| Author |
Message |
Liberty
Registered user
Username: Liberty
Post Number: 2
Registered: 2-2007
| | Posted on Friday, March 02, 2007 - 4:59 pm: |     |
Hi everyone, I am new here and really enjoy this forum. After some months reading, I would now like to share my story with you (sorry for my English itís not my first language). I will post in several sections as it would be too long to read by once.
Part 1/5
I was raised as an SDA and this was very very hard on me. My mom, elder sister and I used to live at the time at my grandpa and this was a huge deal for 18 long years. He was very conservative and would spend most of the time talking about EGW, the bible says this, the bible says that, St Paul says this etcÖ We were not going to church then because my mother was unwed when I was born (my father left before birth) and she was cast out of the church (wonderful loving brothers/sisters arenít theyÖ).
During 18 years, I heard all day long: ìDonít do this, donít do that, it is forbidden to, God is watching you, donít you understand youíll pay for this and that when he comes? do thisî, and lots of things like that (guess you know what Iím talking about). He was a very machiavelic person and I couldnít understand how someone trying to make himself look to everyone as a very good SDA could be sometimes so malicious. I remember him yelling at JW knocking at our door: ìAnd if you continue this way youíll surely regret it!!î I was very shocked when at 6, I saw him throw my sister out of the house late evening (she was 23) for the only reason that she had asked to go to night club with her boyfriend (that he had not accepted by the way). I knew from then that someday my turn would come as well. All I had to do was survive till my 18 to leave home when I would go studying. 12 long years to goÖ I was forbidden to speak to my sister or even approach her (I was told that she would try to poison meÖ wow!), yes, she was a pagan now they saidÖ she wears jewelry, make-up, she is often bare shoulders Ö
Thanks God, he was always near me, he protected me, carried me in his arms, although I had not understood anything about all this stuff of religion where everything was forbidden. I just could not understand why it was forbidden to watch my favorite cartoons on Friday evening, or why it was such a sacrilege to eat a ham sandwich or even handle it, or had to get dressed this or that way, while my friends had no such rules. I could not figure out how things had to be so difficult to get accepted by God who was supposed to be someone good and kind, our heavenly father. When I read about Jesus life, I found rare things related to what I was taught, this Jesus scared me and I would rather stay out of his sight. I lived my first 10 years oppressed, and frightened by quite a lot of things, feeling as if God was always up there staring at all my mistakes or whatever I would do, to punish me. I raised up anxious, wandering if I would ever have time to get married before the Lordís return, and trying to learn hymns that I would remember in the mountains or in prison during the time of trouble, thinking also about the angel recording everything I say or do that would finally come to judgment against me in the latter days. I remember my mom telling me: ìOk, keep on hiding to watch tv in your room on Sabbath day and youíll see if it wonít explode at you, people canít play with Godî! I was very nervous about it but still kept doing it, lolÖ:o)
Part 2 following tomorrow...
Liberty |
Flyinglady
Registered user
Username: Flyinglady
Post Number: 3423
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 02, 2007 - 5:13 pm: | |
Liberty,
Welcome to FAF. We are so glad you are here and that you now have liberty in Jesus Christ. Isn't that awesome?
Diana |
Helovesme2
Registered user
Username: Helovesme2
Post Number: 848
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 02, 2007 - 5:47 pm: | |
Welcome Liberty!
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Dennis
Registered user
Username: Dennis
Post Number: 1002
Registered: 4-2000
| | Posted on Friday, March 02, 2007 - 6:02 pm: | |
Liberty,
A hearty FAF welcome! Thank you for sharing your journey with Jesus. I am looking forward to Part II.
Dennis Fischer |
Grace_alone
Registered user
Username: Grace_alone
Post Number: 472
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Friday, March 02, 2007 - 7:50 pm: | |
Welcome Liberty! I like the name you picked out and the title of this thread. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
You're among friends here!
 Leigh Anne |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 5476
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 12:00 am: | |
Liberty, Thank you for sharing your story with usóI'm also looking forward tothe next parts. Welcome; we're really glad you're here with us!
Colleen |
Dinolf
Registered user
Username: Dinolf
Post Number: 51
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 3:03 am: | |
Libery - so happy you have found liberty - from the slavery of man-made rules. Looking forward to the rest of the story. Pleas tell more about your context, i.e. the culture and contry you come from.
