Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Dare to Love

Hey all its been awhile again! Just want to post an update if you care to read. First of all I have good news. I did indeed start going to a small group at my church! Last night was my second small group meeting. It has been really amazing. I have never really been in a small group since I was always afraid they would find out about my SSA. Anyways they really share ALOT in this group and are incredibly vulnerable to one another. Its really good for me to hear that other Christians have struggles too. Not that I did not already know that but seeing it and hearing the struggles first hand is just something I needed I guess. They have struggles but still love eachother and pray for one another and support one another. I already know and feel that at some point I will share my struggle with SSA with them. Probably not for awhile but I think I will someday. Its funny last nights meeting the topic was sharing your "impossible" prayer request. So we talked about that for awhile then went around the room and shared our impossible request. Some shared about unsaved loved ones, or family with cancer etc... Others shared personal things they struggle with. Anyways as they were going around the room I was terrified and like no way am I ready to share my "impossible" request. But I did come up with another thing that has always seemed impossible too. I asked them to pray that I feel safe to share about struggles and that I can open up more with them. I explained how I have many walls around myself and I really want to be more open with people in my life. Anyways they then of course pressed me further and we talked for a little while. They asked if it would be easier for me since I am quiet if they made it a point to ask me how I am doing in the group meetings and I said sure that would be great.

I am really happy and thankful to God that he gave me the courage to join this small group. I am finally learning what real Christian fellowship is and its a pretty amazing thing. They share their burdens and struggles with eachother and support eachother just like it says to do in the Bible. I am looking forward to the meetings every week now and I think 2011 could be an amazing year for me where I will finally let people in to see the real me. By real me I am not talking about SSA I just mean me in general. Like I said I may not share the SSA stuff for a long time but I mean I hope to let them see the real me that I show on this blog who I have always been hiding because of fear and shame.

Its been an amazing experience so far and its only been a couple of weeks. Thanks for all your prayers as you all really gave me the strength, encouragement, and self-esteem to do this. Can't wait to see what God has in store for me next! :)

I want to end this post with a quote from "The Inner Voice of Love: A Journey Through Anguish to Freedom" by Henri Nouwen. This book has had a real impact on me. Its such a short book but so deep I have been reading and re-reading parts of it very very slow.I dont think its a coincidence that I read this part of the book for the first time just as I was joining the small group! Here it is:
"Friendship has been a source of great pain for you. You desired it so much that you often lost yourself in the search for a true friend. Many times you became desperate when a friendship you hoped for didn't materialize, or when a friendship begun with great expectations did not last....But now you must seek friends to whom you can relate from your center, from the place where you know you are deeply loved. Friendship becomes more and more possible when you accept yourself as deeply loved. Then you can be with others in a non-possessive way....Dare to love and to be a real friend. The love you give and receive is a reality that will lead you closer and closer to God as well as to those who God has given you to love."(pages 80-81)

Anyways this chapter really encouraged me to take a step out and trust God and dare to reach out and love and be vulnerable with others. But even more it made me realize I have to love myself first. After all if God loves me even though I sin and fail so often then surely I can love myself too and realize I am worth having as a friend. God is slowly helping me to do just that! I think I have taken a good first step in this journey to be more real with others and I pray God gives me the courage to continue to do so more and more!

8 comments:

  1. "I asked them to pray that I feel safe to share about struggles and that I can open up more with them. I explained how I have many walls around myself and I really want to be more open with people in my life."

    Wow. That took a lot of courage to admit that, I'm sure. I bet you're glad you did, though.
    Glad things continue to improve for you.

    Great quote, btw. :)

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  2. Hi AJ, I stumbled upon your blog a week or so ago and have enjoyed it alot. I also struggle with SSA. Your blog has been an encouragement to me, and so, I would encourage you to keep writing. It is a help to others out there! God bless you!

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  3. Hey there ptpdx! Thanks for stopping by. Glad to hear my blog is an encouragement to you in some way. I will definitely try to keep writing! God bless you as well!

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  4. Ya it was hard to admit for me I will say for sure gaypk! Admitting any weakness in public is hard for me so this was a big step. I just was like why am I even coming to this group if I am just going to say pass when it came to be my turn. Everyone else was sharing so I figured why not. Not sharing has certainly not been helping me to make friends! Of least now they know I have some things I need and want to be more open about even if I dont share them for awhile. Plus they know I want to be vulnerable and share like they do. Come to think about it I guess I was vulnerable even saying this to them. Yea like you said I am glad I said it! It was hard but worth it.

    Ya really powerful quote for me too! The whole book has been a help. Check it out someday!There are alot more great things in it where this comes from! :)

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  5. You have no idea how happy this makes me! Every day, I try to pray that God would teach you courage. I think he is. :)

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  6. Thanks Tim! :) Definitely appreciate those prayers!!

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  7. So good to read your post and see how you are growing, having the courage to share a deep need, and generally discovering amazing things about yourself. Bet it really encourages you to know others are reading your blog and being encouraged by what you have shared. God is answering your prayers.

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  8. I pray many blessing to you. I struggle with the same. I recently connected with a church while I was overseas and inconveniently became attracted to the pastor's wife. I was responding to her loving nature...and it was very stimulating for me. I too did not share that aspect of myself even in the face of their own complete transparency about deep sin issues from the past. I want to encourage you and speak God's healing on your spirit and soul...may you be complete in Him.

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