Anyone out there ignoring God's whispers about what He wants you to do next?

Hi Dotsie, good question. Are you in this boat? I have the nasty human ego habit of ignoring God's whispers until I get hit in the head with a hammer. My husband says I have ODD: Oppositional Defiance Disorder. He says if he wants me to do something he will tell me the opposite so that it gets done. I absolutely fret and whimper and whine and worry myself to death dwelling on what I should do or not do, and if it's for the highest good. First God has to yell at me, and then has to reassure me repeatedly when I am finally on the right path. It takes me forever and a day to second guess what God has put in my heart. Sometimes, by the time I get it, it is too late! But then, I get another opportunity. I'm not one to just go with the flow. I have to hem and haw. I do wish I had a little more faith and a little less doubt. It's not that I am afraid of God failing me, I am afraid of me failing God. So if it's whispered about my next move, I am afraid I won't do it right, so I sometimes don't do it at all. Then I'm charged with it again, so I might as well get with it the first time around! Love and Light, Lynn

I was until lately but then God finally screamed (lovingly) at me and now I know what I must do to improve my situation....

Lynn, Your post could have been written by me, alsmost! I worry myself to death over the dumbest things sometimes. But lately, I just feel like there's a black cloud hanging over my family. Just when you think it can't get any worse, something else goes wrong. Maybe it is God, whispering for me to make a change. I never thought about it this way before. Thanks Dotsie for making me think about this!

At this point in time...not guilty. There have, however, been other times in my life when I put on blinders and a headset and ignored His voice.

My problem is I usually run in front of God---grin.

TV, hang in there. Before there is harmony, there is always disharmony. My husband and I had been planning to move to Colorado forever. I waited 35 years to get here. That was God whispering to me that Colorado is the place where I'd feel at home. You would not believe all that we went through to get here. Everything went wrong before it went right. Just because it is God's will does not make it easy. Prior, we lived in St. Joseph MO for 6 years, a place we did NOT want to go to, but a job was available there. Although I dislliked St. Joseph, I made a personal and professional niche for myself that was extraordinarily valuable. I had cancer there, and the regional cancer center was a God send. Sometimes the disharmony is not so much about US, but what we can do for OTHERS while in the midst of what seems to NOT be on our wish list. Here's another example: when I met my husband, I knew almost immediately that he was for me, even though I told him that I had been married and I would never marry again. Fast forward 4 years: I wanted to marry, and he didn't. Major disharmony, disappointment, loss. I left him. Three weeks later, he calls and asks me to marry him. That disharmony prior to the marriage commitment was a huge learning experience for me: God had whispered to me that this was my soul mate, yet I had been selfish and impatient and had not taken Woody's personal timing into consideration. I learn all the time that it is not about me: it is about God's will and purpose for our lives, and what we can do for others. I'm sorry for the lecture. I didn't mean to sound like that. I'm wondering what Dotsie is facing that has her shaking in her boots! Love and Light, Lynn

Yes, I beliee in God's whispers. Most of the time, even though I am listening, I am afraid to move out of my comfor zone. But I keep gettng bashed witht he thoughts and we make a move.

My life has been a series of miracles by listening to God's voice.

Now, moments from being unemployed I am trying to find the peace amidst the chaos. I know it was supposed to happena and I am late again! But it is still scary. God wants me to move on and I am but no answers yet.

Lynn

Thanks Lynn329,
I just imagine myself going deaf before I hear what He's whispering... It's just been a bad couple of months. We moved cross country from NY to NC about a year and a half ago. Everything went great until recently. I'm sure things will get better!
Lynn, I'l be praying that you find your peace! good luck to you !

Dotsie --

What I'm hearing is YOUR "whispering" --

can we help ????

Lion, you're something. Just pray for me. He's asking me to do something and I'm being stubborn. It has to do with the future of this site. I'm not totally ignoring. I'm beginning to get my feelers out and do a little more research to see if I can make the move. I have no doubt that He is calling me. I have no doubt that He wouldn't ask me to make the move if He won't give me what I need to do it successfully. I think I just need time. It's a whisper at this time, but there is such clarity.

TVC, when bad things happen often, remember the death...then resurrection of Christ. I try to hold onto that when I feel I'm being tested. The sun/Son will always shine again.

Lynn, I'm convinced God has something wonderful in store for you. One day you are going to look bacak and ask why you didn't leave that job sooner. I'm praying for Him to reveal the next step for you.

Lynn329, thank you for always sharing your stories for the benefit of helping soemone else. You're so good at it and the stories you choose are perfect for each situation.

Chatty, screamed lovingly. Love it!

Thistle, I can totally relate to being ahead of God. For me the feeling is out of control. Then I need to nestle in with Him and get myself back on track. Freight train comes to mind. S L O W down.

Very well put! I do the same thing and want to comment to Lynn that we are in the same boat (as you know) and my days flip flop. There are ones when I hear HIS voice and feel so confident even though I don't have a clue where or what I will be doing AFTER the end of the month. Then there are other days when I think "holy moly!"

So, I'm trying very hard to chose to trust. To bask in it, to live it. Its hard to squell the voice of fear when it tries so hard to be on top!

