Hi Everyone,
This is my first post here, but it's right up my alley and something I'm passionate about, so I thought I'd join in.
Part of my story is that after 15 years in sales at the same company, and 8 years of giving my child up for others to rear, I had finally had enough. I NEEDED to raise my own child. This desire was instilled in me when he was born, but his dad wouldn't have it. By the time my son was 2, I was a single mom (his dad was physically abusive towards me) and I really didn't know how I was going to manage if I quit my job. I made good money and although we didn't live beyond my means, we lived well. I explained to my 8 year old that quitting my job meant that we could no longer go to the store and buy whatever it was that he wanted. (Yes, I fell into that trap - buying him things believing it would make up for lost time). At the time I had been led by God into some cult-like teaching and my reasons for leaving work were to raise my own son and to study the Bible. I reasoned that God has always provided for me before, why would He stop now? So, I walked. Since we didn't have any income (except child-support), I cashed in EVERYTHING that I had in IRA's, 401K's and investments. Since stocks were slowly declining, I was losing money anyway and probably broke even. I recieved my cash 2 weeks BEFORE 9-11. People told me I was crazy to be cashing in on all my investments before 9-11 happened, they didn't think I was too crazy afterward
I quit during the summer and we lived off of what I cashed in. I applied for a job in the cafeteria at the local public school which my son attended for 2 hours per day $6.25 per hour. I hadn't made that kind of money since I was 15! Shortly thereafter, the school started to ask me to put in more hours doing a variety of duties. I worked in the front office, the principals office, aiding teachers, and was then "promoted" to are you ready? "Copy Technician" LOL. I made copies of worksheets for the teachers. I copied millions of worksheets! After spending a week with a child who was supposedly ADD (I think he was just bored), attending his classes, taking his notes, doing most of his work (can you imagine how the other kids wished they were ADD?), I thought to myself, I can't even stand to sit in these classrooms for 45 minutes, how can I require that my own child do it all day long? After 1 year at the school, my son and I did a trial home-school during the summer before he entered 4th grade. It worked for him and he decided he'd like to give it a try. So, I started home-schooling him. I worked at the school for 1 more year and then got a part-time job for an answering service in December 2003. I still work there, and also work for them from home when needed. As far as provisions - NOTHING has changed. It's incredible! The bills are paid, the roof over our heads doesn't leak, we have clothing and food. I was even able to cash in some silver I had saved for a few years and get my son his own computer! God has continued to provide!
About a year before all this had taken place, a Catholic someone had mentioned to me that my 7 year old son was far behind in his spiritual growth - why he didn't even know how to make the sign of the cross! Well, I got to thinking about that. I was raised Catholic and the day I was confirmed was the day I tossed out most that I had learned, stayed away from any sort of church, and quietly depended on God to control the things in my life. But, this person was right, I knew it was my responsibility to raise up my son in the way of God. So, we tried church. He hated it, I was sucked in to LOTS of time away from him doing volunteer work with the youth group. This wasn't going quite as I had planned. I had quit my job to BE WITH my son, and now I was being taken from him again by the church. That lasted 4 months and since we have not attended church. (We ARE the Church!)
My son is now 13. God has brought me through and taught me a lot in these past 5 years. As I stated, I was with a cult-like church, teaching a doctrine of serpent seed, literal sons of Cain, geneologies, perishing in a Lake of Fire and 1st earth age. I taught this doctrine to my son. I became negative, hateful and self-exhalted, walking FLESH. My son became my reflection - thank God! And then thank God again for allowing me to see myself through my son and how absolutely ugly and even more carnal I had become! After being led to and through these teachings, He then showed me the contrast by leading me to spirit-filled teachers who taught of a loving and merciful God Who will save and restore His entire creation.
Here is what I've learned. LEAD BY EXAMPLE and be HONEST with your children ALWAYS. Talk with them often about EVERYTHING (as Jennifer statedl). My son and I do the same. We take walks and talk, we lie on the couch and talk, we float in the pool and talk, we pass in the hallway and talk. I recently asked him if my "journey" has confused him about the things of God - his answer was an astounding 'NO!' (which surprised me because my journey has oftentimes confused ME!). Remind your children often about how much God loves them and their need for Jesus Christ as their Savior. Teach them of the love of God not only by loving them (that's easy), but by loving those who are much harder for you yourself to love. Teach them about mercy by forgiving those who have wronged you UNGRUDGINGLY and with JOY! It truly is a joy to forgive! Teach them to read their Bibles with Christ as their Teacher. Most importantly, teach them that the changes in them as they grow in Christ is not anything that they have done of themselves, but the working of His spirit in their hearts.
Thanks for allowing me this time to share and God bless you all. Laura
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Topic: Children not in church (Read 5817 times)