Bless
Dinolf |
River
Registered user
Username: River
Post Number: 554
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 3:44 am: | |
I second everyone else Liberty, so glad you are hear. I look forward to reading the rest of your story.
Jesus saves.
River |
Liberty
Registered user
Username: Liberty
Post Number: 3
Registered: 2-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 6:35 am: | |
Great thanks to all of you for this warm welcome! Iím really so happy that God led me to this forum. Colleen and Richard your ministry runs all over the world through this, thank you so much!! God bless!! I feel lots of love, peace and faith here and itís so much comfort to know that Iím no more alone struggling in my journey out of SDAism. You canít imagine how it helped me during the past 8 months!!
Diana, oh yes it is awesome to find liberty in Christ!!! so awesome!!! I feel new born.
Dinolf, Iíd love to, but for the moment I canít give too much details about the context/culture as my mom is not yet aware of my recent changes and I need to tell her asap before someone else does so if they recognize my story (I know she will be heartbroken so I must be very cautious about it). Anyway, I can already say that I live in Western Europe, Iím a 33 year old girl and my dream is to attend someday an FAF week-end like the one held recently. I sometimes go to USA on holidays so next time Iíll try to have this scheduled in my program.
Hereís part 2/5:
Time came for high school and for me it was the first step to freedom. I loved God although, as far as I could consider all this, but I started to rebel against all that stuff, mostly against my mom as my grandpa was quite violent in words and acts and would not stand any different point of view. I started wearing rings out of home, wow, I can remember when I forgot to take them off and came back homeÖ. Ooops!... bad time for meÖ Meanwhile, he decided that we should become vegetarians to get ready for Godís comingÖ aaargh very bad time!Ö And he used to condemn everything around: ìSee, these people are building a useless house, God is coming very soon see all the earthquakes and destruction, the house will be smashed downÖ people should urgently start preparing to leave cities and have their own fields to afford time of trouble, so shall we doîÖ. Oh no!Öno way!! I prayed so hard that we do not have to go and live in the woods with this horrible man!! God heard me, this never happened.
Worst thing for me anyway was prayer time to be done at a special time morning and evening (6:00am / 8:00pm) week-ends included, because ìUnderstand? God and his angels are there waiting and they are on time, so if you are not there you miss your date and blessings blah blah blahÖî (At some point, he tried to convince us that she should also do so at 12:00 as Daniel was praying 3 times/day). We would often finish very late, reading all sorts of books (EGW), about 2 or 3 hours later sometimes, this was kind of a daily nightmare to me. I even managed to change time on all the clocks to save half an hour or more. Sabbath days were worse, we had about 5 different kinds of hymnal books, we were sitting there all day long (with a break for lunch), getting out all a large amount of books (EGW of course) out of which were pointed out all special parts showing how a good SDA has to behave, especially teenagers like me obviously. All the usual silly things like angels waiting out of the theater, and that for sure something would happen to you if you go there. I can remember how scared I was when my sister took me to the movies for the first time of my life, I was around 12 (our grandpa knew nothing about this of course), I barely saw the movie and you know why? During 2 hours I kept watching the ìemergency exitî light in case there would be a fire or some other catastrophic matter and we had to run out.
The only word I knew was: ìForbiddenî! I was a prisoner and all I could do was to wait for freedom day. I promised myself that when I would leave for college I would fly far, very far away from all these scary things out of sense for me, even though I was trying to deal with them as I wanted to be pleasant to God. I decided then that when I would leave home, I would definitely leave all religion stuff, I could no longer stand before such a terrible God trying to keep me in a small box.
Around 17 we started going to church and then I discovered a different way of living as an SDA although various things drove me crazy as I could see some of my friends punished for silly things they had done by not respecting some points, unacceptable of course to their very conservative parents. I thought: wow, there are really different ways of bashing someone for ìsake of Godî what a pity!