But I do believe as Dotsie has stated that it won't be long and I will say, "oh why didn't I do this sooner!" Hang in there....God will provide. He hasn't failed us, ever.

JJ

When I get antsy (and it will increae as I heal) I do think that JJ and I are in this at the same time and I think I am in very good company so I relax a little.

Dotsie, Iunderstadn what you are saying. The clarity of the message is there, we are just human and need to absorb the thought or intensity at our own rate. Someday i will tell you that battle God and I and John had over Nathan!! But the clarity was there. So was the fear! Of failure.

I am hear anytime in person or not if you want to hear yourself talk it through.

Come to the Cliff, he said
But we are Afraid.
Come to the Cliff, he said
They came,
He pushed them and they flew!

Sometimes I need a good push. Reflect on those words a bit. I read them on a magazine page during one of my whispering periods. No ad, No story, just printed on the page. Are you listening?

Lynn

I'm trying so hard ladies but on top of everything else I'm going through.....Guess what? I just came home from the grocery store to find that my a/c went on the blink. Oh, and by the way, it's 100 here today! I'm telling you He's making it very hard for me!
PS: We have out of town guests too!

Oh Hun I am sending special prayers your way.
chick

TVC -- this probably wont sound very encouraging but

things could be worse !!

you could be on the streets without a house

you could have no friends to help laugh/cry thru this with you

you might not have a computer to VENT WITH US --
so you wouldnt realize that we're all sending you POSITIVE thoughts !!!

wish it could be an A/C man -- i know what you're going thru -- we were without power for 8 days after the hurricane passed thru here (SW FLORIDA)last year in August -- so i can relate to the heat

took alot of cold showers ;-)

and look at the POSITIVE side of all this -- you wont notice the HOT FLASHES when they happen ;-)

seriously ---- i DO feel your frustration and i hope everything turns around for you soon !!

Dotsie -

if you remember -- it was because of the loss of my son that we got together in the first place -- i mention that so you will think about those whispers a little harder and know that i have no idea where i would be today had you not listened to the whispers that started THIS forum

i believe in you, as do all these women --- we are with you all the way -- whatever your decision may be -- whenever you feel the timing is right

go with your whispers -- trust your gut -- there's never failure in trying -- only life's lessons learned

Thank you ladies! (Lion thanks for the laugh, I needed it!) Turned out the a/c just needed a couple of fuses. We got it working again. We will need a new one but at least we don't need to buy it today! (Still need to get the window fixed though) The other day our lawn mower hit a rock, shattered it and it broke 3 panes on my picture window and cut my ankle. Each pane is 22" x 68". I was thankful that we have double panes and it didn't go all the way through. It's getting to the point that when I get up in the morning, I just wonder what is going to go wrong today! And this has been going on for months now.

I'm praying that we all get the relief we need!

Thanks for being here to listen to my complaints! sometimes just getting it out of your system is all you need to help you get through these things!

Dear Dotsie

God's whispers...truly the voice within that wishes to serve...how do we connect and act on that voice...by realizing that nothing at all has the power to contain us, hurt us, strangle our growth or initiative...or bedevil us in our thinking.

Each and everyone of us has the power inside to see past the quagmires, and the energies surrounding us that cause us to believe in stagnancy, in powerlessness and in circumstances getting the better of us.

The voice within is truly a powerful place to visit...a place that lives only to serve for that voice already knows the outcome of our decisions and will guide us to reflect, to become clear inside...to take each step.

We are destined to move forward...the more we heed the whispers the faster we reach that wholeness and joy inside and within that, lives the healing of us all.

To see the truth of who we really are...the power that is us...to believe we are powerful within and can't be held back by doubt or indecision...to understand that we are in the driver's seat over cirumstances and just have to spend a few more minutes each day listening to the silence within, the feeling that rises up, to the desire that is planted like a seed and starts to flourish...to stop the mind's resistance to who we really are inside....become free...be...that's all that's required.

Listen...and remember...the voice within knows beyond a shadow of a doubt the truth of all circumstances and thus the actions to improve all circumstance...if we but listen!

It's already done ladies...the joy, the beauty and the happiness and good health that we can live...we just have to listen within! To get under our doubts and fears... which are just matrixes of energy we've believed in.. To get past our old belief systems that contains our thoughts and feelings, thoughts and feelings that stop us from moving forward...to see that the past is just an illusion and that we are just a product of years of other people's belief systems...that are also an illusion...for it is just ideas and ideology that we all come from...not truth...not the unadulterated power that lives within, the power that sees beyond our beliefs and our fears.

Have heart and remember the power within and the clarity within that lives to serve the good beyond our doubts and fears.

God bless you Dotsie...the voice within is strong...the heart is strong and the beauty lives to serve...remember you are the affect of millions of people... myself one of them...inspired by your consistent serving of beauty to bring millions of women together...for that is the outcome of your heart...having lived to serve with beauty....there is nothing you cannot do!

With love
Leigha

Dear TVC15

Sometimes we don't realizes the power of our thoughts and feelings which are like magnets...to change things going wrong each day one must see inside and figure out why one expects things to go wrong, whether it is a belief system that is built by seeing other things go wrong or whether there is something inside trying to get your atteniton...the way to bring positive productive circumstances to one's life comes from not believing what you are seeing...what that means is that you don't emotionally identify with any crap that is happening...you move beyond it and see it as a one time event.

