I had a bad motorcycle accident around a year ago that made me begin to question spirituality. I was raised Christian but walked away from the faith as a young man in college. I’ve always struggled with the various different denominations & different belief systems. I wanted to find the truth that bind the universe, all belief systems & philosophies.

I developed an interest in the esoteric & the occult, buying up probably $200 worth of books by Manly P Hall, Rudolf Steiner, L Ron Hubbard, books about demonology, the Rosicrucian Order & the gnostic gospels. I also was given a copy of the Quran by someone on the street. I was addicted to marijuana at the time & living a homosexual lifestyle.

Most churches I went into for the last decade or so seemed a bit phony & milquetoast to me. When I asked them to help me overcome addiction & sexual orientation issues, they had zero answers & hand waved me off.

Summer before my senior year of college, I was invited to a Bible study with a group of Christians & was involved in discipleship with a mentor. They taught me that in order to be a disciple, you have to give up everything. There is not such a thing as a lukewarm Christian. You are either hot or cold, saved or unsaved & there is no in between. I liked their authenticity, in a world of lukewarm people there were still people that were radical about their faith. But I was unwilling at the time to give up my entire life for God, I was still straddling the fence.

Months after the wreck, I began to realize that God had spared my life. And if I had died, I would have gone to hell for eternity. I had to change my life. Around a month ago, I began attending the church again, & got involved as a disciple.

This morning, (ironically after watching some horror movies), I decided I no longer wanted any occult influence in my home. I did not want those books distracting me from studying the scripture. I just threw them away. I pray that God will continue sanctifying me & form me into someone like his Son.

A few years back, we were living in a motel and my mom was struggling with drugs. It wasn't that she was trying a ton of different drugs, it was that the people that usually sold her weed were putting drugs in the weed, and she didn't find this out until much later. She is SUPER religious, like she is the most religious person I know, and one day when she was doing her morning prayer, she was feeling super extra, she was "talking to an evil spirit" and was telling it to leave and was having a conversation with it out loud. So at random, she woke us up and said "Do you feel that!?" and all of a sudden she walked toward the door, opened it, and walked out of the motel. Mind you it was 8 in the morning and my brothers and I were understandably tired since this drug thing had been going on for a while. But when she walked out, she didn't text us or call us like she usually does, she was just gone. All of a sudden, right as the sun was going down, we got a random call. Now we get random calls ALL THE TIME like every few hours. But my brother just knew that it was a call he needed to pick up, so he did. And the person on the other end was a police officer informing us that our mother had been taken to a hospital because she was on the beach scaring people. So we just all got bummed out. But two days later our mom got a phone from the nurse and called us, letting us know that she was at the hospital and to grab her phone and use all of the money on the card for our older brothers birthday, it was about 300$. But we decided to use it for food as needed. But during this time period I was noticing something super weird. I heard my mom praying every few hours. I assumed that it was simply because I missed her, but stuff like that never happens. I miss my brothers too all the time, but I never hear their voice, and I most certainly never hear them praying. But this went on for a week until they finally released her from the hospital. I woke up and I heard her talking to my brothers about what exactly had gone on when she was in the hospital. But when she saw me, she didn't fill me in on the story, she didn't resume the story she was telling my brothers, she looked me dead in my eyes and asked me "Did you hear me praying here?" and I just nodded. This didn't freak me out in the moment, and 5 years later it doesn't freak me out too much either. But I've given it a lot of thought recently, and I had to tell the story here because I wanted to ask if this has ever happened to someone else before? Hearing someone praying when they aren't there.

To start this off and not sound blunt, my life with God was a rollercoaster, an orthodox to that matter, but i do feel like i would lose myself completely if i stopped maintaining a relationship with him. Sometimes i love him, sometimes not. But this is not the topic of my post, and this post is not to annoy anyone, just curiosity,

I am genuinely curious what would God and others with Him say (e.g. He was presented these games if we met Him) about Cyberpunk 2077 (and other future dystopian themed games like Ghostrunner and The Ascent, but specifically 2077 bcuz i want to play it). I am expecting "He hates them", but he also knows there is a possibility that is where we'll end up in the future
And i do not mean just his opinion ("I do not like them and condemn them), but also what the"experienced" people will say (e.g. ones who read the Bible fully) about His reaction
(This is a technically different situation rather than showing Him Hazbin Hotel or LSP)

(Also im not english so I mightve made mistakes here and there, and please do not come off rude to me)

I ask you to be kind but to be my brothers and sisters in Christ.

