Struggles and Survivors

[Zoey <3]

I just wanted to point this out. I posted in my recent blog about my rededication through Christ after a terrible tragedy. Total vision loss in one eye, sprained achilles tendon, opposite ankle sprained, broken foot that to this day has not healed. This all happened in a month's time, and most of the injuries were not related. On top of that, I had a psychiatric crisis, which is natural given all of that coming so suddenly.

But the point of this is that I attend an online ministry school.

At least I did, until gave up my dream altogether. I was discouraged by my mentor in the faith refusing to write a brief message saying that I was ordination worthy. My mentor is the only member of the church that knew I was lgbt+. I was a celibate, but that did not matter to her.

After this struggle, I was already fighting to move on. I didn't think that I was ready if she said I wasn't, as she knew me best.

I was going to reach out to my lead pastor, who I am sure would have signed it. But then all of this started happening.

My last post on my profile at my online school was on August 1st last year. I had posted my story and my ordination message.

August 3rd of last year, I lost my vision. August 12th I broken my foot. 3 days after that I sprained my ankle. As my vision kept coming and going I sprained my achilles tendon about a week later and had an uniboot underneath of my walking boot.

My foot still hasn't healed and my vision has been permanently gone for over 5 months now.

I've been attacked by the devil, but never like this until now.

I must have a purpose. A great one. I just don't know what it is...

Thanks for reading.

 

[WESTOZZIE]

If you have not read this book, and are able to purchase the audible book, "Hinds Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnard you will be greatly blessed.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I just wanted to point this out. I posted in my recent blog about my rededication through Christ after a terrible tragedy. Total vision loss in one eye, sprained achilles tendon, opposite ankle sprained, broken foot that to this day has not healed. This all happened in a month's time, and most of the injuries were not related. On top of that, I had a psychiatric crisis, which is natural given all of that coming so suddenly.

But the point of this is that I attend an online ministry school.

At least I did, until gave up my dream altogether. I was discouraged by my mentor in the faith refusing to write a brief message saying that I was ordination worthy. My mentor is the only member of the church that knew I was lgbt+. I was a celibate, but that did not matter to her.

After this struggle, I was already fighting to move on. I didn't think that I was ready if she said I wasn't, as she knew me best.

I was going to reach out to my lead pastor, who I am sure would have signed it. But then all of this started happening.

My last post on my profile at my online school was on August 1st last year. I had posted my story and my ordination message.

August 3rd of last year, I lost my vision. August 12th I broken my foot. 3 days after that I sprained my ankle. As my vision kept coming and going I sprained my achilles tendon about a week later and had an uniboot underneath of my walking boot.

My foot still hasn't healed and my vision has been permanently gone for over 5 months now.

I've been attacked by the devil, but never like this until now.

I must have a purpose. A great one. I just don't know what it is...

Thanks for reading.

Adverse circumstances and suffering are not pleasant for anyone. But, we have to consider that God is allowing these things to happen to you for a very good reason. The main reason is, that you get your eyes off yourself and your own state, and on to Christ.

You see, the thing is that as a believer, you are dead in Christ. You are nothing in yourself. This is something that many of our modern churches don't teach. But it is what the Scripture teaches. Our modern churches teach the importance of happiness, self-esteem, liking ourselves, positive thinking and self-image. As you can see, it is all to do with self.

Let's look at what Paul, whose writing became Holy Scripture, and who was the most successful church planter in the First Century, and whom we hold up as the greatest example of Christian ministry apart from Christ Himself.

He ended up being imprisoned, facing execution - where he wrote his best letters to churches.
He was beaten, shipwrecked, stoned to death and brought back to life, hungry, deserted by his closest fellow-ministers, cold, in poverty, chased out of town, failed in his ministry at Athens, and got to the stage in Asia where circumstances got such that he became deeply depressed and despaired of life itself!

Yet he said in the fact of all that, "We have the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead." And, "In no matter what circumstances I find myself, I am content." So, he was content when he was beaten, stoned, chased out of town, cold, hungry, and imprisoned. Why? Because he saw himself as nothing but a poor sinner, but Jesus Christ was all in all to him.

