MedicBravo
Active
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2022
- Messages
- 1,697
I've been wanting to share all of this for awhile.
I don't know anyone here personally and hold no grudge against anyone even given the past somewhat "heated" discussions we've had. Reminder: "It's us against the world not each other." - Me unspecified amount of time.
Growing some of my cousins, I, and my stepbrothers were "forced" to go to an old church where our material grandmother lived. Long story short she and our parents stopped making us go.
My next foray was a rivial in my teens of which was, IMO, my first Self. Talked back. Got angry a LOT. I did NOT curse at my mother and stepfather (married at the time) nor my dad and his wife. If my grandpa had been alive later and I did that I know my meeting with Jesus, abeit temporary would have been swift. If you know what a "switch" is you know what I'm talking about.
FF to dating this young woman 18 and me 21M. Ignorantly in love. No kids, btw.
Eventually got married at the city court. People don't do it. Even without God in your lives, somehow we lasted 7 years married 2-ish separated. It broke when she cheated while I was deployed and it happens more than you think. Even after talking to her on the phone in the middle of the expletive desert in a country I will not name (wink wink) it hit me hard and fast.
ALL feelings for her were gone. Of course I didn't wish ill on her but I was angry (not just mad) at her for a very long time. In hindsight, we were not the best for each other in that relationship. I do know I learned a LOT (another topic) about being married.
Somewhere around 2011-ish I ran into a childhood friend who'd gone through his own rough time and was not a pastor of a local church. I met with him in off hours to talk and we were both shocked b/c of the change in the both of us.
I went a few times in the next couple of months and volunteered for their "Food Ministry". It was a weekly thing on Wed before church. The first time the woman said most of the time they didn't get much but free food is free food.
I was disappointed. I was never going back. My plans were not His plans and come the very next Sunday, I heard a voice, "Get up. You are not going to quit. Go to church." If you've EVER shot up in bed so fast you got dizzy that's what happened.
I did not run around the streets screaming what I heard and was NOT committed to the psych ward of some hospital. After a few minutes, I got up, dressed, grabbed by Bible and went to that church.
About 2 months later that church and the Food Ministry got a huge blessing.
The woman running it has a big truck with a 12' trailer at least. She pulled in with so much food and other things you would have all the good emotions at once. From that point on for SIX YEARS every week minus a few where the weather was too severe, we had almost the same amount of food and sometimes more!
2 years running we did a free frozen turkey for Thanksgiving. People could come by and donate them and/or give in person or online. Thankfully this was done in advance. So many turkeys the local Wal-Mart was eating it up (not literally) and the church had to rent a freezer truck which was also full.
I thank all who've stuck with me this far.
Sadly, (among other feelings) it didn't last.
One day as we were doing this towards the end, a guy on our Security team and another church member pulled me aside. Apparently, "some women" felt threatened by me (I'm former military), and on Security and Camera teams, and an aid in the Children's groups when needed.
Accused b/c of their "feelings" and NO evidence to back it. Who they were, I was told could not be named.
I calmly walked to my car and left and have NEVER gone back.
It's been seven years since I stepped foot in a church or on hollowed ground.
My interest and study of God and the Bible didn't go away but going it alone is VERY hard.
I went for the first time this morning to another one I'd been looking into. I couldn't stay long and was supposed to work but I told them my plans for this morning.
As some pastors have said and backed by God, things are getting more frequent, more visible, and more common.
In truth, we are a minority vs this Satan ruled world. "The truth does not come from us but from God's word."
I don't know anyone here personally and hold no grudge against anyone even given the past somewhat "heated" discussions we've had. Reminder: "It's us against the world not each other." - Me unspecified amount of time.
Growing some of my cousins, I, and my stepbrothers were "forced" to go to an old church where our material grandmother lived. Long story short she and our parents stopped making us go.
My next foray was a rivial in my teens of which was, IMO, my first Self. Talked back. Got angry a LOT. I did NOT curse at my mother and stepfather (married at the time) nor my dad and his wife. If my grandpa had been alive later and I did that I know my meeting with Jesus, abeit temporary would have been swift. If you know what a "switch" is you know what I'm talking about.
FF to dating this young woman 18 and me 21M. Ignorantly in love. No kids, btw.
Eventually got married at the city court. People don't do it. Even without God in your lives, somehow we lasted 7 years married 2-ish separated. It broke when she cheated while I was deployed and it happens more than you think. Even after talking to her on the phone in the middle of the expletive desert in a country I will not name (wink wink) it hit me hard and fast.
ALL feelings for her were gone. Of course I didn't wish ill on her but I was angry (not just mad) at her for a very long time. In hindsight, we were not the best for each other in that relationship. I do know I learned a LOT (another topic) about being married.
Somewhere around 2011-ish I ran into a childhood friend who'd gone through his own rough time and was not a pastor of a local church. I met with him in off hours to talk and we were both shocked b/c of the change in the both of us.
I went a few times in the next couple of months and volunteered for their "Food Ministry". It was a weekly thing on Wed before church. The first time the woman said most of the time they didn't get much but free food is free food.
I was disappointed. I was never going back. My plans were not His plans and come the very next Sunday, I heard a voice, "Get up. You are not going to quit. Go to church." If you've EVER shot up in bed so fast you got dizzy that's what happened.
I did not run around the streets screaming what I heard and was NOT committed to the psych ward of some hospital. After a few minutes, I got up, dressed, grabbed by Bible and went to that church.
About 2 months later that church and the Food Ministry got a huge blessing.
The woman running it has a big truck with a 12' trailer at least. She pulled in with so much food and other things you would have all the good emotions at once. From that point on for SIX YEARS every week minus a few where the weather was too severe, we had almost the same amount of food and sometimes more!
2 years running we did a free frozen turkey for Thanksgiving. People could come by and donate them and/or give in person or online. Thankfully this was done in advance. So many turkeys the local Wal-Mart was eating it up (not literally) and the church had to rent a freezer truck which was also full.
I thank all who've stuck with me this far.
Sadly, (among other feelings) it didn't last.
One day as we were doing this towards the end, a guy on our Security team and another church member pulled me aside. Apparently, "some women" felt threatened by me (I'm former military), and on Security and Camera teams, and an aid in the Children's groups when needed.
Accused b/c of their "feelings" and NO evidence to back it. Who they were, I was told could not be named.
I calmly walked to my car and left and have NEVER gone back.
It's been seven years since I stepped foot in a church or on hollowed ground.
My interest and study of God and the Bible didn't go away but going it alone is VERY hard.
I went for the first time this morning to another one I'd been looking into. I couldn't stay long and was supposed to work but I told them my plans for this morning.
As some pastors have said and backed by God, things are getting more frequent, more visible, and more common.
In truth, we are a minority vs this Satan ruled world. "The truth does not come from us but from God's word."
