My Mother Mary And Me?

[Brother Adam]

I've been debating posting this ANYWHERE, since it has me as thrown back as my wife, but I figured now is as good as any time to share this story. It happened almost a month ago now. I know I told Littleflower this story a couple of nights ago.


Since I was in my middle teens (14-15) I started struggling with a sin that most people are familiar with, but because this is a family board, I won't go into any detail. But it did become a serious problem in my life, and it seemed I was never without struggling and failing with this sin.

For years I cried, I prayed, I pleaded, I would do anything to escape it. I went through several programs, had accountability partners. I did everything in the "book" to try to get away from it. Yet, I never made it more than two weeks without the sin back in my life.

Something deep in my soul always told me I had to talk to my mother about it. Talk to my mom about it? No way! I loved my mom, she had always helped me through everything in life. Putting bandaids on booboos to helping me find a tux for dances. But there was no way I'd talk to her about it. So I dismissed the thought.

Everytime I prayed for relief from this sin though, a way to overcome it, the same thing came back to me again and again- "You must talk to your mom to be free from this for good".

Up until a month ago, I just kept fighting it like I always did and kept failing miserably.

Then about a month ago I was in my office struggling once again. When the rosary I kept for "artifact" purposes caught my eye. Desperate at this point, I picked up the rosary and looked at it. It reminded me that God was with me right then.

I then prayed that God would hear me, that (Please God) He would not be offended by this, that I didn't know what else to do, and prayed using the Rosary. I prayed that if Mary couldn't hear me that God would at least pass along the request to those in heaven who pray for us. But humbly, I did ask Mary to pray for me.

I then ended up going through most of the Rosary...there was one prayer I couldn't agree with saying though (Hail Holy Queen)...

But a small miracle happened. I avoided the occassion to sin. In fact, since the day I first used the Rosary, I haven't even struggled with the sin. It's totally blown me away. After 6 or 7 years. To be free for nearly a month from struggling with this sin! For me its a big miracle.

I'm still not sure what to think about this experience. Most of me is at peace with it, part of me is excited, part of me is still very unsure...

thought I'd share though. Please don't beat on me too bad.

God Bless,
Bro. Adam

[mulls]

nice story, i think i can relate to it a lot as far as the sin is concerned,but this part confuses me


[quote]I prayed that if Mary couldn't hear me that God would at least pass along the request to those in heaven who pray for us. But humbly, I did ask Mary to pray for me. [/quote]





you wanted God to pass along the request for those in heaven to pray for you....and i presume they would be praying to God, right?



instead of giving God your request right there, you asked Him to ask others to ask Him for you? and ultimately asked Mary to ask God for you?


just making sure i got the story straight.

[littleflower+JMJ]

we ask the Blessed Mother to pray for us, to beg on our behalf to Her Son Jesus.

we are weak and [i]need[/i] intercession, we cannot do it on our own like bro. adam tried to do.

so i think when he said that all in heaven would pray for him also, thats when he was wondering if the Blessed Mother wouldn't hear him. the others? well, that would be the angels and the saints...not too bad of a choice to ask them to pray for you i say

asking for help, and Our Blessed Mother helping, is one of the many ways of coming before God to have our prayer answers and heard.. :wub:

which i think bro. adam discovered very nicely :hearts: :group:

[littleflower+JMJ]

also bro. adam, i am very happy to hear of this miracle and for sharing it with us.

its amazing our faith can grow and help us in our lives to end sin, if we come before God, with those with us beside us to ask those who are already with Jesus.

i hope this is only the beginning for you and the rosary. for do not be mistaken! the rosary is a great gift to all who pray it.

i have prayed it since i was alittle girl and [i]know[/i] what great things can come from it. :wub:

im so proud of you bro. adam that your prayer was answered.

there have been many, many miracles through the devotion of the rosary, that i know you will come to see to any and all who pray it

just like the Blessed Mother was a vessel of bringing in Jesus, Son of God, into this world, her devotion, the rosary is also a vessel of bringing miracles, graces, and blessins, and helping us to come before God with our prayers.

:hearts: Im glad you heeded God's word, and trusted in Him enough to go to His Mother Mary. Jesus himself, loves His Mother very dearly, He also calls us to do the same. i hope this kinda helps you to not be afraid to go to Our Mother, She waits and prays for us. Shes always there, so She may take us in Her arms to calm us, comfort us in our troubles, and help us back up again when we fall. Her only goal is to lead us ever closer to Her Son, for She magnifies everything good from God. we cannot go wrong in asking for Her help.....

but did we not do that as children? when we fell and scraped our knee? with tears in our eyes? running to our earthly mother, to wipe away our tears?

we shall do the same with our prayers and Heavenly Mother [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/style_images/1/icon12.gif[/img]

God is so Awesome, and how good Our Lady is to us! :wub: :wub: :wub:

+JMJ

[Colleen]

that story is beautiful, Brother Adam.

[quote]She waits and prays for us to run to Her, so She may take us in Her arms to calm us, comfort us in our troubles, and help us back up again when we fall. Her only goal is to lead us ever closer to Her Son, for She magnifies everything good from God. we cannot go wrong in asking for Her help.....

but did we not do that as children? when we fell and scraped our knee? with tears in our eyes? running to our earthly mother, to wipe away our tears?

we shall do the same with our prayers and Heavenly Mother [/quote]
Beautiful explanation, too, Littleflower! It reminds me of that scene from the Passion!

