Born Again Christians Thread-No Bashing please

[luvmyfam444]

but I sure could use some prayers/advice/thoughts from fellow Christians out there....

I'm preg with dd#3 due next month & this time around I've been extremely nervous about things...with the other 2 I NEVER thought about anything negative...but this time my mind keeps thinking about having a disabled child (next door neighbor has a severaly disabled child)...I'm not sure if this is because of the next door neighbor - but since we've moved 6 months ago I've seen more diabled children than ever before...so dh & I wonder if God is trying to prepare us for something & then we think we should have stopped with 2 kids & not tried for the 3rd......I just don't know how to break these thought patterns...

AND Then the latest concern has been dying during/right after delivery - which I thought didn't happen anymore & but there have ben 2 cases mentioned @ church (not church members but prayer requests for the family) where this happened - 1 died day after delievery - think it was a anurisom (sp?)of the heart & the other died from a pulmonary embulosim (sp?)...of course I think of this 'cause my heart has been racing this preg & been to the cardiologist & had EKG & Eckos done & all is well--my ob said that the pulmonary thing is the most common cause of death - yet still very rare & there's nothing that can prevent it...

BUT DO YOU SEE WHY I"M a bit concerned?!?!?!?

I;m just don't happy about this pregnancy this time 'cause of the worries...I'd understand if this was kid #1--NOT #3....I just don't get it....

 

[2cutekids]

luvmyfam444 ,

I'm so sorry that you are worrying like this! But, I completely relate. I don't think that God would put fears into you, but I'm sure that Satan is loving every moment of it. I will definitely remember you in my prayers.... For your safety AND for peace in your heart & mind. I am a chronic worrier, especially all through out my pregnancy. Then not long before my twins were born it hit me, WOW...if I have a child with a disability, then God must really think that I am special!!!! To trust ME with one of His precious, special souls!!! My children were born healthy in every way and I am grateful, but I believe that God has His own reasons for blessing us with the children He does.

I believe in the power of prayer and I'll be willing to guess that I'm not going to be the only one praying for you!!!

 

[pamlet]

hi everyone. Just wanted to check in and say hi.
Had an awesome experience at church last night. My dh got up to preach his sermon and God took it away! God had been laying it on his heart to give up the sermon that was prepared and give his testimony of how he came to Christ and how his life has been changed. Well, he was being stubborn and was going to go ahead with his sermon...until he couldn't remember what scripture he was going to use...and then couldn't even remember what he was going to preach! Soooo...he stopped and said he didn't know why, but he knew somebody there needed to hear it. Turns out that a young boy decided to come to youth group and church last night for the first time (his neighbors had been asking him prior and he just kept refusing). The boy spent quite a while talking with dh last night and shared a LOT of hurts that he has gone through already at the young age of 11.
We found out afterwards that the lady that brought him was praying and praying that God would give him a message last night, and He did!
It is awesome to KNOW, without a doubt, that God was right there with us last night

Isn't it SO exciting when you see the Holy Spirit at work SO tangibly! We'll keep this little fellow in our prayers!!

 

[gr8ful4Him]

but I sure could use some prayers/advice/thoughts from fellow Christians out there....

I'm preg with dd#3 due next month & this time around I've been extremely nervous about things...with the other 2 I NEVER thought about anything negative...but this time my mind keeps thinking about having a disabled child (next door neighbor has a severaly disabled child)...I'm not sure if this is because of the next door neighbor - but since we've moved 6 months ago I've seen more diabled children than ever before...so dh & I wonder if God is trying to prepare us for something & then we think we should have stopped with 2 kids & not tried for the 3rd......I just don't know how to break these thought patterns...

AND Then the latest concern has been dying during/right after delivery - which I thought didn't happen anymore & but there have ben 2 cases mentioned @ church (not church members but prayer requests for the family) where this happened - 1 died day after delievery - think it was a anurisom (sp?)of the heart & the other died from a pulmonary embulosim (sp?)...of course I think of this 'cause my heart has been racing this preg & been to the cardiologist & had EKG & Eckos done & all is well--my ob said that the pulmonary thing is the most common cause of death - yet still very rare & there's nothing that can prevent it...

