mikado5001

i am in awe at GOD's blessing!!! He granted me a job..HALLEUJAH!!!

HE got me hours of 730am to 400pm.

and most of all, monday to friday days. i have a normal work week for the first time in almost 3 years, if not longer.

JESUS, i know i complain and cry out. so i am, you might say, giving you equal time.

HALLELUJAH!!!

I do not know if this will work, but my suggestion is this....

Point to him good parents who are very loving to their kids, who emotionally provide for their kids etc.

Then tell Him that God meant such a rosy childhood for him too,but his parents did not obey the Lord. It is His parent's fault and not God's or his fault.

When He accepts this, tell him that God wants a good and happy future for him. His only chance to have it is to believe and pray to God.

Hope it helps.

thanks gerdahannah. he's 38 so i don't know about the loving parents part. in fact we both feel a certain amount of gladness when seeing good families like that.

Well, that verse was meant to mean that if you raise your children in the light they will detest darkness, you can't be raised in love and turn away from it can you?... but if you are raised with abuse, when you do find the light you would cling to it. He has nothing to fear from this verse. God is simply saying that if you raise your children in Christ they will never be able to fully depart from it. Being a preachers kid, I understand this verse perfectly...you cannot leave the love of God once you are raised in it...you can rebel for a while yes, but you come back.

In your friends circumstances, this does not apply. He simply has to believe and change his life to live for Christ. Christ will bring love and healing to him. Darkness cannot live where light is, darkness hides from light.

thank you so much bfp. i'll communicate that to him. :-)

brothers, sisters, and friends.....

there is someone in my life.

he is a massive self hater and food addict.

for most of his life he was bullied at school. he lost his father at the age of 6. his mother married a man who would not know love if it bit him in the behind.

he physically and emotionally abused him for 16 years from the day they shared a house to the day he moved out. told that he is worthless and should drop dead. on one occasion his step father even handed him a knife when he told his parents that he wanted to commit suicide.

his step brother sexually mollested him for money. money that he used to numb the pain he felt.

he asked how can he trust and love GOD, who he cannot see, after all those who were supposed to care love and protect him did not? his mother 'checked out' well before she died.

for him GOD is basically his step father. yes, GOD puts a roof over his head, food on the table, and provides a job to pay the bills... but there is no real fatherly love as he understands it to be. a hug, a hand, a safe place to cry if needed.

and he is concerned about a verse in proverbs that he believes has doomed him to be as his 'family' was...

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

he says that he feels like this is a curse.

i am at a loss and have not had much help from others

so, any help or advice is welcome..

A good one that was.

This one is really hilarious:

12. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

However I believe "non-profit" would've worked just fine lol

Actually, there are some athiest organizations that do make a profit. So, for it to be the funny that it is meant to be, it need to be spelled non-prophet. But, that is neither here nor there. Here are some punderfull jokes....

1. Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.

2. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, "I'll serve you, but don't start anything."

3. Two peanuts walk into a bar, and one was a salted.

4. A dyslexic man walks into a bra.

5. A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm and says: "A beer please, and one for the road."

6. Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: "Does this taste funny to you?"

7. "Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home.'" "That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome." "Is it common?" Well, "It's Not Unusual."

8. Two cows are standing next to each other in a field. Daisy says to Dolly, "I was artificially inseminated this morning." "I don't believe you," says Dolly. "It's true, no bull!" exclaims Daisy.

9. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.

10. deleted by me, kinda risque. It was funny though

11. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn't find any.

12. A man woke up in a hospital after a serious accident. He shouted, "Doctor, doctor, I can't feel my legs!" The doctor replied, "I know you can't - I've cut off your arms!"

13. I went to a seafood disco last week...and pulled a mussel.

14. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.

15. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says "Dam!"

16. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

17. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why," they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."

18. A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Ahmal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later,Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."

19. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him. (Oh, man, this is so bad, it's good. . .) A super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

20. And finally, there was the person who sent twenty different puns to his friends, with the hope that at least ten of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

For New Years I went to Beth Israel Worship Center in New Jersey. I had a great awesome blessed time there. The word, mostly prophecy was uplifting and encouraging too. The food was great(though i struggle with eating, false intimacy there), the praise and worship was awesome too. The evening started and ended with a devine appointment. At the bus terminal I met a guy going to the service. We chatted, and he saw the bus stop to get off at. Or I would have missed it. GOD provided a way home for me to the city. And when I got to the train HALLELUJAH, I ran into a brother and his fiance. We talked, and then the brother preached on the train. That was so awesome. He was mocked by one rider, and another leapt to the brothers defense of scripture and JESUS CHRIST! On the whole it was a great night. I would be blessed if the other 363 are as awesome!

