Very true. Thanks!

I keep having to remind myself that I cannot understand everything in the Bible. But there are somethings I know I understand.

Wow. You may have just put into words what I’ve been thinking, but was unsure if it was safe to think.

I don’t “blame the Lord” but I do believe he could take it if I did. When we Christians are confronted by pain, fear, and doubt in our own lives, we feel like we have to bottle it all in and keep it hidden. When we run into similar pain in the lives of others, we feel like we have to remind them of spiritual platitudes and Bible verses rather than just let them express their pain and be there with them without judgment when they do.

Thanks for the comment.

“A post like this does grieve me…I did try to encourage you in the other thread over this crisis you are in or whatever you are going through, but please don’t blame the Lord”

Don’t blame the Lord because his feelings might be hurt?

Don’t blame the Lord because unlike us mere humans he is so touchy he won’t be able to understand your humanity?

Don’t blame the Lord because the religion known as Christianity has taught us that the most important thing is getting to heaven (and more importantly exacping Hell) Rather than following Jesus?

Jeremy is Brian sugegsting that you to try not to follow in the footsetps of our Lord and Master , The Living Word of God who in the Garden of Gethsemane modeled broken humanity and humility when he made himself so vulnearble he asked three mere humans to pray for him ( the same three who were about to deny him)

Also try to ignore most of the Psalms where David ( the adulterer, murderer AND man after Gods own heart (go figure) often told God how he doubted and wondered where he had gone.

This foolishness is where religion has gotten us - Free Jesus!!

Thanks for the note. It means a lot to me. Hope all is going well with you.

Keep me in mind for Fantasy Football next year!

We love you guys. Alleigh and I are praying for you. I personally understand struggle and crises problems. I’ve had a very, very large one in my life just recently, one in which the consequences and aftershock continues to take such a toll on me that the waves of it seem almost insurmountable to overcome at times. I share in your struggle and in your seeking hearts.

Know that Alleigh and I are praying for you, your family, and your continual ministry, both now and to come.

I personally am just beginning to understand the word “grace” in my life, may that truth never become stale or idle, nor leave the power it resounds in my heart. To Him be all the glory.

With love,

Ross and Alleigh Turner ~ Gal. 6:9

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

I cannot say that I know what you are going through since I don’t & can’t. But I do believe I know some of what you may be experiencing & I really do want to say that I am so thankful that in Christ we have the freedom, yes it is freedom, to just pour it all out to Him, & certain of His people that can really be trusted to help. Psalm 62:8 comes to mind as well as the entire Book of Job. Job just poured it all out, & a high point of it all was probably in one of his lowest points where he said that he KNEW that his Redeemer lives! I just can’t help but believe that the Lord is preparing you 2 for a greater ministry than you could have had without this crisis, though I don’t know whaty it is & it is not necessary that I do. I don’t know y’all personally & again it’s not necesary that I do, but I do feel a bond with y’all since the same Spirit of Christ dwells in us all. I also really have come to appreciate Psalm 73 because Asaph could say that though he almost lost his faith, he could still say after it was all over that the only One he wanted was the Lord. Hey sometimes we do cause other weaker believers to stumble when we just blurt out how we’re feeling when we are in a trial. I remember when I did that, but the Lord can take whatever we have on our heart. He still loves us just the same.
Well, I am certain that this has not helped at all, but I am praying for you, because you are my spiritual family.

I must say that Jeremy is being quite hard on himself. It is not just this recent crisis that has us troubled. Our life, like any of the rest of you out there, has had it’s fair share of crises and God has always seen us through and never allowed us to become bitter.

I suppose the reason this one ranks so high right now is because we are already tired from the last three years of trials and the previous six years upon that which included a trial much like the one were going through now. (Yes, many of you are thinking, “Well, I hope you learn the lesson this time.” To that I say, “Thanks for the support!”)

And the most trying part of this situation is honestly the response we’re getting from some Christians. In general, and though there are exceptions, non-Christians are showing us more grace and support than Christians. We feel that Christians should be the most gracious people around, but our experience has shown the opposite.

Hopefully, Jeremy and I can be people of grace to others, and eventually use what we are learning now to teach other Christians how to actually live out the grace we all so loudly proclaim.

Wendy, H.M. (Homemaker), M.T. (Mother of Three)

Wow…a broad spectrum of comments here.

As I have had a few days to reflect on what is happening in my life right now, I have gained a bit of perspective, and realized that the “crisis” I am going through is one that countless people go through every day in America and around the world. I just watched the 10:00 news, and saw a story about several people who are facing the exact same crisis. I feel like quite a whimp for getting so concerned and worried about it. If this really is the worst crisis I have ever faced, I guess I have lived a pretty sheltered and safe life up until now.

This crisis certainly is revealing a lot about my heart and my faith, which will require further reflection on my part.

Needless to say, I am not in any danger of losing my faith, or of becoming an atheist (I did laugh out loud at Bullet’s comment, since it is so true). Even in this crisis, I am beginning to see God’s hand at work in some very interesting ways (Rom 8:28).