It was at this point God took hold of me and after a huge experience in my life after when he answered my prayers for something I wanted to realize, I started to understand which kind of God he was, it was not the one I was taught during all these past years. I started to love him sincerely and not out of fear, but it was not that ok for me yet. I got baptized because I wanted to go studying somewhere in Ontario and my mom kept me under pressure saying: ìYou canít go and live at SDAs if you donít get baptized and be really an authentic SDA, remember that if you are not baptized and that anything happens to you, you are lost forever.î Threats, always threats in my life to follow GodÖ. Oh well, I decided to get baptized, I was quite convinced by this anyway. I was quite involved in SDAism and wanted to convert everyone. It happened that it was not Godís plan for me to go to Ontario, I then flew to Europe where I joined an SDA church and really had good time during my 5 first years. Far from home I was really happy and free at last, but meanwhile my young life went very very tough through a long and painful journey that drew me near to death many times. I held on to God as strongly as I could and experienced over and over his help, mercy, love, protection. If he was not constantly watching over me, I would not be here writing, it would be impossible to be still alive after the huge things Iíve gone through. God is so awesome!!! What a wonderful Lord and Savior we have!!! Part 3 laterÖ.
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Honestwitness
Registered user
Username: Honestwitness
Post Number: 236
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 6:57 am: | |
Liberty, welcome to this wonderful forum. I'm so glad you decided to share your story with us.
Just when I start thinking about my own trials, I learn of trials that are much worse than mine ever were.
Your decision to trust in God, even though you had witnessed a horrible imitation of Him all your young life, is very inspiring to me.
You truly have a wonderful testimony about the greatness of God, who was able to reveal Himself to you in your inner spirit, even though you were truly in the prison of a counterfeit Christianity.
Thanks be to God for His wonderful working in your life and His faithfulness to His own.
Honestwitness |
River
Registered user
Username: River
Post Number: 555
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 9:01 am: | |
Liberty,
As Honestwitness said, you truly have a wonderful testimony, I can't wait to hear the rest.
God bless you today.
River |
Liberty
Registered user
Username: Liberty
Post Number: 4
Registered: 2-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 12:29 pm: | |
Honestwitness and River thanks for your support. Here we go for part 3/5:
In Europe in the church where I went, things appeared to be easier than I had seen in my previous church, a different and more liberal way of living. Anyway it was not always easy as some people started to get me into trouble because I liked wearing trousers, and started increasingly wearing make-up or jewelry as wellÖ. oh very discreetly but it was enough for some of them to focus onÖ
No one could never at this point explain to me why ìYou canít come to church with trousers on Sabbath morning during sermon because it is a holy place, women canít wear menís clothingî and in the afternoon, suddenly, most of these ladies were wearing trousers because ìwe have youth activitiesîÖ aha?Ö whatís wrong with you folks did I say, this is quite hypocrite!! Isnít it the same holy place? what changed during lunch time??? Activities? we are not climbing at trees or hanging on whatever, why should you ladies wear trousers now if we are not supposed to do so in the morning? I was the first one wearing trousers with another girl and we kept doing so no matter what people said. I was always neatly clothed, I could not see what the matter was, while on the other hand, there were some girls wearing skirts or dresses so short that they were having problems seating correctly. But it was ok for them, they were not wearing trousers soÖ try to understandÖ Now all the ladies wear trousers (except old-school SDA ladies), even those presenting the Sabbath programs, even the elders daughters (unacceptable 10 years earlierÖ)
Years went by, I had really found very good friends and I managed to be a good SDA in my small SDA world, with my SDA friends in our SDA activities on Sabbath as well as during the week. It worked (or I thought it worked) during the 5 first years, I had lots of activities and responsibilities in the church that I really enjoyed, but I was getting progressively uncomfortable about many things about the doctrines andÖ EGWÖ I started secretly not keeping the Sabbath on all points, as I considered (and understood by reading the Bible) that something was for sure not clear, but what??... I used to watch tv on Friday night or Sabbath, as I began getting really fed up by always being with SDAs and tried to stay away from them more and more after Sabbath service and ran home. Then afterwards I would feel guilty and say, ok now I must really keep Sabbath or something wrong will happen to me. I was constantly anxious about not having confessed all my sins and that some horrible thing would happen to me as a punishment and get me lost. I was having my mom on the phone: ìAre you going to church every Sabbath? Remember if you leave God, youíll pay for that blah blah blahÖî ThreatsÖ againÖ.