[Theologian in Training]

Bro. Adam,

That is a beautiful story, and, it seems, God's way of showing you how Mary can help in all situations, especially those that deal with the issue of purity. We don't call her Immaculate for nothing

Also, reminded me of my own situation when I had fallen away from the Church and even God Himself. All I would hear deep inside was a consoling voice saying, "your Mother misses you." Now, since I was living with my mom, I figured it was not my earthly mother, but my Heavenly one. It was both consoling and sobering realizing Mary, the Mother of God, was missing me.

I offered a Hail Mary for your intentions.

God Bless

[Brother Adam]

The whole experience is just...difficult for me. Being a protestant since I was six or seven. There are those who will tell me I just tried to conjure up dead spirits by asking Mary for her prayers. It's possible I could be put on discipline or even be excommunicated from my church if I decide this is all really for real and it gets out, which I know I really have to decide on this soon after such an experience.

Despite all the "evidence" that protestants give showing how horrible it is to ask for the prayers of the saints, how could it possibly be satan that would work in my life in such a way? It wouldn't make any sense.

I mean, lets say that I did just try to "conjure up the dead" and that was Satan's goal. Then it wouldn't make any sense that I have been freed from struggling with that sin! Satan would be removing himself from my life in that way. How can Satan cast out satan? That's silly.

*sigh*. Such changes when you are taught something different your whole life. And I'm sorry, but this isn't exactly the direction I had in mind when I asked God to help me with this doctrine. And not just taught but shown increadible scholarly "works and proofs" why one view is right.

Pray for me please. That God's will may be done. At this point that is all, I myself, can ask for.

Bro. Adam

[Brother Adam]

[quote name='mulls' date='Mar 13 2004, 04:12 PM'] nice story, i think i can relate to it a lot as far as the sin is concerned,but this part confuses me








you wanted God to pass along the request for those in heaven to pray for you....and i presume they would be praying to God, right?



instead of giving God your request right there, you asked Him to ask others to ask Him for you? and ultimately asked Mary to ask God for you?


just making sure i got the story straight. [/quote]

Yes, that part was silly on my part I know. But some of our requests probably sound pretty silly to God most of the time anyway.

Edited March 13, 2004 by Brother Adam

[MrsFrozen]

Hi, Bro. Adam. Thanks for sharing your story! I wish more people understood intercession correctly, instead of comparing it to using a Ouija board or something.

I am so happy things are going better for you. I'll keep you in my prayers. God bless!

[IcePrincessKRS]

I've got the shivers.... thats just amazing. I know this is a difficult time in your journey and I am praying for you!

[willguy]

[quote name='Brother Adam' date='Mar 13 2004, 06:25 PM']
Yes, that part was silly on my part I know. But some of our requests probably sound pretty silly to God most of the time anyway. [/quote]
Actually, it doesn't sound that silly to me. I've asked God to ask Mary to pray for me to Him before.

[quote]How can Satan cast out satan? That's silly.
[/quote] Yep. A house divided against itself and all that jazz.

[VeraMaria]

wow

I'm praying for God's Will to be done

[mulls]

[quote name='Brother Adam' date='Mar 13 2004, 06:23 PM']

I mean, lets say that I did just try to "conjure up the dead" and that was Satan's goal. Then it wouldn't make any sense that I have been freed from struggling with that sin! Satan would be removing himself from my life in that way. How can Satan cast out satan? That's silly.

[/quote]
remember, satan tries to come as an angel of LIGHT. whatever he can use to his advantage, he will.

just look how many religions there are. most devout followers of religions consider themselves blessed and fulfilled and living the proper life. for example, the Nation of Islam promotes abstinence from things most would consider sinful, things that have people in bondage. once these people join, and do away with their obsessions and problems, do you think they have been drawn any closer to the Lord?


the devil can use good things for bad purposes. for example, you would think that being 'blessed' with money would indeed be nothing more than a blessing, but i wonder how many have been led to destruction due to wealth?



we can misinterpret what is good and bad, right and wrong. the devil is a DECEIVER.


it all matters what's from GOD or not. if something is not from GOD, it needs to be done away with, run away from, whatever the case may be. if it's spiritual and not from God, there's only one other source, right?






by the way i'm not trying to start any fights here at all, just trying to keep things balanced.

peace.

[littleflower+JMJ]

your right, we must always be careful. but your also talking about different cases.

Here in bro. adam's case, we are talking about the rosary (which many devote saints prayed their whole lives) and the Blessed Mother (who is the Mother of God) and his answered prayer.

these we [b]know[/b] are good because it will show through bearing great fruit (coming closer to God and ending that sin).

im glad you were able to truly exprience God's grace in this miracle bro. adam!

praying to the Blessed Mother is not bad (which i dont think your applying but i want to make clear), nor sinful, if that is what God wishes for us to do. for she is the definition and living example of God's goodness. :wub:

this sin has stopped. that is proof it is one of the many blessings of God beign done. which i must say.....PRAISE GOD! :cheer:

what bro. adam said was correct....
very simply, everything good comes from God. everything else...is not.

[i]blessed are those who have not seen, but yet still believe.[/i]

pax christi.

+JMJ

[Aloysius]

... i need to pray the rosary more, and like: really pray it. every day. you cannot keep the rosary and be sinful side by side for long, you will eventually stop one for the other.

you just did what anyone who realized a new Davidic kingdom was coming upon this earth should do, ask the mother of the King to plead to the King for your sake.