Things that are negative that keep happening are based on the energy of the beliefs we have within us. It's taken years for me to work with this understanding and eliminate one by one belief systems that kept me from moving forward...constantly challenging every thought and feeling to get to where I am today...free in mind and spirit.

The emotions are powerful and can start believing in the negatives within our life...what we need to do is realize that whatever has been created can be uncreated!

Hope this helps!

With love
Leigha

Thank you Leigha
I was starting to come to the conclusion that it had to have something to do with negative energy coming from within me. You have helped more than you will ever know. Time to get to work on myself!

Your welcome Tvc15.

I'm glad I could help! God Bless and may your days always be filled with light, waking with a smile and joy ever present.

With care
Leigha

Leigha,

I hope you re not offended by my question....How old are you?

When I read your post I kept asking that question and I can not tell you why. But I thought it was so compelling, I would ask.

Lynn

Leigha,

Our audio book deals with these issues that you have been expressing in various posts. It explains the creative process through which we function and the immutable laws that govern that system. Then it explains the mental/spiritual tools that we have available to us to enhance our use of that process. Finally, it deals with the pitfalls that occur that support resistance to change and strategies that we can use to overcome them.

We also discuss the three forces necessary for creation - active, passive, and conciliatory forces or what are sometimes called the First, Second, and Third Forces. Second force is the resistance that we encounter. It is a natural occurence - "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." The problem arises when we allow the resistance to overshadow the First force or our desire. When that happens, the resulting manifestation does not so much resemble our original desire. However, it is always a product of how we deal with the resistance and with our desire. Learning to better understand the Creative Process which we use whether we are aware of it or not helps us to better clarify what we want our experiences to be.

In essence, it helps us to dis-identify from our negative emotions and see them for what they are. We explain sub-personalities and their impact on our experiences.

Thought you might be interested since it mirrors much of the philosophy I have seen you express.

Namaste, Dannye

Dear Lynn

I sent you a private message ...smile...smile...if any other ladies wish to know my age just send me a private message and I'll gladly answer!

Isn't spontaneity fun! What a wonderful question...wisdom has no age and yet the numbers define us... or do they? I smile...age, what fun she is to play with, the inner light dancing and knowing a secret...the truth of light, ageless, beyond man's reason!

With love
Leigha

Dear Dannye

Thank you for your lovely message...the forces you speak of that we must all learn to deal with or at least understand are not immutable, for there are many energies. Immutable forces pertain to the views of cause and effect as opposed to being the effect of our cause. However, I do understand that your information is to heal, to help people understand how to deal with those forces and it is wonderful!

Immutable laws are just the beginning, for beyond those forces lives a power that is balance within itself and does not live in those vibrations. To move beyond immutable laws only requires perception.

And in this other place, beyond those immutable forces lives a Oneness that just is...where one never has to face the THREE FORCES, for once understood, one no longer plays in that vibration. One just becomes the One.

It is about becoming the ONE, no separation from the heart of Creation which is what I lived in SUNBLOOD...the movement toward the ONE.

Your wonderful words are very helpful for those who seek to understand, for they do define a great part of Creation and I thank you!

I'll have a look at your site Dannye for beauty always lives.

With Love
Leigha
Namaste

Dear Dannye

You have a lovely site Dannye! Beauty always lives and brings forth more beauty, more wisdom and more understanding.

With love
Leigha

Leigha,

I am sorry that you are unable to understand my words. The laws or forces of which I speak do NOT emanate from the human experience or vibrations. They are part of the Divine Order that is integral to the ONE. They just are. They are not affected by our use of them. We are affected by the use we make of them. All of these forces are simply being used by each of us in varying degrees of understanding in order for us to move toward the ONE.

In order to do that, we have to recognize that we are Creative Beings, for that is the nature of the ONE. BECOMING THE ONE is a journey, and whether we like it or not, we have to take the steps involved with that journey. We can talk in absolutist terms about the end of the journey, but it will not help us make the steps that will get us there.

Most of us do not have the consciousness to leap from our limited perspectives that are inherent to the human experience to an absolute full awareness (and by that I mean, a demonstrating awareness - a Jesus awareness) of our Oneness.

There is a good reason for this. The process that we go through on this journey to expressing fully adds to the Universe through our creative efforts. The value of our journey mirrors the process God created for the caterpillar to go through to emerge as a butterfly. Without that process - in other words, if you cut open the cocoon and the butterfly never has to go through the process of awakening itself to the new experience of not being grounded, so to speak - it dies.

Knowing the destination is not the same as understanding how to get there from here. To get there, a person has to learn to consciously demonstrate their creative nature, and that means making the journey (becoming) and understanding the immutable laws that are part of the Divine Order that is inherent to the ONE.

Just so that you do not misunderstand, the basic concepts that I have discussed are not original with us. They are the basis for many schools of thought, including Unity and UCRS, not to mention philosophers, such as Ouspensky, Teilhard, Emerson, and many others. We are merely sharing our personal experiences on our journey with these concepts.

Blessings,
Dannye

Thanks for your kind words about our web site. My nephew's company designed the site, although I wrote the content, and we received a Golden Web Award for design and content. We were both thrilled!

