Recently, my biggest fan (e.g., anonymous
poster from Oregon City) claimed that I was “trolling the FOC.” So, here you
go: a free vocabulary lesson from your favorite blogger:
In Internet
slang, a troll is someone who posts
inflammatory, extraneous,
or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat
room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an
emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic
discussion [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)].
In 1999, when I left the FOC for good, I
moved to a nice community in Lake Oswego and soon began attending Mountain Park
Church. In early 2000, I made a conscious decision to follow Jesus. I was
baptized later that year.
In the Spring of 2001, a former NFL player
came to our church to teach a class on Christian apologetics. Apologetics is a
lot like evangelism in its aim, but it is different in that the course trained
us to respond to objections to the faith. On the first day of class, the leader
(I cannot remember his name – I think his first name was John) asked us to
think of a friend or acquaintance who we knew would NEVER accept Jesus as his/her
savior. That was easy for me. I knew someone who was very much against
organized religion. A friend that I had met in college, who told me that my
religion was all well and fine but not to bring up any of that “crap” around
her. So that was who I chose.
The hard-liners were the ones we committed
to praying for. Maybe it was a test. I don’t know. Two days after the first
class, this friend called me up on a Wednesday evening and asked what I was up
to.
“I’m going to Bible study. Wanna come?” I
said, fully expecting to get shot down.
“I don’t have anything better to do, so
why the hell not?” she said.
Against all odds, this woman who had told
me to keep my religion away showed up to bible study and within an hour had
committed her life to Christ. It was a miracle. And the only person who can
perform a miracle is God.
I don’t relay this story to pat myself on
the back. I had nothing to do with it – except a few feeble (totally
disbelieving) prayers. God did the work. God always does the work. Our attempts
to be righteous or right, good, faithful, etc. are filthy rags.
Whether you appreciate it or not, I am
praying for you and ask that my believing readers pray for you too.
But now thus
saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee,
O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name;
thou art mine.
Isaiah 41:1
God is the healer and our prayers help bring them to light. We never really stray from our perfection, but sometimes we let the clouds hide our true selves. Keep praying!
ReplyDeleteSuzi, What am amazing story! My favorite quote is “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.” Alfred, Lord Tennyson
ReplyDeleteBright Blessings,
Maggie
Nice post. I have chosen my walk in this world through the following passage in 1 Thessalonians
ReplyDelete"Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
In my years in Dallas mega church, many of the followers rarely smiled. The got into the motion of being an organizational christian, rather than a spirit driven christian. The day Christians learn to outwardly demonstrate the spirit,maybe faith will have an incredible revival. Well that's my 2 cents.
More proof why women should "be silent". I wonder if any of the women that post comments on here ever ask their husbands if they are okay with it..... lol
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE A SEXIST PIG!!!!! You are obviously a man from the foc church. People don't believe that way anymore, we are more enlightened now. Just because it was taught like that for thousands of years doesn't make it right. Women play an equal role in a marriage now, they are smart and educated and have jobs and pay bills just like men! We don't believe that men are to be the sole provider any more. Just because the bible says that they would be worse than an infidel for not supporting their families doesn't mean that their wives can't help. You need to become more new age and listen to people like suzi.
ReplyDeleteYou go girl!! I agree, the men out there need to realize who is actually running the church anymore. Its strong women like Suzanne, she's a great example of how we can break the chains of the bible and show our true potential. It's a new age and Suzanne is proof that you don't have to be under subjection to a man or let a man pay all the bills. We can take that role in part and provide for our families as good as men can.
ReplyDeleteDoes beating up a woman make you feel like a real man? Does beating her down lift you up somehow. Your EX-wife!
ReplyDeleteBeating her down? Just pointing out the obvious.
ReplyDelete