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Posted by josh on 12-05-2004 at22:51:

  i got a keyboard...and i feel serious...

all laughter aside, there is a time for everything.
a drunk can have the most sober conversation...
and he won't remember to tell anyone what you've shared unless it's written.
DA. more than a band....
i appriciate honesty...especially from Christians.
tell me of a hard lessons learned. tell me of heartache and redemption.
i need to hear more.
tell me of victory over terrible obstacles and include every feeling along the way.
i need to hear more...
tell me of how the Lord saved you from the world and yourself.
even the darkest story may stir hope in a person....with a good or bad ending....because the writer lived to tell and presses on.
so tell me, Christian.
i will be silent.

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Posted by dennis on 12-05-2004 at22:55:

 

I do not think it's my place to decide if I am a Christian or not.

Glad to have you aboard Josh! Welcome

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Posted by josh on 12-05-2004 at22:58:

 

thanks for an honest answer.

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Posted by dennis on 12-05-2004 at22:59:

 

Ask an honest question....

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Posted by PuP on 12-05-2004 at23:01:

 

I think Ohio is slowly taking over the DAmb!

Howdy, Josh.

I can't give you all them high-falutin' answers your looking for. I haven't found all that yet myself!

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Posted by dennis on 12-05-2004 at23:04:

  Just between you and me,

quote:

Originally posted by josh all laughter aside, there is a time for everything. a drunk can have the most sober conversation... and he won't remember to tell anyone what you've shared unless it's written. DA. more than a band.... i appriciate honesty...especially from Christians. tell me of a hard lessons learned. tell me of heartache and redemption. i need to hear more. tell me of victory over terrible obstacles and include every feeling along the way. i need to hear more... tell me of how the Lord saved you from the world and yourself. even the darkest story may stir hope in a person....with a good or bad ending....because the writer lived to tell and presses on. so tell me, Christian. i will be silent.

I need to hear more too, Josh.

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Posted by dennis on 12-05-2004 at23:08:

 

I am going to bed now Josh. For what it's worth I will pray for us both.

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Posted by Coffee Addict on 12-05-2004 at23:27:

 

The more I learn the less I know. I do know God loves us all

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Posted by josh on 12-05-2004 at23:31:

 

i tried to. sorry. it's just that some people seem to have peace.
some are lost,some are found,i am a Christian but i guess i must be in the wrong place.
i feel real bad most the time although the spirit of the Lord lives in me.
had trouble growing up, i was abused in 'Christian schools',but i do not doubt the saviour,
i was accepted in the world, i love music...and i don't want to live without alcohol.
this sucks,i know, and it a great way to make an entrance into my favorite band's message board, but i'd rather save the lolly pops and flowers untill after the rain has passed.
i mean...go to church--will people be as honest with you as the ones at the bar?
no. at least not in my experience. my parents never told me about all the things they were....to me they and everyone preceding them were angels. now it's this generations turn....and look at it. i'm not right and i admit that. this generation will be worse than ever...this generation needs honesty.the art world needs honesty....so i'll start--i'm an alcoholic.i've got a false god set up between me and my creator....but i really just wanted to get rid of that terrible feeling....either the people i know have it all together or won't be straight up with me about the struggles of their past. we need painful,honest answers.
humility. email me if nothing else....but what comes to your mind when you see a clever statement on a church billboard? does it draw you in?really??

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Posted by PuP on 12-05-2004 at23:45:

 

quote:

Originally posted by josh i tried to. sorry. it's just that some people seem to have peace. some are lost,some are found,i am a Christian but i guess i must be in the wrong place. i feel real bad most the time although the spirit of the Lord lives in me. had trouble growing up, i was abused in 'Christian schools',but i do not doubt the saviour, i was accepted in the world, i love music...and i don't want to live without alcohol. this sucks,i know, and it a great way to make an entrance into my favorite band's message board, but i'd rather save the lolly pops and flowers untill after the rain has passed. i mean...go to church--will people be as honest with you as the ones at the bar? no. at least not in my experience. my parents never told me about all the things they were....to me they and everyone preceding them were angels. now it's this generations turn....and look at it. i'm not right and i admit that. this generation will be worse than ever...this generation needs honesty.the art world needs honesty....so i'll start--i'm an alcoholic.i've got a false god set up between me and my creator....but i really just wanted to get rid of that terrible feeling....either the people i know have it all together or won't be straight up with me about the struggles of their past. we need painful,honest answers. humility. email me if nothing else....but what comes to your mind when you see a clever statement on a church billboard? does it draw you in?really??

The only thing I disagree with in this post is that "...this generation will be worse than ever..." Go through history, or the Old Testament. People have always been people. Since the Fall, every generation has struggled with what you are struggling with.

