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| Debbie2 Registered user Username: Debbie2 Post Number: 5 Registered: 11-2005 |
There's so many things I could say.....but trying to decide what you'd be interested in knowing is what I need to figure out! I am 40 years old. My husband and I have been married for 17 years, and we have three children ages 15, 13 and 9. Two boys and a girl (she's the youngest). And, we have four cats and a dog. We moved here to the Twin Cities, MN after my sister's husband got a pastoral call here. He's the head pastor of the Minnetonka church and she teaches at the Adventist grade school. Both our families moved from Salem, Oregon where we had all been very active in the Salem church. We spent practically every sabbath together having dinner and then long conversations or playing instruments together. But, then when I left the church, our families drifted apart. I continued to go to church because I was in the habit. But, then after about two years of attending every week with my Adventist husband and our kids, I decided I wasn't being honest. My very attendance week after week was in a way saying I approved of Adventism. It would be like me going to KKK meetings, if you know what I mean. My personal understanding of religion and churches is that there are many many good people in all the various churches (including Adventist) who know God and have His Spirit in their hearts - even if their head knowledge is off. It's the spirit that matters. But, once a person has seen or experienced certain things, they can't go against what they already know or have learned. It would be living a lie. So, I am a part of God's nameless eternal church of believers. There's no name and no money involved. Only love. I would love to meet regularly in a home setting with fellow believers, but that hasn't been possible yet. I think most people are members of an organized church where they meet in a building that they are then obligated to pay jointly for. I understand this. And, it might be the only option right now. My husband also comes from a strong Adventist background. His grandfather started many missions in Africa and South America. His mother grew up in South America, and then when my husband was growing up, he spent many years in various countries where his father was a missionary doctor. A week after we got married we headed off to the "mission field" which just happened to be Gitwe, Rwanda where he taught math at the Adventist college there. Most Adventists are not in the USA. I think only 17% of Adventist are American. South America has the greatest concentration of Adventists. So, anyway, my husband has been very bewildered but supportive of my new understandings of the Bible which led me to leave the church. When we were visiting his parents' home last summer, I came across Samuel Baccichio's book countering Dale Ratzlaff's "Sabbath in Christ". I had never heard of Mr. Ratzlaff, but was delighted to learn that I wasn't the only one who saw the Sabbath in the same way. When we got home, I ordered the book and read it with joy. Now my husband is reading it. But, he is still very skeptical. I don't worry about it. I know I am not in charge of him. God is. So, God will handle it. I simply focus on obeying God myself. Amazingly enough, my husband and I are much more close now than ever before due to my own transformation of heart. I submit to him and his will for the children as well (they are going to the Adventist school - and it doesn't bother me in the least - imagine that!) God has worked a mircle in my heart! I'm not the controlling person I used to be. Part of what I have learned is the fleshly joy of submitting to my husband and trusting him in these matters of the flesh (like where the kids go to school). I am content to be quiet with my husband (and all men as far as that goes - athough it's my own husband who I obey). God is my spiritual teacher, as He is with all of us. The truth is not in words (or doctrines - though they are true facts) but in the power of the spirit of love. Debbie |
