Question

[Surviving]

If you ever asked someone 'Are you in the Salvation Army?' and they replied 'No, but I use to' what do you think?

I do get quite a few people that ask me...and I feel difficult when I say no. I feel embarrased as well.

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

If you ever asked someone 'Are you in the Salvation Army?' and they replied 'No, but I use to' what do you think?

I do get quite a few people that ask me...and I feel difficult when I say no. I feel embarrased as well.

Don't be.

The Lord has called you to serve elsewhere.

If anyone has a problem with that they can take it up with Him.

Remember the old Army chorus?

'Just where He needs me
My Lord has placed me
Just where He needs me
There would I be
And since He's found me
By love He's bound me
To serve him Joyfully'

 

[Surviving]

Thanks for this Andy. It doesn't take away the fact that it makes me feel guilty that I left, especially being an officers kid. I often wonder what others think of my parents, knowing that both of their kids are not in the army.

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

Thanks for this Andy. It doesn't take away the fact that it makes me feel guilty that I left, especially being an officers kid. I often wonder what others think of my parents, knowing that both of their kids are not in the army.

Two issues here.

1. The guilt - dealt with that one already. God led, you followed. Full stop.

2. Other peoples opinions - when I was 25 I worried about what other people thought as well. At 40 I no longer give a stuff. Like I said in the first reply, you are following the Lords leading and if people have a problem with that they should take it up with Him.

 

[Abiel]

If I could add anything to what Andy has said, I would. But I can't because he is totally right.

 

[Surviving]

Thanks guys. I know that I should try and not worry, but that is easier said than done. How do I know if I am following God's will though?

 

[TheDag]

How do I know if I'm following God's will? The age old question that has been asked forever and will continue to be asked forever. For the most part you will need to determine the answer maybe with the help of friends who know you well. I don't mean to cause offence but I don't think people here know you well enough to assist. They can give tips but they might not work for you. My only suggestion would be to pray and ask God to close the door if you are not walking in his will. Only you and maybe with your friends support will know if the door has been closed or left open.

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

How do I know if I'm following God's will? The age old question that has been asked forever and will continue to be asked forever. For the most part you will need to determine the answer maybe with the help of friends who know you well. I don't mean to cause offence but I don't think people here know you well enough to assist. They can give tips but they might not work for you. My only suggestion would be to pray and ask God to close the door if you are not walking in his will. Only you and maybe with your friends support will know if the door has been closed or left open.

Sounds like good advice to me

 

[mac8]

Hi

I had to call the police yesterday - we are Jewish Christians in the Salvation Army and someone egged our house yet again. The level of aggro has been building so the uniforms turned up quickly. After talking for a while through security issues and so on, it turns out the policeman had grown up in the Salvation Army. I just asked him if he had good memories, and shared a few of mine, and was prepared to listen if he wanted to talk through anything. It was lovely to meet someone who also spent so much time at the Salvation Army he didn't have time to get into trouble as a teenager!

:0)

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

Hi

I had to call the police yesterday - we are Jewish Christians in the Salvation Army and someone egged our house yet again. The level of aggro has been building so the uniforms turned up quickly. After talking for a while through security issues and so on, it turns out the policeman had grown up in the Salvation Army. I just asked him if he had good memories, and shared a few of mine, and was prepared to listen if he wanted to talk through anything. It was lovely to meet someone who also spent so much time at the Salvation Army he didn't have time to get into trouble as a teenager!

:0)

Praise the Lord


And welcome to Cyber Corps mac.

Which Corps you at?

 

[mac8]

Hi
I'm in Penzance, Cornwall. Its a lovely corps and a wonderful community, but the local youth get bored and into trouble here as everywhere!
Where are you all?

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

Hi
I'm in Penzance, Cornwall. Its a lovely corps and a wonderful community, but the local youth get bored and into trouble here as everywhere!
Where are you all?

Selby, Yorkshire

 

[Surviving]

Hey...this is my thread...can you do your introductions elsewhere please?!?!

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

She's got a point you know.

Lets drag this bit over to roll call.

 

[Surviving]

She's got a point you know.

Lets drag this bit over to roll call.

Thanks.

As for the advise, thanks everyone. There have been a couple of people who have been introduced to my life who have been very supportive in what I am going through. They are in the army. I went along to the meeting at their corps on Sunday night. This is the 2nd time that I have been there, and both times I have felt really comfortable being there. It felt right. For the last couple of years I have felt like there was something missing, and when I went to the army, things almost felt complete...if you know what I mean.

I just feel awkward that I have messed people about. I feel awkward knowing that I have left the army, and still feel a little resentment, even though I miss it. I have alot of issues that I need to sort out.

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

Thanks.

As for the advise, thanks everyone. There have been a couple of people who have been introduced to my life who have been very supportive in what I am going through. They are in the army. I went along to the meeting at their corps on Sunday night. This is the 2nd time that I have been there, and both times I have felt really comfortable being there. It felt right. For the last couple of years I have felt like there was something missing, and when I went to the army, things almost felt complete...if you know what I mean.

.

I can identify fully with that as well. It was the same for me when I went back to the Army. For all I enjoyed my time worshipping in Anglican/Methodist/Pentecostal churches, it wasn't until I went back to the Army that I finally fely 'home'.

