What makes me so amazing to non-believers but christian guys tend to loose intrest?
Posted : 14 May, 2009 04:35 AM
Wow Sue!
That was such a great response,I think you really nailed it for us.
For me anyways.
I know that as a NEW Follower of Christ and not just a "Believer"
I have a whole different attitude about women.
Not only do we get away from the attitude of TAKING what a woman has to offer. We also are going to take things much slower and make sure we are with who God intends for us to be yolked to.
Christ teaches us as Men to reject passivity, that is where Adam failed. He passively allowed Eve to do that which he knew was wrong. We are to be the spiritual leaders, but in our modern day society we have usually had a lifetime of that being stripped away from us. Alison Armstrong refers to it as the emasculation of Men.
It is up to us as Men to reclaim that role of Servant Leader that Christ set as an example for us. But it is not easy at first and as Sue alluded to, you women of Christ can help yourselves get the REAL Man you desire by encouraging that behavior.
Lydia, Thank you for blessing us with your testimony and starting this thread.
What wonderful stories of salvation for a pathetic sinner like me who has always struggled with feeling worthy of our Saviors unbelievable capacity for Forgiveness, Love and HEALING.
Confession time huh?
Boy I don't know if you have enough time or there is enough space on this sites server to handle mine. So I guess I need to try and give you all, the Readers Digest condensed version.
I was always a bit of a wild child and always thought I was never living up to being worthy of Gods love. I just never "GOT IT" before.
I was raised in a very Christian home by my Grandparents when I was young so I had a great foundation and in my heart always knew right and wrong. But I strayed early and became convinced that I knew better than God what was good for me in my life.
I was the rugged individualist. I was going to show that I could handle anything. I never let anyone get too close because I knew they would eventually leave me. Another story there, in itself.
So it was that I never truly fell in love until I was over 40 years old.
I had become convinced that there was no such thing as true love, didn't believe in marriage and thought that Soul Mates was some fantasy made up by women from reading too many romance novels.
I met a woman I would eventually fall in love like I never believed was possible.
Looking back I realize it was because she was a Proverbs 31 woman and she had begun the process of bringing me back to Faith.
Because both of us had horrible past relationships we were content to just live together even though we both knew that was scripturally unsound. We had both come to believe that marriage was just not possible. (Satan is such a snake and has such convincing lies). More stories within this too, you beginning to see why I am trying to give you the condensed version?
But while living together a Grinch thing started to happen to me. Through her love and kindness my heart had grown ten sizes and at some point a couple of years later God seemed to speak to me. He said �James isn�t it time you did right by her and made her your wife, to always provide and protect her?� And so I did.
We had an absolutely glorious marriage. It was the first time in my life I had asked a woman to marry me out of just pure love and devotion. It was the first time I took my marriage vows as a Covenant before God.
But after a few more years, through a series of tragic events spanning about a year (Much longer story) this woman I cherished walked out on me. Within 3 months I had lost my wife, blown the motors in both of my vehicles, had to deal with 2 surgeries for myself, an emergency appendectomy for my daughter, my wife had to have treatments for a Brain Aneurism that was discovered, miscellaneous medical treatments and eventually a surgery. I had to cover tens of thousands in Medical expenses and Vehicle repairs. Found myself on the brink of financial ruin and had almost lost everything I had worked so hard for. Almost everything in fact, I realized looking back, that I had put above God.
Even though I was a believer I was NOT walking in Faith. I still had not put trust in God that He would fulfill his promises to us.
This was the proverbial 2x4 upside the head as I call it.
Anyone remember the movie SIGNS where Mel Gibson�s wife said to Joaquin Phoenix�s character Merrill to Swing Away Merrill, Swing Away! Well that is what God did to me, he didn�t hold back. After finally coming to, I found myself on my knees in my empty shell of a house crying out to our Lord and Savior �God take me now! I can�t do this anymore! Take me or heal me!�
This rugged individualist had finally figured out that after 47 years of trying it my way I wasn�t crazy about the results, It just wasn�t working! While I was on my knees crying out to the Lord I got this vision of Carroll M., the Pastor who married my wife and I, who was also a personal friend of hers. Sign number one!
I immediately emailed him and got a reply within about 5 minutes. Sign number two!
He took time to meet with me for coffee the next morning and after sharing with him and praying, I promised him I would find a church to go to the next morning.
