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Spiritual Sounding Board – This is our place to gather and share in an open format. Feel free to join in the discussion.
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This is your place to share your church struggles and concerns.
Let’s also use it as a time to encourage one another spiritually.
What have you found spiritually encouraging lately?
Do you have any special Bible verses to share, any YouTube songs that you have found uplifting?
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Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.
Psalm 61:1-3
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Spiritual Sounding Board 
B.I.B.L.E.
B.asic I.nstructions B.efore L.oving E.veryone
F.A.I.T.H.
F.orsaking A.ll I. T.rust H.im
T.R.U.S.T.
T.rue R.est U.nder S.alvations T.ests
L.O.V.E.
The L.anguage O.f V.ictorious E.ternity – Is LOVE
H.O.P.E.
The H.allmark O.f P.ersuing E.ternity – Is HOPE.
M.E.R.C.I.E.S.
M.y E.rror R.eveals C.hrists I.ntentions E.ternal S.alvation
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The ^ photograph is spectacular, beauty in nature has a calming effect on me. My kids tell me I post too many sunset photo’s on Facebook. Great video too.
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Gail,
I just added the photo credit. Raymond Ernst sent it to me. He told me he was out fishing on the bayou and a storm was brewing. He snapped many gorgeous pictures in a brief span of time as the storm moved and the sun was setting.
BTW, anyone can send me pics to use for SSB Gathering. I love them. Doesn’t have to be sunsets, but something that would be appropriate for the Sunday gathering. If you do send me a photo to use, let me know how you’d like me to credit it. Thanks!
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A. Amos Love,
That list is awesome!
________________________________
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I teared up when he said he boasts in weakness, that grabbed my heart this morning as I struggle with depression.
There is so much hope alone in this verse: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” JESUS.
What? His Power is made perfect in weakness…
To think, for years, I thought his power would be made perfect through my disciplines of memorizing scripture and all the other hoops that I tried so hard to jump through.
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Gail,
Depression is such a challenge. You are loved here. And yes, His power is made perfect in weakness. There is nothing you must do. He loved you first before you did anything. I love the verse that He rejoices over us with singing. That’s such a beautiful picture.
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I second that list!
I wish you all a peaceful and restful Sunday. I’ll be at work (a store that sells teacher supplies) where teachers will be dealing with mentally and physically preparing for the first day of school.
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Julie Anne,
I love that verse also, thanks for reminding me of it. I wrote this after a phone call this week, where I was given a cool drink of water. Body of Christ indeed.
when kindness wraps itself around my soul
due to another…
i swear i feel the kiss of god
upon my brow.
words of compassion & understanding
have a way of unfolding inside of me
like a bloom.
love slashes against the darkness
inside, slitting the fabric of sorrow
just enough for some light to be filtered in.
words of life rush through my veins as
tears fill a small space in the sinkhole of depression.
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Amos,
Great list of acronyms. I am going to add it to my list of things I want to remember.
JA, Beautiful picture. Wall size would be nice. Also like the YouTube. Religions is missing the point, Jesus is Everything.
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I believe we all just witnessed God’s strength being displayed through Gails’s powerful words. Gail, that really touched me deeply. Thank you, sister. You are not alone.
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Gail
Thank you for that poem – It was beautiful…
Out of weakness, pain, ashes, comes something beautiful.
Isa 61:3
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,
to give unto them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
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J.A. & A.A Love. I love you guys. I realize I am wearing my heart on my sleeve this morning. So thankful for your compassion.
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Gail
” I realize I am wearing my heart on my sleeve this morning.”
Hmmm? Sleeve Art?
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LOL, Amos. That was good.
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F.E.A.R.
F.alse E.vidence A.ppearing R.eal – Is FEAR
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Fear – is a Dark Room – Where Negatives are developed… 😉
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Speaking of fear, Throckmorton just wrote that Driscoll announced to the church by VIDEO that he was stepping down at least 6 weeks. Not very “manly” to avoid showing up in person to talk to the members. Is he in treatment? Pray for his children. They must be confused and afraid. Pray for family, relatives (that see through Driscoll’s bs) to come along side the children to love on them and protect them from the fall out.
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I’ve been comforted these last few Sundays by attending church with friends. I was taught growing up to ask my friends to come to church with me, but now I ask to go with them! No matter what denomination or persuasion. They’re always pleased and there is generally lunch afterward 🙂 and a good discussion; everyone seems to want to see their church through the eyes of an outsider. Just a suggestion for those who, like me, may not feel safe in a ‘home’ church for some time.
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May I ask for prayer? Tomorrow my four oldest start their first year in public school. They were homeschooled up until this point. I am struggling with many emotions related to this.
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No More Perfect,
Oh boy! I join you in those ranks. Tuesday begins the first time I sign my name, Julie Anne, former homeschool mom of 23 years. I had 2 kids in public high school last year. This year I will have one in elementary, one in middle school, and the same two in high school. It is a bit scary for me to put the little guys in school.
I keep hearing the tapes of the old homeschool movement gurus. But now I need to remind myself that those messages we heard were from people who had an agenda to promote Reconstructionism and their agendas. They despise our government, social services.
I’ve been volunteering at local high schools for the past 6 years and also interact with a lot of teachers due to a local nonprofit board I’m on. The teachers I’ve met have been wonderful. Try to turn off those tapes and give them a chance. I’d also encourage you to try to get to know the staff and your children’s teachers. Relationships are important. Keep us posted on how you are doing, ok? Feel free to vent any time. I get it. I’ve shed some tears. Praying for you!
