Some ppl likely do get hurt or offended or both and up and leave in the heat of the moment.  Others need a sabattical of sorts.  Others just don't get what they want out of this.  Others just find they don't have the time.  Some are even kicked off.  I don't plan to leave or get kicked off, but I would let you and others leave if I did.  Not to condemn those. It is sad that ppl don't think anyone would care!  What does that say for what we are or aren't doing?

  Love ya, Deb!  I know you care, and I know you are praying for me!  I am praying for you too, as i know you know. 

apodemeo, I never thought about it that way.  I guess it is hard sometimes to say goodbye, but sometimes people do have "real life" issues to deal with and have to leave.

Steel horses, AKA, Stu, I have noticed the change in your names :)  Really confused me at first but I figured it out!

Heavenbound, what a sweet thing to say, and I can send it right back to you.  You are a woman after God's own heart!

Woman of laughter, I think he has probably given you a compassionate heart as well.  I love your name...

Shirley, you are very welcome.

Jay, you have been missed, at least by me.  I know there are a few others on here that posted a lot a while back and now nothing.  And yes, I do miss all of them.  And I can't read all the blogs on here, there is just no way...I try to pick and choose, but I know I am probably still missing some good ones.  I only have so much time to spend on here though.  But rest assured, I have missed your blogs!  I understand though, the way you feel.

Doyle, exactly!  You care a lot too Doyle, I can tell that.

Cheryl, yes, I do believe God brings people into our lives for a season.  And it is hard to say hello to everyone every day, but that does not mean I don't pray for them or care about what happens to them.  You are a very caring and compassionate individual, and I love reading your blogs!

LaTisia, I am glad that you are staying :)

Lara, thank you.  I have enjoyed getting to know you better through this site, and if ever I were to leave, I would try to let everyone know.

Denise, I have had my feelings hurt on here too, but I usually try to contact the person that has hurt me and straighten things out.  I think sometimes that things we write might be misconstrued, and the actual feelings we are trying to convey don't quite come across.  It is a lot different communicating in the written word, and not seeing a person's facial expressions, or body language.

Tania, thank you for your comments, and I share in your enthusiasm!

Prudence, I am so sorry to hear about your father!  I will definitely keep you and him and your family in prayer.

Janell, you have been missed. You've contributed some wonderful writings here, they made an impression on me! You also posted some of the loveliest comments! You are one who will not be forgotten!! (Though I do hope you find the time to return fully.)

Lara, you, kicked off? hehe...no way! You do have the main reasons people leave pegged though. Yes, it is sad when people slip away thinking no one cares.

Deb.... you do have a way of writing what's on people's minds. I've been thinking about this more and more lately too. As I look through my friends list, there are quite a few I never hear from anymore. Sometimes I go through and send em a note to let them know I'm praying for them, thinking about them, missing them, etc. Occasionally I get an appreciative reply. It always hurts when someone I've gotten to know on MyChurch just vanishes. Even worse when they leave upset. Just wish everyone had a little time to develop at least a couple of tight relationships while on here, then stick with us, even if those few are the only ones they ever really get to know...

Great blog Deb! I too appreciate your heart!

Mike, don't know if you remember Lupe's wife, but I had developed what I thought was a pretty good friendship with her...we had talked a lot through e-mail.  She just disappeared...I know she had family problems, but still, no good bye, nothing.  That does hurt a bit...but the worst is like you said, if people think we don't care they leave.  I don't think that she could have felt that way, because she always said that she enjoyed this site.  Anyway, it brought to mind others who have left, and the ones that just disappear.  I guess that is just the way it is...there are people who have left my home church to, never to be heard from again.  That's just life apparently.  Although if I were leaving, I would definitely tell my friends why, and good bye.

It's an internet phenomena.  People need real relationships.  These virtual ones don't cut it.  Sadly so many people are afraid of real ones so they settle for this.   The reason I've used the net for the last 22 years is to witness to people.  I always hope that wherever the lord leads I'm going to find real friends but..seldom do they come about on the internet just because again..that's a lot of times the kind of people who are on here.  So naturally such people are fairly unstable and will get easily offended and hit the 'abort relationship' button or whatever :-). 

Meanwhile..I've had an account here for a long time.  I've got what..one friend who I knew from here.  Nobody else really reaches out to me and I don't know how to reach out to others on here.  I tried to but I hurt my fingers on the screen!  Hehe..just kidding..but really... I dunno.  It's not like being in a room with people unless it's a church building and then in my experience it's pretty much the same :-) 

I resemble that statement!


Oh yeah.......I'm back!

Hey Deb!

I finally had some time to read this post and I just wanted to share one detail.  When someone goes to remove their profile, they are repeatedly and clearly asked to confirm that they want to remove all their content, every single blog post, photos, comments.. everything.  Profiles just don't disappear accidentally.  It is a very intentional action by the member.  And instead of just not coming back to MyChurch, .. leaving their profile but not logging in as much or anymore, they proactively remove all trace of their experience here.. almost as if they did actually want to leave without saying goodbye.  

As sad as this is, we realize that MyChurch (just like any other local church body) will not be a perfect fit for every person that visits.  And that's okay.. but we do hope and pray that the current and existing members of MyChurch continue to encourage and lift one another up, regardless of how long they stay or where they are in their beliefs and faith.. just as you all are already doing.. :)

Barvubuela, aka Shannon, that is sad.  There do seem to be a few people on here that constantly want to stir the waters, so it seems.  Has Dr. Thomas reported him?  They are both on my friends list, and I don't presume to know the whole situation, but I would hope that some kind of resolution could be made.  I will definitely send a note of encouragement to Dr. Thomas.

Chris,  let me first say welcome to MyChurch.  I am glad that you are here.  I really enjoyed reading your comments.  The last sentence really says it all, doesn't it?  Sometimes it is just too much trouble to stay.  I can also relate to slow dial up service.  I am in the ice age as well, where we live we do not have the option of high speed, unless we want to pay a fortune for it.  So I deal with dial up...I know enough to realize I can't watch the videos people sometimes post, and I can't listen to the songs either...some pages I visit have so much stuff on them it takes forever to load the page...anyway, I digress.  As far as for searching for other Christian writers, or people who share common interests, I don't think there is a way.  I have mainly just stumbled onto some really great writers.  They are usually the ones that are in the most popular posts section, repeatedly.  You can find that by hitting the explore button, if you haven't done that already.  That doesn't mean that they are all published.  In fact, I think the majority of them are not.  I love to write, but I am not a published author.  Yes it is a dream someday...maybe.   But I write more for the love of writing for Jesus than I do for anything to be published.  Anyway, thanks again for your comments.

Hey there Deb,

  I have noticed that as well, but I think that sometimes people get caught up with other things that they can't keep up on this site or one like it. I think that in away that maybe they could have signed up by accident, it is hard to know for sure.

Have a great week,

Megan