Theodora
05-07-2006, 05:47 AM
Good morning, dear one---
Here it is Sunday again and I'm still not well enough to go to church. It has been a REALLY long/dry period for me as I've not been able to attend services since c. early February when I was diagnosed with a renewal of pleurisy and a bad sinus infection.
So....what do we do otherwise?
Well--at the moment I'm listening to a recorded service which has given me some hope/"renewal" in my faith.
It really concerns me that you have friends who imply that there's something "wrong" with you that you've not been comfortable in church recently. For some on this forum--being in church, or even having the various "trappings" of "being religious"-- are just too triggering of past issues for us to be able to "receive" in such settings. Does God "blame" us for this? No...I don't think so!
I for one don't believe that you're "sinning" if you're not in a place where you can be nurtured in your faith in a church setting--- though know that I DO understand how much your heart hurts as you remember better times.
(This is just a very partial response to your question posted for Carmen at http://www.christianrecovery.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4222 in the thread re "Institutialized Christianity" since I didn't want to leave that unanswered and I didn't know when Carmen might see your post. As you may know, she's located in Milan, Italy, so the time difference is considerable from where we are.)
More as able---
Hope you've had a good rest last night and that you'll have a good day today.
Love and prayers--
Theodora
Here it is Sunday again and I'm still not well enough to go to church. It has been a REALLY long/dry period for me as I've not been able to attend services since c. early February when I was diagnosed with a renewal of pleurisy and a bad sinus infection.
So....what do we do otherwise?
Well--at the moment I'm listening to a recorded service which has given me some hope/"renewal" in my faith.
It really concerns me that you have friends who imply that there's something "wrong" with you that you've not been comfortable in church recently. For some on this forum--being in church, or even having the various "trappings" of "being religious"-- are just too triggering of past issues for us to be able to "receive" in such settings. Does God "blame" us for this? No...I don't think so!
I for one don't believe that you're "sinning" if you're not in a place where you can be nurtured in your faith in a church setting--- though know that I DO understand how much your heart hurts as you remember better times.
(This is just a very partial response to your question posted for Carmen at http://www.christianrecovery.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4222 in the thread re "Institutialized Christianity" since I didn't want to leave that unanswered and I didn't know when Carmen might see your post. As you may know, she's located in Milan, Italy, so the time difference is considerable from where we are.)
More as able---
Hope you've had a good rest last night and that you'll have a good day today.
Love and prayers--
Theodora