[__ Prayer __] gotta get into church..

[Christ_empowered]

...sooner or later. I'm kinda glad I stayed out this long. Or maybe God just made good of it.

I don't know how to explain myself. Like, when I'm asked "What do you do?" what am I to say? "I was crazy, I'm on disability, God's working in my life...I'll have a job, one day..."

See what I'm saying? "Between jobs" might work if I'm just visiting a place, but if I get involved, they'll see...they'll know...and...wow.

I am glad I stayed out, kinda sorta. Jesus has helped me grow up a lot since I came to repentance 18ish months ago, so I don't feel as immature and awkward as I was pre-conversion. That's a plus.

Also a plus...my family is fairly solidly behind me. I might even get my dad to go to church with me, which would help ease the awkwardness considerably.

I dunno...at a social level, recovering from a life of sin and madness is strange. I mean, its better than being locked into a life of torment--that's a given--but its a strange transition phase, from disordered, deviant, and out of it into...normal, I think.

I think The South is particularly hard on "crazy" people. We're big on "Knowing your place" around here. Schizophrenic=poverty and Haldol shots, apparently. Nobody told me, until now.

 

[Willie T]

gotta get into church..

Why? Lots of people don't go to a specific church. What is the reason you feel this is a necessity?

 

[Eugene]

...sooner or later. I'm kinda glad I stayed out this long. Or maybe God just made good of it.

I don't know how to explain myself. Like, when I'm asked "What do you do?" what am I to say? "I was crazy, I'm on disability, God's working in my life...I'll have a job, one day..."

See what I'm saying? "Between jobs" might work if I'm just visiting a place, but if I get involved, they'll see...they'll know...and...wow.

I am glad I stayed out, kinda sorta. Jesus has helped me grow up a lot since I came to repentance 18ish months ago, so I don't feel as immature and awkward as I was pre-conversion. That's a plus.

Also a plus...my family is fairly solidly behind me. I might even get my dad to go to church with me, which would help ease the awkwardness considerably.

I dunno...at a social level, recovering from a life of sin and madness is strange. I mean, its better than being locked into a life of torment--that's a given--but its a strange transition phase, from disordered, deviant, and out of it into...normal, I think.

I think The South is particularly hard on "crazy" people. We're big on "Knowing your place" around here. Schizophrenic=poverty and Haldol shots, apparently. Nobody told me, until now.

Revelations of our pasts to others are something many can't understand. Even though we suffered in these things, should be forgiven and become a help to those that need help, there are few on the Christian maturity level to exercise the level of love necessary to accept what you're revealing to them. It takes great grace and that only comes when we realize like Paul that he finally saw himself as the chiefest of sinners. Many believe they were not as bad as you, and will want little to do with you.

Don't get excited; God continues to work in us until we will be face to face with our Savior. Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord, and be always ready to give an answer to all for the faith you have. Live peaceably as much as possible with all men, follow after the Holy Spirit and allow God to lead you in His paths.

 

[Willie T]

Revelations of our pasts to others are something many can't understand. Even though we suffered in these things, should be forgiven and become a help to those that need help, there are few on the Christian maturity level to exercise the level of love necessary to accept what you're revealing to them. It takes great grace and that only comes when we realize like Paul that he finally saw himself as the chiefest of sinners. Many believe they were not as bad as you, and will want little to do with you.

Don't get excited; God continues to work in us until we will be face to face with our Savior. Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord, and be always ready to give an answer to all for the faith you have. Live peaceably as much as possible with all men, follow after the Holy Spirit and allow God to lead you in His paths.

I agree. I think it should be fairly common knowledge that if you wish to be shunned and ostracized at most churches, just randomly open up to several people about undesirable things in your past. You'll get what you asked for within a month. (That's only four Sundays)

 

[Christ_empowered]

No, no...I don't think you get it...I'm not looking to open up, but the situation is fairly obvious. Physically healthy, unemployed, kinda odd; lives at home with parents at 30. Plus, I'm a pariah around here.

I'm not looking to tell church people everything, but I get the sense that, because I'm so low on the totem pole around here, it won't be easy to conceal my current situation and, to some extent, my past.

 

[Willie T]

No, no...I don't think you get it...I'm not looking to open up, but the situation is fairly obvious. Physically healthy, unemployed, kinda odd; lives at home with parents at 30. Plus, I'm a pariah around here.

I'm not looking to tell church people everything, but I get the sense that, because I'm so low on the totem pole around here, it won't be easy to conceal my current situation and, to some extent, my past.

Buy a few cheap stocks, and then you can honestly say you are a Stock Investor, a Day Trader. People will then envy you that you don't have to do a 9 to 5 like them. The "odd" part will be covered because most people expect geeks and intellectual types to be odd, anyway.

 

[Christ_empowered]

lol

 

[Deborah13]

No, no...I don't think you get it...I'm not looking to open up, but the situation is fairly obvious. Physically healthy, unemployed, kinda odd; lives at home with parents at 30. Plus, I'm a pariah around here.

I'm not looking to tell church people everything, but I get the sense that, because I'm so low on the totem pole around here, it won't be easy to conceal my current situation and, to some extent, my past.

Aren't you a student? Why need you say more? After the success of the 'new you' had last term, I'd be sad to see you be co-dependent on the old you!

AND there are many, many young people who are living with their parents while the economy is so depressed, not so strange really things days.

 

[GrannyJ]

Deborah's right. All you have to say is that you're studying at the moment, and leave it at that. Hope your Dad does go with you; it'll make it much easier.