Namaste,
Dannye

I've started noticing how all of us are brought together for a reason. Our religious beliefs may vary but knowing that we can each express our inner beliefs on this forum is wonderful. I learn from all of you and I feel very blessed by your words.

I have been listening to God's whispers for many years now. Over 6 years ago, I started writing articles on the topic of child abuse. I knew that it is what I was suppose to be doing, when I started getting letters from other survivors, telling me that my words helped them in their healing. What I found was, that by helping them, I was actually helping myself heal, but I get the greatest pleasure from meeting others who just need someone to talk to to let them know they are not alone.

Also, I find that when I listen to God's whispers more, I write better poetry.

[ June 17, 2005, 09:54 PM: Message edited by: wordcharmer ]

Dear Dannye

Thank you for your words Dannye.

With care
Leigha

An example of God's whispers. I made a special trip to put my name in a drawing for a key to a car to be given away at our local Decatur Celebration. It's a huge block party, anyhoo, I thought "Why not?' Things have been going my way and I think I'm the happiest I've ever been. I seem to be getting the breaks, or maybe I'm just listening more. So, I make the trip to put my name in a box, and I meet a man there for the same drawing, we got to talking and he said he was a good friend of one of the DJ's at the radio station. Sooooo, that same DJ is the one that I asked to listen to the song I wrote. So, even if I don't win, I was supposed to be there just for someone to give Tim a little nudge to at least call and let me know what he thinks of it. So many more things happening. I need to start a whole new post to catch you up on everything.

Sherri, that's counting your blessings. These little things often happen to people and they dont' recognize them as God's grace. I can tell you're listening.

Sherri, I think you are listening more. I am really happy for all the good things happening to you.
I too have been learning to "listen" thanks to your site, Dotsie.
My new job was God's gentle yell on my whisper tree. Now he is working on its many branches.
Today at work a lady bought a book about writing. (The one I decide NOT to buy yesterday.) We got chatting and she invited me to join her christian writers group and another small writers group of four here in Tulsa.
Yes, I am learning to listen ...God knows what he is talking about.
chick

[ June 19, 2005, 02:23 AM: Message edited by: chickadee ]

chick, the book story is great. Are you joinig her writing group? Tell them about BWS if you do.

Look at the doors God is opening so quickly with your new job. Isn't it wild when we stay tuned in to God's station? The blessings just keep happening...and the beauty is that we begin to see some of the unfortunate events in life as blessings too. Oh to have a mind like Christ. All we can do is keep striving and recognize His voice and grace along the way.

Yes I think I will go and meet everyone. The firat Tuesday of every month for one group and every Wed for the other.
I will be sure to tell them about BWS. They need to know what they've been missing.

chick

Wordcharmer, this is yet another post that I could have written myself. Sometimes, though, I find it hard to be who I am and do what I do. I've often mentioned on this site that I have celebrity envy. Why wasn't I born to be Jennifer Anniston or Katie Holmes? I need affirmations to help me not only listen to God's whispers about the work I am charged with, but also to accept my place in life as unique and worthwhile. Have you read my book? Sometimes it's scary what survivors have in common! And how we use our pain to help others. Love and Light, Lynn

JJ are you hearing anything?

My hubby has encouraged me to lighten up and not even think about a job until the New Year. Oh yeah-you can tell who writes the bills int his house can't you?

But on a spiritual side I think he is much more in tune with what is happening. He knows I need time to shed the old skin so I can begin to listen and really hear what I am being told. Thank God for Husbands and Friends that remind us of what we need instead of what we want.

Lynn

Dots: God is guiding you as he has this far. Remember what Abraham did? He left his home and walked to a place unknown, but he trusted God and the Lord didn't fail him.

He will direct your steps too!
I continue to pray that this forum fulfills God's purpose for it.

Wow!!!! Was I suprised when I came on after not having been here in a few months to find this post. I have been struggling for months trying to figure out what God is telling me to do. Just when I think I've figured it out then something happens that tells me I am all wrong. Recently I quit a critique group that I have been in for about a year, was on the verge of quitting a writer's group, postponed joining a prayer group all beccause I thought God was pushing me in a different direction. I was attempting to start up a writing group that would meet face to face on a regular basis and I was asked to be a Stephen Minister at our church. Both of these endeavors will take a lot of time and I felt as if I needed to shed some other things so I could devote myself to these along with my writing and babysitting and raising a preschooler. So I cleared a lot of my other commitments away. Then the new writer's group that I was trying to pull together started to fall apart and the Stephen Ministry training doesn't start till fall. So here I was with nothing. (or so I thought.) I was even believing that my anxiety was turning into depression and I would need to change or increase the drugs I was taking.
I prayed fervently still unsure about the direction I was supposed to take.
Any way to make a long story a little shorter, The writer's group didn't completely fall apart. The other two interested women and I have decided to put it on hold until July. The Stephen Ministry thing of course is on hold until Fall and I hope by that time that things will have worked out with my daughter so I can pursue it. If not then God has other plans for me and hopefully will reveal them.
My daughter's depression is acting up again in a pretty serious way, so I'm thinking that was God's message for me. I needed time to devote to my family and myself first and things will work out in his time and I need to be patient.
Coming to this conclusion has helped me a great deal because after a period of not writing very much for a couple of months now I actually have written two articles in the last five days one of which is already posted and the other should be posted next week if not sooner.
I feel such relief at being able to write again and hope that after my vacation next week I can get all my ducks in a row and start writing and submitting again.
So anyway to answer the question, I find that God has to gently yell at me for me to hear his whispers. Someday I pray that I will get the message on the first gentle whispers instead of waiting for the gentle yells. Until then though I guess I'll have to turn the hearing aids up.
Thanks for posting this at this point in time. We all need gentle reminders to listen harder and question less.

