hi

beverly · Newbie Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 7

Hi, i have been browsing thru the growthtrac site daily and have been immersed in it's articles and everything about being in a relationship. i am currently in a happy and serious relationship and the artiks in the site helps me a lot as we prepare on our journey to finally be married.

i wish this forum all God's blessings and everything in it being God centered.

thank you for this chance of being with nice people on line.

SAM · Veteran Joined: 03 Mar 2001 Posts: 1846 Location: Chicago

Welcome and we're glad you found GT. I know everyone here is passionate about marriages and getting them started on the foundation of Jesus Christ. I pray that you are both heading in that direction and will seek counseling or mentoring before you consider marriage.

It's vital, it's necessary and it help get things out in the open. Some topics to consider speaking together about with a counselor/mentor are -
your spiritual condition and what a spiritual marriage will look like,
conflict, communication, leisure activities, expectations, concerns and family of origin.

I've often heard couples say. "We're really private people and really don't want anyone analyzing our relationship." What that really means is, "We do have problems and we don't want anyone else pointing them out and calling us to a better standard." Very Happy

Surround yourselves with a strong support system (you'll need it) and those people will be there for the long haul to love you, cry with you, pray for you and do life with you. Everyone needs accountability and strong Christian friends to seek counsel and wisdom.

beverly · Newbie Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 7

hi..it's so nice to hear from you.

i am not catholic but was practicing catholic since high school. about more than five years ago i've been thinking of converting to catholic officially. and then i met this wonderful boyfriend who's very intouch with his faith.

this morning i finally took the time to check on my parish office and inquired about how i can go thru the process of conversion/catechism and finally be baptized.

it's one small step that's long over due. but now i'm finally here.

SAM · Veteran Joined: 03 Mar 2001 Posts: 1846 Location: Chicago

My husband was raised Catholic and I was raised Episcopalian.
The foundation in church and God was very strong, however, there was a piece we both missed. Believing in God is one step and another step is becoming the person that God desires you to be. The step that was missing for both of us was the receiving step.

What the receiving step meant for both of us, was receiving the gift of Christ from God. What than means is personally reflecting on what Christ did on the cross and that he died for my sins. Well, I thought that must be great he's died for all of our sins so that means everyone is going to heaven, but that's not the case. Even Satan believes in God and Christ, he knows they exist.

We each have to take a personal moment to ask Christ to be the leader of our lives and the forgiver of our sins and truly repentent for having turned away from him. That's the receiving step my husband and I missed. I call it my "defining moment". Many people don't take the step of actually asking Jesus to "be" their savior.

The equation is Believe + Receive = Become.

Believe in God
Receive the gift of Christ
Become the person God wants you to be

Don't think you have to "do" all these things to get right with God. We can go around in circles do-do-doing things to earn His favor. The question then becomes, when do you know if you have done enough??

It's been done through Christ's blood, he just asks you to make a decision - "Will you follow me, or won't you?"

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