A lonely place this side of Eden

[Dora]

Josi you are called to reach. This could be prayer. It could be as an example. Be patient as the children and leaders grow in understanding and love.

Refresh in him today. Keep your focus on him and his power in all this.
Be thankful for you can watch as God moves and changes the church.

[mlg]

Oh josinella I'm so sorry this has happened. First I want to tell you the reason you felt so spent last night is because you had lost all your virtue to this situation...so time to feel it up...refresh in the Spirit.

As far as where God wants you to go at this church and in His ministry there...truly seek Him and His way and don't let emotions effect your decision. Otherwise you will find yourself moving from church to church everytime something rough happens...so if God wants you to move to a new ministry area...He will open the door and you will find peace in the decision to move...not confusion.

Praying for you today sis.

luv ya lots

[deetu]

And you have to remember that the enemy will attack to try to get you to not move forward in a situations that needs changing.

I go to two churches. The one is made up of mostly young adult, older teenagers. (and meets in a barn) The Pastor used to be the youth minister for a denominational church before he got touched by the Holy Spirit and God moved him onto his own
(Kicked him out of the nest )
Well, he reaches these kids through music. They are the ones who do the worship and it is amazing! I dance and sing along (the kids love that) and you can feel God's presence. The kids take pride in what they are doing.
They are not talked AT but share. This opens the door for other outreaches and opportunities. Food banks, plays and such.
Getting them involved in what they would like to do. (the movie Sister Act 2 just came to mind)
They also have a program where once a month they have secular bands come in on a Saturday night and uses it as an opportunity to reach unsaved kids. And the youth are the ones who talk to these unsaved kids.

So what I am suggesting is that if you offer them something they are interested in, it is easier to reach them.

In my last church, God had me stay because He was trying to teach me something. It was extremely difficult but He also had me volunteer at the hospital which kept me balanced and also taught me more about myself and others.

I still see women about you... women with a stigma of divorce or unwed mothers who were not welcome in a church and have hurt feelings for God. Lost women that you would know how to reach. Women who would welcome God in a home environment.

[josinella]

I am really taking in everything each of you have said. I am very aware of the enemy, God has taken control over my life and the old ways don't work. So I am guarded about new situations as angles for Satan's influence to creep in. I am making sure I have time for devotion (at the expense of all else), keeping my eye on His purpose and getting plenty of sleep; these are my weak points. All said, as I have mellowed out, there seems to be a desire from God. I am still working out why the emotions.

Our church is in growth, a new minister has just taken over. When he first interviewed, a strength of his application was that he had worked with youth which was one reason the deacons brought him in. He has told the congregation that he doesn't want to work with youth (because we have a pretty solid program). I don't see it that way. We lose the teens and we don't have a good teen program. Our youth program stops at 13 and there are a few teens that come in and help with them, enough to start a class but the directorship doesn't want them there in the church (due to an incident that happened years ago). We have lost leaders and youth because there are people that feel that the church should be open to all who come and others that, I feel, don't want them there because they don't know how to deal with them.

I work with the 10+ group and they cut up. A mixture of races and unchurched kids. We started something that was working but it seems as if the majority of the leadership want to use what worked for them as kids, which is not the way with kids now. I agree Deetu and I have tried to get these people to understand that the best way to deal with them is through active participation: the kids feel it, do it and believe it! This is how we can help them come to know Christ by actively seeking Him in a structured, positive environment. But they choose to focus on the negative. I am so grievously anguished at how they don't get that it works. We tried it for 3 weeks, there were no problems. As soon as they went back to straight evangelism, the distractions and negative behaviors resumed.

I am Black, and my family is the only Black family attending this church. The kids we have trouble with are Black from the surrounding neighborhood. With the exception of two, all of them are academically gifted, so learning is not a problem. I am the only one that has bothered to do home visits and I know that 4 out of 6 have issues at home where extra love and affection would benefit them. I keep hearing that "this is not what we are setup for" constantly. In my heart, I see Christ loving all without exception and wonder how He must feel hearing this. One of the missions of the church is to be representative of God's people, all races.