Things went worse consequently to some events when the whole church unjustly accused a couple of friends of mine (as they were jealous of their talents and activities in the church). I was the only one who stood for them against all. This stroke them down, and it was the same for me. They left church with their family then went to another one after a couple of years, as for me I was very disappointed of such hypocrisy from people proclaiming to be brothers and sisters, the remnant church, and all their doís and doníts. I couldnít believe it!!
I came back about one year later but only from time to time and relationships were not really the same. I felt more uncomfortable than ever, I could not even stand Sabbath school anymore, neither could read the quaterly, and was coming later only to hear the sermon and see my friends. I was sitting there while my mind was miles away. I was not feeling better at all as I usually walked out from church feeling distressed, upset and guilty because I did not keep Sabbath as I should, I listened to various music and not only gospel, loved dancing, ate pork, shrimps and all the things I could not leave. I had told some things to my best friends but they were not aware of all of it. How could the Bible say all things are clean, and SDA say some are not and lots of other doctrines, very contradictory and confusingÖ. I was now 27, I was unhappy in the church, unhappy out of the church as I felt I could never keep the 10 commandments as required, especially the Sabbath to please God. I was going crazy as I thought that something was really wrong with me as I did no longer want to go to church, I was struggling day and night with my thoughts thinking I was lost as God would reject me for not doing what I should (terrible feelings). I was exhausted for various reasons, I gave up and fell into deep breakdown that took me to the edge of death. God caught me on this edge and restored me in an amazing way. I am unable to explain what happened. Within a few days, I passed from terribly agonizing in my bed to a brand new life full of sparkling promises even I was far from imagining where he would lead me 6 years laterÖ to now. Radical change in my life, a miracle! only our wonderful God can do such things!!
I continued experiencing with him, wandering by the way why the people from evangelical churches I would meet (ie. during gospel concerts) seemed warm and so confident and full of hope, faith and joy in Christ, while SDAs seemed terribly depressed, with bad faces and almost on their way to die when you would ask them: ìHow do you do?î I was even scared and avoided this question with many of them, I already knew the answer, and that I would stand there for half an hour listening to how many horrible problems and trials they had in their lives. I wanted to cry and scream: ìYou know how many problems I do have? You canít even figure it!! At least you have a family, I'm here on my own...î What about God then? I could not bear such negative attitudes, I always had a smiling and cheerful face even during very bad times, not to pretend, but I kept a positive point of view, I really relied on God and knew he would help me go through even I shed lots of tears when I went home.
I understood years later that God had chosen to let me go through various trials, I learned to grab his hand and depend on him only, without always trying to find out what was going on and why all these things happened. My faith increased during hard times and I rested in his arms as he would always raise someone along this painful path to give me some unexpected help and comfort. He is really an excellent and patient Teacher, I needed to get what I was taught out of my mind by replacing it with the true Jesus, the one that shed his blood and loved me before I was born, the one who walked near me every day and would never let me fail, not the one on his throne sitting up there, spying at me to catch me sinning and punish me. Hope began blooming...
I was on my way out of SDA church but I was not yet conscious about that, it was really not an option for me at this moment but our dear Jesus was preparing my way with his own footprints...
to be continued tomorrow... God bless.
Liberty |
Bmorgan
Registered user
Username: Bmorgan
Post Number: 128
Registered: 7-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 3:55 pm: | |
WOW! What a story, Liberty. What a journey of FAITH through Grace. Praise God for you and welcome to FAF.
Though your story is different, the sameness resonates with me.
Erma Bmorgan
ps. Hi Lurker Friend, in Seattle, Washington(//^\\) See? I am waving. We here in Austin, Texas await you and family. Please, hurry and come on down here. ;>) |
Flyinglady
Registered user
Username: Flyinglady
Post Number: 3433
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 7:24 pm: | |
Liberty,
Thanks so much for your continued story with Jesus. It is so exciting to see how our Father leads us to Him. I am always amazed by how Awesome He is.
Diana |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 5483
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 9:33 pm: | |
Liberty, what an awesome story. Thank you for sharing it with us. God's faithfulness and individual attention always amazes me. Your story is inspiring.
Colleen |
Toria
Registered user
Username: Toria
Post Number: 82
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 7:02 am: | |
Liberty, I also thank you for sharing your story with us. It is indeed an inspiring read.
