I hope to remain on CF too.
Cymru said:Thank you Lord for giving me the strength and the faith to believe in You. Thank you for sending these people to help me, and letting in your light. Thank you for your love... all of you, and your prayers. I'm starting to go to a church youth group with a friend, and honestly, I've never felt so alive. And yes, thank you for the scriptures, they do help.
I love how you said honestly you never felt so alive. God is not boring !
Thank you so much Lord Jesus. This post brought a huge smile and comfort to me this morning.Cymru said:Thank you Lord for giving me the strength and the faith to believe in You. Thank you for sending these people to help me, and letting in your light. Thank you for your love... all of you, and your prayers. I'm starting to go to a church youth group with a friend, and honestly, I've never felt so alive. And yes, thank you for the scriptures, they do help.
You are so close,so close.And you are right about faith not coming from outside pressure,but an inner desire.So it was with me.I've been a believer now for about three years.I have been exposed to the type of religion that you describe.It is a turnoff.Look forget about your school mates.Just realise that your faith is between you and God.Christianity is about repentance and forgiveness.Our repentance and Gods forgiveness through Jesus Christ.Accepting Christ is a wonderful beginning to a fantastic adventure.You are on the right track. Don't give up.Cymru said:Well, I guess I'm just another person struggling to find God, and a friend of mine is an avid member I decided, why not?
If you can forgive my need to give a little background to my story, I'll try not to be terribly longwinded.
I was baptized Christian as a baby however, I've only attended church a scattering of times, all of which were during my early childhood, oft with my grandmother. My father is atheist, and my mother... I believe she is Christian. But our family has never attended church since then, and what with 'seperation of church and state', plus receiving a great majority of my education (seven years) in California, I've never been raised in a religious environment. I was taught the big bang and evolution and I accepted it and thought it was interesting. I still do, really, what kid doesn't like the idea of dinosaurs?
Returning to the point, I recently moved to Texas, and now I'm in high school other than feeling young and out of place, I feel further seperation now that I'm in an environ where people talk and care about and understand their faith. Growing up around so many people of different religions and races, I didn't think it would be so different here. I guess I realized how much it would matter when talking with my best friends here, people I trusted to accept my beliefs, or lack thereof. The question of my church came up and I truthfully told them I was agnostic, and explained the term, and the conversation instantly died and they both just kind of stared at me. And I looked away, for the first time, ashamed of what I was.
For a long time, I had wondered about the existence of God. I knew that pretty much everything in the Bible was certain to have happened science actually proved almost all of it
Lately, it's been weighing heavier and heavier on my heart and mind. Part of me very much wants to find God my life has lately reached a rather depressing low, even though, for the first time, I'm getting good grades and behaving well. My life just seems empty and purposeless. Only one thought has really been dragging me on, and that's finding God and opening up my heart.
But, I'm scared. Of a whole bunch of stuff. Scared of having to take everything I believed and accepted, and taking something new in its place. Scared that subconsciously, I'm doing this for the wrong reasons, not out of love of Jesus and God. Most of all, I'm scared that I'm not strong enough to truly believe, because, even if I can deceive myself, I can't deceive God. Faith is what really matters, and I don't know if I can find it in me.
So... I turn here for help. Because I don't know where else to go. My 'friends' just aren't very mature and I have doubts of their faith... I know that sounds so hypocritical, coming from the person who carries a cross in their pocket because they feel like a liar to display it on their neck, but... I feel so lost. Does anyone have any advice? (And sorry, I didn't exactly keep it short,')
Cymru said:Thank you Lord for giving me the strength and the faith to believe in You. Thank you for sending these people to help me, and letting in your light. Thank you for your love... all of you, and your prayers. I'm starting to go to a church youth group with a friend, and honestly, I've never felt so alive. And yes, thank you for the scriptures, they do help.
Here's a book everyone should read, especially you I suppose, The Case for Christ. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310209307/bookstorenow57-20/002-5864157-3226411Cymru said:Well, I guess I'm just another person struggling to find God, and a friend of mine is an avid member I decided, why not?
If you can forgive my need to give a little background to my story, I'll try not to be terribly longwinded.
I was baptized Christian as a baby however, I've only attended church a scattering of times, all of which were during my early childhood, oft with my grandmother. My father is atheist, and my mother... I believe she is Christian. But our family has never attended church since then, and what with 'seperation of church and state', plus receiving a great majority of my education (seven years) in California, I've never been raised in a religious environment. I was taught the big bang and evolution and I accepted it and thought it was interesting. I still do, really, what kid doesn't like the idea of dinosaurs?
