Comments on: Forgiveness, Consequences and the DECISION to Love http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/ The Blog of Donny Pauling: former porn producer, changed by Grace and Love... Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:43:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: A husband that stood with God http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2914 A husband that stood with God Sun, 28 Sep 2008 08:33:11 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2914 Donny, I am sure by now you have heard of "Standing for your Marriage". Please never give up on God, and standing for Wendy. You started out as the "Prodical Spouse", and now she has become the the "Prodical". We are thankful everyday I "stood" for my wife, and our marriage. Please, please , and I repeat please visit: http://www.rejoiceministries.org/ We are praying for you, and your family! Feel free to email us anytime, and we would be even willing to come visit you and tell you "our" testimony. God Bless! Donny,
I am sure by now you have heard of “Standing for your Marriage”. Please never give up on God, and standing for Wendy. You started out as the “Prodical Spouse”, and now she has become the the “Prodical”. We are thankful everyday I “stood” for my wife, and our marriage. Please, please , and I repeat please visit: http://www.rejoiceministries.org/
We are praying for you, and your family! Feel free to email us anytime, and we would be even willing to come visit you and tell you “our” testimony.
God Bless!

]]> By: Kenni B http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2913 Kenni B Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:21:33 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2913 That's a good word from Dad! That’s a good word from Dad!

]]> By: Dad http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2912 Dad Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:52:58 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2912 Donny: your opening paragraph speaks volumes. "'while I have no doubts I'm forgiven, I have a feeling, dear constant reader, that I'm going to continue to pay those bills for the rest of my life." My attention was drawn to Jeremiah 18:1-4 v2 "Go down to the shop where clay pots and jars are made. I will speak to you while you are there. " v4 "But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter squashed the jar into a lump of clay and started again." You are; 1) Forgiven 2) A father 3) A piece of clay in the Master potters hand. God knows your heart and all the desires there-in. He will work out the imperfections, add the necessary ingredients, and fashion you into the vessel of His choice. He will include both Caden and Wendy as He chooses. I say that because the term 'marriage' is figurative of 'any close union.' My prayer for you is; Lord help Donny, Caden and Wendy to be soft, yielded clay in the Masters hand. In the meantime do as Paul said; "In everything you do, I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord's work and thinking how to please him. But a married mancan't do that so well. He has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided...." 1 Cor. 7:32-34 Life is a very interesting journey isn't it? Donny: your opening paragraph speaks volumes. “‘while I have no doubts I’m forgiven, I have a feeling, dear constant reader, that I’m going to continue to pay those bills for the rest of my life.”
My attention was drawn to Jeremiah 18:1-4 v2 “Go down to the shop where clay pots and jars are made. I will speak to you while you are there. ” v4 “But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter squashed the jar into a lump of clay and started again.”
You are; 1) Forgiven 2) A father 3) A piece of clay in the Master potters hand.
God knows your heart and all the desires there-in. He will work out the imperfections, add the necessary ingredients, and fashion you into the vessel of His choice. He will include both Caden and Wendy as He chooses. I say that because the term ‘marriage’ is figurative of ‘any close union.’
My prayer for you is; Lord help Donny, Caden and Wendy to be soft, yielded clay in the Masters hand.
In the meantime do as Paul said; “In everything you do, I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married mancan’t do that so well. He has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided….” 1 Cor. 7:32-34

Life is a very interesting journey isn’t it?

]]> By: Kenni B http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2911 Kenni B Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:15:05 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2911 I agree Donny. Where's the fun in loving something you can't CHOOSE to love. If God were truly an egotistical jerk like some have chosen to believe, He would have simply created a bunch of robots who had no choice in whom they would serve. Which is more romantic a phrase; "You're my destiny" or "I choose you"? I choose the latter. God bless you brother. PS....in response to MT's comment.....you just never know! If Wendy is a true seeker of God's will for her life and it's in God's will that you two be back together....well...I think you smell what I'm cooking. Don't hold your breath, but don't box-up God either! Later! I agree Donny. Where’s the fun in loving something you can’t CHOOSE to love. If God were truly an egotistical jerk like some have chosen to believe, He would have simply created a bunch of robots who had no choice in whom they would serve.

Which is more romantic a phrase; “You’re my destiny” or “I choose you”? I choose the latter.

God bless you brother.

PS….in response to MT’s comment…..you just never know! If Wendy is a true seeker of God’s will for her life and it’s in God’s will that you two be back together….well…I think you smell what I’m cooking. Don’t hold your breath, but don’t box-up God either!

Later!

]]> By: Celeste http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2910 Celeste Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:58:09 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2910 I never knew that the concept of soulmates has pagan origins. That was an interesting bit of information. I learn a lot from reading your blogs! It makes a lot of sense when you explain that God wants us to love him out of our own free will. This highlights the importance of choice. Anyway, it is a daily choice to nurture a relationship. I choose to love my husband, but I also remember being very attracted to him--like almost on a "soulmatey" level--when we first met. I've never been able to explain why or how, but I was drawn to him in a different way than I'd been drawn to others. It may have been biological as well. I recently read this: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/13/health/webmd/main4347457.shtml I'm sending a prayer out tonight for you and Wenndy as well. Time is so important. I remember being badly hurt once, and it took time. I never knew that the concept of soulmates has pagan origins. That was an interesting bit of information. I learn a lot from reading your blogs! It makes a lot of sense when you explain that God wants us to love him out of our own free will. This highlights the importance of choice.