Blessings
toria |
Liberty
Registered user
Username: Liberty
Post Number: 5
Registered: 2-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 4:07 pm: | |
Ready for part 4/5? here we go:
Year after year, I kept running out of the church appearing briefly about twice a year or for weddings or funerals. Every time I showed up someone would pop up around asking me: ìSo, which activity are you responsible for this year? You have been out for a long time nowÖyou have to work for God in the churchî. I had decided that no one would ever bother me anymore with their comments about what I was expected to do or not, coming to church or not, so I went to other churches sometimes, where no one knew me and could not ask silly things. I decided that this was none of their business, God knew my feelings, every single part of my life and he was the only one to have comments and rights about it. Though I met my SDA best friends on a regular basis, I definitely escaped out of my SDA world and appreciated being with new friends in lots of new activities out of all religion context. How refreshing!! When anywone would ask me if I was an SDA (as I did not wear earrings which is very often a distinctive mark here), I would answer "no I'm Christian", this was very shocking to my SDA friends.
Anyway, as a paradox my relation to God became closer and I started to get happier about my spiritual life. I avoided telling my mom I only went once or twice a year to church, she would not stand it. When I go on holidays, I hear: ìYou have to take off your make-up and jewelry, donít you ever wear trousers to go to church, here we donít behave as you guys do overthereÖ do you want people to say that my daughter has left the gospel?...î Oh well ok thenÖ
I stopped reading EGW 3 years ago, especially TGC which kept me constantly under fear about IJ and Sunday law, and I started focusing only on God and the Bible. Then I prayed asking him to show me what was wrong and why I felt sometimes so miserable and sad, why I wanted to keep the Sabbath but I could not, as well as it seemed to me that something was really wrong about it, why I quite hated going to church and felt better far from it. The thing is that I could do whatever I want on Sabbath, or eat whatever, I did not feel guilty about it because I saw it in the Bible and I was ok with that. Actually I preferred to walk to the lakeside where I would sit talking to God during hours, admiring his wonders through nature and animals, experiencing his overwhelming and refreshing presence rather than going to church where I would meet so called Christians with devastated faces as if God was totally absent from their lives. Only to think about that was enough to make me sick and keep me out of there.
Things were not going to be easy for me on my way out. Guilt and doubts crushed me when I considered my situation from my SDA point of view and then I began to cry, very distressed. I was willing to be near God, and I was only realizing that church/EGW doctrines had dragged me further from him each day, it was desperately disappointing. I had always been told that there were only 2 kind of people: SDA with the Sabbath seal of God and all the others that would get the mark of the beast. I was neither one nor the other, where was I standing? Would I be among those who would turn from SDAs and try to kill my former brothers and sisters? What was going on in my head again, oh noÖ the terrible memories of my painful breakdown 6 years ago helped me to hang on to my faith and do my best to never experience that again. I kept praying twice more. During the past year I really saw Godís special love for me, far out of all sort of legalism and church and SDA stuff.
Meanwhile, my best friends over the past years have been praying to see me back to church on Sabbath morning and I always resisted when they invited me, saying ìNot now, I really donít feel like, somedayî. And they would reply: ìTomorrow is not your day, imagine something happens and you are far from GodÖî I tried to explain in vain that it was not because I was not sitting in my Sabbath class each week that I was far from GodÖ and on the other hand it was not because people were sitting in the church each Sabbath that they were closer to him either, no wayÖ forget itÖ
Then one day it happened: it was during last summer, after some other exciting experiences with God, I was sitting in front of my computer, quite worried, thinking. The week before, I had lunch with some SDA friends and one of them told us that a few years ago he was in college with one of EGWís great grand daughters. So as Iím curious, I sat there in front of the computer and typed EWG to know more about her life. I canít explain why but I fell on ellenwhite.org, directly on the mark of the beast and Sunday law. I was blown away and my first reaction was to reject everything and say what a heresy!! here are the false prophets we were told to beware of (remember I was born SDAÖ). As an SDA, I was always scared to read anything else that was not written by SDAs, fear of being deceived by other doctrines. Then I thought, but what ifÖ sound every scriptureÖ hummÖ ok let me read, understand and find out if it stands in the Bibleís lightÖ yeah??
