Converts what has been the best thing for you since becoming Orthodox ?

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

Ultimately for me it's been being able to ask Theotokos for prayers and help, but in a general sense it's having The Intercessions of The Saints that's really been a blessing for me and the story of their lives to reflect on and have as an example.

Also, I would have to say Making The Sign of The Cross, The Sacrament of Confession and Partaking of The Holy Eucharist.

Anyways, what are best things for you since converting to Orthodoxy ?


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Perhaps becoming more Christlike (hopefully), though I will let God decide if that is true.

I think daily prayer, Scripture reading and fasting have enabled me at least to live as a Christian more consciously during the week. My Christian life is no longer mainly about going to church.

We may have great theology, the communion of the saints, etc., but if those don’t help me to be more unified with God and crucify the passions, they are of secondary importance.

Holy Week and Pascha.

Eucharist and confession.

Actually, the best thing has been "coming home"; finding the faith I had been seeking, realizing it actually did exist and I could be a part of it, etc.

OrthodoxWanderer said:

Actually, the best thing has been "coming home"; finding the faith I had been seeking, realizing it actually did exist and I could be a part of it, etc.

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amen to that.

OrthodoxWanderer said:

Actually, the best thing has been "coming home"; finding the faith I had been seeking, realizing it actually did exist and I could be a part of it, etc.

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Absolutely this.

The eucharist, sacraments.. the whole package really.
I like to think my journey began early with significant landmarks along the way. I was chrismated in my 50s. My first landmark memory is being in middle school, hearing a Sunday School teacher stressing the "onlyness" of the 1611 KJV and raising my hand to ask, "what was the Bible in 1500?" Other steps included visiting the Shroud of Turin exhibit in Atlanta in the 80s and researching the English Bible and endlessly trying to resolve the Calvinism vs Arminianism debate and looking back to the Church Fathers. The most significant were two - discussing whether or not a congregant in an early church would recognize our services as being Christian. and. Sitting in the service of the "Lord's Supper" which was only held on the evening of "fifth Sundays" and the Baptist pastor holding up the cup and saying, "This is nothing special, it's just grape juice that we bought across the street at Kroger.. "
My thought was, if that were true, why bother?

I went through catechism twice, I had questions and they were answered in Orthodoxy.

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Believing that God really can save any individual. It really brings prayer into focus that we need to pray for all & confess our sins as we go. While frightening, it is actually a good thing to know that I could go to hell & someone who is non Christian might be saved.

Pascha. Not a super-legalistic outlook - you missed mass last week, you're going to hell! sort of mindset just doesn't exist here. Having consistent worship no matter where in the world you are. I do like coffee hours a thousand times more than the coffee and donuts after mass in the Catholic Church.

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

I'm so glad that I had my Holy Chrismation and Holy Baptism before all this coved stuff started happening.

I feel sorry for people who are trying to become catechumens right now.


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Thank you

The ever-presence of God through prayer. Especially since I now have the completeness of the faith that assures me of God's love. I never truly believed He loved me until Orthodoxy.

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

I'm so glad that I had my Holy Chrismation and Holy Baptism before all this coved stuff started happening.

I feel sorry for people who are trying to become catechumens right now.


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It's hard! For me the hardest is wondering if the churches will close again before I can be baptised. But, I think we catechumens have a special benefit of seeing where people truly stand and getting over some of the more troubling aspects of the Church ahead of time, rather than making these discoveries years later.

Brighid said:

It's hard! For me the hardest is wondering if the churches will close again before I can be baptised. But, I think we catechumens have a special benefit of seeing where people truly stand and getting over some of the more troubling aspects of the Church ahead of time, rather than making these discoveries years later.

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At least we cannot be sad about not receiving the sacraments when catechumens can't anyways

Not David said:

At least we cannot be sad about not receiving the sacraments when catechumens can't anyways

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That's a good point! I am very grateful that I can attend services and receive God's Grace just by being in Church. I hope you are able to attend services too!

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

Ultimately for me it's been being able to ask Theotokos for prayers and help, but in a general sense it's having The Intercessions of The Saints that's really been a blessing for me and the story of their lives to reflect on and have as an example.

Also, I would have to say Making The Sign of The Cross, The Sacrament of Confession and Partaking of The Holy Eucharist.

Anyways, what are best things for you since converting to Orthodoxy ?

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I would say "The Sacraments."

The rite of exorcism done with Baptism was also very helpful to me, I think.