| Author | Message | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 17 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hi everybody, I just have a question. This summer when I traded Jesus for the Sabbath and the whole SDA security blanket I was miraculously healed of an addiction I'd had my whole life (since age 12). The healing lasted about 4 or 5 months. Since then the healing has gone away and the addiction (eating problem) has come back. Sometimes it feels like a dirty trick. My 20th academy reunion is coming up in a couple weeks and I just don't even want to go for how I look. Have any of you been given a healing when you left Adventism? Have any of your healings been taken away? I'd love some feed back on this. Lisa | ||
| Bob Registered user Username: Bob Post Number: 142 Registered: 7-2000  |
Lisa, it is wonderful when a disease condition or an addiction is removed immediately. However, I believe that healing also may come over time, and that God sometimes heals us by leading us, step by step, to deal with underlying issues in our lives that helped create the condition. Sometimes those issues are things about which we have had a degree of resistance or denial. If that is the case, God may indirectly lead us to deal with the denial and resistance, rather than just to remove the obvious symptoms. He doesn't just want to heal us, but to cure us for good! That being said, I think some "cures" must wait until we are resurrected with new, glorious bodies, free from the influence and effects of sin! | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1251 Registered: 3-2004  |
Lisa, Boy, can I identify with you. I have an eating disorder and have belonged to a support group for over 20 years. When I was baptized into a Christian church last June God took my disorder, for 6 weeks. The in August of last year He took it again for about 2 months. When I was baptized, I though it was gone for good and was very surprised it came back. If you want to talk to me more about it, write Colleen and ask her for my e-mail address. Colleen, when you read this you can give my email adress to Lisa. I have been talking to God about it a lot, since I was baptized. I have read of alcoholics, who when they were baptized Christians, their compulsion for alcohol was taken from them. That is what I want for me, but God has not done it, yet and I talk to God about it daily. E-mail me and we can talk in depth about it. God lets everything happen for a reason, I have to remind myself. So we can be supportive of each other. Diana | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1662 Registered: 12-2003  |
Lisa, our addictions are so linked to our emotions and our spiritual conditions that when something as astonishing as meeting Jesus and being born again happens, it overwhelms the deep need that drove the addictions. (At least this is how I understand the phenomenon!) As time passes and life goes on, the intensity of our new relationship with Jesus ebbs and flows with the stresses of life, and our underlying wounds and broken places begin to exert their influence again--as Bob indicated above. God wants to heal those broken places. Now that you are born again, you have real hope of finding His healing. He doesn't just wipe our memories and hearts clean (although He wipes all sin from our identities!). He saves us IN our sins, and then he heals us from them. The struggle of surrender of the pieces of our hearts and lives and memories is an ongoing process. As God reveals the issues that drive our addictions, we can surrender them to Him, asking Him to be in charge of those things because we can't do it. We can ask God to heal our hearts. I often pray that God will show me what I need to see, teach me what I need to know, change what needs to be changed, and do in me what He wants to accomplish. Surrender is ongoing--and as we surrender, our compulsions begin to lose their power. Sometimes, as Bob and Diana have pointed out, our progressive surrendering takes years, but our freedom in Jesus keeps growing. Sometimes the struggle never is over. 2 Corinthians 12 has Paul begging God to remove a "thorn" from his flesh, but God did not and said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." With prayers for all of us as we learn to walk with the Spirit, Colleen | ||
| Foreverscout Registered user Username: Foreverscout Post Number: 10 Registered: 3-2005 |
First of all I want to say that this is only my personal experience and should be judged as such. I am a recovering drug-addict; meth-aphetamine was my drug of choice although I used and abused many street drugs. I currently have 13 years clean. God never took something from me that I wasn't completely willing to give up. I still think about and dream about meth a lot, sometimes I still want it. With God's help I stay clean every day. Now, if only I could really want to stop smoking. I'm His work in progress, Foreverscout | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1670 Registered: 12-2003 |
Foreverscout--thank you for sharing your experience. Praise God for his power in your life! I believe you are right about God not taking away anything we don't really want to give up. Surrender really is what it's all about. Colleen | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 86 Registered: 3-2005 |
My prayers go out to you Lisa, Diana, and foreverscout. Eating disorders and drug addictions are real problems. As a physician, I have seen many struggle through these issues. God is faithful, and He will work out His healing. But also watch out for those in the "so called" Christian community, who will try to tell you that it is only because you don't have enough faith, that you are not healed. These people will plant an incredible guilt trip. We are praying in support of you. Stan | ||
| Stardoc57 Registered user Username: Stardoc57 Post Number: 6 Registered: 4-2004 |
Hi Stan, It's good to see that there is another doc on this site of "formers". Are you a LLU grad? If so, what year? What area of the country is your practice? After spending my entire education years in the SDA system, it was hard to recognize that all those teachers and clinicians I looked up to may not know the Bible. I was blinded by their aura until I began to study for myself. I'm glad that I did not stay in a SDA ghetto to practice. I was forced to study for myself when I met many wonderful christian physicians who were not enslaved by the SDA doctines. I'd love to hear your story sometime. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1260 Registered: 3-2004 |
