I do not know what I believe anymore. I used to be so certain. Life has changed a lot in the past 6 years. At this point, I have been very blessed after going through a very difficult period. One of my blessings has been "bittersweet." I wonder if/why God has blessed me when my life is not in line with how I was indoctrinated to live. I have been told that the "bittersweet" blessing is specifically a gift from God, that helped me through the difficult time. But I am having a difficult struggle with one aspect of that blessing. I found out something about that blessing that I probably would not have trouble with if I hadn't been raised an Adventist. That is all I can say. I could use prayer.

You got it!!!

Sometimes, some of us, who joined this adventist fellowship later on in life, think life would be so much easier if we were born into an adventist home.

I should clarify that I was raised adventist but haven't attended church in over 5 years.

The exact opposite often occurs because when you are "born SDA," it's possible to take it for granted, sort of like someone born American who doesn't value citizenship the same as the person who knows what it's like to have to work to get it. The two perspectives can be so completely different, even opposite.

In my own experience, I have found leaving the church can actually be a blessing in the long run. Like being told you are going to hang, it can radically clear the mind.

Are you allowing people to tell you that you will hang?

I've been hoping you might radically clear your mind.



Ok. Just jokin with you John. Don't take me too seriously. !!!

Peace ...

Well, not having attended church for the past 5+ years has given me insights I never would have gotten otherwise. It has helped me to realize how judgmental I'd allowed myself to become. Now I'm learning to accept that other people have made choices that I wouldn't have made but they made those choices within the set of circumstances they were given. I know people who have overcome more than many of the people I knew in church but they have no religious background. Does God change people even though they know nothing of God or do people simply learn from their mistakes and make adjustments along the way in this life?

Just never forget, you are always welcome here.

I find by reading my bible and prayer everyday makes a difference. God changes me if I ask Him to. I can become non judgmental and still go to church. I plead with Him to change me now.