Tell me your faith story (Page 4)

near50ohoh
near50ohoh: absolutely !!
9 years ago Report
0
chronology
chronology: Sorry to sound cliché but 'I heard a sermon by Billy Graham and it changed my life there and then'. Actually it was a Billy Graham book that was left in a room in the Far East. A few years later I heard Dr Graham on a radio giving a sermon. he said; 'I call on you now, where ever you are to stand up and invite Jesus Christ into your heart' so I did what Dr Graham said, I stood up and invited Jesus into my life. I later checked what Dr Graham had said about beginning life with Christ by just asking Him to come into your life like that and found that was all true.

I can hear Orkanan now saying to himself; 'oh boy he must have had a pretty bleak life if calling some dead Jewish Guy into his life made him feel better. Whatever.
9 years ago Report
2
orkanen
orkanen: Thank you for your contribution, chronology. I do appreciate it. Sadly, most contributors in this thread have either discarded their childhood beliefs, or never believed in the first place. I wish to read more stories from believers.

What I would wish for you to elaborate on is what lead up to your present belief, how you viewed your present religion, before entering it. Did you put much thought into God, to Jesus, or was it just another part of your every day life, something you never thought much about, or was your approach and entrance from an entirely different angle?

I don't judge beliefs, but I do question them.
9 years ago Report
1
Zanjan
Zanjan: Good questions: when does one's spiritual journey begin? I don't know.......I think it always was and will be. I broke mine down into "legs" that lead me to a spiritual transformation. But if someone were to ask me how I became a Baha'i, that would be a whole different story.
9 years ago Report
0
chronology
chronology: I knew nothing about the Bible and very little about Jesus until I read Dr Billy Grahams books. Over the years the more I discovered about ancient history and science, the more it became clear that Dr Graham's insistence that the Bible description of mankind's origin was not just 'plausible' but irrefutable. I know you would find this all nonsense with academic background, but that is my honest answer.
9 years ago Report
0
near50ohoh
near50ohoh: I threw out all aspects of what I grew up with but the faith and the ideals that transcend all faiths and cultures. I never left spirituality behind, just religion. There's always been a god/goddess in my view and some kind of divine law/role in creation. As for science and technology, they along with religion are humanity's perspective of the universe. No doubt God is laughing at us silly people everyday.
9 years ago Report
1
Zanjan
Zanjan: The hardest things to throw away are traditions. If you think you're tough enough to do it, be warned that nobody else around you will want to do the same. They'll try to suck you back in.

9 years ago Report
2
near50ohoh
near50ohoh: may be why I don't spend holidays with them anymore. Well that and a few other good reasons. Or any other day either for that matter.
9 years ago Report
0
magnusalexrawstron
magnusalexrawstron: The faith of atheism is worth a mention, their faith in their selves being correct with beliefs of the supernatural, and their faith that all witnesses who said they experienced something supernatural were deluded or lying, their faith that atheist views cant be wrong. Yes atheism holds a lot of faith
9 years ago Report
1
near50ohoh
near50ohoh: It must be wearing to believe in nothing but what you see and know for sure
9 years ago Report
1
orkanen
orkanen: Try again, magnusalexrawstron. That's not a faith story.
9 years ago Report
0
trust1g4e
(Post deleted by orkanen 9 years ago)
bainyu
bainyu: I grew up with a christian mom so its only natural for her to take her kids to church. I grew up around adults who were on fire for God. People who came from their homeland. People who had nothing and they knew that they could do nothing without God. My pastor was persecuted, beaten while ministering in a another country and even attacked spiritually by the devil. My uncle who is a pastor went to jail for preaching. I grew up around people who i am positive would die for Jesus if they had to. Friends from my church used to live in yemen before coming to america they were persecuted and people would throw big rocks at theur house and they were always in danger. In america things like this dont really happen so we take God for granted. We dont value things like people in some other countries.

Ive seen God come through. Ive seen prayers answered. Ive seen what real people of God look like. My mom never forced me to believe in anything. She taught me what she knew and learned. God has healed my brother from a mental illness. My family has struggled so much and been through a lot but i swear to you God is the only reason we are living today. I know what life is like without Christ. Its bondage but i didnt even know i was bound. I just know what God is like. I see Him work and it is astonishing. People can say the bible stories are fake but id challenge someone to read and learn about Jesus Christ who is Lord. Read about people like abraham and moses and david and paul. They loved God and God came through.

Ive heard many people say that they have prayed and God hasnt answered their prayers... if you read about abraham and sarah, they pleaded for a son. And God promised Abraham when He was 75 years old that He would have a son. Abraham had the son 25 YEARS LATER. They started to doubt whether they would even have the son that was promised. Sarah even laughed at it. They doubted Him but God always comes through. On his time. They named their son Issac which means "laughter" or "he laughed" as a reminder of God did and how He did it.

The Bible is Gods word so its Him speaking to us.
All the promises, every story is written for us. God speaks to us through His word.