I feel His presence, urging me to speak for Him and I don't know what to say. I feel that this could be a turning point and I don't want to mess it up. I know that God's presence will fill me and I will say, through Him, what needs to be said. I just don't understand my emotions, why I feel so heavy with this. It is not about me, I'm not needing or wanting anything, it just hit and I feel it is from God, not Satan. It is like He is saddened by this. I have been told by people in the past that I am a "bleeding heart", but this isn't coming from me. This is confusing, I know when Satan is messing with me, and it ain't Him this time. I think he's too busy screwin' with the kids. It's like God wants our leadership to move, but they aren't and it is hurtful to Him. I know we are supposed to pray for God's guidance but when He blesses us with talent aren't we supposed to use it when the occasion arises?

It is like they are using answered prayer as an excuse, and God knows this. I feel confusion because they are saying they are waiting for God's answer, and I hear Him saying, "I've answered" which frustrates me because I feel if I say what God wants me to say it will come across like I'm being judgemental. This has happened in the past when the previous pastor told one of the leaders that it's not about who's right. But then he stepped down from ministry because he felt ill equipped to take the church to the next level. I know, I am slow to move when God calls, but I do move and I am getting better at it. I know what you all are going to say, "Trust in the Lord" and "He will make it right". My tears, I guess, are my frustration and His anger. I am going to give my emotions to Him about this (although I sense He is using my emotions to motivate me) and pray for guidance and strength. Thanks all for helping me with this one. We are supposed to have a meeting about my concerns this weekend.

[mlg]

josinella, my sister...

A youth program is built out of love for troubled children. I am a mother of a biracial child and live in a town that is majority white. At first people in my church were only receptive of me and my child because my parents went to that church...but as time as grown these people have grown to love and care for both of us. Sometimes it takes time and also lots of love to help changes minds of those who are so set on their ideas because of something that happened in the past. But as we know Jesus forgives the past and forgets it. I pray these people in this church can move past the past and open their hearts again to loving the children.

Now I must share...we have a little boy that's started coming to our church a few weeks ago...and he is always acting out. But...I have been working with him patiently when he acts up...and he has now began to listen when I tell him to stop...now it may not last long...but I can see progress being made...and this little boy has started coming to sit by me and talk with me a lot...because he sees that I care.

Don't give up josinella...God changes people...my prayers are with you and this church.

luv ya lots

[comfy]

Hi, Josinella . . . I am white and have integrated a number of Afro services and active church memberships. In one store front, I got the older boys, and stayed on them and taught them the word. Then, I moved on and I got in the wrong thing with a lady who had been doing and selling herself and had AIDS. After leaving her, I walked south to Connecticutt, and an island church received me and I was getting tough with the kids so the pastor's wife thought I could handle them; but once the pastor's wife was not around, and they broke plenty loose; then I understood I had been overbearing and needed to get away and get real with God > "nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3) So, that's my story

I'd say part of what works is to settle more with the Lord Jesus our Groom, in His "rest for your souls." (in Matthew 11:29) And be gentle with the people > it looks like they are communicating with you, and you can be an example for them.

And I have been in a country white congregational church where the people had been a social club. Then one man got saved, and he had the Sunday School while a number of pastors moved through. The church had more and more other saved people. And I was with them while they developed through a number of pastors > my take is that as they became a more and more sound church, they became able to get more and more sound and stable pastors. As I myself became more and more humble and honest about my own needs for correction, I also was able to detect more and more people there who I found to be surprisingly real Christians.

Now, by the way . . . this man kept on with adult Sunday School, right through when one pastor allowed a woman to take over and she was keeping ones out of the man's Sunday School > still, he stayed there. Then the pastor and she were removed, and he was still faithful to his adult Sunday School > he made it through me, too always welcoming all I might give for comments, even one in between every sentence he might say

So . . . I'd say be concentrating on how God grows and develops you, more than how you might try to get through to those people. When I be quiet with the LORD, I get little things to inspire and correct and fix me for how to be better in dealing with people and problems. And I'm finding as I get into this, more, there are others to support me, who are ready for me. I would say it might be good to find out whoever in your church is a sound Christian and spend time together. These ones may have experience with how to deal with anyone who is set in their ways, insecure, uncreative in dealing with people unlike themselves. In God's love, we can have caring and creativity and understanding for how to deal with anybody.