That's the truth of Scripture. This is the antidote to adverse circumstances:
"Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication make your requests known to God, and the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7). Paul wrote that when he was in prison, all his fellow ministers had left him, and he was facing execution. So, he set the example of what he told the Philippian believers.

When we turn our hearts and eyes off ourselves and on to Christ and lay our burdens on Him, even though our circumstances don't change, we receive the peace of God that passes all understanding, so that come hell or high water, nothing will disturb that peace. Even if our circumstances never change for the rest of our lives, we will still have the peace of God in our hearts because our faith will be in Christ and not in ourselves.

 

[Messerve]

I just wanted to point this out. I posted in my recent blog about my rededication through Christ after a terrible tragedy. Total vision loss in one eye, sprained achilles tendon, opposite ankle sprained, broken foot that to this day has not healed. This all happened in a month's time, and most of the injuries were not related. On top of that, I had a psychiatric crisis, which is natural given all of that coming so suddenly.

But the point of this is that I attend an online ministry school.

At least I did, until gave up my dream altogether. I was discouraged by my mentor in the faith refusing to write a brief message saying that I was ordination worthy. My mentor is the only member of the church that knew I was lgbt+. I was a celibate, but that did not matter to her.

After this struggle, I was already fighting to move on. I didn't think that I was ready if she said I wasn't, as she knew me best.

I was going to reach out to my lead pastor, who I am sure would have signed it. But then all of this started happening.

My last post on my profile at my online school was on August 1st last year. I had posted my story and my ordination message.

August 3rd of last year, I lost my vision. August 12th I broken my foot. 3 days after that I sprained my ankle. As my vision kept coming and going I sprained my achilles tendon about a week later and had an uniboot underneath of my walking boot.

My foot still hasn't healed and my vision has been permanently gone for over 5 months now.

I've been attacked by the devil, but never like this until now.

I must have a purpose. A great one. I just don't know what it is...

Thanks for reading.

I'm not sure what you mean by being "a lgbt+"... If you simply mean that you have an attraction other than the biblical man and woman model, but have not acted on it and don't support lgbt+ agenda, and if you truly have given your life to Jesus and follow Him, then I see no reason why you shouldn't be allowed to pursue ministry. You may have the unique perspective needed to fill a very important role somewhere. You just have to be careful not to identify with a sin but identify as a reborn soul bought by Jesus' blood. The past is past. As you say you're celibate, I assume that's where you're at.

I pray your physical troubles will resolve. That's terrible about your vision. I'm really sorry...

 

[ChicanaRose]

I just wanted to point this out. I posted in my recent blog about my rededication through Christ after a terrible tragedy. Total vision loss in one eye, sprained achilles tendon, opposite ankle sprained, broken foot that to this day has not healed. This all happened in a month's time, and most of the injuries were not related. On top of that, I had a psychiatric crisis, which is natural given all of that coming so suddenly.

But the point of this is that I attend an online ministry school.

At least I did, until gave up my dream altogether. I was discouraged by my mentor in the faith refusing to write a brief message saying that I was ordination worthy. My mentor is the only member of the church that knew I was lgbt+. I was a celibate, but that did not matter to her.

After this struggle, I was already fighting to move on. I didn't think that I was ready if she said I wasn't, as she knew me best.

I was going to reach out to my lead pastor, who I am sure would have signed it. But then all of this started happening.

My last post on my profile at my online school was on August 1st last year. I had posted my story and my ordination message.

August 3rd of last year, I lost my vision. August 12th I broken my foot. 3 days after that I sprained my ankle. As my vision kept coming and going I sprained my achilles tendon about a week later and had an uniboot underneath of my walking boot.

My foot still hasn't healed and my vision has been permanently gone for over 5 months now.

I've been attacked by the devil, but never like this until now.

I must have a purpose. A great one. I just don't know what it is...

Thanks for reading.

Your faith inspires me. May God reward you richly for your faithfulness.