To All,
Guys I had just learned what love is, agape, philoe and stuff like that. I had also read the Crucifying Christ and read Dwights post about encouragment and love. I felt so uplifted and so loved and all was well. I went to respond to Dwight's post and no sooner had I hit the post button, the phone rang.
On the other end of the line was my best friend of 7-8 years. I had been talking with her about bibletruth.com and what I was learning. She is from a Fundamentalist Penecostal backgroun and our friendship has been in decline from November and October of last year. Well it came to a head. Now as you probably have gathered in the hall of this forum, I am a very talkative person. Well in the phone conversation I could not get a word in edgewise. I was called on the carpet for judging her beliefs and going not professing Christ. Professing Christ to her was going along with what her church said it was and she did say we were to obey his word. She then proceeded to say that our <David and I's> friends were taking over and controlling our life. I said that these friends were freeing us and allowing us to see the Truth to where we could live more abundant lives. She also said that I was satanic, in choosing to believe the very lies of Satan himself that were conceived in the darkest pit of hell. Then she closed her conversation in saying that she did not want to watch her best friends ruin her life and her to be proven right, and I told her 1. I loved her and 2. She did not have to see us ruin our lives becuase I had to cut the relationship off.
This friend has been through everything with both David and I. This was a hard thing to let go. Of course I got upset about it, and figured I needed to go through a mourning period for this transition. I called Susan and told her about this. Thank God I have her and her family to help me through this time. Thank God I have the forum as well. After seeing what real love is and hearing about it and drinking it all in, I knew that this friend did not really mean what she said when she said she loved us.
I would ask that you would pray for this friend that if it is God's will she come to know the Truth. I ask that you would pray for me and David right now as we are understandably upset over this.
I also would ask that if we need to cut off relationships that God would show them to us now, so that we can do it now, while our precious son is still young and will not be affected by this.
I cannot believe how soon the attack came, after I had internalized this stuff.
So yes becuase of this, I can understand how one can love and hate at the same time. I also can understand agape and phileo love. My love for this friend in the phileo respect is gone, I do love her in the agape sense, as I wish her the best and am concerned about her all about well-being.
Man, did not know that I would be learning these truths and applying them so soon, but I am thankful for the opportunity that has come my way. I am thankful that I did have the guts to stand up for what I believed.
Thank you my brothers and sisters for sharing and showing me what true love is.
Kat for the way you always look up the Scriptures for me.
Joe for the promptness that you show in responding to my PM.
Arcturus for your words that are written so well.
Susan for all those long phone conversations and ice creams.
Dwight for showing me what true love can do, it uplifts one after a cruddy day.
Gena for the simple and short way of complext truths.
Paula for showing me what love can do after things can get out of hand, I still admire you getting back in the pool and blessing us with your posts and <grins> interior decorating.
For the new members and those that I have not named becuase it is so late that are with me in this journey.
I love you all with the utmost sense of that word.
I am proud and honored to call you family. Thanks for being with me in this tough time.
Sincerely,
Anne C. McGuire