Thanks Bunches
From someone who can be very hard of
hearing,
Angel(Chris Weigand)

Dear Chicadee
Congratulations re the writer's group. That's wonderful. I hope many more wonderful opportunities come to you.

With Love
Leigha

chick, I join Leigha in congratulating you. Have fun!

Lynn and georgia, I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for you. Try not to jump at the first thing. Just take time to listen..dont' wrestle, just nestle with Him! (That's taken from a book title, DOn't Wrestle, Just Nestle. I still have to read that one. Doesn't it sound great?)

Song, thanks for the reminder about Abraham.

Angel, you are so wise to hear God calling you to ve attentive to your daughter. How old is she? I'll pray for her.

Thank you Dotsie. She is 21 years old, living in my house with her two year old daughter

Angel

Dotsie, This is my first time on ANY message board, but your question intriqued/excited me. Let me take a moment to intro myself, I am starting over-literally. After 25 years a marriage I have found out my husband was living a double life. I am facing many new changes, all at once. My mother has passed away after a long fight with cancer. I am going through the painful divorce process, my son will be leaving for college this fall. I find myself alone, facing a great big world, with no backup except God.

For many years God has been telling me to write a book. I have been working on it off and on for many years, all the while telling myself "who am I to be writing this and why would anyone want to hear anything from me?" Since all these challenging events have unfolded in my life in the last 7 months, I have completed and brought a book to publication, an autobiography, but it is not the one that God has clearly told me to write. I have dug it all back out and started on it again--I now see that during this time, God has honed my writing skills and the new version will be much better. The time I have struggled, feeling guilty that I wasn't pursuing His whisper at the time and now realizing that God's timing also comes into play. Sometimes His whispers are far in advance of when He wants us to do something. The whispers begin to prepare the 'soil' the creative part of us for later. The book would never have been published in its previous form, but I trust that it will be recieved now when finished.

When it is finished though I face a new challenge--specifically taking this latest chapter of my life and putting it in book form in a way that impacts women without it being a 'tell all' book. I think finding out your husband is a gay, pedophile would make for a good book. Does anyone have any suggestions on finding good balance for such a project?

Thanks for listening, Starting Over

Leigha and Dotsie, Thank you for your congratulations and kind words. I have to join those writer's groups soon.

Leigha, Dianne has commented many times about Sunblood. I am jealous. I am ordering 3 books on friday and yours is on that list. I have waiting too long already.

Starting Over,

I am so happy you found us. I am sorry to hear about your Dear Mother's passing. You are facing many changes at once, as you said. Your divorce, your husband and your son. This group of loving, understanding women want to help you through those changes. We will all learn much from doing so.

God's plans for you are unfolding. Hopefully, your challenges won't be so overwhelming when you share them with those who care. We care. Your book needs to be written because you want to write it. The rest will look after itself. A warm welcome to you.

chick

Starting Over--remember that phrase,"when the student is ready, the teacher will come?" Well... you were perhaps not ready to bring your novel to the world in the beginning, however, as you pointed out, God knew what he had in mind for you, and was whispering encouragement along the way. Now you are.

I cannot imagine the pain you must be in from this situation, but I'm willing to bet it will not win! YOU WILL. I also willing to bet you've pulled from deep, deep within to write this book, and are marching forward. Its called courage.

I may be going out on a limb here, but I would also bet that you will find MORE people in the same boat as yourself, (more than you would possible believe) once you get the word out. I work with a woman who's husband of 30 years suddenly announced he was gay and left her for another man. So see?

Join us here for discussion and let us know if we can help you in any way. Its what we do. FRIENDS HEAL FRIENDS.

You're in the right place hon...JJ

Starting over, Just by sharing your story here, you are beginning the healing process. It seems as if many of us come here with a problem and stay to help others with theirs. Sharing our problems lessens the load and sharing the problems of others helps us find our way.

And through it all, we pray for each other. It's a healing place.
smile

Dear Chicadee

I missed this post and want to thank you for being interested in Sunblood. I am glad that you are enjoying it!

With love Leigha

Dear Leigha

You have written much of what I believe. I have taken note of other books that you mention and have added them to my next buy list. Is there one in particular that you would recommend?

chick

I'd love tp hear from starting over again. I wonder how she is doing.

I also know someone whose husband announced he was gay and having an affair. It's hard for everyone involved.

[ July 30, 2005, 11:30 PM: Message edited by: Dotsie ]

Dear Chicadee

It depends on what aspect of life you want to look at.

With regard to healing we have to look at the original cause of pain and suffering, which lies at the energy level, as all thought and emotions are energy.

