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Post by guard.yourheart on Mar 2, 2015 14:42:35 GMT
I am looking for advice for finding a new church. Where do all you people go to church now and why do you think God led you there? Wow, great advice here. I am in your shoes as well. I can see the hubby is religiously restless. He's the one that has to make the plunge for us. If I am the one that makes the first move in changing churches, I will be to blame as I wasn't PR to begin with. I hope for your family's sake that your husband will make the plunge too
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Post by grace on Mar 12, 2015 11:26:37 GMT
Beijing a follower of Jesus is to have God completely consume you. Not just on Sunday when we have the freedom to still worship. If your gut is telling you that it's time to leave.... Listen to that. Don't disregard the work of the Holy Spirit in your life....
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Post by Admin on Mar 12, 2015 11:43:02 GMT
Hi Grace! Thanks for posting.
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Post by Joacom on Mar 13, 2015 20:16:17 GMT
Beijing a follower of Jesus is to have God completely consume you. Not just on Sunday when we have the freedom to still worship. If your gut is telling you that it's time to leave.... Listen to that. Don't disregard the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.... I strongly believe that God cares about our spiritual growth and He wants us to mature and be effective in His Kingdom. PRC is not the place you will grow and mature in Christ. With in PRCA you can only be bond in their club but not growing in Christ.So run out as soon as you can .May the Holy Spirit guide and l direct your feets in the Church, where the LORD will speak to you through his WORD. My advice do not go to which has similarities like PRC , you will die spiritually completely go to a Bible believing,living and practicing Church.
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Post by crusader on Mar 22, 2015 2:06:53 GMT
Beijing a follower of Jesus is to have God completely consume you. Not just on Sunday when we have the freedom to still worship. If your gut is telling you that it's time to leave.... Listen to that. Don't disregard the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.... I strongly believe that God cares about our spiritual growth and He wants us to mature and be effective in His Kingdom. PRC is not the place you will grow and mature in Christ. With in PRCA you can only be bond in their club but not growing in Christ.So run out as soon as you can .May the Holy Spirit guide and l direct your feets in the Church, where the LORD will speak to you through his WORD. My advice do not go to which has similarities like PRC , you will die spiritually completely go to a Bible believing,living and practicing Church. If a woman leaves and her husband does not, what then?
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Post by KristianWrights on Mar 22, 2015 18:34:00 GMT
I strongly believe that God cares about our spiritual growth and He wants us to mature and be effective in His Kingdom. PRC is not the place you will grow and mature in Christ. With in PRCA you can only be bond in their club but not growing in Christ.So run out as soon as you can .May the Holy Spirit guide and l direct your feets in the Church, where the LORD will speak to you through his WORD. My advice do not go to which has similarities like PRC , you will die spiritually completely go to a Bible believing,living and practicing Church. If a woman leaves and her husband does not, what then? He wold be looked at very funny cause he can't "controle" his wife, they may feel sorry for him that his wife is so "crazy".
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Post by freefromprc on Mar 22, 2015 18:47:49 GMT
If a woman leaves and her husband does not, what then? He wold be looked at very funny cause he can't "controle" his wife, they may feel sorry for him that his wife is so "crazy". Exactly. Women are beat in this church to keep them in line. If a woman leaves, it is an amazing feat.
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seeker
Seminary Student
Posts: 351
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Post by seeker on Mar 22, 2015 19:07:45 GMT
He wold be looked at very funny cause he can't "controle" his wife, they may feel sorry for him that his wife is so "crazy". Exactly. Women are beat in this church to keep them in line. If a woman leaves, it is an amazing feat. Oh yes. Especially the old school members. Beating up your whole family to get them to submit. Boy, that brings back memories!
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Post by cannalily on Mar 23, 2015 19:30:01 GMT
Exactly. Women are beat in this church to keep them in line. If a woman leaves, it is an amazing feat. Oh yes. Especially the old school members. Beating up your whole family to get them to submit. Boy, that brings back memories! Heh. It sure does. From the minister right on down, too. ugh.
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Post by crusader on Apr 1, 2015 23:59:07 GMT
Beijing a follower of Jesus is to have God completely consume you. Not just on Sunday when we have the freedom to still worship. If your gut is telling you that it's time to leave.... Listen to that. Don't disregard the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.... easier said than done when you have no income and children
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Post by Sophia M. on Apr 2, 2015 18:55:25 GMT
Finding a counselor is a great first step if you are considering making steps to leave a particular religious environment or community.
