What advice doees anyone have for a person who has been missing God in his life, pretty much for his whole life, but wants to connect? My primary family claimed to have been Catholic, but we never went to church. I went to a Catholic university but only because of the academics. My wife is from a much more religious background, her father being a pastor, but we are not involved with the church much.
I know many choices I make in my lifestyle are not Christ-like. I want to take the first steps. I am going to read our bible, if I can find it. That must sound horrible.
But one of my personal traits is that when I decide to do it, I usually go for it "whole hog" but I know that's not always positive. (compare it to deciding to incorporate excercise into your daily routine but going over board and burning out on it in the first week - the adrenaline is always there to get started, but it's lasting that's difficult).
It seems to me that once you decide to learn about Jesus and open your heart you must shed anything sinful. Where do I start? I'm reading a Stephen King book right now, it has some sexual depictions but nothing extreme. But shouldn't I put it down? And where do I stop? I would have to trash my music collection, and I love music, but I know some of it is probably not something Jesus would listen to. Where do I stop? Movies. TV. Pop culture. You grow up in it, unthinking, it's so ingrained in your life. At least with my children I'm trying to raise them to be indifferent to the nonsense going on in pop culture, and they will have verry little baggage to shed when we become churchgoers.
Trying to do a 180 degree turn overnight is foolish, I need to learn and have a real foundation for what I do and believe.
Surely I'm not the only one with these types of thoughts....any insight for me?
Surely I can't
I know many choices I make in my lifestyle are not Christ-like. I want to take the first steps. I am going to read our bible, if I can find it. That must sound horrible.
But one of my personal traits is that when I decide to do it, I usually go for it "whole hog" but I know that's not always positive. (compare it to deciding to incorporate excercise into your daily routine but going over board and burning out on it in the first week - the adrenaline is always there to get started, but it's lasting that's difficult).
It seems to me that once you decide to learn about Jesus and open your heart you must shed anything sinful. Where do I start? I'm reading a Stephen King book right now, it has some sexual depictions but nothing extreme. But shouldn't I put it down? And where do I stop? I would have to trash my music collection, and I love music, but I know some of it is probably not something Jesus would listen to. Where do I stop? Movies. TV. Pop culture. You grow up in it, unthinking, it's so ingrained in your life. At least with my children I'm trying to raise them to be indifferent to the nonsense going on in pop culture, and they will have verry little baggage to shed when we become churchgoers.
Trying to do a 180 degree turn overnight is foolish, I need to learn and have a real foundation for what I do and believe.
Surely I'm not the only one with these types of thoughts....any insight for me?
Surely I can't
) about this time last year to buy one. 
And to be honest if I look back at the things I have let go---I don't miss them at all. When you allow Him to be Lord of your life, there's just nothing better than that. 
Hi and welcome to CF . If you can get your hands on a Bible, Johns gospel is a good place to start. You'r obviously going through a crisis of conscience which seems like evidence of God speaking to you. 