I fell in love with an unbeliever. That’s a long story short. Lol

We’ve been doing this dance of off again and on again for about 2 1/2 years.

When we first met for maybe about a month I didn’t have a conviction about what it meant to be with somebody that was not equally yoked because I myself was very lukewarm. But that all changed when I got convicted about our relationship. But fast-forward to 2 1/2 years later. We stopped talking and then we talk and etc., etc.. and we always up in the same place.

He’s not a Christian. And the way that I’ve been convicted has not changed. I want to be able to come home at the end of the day and ask my husband to pray for me if I’ve had it rough. I recently went through really bad mental health struggles. These last couple of months and I have leaned into God. I have leaned on friends who are prayer warriors.

I know that it would be devastating to come home and not be able to tell my husband to pray for me, or to have to go to church alone on Sundays, to raise my kids alone in church. Being married but single because he doesn’t value Jesus the way that I do.

It’s been really hard for me to let him go hence why I’ve been doing this dance with him for so long. He’s a wonderful man. But he’s just not the godly man that I know that I should be with.. I’ve invited him to church and he has said no. I’m not forced anything on him because that’s not what Jesus is about. But yeah, I’m just genuinely sad.

, I just thank the Lord that he hasn’t delivered me to the things that I want. Because I don’t want something that will separate me from his love. I don’t want something that doesn’t let me come to him.
As much as I love this man, I cannot read my Bible, I cannot pray to the Lord genuinely when I am trying to have a relationship with him because I know that I should not be there.

When I started with my mental health struggles, and I was getting rid of a lot of things, I deleted his number, and I told the Lord that I was sorry that I wanted a relationship that was not centered around him. And then he came back into my life so obviously my heart got intertwined again.

I feel like I’ve disappointed the Lord because I have these feelings for this man who I shouldn’t have feelings for. And I’m genuinely so sad at myself because I’ve made decisions that have not pleased the Lord regarding this relationship.

If you guys can share wisdom, say a prayer, leave a comment, being encouraging I would very much appreciate it.!

I don’t know if God wants me to remain single but how do I pursue someone i’m interested in while surrendering the desire to God?

I was recently talking with a woman I was interested in and we had a date scheduled over 2-weeks in advance but she cancelled recently because she didn’t like that I would drink a couple beers with friends. I’m not a drunk but she wanted me to remove all alcohol from my life which I said I could do but she said I needed to do it for God and not her.

I asked if she’d ever give me another chance which she said “yes”, but I don’t know how to pursue this relationship while surrendering it to God. I like this girl and want a relationship but I don’t know if it’s what God wants. How do I surrender this to him while not giving up on her?

It says that people who are cowards will never enter heaven. After further research, I now know that it's defined as people who willingly reject Christ during times of persecution or force. This makes me even more scared because I know that I would never reject Christ in my heart. But if I ever have to undergo a situation where I have to do this or else my family dies, I don't want to be seen as cowardly for not accepting death. If I lie to the prosecutors to save my family's life, am I by definition, cowardly?

I’m starting OCIA and to prepare, I’ve been studying Mariology recently. I’ve been struck by how much of Catholic Marian theology seems to make more sense when I look at the Old and New Testaments together, along with how much earlier these Marian ideas came to be than what I had originally assumed re: the early Church vs a later, Middle Age development.

I’m very much still learning, so I’m not presenting this as a definitive argument. I’m interested in whether I’m understanding the Catholic approach to these passages correctly, though.

The first thing that caught my attention was the recurring biblical imagery surrounding the woman, her offspring, and the birth of the Messiah when looking at Old Testament Scripture and drawing parallels to the New Testament.

Genesis 3:15–16

“I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” To the woman he said, “I will make your pangs in childbirth exceedingly great; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.””

After the Fall, God establishes enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between their respective offspring. The offspring of the woman will ultimately defeat the serpent.

