Hi Meg and Lee

Meg said: “You know, I really don’t think that you must go to church in order to have a relationship with God. I’ve had a relationship with God for years when I was not attending church, and for me, it was every bit as fulfilling and real, and sometimes even more so than it ever was when I was attending church every Sunday.”

I couldn’t agree more, Meg. Of course this was not what the church taught but I’m so glad to have that truth lit up within me now. The church said that if I wasn’t in fellowship then I wasn’t really with God. And at the same time, they couldn’t accept me so created a no-win situation. In contrast to what the church taught, I’ve realised that I’m my own temple and that which is sacred is everywhere waiting to be discovered and celebrated. And my relationship with God and ‘the sacred’ exists irrespective of any church. No matter where you are, it’s what’s in your heart that matters.

Meg said: “I’ve heard it said that sitting in a pew at church doesn’t make someone a Christian, anymore than sleeping in a garage makes them a car. I think that’s very true. In the end, how you relate to God is a personal thing and whatever works for you and makes you feel close to God is perfectly fine.”

hehe I’ve heard it said that “being in church doesn’t make someone a Christian anymore than eating in Mc Donalds makes you a hamburger.” And yes, we’re all different so what brings one individual closer to God might be different to what works for someone else. Again, I agree with Meg – whatever works is good.

Blessings,

Ann Maree

Hi Ann Maree.

You can call me Lee. Yes. I have alot of self worth work to do on myself. I am at such a low ebb with that in my life right now. I have no feelings of goodness about myself at all. Why do you not call yourself a christian anymore? I don’t so much try to please others anymore in my life… yes I want people to be happy and feel good and to help where I can but not to the detriment of my physical and mental health, it is not worth it.

You can’t fix everything for everybody. Yeah, I have given up on trying to understand the bible really,, I cannot understand the messages it conveys with the very old style writing.. and bible school is not something I have really considered much. I am very new to this walk so am taking it slowly. Having found this place is helping me though alot and am very grateful for it. I feel that I am already confused enough becasue everybody seems to say different things about God and religion and it jsut confuses me so I have juts decided enough is enough and I am just keeping ti simple for me right now. I pray to god and speak with him and try an educate myself about it and for me that’s enough for now.

I am not fixed and I am quite open minded to new things but I think I have to get over not trusting christian people. Not all christians are the same and I absolutely cannot and will not put them all in the same basket, just circumstances that have happened through my life and things I have learnt doesn’t make it so easy to learn in these regards. I think for now just not going to church is a good idea, I will know when I am ready to go to church.

Thanks for your insights Ann Maree, they are valued to me. 🙂

Lee.

You’re Welcome Lee and I am glad that the things I’ve said have been helpful to you. I can understand about being stressed out and tired and confused. I’ve been there at different times in my life and in those times I have found it most useful just to lean on God and do things at his pace which is so much slower and easier than the frenetic pace of our modern world, I find.

You’re right, you will know when it is time for you to take any further steps.

The thread where I responded to Zed’s question is here: http://www.freedom2b.org/topic/1217

Blessings!

Hi Ciar.

Actually, I have considered reading a different bible instead of the KJV… I started redaing this one as my na gave it to me, she is a preacher and it was sentimental to me but I just cannot make any sense of it.. maybe I can llok for a christian bookshop where I live and I may find a new one to read… but I will just take my time and pray to god about it. My nan suggested a book to me called Victory over darkness by Neil T Anderson but not sure if I am going to read it yet.. will think about it some more… Thank you for your suggestion though 🙂

Lee.

take all the time you need here Lee……..stay close