The story that follows is the story of my leaving the Catholic Church and returning. When I was about 15 years old my mother started listening to Billy Gram on TV. She bought a bible and started reading it. Someone from the local Baptist Church got wind of this and came talk to her.
How everything happened at this time is not exactly clear to me. We were convinced that the Catholic Church was a false religion and was not following the Bible. We bought into this hook line and sinker. After all some things the Church teaches does not make itself readily clear in the Bible, but rather is found mostly through tradition. Also God has not stopped speaking to the Church for 2000 years so some things are recorded in the Bible.
We went to the Baptist church and was baptized according to scripture. After about two years we left the church because of controversy with some of the members.We went to another baptist church then another. We tried the Assemblies of God church, nondenominational churches with the same results.
I am a bridge operator and have a lot of time to read so I studied the scriptures all this time. After about 8 maybe 10 years we ( I am one of seven children) were all grown up and basically went our own way. We believed in God and the Bible but most of us had given up on going to church. I got married at age 33 and had 3 children of my own with one step child I considered my own. Life is hard no matter who you are and I was no exception.
My step child was away at college and my oldest daughter was leaving to go to the same away from home college. Tentions at home ran high and I feared for my children. I would stand on God's promises as the protestant religions taught us. But the stress and worry kept building up. Till one day or several days I walked the floor, litterally looking for an answer.
At this time I said to myself, " Wilton, be honest with yourself. Either God's word is ture or not. Which is it. The promises are not coming to pass. You need to admit that God's word is not true or you need to find out what's wrong." At this point a scripture came to mind, "Love your enemies". I thought to myself that if I could truely live this scripture then surely God would reveal Himself to me or it would definetly prove the Bible is not the word of God.
So I put my heart into loving everybody including my enemies, no exception. At this time I was also having trouble with a co-worker at work. Our relationship started to change and we started getting along. I was as much the problem as she was. Other parts of my life started changing for the better. This proved to me that God's word was true and if I followed it God would take care of me and my family.
A few months latter I was sitting outside watching my garden grow. This is my passion. Repeating to myself " love your enemies, do good to those who deliberately hurt you". I had finally touched God and didn't want to lose that. I wanted to put it in my heart and mind. At this time I heard a voice say " If you have to love your enemies don't that mean you have to love your Mom and Dad" Not out loud but in my head, top left corner if I remember correctly. At this time I was not talking to my Mom and Dad except if I ran into them at a store. My Mom says it was 5 years and mother-in-law says 7 years that this situation was going on. I didn't want to associate with them because it brought back hard feelings and anger. I didn't hate them I just wanted to be left along.
As soon as I heard the voice I replied, again in my head. " I love my Mom and Dad but I just don't want to visit them." The voice replied just as quickly " If you love them you will visit them." Was it fear that made me reach for my cell phone or the realization that God had just spoken to me. Probably both. Either way I swollowed my pride and grabed my cell phone, call my Dad and told Him I wanted to go visit. It was hard but I told them that I wanted to make things better but couldn't promise anythings for sure. I don't remember if I told them I was sorry at that time because I still had a lot of pride.
At this time I had a desire to go back to church but where. My parents was going to a non-denominational church at the time so I went with them. I also put in my heart to go to one church and stay there. I was going to love my enemies as well as my friends. But it didn't work out. The preacher had too much anger and he hated the Catholics. I had no feeling either way at the time. My wife was Catholic and when we married I agreed to let her raise the children Catholic. I left this church after just a few months.
Next I went back to the Baptist church we originally left the Catholic Church for. I was determined to stay there but then one day a man with a third grade education was teaching me bible school. Now I was in a bind, wanting to go to church and not able to accept the choices. I went back to my old ways of staying home and reading my Bible and other christain books. But I did not abandon " love your enemies"
Before I go further let me say that untill this time I had never even considered going back to the Catholic Church even though my wife and children was going there. I believed they were sincere but did not know the full truth. I had Bible knowledge. This time I would try to follow what was in the Bible. And this put me in conflict with many people. They would say " yes that's in the Bible but that doesn't mean ........."
I bought books for cheap at goodwill stores,discount stores and flea markets. If I could not read them all at that time I would put them on a book shelf for latter. That's where I found the two books that would lead me back to the Holy Catholic Church. I gave these books to my priest when I joined the church and don't have the heart to ask him if he still has them. The names of the books are vague in my mind so I will not try to name them at this time.
I started studying the Catholic Church not paying attention to what people said, but studying the teachings of the Church. I was amazed to see that they actually believed what the Bible said including love your enemies. In the rest of my blog you will find all these scriptures they believe in. Remerber this is a work in progress.
