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abbycat
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| Joined: | Thu Jan 17th, 2008 |
| Location: | Maryland USA |
| Posts: | 147 |
| First Name: | abby | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Non-Denomational Charismatic, Lutheran |
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Posted: Wed Jun 11th, 2008 02:04 pm |
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Dear friends ... and I do see many of you as friends, even though I am not Catholic at this point. I have a prayer request. As many of you know I am part of a Lutheran Body of Believers, and have been struggling for many reasons as to whether or not to stay there. I have been doing a lot of reading on all sorts of spiritual/liturgical/early church fathers/Catholicism types of reading for many months now, and have now hit a place I need some sort of answer or sign from our Lord. My church is beginning a Celebrate Recovery Ministry and I have been asked to be part of this primary Ministry Team. I have never used any addictive substance, but instead have the "other side" of it .... the child (and adult) of an entire family of origin who was totally addicted - from parents all the way through grandparents, uncle. I have no siblings. I have walked the difficult road of a child and what that does in the formation of one's heart and soul and the damage it can do to a child's spirit. It is only through the Grace of God that any healing can happen. I have been going to the meetings, all the while struggling with whether or not I was even to stay within that church. Last night I asked for prayer from these dear souls (there are 7 of us) for discernment as to what He wants me to do ... do I stay within my present Church Body and work with this new Ministry, do I leave this church and visit other Lutheran churches, or do I step out and begin to visit some Catholic churches in my area with the distinct possibility of becoming part of their Body. This is a very difficult decision for me, and one for which I need definite clarity and guidance. I would appreciate any prayers you felt led to give on my behalf.
abby
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Credo Catholic
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| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1400 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Jun 11th, 2008 02:25 pm |
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| I have just prayed for your help from the Lord, that He guide your thoughts in this decision, and I prayed a Hail Mary. I recommend that you sit a little while in a catholic church, before the tabernacle, and give this some quiet thought. God bless
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 1238 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Jun 11th, 2008 04:26 pm |
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Credo Catholic wrote:
I recommend that you sit a little while in a catholic church, before the tabernacle, and give this some quiet thought. God bless
Abby and Marsha,
I know Marsha's answer was not intended to be humorous, but I couldn't help chuckling when I read it. Why? Because Abby seems open to guidance from the Holy Spirit and because both Marsha and I know what is going to happen to such a person who "sits a little while in a Catholic church, before the tabernacle, and gives this some quiet thought." 
Ah, Abby, I am praying for you, dear sister. I pray you will attend as many Masses as you can and will spend as much time as you can in front of the Blessed Sacrament. You will know what to do.
In His love,
Becky
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"He who will persevere unto the end is not he who will never fall, but he who after every fall will humble himself and rise again, relying on the infinite strength of God." Divine Intimacy, p. 885 Father Gabriel, O.C.D.
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Free
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| Joined: | Wed Nov 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 216 |
| First Name: | Jane | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Presbyterian, Gnostic, non-denominational, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Jun 11th, 2008 06:47 pm |
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I am praying for you, Abby. I would also like to share something that I remembered as I read your post.
At my former church I led a healing and deliverance ministry, and I know it was the Holy Spirit leading me. Many people were set free from distorted thinking, minor addictions, and from resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness. As I felt myself being called to the Catholic Church, I struggled with how God could want me to possibly leave the ministry that was helping so many individuals. Was it really God calling me? I KNEW it was Jesus calling me, yet how could he have me leave such a helpful ministry?
A friend in the former church said to me, "Find out if they have a ministry in the Catholic Church and if women are allowed to run it. Then you'll know if you're supposed to be Catholic or not." The instant she said that, I felt repulsed, like the wrong ends of magnets pushing each other away. There was no way I was going to test God! And no way I was going to set up human criteria for whether or not Jesus was calling me! Even though I had a negative reaction to my friend's words, it helped me to remember what was really important: When Jesus calls, we leave everything to follow him, even a helpful ministry!
Even though my friend and I rarely communicate now (because I entered the Catholic Church), I'm grateful to her for her comment because it helped me put things in perspective.
Your friend,
Jane
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abbycat
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jan 17th, 2008 |
| Location: | Maryland USA |
| Posts: | 147 |
| First Name: | abby | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Non-Denomational Charismatic, Lutheran |
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Posted: Wed Jun 11th, 2008 11:15 pm |
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Hi Jane ....
Thanks so much for your response. It sounds as though you and I have similar backgrounds. Before being part of a Lutheran Body, I was in non-denominational, charismatic churches for 25 years - 13 at one and 12 at the other. So, some of my friends were "horrified" when I even became a Lutheran! Well, I can imagine what will be said should I actually go to RCIA and possibly join! It'll be interesting, that's for sure. Yes, after I shared with the group last night about my situation, I felt greatly relieved. And, today, I feel very, very, good. I believe this next meeting will be my last. I have decided to visit a local Catholic church this Sunday, sitting in the back and observing, participate when I can. We'll see. Only God knows for sure, and I'm taking this very slowly. I'm not an impulsive person, but I have a sense that at some point, the RC Church will be my home.
abby
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Pani Rose
Member
| Joined: | Fri Oct 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Irondale, Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 552 |
| First Name: | Rose | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Ruthenian Byzantine in a Melkite Greek Catholic Parish, raised ... |
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Posted: Sun Jun 15th, 2008 02:27 am |
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Credo Catholic wrote: I have just prayed for your help from the Lord, that He guide your thoughts in this decision, and I prayed a Hail Mary. I recommend that you sit a little while in a catholic church, before the tabernacle, and give this some quiet thought. God bless We have a Catholic priest in town who did that, and prepared his sermons when he was a Baptist minister  like I said, now, he is a Catholic priest. How sweet is our God!
Lord of the Powers be with us, for in times of distress we have no other help but You.
Lord of the Powers, have mercy on Abby.
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abbycat
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jan 17th, 2008 |
| Location: | Maryland USA |
| Posts: | 147 |
| First Name: | abby | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Non-Denomational Charismatic, Lutheran |
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Posted: Fri Jul 11th, 2008 04:10 pm |
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Hello all .... Well, it became very evident that the "call" to become part of my Lutheran Church's Celebrate Recovery was not a true call of God. I won't go into the evidence to this, but there was much. So, I graciously dropped off of the leadership team. This is a very interesting road the Lord has me walking ... some things that make so much sense, from a human standpoint, are not His Will at all .... shows the true value of a Body of Believers praying for each other.
Bless you all,
abby
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 1238 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Jul 11th, 2008 04:41 pm |
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abbycat wrote:
Hello all .... Well, it became very evident that the "call" to become part of my Lutheran Church's Celebrate Recovery was not a true call of God. . . . So, I graciously dropped off the leadership team. This is a very interesting road the Lord has me walking ... some things that make so much sense, from a human standpoint, are not His Will at all. . .
Abby, that has absolutely been my experience as well. It is in confidently following God along paths that seem to make less sense that we grow in faith and obedience.
Hope you are tolerating the antibiotics well and seeing some improvement by now.
Still praying for you,
Becky
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"He who will persevere unto the end is not he who will never fall, but he who after every fall will humble himself and rise again, relying on the infinite strength of God." Divine Intimacy, p. 885 Father Gabriel, O.C.D.
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