Dutch, We are so very concerned for you and your situation. I'm glad you were able to come to the board and let everyone know your situation. DD has made an excellent suggestion. If you are unable to see or speak to your children, do a video and give it to your lawyer and he/she will ensure that it is given to them later on. Dutch, I sincerely hope that, when and if the time does come, your family is w/you. Please take care of yourself.
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.
LD, I truly hope you get to see or talk to your kids soon. I can't believe that someone would keep them from you given the situation. God speed my friend.
Wondered how thing were going. Continuing to pray for you. My prayers are more valuable than money or time (man-made items) and I don't expect you to waste them by planning on hell !!! I expect you to spend eternity in heaven - I will be looking for you - don't disappoint me! You need to be there waiting for your children, too! Custody for eternity - how does that sound.
I hope your doctors give you encouraging news. God's plan and timing is perfect and all things happen for a reason.
You need to be assured of your salvation so I just searched all over looking for an email a pastor sent to my H.
God's Word in Counseling Trials and Testings The Flesh versus the Spirit Pointing People to the Lord
TRIALS & TESTINGS...this is when we usually seek counsel
...usually the Lord has more planned than our survival/escape... The Lord has things related to: - trusting in God who raises the dead - showing God's power in earthen vessels - preparing an eternal weight of glory - and learning the sufficiency of His grace these are the kinds of things the lord wants to attend to
most of us : how do i get out of this? how do i survive thru this? .. And the lord can sustain us ..and the lord can get us out
THE LORD HAS A FAR BIGGER AGENDA THAN THAT.
FIRST THINGS GOD MAY WANT TO DO : - trusting in God who raises the dead how about being raised right here in our walk when we are buried in circumstance, trial, or battle Paul and his missionary team were being buried - they despaired of life
2 Corinthians 1 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
look what God had in mind: 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
EVERY CHRISTIAN NEEDS TO GROW IN FAITH AND TRUST IN THE LORD..MOST OF US WANT TO.. WHAT IS SO OFTEN THE OBSTRUCTION? THE TRUST WE STILL HAVE IN OURSELVES
IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY...FOLLOW ME - {DEATH TO SELF...SELF-IMPROVEMENT/ SELF-HELP/SELF-ESTEEM...} The Bible tells us we are blessed if we have low self-esteem ...BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT...NOT WHAT I CAN DO...WHAT I CAN CAUSE TO COME TO PASS.. often the Lord let's us get buried circumstancially and experiencially - WHY? - that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead-
...the great apostles had impossible circumstances too ...IT IS PART OF THE BATTLE ...look what the outcome can be... TRUST in the LORD - not only who raises the dead in the end- but raises those who are deadened by their own impossible circumstances: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; PURGES YOUR TRUST IN YOURSELF -
THE WORLD IS A PLACE THAT WANTS TO BURY US ALIVE - AND THE ENEMY - HE WANTS TO DEVOUR US...so there are times we have thee deadening situations. (But)We serve a God who raises the dead.
- showing God's power in earthen vessels: 2 Corinthians 4 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
WE ARE CLAY POTS. - WE ARE VESSELS (MEANT TO CONTAIN SOMETHING) - ORDINARY/WEAK We break easy - a clay pot The glory is not the vessel that we are - it is the content(TREAUSRE-GOD?S LIFE IN US) that God wants to put in. Then God puts us thru a process where the glory goes to the content - not the vessel.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; (=> clay pots can't handle that - it is the content.) 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (This is an attitude/confession - we are to always carry about with us- you must be willing - you embrace/confess/hold onto the dying of the Lord Jesus - AND IT IS IMPORTANT-IT IS RELATED TO THE LIFE OF JESUS BEING MANIFESTATED IN OUR BODY. )
PEOPLE SAY - OH I WANT THE LORD TO BE SEEN IN MY LIFE! - THE LORD SAYS - WELL, HERE'S THE PROCESS - I PUT MY TREASURE - THE LIFE OF MY SON IN A VESSEL LIKE YOU - I PUT YOU THRU IMPOSSIBLE THINGS AND HE'LL BE THE EXPLANATION OF HOW YOU CARRY ON AND EVEN THRIVE AND EVEN ABOUND AND EVEN BARE FRUIT ....BUT I WANT YOU WILLING TO CARRY ABOUT IN YOU THE DYING OF THE LORD JESUS - HOW DO YOU DO THAT? - WELL IT'S AN EMBRACING OF A PERSPECTIVE.A CONFESSION. AN ATTITUDE. WE HOLD ONTO / AGREE WITH/ TREASURE / SEE AS RIGHT - THE DYING OF THE LORD JESUS... THE BEST I COULD DO ON MY OWN SHOULD BE ON THAT CROSS - WE ARE AS FILTHY RAGS - THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS CAN BE MANIFEST IN MY BODY.
