I am one who left completely — not called into any other church/movement/denomination. I am the only one in my Catholic family to have left completely. I could write a long story of heartbreak and sadness, but I’m not ready to right my story — although I’m beginning to think it will help many; I leave it in God’s hands for now, He will know the right time.

What I will say is keep praying. The first, most valuable lesson I learned in this journey is from Emmet Fox: Prayer changes things. Fox, and many others, will also let you know that often things will get worse before they get better. My life has been a textbook case in this for three years. Do I believe these are tests from God? No, I honestly do not. But I do believe that evil works overtime in the hopes that you will stop searching, stop praying, blame God, and give up.

Don’t give up. In the midst of my mess some amazing things have begun to happen in my life, starting this year. Is my son still an alcoholic? Yes. Are my brothers and sisters still deep in Catholicism? Yes. Am I worried or fearful? Sometimes. But then I always go back to prayer — if I have no words of my own I will open David’s words in the psalms and I make them my own.

Although I have not had to go into a church I did not let go of my membership in my parish. I have not felt drawn to do this and I have certainly let my Father know that I would have no problems going back there were I so led. The Bible that led me out of the Catholic Church was given to me at a small Catholic prayer meeting that I went to every week for two years. I didn’t learn a lot there and certainly had no idea that I would ever truly open that book. That bible is very worn now, with tons of post-its and other page markers.

Be blessed

Wendy

Well, I can’t wait for the podcast. I have to answer this now. I’m not comfortable telling someone to go to church because their spouse wants them to. That may or may not be appropriate. There are too many factors involved to make that kind of a blanket suggestion. The marriage needs to support both people, and asking one spouse to give in to “keep the peace” doesn’t address the underlying issue of why one person gets upset when he doesn’t get his way. You should be able to love, respect, and pray for your spouse without giving them their way – especially in matters of conscience. If that’s not happening then it suggests a deeper issue in the relationship that appeasement does not address.

Ilene,
Yes you are right. Those at the pulpit and others in the fold blame every bad thing on the TV preachers and false churches like the cults, but they themselves will not repent for harming the people of God themselves because how the church operates today is good and there is nothing to repent of. This is why we have to know the word of God for ourselves. We have to seek wisdom and discernment when it comes to Gods word in order to rightly divide the word of truth.

Hi Sherry… I think I’d like to answer that on this Friday’s edition of CrossWind because it really involves two overlapping issues that are relevant to what I’ve been talking about lately: relationships and coming out of church. I’ll post the link when it’s ready. In the meantime, don’t give up!

Sherry, keep going for his sake. You know the Word and Life of Christ, be there for him so that he sees your love and respect for him; do it as unto the Lord. And keep praying for him, and for that church.
Keep your head up, your heart filled with the Spirit, and keep God’s Word. Walk in life and by faith, not by what you are seeing.
I know it can be hard going to a lifeless church, been there. Sometimes I feel as if the life is drained out of me from going [like the church was a vampire]. I had totally quit. But now am back because the Lord has sent me there, and under His leading I am not sucked dry! I remain in Him, and pray over myself, because there has to be some sort of spirit at work there that is getting to us to try and make us ineffective, so, keep talking to the Lord about it and that you are open to Him for His leading/instruction.
I send my love to you, and hope to see you get through this thing too.

[In other words, look at it from the Lord’s eyes, in another perspective, His.] 🙂

The Lord bless you.