A Matter of Faith

[Shine]

This is a thread that I have been thinking about doing for a long while now. I've had my doubts as to how many people here at SO this thread would appeal to, and since it will probably be the most personal thread/post that I have ever done here, I wasn't sure if I wanted to pour my hear out into a thread that few would read.

Over the last couple of months in threads around the boards, I've written about my new found faith...or more accuratly my renewed faith. This thread will bring all of what I've written about in the past into one post. And it is my hope that others will choose to share their own stories of faith.

I was raised a Catholic, attended church with my father as a boy and went through CCD for a number of years and in 1991 made my first communion. However, shorty after this my family stopped attending church on a regular basis for reasons I'm not really sure.

Fast forward to 1999. The first half of that year was one of the darkest in my life. At the start of the year I became really depressed. As the months went by, I only became more and more depressed. I hoped that after a while that I would simply snap out of it, but by spring it was becoming obvious that it wasn't going to be that easy. By May, except to go to work and watch the last few episodes of Star Trek-Deep Space Nine, The X-Files and Millennium, I didn't even get out of bed on most days. That semester of school had turned out to be a total waste because with how bad I was feeling I could not focus on my studies and failed every class I was in. Knowing that I was only getting worse, one day in late May my mother took me to the emergency room. The doctor who saw me put me on medication and I began attending weekly therapy sessions (the therapist even had me read a book called You Can Feel Good Again) and even though I started to feel better, I still felt lost. It was at this point that I first returned to my faith and looked to God for guidance.

I began attending church again as well as a weekly bible class. For the first time in a year a I actually began to feel hope again. I realized that even when I hadn't been attending church, God was still speaking to me in other ways. I noticed that many of the forms of entertainment that I most enjoyed featured religious elemensts. Shows like Deep Space Nine, Millennium and The X-Files all had strong religious and spiritual elements to them. So did quite a few of the movies that I most enjoyed. Martin Scorsese's whole body of work deals with questions of faith. The Exorcist (my favorite book and one of my favorite movies) was never a horror story to me but an exploration of faith. During these months I found such comfort in my renewed faith that I seriously considerded becoming a Jesuit priest. This was a short term dream because becoming a Jesuit is very difficut and I didn't fullfil most of the requirements.

During the summer of 2000, I had what you might call a crisis of faith. I wasn't at all happy with the church I was attending becasue they often spent more time takling about how we should be giving the church money and not talking about God, Jesus or faith. I stopped going even though I continued to read my bible from time to time and prayed.

In 2006 I read Lisa Whelchel's wonderful book The Facts of Life and Other Lessons My Father Taught Me about how she found her way back to her faith, how it reshaped her life and how it led her to leave acting, marry a minister and raise a family whlie at the same time teaching the word of the Lord. I was very touched and moved by Lisa's book and I began to consider attending church again.

The first half of 2007 was a difficult time for me. I was having some very personal probelms and in April my dog became very ill and passed away. His death left me heartbroken and lost. I deicded it was time for me to turn back to God and Jesus for help. I picked another Catholic church to attend and it has turned out to be a very rewarding experience.

My life changed over the summer. I went from being a person who had not truly been happy in a years, so someone who has become very happy with life. I think it probably even shows around here. I used to threaten to leave this site all the time, however, not I could not imagine ever wanting to leave this board...at least not for good. Every morning that I get up, I'm glad to be alive and thank the Lord that I'm here to experience life. Sure, life can sometimes be difficult, but the fact that we are all here living it is what counts.

Through my renewed faith I have learned what is important in life. What is important is loving God and loving all people. Knowing this has helped me become a better person. I know that I'm still far from perfect, and am not the person I want to be yet, but I am getting there. Getting closer to who I wish to be as a person, not to being perfect...no one is perfect.

I hope that some of you will share some stories about your faith and the importance it plays in your life with the rest of us.

[MrCleveland]

Last year I had no faith since my grandfather died and I couldn't find a job. My faith is still empty because I still can't find a job and it looks like God deserted me and is saying 'no'.

[Max Whittaker]

I was raised Catholic. I can't ever remember going to church regularly. I never entered the ceremonies that Catholics do.

My father was a deacon before he met my mom. He was in a bad marriage and the only reasons he stayed in it were for his children and because the church would not approve of divorce. When his kids were grown, he met my mom and finally decided to get a divorce. It cost him his position as deacon, which he loved, and he lost faith in the church.

As a result, and as a result of my own experience, I have never had a faith in the "Institution of Faith". I was, however, raised with a love of God, and although, these days I don't talk to him near as much as I should, I do believe he has a hand in everything I do and everything I am.