I think everyone on this board is struggling with some of the same feelings you are. I'm not alcoholic, but I've got my own idols in my life. It's a daily thing and I don't expect it to end in this life.

I'll pray for you. That God leads you and that you have the courage to follow. Not for the struggle to end, but for you to have the strength to keep struggling.

And, BTW, the church signs do nothing for me, and would probably drive me away if I was searching for a church.

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Posted by Coffee Addict on 12-05-2004 at23:45:

 

No church slogan or catch phrase draws me in. I might be the wrong person to talk to because I see most churches as being completely fake. I see the art world as being fake as well and pretty much most of the people I know on a day to day basis. Everyone is an actor trying to put the right spin on themselves to act like they are winning the game of life. They try to impress each other with big cars and expensive toys and fake boobs. They live a lie.

To be honest, the people at this messageboard are the most real people I have ever known and that is what caused me to stay here. When my first wife left me I had suicidal thoughts. My Christian friends were uncomfortable with that. The church shunned me. I was extremely low and had no peace whatsoever and yet God was there and he loved me and when I look back I see his hand guiding me along the way.

I do not know exactly where you are in your life but I will say that I have been extremely low in my life and I think that that is when God has the most power to work in our lives. We are weak but he is strong. Things are going pretty well in my life right now but honestly, there is not a day that goes by that I don't struggle.

I will keep you in my prayers. I mean that.

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Posted by bereal on 12-05-2004 at23:50:

 

Welcome, josh!

You've come to the right place to be honest! We've all been quite honest around here and it's amazing what I'm learning about my gracious, Heavenly Father. I too have experienced major struggles with "churches" (and in my daily life). I put it in quotes because I truly believe that church is the body of Christ, as in the people, not the building. Yes, I believe we need to be in fellowship with other believers, but unfortunately and sadly, there is not much more than surface relationships in most church settings in America. Having said that, and after struggling most of the summer with church, I finally decided to go back. I've learned that I can't put my trust in the church. I can't lean on the church. Eventually, I may make a friend or two, but I don't count on it. What I can count on is that I can put my trust and faith in Christ and He will never let me down. Sometimes, I go to church and leave there elated because people actually approached me and talked to me. Sometimes I go and leave eleated because I approached people and they responded well to me. And then other times I go and come home slightly depressed because no one approached me or I approached people and met some apparent resistance from the people I approached. I have learned that when this happens, I just need to pray for those people to mature in Christ. It will happen in His timing, or I'll mature a little more. And the biggest thing that I try to remember is, I may have given up on the church, but I'm not giving up on God!

Anyway, I know I've been kinda vague here, but it's late and I don't have much time tonight. Hang around and you'll get to know some of us a little better.

Glad you're here! And I'll be praying for you to be able to get that god out of your life so you can experience true freedom in Christ!

btw, those church signs are a joke, most of the time. Usually they are just trying to "sell" their church.

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Posted by josh on 12-06-2004 at00:08:

 

thank you all very much. i've not been to 'church' in 10 years. but what does church really mean? ....love.... the mark of a christian. fellowship. not a big building,not a budget, but people living everyday with struggles,salvation...and love for one another.
it's rare.
don't be so hesitant to share your trouble with those around you. i'm ashamed already,but people need.
i believe it's how God works anymore--through the members of his body.the true church.
tell me, are you desperate to breathe?to live? the time is given you. this seems hypicritical coming from me but it's true.i'm just stuck with my head right now.
go struggle and love..... desperatley....and take a slap in the face.
hi. this is my intro. pleased to meet you fine people.
thanks for the prayers as well...i've no other church.

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Posted by Captain Pedantic on 12-06-2004 at03:41:

 

A few words from my experiance...

Currently I flat with 3 people who I also go to church with. Most of my social interaction is with people from church too. When you are in other christians lives constantly they (and importantly you) do not have a chance to be fake. Christianity becomes real life not a theory proposed on sunday and ignored on monday. From this it goes over into my workplace with non-Christians.

That is currenlty....

In the past I was in a church and again most of my social interaction was with them - yet they were fake. Very much a church-wide case of "hide the beer the pastors here" On sunday their hyper-holy super-saint masks would go on. What bummed me out was that I bought into the hypocrisy and masked myself too - the pain my marriage was in but i could not share (except once). That place nearly burned out my faith but God would not let me go (Through the music of TST...)

I did not go to church regularly for four years. In that time all christians I saw, to me, were hypocrites. My life was pain so how can they say God is great? God ignores us so how can they worship Him? I saw foibles and faux-pas and sin and said to myslef hypocrites...