Everything He promised will or has come to pass. GOD IS GENIUS. He will wait to the point where it seems impossible and He will do the impossible.

When we read and then start to doubt.. we need to remember Gods timing is perfect but we have to put our faith in Him.

Im sorry to hear about what happened to you but everyday your breathing is a day it can change. We dont live forever so

Isiah 55:6

Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.

9 years ago Report
2
orkanen
orkanen: Thank you for your beautiful story, Bainyu. I highly appreciate your perspective.
9 years ago Report
0
quarks
quarks: orkanen,

Thank you for sharing this thread with me. am working my way through all the life stories. wonderful people here.

now my story to anyone who is interested. I chose to tell everything of life so possibly it can be examined why I think how I do. maybe my beliefs are wrong and flawed but I ask if people disagree it is okay and share this but be kind. sharing this I have not done and am afraid. never do I tell anyone my life and never ever not even in therapy or group meetings do I share my faith.

I was born to a young teen mother (I think she was my age when she became pregnant possibly a year older than me now) who left me before I can rember with my fathers parents. my father fights addiction to drugs and is not able to provide a safe home with him. when I became school aged my grandparents became quite old and could not handle caring for me. I took too much attention. my father made a choice that I used to hate him for but now have come to see it was pure real love. knowing he would relapse he placed me in a state girls youth home.

my grandparents visited me at first but around my tenth year stopped coming. we still write oetters and I love them much and miss them much. my father wrote often and has always visited when he is clean from drug use. like most people in Denmark my family had no belief in any god. the facility I was raised in did not teach nor prohibit faith in anyway. most of my years I spent sad and angry at my father. the place I live is lovely and had more than I needed but I wanted family. family was here but I closed everyone out and was the problem. what I wanted could not be had because I would not accept it.

when I became a teen three years ago a counciller took me aside. he yelled at me for not helping the younger children to be happier. this made me see I was selfish pouting about when my life was lovely. it was then that I began to grow and change. when children left to be adopted it became my thought to be happy for them not sad I was staying.

last year I joined a program which lets us older girls room with younger girls and mentor them. we show them all the love we know. we help make sad times fun and happy. it was doing this I began to know of God. a nine year old roommate was always praying. this made me think that I had always prayed not even being aware I was doing it. never did I know who I was speaking to or praying to just was doing it.

now I am 15 and have read much of The Bible in both Danish (my native language) and English my third language. it is not clear to me always what it all means or which parts are strongest. all that makes sense is never having heard of God somehow I knew him. maybe I am dreaming and God is not real. but I have never felt completely alone. always it seemed someone was with me loving me.

what I asked for the most for all those years was given me. a real family, since family is just those we love and are loved by I have 32 sisters. all it took was me letting them know and love me and loving them first. my father loved me enough to never let me live in places where drugs were. he knew the staff here would help me most. he maybe knew I would in time not just forgive him but respect his choice and sacrafice for me. all this is gifts to me. all the younger girls here I hope my help and love is gifts to them. maybe they can see how fortunate we all are and not have to wait years as I did to know of this.

to me being a believer in God is easy. never do I think others should believe nor tell the younger girls to think of it. it should be an individual choice made when one is older is my thought.

being an orphan is better than being raised in danger or sorrow. for me God was always helping me even when it seemed bad it was not.

want to quickly say Denmark where I live is not like much other places. facillities like where I live are lovely and we have much opritunity and love. the rooms are large and not over crowded and always clean. we do much work to earn what is given us. the staff is very well trained and helps us grow up. truthfully we are better off than many children with parents.

hope my life story is clear. this is why I accept God. I am not an expert and have not learned all there is about religions or even mine. since I believe in Jesus this makes me a Christian I believe. not sure if what I think is like other Christians. to me God is a friend who loves me always. to me pleasing God is easy and about loving people. mostly I can help my roommates who are 9 two of them and 10 one of them. this is best when they are most important and I am just a servant to them. not servant like getting them water but as in helping them with nonphysical needs like emotional ones.

hope as always my English is understood. thank you to everyone who shared their beliefs and I respect them all much. thanks again to orkanen for this subject here. Orkanen profile says he is Norwegian
9 years ago Report
2
near50ohoh
near50ohoh: It's nice to see the diversity in these stories but it seems like we have all put a lot of thought into what we do or don't believe. That's all in the good side
9 years ago Report
0
TheismIsUntenable
TheismIsUntenable: Always been ahead of the curve. Story is no different here.

Found the idea of god silly from its first introduction to me as a small child. As my knowledge grew, it further reiterated the ridiculousness of the notion.

What has always been obvious to me is that religion is ingrained into people from a young age and they see everything through that bubble. It is detrimental to one's mental faculties to adhere to dogma.

Unwavering conviction is not the mark of a rational mind, but one very clouded by its own invalid process.

