Far and Away

@Former-Member great to hear you went out and enjoyed your day I hope tomorrow brings some more light with it for you also...

Zoe

That sounds like a good idea @Former-Member ..... I forget that churches have moved ahead with their online facilities too, and forums might be up and running now. Good thinking 99 .... ❣️

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@lapses wrote:

About MH Forums for Christian - provably too much to ask 'cause its negative focus I guess. Probably just be told to 'have more faith' 'pray more' 'repent' 'just speak to the mt' 'stop saying negative things (how else do you tell how you feel?), read your bible... Well, I've been told all those things.
Anyway, maybe best kept between me and God, but I will go to Church Websites, see if they have a link to a forum even if just for believes chitchat. Thanks against 🙂

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Hi @Former-Member

I sounds horrible - I know people discount religion and then others discount your situation - and I have been told those things too - how devastating that is

Have more faith, pray more, repent, stop saying negative things, read your Bible

How arid - how short-sighted - how lacking in Christian teachings and understanding - of course we need to pray and have faith, read our Bible and repent - but hey - that is not the story - that is so empty-headed - like taking a sugar pill for major disaster - I know - I have been through it

My son was such a troubled child - and I feared for him - as he grew older he got into trouble that got worse and I was told these things by the people at my church - and yet I feel my faith was firm and God's grace was sufficient and I know my Bible and I prayed - but one thing people never told me - and it's such a long time ago

God gave us free-will and even when my son was a child he had this free-will himself and was for a bad place in a hurry

One night I was in hospital and crying and the nurse asked me what the trouble was? - what was I afraid of?

I told her that I was afraid my son would die and she actually laughed at me - laughed - that wouldn't happen - I was told - I was stupid and go back to bed and stop crying

A few weeks later he died - so yes - I could pray and have the faith to move mountains - but honestly I believe that God was in charge - my son's choice was to die and mine was to live and my faith has only grown stronger

I have told you my story because I think that I really do understand and I am telling you why - we are entitled to our faith - and faith and mental health is something under the heading of Evil Spirits in the Bible but that was just what they understood then - and yet - today people marginalise people with emotional discomfort and worse MI disorders - and blow their religion out of the water as you said as "delusional"

I don't know if this helps Lapses - but you are not alone - I have been told wondrous things about my chronic pain as well but I have a thicker skin and a stronger faith by now - as the years grow so does my faith and my resolve - my understanding too - I think

Dec

Hi @Former-Member

Thanks for your post and including your thoughts - you seem to have found some on-line hope with is a good thing - we need contact with our religious background

I read Joni Erickson's story years ago - what terrible despair she faced - a life-long complete physical disability and therefore dependence on other people - and wow - her faith is massive

Like broken-glass - shattered glass - I see what that means - a life must be nearly destroyed for the light to appear like prismatic glory - something I love btw - and my own life was nearly destroyed when and after my son died - and yet decades later I am still hear and hope I send my message of hope to others - esp if their religion has let them down

There is this thing - unless we have been through terribly shattering times we cannot see what it does to people - and there helplessness in the face of our adversity - they can't know - they can't imagine - how could they?

I wish you the best and so glad you have found something to stand on and grow from

What silliness it is to be told to pray more - God answers heart-felt prayers - maybe not long and involved ones - more quickly - but the answer might be no - that is another part of a faith that is mature - we need to accept the no - as we had/have to say to our own children

I am inspired myself by this

Dec

@Faith-and-Hope

@Faith-and-Hope, thought of you when I saw this veil painting. Hope you're OK? Making headway with your own painting and keeping the tribe on an even keel. Keep ya chin up buttercup 🐬💕

@Zoe7, how are you? Must pop over your more reg thread, hope you're feeling better 💐♨

Hi @Faith-and-Hope