Praying out loud

[al Hartman]

  I'm thinking that perhaps the best thing for us to do, after our experience in the assembly, is to help others.  That's the one thing I've been very reluctant to do because I don't think I have anything to offer and I don't have much confidence in myself or others or even in what God can do in their lives.  Perhaps things will change or are changing.  Still a work in progress isn't it.

Arthur

Arthur, just catching up on reading and saw this.  You've been quite a lot of help to maybe more people than you know this past year(plus) just with your quotes, links, RFTW board and other posts.  Not to mention your testimony, which had to strike home for anybody who ever was in a training home and lived to regret it.  What you said recently about dichotomy sent me going for the dictionary.  And you're right.  Good kept us in the assemblies even when outweighed by bad.  Such a combination.  Verne's Tersteegen hymn for instance.  Wonderful hymn.  But I learned it ...from Hymns and Spiritual Songs.  Singing about leaving idols for Christ while wrapped up in an idolatrous, religious pattern of meeting.  
Anyway, I often appreciate your perspective, though I'm not into the reformed/thelogical conversations.
Becky

     Gotta go along with Becky on this, Arthur:  Your contributions on this board & elsewhere have always been significant.  Even when you have had doubts or discouragement, your posts have expressed experiences & thoughts the rest of us could relate to, & because you were still here, others could take heart.  I for one think that things will change and are changing for you and, although you may be the last of us to realize it, you have had & do have a lot to offer...

God bless,
al

[Mark C.]

Yes I also agree with AL and Becky Arthur!

  You may think that when I say your story moved me deeply I was just trying to sound encouraging.  Though I do hope to encourage former Assemblyites here I was giving a honest response to your Assembly story.
  We all have different contributions to make, but by far the most valuable contributions are from those who bare their souls and relive the pain of their Assembly involvement for others to read.
   As I've said before, I have been on other websites that cater to former cult members and these honest stories are like a hand from heaven to those who think they are very alone in their suffering.   I can talk about grace, the love of God, etc. but their are some that just can't receive any kind of Biblical instruction by itself.  Like Karey said,"she needed to see the love of God with skin on it".
   Arthur, your honest questioning, with all your doubts, minister to those who are feeling this same way; because you want to believe (and believe the best you know how) but lay bare for us your struggles.  From this I learn it is okay to be honest and that I'm not "losing the inheritance" or going crazy, because there are others who are going through the same things that I am.
  I know I repeat myself on this often, but I think it is important, Jesus' ministry worked through real people who were broken under a false religious system.  These same broken twigs and burning flax have been preserved for us as demonstrations of the glory of God working in fallen man.  Who was more important? Peter the preacher or Peter the failed and recovered disciple?  What displayed the greatest ministry to the world?  What Peter said about salvation through Christ was true and most necessary, but what we see in Peter through the sharing of his story puts skin on the teaching of being a Christian and tells us much more of how that grace actually works in our lives!
   Arthur, and many others here, I believe your stories are demonstrations of God's working in real lives and that these stories will be preserved for eternity!
                         God Bless,  Mark C.

[Arthur]

Thanks guys  I should be the one thanking you.

Arthur