Rudy190, I really would like to have seen that, but for some reason, my system will not load... It just rolls and rolls and rolls... I can't watch anything on YouTube or any type of video... It sounds like it is something that I would really appreciate.... I've longed for a husband and family since I was a little girl... I can remember playing "house" with my dolls and all. I was fortunate to have a large room that was built for me, that was my playhouse... It was "MY HOUSE" and my parents have told me many times how I would talk about "My Husband." I try not to get ahead of GOD, but I am tired of waiting... I have met someone who I love with all my heart, and he allows me so close, and then he backs off.... GOD is IN this relationship, so I'm just waiting to see where it goes....

I'm single too. Who knows, maybe we'll meet...

I so understand being lonely. It stinks, it really does. Not only have I not found the one to marry. I don't even have more then one or two human(non board friends. I like the board friends. But it is so hard to give real hugs to those you don't see). I am more alone then anyone I know. So I see what some here have said. I struggle with Satan and what he says to me. I try to rebuke him but he keeps on and on. I need to pick up the phone more often. That is a hard area for me to do. I am in a relationship of false intimacy with food right now. And I need to get a divorce on that one, so to speak.

TRAIN your heart to be happy. You will be about as happy as you DECIDE TO BE!

Okay, that works when you're in a bad mood or are having some "down" feelings, but Clinical/Major Depression is an ILLNESS, like diabetes. It's not the kind of thing where you can think happy thoughts and it will just go away. Yes, self-discipline with regards to your thought patterns is a part of managing it, but you can't oversimplify it like that either.

Thanks all, especially Iryssa and Oak for these last few posts. I will look into Focus ASAP. And other areas for depression. I have thought of so many things to do on this. From joining a new congregation and leaving another to other less savory areas. I confess suicide, while not the answer, and not being attempted by me EVER again. Along with dreams of dying. I despise being alone. Sometimes, and most times, I crave for someone to come and get me out for a time. I am so weak in fellowship, it's weird. Anyway, it's 6:30 am as I type this, and have not slept at all. So I think I ought to try. I was out with people last night. Ironic that I should mention being alone, after hanging out with folks. All Christians, and for the most part uplifting, ones at that.

I HAVE CALLED UNTO HIM TO BREAK THE MOLD!!! AND HE IS DOING NOTHING THAT I CAN PERCEIVE!!!!

Why are you yelling?

Sorry, caps lock was on. Forgot to turn it off.

i have called unto Him to break the mold!!! And He is doing nothing that I can perceive!!!!

Shh....is that better for you?

jeremiah 18:1-6

do you want an answer?

My life, my parents, and people in my life molded me as I am now. Is that what you're saying? And GOD will break that mold and remake me? That I hope is the case.

He won't break that mold unless you let Him.

this is true. but if you let Him, He can and will!

been there, mik. i know.

I HAVE CALLED UNTO HIM TO BREAK THE MOLD!!! AND HE IS DOING NOTHING THAT I CAN PERCEIVE!!!!

jeremiah 18:1-6

do you want an answer?

My life, my parents, and people in my life molded me as I am now. Is that what you're saying? And GOD will break that mold and remake me? That I hope is the case.

mikado, brother as soon as I was finished reading your post the Holy Sprit lead me to scripture

Psalm 91:14 "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name."

15 "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him,I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honor him."

16 "With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."

Brother think not that the arm of the Lord is shortened, He will reach down into the secret places and darkest reaches of your life and deliver you, and restore all that the locust has eaten!

I will keep you lifted up in prayer.

Have a very merry christmas

Luv your sister in Christ

Stacey c

Merry Christmas to you too, Stacey! Nice scripture, thank you and GOD for it. I do not think that the arm of GOD is shortened at all. I need to be delivered from where my being 'trained up' has put me. When will GOD, if HE ever will, begin?

Mikado, you have already been delivered!

God promises us in His Word "You are a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away, behold ALL things become new."

You start standing on that promise

In Revelation it tells us " They overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony."

You are more than a conquerer, start claiming your victory in the name of Jesus.

