| Author | Message | ||
| Freeatlast (Freeatlast) |
I'm new to this site as well, been an observer for some time now. I just emailed my own testimony, so I will not repeat it here. My prayer request is for Christ to continue removing the blinders and opening the eyes of our SDA friends and family, so that we may "all be as one, even as We are one." | ||
| Sherry2 (Sherry2) |
Hello folks! The meeting went great. It is a wonderful thing - the support of the church that is behind this financially and spiritually. Through the Calvary Chapel station they are going to air an advertisment for it. Colleen, I was hoping that maybe you could add this to the first page of this website as another former adventist fellowship and phone number? First date is June 28th at 7:00, Friday evening. Ph.# to call is (616)388-5127. Meetings will be held at Calvary Chapel on 1211 Fulford St. in Kalamazoo, MI. Kathy or Deb, if I got any info. wrong let me know. Thanks so much for all your prayers. I do believe God's got something in mind that will blow our socks off. I'm actually a little terrified inside...like "What's gonna happen? What ya gonna do Lord?" Yipes! Anyhow, they're gonna put out a newspaper ad I believe, and I'll get it into community events on the Christian radio stations in Grand Rapids. The plan is to meet monthly initially, then as it grows, weekly. When a foundation of people, support, and time has been laid, then Mark Martin will come into town. I'm thankful for safe traveling too. Construction galore, and got lost acouple times. I gotta keep remembering it's all the Lords' and He will accomplish what He wills. It's all good. This was fun too cuz this is the first time I've met Kathy and Deb though we've e-mailed for almost 2 years now. Like some of you on this website, it'll be a fun day when we all get to meet face to face. Jilly, any good you have found in me totally comes from Jesus!! I love you tons, and I'm thankful to bless your life in any way. See folks, Jill and I go way back to Family Camps in the SDA church. That's how we first became friends when we were teeny boppers.  Freeatlast, we've got a name in common. My yahoo address is freeatlast49509, using my zip code. How'd ya like that? Glad you're here. Look forward to meeting you more. | ||
| Sherry2 (Sherry2) |
Did you all miss the update on the FAF here in K-zoo? Nobody said anything and I just wanted to make sure you good folks knew what was happening since you were praying! Thanks so much for praying. Read the above post and you will see what happened. | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
SherryóI actually posted (I thought) a reply to you about midnight Thursday night, but I see it's not here! I must have forgotten to push the "post" button after I previewed my message. I was so sleepy I was hardly able to think. Did you see the homepage of this website today? Richard has posted your info as a new FAF group forming and gave all the details for contacting you. I'm thrilled, and I'm continuing to pray for you and for the group. Colleen | ||
| Sherry2 (Sherry2) |
I see it on there. Thank you so much! The more I share about it with others, the more excited I am about it. It's just such a priviledge to see this coming to be. We've prayed for it for 2 years and now God seems to be saying "go". Yae!! | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Very exciting Sherry!! Blessings! | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
Sherry, Maybe I missed it in your message, but how exactly did it go? Did you have a lot of people show up? What was the topic? What did you accomplish from your first meeting. Maybe some of my questions are asked out of ignorance, since I do not exactly know what a FAF does, as compared to a traditional study group. But, I do offer my congratulations on getting your group off and running. I know you must feel a great sense of accomplishment. In His Grace Doug | ||
| Sherry2 (Sherry2) |
Hi Doug, This was not a first FAF meeting. This was a gathering of those who want to get one started, to pray over, and make plans on how we believe we should accomplish it. There are three of us formers who came, and 4 staff from Calvary Chapel. We formers shared our stories abit, why this outreach is important to us, and the pastor shared his thoughts on what he envisions happening and how we are going to get started. We are contacting old friends in the area, we are placing newspaper ads, radio spots, and personal invites. The first meeting will be June 28th. We will meet once a month till the group grows in size to go to weekly meetings. Then Mark Martin will be invited into town to do a big outreach. The Calvary Chapel is the funding and backing this, so they are leading it out, I am simply a part of it. Dale Ratzclaff is also helping us out with free materials to share with those who attend. I hope that answers any questions? Our first topic will follow this forum's way they started theirs...with how to study the Word of God, and then on to Galatians. Looking forward to seeing what God does. Sherry | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
That is great. It sounds exciting. I would love to be involved in something like that. Have you ever heard of Operation Andrew? Its a ministry patterned after Jesus' call of Andrew to be a disciple and his act of going and calling his brother. Once you hear the real good news of the Gospel, you can't help but want to lead others to the Light as well. My prayers are with your efforts. In His Grace Doug | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Wow Sherry, that really IS exciting! Can't wait til June 28th to hear how it goes! Please keep us posted! Thanks for the specifics, I was a little unclear on the details myself. | ||