Stardoc57, Welcome to FAF. Glad you decided to speak up and make yourself known. Please tell us, when you can, about your journey out of Adventism. Our God is awesome. Diana | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1262 Registered: 3-2004 |
Stan, Thanks for the prayers. Through my 20 years in a support group, I have learned not to let anyone, well meaning or not, plant any kind of guilt trip on me. God has given me the insight to see guilt trips when they come my way. In 2001, before I left VA to come to NV, I was attending church sporadically at the local SDA church. I met a lovely Christian couple there who befriended me and we are still friends. The pastor was a wonderful man with whom I could speak honestly about my relationship with God. So I asked if he and the church elders would anoint me for my eating disorder. They came over, anointed me and prayed over me. I was disappointed that God did not take the eating disorder. Looking back on it I think if I had been healed I would have rejoined the SDA church there in VA. At the time I did not like to hear EGW quoted in church. Through my support group I learned how much God loves me and I was the happiest I had ever been, in spite of my eating disorder. I did not want to go back into the legalism of the SDA church. So I am glad God did not heal me at that time. I work with people who are sick because of being overweight and I do want to stay healthy. I am very blessed that so far, God has kept me healthy. I want to give up the extra eating and sugar/carbs that triggers my disorder. I do not even want to taste them any more. That is something I pray about one day at a time. God is awesome. Diana | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 92 Registered: 3-2005 |
Stardoc 57, HI, Welcome to FAF! I am an LLU grad 76 B. My name is Stan Ermshar, and I would like toget in touch with you. Since we are asked not to post e mail addresses, you have permission to get my e mail and phone numbers from Richard. Stan | ||
| Skip Registered user Username: Skip Post Number: 17 Registered: 3-2005 |
"Now, if only I could really want to stop smoking." Foreverscout: I just stopped smoking a few weeks ago but it was very different than any time before. I didn't SAY to anybody that I was "going to stop somking" and all I did was to cut back my intake a little at a time. First I cut back to where I had only one or two smokes in the morning and afternoon, and maybe one or two in the evening. Then back to one for the morning and one for the afternoon. By the time I told the family that I'd "stopped" of "cut back" they were shocked how easy it had been for me bacause I still have not said I've "stopped." Once in a while I'll have a smoke with a family member, but I don't let that bother me at all and I just go back to NOT HAVING any smokes for several days after having "Just one." If you quite like this and just say you've "cut back" you may find it easier to stop. It was the COST that drove me to stop and I just couldn't see setting fire to that much money all the time. Skip skipbaker@cox.net | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 18 Registered: 3-2005 |
Dear Friends, Wow, my life has been so rushed with kids and baseball games and birthdays and a friend who is moving that I just now am reading your responses to my question. I know the surrender thing is a daily thing, and he is faithful when I'm not stubborn. I think leaving Adventism was such a shocking thing, it was almost like being in love or being set free from a concentration camp or something so dramatic that my body responded the way I would if I were in shock. Now that I'm getting comfortable with the freedom and getting use to the change, the food thing is more of a daily thing, and not something totally gone, but it's not overpowering me either... it's really about choices. I have a question for the former SDA docs... is it true that abortions are done at Loma Linda and Portland SDA hospitals or clinics associated to them but without the bold SDA name of them for obvious reasons? There is an entire movement going inside the SDA church (not supported by the SDA leaders) who picket camp meetings and churches saying that SDA's do abortions. There's even a web site... I don't have the site address. Ok, thanks be to God that God forgives all my sins, that I can pray for those who are justifying and reacting their way through life, too numb and prideful to know exactly what they are doing, and that he forgives them too, when they say yes to him. Lisa | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 151 Registered: 8-2004 |
I'm not a Doc but yes they do, or did. Mom had to help with one to get her MD as part of training back in the 70's. I know of at least one SDA hospital who did change their bylaws to state that they will NOT do convenience abortions, but that is the exception not the rule. | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 103 Registered: 3-2005 |
Lisa, I have told this story before, but my younger brother was a GYN resident in the 80's, at the White Memorial Hospital, and he definitely told me that they happened all the time there. It is part of the LLU culture. For instance, in the LLU alumni journal back in '85, they printed an article, "Abortion, a Moral Choice"!! Would you believe that they did not get one letter of protest at least that they would publish. On this web site you can read the story of Tesa Beem, when she called George Reid, at the GC, who told her that Washington Adventist hospital had become an abortion mill. So, it is still going on. Welcome again to FAF. Stan | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 508 Registered: 1-2003 |
I thought this might be a good thing to add to this thread. I asked God... I asked God to take away my habit. God said, No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up. I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. God said, No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary. I asked God to grant me patience. God said, No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned. I asked God to give me happiness. God said, No. I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you. I asked God to spare me pain. God said, No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me. I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, No. You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful. I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, No. I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things. I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me. God said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea. All that said...sometimes I think God leaves thorns in our sides to keep us humble. Remember the Apostle Paul also had a thorn. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1700 Registered: 12-2003 |
