hi, i'm new

[lorilou]

Hi all. I am new here and for the the last few years realized i was religiously abused. i had no idea others were out there who are going thru the things i am going thru. i will say i know i am on the road to recovery , i know this because i have a new found love for God that i never knew existed. i am looking forward to reading the threads here and meeting new people.

[beginagainrose]

Welcome "Lori-L"... so awesome to have you here and to hear of your progress in your healing journey... used to live in Bellvue and work downtown Seattle... my sister was on staff at Overlake before the "Big Bob Fall"... what a beautiful place to live... what's up with the ground shak'in that far north! Thought that only happend to us Californians!:D ... Must be God shaking the earth to wake us all up that the time is short! Looking forward to getting to know you better.. Enjoy!:)

[ex-shep]

Welcome aboard. Make yourself at home. You will find many who can relate to your situation. Feel free to share whatever is on your heart and mind. If you want to take in the posts and soak it all in, feel free to do so. There is always somebody on line who has been there, seen it, done that and got the T-shirt. Virtual coffeepot is always brewing. Keep coming back.

[butterfly]

Welcome Lorilue,

I thought I was the only one also who was S A. Well there are many here on the forum just like us.

I like your name.:D I hope you will feel right at home.

There are alot of people here who are loving and caring.:D

butterfly shirley

[yeshua'smags]

Hi Lorilou! I'm so happy for you! I can't wait to get to know you better!;) :)

[exwitchoz]

G'Day LL...

Welcome to the Forum... I'm pretty new here myself but I've found everyone here to be very genuine, caring, compassionate and understanding...

I hope you enjoy it and find it as helpful as I have... :)

WELCOME!!!

[hornblower]

Hi Lorilou, so sorry that you have been through religious abuse, I think I figured that people were out there like me but as to how to get in touch with them and to give what we all had been experiencing a name, that I didnt know. We are so happy you have found this place and let us know any of us if we can do anything to help you in recovery. Sometimes we are a rowdy bunch. Hooplawing through our grief and discovering ourselves buried under the rubble. Here we are and more impotantly here He is and He didnt leave us, we just felt like He did. Welcome.:o

[Anna Marta]

Welcome Lorilou,

It feels good to be affirmed by people who have experienced the same thing, isn't it? That's exactly what I found here. There is lots of wisdom running through the threads. On this forum God provides lots of potential new friends too, who allow you the freedom to be "who you are" and "where you are" and "share your heart."

I have felt safe here. The admin and others with a great deal of love, compassion and wisdom take care of things very well.

Shalom,
Anna Marta

[SpinningHead]

You are so welcome here! Feel free to share as you need. :)

[lorilou]

wow...
thanks so much for the responses, you all are so very kind.
i have looked around a bit and find it amazing how alone i am not. incredible.
i will tell you all a bit more as i feel more comfortable.
basically my abuse has come in many forms.
our church that i went to from when i was 2 yrs old, til 16 was filled with a group of molesters that noone seemed to see accept all the kids...how sick is that? at 14 i was told i had a devil in me from the pastor as he stood thumping my chest with his pointer finger, yet he never went on to tell me how to get rid of this demon. from time to time i found myself believing that yes i do have a devil, but still i didnt know what to do about it.
so much more to say, but finally after being out of church for a month or so after my daughter was born, i was told that if i didnt get back in church God would take her from me...i have lived in constant fear for 17 years since that statement. but you know what, i know i turned my back on God but i found him...when i was finally out of the church all by myself, in a way i could never have immagined. i now know that He DOES love me, and knows my worries and problems. i feel so good just writing that.
anyways, thank you again for such a kind and warm welcome!!!!:)

[Jerry]

Hi all. I am new here and for the the last few years realized i was religiously abused. i had no idea others were out there who are going thru the things i am going thru. i will say i know i am on the road to recovery , i know this because i have a new found love for God that i never knew existed. i am looking forward to reading the threads here and meeting new people.

WOW you really were abused,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,One of your arms is missing :eek:
WELCOME to the "Board" lorilou :D

[lorilou]

WOW you really were abused,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,One of your arms is missing :eek:
WELCOME to the "Board" lorilou :D


lol thanks...um..i was hoping you wouldn't notice the arm thing, oh well...i can still type!!:rolleyes:

[SueJean]

Hi Lorilou,
I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. You are welcome here. I'm so sorry to hear about some of what you suffered. As they say at 12 Step meetings: Keep coming back.

[DiligentLily]

but finally after being out of church for a month or so after my daughter was born, i was told that if i didnt get back in church God would take her from me...i have lived in constant fear for 17 years since that statement. but you know what, i know i turned my back on God but i found him...

Lorilou, I don't know all the details, of course, but I don't think you turned your back on God. I think you turned your back on your abusers and on the false, judgmental, condemning god they made up to keep you under control. The fact that you still name the name of Jesus shows you never gave up your search for the true, loving God.

Welcome to the forum! I'm pretty new here, too--only about a month. I suffered from abuse for 12 years before someone said the words 'spiritual abuse' to me. I thought he was way out in left field, using words like that. I still thought it was mostly my fault what they did to me. This forum has made all the difference. I won't say that it has made me feel better, entirely--I actually think about painful things now that I wouldn't allow myself to think of before. But I have a lot of hope, which I didn't have before.

Please share more when you feel ready.

Oh, I forgot----God loves your child!!!!:) :) And you, too!

[yeshua'smags]

AMEN LILLY!!!!!!!

Sweet Lorilou, I am so so sorry someone made you feel like God would take you child.:( :mad: That is just to sick and WRONG and there is a special place in hell for people like that!!! ;)

I'm really really glad you are here!:)

[dougjb]

Hi I'm new
Welcome aboard, I am sure you will find a lot a support and a lot of people who will identify with. I hope you tell us more about yourself.

Dougjb

[Carmen]

Hi Lorilou,

Them trying to use your child to manipulate you was a nasty one. Am glad that you are out of there and already on a better road. :)

[lorilou]

thank you for letting me know that there are others who genuinely care. like dilligentlily said...it is painful to bring things up...but they need to be addressed. i have been on my own spirit quest since leaving the church and the thing i have found is that God is love and love really does conquer all. i was always so filled with anger..at church, members, family...you name it. one day i just started loving again. now don't get me wrong...love doesnt pay the bills...but somehow it see's me thru all my problems. the second thing that came after i started loving, was forgiveness. that was a tough one. but i realized that just because i forgive someone does not mean i need to ever accept them into my life ever again. so i forgave...kind of. to be honest i am still trying to forgive all.but as i continue i know somehow i will find forgiveness for others, and for me...sometimes we have to just forgive ourselves. you all are a great group and i will say again...thanks for all the replys...every last one!!!!!