| Freeatlast (Freeatlast) |
I'm new to the forum, and my testimony has not been posted yet, but I am nonetheless asking you folks for prayer. I am from a family that is predominantly "historic" Adventist, and many of my family members are ranking officers and/or staff of SDA institutions. I have sent a package to my Mother formally notifying her of my departure from SDA doctrines (with gentleness and respect, of course). This will be construed as a "spiritual emergency" within my family, and I expect persecution. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will empower me to defend the Gospel in love, and continue to soften their hearts to the REAL "Truth" and remove the veil from their eyes just as He so graciously removed it from mine. Thank you. | ||
| Bmorgan (Bmorgan) |
FreeatLast, I will certainly pray for you. Somehow I a beginning to understand more and more the battle person faces with his SDA family when he exists the church. It can be very emotional. I pray that your inner peace will not be disturb when they begin to pile on you about your apostasy and the fear of your impending DOOM. God bless. Again I say, count on me to really pray for you. B Morgan | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
Freeatlast, I too will keep you in my prayers. I have seen firthand the spiritual warfare that a person must go htrough when leaving the SDA Church. It is truly a sad commentary. Continue to speak the truth in love, and above all things, do not allow yourself to be tangled again with the yoke of bondage. As your name implies, you have been made free. Stand firm in that freedom. One last thing, in your struggle, remember that there are certain things that belong to you, certain things that belong to your family, and certain things that belong to God. You are responsible for only one of those three. In His Grace Doug | ||
| Freeatlast (Freeatlast) |
Thank you BMorgan and Doug, I know that the battle is not over, not by a long shot. But the toughest part of the war is over, the part where I agonized and studied and prayed and waited for God's answer to guide me. Now that I have that, and am "fully convinced in my own mind", the battle now shifts to one of "giving an answer to everyone who asks about the hope that lies within me, with gentleness and respect." I will be gathering support from your prayers, thank you. | ||
| Janet (Janet) |
I too, am praying for you freeatlast. I admire your courage. I havent been able to share with my family yet, and understand exactly the "spiritual emergency" term you mentioned. God be with you, Janet | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
I also am praying for you, Freeatlast. It's absolutely true that a spiritual war breaks out when someone leaves the church. Praise God for the people on this forum who understand the reality of this war and really pray! Colleen | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Freeatlast, You are officially added to my prayerlist! I know God will faithfully guide you and help you. Sabra | ||
| Freeatlast (Freeatlast) |
Mom gets the package today... You'll probably hear about a violent explosion on the east coast on the news tonight...LOL The package Contains Clay Peck's book "New Covenant Christians". Now I'm "out of the closet", so to speak. I'm sure she would actually prefer me being homosexual to me being "non-Adventist". I know it will hurt her, and I'm struggling with that. But I know in my heart that it is God's will for me to make a statement of beliefs within my "historic" SDA family, for better or for worse, and to just let Him manage the outcome. But, this one thing I know... Mom will never read certain verses of Scripture the same way again, and the Holy Spirit can use that. Please pray for discernment to her, and the entire family. And for me too as they begin to attack... | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Freeatlast, You might be surprised. I thought my mom would dis-own me but we are actually a lot closer than before. She doesn't agree with me, of course, but she has told family that I am closer to God than ever before and that she isn't praying anymore for me to receive the sabbath, only the truth, "whatever that is" were her words. I've found that as confident as they appear to be, they have doubts down deep (surely placed there by the Holy Spirit). Please let us know what happens! Read Hebrews 10:32-35. It is what the Lord spoke to me when I decided to follow Him. | ||
| Freeatlast (Freeatlast) |
Wow, those are great texts! I see them (and nearly everything else for that matter) in a new light. Read further and find OT references to the righteous living by faith and how we should not shrink back from God, but to have faith in Him to the preserving of our souls. Those who know him and abide in His Gospel have no reason to fear Him and, as such, no reason to "shrink back". I have no fear of my family, for I know that God is leading this. I am beginning to believe that He is using me and another of my family members to crack the legalistic armor which has covered my family for generations. I will keep you posted, right here. Please continue to pray! |