Jesus said that we will have to answer for every word we say and the Catholic Church believes this. Even what we think. Purgatory is real. I have to eat the body and blood of our Lord Jesus to have eternal life. Everything they say is in the Bible, except for a few things. So far they are the only Church that comes close to following the Bible. Can they be right about the other things also. I didn't know but I wanted eternal live with God my creator. I wanted to eat the flesh and blood of my Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy eucharist. I wanted to go to confession and have the priest to forgive my sins. I believed what Jesus told Peter. No one tried to convince me to join the Catholic Church. Instead they tried to stop me.
I told my wife, she said whatever, that's you. I talked to the priest he said " is anybody pushing you to join the Church". Here I am wanting to join the Catholic Church and I get support from no one. The priest did help. He just wanted to make sure I was coming back of my own free will. Here is a Church that even respects the free will that God gave us. Let me in .
I was convinced that this was God's true church and I wanted in. I was ready the accept the things I did not under at the present time because Jesus told Peter Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever you bind in heaven is bound on earth. The first rosary I prayed when I came back I said " Lord Jesus forgive me if I'm wrong but I believe this is your true Church and I will obey what it says". Today I pray the rosary everyday and believe it is the most powerfull prayer there is.
All my family except my wife and children were out of the Catholic Church. I wanted to tell them my story but no one wanted to here it. No one wanted to talk to me about the Church. Most of the time I had to go to church alone because my wife loved to go to an out of town church. It was hard.
It seam every non catholic hates the Catholic Church. That shows me even more that She is more correct than they are because you are not suppose to hate. Remember, love your enemies. That's how you can tell the sheep from the goats. Love your enemies and you will become a child of God. Today and every day I want to tell my family and others about God and His Holy Catholic Church but I can't because they don't want to here it. And it's wrong for me to violate their free will. But in this blog I can tell my story and those who wants to read it can and the others don't have to if they don't want too. Free will is not violated and yet I can reach out in love to God's highest creation , man.
I joined the Catholic Church on 12-12-2006. I have not regretted coming back not even for one moment. I love the Church and the people. I also love those outside, enough to expose myself through this blog. Why else would I do it. I cannot sit and be happy and at peace when my brother is outside. You can forget everything I said and will say except one thing "Love your enemy". Set it in your heart. Repeat it often. Do it. And God will touch you. The great and only God Creator of heaven and earth, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen, Amen, Amen
On the day I joined back the Church I also renewed my wedding vows and had my marriage blessed. My wife and I, sister-in-law, a good friend, the priest and I believe a church witness were the only ones there. After the ceremony I got the impression that a lady with a long flowing dress passed between me and the pew. I turned to see who it was but no one was there. Then and there I just knew it was the mother of our Lord Jesus the Blessed Virgin Mary who had came to celebrate with us my coming home.
How everything happened at this time is not exactly clear to me. We were convinced that the Catholic Church was a false religion and was not following the Bible. We bought into this hook line and sinker. After all some things the Church teaches does not make itself readily clear in the Bible, but rather is found mostly through tradition. Also God has not stopped speaking to the Church for 2000 years so some things are recorded in the Bible.
We went to the Baptist church and was baptized according to scripture. After about two years we left the church because of controversy with some of the members.We went to another baptist church then another. We tried the Assemblies of God church, nondenominational churches with the same results.
I am a bridge operator and have a lot of time to read so I studied the scriptures all this time. After about 8 maybe 10 years we ( I am one of seven children) were all grown up and basically went our own way. We believed in God and the Bible but most of us had given up on going to church. I got married at age 33 and had 3 children of my own with one step child I considered my own. Life is hard no matter who you are and I was no exception.
My step child was away at college and my oldest daughter was leaving to go to the same away from home college. Tentions at home ran high and I feared for my children. I would stand on God's promises as the protestant religions taught us. But the stress and worry kept building up. Till one day or several days I walked the floor, litterally looking for an answer.
At this time I said to myself, " Wilton, be honest with yourself. Either God's word is ture or not. Which is it. The promises are not coming to pass. You need to admit that God's word is not true or you need to find out what's wrong." At this point a scripture came to mind, "Love your enemies". I thought to myself that if I could truely live this scripture then surely God would reveal Himself to me or it would definetly prove the Bible is not the word of God.
So I put my heart into loving everybody including my enemies, no exception. At this time I was also having trouble with a co-worker at work. Our relationship started to change and we started getting along. I was as much the problem as she was. Other parts of my life started changing for the better. This proved to me that God's word was true and if I followed it God would take care of me and my family.
A few months latter I was sitting outside watching my garden grow. This is my passion. Repeating to myself " love your enemies, do good to those who deliberately hurt you". I had finally touched God and didn't want to lose that. I wanted to put it in my heart and mind. At this time I heard a voice say " If you have to love your enemies don't that mean you have to love your Mom and Dad" Not out loud but in my head, top left corner if I remember correctly. At this time I was not talking to my Mom and Dad except if I ran into them at a store. My Mom says it was 5 years and mother-in-law says 7 years that this situation was going on. I didn't want to associate with them because it brought back hard feelings and anger. I didn't hate them I just wanted to be left along.
