Experiences that changed you
 

Some experiences I am sure we do not care to share on a public forum but maybe we might share others that might help someone struggling on the journey...

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

Psalms
55



1 Give ear to my prayer, O God;

and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and hear me:

I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
3 because of the voice of the enemy,

because of the oppression of the wicked:
for they cast iniquity upon me,
and in wrath they hate me.
4 My heart is sore pained within me:

and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me,

and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove!

For then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Lo, then would I wander far off,

and remain in the wilderness.
Selah.
8 I would hasten my escape

from the windy storm and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues:

for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof:

mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.
11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof:

deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me;

then I could have borne it:
neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me;
then I would have hid myself from him:
13 but it was thou, a man mine equal,

my guide, and mine acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together,

and walked unto the house of God in company

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

Often our greatest hurts come from the ones we have worshipped with...that is so sad but so true.
We were deeply hurt by a family that we loved like family...time has past...wounds become scars however the memory is still there. Today we are stronger...but some things will always hurt us even though we forgive...We must often make ourselves walk away or we become bitter...

In one experience among some very UC's I learned how I do not want to be...

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

The greatest hatred is among people who were once close. Only those you care about can really hurt you! Others may offend us but hurt comes from those that we once loved or cared about.

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

Two wrongs do not make a right; so it is better to walk away many times than even try to defend...I learned that on this forum also...God knows the truth of every matter. Many have gone through terrible experiences. However I think of what Jesus said: Matthew 6:14-15 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

Sister Alvear,
What changed me the most began as a new convert. I experienced God speaking to me personally in times of trouble and I knew that no matter what man could do to me, God was my protector. That is why I go to Him, alone, for direction. He will never lie to me, steal from me or hurt me. And He sill loves me when I make mistakes. OH, I want to see HIM! :heart

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

God began opening spiritual doors for me at age sixteen. At age eighteen I began backsliding and indulging in worldly pleasures. I can’t lie, the world is full of much pleasure, anything readily available to those whom seek. I remember many telling me “come back to God, he has much in stored for you.” I was in Las Vegas at age twenty-two with a girlfriend, standing on the strip when something came over me. I began to weep and that very night I couldn’t sleep. I felt as if I was going crazy, falling into a state of depression. On Sunday morning I asked the girl I was with to drop me off at church (UPCI) in Las Vegas. I walked into the church and sat down. The pastor said, “everyone please stand!” There’s was something inside me that wanted to leave, I didn’t want to be there. The pastor then said, "somebody here is going through the darkest trial in your life and I have word of the Lord for you." He then started speaking my circumstance and said, your longitude is going to determine your latitude.

We returned to California that same day, and on the way back I cried for no reason. I still rebelled and indulged in sin in the midst of my circumstance. A few days later I began feeling sick and went to the hospital, I was diagnosed with acute renal failure, basically my kidneys were shutting down, I was admitted. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me! I had three doctors trying to diagnose the problem. They had plans to operate and install some type of vein to start dialysis. I remember this stranger lady walking into my room and sitting down beside me. She grabbed my hand, looked at me and said, “God loves you.” I began weeping and she began weeping too. The next day I had a brother visit me and I gave my life back to God that evening. The next day the three doctors came to me and said, we don’t know what happen, but your kidneys are getting better. I was discharged from the hospital three days later, and God healed my kidneys.

God didn’t prepare a fish for me as Jonah! My fish was a hospital room and my stay was five days and four nights. All this world has to offer is a dirt clod painted gold. Yes, it’s shinny and attractive, but it will break apart in your hands leaving you wanting, lost in a strange land that’s seeking to kill you.

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

Wow - enjoyed reading your testimony J'sL!

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

so true...

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the last part...Amen Sister!

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

Jacob's Ladder, what a testimony!! thanks so much for sharing it.

So what experiences changed me? 2 main ones. The first was going thru all the years of infertility and infertility treatments and then adopting our sons. I learned thru that time to depend on God in a way that I had never known before. I learned that He always has a plan for our lives and that HIS plan is always best. and most of all, I learned that His love is more powerful than anything else in my life.

The next experience, of course, was Walt's ruptured aneurysm. I was able to make it thru that experience because of all that I had learned thru the infertility experience. There was never a doubt but that God knew what He was doing, He had a plan and that His plan was going to be best for all of us. But I also learned thru that experience the POWER of reaching out to my brothers and sisters from every denomination the world over and asking you all to join me in prayer. And the biggest thing I learned from this experience for me personally was that I know for sure that no matter what God asks of us or requires of us, I will love Him and trust Him completely. There is NO ONE else I can depend on like I can depend on Him.

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

Experiences that changed me?

Having teenagers.

And I'm not even joking. ;) It really did turn my world upside down, turn my preconceived notions upside down, and cause me to deeply regret and repent over all of my previous judgmentalism.

It literally was the trigger that set me off on a journey, and set me on the path of true grace.

I thought I knew how everything was going to be, how everything was going to turn out. I was doing everything *right*. If everyone else would do everything right like I was, they'd get the awesome results I was going to get. I had a nice little life all built up and ready to go. I had worked hard on all that perfection.

God reached over and gave my world a little nudge with his foot and it all came tumbling down around my head.

As I stood in the rubble I realized that I was full of pride and was depending on my own efforts to bring about results. I didn't need God so much, really, I was doing everything right myself. It was MY efforts that was going to get results.

When I started re-building my life, this time I built it on the correct foundation. If anything good comes from my life, God will get all the credit, not me.

So I'm grateful.

I think. ;)

:D

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

Wow! If ever, you want to talk more about that (teenager surprise), I would be interested.

At any rate, it's really cool that God used this to reveal Himself in a new and better way to you!

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

I hope to write about it someday. Once I've processed it all. Right now I'm still in learning mode. :)

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

AQP, I'm thinking that you and I could probably relate real well on this one! We are in the middle of the teens with one son and have come out on the other side with the other. It's funny. When we adopted our sons, I told people, "I've done daycare for years very successfully. How hard can it be?" WRONG! wrong! Wrong!!! Doing daycare is absolutely NOTHING like being the parent.

So now my only question is: We have a 21 year old son (almost 22) still living at home. He seems to have no real desire to fly the coop. Are we doing something wrong here??? How do you nudge them on their way? I don't want him to be dependent on us for the rest of his life. There is nothing healthy about that at all!

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

I so know where you are coming from :hug4

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

1. Marriage to someone insecure. I lost who I was.

2. Divorce. I found who I was again.

Two experiences that changed me.

Re: Experiences that changed you
 

:thumbsup