BUT DO YOU SEE WHY I"M a bit concerned?!?!?!?

I;m just don't happy about this pregnancy this time 'cause of the worries...I'd understand if this was kid #1--NOT #3....I just don't get it....

Pregnancy can be such a difficult time...with hormones running rampant and what not! I was pregnant with my dd when 9/11 happened, and right away I began thinking negative things and having nightmares. Thankfully, those thoughts passed and we are blessed with a little terror...err...princess
I have begun reading "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyer, and what I've read so far has been very beneficial to me. We must not listen to the lies of satan...and we MUST always listen to the promises that God has given us. Pick out some of the promises that God has given us through scripture and meditate on them. Whenever satan starts whispering those negativities to you, battle them with the Word!
...and remember that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

 

[luvthatduke]

Prayers & hugs to you, luvmyfam444 .

 

[snowwite]

Checking in--but I probably don't qualify....what's the difference between a Christian who has accepted Jesus and a "Born Again Christian"?
IMHO there is no difference. Being born again simply means that you have accepted Jesus christ as your personal Lord and savior.

 

[snowwite]

Saw Casting Crowns Saturday and it was an excellent concert! Such powerful lyrics and some great praise and worship! This song really spoke to me - Hope someone enjoys it today

Where do thety perform? Is it just a local group or do they travel? We live near Boston.

 

[Albertan mom]

Hey y'all!
Nice to see this thread pop up again!

I was wondering if any of you are 'giving anything up' for Lent?

I know this is a practice most common in the Catholic church. Can any 'Catholics' out there explain to me exactly what it entails. I have done a few times, and my kids are doing it to this year, and I want to teach them the right way!

My mom, who grew up Catholic says you give something up, (say...chocolate) but that you can have some chocolate on Sundays--that that is the 'cheat' day. Does this sound accurate, or should you give it up the whole 40 days?

Does it go until Good Friday, or Easter Sunday?

Thanks for any opinions on this !! (not just for Catholics )

Have a great day!

 

[gr8ful4Him]

Hey y'all!
Nice to see this thread pop up again!

I was wondering if any of you are 'giving anything up' for Lent?

I've gone on a "spending freeze"...basically, no "extras" and no eating out! (2 exeptions: dh and dd birthdays). I'm finding out that it's not as hard as I thought it would be...and that I shop for things entirely too often! Nothing material is going to give me what God can!

I know this is a practice most common in the Catholic church. Can any 'Catholics' out there explain to me exactly what it entails. I have done a few times, and my kids are doing it to this year, and I want to teach them the right way!

My mom, who grew up Catholic says you give something up, (say...chocolate) but that you can have some chocolate on Sundays--that that is the 'cheat' day. Does this sound accurate, or should you give it up the whole 40 days?

I grew up Catholic. I was taught that you "give up something for God". I also wasn't "supposed to" eat meat on Fridays...but fish and chicken was ok When I was a kid, I never quite got why we were supposed to give something up ...and I don't think it ever helped me be closer to God, but I believe that is why it is done. I don't always give something up for lent now. Some years I feel led to, but if I don't feel that leading, I don't give anything up. I am learning something this year from the experience and I know it's bringing me closer to God. I never heard of the "cheat" day growing up, and I don't practice that now either. (otherwise, I'd be spending my Sunday at Walmart and a buffet! )

Does it go until Good Friday, or Easter Sunday?

What I've found (via the 'net) is that it is the 40 days starting with Ash Wednesday and going until Easter, not counting Sundays.

Thanks for any opinions on this !! (not just for Catholics )

Have a great day!

Thank you and you have a great day also!

 

[live4christp1]

Saw Casting Crowns Saturday and it was an excellent concert! Such powerful lyrics and some great praise and worship! This song really spoke to me - Hope someone enjoys it today

Where do thety perform? Is it just a local group or do they travel? We live near Boston.

Hey snowite! They are out of Atlanta I think but they are currently on tour. You can visit them on the web at www.castingcrowns.com and they have their tour schedule posted there. If they come near you should go see them. Great uplifting concert!

 

[Goofygirls4God]

So good to see this thread again! Has not been much action in a while!
I have been meaning to ask if any of you have been to Night of Joy and if so what is it like?

