BigMark Posted October 10, 2015 Posted October 10, 2015 It was her missionary Christian job to fix you (many good Christian mindsets when it becomes too uncomfortable ...just sayin). Of course the SDA Christian Culture also had to correct you with scriptures. Cross Talking* is a strict no no in many 12 step groups. But not here! Along with the constant accessing of everyone's spiritual walk of the general group was always taking place. God, our Christian Culture can be so TOXIC. GayatfootofCross 1 Quote
ChildofChrist Posted October 10, 2015 Posted October 10, 2015 I was in SA for awhile myself. I ended up being cured by Jesus. BTW, the church I attend in Longwood FL had an AA meeting once a week for awhile. They don't meet anymore. I don't know what happened though. The Markham Woods Church? OR one of the Spanish churches? I was at Markham Woods for SS and Worship once and again for an afternoon program for a workshop. PTL you were cured! Takes a big man to admit that. Happy Sabbath!! Jeannieb43 1 Quote Wakan Tanka Kici Un ~~Child of Christ~~
BigMark Posted October 10, 2015 Posted October 10, 2015 Markham Woods. The more things I'm cured of, the deeper my faith gets. Since we're confessing without judgement here, I would stop during my daily travels, go to a convenience store and buy about 3 or 4 candy bars. I won't get fat because I eat a vegan diet and work out 4-6 time a week at LA Fitness. I knew that sugar feeds cancer cells, and although I am quite healthy, I figured that eventually something would happen. I asked Jesus to deliver me. The next day, the urge wasn't nearly as strong, but I didn't go in to a store. I acted on faith that I was cured and the more days that passed, the more the urge was buried. Last Wednesday night I went to a real estate investors meeting. Lots of vendors there who usually have candy on their tables free for the taking. I didn't even have a sniff. Thank you Jesus because I wasn't strong enough to overcome in my own strength. BTW, if I told that story to SS, I would probably get more laughs than the "Pig man" episode of Seinfeld! 5 minutes of funny. Enjoy! Quote
Stan Posted October 10, 2015 Author Posted October 10, 2015 The posts here have been a real blessing. Thank you, and keep it coming Please. GayatfootofCross and Gail 2 Quote If you receive benefit to being here please help out with expenses. https://www.paypal.me/clubadventist Administrator of a few websites like https://adventistdating.com
Administrators Gail Posted October 10, 2015 Administrators Posted October 10, 2015 I have personally experienced the laughing of church members regarding alcohol and it turned me right off. It actually ticked me off, coming from people who probably never touched a drop nor had to suffer the effects upon their families. The small groups at church or those in homes may provide both the support and the courage to speak out in more public venues such as SS. Mark, I share with you the dependence on the power of God as a help. I have an ongoing problem with spending- out of boredom, having a history of poverty, or just fascination with the pretty things being offered. What has helped the most is first realizing that 1) those things will all be swept away when Jesus so I should be ready to give them up if need be NOW, and 2) praying for contentment in my heart. It is the prayer for #2 that has been answered the most profoundly. Self is a big issue for me, a continual one. Stan, aka and phkrause 3 Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Moderators Jeannieb43 Posted October 10, 2015 Moderators Posted October 10, 2015 Good message, Ted. I agree with you. I have a dear relative who lives in another state who is a long-time AA member. When I go visit her I attend the AA meetings with her. I can tell you, it's like a church. Everybody loves everybody there, especially if it's a location where the members have been attending that same location for a long time. They love each other, and the stories they tell are heart-rending. If it weren't for AA, many of those people would have died long ago. That "demon rum" is a killer. The AA program is rescuing people. Quote Jeannie<br /><br /><br />...Change is inevitable; growth is optional....