To clear thoughts, to move away from pain and judgement, judgement just being the constant analysis of the mind clarifying, sorting and just causing clutter in the mind I would recommend
'A Course in Miracles'.

The way it is written it is like the mind of Christ speaking because within the words and the way it is written there is no judgement. One also comes to a greater understanding of the mind..where perception opens up almost miraculously.

There are also a list of books in the Appendix of Sunblood, all very different from each other.
I have found that understanding language, the essence of communication and the way different languages are formed, ie the language of mathematics, physics, law, government, economics etc. gives one a greater understanding and awareness. To find the essence under each language, the core that is the same within all language to surpass judgement creates amazing realizations.

The more one opens the mind, continually testing one's belief systems until you reach the core center where 'no belief ie judgement exists, except the core of truth itself (and you'll recognize it because the core of truth has no argument available against it)brings great relief and peace. That's what's so amazing about it. The peace that becomes to be part of one's life. It starts in increments but it increases with understanding and commitment.

When you take understanding to the core beyond all belief systems it just IS. Here lies all health, abundance, love, peace and happiness. For it is only in our constant analyzing that we become unhappy not allowing the core energy to surface because our mind's are too busy learning.

However, when we get out of our mind's way and listen to the quiet voice inside...the answers appear. This takes practice...It's like a muscle that needs to be exercised...The more you use it...the greater it becomes.

These are the words that came to me for you Chicadee. The ultimate truth lies in the core and thus to teach the mind to trust the core and not constantly be busy trying to judge and classify everything brings the ultimate reward. Great Peace!

The mind does not understand that it doesn't need to know the answers, it is just there in it's purpose to serve the core which does know all the answers...That's why we all experience fear, because the mind fears because it thinks it has to know all the answers and so it goes on the hunt and constantly keeps us in imbalance and for some fear.

'A Course in Miracles' is the ultimate book when a person is ready to face the mind and bring it to wholeness and peace, ultimately sanctifying it, which means that we stop thinking about everything we see, read and hear which affects us in a negative way. For every thought we have, we have not only had the thought, we have absorbed at the energy level the negativite or positive energy that lives within that thought and it becomes part of our cells because the energy of the mind permeates us.

I hope this helps.

With love
Leigha

Leigha, may I comment on a Course in Miracles? For a good interpretation of the power of ACIM, one might want to begin with Marianne Williamson's "A Return to Love" which is her account of how ACIM changed her way of thinking and relating. I find ACIM a bit hard to interpret alone; I like group work when reading (studying) ACIM. There are several on-line forums for going through ACIM. I have never finished the course. I need a tutor! Love and Light, Lynn

Dotsie,
Thanks for wondering how I'm doing. I'm doing fine. Please pray for swift sale of the house. (I'm out of money to pay the mortgage and it's due today) I need a MIRACLE! And God is the One who can PROVIDE IT!

I am still working on the last few chapters of the book God told me to write and will begin looking for a market for it shortly--would really like to find an agent to do this--(working full-time, having to move and start over-I don't have tons of time to query lots of publishers)

And, I now have clear direction on how to write about finding out your husband is a gay pedophile without making it a tell all. I will write an inspirational romance novel! The heroine finds out her husband lives a double life. As she goes through all the struggles-the only one there to help shoulder the load and takes her through is Jesus. The ultimate story is the growing love relationship between the heroine and her Savior!

Anyway, all is well. Thanks for all the prayers and concern. Lots more to go through, but God is covering me along the way! Have a great day all! Love to all!

Dear Lynn

I think that's a wonderful idea Lynn. It would help people understand what they are moving toward.

Love
Leigha

Dotsie,

Yeah, I am back in the loop of a continuous struggle I have as a ministry director (and entrepreneur)while being a full-time SAHM/WAHM mom and wife

- God's whisper has been changing a lot in my life over the past few days re: my children (message: slow down - focus on your three - nothing else is more inspired than these) my career (message: wait on me, be patient, all the success you want is there if you wait on me. A little makes a lot with time.) My ministries (message: balance with a capital "B" - meaning treat all ministries equally don't get lopsided in time and effort and focus only on the important - get the basics up and pray for help.)


Will definitely remember your and everyone else's understanding and focus on "whispers from heaven"

Hello Ladies,
I wanted to share some exciting news with all of you and this seemed to be the perfect place to post it. I have been struggling with God's whispers for a few months, but with the support of the wonderful women in this forum I kept on praying and listening. In recent weeks up to and including today God has given me some answers. Two wonderful writing opportunities have fallen in my lap. The first is with Sisters in the Lord. They are creating a new bible study and have invited me to be a Bible study writer. Of course I didn't accept right away. Once I saw the theme list and saw Women of the Bible (a subject that I am passionate about) was on the list, I realized God was yelling at me. Then I accepted the offer and have been busily working on the outline for a Bible Study about Women of the Bible and what we can learn from them.

The second opportunity wasn't quite as loud. A few months ago I submitted some of my articles to a magazine then called "Virtuous Woman." I hadn't heard anything then last week or so I saw a thread in another forum that I'm in. They had changed their name to "Hope for Women Magazine." I emailed a query and recieved a reply from them today. Two of the three articles I submitted are going to be used in their publication. One will be in Jan. 2006 and the other will be used as their feature article in June 2006.