Yeah!!! I shouted!! I could not stop reading. A little light started to shine, it was thrilling, I kept searching then saw Dick Andersonís story, then I found your FAF forum and I said wow!! Am I dreaming?? There are other people going through the same journey?? So Iím not going crazy then?? I couldnít believe it. Thanks God!! I kept reading, readingÖ.5:00am I was still readingÖ What a relief!!
I read more other websites about this to be sureÖ and I kept shouting wow!! wow!! But things are very clear and simple in the Bible, how comes I had never read this before?? Very strange sensation... The veil started falling from my eyes. I hadnít read EGW for a very long time, only the Bible so I could definitely have a new look at what I was reading, without my SDA very dark sunglasses. I was amazed. I often come to your forum where I find lots of comfort when I see that all of you have experienced what I am going through, doubts, questions, and what if.. perhaps thatÖ guilt etcÖ
A week later, I decided to leave SDA and never go back to this stuff that nearly drew me far away from God and took me near death, by trying to be perfect before him in keeping the 10 commandments especially the Sabbath, and hearing all the frightening doctrines about Sunday law, IJ, unconfessed sins... A brand new life full of peace and love was waiting for me arms wide openÖfor the first time of my life, I was discovering the True Jesus, the one that SDA church had robbed me by focusing only on Sabbath (boy, what an obsession they have!!) and their main doctrines. So many years lost struggling with pain, fear, anger, doubts, frustration, guilt, what a pity. I heard so much all day long about EGW, as a kid I sometimes thought that Sister White was part of our family... imagine...
Anyway, the most important is that I am now free in ChristÖIíll now do my best to help others who are still trapped.
Last part tomorrow, thanks for your support and interest sharing this with me.
Btw, got my very first pair of earrings last month!.. yess!! :o)
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Blessed
Registered user
Username: Blessed
Post Number: 23
Registered: 1-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 5:35 pm: | |
Liberty, welcome to FAF and thanks so much for sharing so much of your story. I still remember the feeling I had when I found the websites that exposed the error of Adventism and also reading the stories of people who had had similar experiences to myself and had found Christ. It was like knowing you were adopted and finally finding your birth family. I have had two occasions now to meet with former Adventists and words seem inadequate to express what it is like. It has been 37 years since I left and for most of those years I felt alone in my Christian walk because of my background. We are definitely not alone and I love to read everyone's stories and see how the Lord has worked in each one of our lives. I know that you will find the forum wonderful for many reasons and I look forward to getting to know you better through it.
Blessed |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 5490
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 7:20 pm: | |
Dear Liberty, Wow! and Wow again! What an amazing story! Jesus knows exactly what we need and when we need it. I so understand that feeling of reading and experiencing the veil falling off. It is impossible to describe to anyone who has not exprienced it. It is totally an act of God.
I'm rejoicing with you over knowing Jesus and also over those new earrings! Earrings are, to me, a "freedom statement". Since getting my ears pierced almost ten years ago, I feel somehow "undressed" if I leave home without them. To me they are a completely nonessential indulgence that I can fully enjoy because Jesus Himself has given me the freedom to wear them. He not only saves us completely and gives us eternal life in Him, but He gives us permission to receive all He has created (including gold, silver, and stones in the form of jewelry) with thanksgiving.
He doesn't just give us what we need; He also gives us joy and pleasure even in small things such as earrings or a ham sandwich. He is so surprising and wonderful!
Colleen |
Patriar
Registered user
Username: Patriar
Post Number: 294
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 9:59 pm: | |
Liberty:
Thank God for it, right?
What a blessing your testimony was. I laughed and I got tears in my eyes as I read. And...I got my first set of earrings recently too. Fun, isn't it??
Welcome, welcome!
Patria |
Flyinglady
Registered user
Username: Flyinglady
Post Number: 3440
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 05, 2007 - 7:27 am: | |
Liberty,
It is truly awesome how God leads each individual to Him. Then we see that we are free to be the person God made us to be.
Congratulations on your earrings. I got my ears pierced 3 years ago in March.
Thanks for sharing you journey with Jesus.
Patriar, congratulations on your earrings.
It is amazing what the liberty through Jesus is like. I am amazed every day by Him.
God you are always awesome.