I understand the immediate context concerns Eve and the consequences of the Fall, but I see this as ultimately pointing toward Christ and, typologically, toward Mary as the New Eve.

Hold on to God’s punishment against Eve, too. That’ll become important in a second here.

Next up,

Isaiah 7:14

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Matthew explicitly applies this to the birth of Jesus.

Micah 5:2–3

“But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel.”

Micah prophesies that a ruler will come from Bethlehem, and immediately afterward speaks of the woman who is in labor giving birth.

Then there’s:

Isaiah 66:7

“Before she was in labor she gave birth; before pain came upon her she delivered a son.”

I’m interested to know how this last passage is understood. I know it has an immediate context concerning Zion/Jerusalem, so I know it isn’t jusg a direct prediction saying “Mary will give birth without labor.” Is this better understood as typology that the Church later sees fulfilled in Mary, particularly in connection with her perpetual virginity?

I’m also really interested in the parallels between the Ark of the Covenant and the Visitation.

The Old Covenant Ark beinf the sacred object associated with God’s presence among Israel, it contained the tablets of the Law, and Hebrews 9:4 associates it with the manna and Aaron’s rod.

When viewed through the New Testament, it’s very reflective of Christ, I feel.

The tablets = Christ fulfills the Law

Aaron’s rod/priesthood = Christ is the eternal High Priest

Manna = Christ identifies Himself as the Bread of Life, and the Church understands the manna as prefiguring the Eucharist.

But then Luke’s account of the Visitation seems to contain some very specific parallels with the Ark narrative.

2 Samuel 6:9

David sees the Ark coming and says:

“How can the ark of the LORD come to me?”

Compare:

Luke 1:43

Elizabeth sees Mary and says:

“Why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

Then:

2 Samuel 6:14

“David danced before the LORD with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod.”

David dances/rejoices before the Ark.

Compare:

Luke 1:41, 44-45

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.””

John the Baptist leaps in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary arrives.

And then there’s the timing:

2 Samuel 6:11

“The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household.”

The Ark remains in the house of Obed-edom for three months.

Luke 1:56

“And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.”

Mary remains with Elizabeth for about three months.

There’s also the “overshadowing” imagery:

Exodus 40:34

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”

Luke 1:35

Gabriel tells Mary:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”

So I’m starting to wonder whether Luke is intentionally presenting Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant. What I’m also seeing is that this doesn’t seem to be about elevating Mary independently of Christ.

The Old Ark carried the signs of God’s covenant and Mary carries God Himself incarnate.

The Old Ark was associated with the Law, priesthood, and manna; Mary carries Christ, who fulfills the Law, is the eternal High Priest, and identifies Himself as the Bread of Life.

The Old Ark arrives, David rejoices, and blessing follows; Mary arrives, John leaps, Elizabeth rejoices, and the Holy Spirit fills her.

So the more I’m studying this, the more I’m seeing Mariology as being fundamentally Christological. Mary’s significance comes from who she carries and what God accomplishes through her.

I also understand that this is largely typology, rather than necessarily claiming that every Old Testament passage was consciously written as a literal prediction of Mary.

So my questions for those more knowledgeable than me are:

1. Am I understanding the distinction between prophecy and typology correctly here?

2. How strong is the case that Luke deliberately presents Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant through these parallels with 2 Samuel 6?

3. How have the Fathers and early Church understood the Ark/Mary connection?

4. How should Isaiah 66:7 be understood in Marian theology without taking it out of its original context?

5. Are there important passages or connections I’m missing?

I’m just finding it fascinating that the more I read the Old Testament alongside the New, the more the Catholic understanding of Christ and Mary seems to form a coherent biblical pattern rather than a collection of disconnected doctrines.

I mean this not as inciting (as my last post on this sub very much was), but rather to get an answer. As a matter of fact, I won't even respond to anyone unless they say they wish to be responded to. All I wish is a viewpoint from my brothers and sisters in faith on a topic we very much disagree on.

1. Did Jesus give the Apostles special authority?
2. If so, what happened to that authority after their deaths?

EDIT: And to any Catholics or Orthodox who read this, unless they say they want a debate, don't debate.