I pray that being a 'new creation' is so for me, and that the old has indeed passed away. Or unlearn what I was 'trained up' to be. If this is so, and I am new in CHRIST, then there is hope.

TO CHARITOW! My excellent sister in CHRIST. This was not brought on by the Christmas Holiday, but by the Worthy Brief I read today. I have been, as I am now, for some time. Today is not different then any other day, really.

mikado, brother as soon as I was finished reading your post the Holy Sprit lead me to scripture

Psalm 91:14 "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name."

15 "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him,I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honor him."

16 "With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."

Brother think not that the arm of the Lord is shortened, He will reach down into the secret places and darkest reaches of your life and deliver you, and restore all that the locust has eaten!

I will keep you lifted up in prayer.

Have a very merry christmas

Luv your sister in Christ

Stacey c

Merry Christmas to you too, Stacey! Nice scripture, thank you and GOD for it. I do not think that the arm of GOD is shortened at all. I need to be delivered from where my being 'trained up' has put me. When will GOD, if HE ever will, begin?

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

I read this passage today in the Worthy Brief(if you are not signed up for it, I suggest you do so.)

This reminded me of my childhood and upbringing.....

I came from a home that was angry, depressed, miserable, and I attempted suicide on some occasions. As you can obviously see, I am not what one would call a 'joy in everything Christian.'

Some of you, whom I have spoken to in Chat know that I struggle with suicidal thoughts and depression. Despite my occasional times of joy.

So, knowing that I do not want to be as I am, and would rather just die, and be with CHIRST in Heaven. God, according to HIS own word cannot be a liar, and HIS word cannot be returned void.

Here is what I am looking for....

In light of the above cited scripture, GOD's own word , am I doomed to be a miserable depressed 'person'? Or is there BIBLICAL hope for me to become a happier, more joyous person in this life. Someone who has a job, earns a decent wage, has fellowship with people who I can lift up(really lift up) and be lifted up by, gets married, and raises a family, and all that stuff. Because, as much as I desire a wife, and a family. To have one now, as I am, would be an act of utter cruelty to my mind.

Again, God's own word in Proverbs 22:6 would posit that I am to live my life a miserable depressed 'person'. After all, that was how I was trained up by Mom, Stepfather, Step and half brother(s), and most relatives.

Ironically, on this Christmas, I was searching, and praying for hope for my future, as is said in Jeremiah 29:11 'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' and other "hope" passages. Instead I find Proverbs 22:6, which, again would seem to say that I am doomed since I was trained up that way.

To be 100% honest, I would sooner jump off a bridge than be as I am now in the years to come.

So please, any scriptural, or human support to know there is hope is welcome. As W. C. Fields once said, when he asked for a bible, "I'm lookin' for a loophole..." That is kinda what I am looking for. It is not for me, a mere human mortal, to prove GOD wrong, nor is that what I am trying to do. I am looking for hope where, in light of Proverbs 22:6, and the Bible is not supposed to have any contradictions. That's about it.

Oh, if only I could type the scripts of Charlie Brown Christmas, The Alistair Sim version of Scrooge, Trans Siberian Orchestras Christmas Albums, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation(film and theme song) and some other joyous stuff. But I will print here.....

Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Tis good to read this wonderfull tale once again at this time that we honor the birth of our LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!!!

The dates are June 18-20, 2009

I'm so excited! It will so nice since I'll be by myself for the first time on my birthday. It's a few days before but hopefully getting to know everyone will help

Should I be there for this gathering. Expect a HUGE birthday hug!!!

This won't happen. Even if it were to happen, it wouldn't end abortion; it would only make abortion illegal and dangerous.

It saddens me to see so many people convinced that abortion can be eradicated by laws or executive orders; we need to spend less time fighting for meaningless political change and more time actually trying to make a difference in the lives of women who are considering abortions.

AMEN TO THAT!!! It is dangerous, regardless of the issue of legality. However, I believe, more lives will be lost if abortion, and it is murder, becomes a criminal offense. I can only pray that one day we will reach a point where we can reach out, without scaring already scared women even more. And show that there is care, medical, psychological, financial, and spiritual out there. Care given without judgement or hostility. Of course, I am but an idealist. But, abortion, like breast cancer, should become a thing of the past. Not because a politician in some seat of power deems it to be, but because we lift up our voices as one and say "We care!".

