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How has Freedom2B helped you?

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Sandy
 
Joined in 2007
July 27, 2007, 10:34

Thanks everyone the love and understanding shown on this site has helped me in coming to this place of rest. It’s amazing that the most frequent command in the Bible is “Do not be afraid” and yet I was trembling in my boots (very stylish boots they were too) over all of this, I was terrified what would happen if I had gotten it wrong, so depresed that I had thrown away a chance at real happiness and love with another person that I may have been entitled too, that I had destroyed her life as I had destroyed mine. I was comforted those long months lying in a hospital bed after I had been attacked, unable to walk and unable to sleep for the nightmares by my friend Claire who said “God is compassion when you are afraid He really feels it, when you are sick, tired, confused, happy, disbelieving or arrogrant He not only knows how you feel but is consumed with an empathy so great that He really feels what you are going through.” Such wise and powerful words. It is my prayer that everyone may understand this deeply profound truth, a truth that has literally transformed my relationship with God and my thinking in all aspects of my life. God does not observe our lives in a transcendant fashion but experiences them with us, the up’s and downs He’s not only there with us but an integral part of the action. For all those who feel abandoned by God, the Church or their families I pray that God will reveal His compassion to you and you too may come to a place of rest knowing that God judges your hearts.


A trancendant observer may have a checklist in heaven and judge you on your beliefs and consequential actions “Female misinster? check!, Divorcee? Check!” But our Lord has been there and because he knows our hearts he will know whether we truly believe our beliefs and actions to be honouring God, that is all that matters, a person who honestly believes that being in a homosexual relationship and uses that to honour God is not any worse than a person who disbelieves that it honours God. That was my lesson. Why? Because they both honour God in their hearts!! Jesus was astounded by simple faith. I really don’t think God gives a damn what happens in our lives, whether we become doctors or missionaries or pastors, the one and only integral thing, the reason we were made to begin with, the vital point… Do our lives honour God? What a plain and simple easy ‘answer’ to a multitude of things. Kind of embaressing it too me so long to realise actually…


I am glad you put in your two cents worth Anthony, a special thanks to you for your patience with me which I am sorry to admit was often far greater than my patience with you. I had the oppitunity to re-read the notes I wrote in the margins of your book, you’d laugh your head off and so did I. I look at those notes and an so greatful for your book, your nsight, this site and you generally (cause you know, your kinda ok these days 😆 ). For taking the time to help me, for your patience, for claiming not to have the answers the very first time we corresponded, for never telling me what to think, for giving me room to work it all out, for your help with my family drama, for asking me questions I never expected, for ignoring my questions that were so far from the real issue, for showing me the joy of simply living in Christ no strings attached, and for I’m sure repeating the same process in its varied forms for others far and wide I thank you for being you and for truely, honestly and humbly using your life to honour God, He is so proud.


Its true what you say (wow see I am learning I’m pretty sure I just agreed with you 😉 ) the only people we have to answer to is ourselves and God. I am I think in an interesting situation because I really do work on the theory that there is too much evidence to deny that homosexuality could quite possibly be sinful but too little evidence to truely confirm it. Where on earth does that leave me in my quest to honour God? Fundamentally I choose not to be in a relationship because of the ‘what if’, because I am not thourally conviced it does honour God and so my motives whould be largely selfish. It was funny actually I come to all these new understandings and I think in the back of my mind I really hoped that I would be able to be with Marina (nonwithstanding the fact that she has probably well and truely moved on with her life after so long apart). It was a huge disapointment to relaise that I couldn’t. But it’s also a huge lesson, God comes first. It was I that wanted to be in a relationship not God, and maybe my beliefs are as they are to teach me specifically that lesson, rely on God, it is God who has authority not you, God who makes the decisions and informs you on holy living. I know its a bit of a cliche to say but being honest is so freeing!! I can walk around and say “yup I’m gay (to quote Ellen Degeneres) and I choose to honour God”. Honesty is a great gift esepically when you didn’t even realise you had been lying to yourself! How amazing God is!



frogger
 
Joined in 2005
July 27, 2007, 13:08

hey guys i thought id add my five dollars worth…. havent been able to post for yonkers huh!


sandy you really do blow me away. you have been strongly opinioned all the way, but so quick to say i was wrong and ive learnt from that. Your amazing


Ive learnt to say “I dont know” and thats okay from this site. It really opens your heart.


