| Author | Message | ||
| Faith2 Registered user Username: Faith2 Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hi everyone! I am new to this site but have been truly blessed and inspired by your dialogue with one another. My husband and I have made a very recent decision to exit the Adventist church. Interestingly enough, we have only been married for only 6 months and out of the church for three. We have not really shared our decision with many people. My husband is a PK and I have two uncles whom are Adventist Pastors. I have mixed emotions because I have always been deeply involved in the ministry; there are so many people who look up to me. I even have a B.A. in Religion from Atlantic Union College. My whole life has been about God and the SDA church. Now God has to totally restructure! All I know is that I NEVER WANT TO GO BACK TO ADVENTISM!!! I silently reject anything that comes from Adventist. Do not misunderstand me, God showed me the pride behind the church first; I stopped listening to Adventist ministers years ago! I wanted just Jesus! I know that my thoughts may sound scattered but this is my first time speaking out! I am willing to loose all of my family and friends due to the FREEDOM that I have in God! I will delighted to share more later. | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 140 Registered: 8-2004 |
Welcome Faith2! Isn't Jesus wonderful?! You wrote "My whole life has been about God and the SDA church." Well, now it gets to be just about God! Stick close to Him. He is faithful and true! helovesme2 | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 72 Registered: 3-2005 |
Welcome Faith2. It looks like the Exodus to freedom continues, as the Holy Spirit is moving on many hearts. We are happy you joined us here. Stan | ||
| Chris Registered user Username: Chris Post Number: 762 Registered: 7-2003  |
Welcome Faith! You and your husband are part of a growing move of the Holy Spirit that seems to be happening all over the world. So many Adventists are falling in love with Jesus and Jesus alone and as they do so they are willing to leave their comfort zone in order to follow Him where He leads. Welcome to FAF! We're so glad you are here. I truly enjoy hearing people's stories (because they are stories of Jesus at work in people's lives). I hope we will hear more of yours. Chris | ||
| Tdf Registered user Username: Tdf Post Number: 62 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hello Faith2, You are in good company in this forum. Folks who post in this site are in various stages of the leaving process (some have been out for years, some are just now thinking about leaving). We'll be praying for you as you work through the flood of emotions and difficult decisions that are coming. I can tell you from personal experience that embracing Christ and only Christ is worth any sacrifice--it has completely transformed my life in many, many amazing and wonderful ways. tdf | ||
| Faith2 Registered user Username: Faith2 Post Number: 2 Registered: 3-2005 |
Thank you so much for your support! I am excited about what God is doing in my family... I will share bits of my story at a time: While in college during my summers off, I worked as a bible worker for different conferences. I always felt uncomfortable having to deceive people into thinking that they were attending an evangelical tent meeting. All of the pastors assured me that the small deception was necessary because it helped people to be in a relaxed state by the time that the Sabbath message was to be presented. This deception sounded fairly reasonable to me, after all, anything for Christ! I also commented that we were deceiving people into believing that we were a lively church that celebrated Jesus when in fact 99% of SDA churches are void of joy! In response, I was told that the Sanctuary is to be reverenced and that this behavior had to be learned! Something happened, my junior year, I took Adventist heritage and my mind was blown! I was introduced to Ellen white at Oakwood College and once I transferred to AUC, I was given her history! I worshipped her!!! She totally replaced my bible. Whenever I did pick up my bible, I used E.G.W. to make sure that it was on track! I was especially blown away with the Sanctuary message, I was on fire and the campus knew it! One sunny day my world was rocked when one of my psychology teachers said ěthe sanctuary message can not be supported outside of E.G.W. AND do not be surprised if things do not happen the way that she says they will in the last days." I thought that he had lost his mind! I told my bible teacher what was said and he exploded, to this day I do not know what he said! All I know is that I stopped spreading the sanctuary message and slowed down on my E.G.W. reading. The next time that I picked up the sanctuary message proved to be my very last night as an Adventist! More to come... | ||
| Tisha Registered user Username: Tisha Post Number: 13 Registered: 3-2005 |
Welcome Faith2! I am new here also. It is so good to be able to share our stories. It's amazing to see how similar they are. Even though not all the details are the same, the results and the processing out are so much the same that I KNOW I left a cult. The Sanctuary/IJ Doctrine was the real catalyst for my final exit out of SDAism. When I realized that it could not be proven from the Bible, only from EGW - well that did it for me! There were lots of things that made me uncomfortable, and I had been questioning in a general way. But that one thing was the "proof" I needed to make my break. THANK-YOU JESUS for showing me that! I'm looking forward to hearing more of your story. | ||
| Tracey Registered user Username: Tracey Post Number: 311 Registered: 9-2004 |
HI Faith! Praise God for your new found freedom from SDA.. It only gets better!!! Jesus that is. There's a saying " Jesus is sweeter than the day before!" Immerse yourself into Jesus, rest in His bosom, lather up in His love! You will be amazed at His Power! Also, I am originally from Huntsville! I was never SDA though. Another guy on here, Rob (or Hrob) still lives there with his wife Dee, who also just left SDA.. Look for him on this site. My bf is SDA and his family reg. attend Oakwood College for some kind of programs.. Welcome and What led you to this site?? | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1654 Registered: 12-2003  |
Faith2, Welcome to the forum!! What an interesting story you have! I'm eager to read the next installment. I can just imagine how you felt that day you hear your psychology prof. counsel your class not to put your unwavering faith in EGW. What a shock--especially coming from the mouth of an Adventist teacher! You are truly living through a time of great change and life stress right now--even though great joy and excitement comprise much of your experience, there are also loss and grief and flashes of fear. We are slo glad you've joined us here--we will pray for you and "talk" with you and support you as you walk on this amazing journey with Jesus. Where is your husband in all of this? We look forward to our continued interaction! Colleen | ||
