Something Happened ---poss triggs

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Something Happened ---poss triggs
4
Sun, 03-28-2004 - 10:53am
Friday we had what I thought of as a group therapy session for our 7th grade. There have been a lot of problems with this class---altho it basically comes down to about 10 kids out of almost 90 who are the problems. Anyway---the therapist who was leading the 'discussion' said, "If you feel like everything is hopeless, than you should not be in the Catholic faith." Well, I do feel like everything is hopeless and I had thought my faith was a large part of what kept me going. However, I have been thinking about this off and on all weekend and I have decided I am deluding myself. It really is all hopeless. I will never have the courage to leave my marriage due to the fact that I am to materialistic and I can't stand the thought of not having money. My doctor has told me how frustrated he is because he hasn't been able to find the 'magic pill' to make me feel better. He says I will probably have to stay on meds the rest of my life. I coule go on and on----but the last thing you all need is to have to read about my problems (both real and imagined). So, I admit it. I feel like everything is hopeless and there is no reason not to give up. I didn't go to mass today. Why bother. Missing mass is a sin, but I am going to have an even bigger sin to deal with soon, so I figure I will be going to hell anyway. I'm tired now and need to go lay down. This is just too much.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Sun, 03-28-2004 - 11:40am
What a rotten therapist! I can't believe she said that.

Please don't let these strict "rules" about life that Catholicism has handed you make you worry about sin. God is here among us, Sweetie. He is not a man on a cloud looking down and telling us to follow a book of rules written by and for a bunch of nomads two thousand years ago. I've seen so many miracles in my life. Even at my lowest, I've seen God come into my life in big and small ways. I've lost faith at times when things didn't happen the way I thought they should. God doesn't always give us what we want. He gives us what we need to grow. If we don't get the lesson, he keeps knocking louder with bigger, more stressful agitants to knock us off our complacency.

Do you know the poem "Anyway"? The last line is: "Because in the end it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."

I think that's true. The one prayer I make that God always answers "yes" to is "God, please give me strenght and insight to get through this situation." Ask God for strength during this time of trial. You don't have to leave your husband. Ask God for a sign about what is the right thing to do. My mom asked God for a sign about leaving her husband since she believed it was against her religion to divorce. Within a few weeks she found out that my dad was gay. Twenty one years together, and she didn't find out until she asked God for a sign. Interesting, huh?

Please call 1-800-SUICIDE to get support for yourself right now.

There's also a book called "Life After Life" by Raymond Moody that has the most interesting perspective on life and death that I've ever heard. It's the first published work on people who have died and been resuscitated. It was written back in the 1970s by a man who was a died in the wool Methodist medical doctor. It includes the stories of people who tried to kill themselves, but survived anyway. Those stories will give you more insight into what you are contemplating than anything you can imagine.

Right before I went through a horrible time in my life 8 years ago, I had a dream. In it I was shooting through space with stars surrounding me. Then the stars turned into thousands of angels. I shot into this giant sun. The lava around me turned into mud and I felt like I was stuck and not moving. The message in my head in the dream and when I woke up was "Even when you think you aren't moving, trust that you are."

Then I found a quote by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It read: "If you get to a place where you feel you can't hold one any longer, HOLD ON! For that is the place where the time and tide will turn."

Hold on, pray for strength and wisdom to get you through this. Trust that God is living in your life. I've seen too many things I can't explain. God is here. Hold on and ask for His guidance.

All My Love,

MariaC

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-26-2004
Sun, 03-28-2004 - 2:52pm

((((((Debbie)))))!

AcornLeaves
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2004
Sun, 03-28-2004 - 8:32pm
"Pressed"

Pressed out measure and pressed to all length;

Pressed so intensely it seems beyond strength;

Pressed the body and pressed in the soul;

Pressed in the mind till the dark surges roll;

Pressure by foes, and pressure by friends;

Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends.

Pressed into loving the staff and the rod;

Pressed into knowing no helper but God;

Pressed into liberty where nothing clings;

Pressed into faith for impossible things;

Pressed into living a life in the Lord;

Pressed into living a Christ-life outpoured.

Annie Johnson Flint

Don't let someone else tell you about what your faith should be about, let the Lord comfort you, He wants to, "Come unto me all ye that labor and heavey ladden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Rest in Him, don't let ANYONE take that from you.

Praying for you.

Linette



iVillage Member
Registered: 07-15-2003
Mon, 03-29-2004 - 7:57am
{{{Debbie}}}

Okay, I make no secret that I am not religious at all. And what happened to you is part of the reason why.

I know you have a strong faith in God, and it can help you through!! Keep in mind I am clueless when it comes to this stuff, but this is how I see it. I think if God is as great as everyone thinks he is, then he doesn't care if you go to mass, he doesn't care if you are feeling hopeless!! I always thought that phrase "God-fearing person" is so dumb. Sorry to be blunt. But why should you fear him? My opinion of what a God should be is someone who is there to comfort you when you need it. Someone who loves you no matter what!! Well, no criminals etc! You know what I mean. But I think that if you are doing your best, then God will be there for you. I know lots of people who gather strength from their faith as you do. And that is wonderful. Please don't let that holier than thou therapist make you feel like you aren't a GREAT catholic. You are doing your best, and I think that is all God expects from you.

Take care

Pamela

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