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No More Perfect, I would be happy to pray for you. Change is hard and being comfortable with the decisions we make for our children are some of the hardest.
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Friends, I’m so sad right now: I’m having trouble believing that the church will ever help abused people. Maybe abused people just need to get out.
I was triggered today: a friend (I call her “Betty”) brought her abusive husband to church. Other people in my small group were thrilled for them. I was terrified. I thought, “Great, the one place she’s been safe has now been infiltrated by this guy.” I tried talking to our small group leader, (I call her “Amy”) and I realized that AMY had been given the same line that she’d given our abused friend: “You can’t change him, you can only focus on Christ and obey God as best as you can. God set your husband up as the ‘point’ person in charge, and God will hold him accountable for his actions.” Translation? Submit, because that’s obeying God.And of course, that’s all you can do. I’m heartbroken.
Our leader is one of my best friends. I sat there and almost cried, because Amy deserved more than this. Amy’s HUSBAND deserved more than this—he should have had consequences to his actions, and instead, he got “support” and got on Zoloft, and yes, over time he did get better—but Amy still feels trapped. Amy still feels like she doesn’t have any other options. Amy actually said to me, “The church truly doesn’t want to deal with the dirty parts of people’s lives.” Well, they should. They f***ing should. ( Yes, I just said “f***ing” on SSB—JA, please forgive me and erase it if you like.) Then Amy was like, “You’re so focused on justice! I thought I’d done all I can do, but you keep doing more! How do you do that with all your kids?” 😦 Suddenly, it was about me. That breaks my heart even more–someone who actually *wants* to get her hands dirty is suddenly weird. 😦
The only thing I feel like I can do is help one person at a time, yet in the face of all the misinformation and spiritual abuse and lines about women submitting, I feel so helpless. I need to just focus on Betty, get her the help she needs, then do what I can to give women a sound theology. ❤ I guess, anyway.
Admin note: JA masked a few letters from a couple of words so as not to offend, but left the first letter so we all know the level of disgust TJY has. No worries, TJY, your anger is justified.
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No more perfect!!
I’m praying for you dear! I’m blocked from Twitter right now (thanks to my firefox extension) but do you still have my e-mail in your direct messages? Write me if you want a shoulder.
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Gosh, as I type it out, maybe Amy was really complimenting me—I felt like it was a backhanded compliment, though: “Shouldn’t you be focusing on your kids instead of dealing w/ someone else’s dirty laundry?” 😦 That’s the bad part about dealing w/ all this stuff—incongruence feels normal, and it’s so easy to second-guess everyone’s motivations. 😦
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taylorjoyyoung,
It is sad. I made a stand with my church and separated anyways. Do you have a copy of Leslie Vernick’s book “The Emotionaly Abusive Marriage” and Barbara Roberts, “Not Under Bondage: Biblical Divorce for Abuse, Adultery and Desertion”? I put out the word on these truths to anyone and everyone who will listen. Even if they are not in abusive relationships, there is nothing wrong with some education so they won’t shame people who are into staying and not only destroying their lives, but their children.
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taylorjoyyoung,
dirty laundry?”
I find the use of the “dirty laundry” scenario offensive. It is not the target/victim’s dirty laundry. Abuse is not something they asked for, it is not something they chose, it is not gossip and it is not a family problem that everyone else should stay out of. They should not be shamed for asking for help or for someone to listen to them. It is not something that should be swept under the rug. Jesus treated women and children well. Should we expect any less of a husband/father?
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taylorjoyyoung, “maybe Amy was really complimenting me—I felt like it was a backhanded compliment, though: “Shouldn’t you be focusing on your kids instead of dealing w/ someone else’s dirty laundry?”
I cannot wrap my head around the thought that Amy was giving you a back handed compliment. I wasn’t there so without hearing her tone & seeing perhaps tenderness in her face, I will dare to say, WTH? To me it sounds like she shut you down, gave you a quick fix & trite response. I love your heart for Betty, she is blessed to have your Christ like presence in her life and as you know you can focus on your kids and be there for Betty. You sound like a force for good, don’t let the pharisees keep you down, they are everywhere. ugh.
P.S. I have used the same colorful language in different situations ( :
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I’m not doing very well today. I have a severely abcessed tooth, fever, swelling and excruciating pain. I went to the local Urgent Care this evening, after I woke up from 17 hours in bed. The infection is bad. They gave me a pain shot in my backside and scripts for clindomicin and hydrocodone. But the pharmacies here are closed until tomorrow.
But on the good news……my daughter graduated yeaterday from nursing school with a BSN. She graduated cum laude, 3.7 gpa and made the Dean’s List 5 times. Woooohoooo! That’s my baby girl! And my son flew in from Washington DC to watch his sister graduate. My mom, who just finished all her radiation treatments, also attended. 🙂
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On top of working, I have been taking care of a friend this past year. Taking her to church, lunch out, errands, grocery shopping, dr appointments, etc… She has dementia, was no longer allowed to drive, has trouble walking, has fallen several times, even with Life Alert she would trap herself in her garage for hours at a time and wouldn’t be able to figure out how to use the button. All of that said, to ask for prayer for her. Her daughter took her last week to live with her. That was no easy task as Betty said she would only leave her home in a body bag. She can be a very stubborn woman.
It has been sad for me today. We had a speaker this morning who has been to Israel several times and spoke about what he saw while visiting there. One of her favorite things to talk about is Israel. I have spent so much time with her that I am not sure how I will fill up my free time. I will need the Lord to guide me in whatever he has in store next for me.
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