My Walk with Christ

[Memory's Flame]

My apologies for this long post.

 [SHADOW=teal]The Start of all things (in my life anyway)[/SHADOW]

March 6, 1983 I was born to two very loving, Christian (Lutheran) parents. Who baptized me and raised me in their ELCA Lutheran Church. In third grade I recieved my first bible (of my VERY own) and started to question it. I had a friend who said "The bible is Fake" and so that made me question; but none the less I had a very strong faith.

 [SHADOW=deeppink]Serious Doubts[/SHADOW]

Come Junior High I fell in with the "wrong group" but still love the lord with al my heart. Then just after New Years (January 11, 1996) my best friend was murder. Shot and killed by his sister. Not more than two months later, my cousin was killed during a drug deal   so I started to doub and even hate God. A friend of mine was Pagan (this was long before the whole "it's cool to be pagan" thing happened) and I started spending lots of time with her, and learning from her family about their faith. (They never reffered to it as religion; always faith.) All of this while going through Confirmation at my moms ELCA church.

 [SHADOW=indigo]High School Jokes[/SHADOW]

Then came high school. It was starting to be "popular" to be Pagan. The Craft came out, and wiccanism (is that a word?) was all the rage. My high class, ritch, primarily white school was turning upside down, between a mixture of gothic "Wiccans" (or so they called themselves) and preppy rich white kids wearing WWJD bracelets   I was more confused than ever. I had been considering myself pagan for a few years, but started to get back into my moms church. It felt good to be accepted by the adults, even if the kids my age still made fun of me... I wasn't "popular" enough for them...

 

[SHADOW=seagreen]Graduation Means Bigger and Better Things[/SHADOW]

I graduated from High School and started coming back to God. I was working with kids with Cystic Fibrosis and debating joining "Lutheran Youth Encounter" and dedicating a year of my life to them and God. Then Youth Encounter Rejected me. How could God do that? Reject me from trying to serve him?? So I moved to Colorado to live with my high school boyfriend, and planned to marry him.

 [SHADOW=blue]Searching Again[/SHADOW]

Now my life is back on track. I'm still furious that I was rejected for offering a year of my life to God. But I am starting to understand that maybe he had better things planned for me. I recently felt a pull in my heart to come back to God, but need help in doing so, and so tonight I stumbled upon this forum, and would appreciate any helps or pats on the back I can get!!

 

***Lots O Love***

 

[Mr.Cheese]

*hug*
Lots of things don't make sense at your age. I fell away for about 10 years. I still don't really get along with churches. I'm sorry you got, in your words, rejected. That's a crummy feeling. I think I know how you feel though. One thing I always believed is that Jesus is cool even though churches are not. I know, I know...I do have kind of a bad attitude still. But it is good to be plugged into a church and a body of believers, so I recommend you get involved in one. Why? It's healthier. My problem is I don't think I fit in with anyone so I feel like a freak at church.
What else...have patience. Someone told me that a long time ago and I didn't get it. God works on his time and his time is definitely not our time. He is making you something. Someday you will be able to look back and it will all make sense. You'll see his hand in everything. But right now, if you're like me, nothing makes any sense at all. SO hang in there and be patient. Work on living each day for Him one day at a time.
*nuther hug*

 

[aggie03]

I really don't think that God rejected you just because some organization did. That wasn't God, that was a bunch of people who made a decision. God doesn't reject service or worship that is worthy in His eyes.

 

[Evee]

I think the way we dress or the way we look has a lot to do with how we are accepted.

 I think it is time that Christians start evaluating themselves.

 Am I helping to bring someone into the Kingdom and not driving them away with our holy than thou, I am better than you attitude.

 I don't believe Jesus would turn anyone away but people in their little pious attitudes and limp handshake would make you cringe.

 I know people don't like to think of themselves in that light, but maybe we should.

 I am not speaking for all churches or all Christians.

It happens though and this is what drives people away.

 We need to check ourselves.

 We need to show our love to the unloveable as well as to the loveable.