
Probably I’m jumping to conclusions here, but I understand that stress can weaken a person’s resistance to certain cancers, and I think that this may explain who so many of my parents’ friends within the movement were killed by cancers in their 60s and 70s.

Amos

Thanks Stephen, it takes courage to write that but I love it.