Diana |
Olga
Registered user
Username: Olga
Post Number: 50
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 05, 2007 - 7:50 am: | |
Liberty,
Welcome to the forum and thanks for not being afraid to share your testimony with us. Amazing story!! God has, and is, definitely seeing you through...how awesome He is!! Some of the stuff you've said brings back lots of memories...some of it, we've experienced here to one degree or another. Always Sister White, tattling on us; hanging over our heads, behind our backs, looking over our shoulders. She was out to get us and catch us doing something wrong...
this is what I couldn't understand about the God I knew while an SDA. I remember hearing, reading, and thinking: "God is love and he loves me"; but to me this God needed to be appeased with many tears shed over and over again over the same sins (I remember these 'ask forgiveness' marathons), just in case he though I wasn't sincere about my sins days or weeks earlier (guess I did not understand what it meant when it said God's "mercies are new" every day). I didn't understand the meaning in this verse: "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17). In my opinion, it seems that adventists believe that God sent EGW into the world to do what Jesus wouldn't do: condemn us for our failures. Thank God for the real Jesus came here to leave His peace!
*****************************************
The following is from A Gentle Thunder, by Max Lucado:
"I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don't let your hearts be troubled or afraid. (John 14:27).
If only you knew that I came to help and not condemn. If only you knew that tomorrow will be better than today. If only you knew the gift I have brought: eternal life. If only you knew I want you safely home.
If only you knew.
What wistful words to come from the lips of God. How kind that he would let us hear them. How crucial that we pause to hear them. If only we knew to trust. Trust that God is in our corner. Trust that God wants what is best...
If only we could learn to trust thim.
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So much heartache could have been avoided had I pondered the real meaning of Jesus' words of peace.
Liberty, and others in the forum who are in their journeys out and / or still struggling (as I still do from time to time:
I pray that God will give you His peace (that peace that surpasses understanding).
God bless.
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Liberty
Registered user
Username: Liberty
Post Number: 6
Registered: 2-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 - 6:25 pm: | |
I'm back after a whole week without internet connection (obviously it is when it doesn't work you realize how you really can't live without it...)
Thanks for reading my long journey and sharing part of your stories. God is really so amazing in all our lives.
Colleen I agree with you when you say: "Earrings are, to me, a "freedom statement". Since getting my ears pierced almost ten years ago, I feel somehow "undressed" if I leave home without them."
I almost feel the same. Moreover I'm so happy not hearing someone saying anymore "oh you are an SDA aren't you?" I have never understood why it is quite ok now for SDAs to wear jewelry, except earrings. I really laughed when I last met one of the girls of my former church and she never realized I had completely changed my look by wearing a short haircut, but she noticed that I had earrings... oh boy!... Obviously... what does an SDA lady when she meets another one? She is automatically focused on her ears trying to find out if she's an SDA or not.. how sad!
Patriar congratulations on your earrings too!
Well, here is the last part of the story:
4 months ago I decided to tell my best friends one by one about my decision of leaving SDAism, I got various reactions: some were positive and told me: ìItís your decision, I respect it. The important thing is that you donít ever leave God out of your life.î Some were: ìOh my goodness, are you kidding? did you loose your mind?? No no!... Iíll pray for God to show you his way, for you to come backî. Others: ìOk you never knew nothing else than SDAism so you want to have your own experience outside and I can understand that, but Iím sure youíll come back, Iíll pray for that.î I have to mention that all of these friends grew up in catholic churches and became SDA when they were around 20 and I know them for quite 15 years now (we are all in our early thirties).
I have never been so happy and free in my spiritual life, I am getting to know God better each day and I experience his love and mercy every day. My heart became full of peace, it is so good not to think anymore about how to behave on Sabbath, or the recording angel, or the one waiting outside the movies or theaters (I have been always going often to movies and concerts soÖ) wow... bad memoriesÖ everything is so clear and simple with our Lord, why do SDAs have to complicate everything by twisting what the Bible says and interpreting in their own way to fit their doctrines? Life is already so hard, why do they have to add a bunch of burdens?