| Chris Registered user Username: Chris Post Number: 767 Registered: 7-2003 |
Wow, Faith! I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for part 2. | ||
| Faith2 Registered user Username: Faith2 Post Number: 5 Registered: 3-2005 |
Colleen, You are an angel! You are very encouraging! My husband is with me 100% of the way! Being a new bride I was afraid that my marriage would end after only 3 months. Crazy! His father is a Pastor but the poor boy knew nothing about Adventism! When ever I started showing and telling him things, he was amazed! It was very easy for him to see the problem areas and he quickly made a decision to leave. Interestingly enough the Lord allowed me to witness my husband's acceptance of Salvation for the very first time March 13th 2005!!! My hubby had never heard of being saved! I prayed the sinner's prayer with him and he fell to pieces in my arms! Soooooooo Powerful. Tracey, I found this site maybe a month ago when I was really feeling lonely and confused! I needed to know that others were experiencing my pain and that it would pass! So, you're dating a SDA what is it like? Have you shared your feelings with him? | ||
| Faith2 Registered user Username: Faith2 Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2005 |
Chris you are funny! I have to take it slow because I can't type! Stop laughing! I'm working on it!LOL | ||
| Tracey Registered user Username: Tracey Post Number: 317 Registered: 9-2004 |
What is like???????? Oh my gosh... It's like loving someone that is in a comatose like state. The living dead, frankly. But you hope that they will come to life. And some days you see progress and know there'll be a miracle and other days it seems like there is no change and you want to give up hope, but you know in your heart that Love never fails. And you know that you have witnessed others constantly coming out of the comatose state so you believe God is not a respecter of persons meaning if He led the others to freedom, then He'll do it for you. Lastly, there's the part where you want to pull the plug because the waiting is too hurtful to bear and maybe both of you would be better off. But love won't let you leave the person in that state when you know that there is life and more abundantly. sorry, you asked. He knows my feelings. When I first learned I didn't sleep all night and broke up with him and cried as I told him about this website that I found where it substantiated the false teachings and spritual bondage. And now, we study every Saturday the Word of God and hope for the best but not expecting an overnight miracle on either of our sides to come over to the other's. He thinks I misunderstand the Word of God. But he won't break up with me,<and I have used harsh words like cult, false, a lie about his religion) which makes me think he kinda wants to be proven wrong deep down. Cuz if he said that about my belief system,he'd have been dumped by now!  | ||
| Esther Registered user Username: Esther Post Number: 187 Registered: 5-2004  |
Faith2, Welcome to the forum! Both my husband and I are PK's so we understand that aspect, although everyone here is very understanding has had to deal with their own families too! Trust God! He will NEVER fail you! He will protect your heart. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1249 Registered: 3-2004  |
Faith2, You are so welcome to FAF. God did bring you here and He will continue to lead you and your husband. Just hang on tight. My experience with God has been exciting and scary, at times, but I just hang on and enjoy the ride. I compare it to an airplane ride, doing aerobatics. God is the pilot and some times I feel like I am upside down, but I know God is in charge. So I hang on tight to Him. Excuse my airplane analogy. I like them and like to fly. When you are ready, I am waiting to read your next chapter. God is awesome. Diana | ||
| Blacksheep Registered user Username: Blacksheep Post Number: 5 Registered: 3-2005 |
Faith2, I also am a newcomer to this forum, there are so many new ones just since I started lurking. Wow! who'da thought. And 15 years ago when I left sda, I was sure I was the only one. It took me a long time to find this forum. One thing, walking out of Adventism, gave me calming peace as I had never known before, and in Adventism I was depressed, miserable, lonely, shy, sad, and doomed. I'm still in a state of: I don't know what I believe, but at least I am happy. And this forum's discussions does bring a calming effect to the soul. I like being here and I know you will too. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1253 Registered: 3-2004 |
Blacksheep, I am glady you are here and keep posting. I know what you mean about being happy. I told an SDA minister that I did not want to be an SDA again and lose the happiness I had found through a support program to which I belonged. That was about 5 years ago. Prior to that I had told God I did not want to go back to the SDA church and be the unhappy person that I was. Well, God took me at my word and finally showed me my way out. I have never been happier. Just knowing all I need is Jesus is so calming to me. He is awesome. Diana | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 21 Registered: 12-2004 |
Welcome Faith2 to a fellowship that not only allows,but encourages questions. This forum gives us a safe environment to bear our souls when no other place seems safe.I can totally relate to being keyboard-challenged. Hang in there, Randy | ||
| Faith2 Registered user Username: Faith2 Post Number: 12 Registered: 3-2005 |
Tracey, you are crazy girl! Hang in there as long as you are led by God... Diana, you are so right about being happier! I definitely am happier! For the first time, I am on the road to being me and walking in the beauty of what God totally wants for my life! I finally told an Adventist friend (today) that my husband and I am no longer Adventist. She took it considerably well. Later she slipped in that being Adventist is a salvation issue and she felt that Satan was attacking her family and friends. I listened and did not try to defend myself. Later she asked if I would share with her what I've discovered. Where is a good place to start? Should I trust that she really wants to know! | ||
| Tracey Registered user Username: Tracey Post Number: 325 Registered: 9-2004 |
Faith, These people know where to begin better than I do! But shoot me an email soon, I will be in Huntsville visiting my grandparents and Rob. traceym77@hotmail.com |