joeb Posted October 10, 2015 Posted October 10, 2015 There are certain sins that are nothing but a joke to many people. Anger issues, food addictions, etc. Bring these up in SS class and you'll think they're watching a Seinfeld show by the way they'll be laughing. In answer to you original question Stan, no, I do not believe that our church will ever be that accepting. I'll have to disagree with you. Here's why.... I have been in SDA churches where they wore ice skates to go up and down the aisles in the sanctuary. In those churches I've spoken out in SS classes and laid out the issues. Some people laughed or got angry, but after class others came up and thanked me for my honesty and for speaking out. God always has His people even where we think they don't exist. All it takes is enough people to speak out, to be honest in all things, and show how the Bible tells us what we, as a church, are to be. How we are to speak out, support each other, be honest with each other, and praise God for how He works in our lives.... It makes a difference when God is held up as the solution to sin and those who are honest in heart will hear and listen. Those who will not will find their way out of the church. All it takes is enough courage, enough love for our fellow man, to stand up and be counted even if there are those who will mock us and laugh at us. God will be our protector and refuge. He will never let us down while we are doing His will. Quote Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.Alexis de Tocqueville
GayatfootofCross Posted October 10, 2015 Posted October 10, 2015 (edited) BigMark ..Well laughter is one way to put it. From being uncomfortable or nervous or just plain mocking. Glib,patronizing, condescending, and apathy can enter in the arena too. or a STONE FACE! It hitting too close to home and must distance oneself by any of the above. Protecting one self. VERY HUMAN..NOT DIVINE! Jesus put everything out there among the 12 and very much to the closest three! Jesus needed the three in the Garden.... and they were not there for HIM! ...................................................................................................... We learn to trust in a good 12 step support group and seeing others risk reputation and being vulnerable opens up others to share more. Burdens are lifted at Calvary with others there at the Cross with you looking unto Jesus. (hence my name). It can go deeper and deeper. In Church we don't trust (generally) and we are very right in not trusting ..given what you hear others say about others in careless moments of conversations in the past. I was so deep in the closet. For years .. I heard what people say about me and my tribe. Stayed sick in my secrets. But as long as the Church was Comfortable... HEY! No trust. No transparency. No connection,No Fellowship. No accountability, No healing. The Total Opposite of God's Plan for us as a Body of Christ. It is a powerful healing thing to share something that we carry around in the dark with shame upon shame.for years, and to look up and seeing nothing but love and non condemnation in others eyes. Like JESUS looks at us! . We do need each other! http://clubadventist.com/forums/topic/63281-stupid-phrases-4-people-in-crisis/ touches on that # I like this thread too.! Edited October 10, 2015 by GayatfootofCross teresaq 1 Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet
BigMark Posted October 11, 2015 Posted October 11, 2015 Good point. One that I hope to remember. There was a quote: "The fools laugh..." but I never heard the rest of it. Anyway, you will be in my prayers. Jesus saves us from our sins not with them. Blessings to you and those you cherish! phkrause, GayatfootofCross and Naomi 3 Quote
Samie Posted October 11, 2015 Posted October 11, 2015 If one would just realize that he had been attached to Christ on the cross and hence part of His Body, then he would have known that he has His Power to overcome all evil with good. Quote
GayatfootofCross Posted October 11, 2015 Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) Jesus saves us from our sins not with them. *Cross Talk refers to people speaking out of turn, interrupting someone while they are speaking or giving direct advice to someone in a meeting. ** " She didn't think she was judging..how dare I say that to her.. When someone tries to fix you you can bet they JUDGED you first. And more than one person told her that it wasn't our job to fix people but to listen and to look for identifying with them in their stories and learning from another in our beautiful tragic commonality ..well anyhoooooooo " GayatFootofCROSS I can see it coming from a mile away. oops! Silly me, this is an SDA Christian Forum..not a real 12 step meeting. My bad! # just for one moment Edited October 11, 2015 by GayatfootofCross Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet
GayatfootofCross Posted October 11, 2015 Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) " I was asked if our Church could ever be as open and accepting as they are. I think the answer is a clear no. "-Stan I have no delusion about our Christian Exclusive Unequal Culture. (which Blocks Jesus from many People's view) My above post is making a point. And it is inevitable that point is made in a myriad of ways in a Christian Forum. I will still freely share about me in very measured amounts . Carry on & keep sharing! Edited October 11, 2015 by GayatfootofCross teresaq 1 Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet
GayatfootofCross Posted October 11, 2015 Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) back to the gears! I tend to see the bigger picture of What else a Church can lookalike.... and I just found something on my fb feed ( i have the best people on my Friend list...both Ultra Conservative and Bleeding Liberals, Wiccan ,Athiest, PETA Activists.Ex SDA, SDA Church Officers in High places, Potsmokers, Pro Police state,Socialists, all kinds of religions and Gods,Gays, Straights and In Between ) God calls us to bring Heaven/Jesus to each one we meet..a Tall Order! a Safe Place! (a true 12 Step group looks like) ........................................................ i minute utube vid on this article below Why I Love My Body » 5 Lies Christians Tell About Mental Illness October 11, 2014 by Reba Riley 40 Comments In honor of National Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 5-11), I invited minister and social worker Rev. Dr. Sarah Griffith Lund to write this post about some of harmful lies told in Christian communities about mental illness and faith. She is the author of Blessed are the Crazy: breaking the silence about mental illness, family & church (Chalice Press), which is both a memoir of her own family’s struggle with mental illness and a resource for faith-based organizations to provide healing and comfort for those who suffer. Lie #1: God doesn’t give you more than you can handle. This statement echoes across the Christian landscape. Intended to comfort the afflicted, it actually lays an ugly guilt trip on the person suffering. To say that mental illness is something that “God gave you” implies that God wants you to suffer. “Mental illness is part of God’s will, and you are supposed to be strong enough to handle it.” FALSE! Lie #2: Daily prayer and bible reading alone cures mental illness. According to a recent LifeWay poll, nearly half of Evangelical Christians between the ages of 18-30 believe that prayer and bible study alone can cure mental illness. This belief is in direct opposition to medical research that confirms that many types of mental illness are best treated by a combination of cognitive, behavioral and pharmaceutical treatment plans supervised by mental health professionals. To say that mental illness can be cured by spiritual practices alone discourages Christians from getting the mental healthcare they need to treat and recover from mental illness.“God cannot use scientific advances to heal the human body.” FALSE! Lie #3: Depression is a sin, a curse, or demon possession. It’s true that we do not yet fully understand all of the environmental and biological causes of mental illness. Yet to state that mental illness is only caused by things in the “spiritual realm” denies what we know to be true: mental illness is a brain disease. While there are certainly spiritual aspects to both the cause and the treatment of mental illness, mental illness is not simply a spiritual disease, curse or demon possession. To talk of a person’s mental illness as a result of a sin, curse, or demon possession is to further stigmatize, shame, and isolate the person. “Mental illness is the result of a sin, curse or demon possession.” FALSE! Lie #4: If you loved Jesus more you would be happier. This is a Christian twist on the “just try harder” lecture. If only you just loved Jesus more. If only you just believed more. If only you just let Jesus all the way into your heart, then you would be happier. This belief denies the reality of clinical depression that is not a matter of simply trying harder. Jesus loves all people, including people who have mental illness. Loving Jesus more is something we strive for as Christians, but not because it will make us happier. “Mental illness is a result of not loving Jesus enough.” FALSE! Lie #5: You can’t be a Christian if you have a mental illness. This is an old one, something that saints in the church have struggled with for centuries. We think that perhaps we are not deserving of God’s love because we have a mental illness. We do not know how God could accept us or love us because we are not perfect. So we think that a person with mental illness cannot be a Christian, cannot be a leader in the church, cannot be an ordained minister. Ministers, especially, are not supposed to have mental illness. But the truth is that Christians are humans, just as sick, broken, and in need of healing and wholeness as everyone else. As a person with mental illness, being a Christian can be a way to find compassion, support and love from a community of faith.“True Christians are immune from mental illness.” FALSE! ................ I have two friends in Church ,Whom I am very close to. And they are very good friends as well... for decadesl Both high up in positions held in Church. Both educated and multi generational SDA. One who thinks he is completely sane tells the other, who suffers from deep Anxieties and Clinical Depression ..that your not 'Praising God enough and recounting your blessings" He equates discouragement with depression/anxieties. And you can't tell him any different. I have been trying. Edited October 11, 2015 by GayatfootofCross typonese isnot my first language Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet
Administrators Gail Posted October 11, 2015 Administrators Posted October 11, 2015 People quite often change when it happens to them. There are some things that we can do for ourselves that can HELP, and some we can't. Can you change your chemical imbalance? Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
GayatfootofCross Posted October 11, 2015 Posted October 11, 2015 People quite often change when it happens to them. There are some things that we can do for ourselves that can HELP, and some we can't. Can you change your chemical imbalance? I wasn't talking about me and have no access to either of those guys medical files. Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet
GayatfootofCross Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 bump! Gail 1 Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet
Cutielovepeanut Posted October 17, 2015 Posted October 17, 2015 Thanks Stan, That was nice to read. The church is a prime example of self will run riot. I find it painful to be there after seeing such transformation in the people of AA. In the church, you watch everyone struggling to hang on to whatever it is they think they need, and then feel ashamed when they realize that their self control continually fails them. AA's are not much different from Adventists, the only difference is AA's have the willingness to work on themselves. teresaq 1 Quote
Cutielovepeanut Posted October 17, 2015 Posted October 17, 2015 yes. I listened to a confession of murder at an AA meeting. oh you poor thing, your ivy league life must have been so disrupted. Quote
Cutielovepeanut Posted October 17, 2015 Posted October 17, 2015 Stan I have to say, that reading some of these replies is infuriating. Quote
Stan Posted October 17, 2015 Author Posted October 17, 2015 One of the great things about a forum, is that people give their opinions. One of the bad things about a forum, is that people give their opinions. I think you misread read Debbym, I can say this, she is one of the good guys. GayatfootofCross, Gail and phkrause 3 Quote If you receive benefit to being here please help out with expenses. https://www.paypal.me/clubadventist Administrator of a few websites like https://adventistdating.com
Ted Posted October 17, 2015 Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) Infuriating? Big Book, page 417 And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of my life —unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concen- trate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes. Edited October 17, 2015 by Ted Clean up typo; format text. Add reference. phkrause, Gail and GayatfootofCross 3 Quote GnuPG/PGP key: 0xB07F9AAE
Administrators debbym Posted October 17, 2015 Administrators Posted October 17, 2015 oh you poor thing, your ivy league life must have been so disrupted. what ivy league life? i never had one of those.... it was a powerful experience listening to every gruesome detail, as if this was going to help this person not use drugs... or help me... Gail and GayatfootofCross 2 Quote deb Love awakens love. Let God be true and every man a liar.
Administrators Gail Posted October 17, 2015 Administrators Posted October 17, 2015 One of the great things about a forum, is that people give their opinions. One of the bad things about a forum, is that people give their opinions. I think you misread read Debbym, I can say this, she is one of the good guys. And has been very involved with street people. I, too, feel that the comment was a bit misinformed and premature. Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Cutielovepeanut Posted October 17, 2015 Posted October 17, 2015 what ivy league life? i never had one of those.... it was a powerful experience listening to every gruesome detail, as if this was going to help this person not use drugs... or help me... OK, Im sorry. You have your right to an opinion Quote
GayatfootofCross Posted October 17, 2015 Posted October 17, 2015 OK, Im sorry. You have your right to an opinion Hi! aisaac070! GBU not only do we have a right to an opinion.. we can also have an Ivy League Life If we so choose or afforded.... You never know who is on the other side of your computer screen . Pom poms and Master Degrees?. BTW...I think Everyone can see by my mind cringing grammar and bad typing and crazy punctuation (if any) ..I did not have that Educated Life. Much of my life has been a bit more Glam and Working Poor. With God's Blessings and Relationships that make me Rich Now back to topic! 12 step Meetings and maybe also in relation to our Church. Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet
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