A secure relationship is not one that hands out answers and directs your choices, but one that reassures you that you are safe, loved and valuable as a human. Like all humans, you are not expected, ever, to have all the right answers about personal choices or doctrinal mysteries, even on your best most clarified days. Being fully human is about vulnerability, honesty, wholeness and relational intimacy, not about the achievement (or appearance) of the condition of being right, or perfect, or even morally pure.
My experience is that you need a significant connection to a trusted counselor and two or three very good friends who will be safe, supportive people you can call and talk through things whenever you feel panicky about making steps to freedom from a restrictive family or religious community. They can speak louder than the words in your head when you get stuck playing the tape in your head of all the reasons why you could be a traitor, or spiritually weak, or not an authentic child of God.
The first few years will have a lot of episodes of self-doubt and questions about whether you will fit in any where at all, or ever be part of a "group who knows you" again. Over time, you will be amazed at how you survived all that you did. You will arrive at a more open place, discovering yourself to be more at ease with life, and you will learn to have compassion on yourself as well as on the ones who remain trapped in a tight place. I am 17 years in recovery from PR membership, and so thankful for all the people who have supported my efforts to work out my own identity and beliefs, and sort out the mixed of bag curses and blessings of my religious heritage. The life-breath of Jesus will always be an advocate for those who pursue the difficult work of uncovering hidden or denied truths. This is the true meaning of "apocalypse" b/c it dramatically or slowly blows the lid off of the hidden, buried, isolated, covered-up existence that can also be called "hell". Knowing and recognizing truth about the losses that you have sustained in your experience in an oppressive religious culture is a painful grief process, but joy and freedom is on the other end of that worthwhile labor.
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seeker
Seminary Student
Posts: 351
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Post by seeker on Apr 2, 2015 23:34:25 GMT
Finding a counselor is a great first step if you are considering making steps to leave a particular religious environment or community. A secure relationship is not one that hands out answers and directs your choices, but one that reassures you that you are safe, loved and valuable as a human. Like all humans, you are not expected, ever, to have all the right answers about personal choices or doctrinal mysteries, even on your best most clarified days. Being fully human is about vulnerability, honesty, wholeness and relational intimacy, not about the achievement (or appearance) of the condition of being right, or perfect, or even morally pure. My experience is that you need a significant connection to a trusted counselor and two or three very good friends who will be safe, supportive people you can call and talk through things whenever you feel panicky about making steps to freedom from a restrictive family or religious community. They can speak louder than the words in your head when you get stuck playing the tape in your head of all the reasons why you could be a traitor, or spiritually weak, or not an authentic child of God. The first few years will have a lot of episodes of self-doubt and questions about whether you will fit in any where at all, or ever be part of a "group who knows you" again. Over time, you will be amazed at how you survived all that you did. You will arrive at a more open place, discovering yourself to be more at ease with life, and you will learn to have compassion on yourself as well as on the ones who remain trapped in a tight place. I am 17 years in recovery from PR membership, and so thankful for all the people who have supported my efforts to work out my own identity and beliefs, and sort out the mixed of bag curses and blessings of my religious heritage. The life-breath of Jesus will always be an advocate for those who pursue the difficult work of uncovering hidden or denied truths. This is the true meaning of "apocalypse" b/c it dramatically or slowly blows the lid off of the hidden, buried, isolated, covered-up existence that can also be called "hell". Knowing and recognizing truth about the losses that you have sustained in your experience in an oppressive religious culture is a painful grief process, but joy and freedom is on the other end of that worthwhile labor. You write '17 years in recovery'. Wow...it is a lifetime. People who have not been in it do not understand. People still in it will not admit it. Thanks, it is a very helpful post.
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Post by freefromprc on Apr 3, 2015 6:06:22 GMT
You write '17 years in recovery'. Wow...it is a lifetime. People who have not been in it do not understand. People still in it will not admit it. Thanks, it is a very helpful post. Some of us are given such minor roles in our own lives. We can't create our own destinies, they are created for us. For me, each step took a couple years (and it's not yet completed). It is definitely a journey, mostly mental since we are never allowed to speak, let alone do. I wish I would have taken the advice of a friend five years ago, "just leave!" Waiting adds to the regrets. Regrets cause pain. So sorry
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2015 23:02:33 GMT
I think the phrase "17 years in recovery" used in context as being someone recovering from being PR is so well said. This discription honors the"relapse potential" inherently part of this journey of recovery. It is such a slow recovery, renewal and a restoration process. I felt Annelm wrote so healingly and exhibits a beautiful language that is life giving and shows patience concerning others who currently still suffer from this belief system that hurts so many souls. Thank you Annelm.
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Post by Admin on Apr 3, 2015 23:51:33 GMT
Hi Annelm, and thanks for posting!
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