As soon as I heard the voice I replied, again in my head. " I love my Mom and Dad but I just don't want to visit them." The voice replied just as quickly " If you love them you will visit them." Was it fear that made me reach for my cell phone or the realization that God had just spoken to me. Probably both. Either way I swollowed my pride and grabed my cell phone, call my Dad and told Him I wanted to go visit. It was hard but I told them that I wanted to make things better but couldn't promise anythings for sure. I don't remember if I told them I was sorry at that time because I still had a lot of pride.
At this time I had a desire to go back to church but where. My parents was going to a non-denominational church at the time so I went with them. I also put in my heart to go to one church and stay there. I was going to love my enemies as well as my friends. But it didn't work out. The preacher had too much anger and he hated the Catholics. I had no feeling either way at the time. My wife was Catholic and when we married I agreed to let her raise the children Catholic. I left this church after just a few months.
Next I went back to the Baptist church we originally left the Catholic Church for. I was determined to stay there but then one day a man with a third grade education was teaching me bible school. Now I was in a bind, wanting to go to church and not able to accept the choices. I went back to my old ways of staying home and reading my Bible and other christain books. But I did not abandon " love your enemies"
Before I go further let me say that untill this time I had never even considered going back to the Catholic Church even though my wife and children was going there. I believed they were sincere but did not know the full truth. I had Bible knowledge. This time I would try to follow what was in the Bible. And this put me in conflict with many people. They would say " yes that's in the Bible but that doesn't mean ........."
I bought books for cheap at goodwill stores,discount stores and flea markets. If I could not read them all at that time I would put them on a book shelf for latter. That's where I found the two books that would lead me back to the Holy Catholic Church. I gave these books to my priest when I joined the church and don't have the heart to ask him if he still has them. The names of the books are vague in my mind so I will not try to name them at this time.
I started studying the Catholic Church not paying attention to what people said, but studying the teachings of the Church. I was amazed to see that they actually believed what the Bible said including love your enemies. In the rest of my blog you will find all these scriptures they believe in. Remerber this is a work in progress.
Jesus said that we will have to answer for every word we say and the Catholic Church believes this. Even what we think. Purgatory is real. I have to eat the body and blood of our Lord Jesus to have eternal life. Everything they say is in the Bible, except for a few things. So far they are the only Church that comes close to following the Bible. Can they be right about the other things also. I didn't know but I wanted eternal live with God my creator. I wanted to eat the flesh and blood of my Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy eucharist. I wanted to go to confession and have the priest to forgive my sins. I believed what Jesus told Peter. No one tried to convince me to join the Catholic Church. Instead they tried to stop me.
I told my wife, she said whatever, that's you. I talked to the priest he said " is anybody pushing you to join the Church". Here I am wanting to join the Catholic Church and I get support from no one. The priest did help. He just wanted to make sure I was coming back of my own free will. Here is a Church that even respects the free will that God gave us. Let me in .
I was convinced that this was God's true church and I wanted in. I was ready the accept the things I did not under at the present time because Jesus told Peter Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever you bind in heaven is bound on earth. The first rosary I prayed when I came back I said " Lord Jesus forgive me if I'm wrong but I believe this is your true Church and I will obey what it says". Today I pray the rosary everyday and believe it is the most powerfull prayer there is.
All my family except my wife and children were out of the Catholic Church. I wanted to tell them my story but no one wanted to here it. No one wanted to talk to me about the Church. Most of the time I had to go to church alone because my wife loved to go to an out of town church. It was hard.
It seam every non catholic hates the Catholic Church. That shows me even more that She is more correct than they are because you are not suppose to hate. Remember, love your enemies. That's how you can tell the sheep from the goats. Love your enemies and you will become a child of God. Today and every day I want to tell my family and others about God and His Holy Catholic Church but I can't because they don't want to here it. And it's wrong for me to violate their free will. But in this blog I can tell my story and those who wants to read it can and the others don't have to if they don't want too. Free will is not violated and yet I can reach out in love to God's highest creation , man.
I joined the Catholic Church on 12-12-2006. I have not regretted coming back not even for one moment. I love the Church and the people. I also love those outside, enough to expose myself through this blog. Why else would I do it. I cannot sit and be happy and at peace when my brother is outside. You can forget everything I said and will say except one thing "Love your enemy". Set it in your heart. Repeat it often. Do it. And God will touch you. The great and only God Creator of heaven and earth, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen, Amen, Amen
On the day I joined back the Church I also renewed my wedding vows and had my marriage blessed. My wife and I, sister-in-law, a good friend, the priest and I believe a church witness were the only ones there. After the ceremony I got the impression that a lady with a long flowing dress passed between me and the pew. I turned to see who it was but no one was there. Then and there I just knew it was the mother of our Lord Jesus the Blessed Virgin Mary who had came to celebrate with us my coming home.
No comments:
Post a Comment