It seems that the common thread in my observations of all the churches I went to in that time was me and my attitudes and my bias and my pain.

Then four years out of church I found my current one and have been happy there for four years. Seeing people fail, seeing people succeed, seeing the politics, seeing the sacrifice and humility.

Staying on the edges of a church you see the edges of people, being in the body is where you hear the heart beat loudest - and feel the pain of when the body is sick too....

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Posted by Gabriel Syme on 12-06-2004 at08:12:

 

Welcome, josh. I pray Christ will be your strength in your struggles.

You have found a place where people are very honest, compared to most situations. I know local congregations can be very difficult, with people putting on a show for others. It's very human. Adam hid from God, & we've all been hiding ever since. Some people hide in their supposed righteousness; some people hide in their busyness; some people hide in their pain. Ecclesiastes says, "God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices. (7:29)"

I'm sure you're tired of the games (I know I am at my church), but have patience. After all, we are all in some ways the weaker brother. Many people are at a place where complete honesty would be a terrible shock to their faith, & we must love them by giving enough honesty to help their faith to grow stronger without giving so much that they retreat further into their hiding place, further from the place God desires to draw them. We can't hurt our brothers just because we know something they have not learned yet.

But you can be honest here. I think I can safely say you will find no judgement here.

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Posted by josh on 12-07-2004 at00:25:

 

God bless you all and your concern. i'm glad i've found a place where ugly honesty is accepted....i will say no more because i'm drunk again and i don't want to regret what i might say. lifes tough,but you have to face it. i'll try again tomorrow. i'll reply sober.heh heh. thank tho lord for the grace that covers us....so undeserved.

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Posted by dorfsmith on 12-07-2004 at10:15:

 

aman.

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Posted by joey on 12-07-2004 at11:29:

quote:

Originally posted by josh i tried to. sorry. it's just that some people seem to have peace. some are lost,some are found,i am a Christian but i guess i must be in the wrong place. i feel real bad most the time although the spirit of the Lord lives in me. had trouble growing up, i was abused in 'Christian schools',but i do not doubt the saviour, i was accepted in the world, i love music...and i don't want to live without alcohol. this sucks,i know, and it a great way to make an entrance into my favorite band's message board, but i'd rather save the lolly pops and flowers untill after the rain has passed. i mean...go to church--will people be as honest with you as the ones at the bar? no. at least not in my experience. my parents never told me about all the things they were....to me they and everyone preceding them were angels. now it's this generations turn....and look at it. i'm not right and i admit that. this generation will be worse than ever...this generation needs honesty.the art world needs honesty....so i'll start--i'm an alcoholic.i've got a false god set up between me and my creator....but i really just wanted to get rid of that terrible feeling....either the people i know have it all together or won't be straight up with me about the struggles of their past. we need painful,honest answers. humility. email me if nothing else....but what comes to your mind when you see a clever statement on a church billboard? does it draw you in?really??

josh, it sounds like you've come to the right place... most of what you said above, i've experienced or may even be feeling now..
right now, i am trying to walk with Jesus again. it's hard, when everyone around me is not...
a doctor telling me 2 months ago, to stop drinking or die, sure helped...lol at least i haven't drank for almost 2 months! and i've gone to church 4 weeks in a row....
i went to aa for like 2 years, that did not help at all.. well, maybe a little..
i went to Bible college even, that did not change me... i dropped out... but i can read a little of the Greek New Testament....lol
but i am living with a woman i am not married to... we are engaged and have gone to church together every week lately.......

rambling....

JESUS is the answer!
this world is fallen and it .sucks!!!!!!!!!
this board is full of honest and sincere people.................

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Posted by Ron E on 12-07-2004 at18:30:

 

HI Josh, welcome aboard. Life should suck here, cause we weren't made for this place. I fit here like I fit in the womb. It was okay for what it was, but we are made for more than that. (Switchfoot is coming to mind here). ANyway, I ache for heaven, sometimes more than others. I think at those times I am in the place I should be, then again, when I'm not so achy I can do more for Him. Anyway, right now is both crap and goodness. There's my Grandmother's funeral just 4 days ago, financial trouble through my own mismanagement, daughter's serious bullying struggles at school. And yet there is hope. My wife loves me, even carries me through these hard times, baby boy on the way. Job looking good into the future. Anyway, we all struggle, we all ache to live just a little more, to feel just a little more, and we're glad to be here for each other to share it all. You've definitely come to the right place. Ignore or enjoy our foolishness, and join in when the place seems right. More of God's blessings on you.

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Posted by joey on 12-07-2004 at23:23:



"someday you will ache like i ache....... " :Courtney Love......