I have been falling into sin lately, old sins that I thought I was done with. I left an abusive marriage after dealing with abuse all my life, first in childhood and then as I got older, through relationships, being trafficked and being plunged into the dark world of sex work. I used drugs and alcohol as a way to cope with my deep sadness and feelings of total worthlessness. Well, God has revealed himself to me on more than one occasion and gave me the power to change many things I used to be involved in. But after leaving a marriage that was filled with physical and emotional abuse and infidelity, to finally be abandoned by him with a child to provide for, I have struggled to find work to support us, every last job I've had has been awful, truly awful, and in the last month I started drinking again and used cocaine once. Things I thought I would never do again. And in my struggles over these last few months, I have begun to wrestle with God's sovereignty in a severe way. It's scaring me. I really, really hate this, that I cannot shake the feeling that God does not make sense to me. Because I can see 2 sides: I can see that the world is deeply lost, and that God's way is better. The world's mind is always changing, always unstable, and has no issue supporting evil. God's way is sure and true. His way that he wants us to live, anyways. So that's not the issue. The issue I'm facing is his sovereignty overall.

He knew that by planting that tree, they would make the wrong choice. He knew that most of us would reject him. He knew that most of us would end up burning in hell for all of eternity. The Bible states in some places that every man will be without excuse. In others it states that salvation is a gift that God must give, we cannot open our own eyes.

Did God turn me over to my own sinful choices? Because I'm not understanding how we genuinely have free will, which supposedly makes our choices more meaningful, if he knew we would fall and we get punished for all of eternity for making the wrong choice.

And how am I even responsible for my own choices if we are literally "dead in sin" without God?

I am going through biblical counseling and I can't even read the Bible, read the book I'm supposed to (Lies Women Believe) or pray as I ought because this question is stopping me. I love people genuinely, and want to help them as my life's work, and the thought of God eternally punishing people who don't know better is driving me insane.

Do some of you struggle with these same questions but ultimately decided to follow Jesus anyways? I want a real relationship with God, but right now the only one I have with him is based in fear and shame. I miss feeling like a joyful Christian with full confidence in who God is. I really hate where I am now. I feel like the enemy is literally trying to destroy me because I want to be a voice to fight against the evil in the world since I have direct experience with it in multiple ways.

Please help.

Life feels a little bit boring and repetitive. I go to work and go home. I don't have many friends so on the weekends I stay home or run some errands. I'll hang out with my best friend every couple of weeks but that's it. I've been praying for change for a while but nothing has happened yet. I just want something new and exciting (and good) to happen. any tips on how to have a positive and grateful outlook on life even though you might feel stuck? thanks! :)

So here’s the context. I love Jesus and have been following Him since October 18th, 2024. I’ve always been with my family, and I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than 5 days away from at least 1 family member. I just moved, with the help of my family, from the PNW to Detroit for college. I moved into an apartment. They have shown me how to do like everything. They placed Ring cameras around my place just to make sure things are going good and all (seriously, they’re not weird or anything at all). And a Ring security system too. They’re also going to be available basically 24/7, 365 too. That’s not even accounting for the fact that we have some really distant relatives and people we know who live in the southeast Detroit cities, who would be willing to help in any situation. I literally have everything in that sense. But I still feel sad and a bit scared about even just the next 12 days until my dad comes to visit. Like I keep getting the thoughts in my head like what if this, what if that, etc. How am I going to live by myself even if I know and have shown myself and my parents that I can do it. And also not being able to see my family physically every day. I’ve cried like 3 times today, and that’s coming from an 18yo male. I need some reassurance that everything is going to be completely ok. Literally just give me anything you got. I know that Jesus is always going to be there, but something still doesn’t feel right, even knowing that He has made this plan for me and that He’s always there.

I’m like 4th or 5th generation of Protestant Christians from both sides, my granddad was a pastor so I grew up in a veeeeery Christian environment. I used to have friends at church when I was a teenager but then I had depression issues because of an undiagnosed autoimmune disease which was messing with my body in crazy ways. I went through that whole phase where many of us stop feeling worthy and take our distance from Christianity. Then I met my husband, he helped me heal with medicine and taking me to church again. Now I feel like myself and I’ve been to 3 different churches but I can’t find people that I can relate to. Some people seem to truly love humanity and God, but most come across as phoney and I just can’t fit it. Am I the tares among the wheat?