Thank you, Pheeki. I've been reading a book (I've mentioned it before) called "Authentic Faith" by Gary Thomas. It is very good--he has a chapter in which he talks about suffering. He makes a compelling case for suffering--even unexplained and severe suffering--being the vehicle for God's grace, for God to glorfiy Himself through us, and to mature us. As a matter of fact, I read this chapter yesterday as I waited while Richard accompanied a friend of ours into an urgent care examining room. This friend is young--about 47--and he had a cerebellar stroke which was diagnosed within the past four weeks. His symptoms were becoming so severe that his vertigo and tremors were preventing him from working. This friend lives alone, cannot drive in his condition, and is facing possible permanent disability. I was really compelled to pray that God would glorify himself in this situation, that His peace and comfort and healing and sovereignty would calm his fear and redeem the situation. I have to share a quote from Thomas's chapter on suffering: "I've learned that because God is in me, He's also in the middle of the mess, and I've learned that the mess is there to show me where I'm hanging my hope." Colleen | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 19 Registered: 3-2005 |
What a beautiful poem. As I think about my issue, God has showed me how to not have it, and it's a matter of me saying yes, and wanting to, and putting him first so that I have the desire to do what he askes. it's the small stuff, eating sitting down. Making a plate of food, not running like a chicken all the time, etc... He daily helps me, I sometimes just want a quick fix. Thank you for the reminder that He always says yes to the request to love someone I don't want to love. Lisa | ||
| Foreverscout Registered user Username: Foreverscout Post Number: 19 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hi Skip, I've actually got it down to about 4-6 cigs a day. I quit smoking the vanilla cigarettes that I like and only take those few regular ones from my husband, (who has not even come close to quitting despite his stroke). I quit smoking during the day at work. I don't even enjoy them anymore, except for the one in the morning with my cup of coffee. I have quit many times before, once for 11 years! The toughest thing to do, even though I have done it before, is to quit smoking when I live with a smoker. The real problem is wanting wholeheartedly to quit, part of me still wants to smoke. Foreverscout | ||
| Loneviking Registered user Username: Loneviking Post Number: 327 Registered: 7-2000 |
I'd bet it's quite a relief for the smokers here to come out of the closet! You could never post what you have posted here on an SDA forum! | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 509 Registered: 1-2003 |
We all have an issue...even the outwardly holy SDA's...I have drank alcohol since I was in Academy...most of us did. There have been times in my life when I have used it as a comfort and it has gotten out of control...just as your eating has, Lisa. Moderation is the key. Eating and drinking is not bad, over eating and drunkeness is. I don't think you should get involved with this group, as they have been proven to be a cult, but the Weigh Down Workshop really helped me lose weight. I went from 139 pounds to 122 in 12-weeks just using their principles. Here are a few tips...you might already know this...and by the way...I now weigh 150 pounds so I have totally not used these principals of late. Only eat after your stomach growls. You have to find your true hunger and the first time, it took 24-hours for my stomach to growl. When you do eat, cut your portions in half...especially if you are at a restaurant with their big portions, ask for a doggy bag and go ahead and put half of it up for another meal right at the first. Eat slowly and put your fork down after each bite, take a sip of beverage between bites (The SDA didn't like this tip...Ellen said not to drink with meals, remember?)...if you mess up and eat before your true hunger strikes, then you have to push your reset button IOW: wait for your true hunger to come back, the growl. What you are supposed to do, is when you get your head hunger (not the growl) instead of going to the refrigerator, you open your bible. That is WDWS in a nutshell. You can eat anything you want, start with dessert first if you want, but only in moderation. Whatever size piece of cake you normally cut, cut it in half. I recently read a book called, French Women Don't get Fat...which also covers some of these prinicples...she suggests a Leek soup for two days to shrink the stomach and detoxify...you can always return to the Leek soup if you over do it. Anyway, hope this was helpful. My problem is having 2-3 sugary alcoholic drinks a night, that really puts the weight on. | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 20 Registered: 3-2005 |
Dear Pheeki, Thank you for your honesty. Ya, I have tried Weigh Down. God has been asking me to lead a group for something called Thin Within. It's similar to Weigh Down, but GRACE BASED!!! Which protects from cultic like problems. It's really awesome when I do it. Lisa | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 512 Registered: 1-2003 |
Cool. Let me know how it works. You know, WDWS kind of planted seeds that started me thinking SDAism might be wrong. Gwen presented texts that as an SDA I had never seen or thought about..."Eat anything in the meatmarket..." etc. And I did lose the weight...still Gwen went off the deep end and has labeled herself a prophet now and her church is the remnant...sound familiar? | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 27 Registered: 3-2005 |
Isn't it wild how predictable people are.... Paul talked about another gospel and spelled out what we would try to do with the real thing, and sure enough, it happens over and over and over. God was so good to warn us. Lisa | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 329 Registered: 5-2002 |
Amazing how the Scriptures are always fulfilled! |