So . . . here you are expecting them to be able to deal with the kids > well, sister, may be these older ones are
*big* kids for *you* to deal with God bless you > I'm feeling that you are a beautiful lady who can be good for them. How do you find that 1 Peter 3:1-4 might feed you for this?

[josinella]

I enjoyed reading your testimonies and thank you both!

I feel like I am in the thick of things (folks that aren't willing to move). There are "foot soldiers" for Christ who have made their presence known and are very encouraging. I just haven't involved them in this. They usually come to me after I have made a testimony or if they discern that I need their help. It is hard for me to ask for help from others, I guess I need to to this. Our church has a wonderful ministry, the people stick very close to the teachings in the bible. They have enjoyed a comfort zone; things are beginning to happen and God is calling.

We have been going to this church for over a year now, and I feel that we have been a witness for the congregation. Both my children are deep in their faith, I have encouraged them to develop their own relationship with the Father and not to be afraid to speak out for Him. My grandkids both go there (5 & 3) and both pray and sing for Christ. They know that we are the real deal. I have always had a deep discernment of Divine things that, at times, is scary for me. I feel that He takes me way out there but He is right there with me and puts spiritually connected people there with me.

I "see" what needs to be done, I have "known" it for months, now I am living it. 1 Peter 3:1-4 very much describes me: very quiet, deep thinker, very discerning. My life says it all, especially through my children. I think this is why God brought us to this church, to be ensamples for Him. People say that I have a gift in speaking & writing. But it is not me who speaks, it is Christ who is in me. That's why I am having so much trouble understanding the tears, what is it that I am missing in Him? Or what is it that He is wanting of me? I have never felt like this, never cried so easily like this.

One thing that I do feel is that I tend to isolate myself. I try to reach out to people but when they don't respond, I go in. Over the last few months off & on, God has placed on my heart the need to let go with others, it is okay to trust others with my feelings, He tells me. I don't feel I can do this and maybe the tears are build up. I've never been much of a crier until I got closer to God. I also hear Him saying that people tend to think I have it together because of my growing strength in Him. Maybe He is trying to use me to get them to see the other side and how He works in me?

[mlg]

josinella, you sounds so similiar to me...I think I cry now out of compassion for others more than anything...to see them hurting..wanting to help them...not knowing how...so crying and going to God seeking His will.

I want to suggest that you spend some heavy time in prayer sis, seeking God's will for you in this church and what steps He wants you to take next. Now be patient because God's answers sometimes don't come immediately...but if you wait upon Him, and talk to Him and listen for that still small voice the answers will come.

Praying for you sis...may God's understanding bring you peace.

luv ya

[josinella]

I will pray. I will ask for direction in this and the words, His words to express His desire.
Thanks

[comfy]

prayer for you, sister, and for your companions, thanking You for blessing her with real people of Jesus, and however You would please to bless her with wisdom and creativity and cheerfully obeying You, LORD our Heavenly Father . . .

"And this I pray, that your love may abound
still more and more in knowledge and all discernment."
(Philippians 1:9)

[mlg]

luv ya lots sis...still praying for ya.

[deetu]

You know, people say to go out into the streets, reach the homeless and lost but most people don't realize that people in the churches are lost too.

Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men...."

God has been sending in Warriors to help break open the boxes that the church has put Him in. People He can trust to do His will and not think it is themselves or an evil influence.

When you have that meeting this weekend, make sure you ask the Holy Spirit to be there with you, guiding your words, thoughts and deeds. He won't let you down and actually you may not even remember what you say because He will be talking.

I am saying this because a simular thing happened to me in my old church. Someone was talking bad about me and the Pastor believed her. He and his wife sat me down to reprimand me and afterward I asked if I could ask a question. The question was simply "Where does fear and doubt fit into this church?" They didn't see that this woman's whole life was centered around fear and doubt. The Holy Spirit talked to them and they left with a different mindset. Unfortnately it didn't stick but the Holy Spirit didn't let me down.

You are doing great josinella!
BIG ((HUG)) for you