I just feel awkward that I have messed people about. I feel awkward knowing that I have left the army, and still feel a little resentment, even though I miss it. I have alot of issues that I need to sort out

You have messed nobody about. You have nothing to feel guilty about. You are genuinely trying to follow Gods will for your life. As I have pointed out before, if anyone feels they have a problem with that then they should take it up with Him.

You asked the other day how you know that you are following Gods will.

Well, I guess that when you are where He wants you, then you'll know.

I'm not making any assumptions at all here about where God may or may not be leading you, only that your experience and mine seem very similer.

And when I went back to the Army after being in other churches, I KNEW that that was where I wqs supposed to be.

Square peg, square hole.

 

[mac8]

I grew up in TSA and became a senior soldier in the usual way. I made the promises with life time intention, but when it all went pear-shaped I just left. A few years passed, and I lost my Christian faith and went into Orthodox Judaism. There I had the shock of my life. They take any promise made to God as being life time binding, no get out. They reason how can you possibly break a promise you made to God? I listened to their reasoning and they had a point. So for the next twenty years I was not permitted even a taste of alcohol, and no raffle tickets and so on. End of story. Even though I had left the church the rabbi ruled that promised made had to be kept - at least the promises that would not deny my Christian faith.

When I came back to Christ, I knew I was coming back to the Salvation Army, and there was never any question about that. The point I'm trying to make is that a promise, especially a promise made to God, should not be broken lightly. While I appreciate vows can be taken with different levels of intention, I never signed my Articles of War with the inner reservation (unless God calls me to another church). So after years of reflection on this, I have come to accept it was God's call on me to be in the Salvation Army, and that my vows in TSA should be as binding on me as those I've taken since as a Franciscan (with TSA's permission). So that's the way it is. I've committed for life, and cannot negate those.

A bit of rabbinic reasoning, but it resonated with my soul.

Warmest blessings,
Mac

 

[TheDag]

I don't make promises lightly. If there are outside factors that could influence my ability to keep a promise then I won't make that promise. I will only make a promise if I have full control over the factors that will affect my ability to keep the promise.

 

[JoshuaCh1v9]

I grew up in TSA and became a senior soldier in the usual way. I made the promises with life time intention, but when it all went pear-shaped I just left. A few years passed, and I lost my Christian faith and went into Orthodox Judaism. There I had the shock of my life. They take any promise made to God as being life time binding, no get out. They reason how can you possibly break a promise you made to God? I listened to their reasoning and they had a point. So for the next twenty years I was not permitted even a taste of alcohol, and no raffle tickets and so on. End of story. Even though I had left the church the rabbi ruled that promised made had to be kept - at least the promises that would not deny my Christian faith.

When I came back to Christ, I knew I was coming back to the Salvation Army, and there was never any question about that. The point I'm trying to make is that a promise, especially a promise made to God, should not be broken lightly. While I appreciate vows can be taken with different levels of intention, I never signed my Articles of War with the inner reservation (unless God calls me to another church). So after years of reflection on this, I have come to accept it was God's call on me to be in the Salvation Army, and that my vows in TSA should be as binding on me as those I've taken since as a Franciscan (with TSA's permission). So that's the way it is. I've committed for life, and cannot negate those.

A bit of rabbinic reasoning, but it resonated with my soul.

Warmest blessings,
Mac

I can see no circumstances here where our sister has broken any promises made to God. She is faithfully serving her Lord where He calls her to serve.

Or are we to say that God does not have the right to place His troops where He decides they are best placed?

If ther Apostles had taken that attitude, the church would never have made it our of Jerusalem. The Bible is chock full of examples of God saying "Go there and do that" and feeble humans whinging and whining why they can't.

If God called her to serve Him in another place then it is she is fullfilling her duty to follow His will. If at some point God leads her back to the Army then great. But if He wants her elsewhere, she will BE elsewhere.

That does not constitute breaking a promise. That constitutes faithful service.

 

[mac8]

Ah. Yes, re-reading my post I realise I came over judgemental - sorry, I didn't mean that, but rather to explore how we see our calling. I was trying to offer other ways of looking at it.

I also as a young woman held that God could move me anywhere in the Body of Christ. But that is not what I understood from him when I was enrolled a soldier. And I came back to committing in faithfulness to stability in one place in the Body of Christ. So what this comes down to is how we see the soldiers' covenant.

Is it just church membership, or is it a calling in its own right to a specific part of the Body of Christ. Is it a vocation, and what is the nature of that?

For me personally I came to realise that part of my restlessness in the church arose from wanting something more, more fulfillment, more ministry opportunities, more nourishment spiritually etc. But there is a particular blessing in looking at it the other way around, from the point of rootedness, (think Benedictine spirituality), accepting the littleness and imperfections of our 'place', and above all, faithfulness to this 'gift' God has given to me in my heart of TSA and love for it, and the somewhat less promising 'gift' God has given to TSA of me!
:0)

Thanks to the net and plentiful resources in the form of training and bookshops etc, I need not lack spiritual growth by being in particular church, or lack ministry opportunities if I am not much use to my local congregation. I can love them, and commit for life, waiting to see what adventure unfolds. It is risky, I may well be written off as useless to TSA - probably already have been - but then there are diamonds to be mined in that 'littleness' and my accepting that with grace is itself loving with the love of Christ.

What do you think?
Blessings everyone,
Mac