What I would say about this subject is that I am just trying really hard not to shut people down. People take a big risk, just posting anything at all. I want them to feel safe to stay here with us, and to keep posting.
I spent a lifetime in the NTM environment, and graduated from the Rochester, PA school of personal ministry with high honors. I could jump on people and judge them and preach at them for what they said, how they dressed, how clean their house was, whether they were submissive enough to their husband, and tell them they needed to spank their toddler more often.
Dear God, I even lectured one woman for using too much toilet paper. I felt smugly justified in doing that, because our boot camp leaders had complained that someone was clogging up the toilets, and I believed the Holy Spirit had led me to discover the culprit.
Oh, how humbling it is to admit what a wretched witch I was. Really.
This cyberworld where we hold our 24-7 support group meetings is a strange and fascinating place. We don't know each other, and yet we sense a strong and powerful connection. We use code names and yet there is an intimacy here that is unparalleled in places where people actually speak face to face.
Agast is so right about the emotional state many of us are in when we sit at our computers, pound away, and then hit the "submit" button.
I wince when others are then quick to post something that I think might make the first poster -- who has taken a chance by being honest and vulnerable -- feel judged, critiqued, or demeaned.
My desire is to respond to others like my Father responds to me. When I speak to Him in honesty, I never feel rejection from Him. I can be mad, sad, ask hard questions that have no answers. I never hear Him say, "You need to just try a little harder to please me."
Oh, my precious Lord just pulls me close. So close I can hear His heartbeat. And that beat just keeps going ... I love you. I love you. I love you.
Even if you clog up the toilet. I love you.
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