That would be the greatest thing...worship music,Disney, and my family!

About the 40 day fast and a day off thing-I think your heart and spirit will discern if it's okay with a day off on Sundays. When I fast, I really have to get really serious with the Lord for boundaries on what He is calling me to or not. Like a vegt fast-I really tried hard to legitimize corn chips!

Didn't work!

 

[toto2]

I grew up Catholic. I was taught that you "give up something for God". I also wasn't "supposed to" eat meat on Fridays...but fish and chicken was ok When I was a kid, I never quite got why we were supposed to give something up ...and I don't think it ever helped me be closer to God, but I believe that is why it is done. I don't always give something up for lent now. Some years I feel led to, but if I don't feel that leading, I don't give anything up. I am learning something this year from the experience and I know it's bringing me closer to God. I never heard of the "cheat" day growing up, and I don't practice that now either. (otherwise, I'd be spending my Sunday at Walmart and a buffet! )

Historicaly , lent was in the dead of winter as well , when food was scarce , so in order to "help" citizen , the catholic church instated this fasting period before spring , when food would start to grow again. Since this was turned into a religious "law" people would follow the "law" and eat only things that did not cost much , and keep well : root vegetable , long keeping fruits , bread that could be made easly and cheaply , small animal that you could keep in quanties ( chicken etc)

And it sybolises the 40 days that Jesus spend in the desert as well.

 

[Albertan mom]

Thanks for the info.

DD and I gave up our favorite thing--chocolate. (Especially hard at the rink watching hockey-I don't drink coffee and love hot chocolate!!)
DS and DH gave up pop, a tough one for them too.

It has been good, good for the kids to learn about sacrifice--even on such a small area like this.

 

[disneymom3]

If you count the days between Ash Weds and Easter, it is not 40 days, That is because the Sundays are not counted as days of Lent. That is where the taking Sundays off idea comes from--they are not technically Lenten days. As far was when Lent ends--Holy Thursday, Good Friday or Easter--it is going to depend on who you talk to. The Jesuit priest I used to work with said it ended Thursday night, the PhD in divinity I know says it doesn't end until Sunday morning.

And for interest and curiosity, one of the reasons for the no meat on Friday thing started because the day that pagans sacrificed animals in their temples was traditionally on Weds and Thursday. Then that meat went to the market so the meat you were buying on Friday was very possibly used in Pagan sacrifice and you wouldn't want to be eating that. It used to be that every Friday not just during Lent was no meat in the Catholic church. And chicken counts as meat as far as I ever knew growing up as a Catholic.

 

[gr8ful4Him]

And for interest and curiosity, one of the reasons for the no meat on Friday thing started because the day that pagans sacrificed animals in their temples was traditionally on Weds and Thursday. Then that meat went to the market so the meat you were buying on Friday was very possibly used in Pagan sacrifice and you wouldn't want to be eating that. It used to be that every Friday not just during Lent was no meat in the Catholic church. And chicken counts as meat as far as I ever knew growing up as a Catholic.

This is very interesting. I did know about the Fridays all through the year part, but I only heard about that as "history". And the chicken thing...well, it took on different meaning at some point when I was a teenager...it became "poultry" and therefore was allowed.

 

[Albertan mom]

Disneymom3, very interesting.
I always thought the no meat on Friday thing came from the fact that Jesus was killed on a friday. I thought it had something to do with the fact that his body was beaten and His 'meat' was exposed, and had to do with the blood etc....

Thanks for the info!!

Happy Lent/Easter season!

 

[Grandma Bear]

What an interesting discussion! I've learned a few things.

 

[luvthatduke]

Me, too!

 

[Grandma Bear]

It is wonderful to share God's word anf to grow in wisdom, for his words arelife to us.

 

[luvthatduke]

How is everyone doing?
I haven't posted here much for the past month or so,
as I've had some very serious stuff going on
& frankly I just don't have the mental energy to post about it.
I've been keeping to short posts generally, here & there.

I've been wondering how the new jobs were going for
those who had started a while back?
Hope it's all going well .

Here is a cute game to try: http://www.brookviewcottage.com/miles/cards/noah/noah.html

Blessings!