Now instead of trying to be presentable before God, I am more attentive to what he wants to do in my life and I serve him not out of fear but love and Iím thankful and grateful to him every day. My friends canít understand when I tell them that now that I am resting in him, my daily Sabbath, I do not have to worry about what to do or how to behave, this comes out automatically. They say ok, Sabbath keeping is not the condition to be saved, but it is anyway the seal of God, The Test, look out for sure there will be soon a Sunday law because something has been said recently about that etcÖ They canít understand that leaving SDAism does not mean leaving God.
Last week I was trying to organize with my friends to see a show, I was enquiring about their availabilities on the phone, then one of them told me: "oh no, not Thursday nights, I'm preparing Sabbath", this definitely sounds strange, so strange to me...
I didnít tell my mom yet, not on the phone, it would be too heartbreaking for her, I need to see her and explain to her patiently when I go on holidays next time. (before someone tells herÖ)
I have made a list of various evangelical churches I would like to visit, but I've been struggling for 3 months without being able to visit anyone. Perhaps the bad memories of being trapped in SDA church?? It's hard to explain, I feel like going, but each time I postpone... anyway... God will help me go through someday.
I wanted to thank all of you for sharing your experiences and thoughts daily, this really helped me in my decision last summer, I know Iím not alone in this process. Thanks for the prayer circle (that I will now join), you see Diana ì10. Lurkers who are in the process of leaving the SDA church.î Here I am, it really works! Praise God!! Colleen and Richard, great thanks for your ministry, the forum and for Proclamation, itís really really great!! Things wonít be easy for sure, but always remember that there are lots of people like me all over the world questioning and seeking and it is because of your hard work and perseverance we can find the true God. He shows us the way and leads us out of bondage, but it is through people like you involved in a special ministry that he can act. Things like this happen when you expect it the less, in Godís time, not ours, when he sees we are ready. If I had read the mentioned websites 1 or 2 years ago I would not have been receptive at all, I was really too conditioned and brain washed during all my life.
God waited patiently when I was ready to understand, ready to walk his way, then he showed me. I sometimes feel lonely as I am the only one in the process and my SDA friends donít understand (even though we keep a strong relationship), so I come here, read, laugh, and have very good time and say, ok now here we go, Iím very normal, this is normal. For sure I wonít forget 2006. Free at last, Liberty in Christ!! What a wonderful Lord we have!!! Best thoughts and wishes to all of you.
Liberty |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 5543
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 - 8:38 pm: | |
Dear Liberty,
Praise God for His work in you! You know, your difficulty in visiting another church is very typical. I'm coming to believe that reluctance is part of the spiritual baggage we carry from the Sabbath and from having been so deeply deceived by our former church. Satan would like nothing better than to isolate us, to keep us from being held and build up by other members of His body.
On the one hand, we need each other in order to debrief. There is a unique and powerful bond among those of us who have been set free from Adventism. On the other hand, we need the input of Christ-followers who have never had our background. They "see" things from different windows, and it helps us grow.
Another thing I have learned is that insight follows obedience. God has asked us not to forsake meeting together. We are to exercise our spiritual gifts for the mutual building up of the body. We are to minister to each other and provide for each other as our primary concern, even before ministering to unbelieving strangers. In order to take up our God-appointed role in His body, we must make ourselves available.
Ask God to direct you to the church where He already knows you need to be in order to become grounded in His word and supported in Christian fellowship. Then, with His help, go visiting. You need to trust Him that you will not be deceived or manipulated. Ask God to protect your heart and mind in Jesus, to teach you Truth, and to protect you from deception. Stay regularly in His word.
And go to church! Just goópraying that God will guide you. He is completely faithful.
Colleen |
Cw
Registered user
Username: Cw
Post Number: 131
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 - 9:58 pm: | |
Colleen, good advice. I just got my computer back today after the hard drive crashed and I lost a lot. Are these edit, delete and print buttons new or is it that my newly rebuilt computer is just now seeing them? I have posted things in the past that I would have edited but found no way until now. If they're new thanks for the upgrade-now how about spell check? CW |
Helovesme2
Registered user
Username: Helovesme2
Post Number: 873
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 - 5:00 am: | |
 It's the new look and the new site. Ain't it great?!
Mary
PS: Good to see you back Liberty! Being without a computer can be awful. |
Helovesme2
Registered user
Username: Helovesme2
Post Number: 875
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 - 6:48 am: | |
Er, welcome back to you to CW. Didn't mean to leave you out! |
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