Christian Chat

Thanks @Realness I'm really grateful for the summaries of the chapters you're reading! I'll make my goal to read a bit of the Bible today. 💛

I was writing a reply to one of your posts (on another thread, I think) and it disappeared @Appleblossom Did you take it down? 🤔

Are you okay? 💛

@heartathome Thank you for trying to comprehend and respond. I really appreciate it. I guess the mods took it off. Just another experience where I am silenced. I guess it was too traumatic, but dont they know endlessly suppressing trauma, keeps it alive. They could have put on a trigger warning, I would have accepted that. Anyway, I guess, I am now convinced that it has never really been me who was inauthentic or masking or lying. The stuff I have been forced to swallow has been too bad for cushy ears tro hear. So thats on them. Not me. I will be curious if my son and daughter and I ever get justice.

My son and I finished watching The Green Mile, and had good conversations about cinematography and ethics...I wish the truth was known about our characters.

@Realness @Appleblossom @heartathome @Cuppatea @REDLINEZ750

Rejoice with me my friends i finally slept well over 4 1/2 hours in my first sleep. That is 1 1/2 hours longer than the best i have done in the last few weeks. Very pleased seeing myself calm down each day some more. Awesome really. Hopefully i get some more after that would really be mint.

And yes @Realness my wife has certainly seen the difference in me. She is also beginning to dare to believe the worst is behind us now. It has been so good to have moments i even feel happy again. Did not think that would ever happen again to me only 6 months ago.

We have been reading from Exodus together and i have marvelled at the spiritual patterns Scripture lays down even just in the order of the story through the wilderness. How clearly when we leave Egypt, our places/times of/in captivity and slavery and the washing away of sin, our inner pursuers and then meeting God in our wilderness in His love and care over us breaking free from the sins/life that had us captive.

Now i'm not even talking about the awesome pattern of the Tabernacle as a spiritual pattern of our relationship with God and the grace and mercy in our life that leads us to our promised freedom/land to dwell in.

It has been so educational reading these parts of the O.T. For i have read the bible from Job up to Revelation for years spiritually, but very rarely the first bible books. It has been awesome so far and we both cannot wait till we get to Leviticus. for we both know now that all these ceremonial laws refer to spiritual patterns that break us away from inner shame, blame, guilt and wrongdoings, as well as teach us how to worship God and prepare our heart and mind for communion with Him through Christ's Spirit within us.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yZ3YGWb1bt0

You sound in great form @DownMoreThanUp What a wonderful change you are experiencing! Praise God! You remind me of the guy in the Bible who wrestled with God.

Very pleased seeing myself calm down each day some more. So am I. You may have to change your SANE name if the happiness hangs around. I'm glad you're experiencing this! I'm excited for you! 💛

@heartathome "You may have to change your SANE name if the happiness hangs around. "

Absolutely! @UsedToBeDownMoreThanUp coming around the corner next!!!😁

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufoQhtpimpY&list=PLB3QJW7tfdDXrLv6_sijYDBYVI9OuCvBx&index=80

@DownMoreThanUp 😊

Hi @DownMoreThanUp ,

I rejoice with you. Sleep wonderful sleep! May it continue.

My thoughts are with you and your beautiful wife. Daring to hope it may be over.

I love the cloud/pillar of fire in Exodus. God over His people constantly. Telling them exactly where they're meant to be. So safe even in the wilderness that there is no need to hide. Same with the burnt offerings and commands to make noise. The Israelites were often announcing to the people around them, "We're right here!" They were that safe in God.

Hi @heartathome , @DownMoreThanUp , @Appleblossom , @ENKELI , @REDLINEZ750 ,

Luke 17 today.

Jesus' teaching:

- Temptations are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!

- Be alert. Correct any followers of mine who sin, and forgive the ones who repent.

- Faith the size of a mustard seed can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.

- Example of the slave expected to serve their master dinner after working in the field. No special thanks. In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded should say, 'We are worthless servants, we've only done our duty.'

- The kingdom of God is not coming with something observable - it is within you.

- The day of the Son of Man will be like lightning flashing across the sky. It will be sudden and unexpected. Don't go back to get your things.

- Remember Lot's wife. Don't look back.

In the middle of the chapter is Jesus healing ten lepers with only one Samaritan leper returning to say thanks. I have a bit of a question for Jesus on this - the other nine may have been obeying His original request to present themselves to the priest.

Hi @heartathome ,

How's it going? After Christmas my mind goes strangely blank when trying to think up posts. Please excuse my quietness. I'm thinking I might do the next segment of my story. Don't worry you don't have to remember the first segment. I'll write a quick summary of the last bit.

Hi @Appleblossom ,

Thanks for your posts. Have you heard of Janet Frame, a New Zealand author? Her work is classed as literature. Your words remind me of her work. I have difficulty thinking of a worthy reply.

Hi @ENKELI ,

Thinking of you and the loss of your Dad. Our stories are sort of opposites. I was in the same room as Dad a lot but rarely communicated with him. You were very very rarely in the same room but had the email communication. You possibly got more of the inside of your Dad then I did.