Gal. 5:22,23 Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Yes, actually, I am. But first I would like to say that from my short time in coming to this forum, I have found nearly everyone here very charitable. I participated in another forum for about six months where some Catholics routinely told us non-Catholic Christians that we were heretics going to hell. As you can imagine, that didn't go over very well. I have been a Christian for 27 years. I have been in Bible Studies for 15 years, and began teaching ladies' studies last year. My frustration with Protestantism started a few months ago. Every so often someone in our study group will ask about a particular doctrine. Since I have women from several different denominations attending, it really is hard to give an answer. Not only that, but I know that if I do answer, there is a distinct possibility that someone will disagree with me - forcefully. So I'm left with "Well, here are the different views." So, I began reading the early Church Fathers. You can imagine my shock when I found them to be entirely Catholic. I've had a crisis of faith. Not my Christian faith, mind you, but my Protestant faith. Newman's quote "To be steeped in history is to cease to be Protestant" began to carry a lot of weight with me. I am now on the journey. One problem: my wonderful husband does not share my interest in the Catholic Church. He is a devout Christian and is blessed with the gift of evangelism. So I naturally worry that this will cause disunity in our family, in particular, it could confuse our three children - one of whom is 14. I could use lots of prayer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thy Geekdom Come Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 [quote name='Gal. 5:22,23' date='Dec 3 2004, 03:40 PM'] I am now on the journey. One problem: my wonderful husband does not share my interest in the Catholic Church. He is a devout Christian and is blessed with the gift of evangelism. So I naturally worry that this will cause disunity in our family, in particular, it could confuse our three children - one of whom is 14. I could use lots of prayer! [/quote] You'll have my prayer! We could use more people with the gift of evangelism in the Catholic Church... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Wednesday Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 [quote name='Gal. 5:22,23' date='Dec 3 2004, 11:17 AM'] I had a dream a few months ago that I was taking Communion in the Catholic Church. I did not tell my husband about this dream. The very next night my husband had a dream. He woke up the next morning and said "What's going on with you, I had a dream you became Catholic?" Where this will all lead, I do not know, but I know that God sometimes speaks to us through dreams. [/quote] Wow, that is really powerful, Gal. 5! I haven't always had a lot of religious dreams. I'm a cradle Catholic so I didn't have conversion stress dreams. I did have a dream once that Our Lady of Guadalupe was approaching me and a really bright light was coming out of her hands. The light was like a pure shock of peace. It was so strong I woke up and it was probably about 3 a.m. or so. Went back to sleep after that. I did dream of my mother's death and she died exactly how it happened in my dream. I have had a lot of recurring dreams that I am in London. I'm applying to school there this spring, so who knows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gal. 5:22,23 Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Very rarely does God speak to me in dreams. However, I had one a few months ago. In my dream, God said "I have loved you with an everlasting love." When I woke up, I looked in my concordance for that verse. It's Jer. 31:3. What really did me in was when I read on: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. " You see, I did not grow up in a Christian home. Yet, I was inexplicably drawn to prayer as a small child. I have no memory of not believing in God, yet His Name was never mentioned in my home. I believe He was reminding me of His incredible mercy on me and encouraging me in my journey of faith. What an awesome God we serve!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted December 3, 2004 Author Share Posted December 3, 2004 Thank you for sharing that with us. We will certiantly pray for you. I converted from a Baptist backround for simliar reasons Protestantism just doesn't hold up to Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 [quote name='Brother Adam' date='Dec 3 2004, 04:47 PM'] Protestantism just doesn't hold up to Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17 [/quote] <sigh> no, it doens't... History was my downfall. You see, we are "Classical" homeschoolers and we study history in four year cycles" 1st grade Ancients 2nd grade Middle Ages (up to about the Reformation) 3rd grade Early Modern (1600-1850) 4th grade Modern (Civil War to present) so... during first grade.. we were happily Protestant... But during the second grade year, we (HSdad and I) were reading and studying the church Fathers etc. and I was trying to at least be charitable to Catholics- though I was hating 'em, cuz Catholicism was becoming the sand in my oyster shell... That was a very difficult subject. By the time we got to the end of second grade, we were Catholic. This year (third grade) is a little better, though we are having to deal with Protestant vs. Catholic wars in Europe... This: [quote]"To be steeped in history is to cease to be Protestant" [/quote]is one of my favorite quotes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thy Geekdom Come Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 [quote name='homeschoolmom' date='Dec 3 2004, 06:03 PM'] <sigh> no, it doens't... History was my downfall. You see, we are "Classical" homeschoolers and we study history in four year cycles" 1st grade Ancients 2nd grade Middle Ages (up to about the Reformation) 3rd grade Early Modern (1600-1850) 4th grade Modern (Civil War to present) so... during first grade.. we were happily Protestant... But during the second grade year, we (HSdad and I) were reading and studying the church Fathers etc. and I was trying to at least be charitable to Catholics- though I was hating 'em, cuz Catholicism was becoming the sand in my oyster shell... That was a very difficult subject. By the time we got to the end of second grade, we were Catholic. This year (third grade) is a little better, though we are having to deal with Protestant vs. Catholic wars in Europe... This: is one of my favorite quotes... [/quote] Just can't argue with the truth, can ya? I love you guys. :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gal. 5:22,23 Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 You know, I'm re-thinking the wisdom of posting that second dream. I realize that some find discussion of something private like that to be in bad taste. So, I hope I didn't offend anyone. To lighten it up a bit, I will share that I actually argued with God in my dream and told Him that promise was for Israel not me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureSoror Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 I basically never have religious dreams, but a little over a month ago I was at a retreat where there was all night Eucharistic Adoration and as I was sleeping I had this really wierd dream about being in a Theology class and not knowing the answers to the teacher's questions even though Theology is my best class. Then all of a sudden the teacher singled out me and some other guy and told us "you need study more!!" It really made an impression on me. I'm not a convert by the way, but I felt like sharing :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted December 4, 2004 Author Share Posted December 4, 2004 I wanted to say that the dream did bring some good. At mass last night I found myself with a much more profound appreciation for the real presence. I had never done anything before not to respect the Eucharist, but I feel there is a deeper understanding now. I've also been debating the Eucharist with people in the SSPX and it has gotten me into reading even the seminary material for priestly training on the Eucharist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamweaver Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 Sometimes I have dreams about going to Mass, usually in a mysterious church in an unknown city. One took place in a gothic cathedral, and I was hanging out in the attic. It was pretty spin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thy Geekdom Come Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 [quote name='Dreamweaver' date='Dec 4 2004, 11:44 AM'] One took place in a gothic cathedral, and I was hanging out in the attic. It was pretty spin. [/quote] Nightcrawler? [img]http://members.aol.com/minyaruthien/nightcrawler.jpg[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachael Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 ah!!! :ph34r: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiat_Voluntas_Tua Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Gal. 5.... You should look into Scott Hahn's Conversion story...His wife was opposed to him becomming Catholic. Now they are both hard-core Catho0lics...I am praying for you! This brings joy into my heart. Totus Tuus, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gal. 5:22,23 Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Thanks, Andrew, I have read Hahn's story. I know that with God all things are possible. It will definitely take a move of God to get my husband in the Catholic Church! He has to get over his experience of going to Catholic high school. Apparently there weren't many devout students there. But I keep telling him not to judge the Church based on some of the people in it. He wanted to visit a new church this morning. It was a Baptist church and they held the service in the gymnasium. Ugh. No reverence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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