tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post1182857099383302858..comments2023-02-14T06:23:54.154-05:00Comments on A Former Leader's Journey: Stages of Grief/BloggingBarbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04357293290630832549noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-74268400402105766682010-01-07T23:26:25.064-05:002010-01-07T23:26:25.064-05:00I am in a good place of...acceptance? I had a meet...I am in a good place of...acceptance? I had a meeting with my former pastors, after a year, because I just needed to see them as people again....just the flawed,sad, deceived people that I had come to realize that they were...and not the constant objects of my anger and strife...just people, in need of forgiveness, like me....It was good, I am glad I did it..it was healing to voice how I had been so wounded and to hear their perspective as well...it will never be the same...but I am healed..and thankful to God for his faithfulness and great love......I SO appreciate your site.I hope you keep it going <br />even though you are in a different place now. I am sure it will be a great comfort to those to come- to see see such testimonies and also to be affirmed and assured that they are not alone in their present condition....I will continue to check back, as I did tonight, and praise God for His mercy,faithfulness,comfort,counsel and miracles..it is NEVER Him that fails us..He is our redeemer!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-52728886941722120752009-12-16T22:02:10.432-05:002009-12-16T22:02:10.432-05:00I know just what you mean. My daughter even got t...I know just what you mean. My daughter even got to the point where she could not even use the name of "God" for him. It just brought up all the old feelings of being watched, judged and loved only because He had to. It has been a struggle for all of us to come to understand a God truly of Love and not the God of Religion that we all knew and had to obey.Barbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04357293290630832549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-51415389095649552052009-12-16T21:46:12.464-05:002009-12-16T21:46:12.464-05:00I think the hardest thing for me was that after be...I think the hardest thing for me was that after being involved with much of that stuff is that it takes something from you, the spark, if you will, and it leaves you almost hating God in the end. Sometimes you almost have to retrain yourself to separate the God of the Bible from the god of religion because you've been taught to believe they are the same.Vincenzonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-24634693196905745862009-12-16T20:29:55.438-05:002009-12-16T20:29:55.438-05:00You are so right. It just took me a while because...You are so right. It just took me a while because I was so convinced that all those things WERE important and the other stuff - the real stuff - was not. When I figured out just how much time I had wasted....it was painful.Barbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04357293290630832549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-30139031026378370422009-12-16T18:42:15.610-05:002009-12-16T18:42:15.610-05:00I think I struggle with anger at this point and ha...I think I struggle with anger at this point and have for some time. I think the anger I feel is of one who was duped. I spent so much time following other peoples' visions that I lost sight of my own or the things God placed in my heart. You jump through the endless hoops you're told to jump through: the endless confessing, running from conference to conference, turning around and clicking your heels, rebuking the demon of poverty, etc. You look back and you see time that could have been spent doing something productive like hanging out with God, drawing a portrait, going to school, or falling in love, etc....sigh....Vincenzonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-24214329865100619112009-12-11T03:16:22.170-05:002009-12-11T03:16:22.170-05:00A nice thought. I have plenty of spare time right ...A nice thought. I have plenty of spare time right now, I need more of thiswoodhttp://theunitedstatesofwood.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-18924206362434074962009-12-02T02:23:31.040-05:002009-12-02T02:23:31.040-05:00In a world of growing faithlessness, it's good...In a world of growing faithlessness, it's good to believe that there are people like you, who can bring such change to depressives!Smita Tewarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09901550137850497118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-69577137765972024512009-11-16T10:38:32.301-05:002009-11-16T10:38:32.301-05:00I have been following you for a few months now, pr...I have been following you for a few months now, probably at the stage of acceptance and am enjoying it. I am amazed at some of the parallels your experiences and other people around the world. Just trying to re learn what Jesus meant when he allowed the desciples to leave the people who claimed to be teaching about him. All our works will be tested by fire, my only prayer is for my works to stand the fireFanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10070784659494279518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-51571152616010203312009-11-11T16:31:23.948-05:002009-11-11T16:31:23.948-05:00quite remarkable. Today I was listening to Kameron...quite remarkable. Today I was listening to Kameron Messmer and Stephanie macentire on Free believer's Heretic Podcast. And the exact same train of thought went through my mind as Steph was talking about being free to allow our real feelings to surface...and that's Ok....just perhaps not OK to always stay there....that veers into bitterness. How remarkable you should write this!!!!Chris Welch - 07000INTUNEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17932291173536070080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-478528978308995582009-11-11T16:30:41.776-05:002009-11-11T16:30:41.776-05:00quite remarkable. Today I was listening to Kameron...quite remarkable. Today I was listening to Kameron Messmer and Stephanie macentire on Free believer's Heretic Podcast. And the exact same train of thought went through my mind as Steph was talking about being free to allow our real feelings to surface...and that's Ok....just perhaps not OK to always stay there....that veers into bitterness. How remarkable you should write this!!!!Chris Welch - 07000INTUNEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17932291173536070080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-7958722146012009792009-11-11T09:07:21.929-05:002009-11-11T09:07:21.929-05:00Barb,
"And then, somewhere in the past few w...Barb,<br /><br />"And then, somewhere in the past few weeks and months I think the last phase has descended. Acceptance. I have learned to accept the place where I am. I have learned to accept my kids, my husband and my friends just as they are. I accept the "church" and realize that while others may go and find a place of community, I will probably not ever be there again. Acceptance that the friends God places around me are the friends that I am to have - no more - no less. Acceptance that the times around my dinner table or out to eat are my church. Acceptance that my kids, their friends and their parents are here for me to love."<br /><br />Godliness with contentment,is great gain.<br />What you've shared sure imo smacks of learning to live loved.<br /><br />The wonder of discovering each and every day we are living and prospering in life only because of the Life of another in us as us...so cool!!Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12630150578438657112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-33119233171481554332009-11-10T14:26:38.001-05:002009-11-10T14:26:38.001-05:00Erin, I sense it in so many of us. I guess I coul...Erin, I sense it in so many of us. I guess I could work up enough anger to write more, but then why? It is just not where I am right now. I am more than willing to talk to anyone who is going through something similar. My apathy does not mean my heart is dead. It just means I am in a different place with it myself.Barbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04357293290630832549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246437973827092428.post-31249897070959583022009-11-10T14:23:50.560-05:002009-11-10T14:23:50.560-05:00Very insightful, Barb, and I resonate completely. ...Very insightful, Barb, and I resonate completely. I, too, am in that place you describe in your paragraph about acceptance. I think that's why I don't blog much anymore. I'm ok with it these days.Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.com