My experience of freedom2b. I was just dealing with my family when i joined. they were not being friendly at all. I had just left my church. I was in a strange place..


The way this site has affected me is that it has opened me up (thanks Sandy) to forgiving christians for judging me. And, allowing them into my life without wanting to kill them.


It has solidified my desire for life and my understanding and acceptance for myself.


I have made some cool friends and met some amazing people.


I have felt safe… thats it hey! safe to grow, be, learn, feel


I have felt safe



Sandy
 
Joined in 2007
July 27, 2007, 13:56

I owe you a very personal appolgy I think Jannah, I was so misguided and I hope that you will forgive me for some of the totally out of line, judgemental and hurtful things I have said.



frogger
 
Joined in 2005
July 27, 2007, 14:32

sandy you owe me nothing. I owe you total respect… your an amazing chickadee… im glad to have met you and to have had you impact my life



magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
July 27, 2007, 15:02

Hey Frogger, great to have you posting again D You and Sandy rock wink Sandy is a truly humble person, one of the best of women (btw I saw you roll those eyes Sandy wink )



Sandy
 
Joined in 2007
July 27, 2007, 15:12

Yeah lets do me all a big favour and get off the topic of me for a bit shall we? I have learnt alot and am recifying past mistakes, that deserves no praise because I was silly enough to make them to begin with. Thankyou though, your rather wonderful yourself now that I think about it. 😆



magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
July 27, 2007, 15:13

Arghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! Instant payback or what lol



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
July 27, 2007, 19:47

Its true what you say (wow see I am learning I’m pretty sure I just agreed with you 😉 ) the only people we have to answer to is ourselves and God.


Pretty simple eh. If i do that and you do that and everyone else does that……I think we may have created a better world.


Can I share something else your posted has triggered me to remember.


this is another thing i’ve learnt over the last 3 years since the first book came out and i’ve had to communicate to people about these things.


its really easy to resond anger for anger but that only produces hostility. Its far better to either show grace or the hurt minus the anger. Another option is to not respond at all as you’ve said.


People will come in here with all sorts of stuff……….and anything can trigger that off. If F2B is not the safest place for GLBT people then where is……..the church?


I’ve seen people get triggered off here on all sorts of things…..the Mardi Gras march……one guy abused me because i made a small change in the title of his post as i thought the change would attract more people to his post……….he has gone now…….what a shame…..he is still probably carrying that stuff.



Sandy
 
Joined in 2007
July 28, 2007, 18:59

It’s interesting isn’t it? For all the complex theology preached from the pulpit every week it is the simple things, the foundation that we forget, misunderstand or can not see. Its not hard to see then why so many people have it wrong, why there is so much internal diversity and debate, the foundation is barely reciognsed and understood, how can anyone hope to understand the more complex stuff? The foundation is also the most poingiant and liberating… the facts on which all other stuff should rest.


I know this is something that you already know Anthony from years of experience I’m sure but ‘you’ (meaning anyone who happens to be reading this) are not responsible for people’s bad reactions. It took me ages to get this! Somebody storms off in a huff over something and you feel responsible, your not. As Anthony said people have a whole lot of issues that predate that particular experince but greatly influence it, trust me, I’m the queen of emotional baggage.


We are only held accountable to ourselves and God, our motives are pure and Godly then thats all that counts, we are not responsible for anyone else’s Christian journey or their salvation. Conversly we are responsible for our own, everyone must learn at some stage to take off the training wheels, reject being spoon fed, get up, pick up their cross and follow Christ.



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
July 29, 2007, 18:07

Just to let you all know………I talk simply because in essence I am i simple I think. No great thing or deserving of any real praise…….its just the way i am.


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