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| Help me find the answer |
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Can anybody out there answer a question for me? What is happening to our kids? I mean for example that I have two boys; both raised in the church, both attended youth groups, both were involved heavily as well as both my husband and I. Today neither attends any kind of church. I'm not the only one. We have many families in our church in the same boat. The kids grew up going to Sunday school, VBS, youth groups, etc. However, as soo as they leave home they leave church also. What happened? I am so concerned for them that my heart aches. Many have walked completely away. We have a young woman who attends still, but only because she's in the choir. If we don't sing she stays away. How did we fail these children? Where did we go wrong? I pray daily for my boys and yet they still stay away. I won't give up praying. I don't have calouses in my knees for nothing, but I am concerned for their future. If Jesus comes today where will they be? We never allowed anything to come before worship. No sports, jobs, family outings. Nothing. Can you help me find the answer? Please? |
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| To add a comment to "Help me find the answer" |
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| August 09, 2009 |
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If your boys love the Lord as much as my son does, then The Holy Spirit within them is offended in many church services today. They drape the american flag over the cross to celebrate a country they should be weeping for. Though Jesus said the greatest commandment is Love,... you can't tell it by looking at the teaching subjects for the next calendar. In light of Mat 22:34-40 and 1 Cor 13:1-3, does the church teach about love like it is more important than,... Tithe, Tonges, Money Management, the list goes on. There is a good book out now called "un-christian" that is very helpful with seeing the perception of the church by our young people today. It doesn't address the relevance of the subject of love as one of the problems,... that's just what I believe. I will think of your boys as I pray for my children too. Love ya. |
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| August 22, 2009 |
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| Thank you sir. Your prayers are greatly appreciated! |
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| August 22, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the ways he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Many of us are going through the same thing. Our children were taken to church, but now they choose not to go.
We just have to trust His promises.
Psalms:37:4
Delight yourself also in the Lord, and he shall give you the desires of your heart.
Now I don't know about you, but God has blessed me tremendously
My only desire is that my family come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Everything else is trivial.
I think all we can do is be is be a good example, pray and trust that God will keep his promises.
Pray a hedge of protection around them daily and pray that God will plant people in their path everyday to be a witness.
It seems that the world has so many things to offer them and the church has taken a step back.
My problem was I didn't want to let go. God cannot do anything untill we let go.
I'm learning |
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| August 22, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
We are not alone in this battle. Many parents are struggling with this. My oldest is really out in the world right now too. It's as though nothing she was ever taught stuck in her heart...I know God has a calling on her life and so does she, but her choice is to turn away. She has been taught God's word deeply, so all I can do is wait for her to find her own rock bottom and pray she finally looks up. God gave me peace and told me everything will be ok. I believe Him. |
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| August 22, 2009 |
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Mine are out there finding their own. They are prayed up and I'm constantly praying that God be with them til they find their own church home. I believe they will. They make detours as most of us did but the foundation has been laied. I believe in my heart the God is with them on this journey. Out in the world does not always mean they are doing wrong. I have two wonderful productive adults that treat people with respect and will give you a meal if your're hungry, no drugs, achohol or crime. I am proud of them and I will keep praying they find a church home. Never give up, somebody prayed for me, had me on their mind, took the time and prayed for me....you know the song, that's my story.. |
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| August 23, 2009 |
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Mine are finding their way, but not the Lord's way. I have begun to resign myself to the fact that maybe what they are going through is from God. Maybe He is preparing them for something I can't begin to understand today.
I do pray a hedge of protection around both of them and know that the "Lord hears the prayers of the righteous and will answer." I'm by far not a righteous, but I understand that verse to mean the "faithful" and I am faithful! At least I try to be.
They are His children so He will protect them. It's just difficult to be on this end as an earthly parent. However, He will grant me strength. |
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| August 23, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
You know the Proverb about train a child up in the way they should go so that when they are old they won't depart from it. Well, here's the Reader's Digest version of my life. Born to Christian parents---dysfunctional and carnal in many ways, yes, but well meaning. Gone to church my entire life. Had to. They put us through AWANAs, and youth group and Christian camps, as well as for many years we did those Daily Breads together as a fam, and just got as much of the Word in me as they could. Controling? Yes, Dad was quite legalistic, and neither of my parents, due to the way they were raised, were affectionate nor great at showing love, so I got the law instead of grace. I saw religion instead of relationship..not that they didn't have one with Jesus--they did--but they had a lot of issues. Mom says she "lost me" at about 10 years of age. I wanted to sin! I was also tainted quite young (molested), which probably didn't help. Anyways, I went hardcore deep into sin--worse than my friends who were raised in pagan homes! I professed Christ yet didn't really know Him, only OF Him. I didn't realize that Christ in me via the Holy Ghost changes me and that it's not me working to be good enough. So I was DEEP in sin...deeper than a lot of people go. And apparently my mom had said to a woman (was my best friend's mom) that she didn't think I was ever going to "come back" to the Lord (though I never had been saved, for real, except as a girl just taking what was told me as truth). So anyways, 2 out of 3 of us are serving God today. I was 24 1/2 when I got born again. It was a process for sure, but it happened. It's hard to see your kids make the wrong choices, and so easy to blame yourself for them. I believe firmly b/c of what I went through that where you come short, God makes up for it. In other words, we all mess up somehow, but God always fills in the gap, and He will honor the fact that you planted the seed of the Word in your kid's lives. I also believe that someone can do all the right things (which really isn't possible, is it?) and the child can still rebel and do their own thing for a time. I wanna say to all the parents with prodigals not to give up and to keep praying fervently for them! Pray that whatever is standing in their way of returning to the Lord, or perhaps getting saved for the first time---that it would be removed. My parent's prayers kept me alive, literally. I firmly believe, apart from them, I'd have died and yes, ended up in hell. Your prayers are powerful. Don't you dare lose hope!!! You did your part, now let God do His and stop blaming yourselves and saying 'what if' and 'if only'. It's done! You done good to plant the Word in them! |
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| August 23, 2009 |
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Thank you so very much Laura!! Your words touched my heart. God has used you to help so many wearing my shoes.
I never stop praying, but you have showed me that I am not praying in vain. There are times that it feels as though the prayers are for not. Thank you for showing me how your parent's prayers - and probably those of many others - are answered.
I was NOT raised in any type of church and am the fifth of nine children. Only my youngest brother and I are saved. He's actually a minister in the Baptist church. We always believed that our youngest son would go that way, but when he was around 13/14 his best friend died suddenly. I honestly think that is when he began to move away. My belief is that he got angry with God for taking his friend. he has not returned. When he was in Basic training in the Army (he never made it through) he looked into the Mormons. I hope and pray for his covering in the truth.
Thank you again for giving me and many other parents hope! |
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| August 24, 2009 |
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| Keep hoping. God's word never returns void. |
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| August 24, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
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| August 24, 2009 |
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I was not raised in church either. I remember going sometime when I was little, but I don't remember who I went with.
My children were not taken to church by me untill I had my last child, but during that time, the Lord was planting people on my doorstep to take them to V.B.S. and Sunday School.
They are not going to church now, but that seed was planted and it aint over till it's over.
My son lost his wife and baby daughter in an accident about 12 years ago. He blames God.
Pray, believe, trust and stand, that's all we can do. |
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