Neither of these opportunities pays in money, but the satisfaction that I will recieve in sharing God's word more than makes up for it.

Thanks everyone and I will send links when I know what they are so that you can read the bible studies and the articles.

God really does listen and answer in his own time all we need is a little patience.

Sincerely

angel (Chris Weigand)

angel, keep submitting and before you know it you will recieve payment. Be sure to keep track of all your publications. Do you have a website? Thanks so much for sharing your joy. We celebrate with you.

Thanks a lot Dotsie! I was doing a pretty good job of shrugging off God's nudges and then I found your question.

I think I'm at a crossroads in my life. My job is not going well, my company merged with another and my job is in jeoprady, but it could be a blessing, because I don't like it anyway. I just like to have the money to live in my house with my dog and have my grandson visit. I would love to do something creative for a living.

Also, I am a Christian, but have not been participating in a church, study or anything - I'm disconnected from God and God's people. But I've had some bad experiences in the church and I'm not really fearful, but it's not something I feel comfortable about.

On top of all that, I'm going through menopause, I'm 51, and that is not pleasant, emotionally or physically. I don't feel 51, I feel more like 31, except for the hot flashes, forgetfulness and sleeplessness.

Finding your site is a blessing. I don't have anyone I would care to discuss all this with and it's good to see that I'm not alone.

Daisy, I'mglad you found the site too. SOunds like you have lots in common with the women in our neighborhood.

You mention your current situation being a blessing. It's quite possible. What don't you like about your job?

Is there a way for you to reconnect with your faith? YOu may feel disconnected form God, but He isn't disconnected from you. He's waiting to take you gently by the hand and have you discover the beauty Ha has waiting for you when you focus on His love and desires for your life.

I'm doing the perimenopause thing too. DO you exercise?

Daisygirl, I too have been 'burned' in a church and only recently forced myself to start attending and reaching out to others again. I have found as I reach out to others they in turn are there to help me in prayer and encouragement. I have found my empty, lonely nights alone are greatly improved when I can look forward to getting to know these people more. I will always no matter what setting I am in--work, family, firneds or church going to run the risk of being 'burned'. Satan would like me to stay out of church--that way I am a weak target that he can batter and bruise. Personally, I have decided that I'm tired of being Satan's punching bag and I'm opening myself up to all the possibilities that God wants me to explore. Blessings! I'll be praying for you!

Also, been put off by the church. Searching for a home church for awhile now.
Last church was school and college. Happened to volunteer for the library, before school opened.
While there met a wonderful lady in her early 70"s by the name of Jinny. Jinny and her husband had come to the church as teachers in 1998, moved and settled here. Taught for couple of years, before the church found replacements. Jinny's husband actually worked for Penny's for two years after teaching for two. Jinny was moved to child care, for couple of years and then off to the library for less than 32 hours a week, so no insurance. Her husband has had several setbacks health-wise this last year. So, insurance would greatly benefit them. Realize the church has kept them on, but I honostly feel "they can afford to do more". Most of the members seem to just float on air. Not even sure they will notice we are not attending any longer.
So sad people seems to busy to care anymore.
Hurts my heart.

Brenda, I can relate to your sadness that even people in church seem to be too busy to care anymore. Before we moved to Ottawa, we were very active in a very warm, dynamic church with incredible music and powerful ministry. Then we moved here, "shopped" around for quite awhile before finding a congregation that seemed dynamic and authentic. But we went to that church (well, hubby gave up after a couple of months, but I, the eternal optimist at the time, kept persevering), sat in the same general area, every Sunday for over a year. Both hubby and I would greet the same faces around us every Sunday and try to get involved in conversations with the people close by, but nobody ever seemed to remember us from one Sunday to the next.

When my Dad died, it was too painful to go back to that church where I was clearly an invisible nobody. I went back once, a few weeks after Dad's death, and sobbed all the way through. Even then nobody seemed to care in the least. So after a lifetime of being heavily involved in church, I stopped going altogether.

It took me a long time to find the one we go to now. It's a completely different denomination, ministered by a guy I used to babysit when he was just a little boy. It's a wonderful, caring, warm congregation...a lot like here! It was well worth the pain and searching that it took to get us there. So don't give up. Some congregation out there needs you as much as you need them!

Eagle Heart, I will continue to keep searching. Just so thought this was the church God had lead me to. Several months ago we had made a visit to a church near our home. Sadly, once was enough. After arriving home hubby and I were sitting on the front porch discussing our visit, telling hubby just wish God would give me a sign, lead me to where he wants.
Words had just left my mouth...when a large white van pulls up front... name of the church all over the side door, my friend waving from the driver's seat. Now, would that seem like a sign to you?
Sounds really strange but he has been showing me so many things lately, mainly people not doing the right thing. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm not without fault, no one is perfect except God. But, it just seems he has put me in so many circumstances where I just want to yell "that is so wrong"! Know there is a lesson in all of this, think instead of whispering he needs to just yell at me, cause I beginning to feel a bit dense.
Still praying for guidance, in Jesus precious name.