Quite a marvelous story. One day, along with other items, I would turn it into a short movie.

David, don't worry, He will catch you!

Deut. 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

Yesterday, as I was getting my daughter Elianna (5 years old) ready for school, our increasingly spunky son Obi decided to climb the ladder on the bunk bed in their room. When he climbed the ladder in the past he usually went up only one level, but yesterday he decided to try and climb all the way to the top! As I was carefully watching him, he began to climb down... and his foot missed one of the steps, and he somersaulted down right into my arms. (Just so you know, we've taken down the ladder since this incident!)

I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure Obi became more daring because he saw that I was watching him. Anyway, he had absolutely no fear of falling, and just pressed forward toward the top. Then, even when he did fall, I quickly caught him. I think we can learn a deep lesson from Obi. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could have that kind of total trust and faith in our Heavenly Father? Instead of being apprehensive and fearful, or dwelling too much on the past, we could just exercise courage and trust about taking the next step into something incredible, maybe something higher than we've ever known before

Oh, my dear and excellent sister in JESUS, to be able, as you and I seem to wish, to sleep from Thanksgiving through Christmas. I suffer from holiday depression too. And regular depression, about many things, too. I say 'through Christmas' since I have a sentimental spot for New Years Eve, and the entry into a new year. I have been to Times Square on a couple of occasions, and it is a remarkable miracle time for me. As a million, or more, join in a joyous countdown. One voice lifted in togetherness and sometimes prayer. 25 seconds to reflect on what was, 25 seconds to pray for what we hope will be, and 10 seconds of pure glee. When we lift our voices as one........10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! And maybe, just maybe sharing a hug and kind word or blessing with another fellow human being. I love New Years Eve when, I confess, it works out. Even the year I refer to in the next portion, I sought out New Years Eve. It was at New Years Eve that I really felt GOD's loving hand on my shoulder. And 21 days later, asked JESUS into my heart.

And, I can very much understand what you are going through. On September 27th, 1995, the day Chris Darden gave summation in the OJ Simpson Murder Trial, I found my mother lying dead in her bedroom. Dead from Lung Cancer and a broken heart. 6 weeks after that, on November 4th, my Aunt died after a long Hospital stay. To be with my Aunt, for ANY occasion was a joy of great large quantity and quality. There was always love at her house.

So know this, Angelique, that you are not alone. And that we all have the time and paths to grieve. If I may, for a sentence or two, be my idealistic self. I would come to where you are, or you to me, and we would fellowship together. To remember those who are gone, and to encourage one another for the future as well.

Or, as an optimistic friend said to me, in response to one of my oft used metaphors......The light at the end of the tunnel is NOT always an oncoming train.

As I often say in chat....LOVE HUGS AND BLESSINGS TO YOU!

how did God pass on this "instruction to propose"?

why cant God tell us to get to know the other person prior to marrying them?

I guess He speaks to us in different ways.

What may work for one couple may not necessarily work for another.

Also, there has to be some kind of willingness to submit to Him and not be too impatient to do it on our own terms..

Some folks don't take the time to allow Him to lead in the relationship..

I think dating, with clear boundaries, is a good thing. I am also, to a degree, of the school of thought that when GOD says you're ready to get married, there won't be dating. In fact, when, and if the time comes, you'll have the Pastor on speed dial and get married soon after the male and female meet. Why, because I believe that there is only ONE wife for each man, and one husband for each wife. And GOD, who is perfect in all things, has ordained, for those who are meant to be married, that ONE TRUE PERSON! I pray that we can have, EVERYONE, a vision of who GOD intends to allow us to join as one flesh with. And that we steadfastly cling to that vision, or dream. So that we won't, for lack of a better term, waste our time. I figure, if the connection is not there after 3, or four, allowing for a bad day, dates. Then it is time to move on.

I was told that I would be found by my 'soul mate'. But I do not know where to go to be found. I am not the most patient person, I confess. I want to get married, flawed individual that I am. I wish I knew for sure why. It's more than just to have someone to care for, and about. I know it sounds strange. But, I wonder, how many singles are searching for a daddy or mommy, depending on the gender, of course. I can say, honestly, that I am looking for a mother instinct in my wife. It may, to some, sound cruel, or not right, but that's me.

I have enjoyed the laughs on this page for so long. I do not even need to go to the emoticon page. I have memorized colon 24 colon. Thanks for sharing that!