11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (This is an action- DONE TO US BY GOD) 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you
Allow God to comfort you and minister to you. Please toss out the suicide-meds. Seek the Lord.
I will email you.
Faith. Hope. Love. & lots of prayers for you and yours, LSL
Proselytizing by it's very nature disrespects other faiths by assuming that one knows better than another. Christians are not the only ones that have a strong spiritual life.
I have a very strong relationship with God and I am not a Christian. Hell is a Christian concept that even some Christians do not accept. It does not exist for me.
Assisted suicide is a personal choice, and God is about love, not burning people up for eternity. That is a fear-based way to control people that worked in the Dark Ages and the Spanish Inquisition, but today many walk with God free of fear.
The above beliefs are mine and I would never try to get others to stray from their own spiritual journey out of respect. Please respect other faiths.
Velvet,
Homeschooling Mom surrounded by Born Agains, who was born perfectly OK the first time.
I hear alot of pain and anger in your post to LSL. Has a "Christian" hurt you deeply before?
Sharing is what this BB is about and that is all I hear in LSLs post. If it offends anyone, they are free to choose not to read it. I hope you are not suggesting that LSL give up her first ammendment rights of free speech and curb her rights in order to respect yours? Asking LSL to change how she shares her story just so someone feels less threatened is the same thing as what LSL has done that seems to have offended you (ie you have just done the very thing that you accuse her of, just in a different way!)
Velvet, I am glad that you are a spiritual person. May I suggest that the next time you are communing with your God as you stroll on your beautiful land (I saw the pictures you posted...It is beautiful!!!),that you ask HIm to show you his truth about Jesus and ask him to reveal to you where you have been hurt by a "Christian". See what he does with this. Only you need to know about this, in your own mind. Just ask Him/Her and see what happens.
I'll leave it at that for now. Come visit me on my thread if you wish over on MLC.
I apologize if I offended you when I told you awhile back on your thread that I would throw dirt on my head and sit with you in your grief like Job's friends did.
I was offended by LSL's post also. It's not our place to preach to people. This board isn't about religion. I happen to be Presbyterian, but I think Lost Dutchman needs some support and friendship, not people judging him. This is NOT
the thread for a religious debate! Let's have a bit of compassion here!
In light of your response to me I went back and read more of LD thread and LSLs long post. I just didnt see it that way.
I saw it as her encouraging LD and cheerleading, not judging. I do not know where LD stands with faith matters, but if he is unsure I hope he explores the issues soon since he seems to be planning on jumping into eternity soon.
"religion" is not a game or a hobby...in fact I do not even like the term, because it diminishes the reality of it. the fact is that there is an eternal absolute truth out there, whether anyone at all beleives it or not. we cannot change it...our decision to not believe it doesnt make it go away. When we each die, we will be faced with this...whatever it is... whether we want to or not.
My prayer for each of us, especially LD under the immediate circumstances, is that we all explore in our own hearts what that true reality is. That we each ask "God" in our own private minds (whether we belive in Him or not) to show us what this reality is.
The God I know(the God of the Bible)...will answer all who truly seek him with an open mind and heart. Just try it if you are willing...quietly in your own mind. No one will know but you and God. You dont need to report back to me or LSL.
Personally, I have just met LD here today on this thread and I cannot count myself among his long standing friends. However, I am deeply saddened by his tale...it is most unbelievable and grievous. I will pray for him tonight when I log off...sooon.
But in reading this tale I am struck most with the thought that "God really loves you LD...and I think he is trying to get your attention." I wish you well and I hope you choose to stay around long enough for God to bring your kids to you. For reasons I cannot explain, I have this feeling that things will turn around for you in some way, if you simply ask God "what".
I know this is a strange post...but that is just what I am sensing right now for LD.
I agree with everything Rayanne said and what I wrote was how I feel. Please don't tell me how I feel - only I can know that, after all. I am neither in pain nor angry.
Just as you and LSL feel any belief other than Christian is wrong, I feel the same about proseletyzing Christians. It is an insult to my faith. And I thank God that Hell is not in my vocabulary or my beliefs.
