we are relational creatures after all. good news man.

I’m in a similar situation, Donny. This last week has been very lonely. I even thought about going in to get caught up on some work tomorrow, but now that I’ve read your post, I think I’ll check out church instead. Thanks for the encouragement.

BTW, I’m adding you to my blogging list. You’ve got some great stuff here.

Your still….. da man!

You are making the right choices, and prayers are being answered.

Hello Donny,

thank you very much for your moving posts. I think it is not bad at all that you are telling us all here about your struggles. Especially as a spiritual struggle like yours is the most serious struggle of all, as it is about Eternal Life.

There may be people who come her out of voyeuristic reasons, to “watch you fall”. But I am also sure that there are many-many of us Christians (and maybe others as well), who are rooting and praying for you!

And if you’re bad, sad and in trouble, never forget to look to the One Who said on the Cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He is always with you, right there…

Donny, grace is still grace,
the _only_ foundation for our Christian lives is the love Jesus has for us. The testimony that counts, i believe, is Christ’s testimony about us to the Father. And it goes like this: “here are Donny and Wayne, yes they are sinners, and don’t deserve anything but judgment. BUT Father, we have provided the gift of salvation as simply this, a gift. So let’s continue to receive these men on the basis of grace, and forever we’ll make my (Jesus’) holiness and righteousness count for them.”
When God forgives us, he doesn’t go back on it. When he accepts us, there is no more rejection. He doesn’t relate to us on the basis of our performance (that would be so up and down, and unworthy of the greatness of his grace and love). How blessed we are. ‘While we were still sinners Christ died for us.’ For the rest of our lives on earth, we will still be sinners, faulty, failing, stumbling… but forgiven, cleansed, accepted, held by our Father’s hand, and gently lifted up, again and again and again. Or sometimes simply to hide ourselves in his heart of unquestioning love.
‘He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion on the day of Christ’ Philippians 1. I know that when i start to think, ‘hey, i’m getting this, i’m doing ok,’ well then i soon fall, on one way or another. And once we’ve pruned off the ‘big’ and obvious sins, there’s still less obvious ones. Our only hope is not in getting ourselves squeaky clean (though it would be _wonderful_), but to continue as broken, humble people, who have a perfect and _all_ sufficient Saviour.
My heart goes out to you, brother. May the Lord protect your heart from the quick wounding that come all too often from other Christians. We are all far from perfect and all too often relate to others in terms of performance standards instead of by grace, that is on the basis that God freely loves and accepted each of us.
God will build our testimonies… but in a way that the glory will clearly be his, for ‘apart from Me you can do nothing.’ Abide in the vine. All other branches are in the vine on the very same basis: by God’s choice to call us and save us in forgiveness and love.

sorry if this is a sermon, i just yearn for Christians to rest in Jesus alone, for there is no other way to live life, i think, and from my experience.

A saying goes like this: ‘a friend is someone who walks in when the world walks out.’ i pray that you can know God as such a Friend.

Happy New Year Donny! May this year be a year of RENEWAL for you! God bless you!

You’re not alone in your conflict with past sins, ego and pride. I think a lot of us struggle with this everyday. I’ll be praying for you.

Happy New Year Donny! May this year be a year of RENEWAL for you! God bless you!

You’re not alone in your conflict with past sins, ego and pride. I think a lot of us struggle with this everyday. I’ll be praying for you.