Brenda, I would have jumped to the same conclusion too about that the white van driving by just as your hubby was asking God for a sign...if that wasn't "God-incidence", what is?! Sometimes the answers come by way of a series of stepping stones which ultimately lead to the ultimate answer we are looking for. Maybe this is the case, where this church served a needed purpose in your life for that length of time, but now it's time to move on to the next stepping stone to the church that will either be your "home church" or lead to the next stepping stone.

It's frustrating being a pilgrim, especially when we hunger for a community that feels like home for our souls. Unfortunately, no congregation will ever be perfect, and no church will ever be without its share of dark corners. Something I read in an Ann Lander's column way back in the 1970's has often helped me when I've been faced with frustrating situations and people in the church...she suggested that the church was never meant to be "a hotel for saints, but a hospital for sinners." Personally, it has always given me hope that there might even be room for me within that definition of church.

[ August 30, 2005, 08:45 PM: Message edited by: Eagle Heart ]

"Church was never meant to be "a hotel for saints, but a hospital for sinners."
So, true... thanks so much for sharing.

I love that saying. Its a keeper!

JJ

So it was Ann Landers who said that? I've posted that in here before as something my old minister said. I thought he made it up.

Your posts remind me of a dear friend who recently relocated and is dying to join a church. They have visited churches all summer and NO ONE has introduced themsleves, or welcomed them. Pretty sad.

This just makes me want to reach out more within my sanctuary.

For those not faithfully attending a specific church:
This happened to me after working at my church. I wandered, checking out other church homes in the area. It was during that time that I chose to do daily Bible reading, journaling, and keeping a prayer folder. Though I wasn't feeling connected to a church family, I felt more connected to God than ever before. Community is important, and so is daily communication with our Lord.

This is a great topic.

Dotsie, I don't know for sure if it was Ann Landers who created the saying or if she was quoting it. But it sure found a home in my heart. I remember an aquaintance of mine sharing that she had stopped going to church because it was so full of hypocrites...her comments almost made ME stop going, because I'm fully aware that I'm one of those hypocrites; no matter how hard I try to be the "perfect Christian", I will never be able to attain that goal. That imperfection used to bring me shame. Now it just brings me closer to God's mercy and unconditional love. And it was this quote that reminded me that church is exactly where "hypocrites" (like me) need to be.

Just love that fellowship, believers who are joined with joy & love to praise the Lord. Gathered together in one place for one purpose.

Really big need for me, as a child dad was a very strict, controlling, physically abusive man that drank much.
Brother and myself, never left the yard, except for school. In fact we couldn't even play with the next door children between the fence, no reason given.

Mom had a friend who lived across the street, Mrs. Winters, I'll never forget that woman's name. Come what may, this lady was in church ever Sunday.

Mrs. Winters asked mom about my going to church with her....mom referred her to dad.
Imagine, my delight to find out he had agreed.
Baptisted at the age of 7, found my new best friend Jesus.

Remember riding my bike round and round the yard singing "I have a joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart."

Sometimes, I am not able to put into words what I truly feel in my heart so....
(Please, don't get me wrong I loved my dad, he just had alot of things within. Never able to find the peace he needed, died of a self inflicted gunshot wound).

Just looking for a bit of joy.
In the time being, already started a online bible study. Prayers, & bible reading are a constant, couldn't make it without them.
So, I keep lookin and praying for a church home.

I spent over 20 years heavily involved in the Charismatic Renewal, going to prayer meetings 2-3 times a week, conferences several times a year all over North America, healing Masses and weekend retreats. How I miss those gatherings now. The powerful joy and healing presence of hundreds (thousands at the conferences) of people praying and singing praise to God was beyond description.

I've never felt that exquisite joy and peace in any other setting. But the memory of all those voices lifting up with praise and singing like that still makes my heart leap for joy. Sigh. I really miss that level of fellowship.

Brenda, I smiled at your song. I rmember singing that at the top of my lungs with my children in the car. It was on one of the Wee Sing Bible tapes. I am so sorry to hear about your dad. I'm sure your faith was a treasure during that difficult time.

Eagle, I remember reading about those times in your book. I was most impressed by your devotion to God. I found it very refreshing. I need to post about it in the featured author forum.

Dotsie and starting over, thank you for your kind words. I know I really need to be in a small group, because since I live alone, I have no one to be accountable to.

Really, my bad experience in a church was due to my spiritual immaturity. I was older when I accepted Jesus and didn't get the whole picture until I attended an Emmaus weekend, which is a retreat. Well, I guess I didn't realize that there were many walking wounded in the church and being saved didn't mean they would be perfect, upstanding citizens.

Dotsie, they have a class on Sundays where people who need a small group can go and get connected. I did that for a month and then they stopped it for a month and I just never went back. It's something I crave, but at the same time dread.

angelsmuse, congratulations on your writings being accepted. I just wanted to tell you about a class a couple I know taught at their church called "Barren Babes of the Bible." They were having trouble concieving and had this class for others who were in the same boat.

Daisygirl

ack, please don't equate Christians with perfection. There is no such thing. We are all the walking wounded.

Daisy, if you think you need to be in asmall group...keep searching. There's one out there for you...

I love the bumper sticker "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven."

That's a good one. I always see these great bumper stickers that I can never remember. I read a great one today about feminism, but darn if I can remember it. Peri-menopausal moment?