Wow, amazing that you would start something back up, but koodos for you on that.  My mother-in-law is also into that same career field, and enjoys is a great deal. 

Well, let me say welcome to you to this community.  I have been in and out lately, but was glad that I found this place too.

Hello everyone and welcome.  I wish to welcome you just as much as some of the more seasoned members and moderators. 

@ Music Medic - I've responded to one of your previous threads as well.  I just thought it nice to know that someone else in here is clsoe to the same age as myself.  I had dared not ask in a new thread or anything, so it's nice that you offered.  I am 35, my New member thread is also in this forum if you wanted to know a little more.  Nice to see you.

And again I hope that all of you feel welcomed.

Thank you for your concern.  A little stiffness has settled in my back, but no serious injury was imposed upon me.  It's amazing what some would take for granted.  If it weren't for the grace of God, something so simple could have taken me out.  I do thank Him for my salvation, His grace and His hedge of protection around me and my whole family.

Thank God indeed, the enemy can try and attack my body and possessions all he wants, but he can't do anything to my soul.  I still have my health and the car itself doesn't look beyond repair.  i'm just a little upset that it's a bit messed up.  Hoping that I could have spent some holiday money on other issues.  But this is still good.  I'm a bit of a mustang enthusiast.  I like 'em.

[I agree with you]

@ Black Eyed Pea -  I hope that you understand that I agree with you.  Especially about 'wallowing' in it. 

I had a car accident this morning on my way to work.  No one else, just me.  I hydroplaned into the center wall.  It's raining and all here and the temps have dropped, were expecting a serious cold front and are experiencing the face of it now.

I wasn't speeding, but could have been going slower.  Anyway, I made it into work okay, thank the Lord in Heaven for my health, and I did so driving the very car I slammed into the wall, so praise God for that as well.  But it does look like i'm in for some time spent in the repair shop.  I pray that it doesn't come out to be too much.

Looks like I may have bent or twisted the frame a bit.

these last couple of posts were the kinds of responses I was looking for when I first started visiting this thread.  You see I've had some pretty big problems with sin as well (as well as all of us), but like it was stated (in this thread) when I tried to seek out help from church family and friends I was shuned and rebuked and ridiculed but not helped.  I think that the over-all intent of this thread was to find those who may have been in this position; wanting the help, seeking the help, but only finding rebuke.

So many times when I sought help I was told that "It's wrong" "you're living in sin" "You need to repent".  Which I in turned answered them, "I know" "I can read (the bible)" "I've did".  For which they responded with "just stop" "don't do it anymore" "repent means to change your way of thinking and not do it anymore".

But what I have come to find out was that there are some things (Most things in my opinion) for which we are not designed to handle alone.  It takes us coming together and helping folks walk through it.  It would have worked better for me to hear things like "You need to change your environment (with examples of things that should be changed)" or "I'll lhelp you, call me when you get the urge and we can talk" or maybe something like what was said here.

I'm not condoning the act of sinning, but the problem with it is that it's hard to fight alone or without the proper information of how it works and how it's affecting us.  If someone knows how it gets in, how it can be stopped and is able to follow it up with more ways of staying aware of it, then that's the kind of things that need to be shared.  I grew up in the church under many different denominations, but that was because I didn't "have" the information that I do now. I couldn't honestly identify what was truth and what was false, and don't ask me then if I understood what the bible told me, back then I would have said yes, but today I know that I didn't.

This is a very touchy issue from both sides, Pastors and Ministers do need to set the example and do need to be above reproach, but  like any person (man) they will sin and make mistakes.  Set the example by taking every Christian means necessary to solve the problem, but never try to cover it up.  If time aafter time you cannot over come it then by all means find another way to serve the Lord.  But what about those who haven't put forth the necessary effort, what about those that are just starting to head down that path.  Where do they go for help (remembering that trying to fix it yourself is a plan of the enemy)?

Some advice given here may be what is needed to set them off on the right path to recovery.

Thank you Music Medic and Black Eyed Pea for coming back and saying "Hey, do this....; The Word tells us this..and this is what that means and this is how you can put it to use..."  These were the kinds of things that I needed, I'm glad that I finally got... but you might be surprised where it came from...

This is why I want to minister, most folks need more than just "it's wrong, so fix it."

