Even though I have some regrets - I have never regretted not being raised in church. I'm glad that I can see both sides.
Where we are in the world now - it's hard for any group of people to not be touched by some form of tragedy. It changes the complexion of the church, producing more compassion. God has a way of opening the eyes and hearts of every man for His greater purpose.
Yes, I did regret it at one time, but now I am definatlely glad to see both sides. It took me a number of years in the church to eventually come to the understanding that just as it was hard for me to understand church culture, it was hard for the church culture to understand me. It was hard because, of course, I was expected to change and the church felt it had already arrived at a certain pinnacle of knowledge and understanding. This placed me (and it does many people) at a serious disadvantage. But, I had an internal knowledge that if I just kept my face to the grindstone that things would turn. And they did. We can't change anyone but ourselves. That's pretty much the bottom line to that.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
1.My first name really is Patrick.
2.My father works for a valve company.
3.I used to do drugs.
4.I was suspened from Middle School once.
5.I used to have a mustache.
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People who are always looking for fault,can find it easily all they have to do,is look into their mirror.
There they can find plenty of fault.
we all have to be wise concerning how these kind of items are used/shared in our testimony.
We want to be 'real' and accessible.
We do not want to be proud of our former badness (I know this is nothing to new to AFF posters).
We want lighter content and humor in the mix with seriousness.
We want to testify of transformation that we have experienced "1st person" along our journey.
great insight tbpew. My dad always chaffed when some preacher came along with that "i was really really really bad before God saved me" testamonies/sermons.
He always thought it opened doors for saved people to go "one up" the guy.
Dad was a pretty tuff dude before God saved him but when he spoke, or taught or witnessed, it was always what God saved him TOO instead of what God saved him from.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Yes, I did regret it at one time, but now I am definatlely glad to see both sides. It took me a number of years in the church to eventually come to the understanding that just as it was hard for me to understand church culture, it was hard for the church culture to understand me. It was hard because, of course, I was expected to change and the church felt it had already arrived at a certain pinnacle of knowledge and understanding. This placed me (and it does many people) at a serious disadvantage. But, I had an internal knowledge that if I just kept my face to the grindstone that things would turn. And they did. We can't change anyone but ourselves. That's pretty much the bottom line to that.
Can you correct my typo since you put it in bold? It should say, "I have never regretted....." LOL!
When I look back, and this is just me, it wasn't the church that was hardest on me. I was hard on myself. I wanted to feel like I had been good all of my life and that I had no baggage to contend and wrestle with. It was me that, at times, wanted to reach back and hold on to things that I needed to let go of. I can't fault the church on those points.
1. Underneath this rough, cynical, scoffing exterior, I'm just a cynical, rough scoffer.
2. I'm right-handed.
3. My mother's brother's first wife's sister's son (or... something like that) recently married my former (from back in the 60s) pastor's daughter. (The AG is just as connected as the UPCI! )
4. I played a piano solo in church, once. I played this piece (Gigue from Bach's 1st Partita):
great insight tbpew. My dad always chaffed when some preacher came along with that "i was really really really bad before God saved me" testamonies/sermons.
He always thought it opened doors for saved people to go "one up" the guy.
Dad was a pretty tuff dude before God saved him but when he spoke, or taught or witnessed, it was always what God saved him TOO instead of what God saved him from.
I think there is validity to this, but I also think there should be a balance. People should not have to feel they need to deny what they were for fear that people will be offended. Sometimes people just were what they were.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
Can you correct my typo since you put it in bold? It should say, "I have never regretted....." LOL!
When I look back, and this is just me, it wasn't the church that was hardest on me. I was hard on myself. I wanted to feel like I had been good all of my life and that I had no baggage to contend and wrestle with. It was me that, at times, wanted to reach back and hold on to things that I needed to let go of. I can't fault the church on those points.
I can't say I felt that way. I felt like I was constantly pushed to deny what I had been. That's just my experience. In saying these things, I am not saying that the church didn't mean well. But, to put this into perspective, Larry Booker came out of the church I did. He used his testimony all over the place and by the time I came in, I think the church was plain sick and tired of hearing bad boy stories.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
1. I have been married once, to the same man for 22 years. He is the father of both of my children.
2.We pastored for 10 years.
3. My husband works as a supervisor over about 25 people in a medical center.
4. I work in a public library.
5. My daughter is attending college to obtain a bachelor's degree.
6. My sister has a doctorate in educational psychology.
See, it's all in what you tell people. Tweak reality to your benefit. But, thatnks to God who gives me the ability to say these things and that they are true.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
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Tweak reality to your benefit. But, thatnks to God who gives me the ability to say these things and that they are true.
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