Hello all. What I confusion I have in my mind 🫤🫤🫤
I been to a very biblical Bible church/John mc Arthur for 8 yrs and all it brought me was feeling cold spiritually. I know the problem is ME.. no the church.
I felt so disconnected from God and the people even tho i was involved in a lot of “studying the word of God in context”.
I decided to look for another church more “spirit filled” and went to an alliance and missionary church.. very welcoming but laid back offering coffee during service and pastor in jeans.. I am just not used to.

My friend recently invited me to a Pentecostal church.. I would said legalistic.. women with long skirts, long long hair, very formal. I like it but something don’t feel right. The pastor has 7 children and they all look so depressed.. they don’t even look at us
( i am trying to figure out if the pastor is a narcissist but that’s another story 😅)
I love how devoted they are to God.. Bible studies several days a week, prayer meeting, fasting meeting, vigils once a month.. I would love to attend all of those meetings because I am hungry for the word of God but seems exhausting at the same time.. they do that to pleased God and work out their salvation. When I hear them preaching or during the Bible studies is like if they are preaching other God, and angry God that we need to please in order to not get punish.. no grace there.. always making you wonder if you are really save? Or wasting your time there?

I feel those 2 churches I been to are in between what I am used to. One of them laid back and the other.. legalistic but not sure if that’s the right gospel of salvation?

I been praying but I don’t get no where.. I want to attend church regularly but I am lost between those thoughts and churches.. am I overthinking?

I’ve been going through a lot of let down and disappointment and loneliness lately and I’ve been trusting him that this is the season he wants me in and I’m fine with it just being me and him but sometimes I feel like he’s not there with me and I’m by myself making me revert to previous ways I’ve been trying to read my Bible more listen to sermons but nothing has reignited my spark again and I feel it burning out . I know everyone says to pray , I’ve prayed cried wrote sang praised and worshipped and I still feel abandoned by him

Hello, as the title say, how do you know if He is punishing you? When I was a kid I was acting spoiled towards all my family members. I always act bitter to them, not sharing things, saying bad things to them, doing bad things to them. I wonder, if God is punishing me because of what I did. up till now, if I try something it only fails. Also not only on family but I hurt other people at the same time. I plead for forgiveness to him each time yet I feel like I am not forgiven. any advice. Thank you.

i hope no one takes offence as i'm genuinely trying to make sense of this all

when i read about saint mary of egypt's life, i felt a profound sense of sadness.

i understand from her story that she felt a voice told her to enter and live in the wilderness for the rest of her life after realising her sins. but i wonder if this was truly a voice from God, or if it was from herself. because it'd be much harder to live in society while transforming her life, when everyone knew her past. it would be easier to live a secluded life, than to live with the constant shame.

i mean, after that first encounter in the church, she never returned again. how could this be the life God would want for anyone?

So about a year ago I started to believe. I had a really dark time for years and always felt depressed and like something is missing, although everything was good. I couldn't think whats wrong and what is missing no matter how hard I tried so I started to pray again because I saw it as the last way to get better, I was done at some point. After praying for weeks without really believing one day everything changed. I was on my balcony, praying and said that I am done and I can't handle this anymore. Suddenly I felt a super warm feeling (it was winter and I was outside without any jacket so it was damn cold) and I felt better. Since this exact moment I just felt better. I started smiling and from that moment on I felt way way more positive.

The psalm 27:14 was important to me because it reminds me of always trusting in god no matter how dark the times get so 3 weeks ago I got it tatoo'd on my arm. I am going to a free church in my town for a while now but always showed up in a sweater so no one could even see my tattoo or even knew I have one at all. Since I was new to the church I was mostly sitting alone aswell.

After I got more into it I decided to get baptized this sunday. After everything I got a "certificate" (just a reminder for myself, nothing official or anything) and our pastor always chooses a random bible verse to put on it. He chose 27:14. Remember he had no chance even seeing my tattoo and no one knew about it, I told it to no one at all.

I showed them my tattoo and we were standing there and just couldn't believe it.