Please don't misunderstand me.  I just didn't have a lot of help applying the Word to my life.  I read it and read it and only thought that I understood it, but never knew how to make it work or how to apply it.  Now I have a new found understanding, have learned to really "study" the bible.  I read it with dictionay and concordance, several translations and expositories, pen and paper and with Aramaic and Hebrew dictionaries and thesaurases just to make sure that I can try to get a better and more accurate understanding of it.

So many things in here were true and are Truth, but the one thing that was missed is that knowing what is true isn't always enough, sometimes a little advice and understanding the truth and knowing how to overcome what's wrong in your life helps you to understand how "the truth will set you free..."

Jesus Christ came so that we all might have life and have it more abundantly, but He also told us how to get it in a way that the majority could understand, then He spent the rest of the time speaking out to those who may not have understood, or may not have gotten the message so that He could explain it even further in a way that they would understand.

Video gaming is being taken to a whole new level.  As some of you may already know you can link these game systems with others world-wide and play games with someone from another country, well, they are trying to develope this system to allow the "Wii" concept compatible for sport-like video games. 

So in so many words, you link your game with mine and we "dance" in front of our own tv's and end up playing a virtual game of "soccer" or "football" or the like.  I think that's pretty kewl.  Anyway...

There's nothing wrong with it... and I thought nothing about Catholics or any other religion when I responded to his question.  I simply mentioned  that I don't.  I did make it clear or at least I hope that I did that the best way for anyone to decide for themselves is to find out as much about any thing that they possibly can.  I figured that since he was asking he wasn't already catholic, the best way to chose what faith (denomination (which method of worship)) is best for you is to find out what it's all about.

And basically that's all I was saying.  I do apologize if you felt that "started something" in here simply because you mentioned another faith, but not taking any sides here (and I haven't been here very long), I have taken this forum to be a Christian forum and the jist of the leadership here doesn't practice the faith of catholicism.

[is]

I am old school where the only pastor is male. The female is the pastor's wife not pastor. The pastor's wife is there as a help mate to work with the women of the church. My childhood Pastor that influenced me in many ways was killed June 29th, 1994 in a robbery attempt. His son now runs his ministry. His wife still helps in that ministry and has a ministry for women. She goes all over the states to different churches and organizations and has written a number of articles for a Christian magazine. There is much that a woman can do for the Lord, even if she is widowed, without pastoring a church.

there is much, but there are also circumstances that may have not been prepared for.  The child in the situation that I speak of is entirely way too young to pastor a church and though the request has gone out there have been no real prospects of a male pastor to step in and help the widow.  Should she close her church (mind you this is no small church)?

if the pastor is female because the husband dies?  then what?

Preserverence, Endurance...Wow!  I agree, Amen to that!

[Fly Leaf]

I love rock and roll, also.  But I only listen to christian artists.  I do my best (which really isn't all that hard anymore) to stay away from secular artists.  I don't like groups, bands or singers that sing "positive" lyrics but won't let their lives say the same thing.

It's not like being an athlete where you need to be a good role model.  Being a Christian is about being a representative of Christ.  Now I also love Kutless, but there are a thousand more bands out there today that draw my attention just as well.

Fly Leaf
Seventh Day Slumber
Disciple (there appearance is a little off in my opinion, but everything else seems to be right down the "line")
Benjamin Gate (now defunct - was accompanied by Adrian Camp (Jeremy's new wife)
Red
All Together Separate (more of spontaneous praise and worship with a rock sound)
Skillet
Peace of mind

I'll tell you what I will find some links to their songs and post them here (making sure there is no advertisements on them).

So many of us we be praying for you.  I can understand perhaps, or at least know how I have felt in times past like this.  I've been a bit of an over-achiever, but can never seem to accomplish.  But my Joy is in the Lord.  I have to be reminded of this from time to time.

Keep your focus on Him as we all pray for you.

I hear you there Brother Jerry!  Sports in general have gotten a little out of hand in the expenses area.  I looked into getting my boys involved into soccer, (they had expressed to me that they would be very interested in this sport), but just to get them enrolled would have caused me to have to change up my monthly budget to too much of an extreme.

So I take them to classes with me.  Other wise they will stay home and play video games nearly all day if you don't stop them.