[Number 9 Dream]

I was never raised to follow 'organized religion' (i.e., going to church) because my parents never forced it upon us. I have never been to a Sunday service a day in my life, but I can honestly say it has never affected me. I am still a spiritual person and I live by my own moral codes (not to say I don't believe in a God....I do believe there is something/someone out there who guides us throughout life. But I also believe in the power of ourselves as individuals to achieve our own destinies).

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by Crazy for Blair

In 2006 I read Lisa Whelchel's wonderful book The Facts of Life and Other Lessons My Father Taught Me about how she found her way back to her faith, how it reshaped her life and how it led her to leave acting, marry a minister and raise a family whlie at the same time teaching the word of the Lord. I was very touched and moved by Lisa's book and I began to consider attending church again.

That was very moving, however, Lisa never "lost her way" from the faith in the first place, she had always been firmly a Christian since she was ten. During the mid-80's she released 'All Because Of You', which became her
(only) album, a Christian album where she strongly shared her faith in Christ. She was aware in those years that so many young people were watching the show and following her example. It was after the show ended that, after one more "direct-to-video" movie (Where the Red Fern Grows, Part 2), she felt God lead her from acting and pursuing a career as a homeschooling mother.

I've never read anywhere in her book that she suffered a lapse of faith, even though there were times she probably had done a few things she regretted, like we all do.

[Shine]

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

That was very moving, however, Lisa never "lost her way" from the faith in the first place, she had always been firmly a Christian since she was ten. During the mid-80's she released 'All Because Of You', which became her
(only) album, a Christian album where she strongly shared her faith in Christ. She was aware in those years that so many young people were watching the show and following her example. It was after the show ended that, after one more "direct-to-video" movie (Where the Red Fern Grows, Part 2), she felt God lead her from acting and pursuing a career as a homeschooling mother.

I've never read anywhere in her book that she suffered a lapse of faith, even though there were times she probably had done a few things she regretted, like we all do.

You're right. I worded things wrongly.

[catlover79]

I've gone to church all my life - and I've gone to the SAME church all my life. My parents met each other in 1972 at a Lutheran singles party, as a matter of fact. I've gone through lapses of faith - the most serious being when my grandmother (who I was very close to) passed in 1995. Things aren't always easy, but I think I've found my niche. I work with the Praise Band - on the technical side, I work the computer for them. I'm currently reading a Bible commentary concerning the Gospel of Matthew. It also helps that one of my best friends is a strong Christian and her husband is a pastor, so I can ask lots of questions and talk about faith issues.

[Shine]

Originally Posted by catlover79

I've gone to church all my life - and I've gone to the SAME church all my life. My parents met each other in 1972 at a Lutheran singles party, as a matter of fact. I've gone through lapses of faith - the most serious being when my grandmother (who I was very close to) passed in 1995. Things aren't always easy, but I think I've found my niche. I work with the Praise Band - on the technical side, I work the computer for them. I'm currently reading a Bible commentary concerning the Gospel of Matthew. It also helps that one of my best friends is a strong Christian and her husband is a pastor, so I can ask lots of questions and talk about faith issues.

Monika, the name of the church I go to is St. Matthew.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Crazy for Blair

Monika, the name of the church I go to is St. Matthew.

Awesome!

[Shine]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Awesome!

I'm finishing up Redeeming Love. Within the next couple of days I will send you an email to tell you what I thought.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Crazy for Blair

I'm finishing up Redeeming Love. Within the next couple of days I will send you an email to tell you what I thought.

I'm looking forward to hearing it. Have you gotten your copy of For What It's Worth yet? I recall that it had to be ordered as it wasn't in stock.

[Shine]

Originally Posted by catlover79

I'm looking forward to hearing it. Have you gotten your copy of For What It's Worth yet? I recall that it had to be ordered as it wasn't in stock.

Oh yeah, I did get it. I have a couple of other books that I bought first that I am going to read, then I'll get to For What It's Worth. I ordered it at a Christian bookstore.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Crazy for Blair

Oh yeah, I did get it. I have a couple of other books that I bought first that I am going to read, then I'll get to For What It's Worth. I ordered it at a Christian bookstore.

I look forward to hearing you review that book, too.

[mrs.gingerhinkley]

I'm Catholic and go to church with my family every Sunday. Our church has a cool youth program so it's cool to have support from fellow teens who are going through the same peer pressures that I am.

[Radar=)]

I'm Catholic. Go to Church every Sunday and Confession every few months.