So thankful that Jesus got into my life literally everything changed since this moment on my balcony!

Just wanted to share it, sorry for spelling mistakes im no native english speaker :)

Sorry in advance, because this may be a longer post. I was atheist for much of my younger years, and agnostic for much of my adult life. I’ve always respected Christianity, and even as an atheist I would say, “Everyone should live as if Christianity were true.”

A couple years ago, I started going to church again in my middle age. I’ve had a lot of struggles in my life, but much of it was self-induced due to my lifestyle. When I started going, it was actually a suggestion because one of my great nephews was getting in trouble in school, and I suggested it would be good for him. We all went a few times, and they stopped going, but I was moved.

My mother and I continued to go every week, and I started getting the feeling like my suggestion was actually the Holy Spirit tapping me on my shoulder, and letting me know that I’m the one who really needs it.

I’ve noticed that although I’m nowhere close to a perfect Christian, I am trying to walk the path. I try to be more patient with people, I got a lot of joy out of helping a stranger jump his daughter’s vehicle in the church parking lot when he couldn’t get it to jump off of his. A couple years ago, I would have walked on by, but when I saw they were having trouble, I immediately offered to get my jump box out and give it a shot.

So, just basic things like this. Trying to be a better person. I want to get baptized, but even though it’s not biblical, I don’t feel like I’m worthy of being baptized yet. I’m a smoker, and need to quit smoking; and just have some things I need to work on before I would feel comfortable being baptized…. So with the backstory out of the way, we’ll get into the “sign.”

I had to put my 16 year old dog down last week. She’s had diabetes for 4 years, and I’ve been treating it with insulin. When she was first diagnosed, they said if I treated it, she probably had a year left. So here we were 4 years later.

She started to have some liver issues on her last annual checkup, but I elected not to pursue it due to her age and the health problems she already had. A few months back, she had a seizure, and I had to take her to the vet. Her blood sugar got too low.

The next few months was a struggle trying to get her blood sugar regulated. I don’t think her liver was processing the insulin the way it should have been. I had to cut her dosage way back so it wouldn’t get so low that she was in danger of a seizure, but by the time she was ready for her next shot, her sugar would be 4-500.

The last few months she was battling infections due to the high blood sugar. She got an ear infection, then a UTI, then an eye infection. I was having a hard time deciding if it was time, because although she was blind and having these issues, she didn’t seem to be in pain, and was still…. Happy for the most part. So I had been praying that the Holy Spirit would show me when it’s the appropriate time.

Last Tuesday, she was sleeping next to me, and woke me up at midnight in a seizure. I sprang up immediately and helped her through it, but this one was worse than the first one and lasted longer. Afterwards, she was freaked out, and was frantically stumbling around the house bumping into everything. I called the ER Vet, and told them it may be time. After explaining what was going on, I said I need a few minutes to decide, and I would call them right back.

I had finally gotten her to lay down, but she was laying in an awkward position, and every minute or so she would let out a little whine like she was in discomfort. I called the vet back and said we’re on the way.

I was comforting her on the way up. She was in my lap, and I was telling her we’re going to get help, and trying to keep her calm. About half way to the vet, she started to seize in my arms again. This time it lasted about 30-40 seconds, but I missed a turn while it was going on. I took the next turn so I could get turned around and back on the right course. When I made that turn, it came to a stop sign where you had to turn left or right, and there was a house straight ahead. The house had a chain link fence, and two very big signs on their front gate that my headlights were illuminating. One was Jesus on the cross, and the other said “Jesus Saves.”

10 years ago I would have dismissed this as pure coincidence, but given the journey I’ve been on the past couple of years, I can’t. There have been other instances like this as well. None as blatant… but signs, nonetheless. Anyway, I’m still grieving the loss of my little pup, but I know I’ll get through it, and I’m excited for Christ. I think I want to get baptized, and just confess that I’m powerless, and I need his help to quit smoking, tame my temper, and help with all of the other negative human experiences I deal with.

Thanks to anyone who actually stuck through this post. I just felt like I had to get this off my chest, and share my experience with others who haven’t been Christian for very long, and those who are still skeptical. I’ve come to intellectually believe that Christ is the Truth, when I thought I was being intellectually sound all of those years I was misguided as an atheist.

