Comments on Decompressing Faith: Promise of a New Day: Epilogue

Not sure I follow you, Nate. Our conversations did...

2009-05-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

Not sure I follow you, Nate. Our conversations didn't help what? And what seems like preaching?

Reread this, and just wondered, did any of our con...

2009-05-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

Reread this, and just wondered, did any of our conversations really help? Looking back, it just kind of seems like a lot of preaching while I was going through things too.

I'm so glad to see you, Ché. Yes, you and I do tra...

2009-05-09T23:32:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad to see you, Ché. Yes, you and I do travel much of the same path, and I'm glad for that. Thanks for coming over here to visit.

I think the word "Christian" simply orientates me towards Jesus. Nothing else.

I understand, Nate. I'm certainly not saying it's ...

2009-05-09T23:30:00.000-07:00

I understand, Nate. I'm certainly not saying it's going to be right for everyone. But for me, I have found that while I usually like to speak in more general terms about my faith, using a term that easily identifies Who I follow is sometimes helpful.

It's not jumping back on the bandwagon for me, you have to know. I don't want to be identified with "that group" anymore, either. It's just for simplicity's sake, rather than always requiring a long explanation.

You're welcome, Katherine. Thank you for reading i...

2009-05-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

You're welcome, Katherine. Thank you for reading it.

Glad that spoke to you, Tyler. It really has chang...

2009-05-09T23:25:00.000-07:00

Glad that spoke to you, Tyler. It really has changed my thinking. All my life, Christianity has told me that if I accept Jesus, I'm saved, and that's all there is to it. But he's NOT a destination.

Wow. I thought that my journey was taking me away ...

2009-05-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

Wow.
I thought that my journey was taking me away from some of what we've been blogging about for the last couple of years...but He surprised me again.
I have been wrestling with the definition of christian, since most of what I believe that title to mean, I can't connect to.
I feel alone much of the time...well, alone with my sometimes evident Companion. He shows up, then I don't see Him for awhile...and kinda okay with that. He lets me think, and feel, and explore...and then waits for me to ask.
Freedom is different than I thought it would be...
Sorry I haven't been here for awhile, my friend...

Ain't is now in the dictionary, as a defined word....

2009-05-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

Ain't is now in the dictionary, as a defined word. It wasn't always, but the world defined it, and accepted it as such. "Christian" has been identified by the world, and has been accepted as such.

Doesn't really matter how we define it, it matters how it defines us.

Word usage is powerful, using a word that is not easily identifiable to others, such as, "I'm a christian, but not THAT kind of chritian." If you have to qualify it, it is not a good word to use.

I was ask the other day if I was a christian, with out thought I replied, "I am a man of deep faith. I am a follower of God, but not a christian as many people would think. Because I don't really believe what they do."

I am no longer christian, and could care less that I am not identified by that group anymore.

Erin, thank you for finishing this. I needed to he...

2009-05-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

Erin, thank you for finishing this. I needed to hear it.

Jesus as an orientation, as a direction.... hmmm.....

2009-05-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

Jesus as an orientation, as a direction.... hmmm.... I like that, it really speaks to something deep within me. Sort of clear some loose ends up. I already knew He sure wasn't a destination, but had not really thought of him as an orientation. Hmmm.... shall have to ponder this at length.

Thanks Cindy. I like that one too...and it's true....

2009-05-07T06:48:00.001-07:00

Thanks Cindy. I like that one too...and it's true.

PW - Welcome, and it's very nice to meet you. I ho...

2009-05-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

PW - Welcome, and it's very nice to meet you. I hope you find some encouragement here in my pages...but be warned that the further you go back in my archives, the more bitterness you will find. I don't apologize for it because it was part of my process...but it's not where I am today.

I wish you the best in your own journey.

Glenn, you are right. I was born into 3rd generati...

2009-05-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

Glenn, you are right. I was born into 3rd generation Christianity...and never tested what I was told to believe until it all came crashing down when I was 34. It's been interesting, for sure, but I wouldn't go back into blind faith for anything.

Sara - I haven't ever heard of it, thanks for the ...

2009-05-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

Sara - I haven't ever heard of it, thanks for the recommendation. It sounds like you are saying only dangers lurk off the beaten path...but that hasn't been my experience at all... :)

Like I said in the post, I have boundaries...but they aren't always in line with what religion would tell me they should be.

Yes, Susan...somehow God doesn't seem to work in s...

2009-05-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, Susan...somehow God doesn't seem to work in straight lines, at least for some of us. But it's more of an adventure that way!

Thank you, Barb. Your compliment means a lot to me...

2009-05-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Barb. Your compliment means a lot to me. I don't know about having a larger audience, because I think I would only tend to censor myself. Still not always OK with rattling cages.

Okay, I came back and read your whole series. I'm ...

2009-05-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, I came back and read your whole series. I'm not finished on my journey yet...I'm still looking. Thanks for the input. I'm putting you on my behindthescenes blogroll. Please keep posting and sharing. thanks so much. I needed that.

"for I have found Him while I wandered, and in him...

2009-05-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

"for I have found Him while I wandered, and in him I am never lost."

perfect! i wish i had said that!

Just came across this blog. I'm searching too. I'l...

2009-05-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

Just came across this blog. I'm searching too. I'll be back to read. Thanks so much!

Yeah for moving past most of the pain and embracin...

2009-05-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

Yeah for moving past most of the pain and embracing the journey!

I think some of us (me, anyway) kind of missed our adolescence in which we tested the values that we were taught and found something that we could honestly embrace.

Are you familiar with Sonnheim's musical "Into the...

2009-05-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with Sonnheim's musical "Into the Woods?" The way you use forest/flower/etc. imagery really reminds me of it. I think you'd appreciate it. This bit is from Little Red Riding Hood's song "I Know Things Now," after the wolf has convinced her to go explore the flowers off the path so that he could eat her . . .

And he showed me things
Many beautiful things,
That I hadn't thought to explore.
They were off my path,
So I never had dared.
I had been so careful,
I never had cared.
And he made me feel excited-
Well, excited and scared.
...
And I know things now,
Many valuable things,
That I hadn't known before:
Do not put your faith
In a cape and a hood,
They will not protect you
The way that they should.
And take extra care with starngers,
Even flowers have their dangers.
And though scary is exciting,
Nice is different than good.

Definitely not tired of it. I always enjoy readi...

2009-05-06T05:50:00.000-07:00

Definitely not tired of it.

I always enjoy reading about other peoples journeys. I would also like to have my beliefs in nice straight lines but I found God kept throwing exceptions my way. And I'm now ok with that.

This series has yet to bore me. I loved it as it ...

2009-05-06T05:12:00.000-07:00

This series has yet to bore me. I loved it as it unfolded. It seems you spent real time on it to work the phrases until they had real meaning.
(Like this one: There are always rules, always rituals, always something that demands clinging to in order to wear that label. A label is never free, it always comes with a definition one must claim.)
In these, you show yourself a true writer/author. I only wish your audience was larger.