Anyway, it is a daily choice to nurture a relationship. I choose to love my husband, but I also remember being very attracted to him–like almost on a “soulmatey” level–when we first met. I’ve never been able to explain why or how, but I was drawn to him in a different way than I’d been drawn to others. It may have been biological as well. I recently read this:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/13/health/webmd/main4347457.shtml

I’m sending a prayer out tonight for you and Wenndy as well. Time is so important. I remember being badly hurt once, and it took time.

]]> By: Jean http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2909 Jean Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:30:06 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2909 Amen to MTof X3 too!! My addition came up with two years too. A drop in the bucket, except for maybe Caden. Amen to MTof X3 too!!

My addition came up with two years too. A drop in the bucket, except for maybe Caden.

]]> By: MTofX3 http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2908 MTofX3 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:27:32 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2908 Just my .02: While I agree that the Lord can still change Wendy's heart in regards to giving it to you again, I also agree that you cannot rebuke a harvest- that yes, even though we have repented, we still will reap what we have sewn and THAT is not an angry God punishing us- it is spiritual as well as natural law. We punish ourselves. Who are you to say that it will "never' happen for her? Seriously, it has been 2 years since you surrendered your life back to the Lord- 2 years is fabulous but it is also a drop in the bucket compared to the years you were together and the years you were apart and all that took place in between. I'm not telling you to give up your life in hopes that she will have a change of heart that could never come- but I also am not telling you to just be done with it because it's been "2 years". I think you can live each day to it's fullest- continue to surrender your hopes/thoughts/dreams to the Lord and walk in His grace to get to the next day. Matthew 6:33-34 (New International Version) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Just my .02:
While I agree that the Lord can still change Wendy’s heart in regards to giving it to you again, I also agree that you cannot rebuke a harvest- that yes, even though we have repented, we still will reap what we have sewn and THAT is not an angry God punishing us- it is spiritual as well as natural law. We punish ourselves.

Who are you to say that it will “never’ happen for her? Seriously, it has been 2 years since you surrendered your life back to the Lord- 2 years is fabulous but it is also a drop in the bucket compared to the years you were together and the years you were apart and all that took place in between.

I’m not telling you to give up your life in hopes that she will have a change of heart that could never come- but I also am not telling you to just be done with it because it’s been “2 years”. I think you can live each day to it’s fullest- continue to surrender your hopes/thoughts/dreams to the Lord and walk in His grace to get to the next day.

Matthew 6:33-34 (New International Version)
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

]]> By: Jean http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2907 Jean Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:08:16 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2907 Since Jennifer has expressed my heart so very well, all I'll add now is "Amen!" to her entry. My prayers and thoughts are with you all - Wendy and Caden included. As you said "....that's why they're called miracles!!" Since Jennifer has expressed my heart so very well, all I’ll add now is “Amen!” to her entry. My prayers and thoughts are with you all – Wendy and Caden included.

As you said “….that’s why they’re called miracles!!”

]]> By: Donny Pauling http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2906 Donny Pauling Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:34:11 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2906 Jennifer, Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I appreciate both. :) Jennifer,

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I appreciate both.
:)

]]> By: Donny Pauling http://www.donnypauling.com/blog/2008/08/25/forgiveness-consequences-and-the-decision-to-love/comment-page-1/#comment-2905 Donny Pauling Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:31:34 +0000 http://donnysramblings.wordpress.com/?p=603#comment-2905 Randy, I love that second paragraph. The truth of it is self evidenced all around us. I see that nearly everywhere I go. As for soul mates... I really don't get the appeal. As I said in my post, there is nothing at all romantic in loving someone you're supposedly "destined" to love. It is far more romantic, in my opinion, to CHOOSE to give yourself to a person for life. I wonder if the pursuit of this fairy tale "soul mate" concept is a contributor to our high divorce rate... When troubles come, turn and run cause you obviously haven't found "the one"? Just thinking out loud. If a person is to believe the Bible, we find that we are created "in the image of God". That isn't referring to our physical appearance, since God is spirit (sure, he can take the form of a man or even become one). Being as we are made in the image of God, and being as God wants us to love him by choice, not forcing himself on anyone, it seems pretty obvious to me that our own intimate relationships model the pattern of free will. But that's just me. Randy, I love that second paragraph. The truth of it is self evidenced all around us. I see that nearly everywhere I go.

As for soul mates… I really don’t get the appeal. As I said in my post, there is nothing at all romantic in loving someone you’re supposedly “destined” to love. It is far more romantic, in my opinion, to CHOOSE to give yourself to a person for life. I wonder if the pursuit of this fairy tale “soul mate” concept is a contributor to our high divorce rate… When troubles come, turn and run cause you obviously haven’t found “the one”? Just thinking out loud.

If a person is to believe the Bible, we find that we are created “in the image of God”. That isn’t referring to our physical appearance, since God is spirit (sure, he can take the form of a man or even become one). Being as we are made in the image of God, and being as God wants us to love him by choice, not forcing himself on anyone, it seems pretty obvious to me that our own intimate relationships model the pattern of free will.

But that’s just me.

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