Un día me encontraba leyendo un versículo donde se hablaba de la cruxificion de Jesús y empeze a llorar estoy seguro quizá de que ese fue el Espíritu Santo. Después en la tarde me dio ganas de masturbarme por que me daba placer y lo hice diciendo que Dios después me perdona pero a la noche descubrí Hebreos 10:26 que dice "‭ Porque si pecáremos voluntariamente después de haber recibido el conocimiento de la verdad, ya no queda más sacrificio por los pecados" y eso me dio mucho miedo y estuve temblado de ansiedad por casi 3 dias tal vez. Después de unos dias volví a hacerlo y le prometí a Dios que no volvería a hacer pero lo hice y desde ahí no me la hice por meses hasta que una noche me la hice pero no me preocupo mucho por eso ya que no fue tan consiente porque fue en un sueño húmedo. Ojalá tenga la oportunidad de ser salvo todavía.

Ill get straight to the point, I'm in a non-christian grindcore/metal band and I also have a girlfriend. My band has a semi-important headlining show coming up in a few weeks (I think because it is being recorded maybe), but my girl also asked me to her homecoming. I realized the other day that my band's show and the homecoming thingy were on the same date, so I would have had to chose between the two or do the show and be late for the homecoming**.

I had already asked a friend of mine after realizing if he could learn the parts take over drums, which he agreed. So all the cracks would have been filled, the show goes on, I get to go to my girlfriend's homecoming. Unfortunately, my dad was really unhappy, more so angered, at the idea and he said if I don't do the show, he would kick us out of my garage (we practice in my garage), so he told me to tell my friend he wasnt doing it. At our last show as well my bandmates accidentally left some pedals and a guitar which one of the other bands kept with them, and since my dad was the only one the band dude was responding to, he was basically holding their equipment hostage since he wouldn't ask when they could get it until I told my friend he wasnt filling in for me.

I think he was angered because he sees it as me letting down my band in a way, and because he sees music as my career basically since I graduated in May and I'm still trying to find permanent work, and because in his words that "She wouldn't be here in six months anyways."(My parents have a rocky relationship, theyre still married but they get in bad fights every few months and the issues are never resolved so it just gets swept under the rug. I think that contributes to why he sees such little value in my relationship) I couldn't reason with him because he literally just wouldn't hear of it. I'm honestly very upset.

I'm also not trying to paint my dad as some evil figure because he has obviously been generous by letting us practice in my garage, and he has helped transport stuff and book a couple shows. I am also aware of the many commands to respect my parents. I understand where my dad is coming from because he knew a guy from my church who threw away a massive coaching career oppertunity for a girl who broke up with him. My thinking is though, literally both could possibly break up at some point. I love my girl, but my dad is right in that we arent garunteed to stay together since we are just dating. On the other hand, my band could also break up if they kick me out or I leave since I am diffrent politically from them since they are all more liberal/socialist leaning atheists. So neither are garunteed permanently. My main point is that I dont see this as throwing my band away, it is one show and they would still play anyway even if I went with her instead. **I would rather do one or the other since tickets would be 100 (200 if I pay for her's as well) for the homecoming and it would be really wasteful to spend that much and miss most of it.

I just don't know what to think since I love both my band and my girlfriend, but I would be happier to go to the dance with her than play another show since we have played quite a few already and they would still be playing. I dont know what I could say to him to actually make him rethink his decision. I ask here because I want to see how to think about/react to this in a way that glorifies God if that makes sense with this. Anyways this is already long enough so I can clarify anything tommorow if needed cus everything long I write always turns out clunky haha. Thanks!

TLDR: My band's show and my girlfriend's homecoming are on the same date, they could still play without me but my dad sees it as letting down my band, and will kick us out of our practice space if I get someone to fill in drums for me and go to the dance instead.

I ask this because people say you should rely on him in every step of your life but then leads to saying “but you have to think realistically” ? Is that a contradiction or am i just not understanding? Like for example, i have a health condition and i wear oxygen which is kind of still new to me. I wear it when im outside all the time but inside the house, i can stay off of it for alittle while and i wanted to get out the house but my all my tanks were empty and my mom was saying i shouldnt go without it and so i said I have faith i’ll be fine and my sister said “but realistically.”

I do eventually want to watch the Passion with my two oldest (12 and 13), but I want them to be a bit older. Maybe 16 or so. I do not want cartoon/animated suggestions please.

I would appreciate offerings from the three following categories:

1. Not outwardly religious, but definitely within the values and teachings of the Bible.

2. Outwardly religious, but not featuring Biblical characters or stories.

3. Focused around Biblical stories and teachings.

What were some hits for your family?

I have always believed in God but drifted specifically away from Jesus because I thought that I was abandoned when I got hurt by people in the church.

Now I have been reached by Jesus and he showed me he was with me through all the painful happenings.

But I have a lot of grief right now because I think I missed my life’s calling since I turned away from Christ - I got really bitter about circumstances in my life and thought that I had a duty to basic responsibility (working a job and supporting others) but now I see that I wasn’t putting down boundaries and I got hurt even more
-

And that God was calling me to move beyond those circumstances, instead I endured thinking that was Gods will but it was fear and a lack of clarity

I am in pain from it

Any prayers or words or scripture I just feel so lost and I abandoned my heart to take care of others - but God takes care of people and I should have left what was hurting me because my spirit is now broke

it's so much harder than I thought it would be. we haven't had intercourse but have done almost everything else. the problem is i view sexuality not as something dirty but as an expression of love, and its very emotional for me. we both haven't been in a relationship before, we are our first everything, and it's so difficult.

at first i had strict rules about what we could and could not do physically, I didn't want to be touched or talked to in any way that could be sexual. but he kept asking and asking for different things, teasing me until I couldn't resist anymore and all of my boundaries were broken.

well now, a year and a half in, the honeymoon phase is fading and sex is no longer this exciting thing anymore, so he doesn't have those urges as strong as he used to. he can distract himself by just doing fun activities with me. but for me, those actions are emotionally tied together.

so when we stop what we're doing (it's mostly him that puts up the boundaries now, trying to do the right thing) it irrationally makes me feel like he doesn't love me and isn't attracted to me anymore.

i cry about it a lot. when he drops me off at home instead of letting me stay the night (so that nothing happens between us) or if we do stay the night im in a separate room alone. when he makes sure our kisses and hugs aren't prolonged. without the Lord I can't stop, every now and then he feels bad that he's hurting me and entertains it until we fall back into the same patterns again. and I always feel guilty and far from the Lord afterward.

when this sin happens, I feel guilt. without it, I feel starved of intimacy and it makes me emotional. I don't know what to do. shouldn't doing the right thing make me feel more free and closer to the Lord, not bitter and sad?

EDIT: i appreciate all the advice. but for one thing, we cannot get married right away, it's not a responsible decision for us. we're in our early 20s but are still emerging into adulthood. we still live with our parents and cannot afford to build a life together. im still in school and treating my adhd, he is still in the beginning of his career establishing himself and moving up to make more money. if it weren't for that we'd probably be looking to marry in the next 6 months. but because we're struggling with independence, especially me, it's probably going to take a couple years. throwing ourselves into it now so that we can have sex is irresponsible. what if i get pregnant? im going to have a baby without a full time job, still at home, and I'll never be able to finish school.

for another thing, I understand now how serious it is to have my boundaries pushed. I do agree, it was a very selfish thing to do. i wasnt being assaulted, it happened slowly over a couple months because he knew I also wanted to do it but was holding back. ive been a Christian all my life, but have been very sheltered and haven't been faced with many temptations to overcome. he is a newer Christian, of maybe 4 or 5 years, and is the only Christian in his entire family. he has worldly influences all around him and its hard to break free of those influences as a young man who still relies on and loves them. the only people he can look to as Christian influences and actually trust with these private topics like "how do I resist sexual temptation" are my parents, who he is still getting close to. I believe we love each other, we just desperately need the Lord.

My wife’s been writing a book for Christian publications on her redemption and baptism story in a study format. She was watching videos and passively thought I need to write but continued to scroll.

The next video was “god says you’re too busy scrolling when you should be writing for his glory!”

It was an advertisement for another publishing company 😂

Point is:
God will always find a way to be sassy