Returning to the point, I recently moved to Texas, and now I'm in high school other than feeling young and out of place, I feel further seperation now that I'm in an environ where people talk and care about and understand their faith. Growing up around so many people of different religions and races, I didn't think it would be so different here. I guess I realized how much it would matter when talking with my best friends here, people I trusted to accept my beliefs, or lack thereof. The question of my church came up and I truthfully told them I was agnostic, and explained the term, and the conversation instantly died and they both just kind of stared at me. And I looked away, for the first time, ashamed of what I was.
For a long time, I had wondered about the existence of God. I knew that pretty much everything in the Bible was certain to have happened science actually proved almost all of it
Lately, it's been weighing heavier and heavier on my heart and mind. Part of me very much wants to find God my life has lately reached a rather depressing low, even though, for the first time, I'm getting good grades and behaving well. My life just seems empty and purposeless. Only one thought has really been dragging me on, and that's finding God and opening up my heart.
But, I'm scared. Of a whole bunch of stuff. Scared of having to take everything I believed and accepted, and taking something new in its place. Scared that subconsciously, I'm doing this for the wrong reasons, not out of love of Jesus and God. Most of all, I'm scared that I'm not strong enough to truly believe, because, even if I can deceive myself, I can't deceive God. Faith is what really matters, and I don't know if I can find it in me.
So... I turn here for help. Because I don't know where else to go. My 'friends' just aren't very mature and I have doubts of their faith... I know that sounds so hypocritical, coming from the person who carries a cross in their pocket because they feel like a liar to display it on their neck, but... I feel so lost. Does anyone have any advice? (And sorry, I didn't exactly keep it short,
Try this, then decide for yourself, from my own personal teachings, you won't be sorry.Cymru said:Well, I guess I'm just another person struggling to find God, and a friend of mine is an avid member I decided, why not?
If you can forgive my need to give a little background to my story, I'll try not to be terribly longwinded.
I was baptized Christian as a baby however, I've only attended church a scattering of times, all of which were during my early childhood, oft with my grandmother. My father is atheist, and my mother... I believe she is Christian. But our family has never attended church since then, and what with 'seperation of church and state', plus receiving a great majority of my education (seven years) in California, I've never been raised in a religious environment. I was taught the big bang and evolution and I accepted it and thought it was interesting. I still do, really, what kid doesn't like the idea of dinosaurs?
Returning to the point, I recently moved to Texas, and now I'm in high school other than feeling young and out of place, I feel further seperation now that I'm in an environ where people talk and care about and understand their faith. Growing up around so many people of different religions and races, I didn't think it would be so different here. I guess I realized how much it would matter when talking with my best friends here, people I trusted to accept my beliefs, or lack thereof. The question of my church came up and I truthfully told them I was agnostic, and explained the term, and the conversation instantly died and they both just kind of stared at me. And I looked away, for the first time, ashamed of what I was.
For a long time, I had wondered about the existence of God. I knew that pretty much everything in the Bible was certain to have happened science actually proved almost all of it
Lately, it's been weighing heavier and heavier on my heart and mind. Part of me very much wants to find God my life has lately reached a rather depressing low, even though, for the first time, I'm getting good grades and behaving well. My life just seems empty and purposeless. Only one thought has really been dragging me on, and that's finding God and opening up my heart.
But, I'm scared. Of a whole bunch of stuff. Scared of having to take everything I believed and accepted, and taking something new in its place. Scared that subconsciously, I'm doing this for the wrong reasons, not out of love of Jesus and God. Most of all, I'm scared that I'm not strong enough to truly believe, because, even if I can deceive myself, I can't deceive God. Faith is what really matters, and I don't know if I can find it in me.
So... I turn here for help. Because I don't know where else to go. My 'friends' just aren't very mature and I have doubts of their faith... I know that sounds so hypocritical, coming from the person who carries a cross in their pocket because they feel like a liar to display it on their neck, but... I feel so lost. Does anyone have any advice? (And sorry, I didn't exactly keep it short,
what kind of file is that, asx, I have a mac and it wouldn't play itlinssue55 said:
Try this one, the samples are below, you can pick which one......twistedsketch said:
