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| Lisa_m Registered user Username: Lisa_m Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2007 |
Hello! I have been lurking since earlier this year. This is my first attempt at posting. I was never baptized into the Adventist church. I sent off for their literature-the search for the true church by joe crews. I found the link on a freebie list of all things! The webpage never said what church was giving the booklets away though. I read the whole thing over and over and began praying and studying and felt I had found the church God wanted me at. anyway, by co-inky-dink, my aunt and her husband were members of the SDA church. I and my son began attending with them on Saturdays. I went about 10 Saturdays, + or - a few days. After that gas prices went up and since the church was so far away and my aunt was so far away and I couldn't drive, me and my son were left to fend for ourselves, having Sabbath at our house, by ourselves. I got a 10 second visit from the pastor one time. But I think he mostly came because he couldn't for the life of hime figure out who had filled out the visitors card! I got nothing from the church after that, no calls, no visits, no information, nothing. I felt like I was floundering in the deep dark ocean that is Adventism.I had no idea how anyone could think Sabbath was their favorite day. All it was for me was a big pain in the butt! I tried to enjoy it. I would gve my son his lesson and try to make it interesting. I would try to do my lesson while he drew pictures. (hard to really study a lesson with a young child!) I would try to plan special things we could do within walking distance of the house(since I don't drive). there was a walk to the river (where we have a small, unkempt private area for the people on our street) and have lunch there. Walk to the next street (20 minutes away) to see their animal farm from the road. and my personal favorite,take a walk in the woods and gather ticks!yuck! I hated to see my son watching his cousins skating by on the road or playing on their trampoline. I felt so sad for him because I couldn't get him to church to be around other kids with our beliefs. I hated that I was under such stress when Sabbath came that I was always cranky. What got me worst was the day my son said to me,"I hate Sabbath cause you are always mean to me!" That got me thinking. I must be doing something wrong! I figured I am praying to God,but I have to do something too. I don't have the SDA church tv channel, but I have the internet. I started looking up about the SDA church and Sabbath and Ellen White. I could barely understand her writings, so I was looking for more modern SDA writers. But what I found was a group of SDA people who broke off from the pack! one website was ellenwhite.org. and I was shocked at what they were saying. I wasn't even baptized and I thought these must be the people ellen white warned about. Well, I didn't go back online to look for a few months because I was afraid I'd be reading the ex SDA stuff and be led astray. Then out of the blue my aunt called and we were talking about things and my uncle wanted to know when I wanted to get baptized. I knew why I hadn't asked to be baptized yet. I loved the church and most of the people were great. I had never been to a church where there were all colors and races and I adored that about it. But I had already been baptized once and possibly 1 time before when I was a small child (my mom says, but I don't remember and I think she is remember the Mormon baptism) anyway, why did I need to be rebaptized to join the church? I didn't understand the investigative judgement and I hated the fact that you had to believe in Ellen White as a prophet to be baptized. (as if being ostracized for not doing anything on Saturday wasn't bad enough, then I start reading their materials and realize the church was started by a lady who got conked on the head and then started having visions) I couldn't believe in her when I never knew her and she wasn't mentioned as a prophet in any Bible I had read. Anyway, to make a long story short, I had no other recourse, and I started to read the stuff on the internet that the ex SDA people were writing and I studied the BIble and found out that their stuff made more sense than the SDA stuff I was studying.And eventually, I ended up here and here I have stayed. So I continued praying and didn't get any red lights from God, so that next Sabbath, I had a free day. It was so nice to see my son smile on Sabbath! excuse me, Saturday! The SDA church didn't really do anything for me except lead me so far into a false religion that I still have trouble with the beliefs that I learned, take away time I could have been spending with my other family members instead of sitting around the house trying to figure out something Sabbath-like to do. Oh yeah, and they took my money. I feel like the old widow in the Bible. I only had a little due to the fact that I am a stay at home mom and my husband does not give me any money of my own to spend, so if there is something I want, I find something I can bear to part with and sell it. So always, 10% went to the church. And that is money I could have used that was probably padding the pastors wallet when I had to wear the same pair of black pants each week to church and a dirty pair of tennis shoes since I didn't own dress shoes! there were so many times when I needed something, or my son needed a haircut....you get the idea we weren't rich and . (Thankfully God has blessed my husband with a better job, so we aren't struggling like we were before.) anyway, sorry for griping. Sometimes I'm sad when I think about the church and sometimes I'm angry and sometimes I'm just confused. There is a little Baptist church down the street from me and I am thinking about going to it. I used to attend when I was a child and loved it. Then my father died and we started going to a Mormon church for a few years (never did believe their stuff)but that is another story. Anyway, I have many questions and I hope I don't sound like a mean person when I gripe about the church, but I wasn't much of a christian to begin with. I was trying, but I got to be me. God is changing me though. he is working hard on me and I am trying to listen, but it ain't easy! In friendship (and hoping she didn't offend anyone), Lisa P.S.- I love to read all the discussions and I love the humor I see on here, how you all can laugh at yourselves and at the things you used to believe in. | ||
| Susans Registered user Username: Susans Post Number: 398 Registered: 8-2006 |
Welcome, Lisa! We are glad you are here and look forward to getting to know you better. Susan | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 987 Registered: 8-2004  |
Welcome to the forum Lisa! I'm glad you have enjoyed reading. I hope you'll find even more enjoyment in participating! Make yourself at at home. Mary | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1218 Registered: 9-2006  |
Lisa, Welcome, I do believe this is the first time I have ever thanked God for the outrageous gas prices, if it kept you out of there, I don't aim to gripe the next time I go to the pumps!  I didn’t think your post was complaining at all, in fact I really enjoyed your whole post. I am going to be praying for you, please pray for us. River | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 4082 Registered: 3-2004  |
Lisa, Thank God you are here. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!!! Seeing as you have been reading here a while, you have seem that many here complain about the things they learned in the SDA church. If I did not laugh, I would cry. I will be praying that God leads you to the church where you and your son can grow in Him and learn more about Him. You will find He is so awesome. Diana | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 725 Registered: 6-2006  |
Hi Lisa! Glad you joined us. I'm sure you'll learn as much as I have, which is a lot. I think you should go try the Baptist church. They don't have any modern day prophets. What area of the country do you live, if you don't mind me asking? Leigh Anne | ||
| Toria Registered user Username: Toria Post Number: 175 Registered: 2-2006  |
Hi Lisa; I join the others in giving you a BIG WELCOME to the forum. So glad you joined us. I enjoyed reading your post, and look forward to hearing more from you. Blessings Toria | ||
| Luzisbornagain Registered user Username: Luzisbornagain Post Number: 77 Registered: 7-2007 |
Welcome Lisa. I also enjoyed reading your post and am glad God led you to the truth and reaching out to you. I'm also new here, too. and feel right at home. | ||
| Lisa_m Registered user Username: Lisa_m Post Number: 2 Registered: 4-2007 |
thank you everyone for your welcome! I live in Florida and it so humid here today.Whew! At first when I started thinking about leaving the Adventism teachings in my dust, I was afraid that someone would know and they would be coming to my door trying to talk me out of it. It's funny, when I first got into Adventism and learned of EGW and started reading the great controversy, I was so afraid. What terrified me most was thinking of the last days and my own family turning me in or murdering my son and I because some fake Jesus told them to. that is another thing that woke me up about it. It hurt me so bad to think of my own family turning against me. I would go over and over it in my mind. And I just couldn't believe that they would do that, no matter what that woman saw in her visions! Not my family! they may not have believed in my church (my aunt's words were, "a bunch of Bulldookey")(not the exact word she said, but I can't write that here) (I laugh about it now!wish I had listened to her) anyway, they may not have believed in it, but they supported me as much as they could. my brother and sister would even have their children's b-day parties on Sundays so my son and I could go! But now I was so afraid that because I was getting out of adventism, they would start finally paying attention to me and come seeking me. But I'm not afraid anymore. I even talked to my aunt, even though I felt kinda bad (for some reason) because she and her husband had done so much for me. I told her about me not doing Sabbath anymore and the problems I had with the adventist religion and EGW's teachings and she admitted that she had questions about it too! My uncle is a different story, he was raised in the religion and started reattending after he married my aunt, sent his son and 2 of her boys away to the North Carolina school (another thing I did not want to send my baby away!) and he is very outspoken. if he does not agree with something going on at church, he lets them know. I pray that he and my Aunt will happen upon the ex-SDA sites and start questioning the things they believe. I think he is very strong willed and if he lets himself really think about the points that the ex-SDA people bring up, I think he will see why he has such a hard time at all the churches he visits. I still have alot of questions and will be posting alot and asking for everyone's opinions and bible knowledge. | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 726 Registered: 6-2006 |
Lisa, In my opinion, from what I've learned in my experience, SDAism is built on nothing but fear. Fear when you get in, fear for your salvation when you're a member, and fear when you think about wanting out. Doesn't that sound horrible? Not only that, but it just seems as if there is no hope. You work at being perfect so you can pass the IJ, but then you know that NO ONE is perfect, and yet you keep trying because you've been told that Jesus won't come back until you're "ready"... what rubbish! Really, I never could understand why my SDA family even needed Jesus in the first place, if all it takes is keeping the 10 commandments. Jesus said that he is the TRUTH. There is no "new" truth, as the SDA church will tell you. Just Jesus! Definitely try the Baptist church you're thinking about. Also, shop around a bit. Think of if you want a traditional service, or a more contemporary kind. Remember, you're going for spiritual nourishment and worship. Firstly, pray that the Lord will direct your steps and help you find your church family. He is faithful! Leigh Anne (Message edited by grace_alone on August 05, 2007) | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 134 Registered: 5-2007  |
Lisa, Based on my own experience, I would guess that not many from the church will bother to investigate why you are gone. In my case, only one person came to me and even he didn't ask what my problem was. Only when I returned to the Lord, did one family member inquire why I wasn't coming to the SDA church. When I said I believed EGW was a false prophet, she got mad at me and never brought up the topic again. In fact, I had to ask to be removed from the membership rolls when I was ready to join an evengelical church. Phil | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6476 Registered: 12-2003  |
Welcome, Lisa-M! So glad to have you with us and to getting to know you! Colleen | ||
| Olga Registered user Username: Olga Post Number: 79 Registered: 11-2005 |
Welcome to the forum! I see you are in Florida, what part? I'm in South Florida (pretty muggy down here too). olga | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 1203 Registered: 4-2000  |
Welcome Lisa-m! My mother-in-law lives in Avon Park. I am familiar with Florida weather. It was unusually humid and hot here in eastern Nebraska today as well. Perhaps we are under one of the last plagues that our Adventist friends keep worrying about (smile). We look forward to your participation in our discussions. Dennis Fischer |
