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abbycat
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jan 17th, 2008 |
| Location: | Maryland USA |
| Posts: | 221 |
| First Name: | abby | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Non-Denomational Charismatic, Lutheran, Orthodox Catechumate |
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Posted: Wed Jun 18th, 2008 02:34 pm |
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Good morning .....
I will be attending Mass this weekend with a friend of mine who is a life-long Catholic - she is excited about her faith. I really ask for prayers from all of you for me .... I have not had the best of weeks, spiritually, and I really need discernment as to what God is wanting me to do. Do I stay in my present Lutheran church with all its flaws and difficulties, or, do I investigate more closely the RC faith by hooking in with an RCIA group? This is one of those times in life, that some of my non-Catholic friends say, "the devil is messing with me" ... but I do feel pulled and torn from side to side on this issue. At 63, I will freely admit that change is not easy, but I do so want to do what the Lord wants for me ... only He knows what is the best plan for the rest of my life. To change will, I'm sure, mean working through this with my 3 adult kids with whom I have excellent relationships but who also were raised in the non-denom. Charismatic tradition, and putting the lid on the final end of my marriage. You see, I was married for 40 years to a man with a personality disorder. At the end, when I came very close to having to be hospitalized because of the mental and emotional abuse, my therapist told me "either I leave or you will wind up in the hospital." Others around me saw the shape I was in ... I did not. My X/NH never acknowledged any of his roll in our situation and consistently told me that "I was sick - I was nuts." Well, truly believing in marriage being a covenant, I know we are divorced in the eyes of the law, but deep inside, I also know I will never be "not married" in God's eyes. You cannot be married to someone for 40 years, have 3 children, and not end it without leaving huge pieces of yourself with them, and visa-versa. I continue to pray for him, and I continue to hold onto a shred of hope that perhaps someday God would be able to break through to him and we would have a true reconciliation. He is a Christian. If I should become Catholic, that will end that hope, even though I know it is a trace even now. He has great disdain for the RC faith, and because of the extreme judgmentalism in his personality and being convinced that his way is always right ... he will not even listen to any opposing views - rather blowing them off as "ridiculous."
Anyhow, as you can see, should God lead me to make a change, it will mean many things to me .... obviously some very positive and joyful, and then there is the end of the hope to which I've clung - no matter how thin.
I need your prayers, friends .... thank you and God bless,
abby
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rbo4u2
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| Joined: | Tue Jan 16th, 2007 |
| Location: | Sunnyvale, California USA |
| Posts: | 518 |
| First Name: | Rich | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Formerly Christian & Missionary Alliance then became Presbyterian |
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Posted: Wed Jun 18th, 2008 03:23 pm |
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I'll keep you in my prayers Abby. Choices are hard to make sometimes and this is one of the biggest you'll ever have to make. My you be drawn into the ever abiding mercy of God as you head for the Tiber.
Rich
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Dave Armstrong
Network Apologist
| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Melvindale, Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 2445 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Evangelical (1977): Diverse Protestant Influences / Catholic in 1990 |
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Posted: Wed Jun 18th, 2008 05:21 pm |
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| You'll be in my prayers, Abby. You're a brave woman!
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I'm happy to offer whatever theological & personal assistance I can. My blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, contains 2100+ papers & web pages (free) & 17 apologetic books (4 sale: 15 E-Books: $25)
http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/
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3John4
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| Joined: | Tue Feb 13th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 102 |
| First Name: | Dede | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic, Protestant, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Jun 18th, 2008 05:27 pm |
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Abby,
I will be praying as well. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Dede
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kersca
Member
| Joined: | Fri May 23rd, 2008 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 148 |
| First Name: | Adam | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lutheran-Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Jun 18th, 2008 08:17 pm |
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I'll pray for you (and him).
Adam
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 1544 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Jun 18th, 2008 08:24 pm |
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Abby, you are still in my prayers. God will sustain you.
Becky
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Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials. . .the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life. . . NAB James 1:2-4,12
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Pani Rose
Member
| Joined: | Fri Oct 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Irondale, Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 750 |
| First Name: | Rose | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Ruthenian Byzantine in a Melkite Greek Catholic Parish, raised ... |
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Posted: Mon Jun 23rd, 2008 01:59 am |
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Sometimes it takes a jolt of lighting to wake people up. God has a whole Church full of very bright Light waiting for you. A move like this can also be what pulls him out of his judgemental attitude. With God nothing is impossilbe. Go with God!
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
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left coast mystic
Member
| Joined: | Sat May 10th, 2008 |
| Location: | La Honda, California USA |
| Posts: | 167 |
| First Name: | Marcee | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nondenominational charismatic, Presbyterian, long-time lover of the RCC |
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Posted: Tue Jun 24th, 2008 12:25 am |
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Abby -
I'm on pins and needles - how did it go? I had an AMAZING experience going to mass with my husband this past weekend. I did a post about in in the Fellowship forum called "Thank you God!". I'm hoping your experience was as significant as mine.
Marcee
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Godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Tim. 6:6)
In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength. (Isa. 30:15)
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abbycat
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jan 17th, 2008 |
| Location: | Maryland USA |
| Posts: | 221 |
| First Name: | abby | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Non-Denomational Charismatic, Lutheran, Orthodox Catechumate |
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Posted: Fri Jul 11th, 2008 04:45 pm |
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Hi Marcee ... I'm truly sorry I didn't respond sooner. For several weeks now I've been dealing with Lyme Disease ... pretty common here where I live, but no less nasty. The major symptoms are pretty well gone, but I am left with the lingering fatigue. That doesn't help at all.
Now, for my experience ... obviously, since this was my first time, I was quite nervous, and when I am nervous I tend to focus more on "doing the right thing at the right time" than on what is actually being said. Fortunately, after the Priest's homily, I was able to focus more on the Eucharist, since I wouldn't be taking it. I sense just a total canopy of the Holy Spirit over the entire church most especially during the Holy Communion. I wept, even though I could not be part of it. It was profoundly moving. I will be back, I know. Thank you for thinking of me.
abby
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cyanheaven
Member
| Joined: | Tue Apr 8th, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 75 |
| First Name: | Callie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist/ Bapticostal/ Baptist/ "BaptoCatholic" |
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Posted: Fri Jul 11th, 2008 07:44 pm |
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I am so glad to hear you had a positive experience abby.
prayers from Texas as well. 
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tedjenczewski
Member
| Joined: | Thu May 10th, 2007 |
| Location: | Richmond, Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 392 |
| First Name: | Ted | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Presbyterian, revert Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Jul 13th, 2008 02:51 am |
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| We remember you at the alter of God Abby. Peace be with you. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
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"...the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth." 1Tim 3, 15
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 1544 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Jul 19th, 2008 09:08 pm |
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abbycat wrote:
For several weeks now I've been dealing with Lyme Disease ... pretty common here where I live, but no less nasty. The major symptoms are pretty well gone, but I am left with the lingering fatigue. That doesn't help at all. . . .
abby
Abby, how are you? How's the recovery? How's the journey?
Miss hearing from you. 
Becky
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Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials. . .the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life. . . NAB James 1:2-4,12
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