I searched the phone book and the internet and decided upon this Foursquare church in the next town over. I would find out later why God had led me to this particular church.
I emailed Carroll and told him my plans and he said that is Wonderful! I will look for you, my wife and I attend the same church. I think that was Sign number three!
The next morning I went to the church and sat near the back trying to be a wallflower as I was new and I hadn�t been in a church in years. When the prayer time came our Pastor Dave asked everyone to pray in whatever way felt the most comfortable to them, come up to the Altar, Kneel or Stand where we were or go to the back to pray with others who would be waiting for us. Since I wanted to remain as anonymous as possible I began to pray just where I stood.
While I was praying I felt this hand on my shoulder.
I looked up to see another rugged individualist looking at me.
We would later become very good friends.
Larry said to me, �This may sound a little strange and this has never happened to me before but I got this message that you have something you need to share with me?�
Not, you might have something you MAY WANT to share, you HAVE something you NEED to share. I was stunned, I didn�t even know how to respond for a few seconds. Sign number 4!
I finally was able to say, well I guess I do.
Signs, Signs everywhere were signs yet I had refused to see them until now.
After sharing with Larry and praying with two other men in the back of the church I finally surrendered to God and opened my heart to Christ. I have been faithfully attending services every Sunday, and am taking ministries classes on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
On February 8th of this year I got Baptized for the first time in my life.
That tough guy rugged individualist Larry performed my Baptism that day.
I can only say the feeling was the way I feel when I listen to Bebo Normans song �I will Lift my Eyes�.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAjrNqEsoM
Since that day I turned my life over to God, I have repaired my vehicles and have no car payments, saved my house, taken care of all the medical issues we faced and have become financially solvent once again. Our Savior has an amazing capacity for Forgiveness, Love and HEALING.
The speed and amount of healing that has occurred in my life has been nothing short of miraculous!
While my wife has not returned I continue to pray for her salvation and that his will be done in our lives. I have total faith now that our Lord has great plans for me.
Jeremiah 29:
11 For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD. "I will bring you back from captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of all the nations and places where I banished you and will bring you home again."
AMEN!
So I wait Patiently
Psalms 46:10 Be Still! and know that I am GOD. I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Our God is an awesome GOD, a Mighty GOD, our Savior has an amazing capacity for Forgiveness, Love and Healing, that a pathetic unworthy sinner like me would be blessed with His Grace, Love and Healing!
I used to see God as this huge angry man with a vengeance.
Now I see this Wonderful Father, who has this amazing tenderness, compassion and love in his eyes. Oh yeah, and one hand behind his back, Father I know what you are holding back there! That 2x4 still has an imprint of my head on it, Lest I ever forget!
I think a great many women know what they want and know what they want to bless their partner with. I think the ones who do are far more likely to be here than on some other site.
I have an example of a woman who really has it nailed as far as knowing what God wants of us as Men AND Women.
I am stealing from her profile, it was one that made me just go WOW! she gets it! It inspired me! :yay:
"I am a divorced Christian mother of three wonderful children(one grown and on his own). I am looking for friends, fellowship and the beginning of the relationship that God is wanting to bless me with. I was raised with a christian base and have served God for most of my life. The last five years have been difficult as I have not listened to Him and followed my own path. In the last year, I have rediscovered my Savior and the strength, wisdom, and unfailing love He provides for us. I am so excited to be back with my God and cannot wait to see the blessings that he has for me.
My prayer is that God will bring me my provider and protector, life partner, and soul mate to love, nurture, care for, and share and dream with as we move through the rest of our lives feeling the promised joy and treasures that a relationship with God brings to those who trust Him.
I long to be a Proverbs 31 wife for my husband. To pray for him daily, to care for him, our family and our home. To rise each morning and pray a prayer of blessing and protection over my family and to work each day as a praise and joy to my Father in Heaven and as a precious delight to my husband.
My husband will be a strong man of God. Always looking to Him for direction and guidance. A man called to serve God as a witness with his life, to provide and protect his family, and to love his wife as Christ loved the church. A man who can show his surrender to God and still show his strength as the head of our household.
I love to play, love to laugh and love to be with my family. I love to be outside, taking in God's wonderful creation. Whether it is hiking, shooting, playing on the beach, sledding or swimming in the lake. I am up for most anything.
I would like to make friends on this website and follow God's direction from there, as it is so rewarding to share in fellowship with believers.
May God bless you as He reveals His plans for you."