It has always baffled me how few believers exist who offer up any form of defense for their position. It is almost exclusively a game where they say "Go ask a pastor" or other dismissive comment, mistaking me for a seeker rather than a devil's advocate.
9 years ago Report
0
near50ohoh
near50ohoh: If this were the place to argue with you I would but this is for just the stories, the journey...
9 years ago Report
0
quarks
quarks: I think that TheismisUntenable did not read my post. some have faith that did not come from upbringing. not that anyone should believe or agree. we all have right to think which way we choose.
9 years ago Report
2
bainyu
bainyu: TheismIsUntenable-

I did not say "Go ask a Pastor"(if you were talking about me). I was explaining how the adults who I grew up around were REAL believers not some "religious folk"
9 years ago Report
0
TheismIsUntenable
TheismIsUntenable: iViolet, I read your post.

My intent was not to imply the only reason people believe is a result of habitual church attendance, but to point out that is the norm. Exceptions exist, but these exceptions aren't of any real value to discuss.

I can address the broad mechanism that causes the faith, I cannot begin to unravel each and every individual exception to this postulate.

@bainyu Nope, speaking generally.
9 years ago Report
0
orkanen
orkanen: The purpose of this thread is for you to tell your own faith story. There are no right or wrong answers to what you believe. I do not wish for debate here, only clarification where there is doubt.
9 years ago Report
2
PequenaTha
PequenaTha: oração milagrosa para trazer amor de volta?É milagrosa! Era impossível, mas ele voltou para mim! Esta oração tem que ser lida no mínimo 3 vezes ao dia. É milagrosa, o que parece impossível acontecerá: ele voltará, totalmente louco de amor, muito apaixonado. • Obrigada meu Deus, por meu coração estar em festa, pois sentiu a Dádiva de Sua Mão! • Obrigada meu Deus, por me ouvir. • Obrigada meu Deus, por permitir a alegria de ver comprovada a Realização dos Meus Desejos. • Obrigada meu Deus por me mostrar, com sua SABEDORIA, as ações que devo tomar, para ver a realização dos meus desejos. • Obrigada meu Deus, por fortalecer a cada dia e a cada instante a Fé que sinto. • Obrigada meu Deus, pela harmonia que experimento todos os dias em tudo o que faço. • Obrigada meu Deus por ter resolvido o problema que te apresento. Trazendo (lamf) apaixonado por mim, e fazendo com que ele declare seu amor por mim. Óh! Senhor, me conceda esse meu desejo de ter para sempre o amor sincero de (lamf) Que juntos, nós dois alcancemos o nosso objetivo, que é de sermos felizes e sempre apaixonados um pelo outro. Eu te peço meu Deus, porque não sou capaz de resolver sem o seu poder. • Obrigada meu Deus, por trazer o amor de (lamf) muito mais forte, mais sincero, muito mais fiel, muito mais próximo, mais carinhoso e muito mais apaixonado. • Obrigada meu Deus, por nos unir e nos tornar um só pelo poder, pela sua mão e, sobretudo, nos abençoar com seu verdadeiro amor. • Obrigada meu Deus, por nos mostrar o cada dia a forma correta de nos mantermos unidos. • Obrigada meu Deus, por sermos amáveis. gentis, carinhosos, fiéis, apaixonados de tal forma que nossa companhia seja indispensável para o nosso dia-a-dia. • Obrigada meu Deus, por nos sentirmos felizes e completos, em paz, tanto quando estamos juntos, ou distantes, com a consciência de que estes sentimentos são resultados da nossa união perfeita e do amor verdadeiro que sentimos um pelo outro, a ponto de reconhecermos que nossa união é indispensável para nossa felicidade. • Obrigada meu Deus, pelos momentos que passamos juntos e nos fazer perceber que nossos momentos de intimidades sejam mais do que apenas sexo, sejam a fusão de nossas almas e fonte de criação, pois foi providenciado pelo Senhor,como resposta ao nosso desejo. •Obrigada! Obrigada! Obrigada! Assim desejo ter o amor sincero de (lamf) para sempre ao meu lado. Assim Determino: ter felicidade e amor sincero, como também nosso companheirismo, tornando a nossa União verdadeira e pura. Que assim seja! Assim já é! Dê-nos sua benção Pai Celestial! Amém!
Publicar 3 dias seguidos, comigo funcionou! Foi um Grande Milagre de Deus, que eu Agradeço e o Louvo, pois tenho finalmente o Amor de (colocar as iniciais dele ou dela) para Sempre ao meu lado!
I believe, i trust !
9 years ago Report
1
orkanen
orkanen: PequenaTha, I was hoping for a faith story, and not a praise rant. I take it from your long post, that you love God with all your heart. As such,I do wish to know what lead you to draw your conclusions. Do you have pleasant childhood memories, did your youth shape your faith in a particular way, did the society you live in have any say in your present faith?
9 years ago Report
0
near50ohoh
near50ohoh: (Spanish right?)
9 years ago Report
0