I've posted a few dreams on here but this is my first time posting a prayer request. I grew up in church but I did loose my way after graduating high school. I'm 35 years old now and after so many years I asked the Lord to forgive me of all my sins, that was the beginning of last year....and I have been following him faithfully since then. He has been so Awesome to me....teaching and guiding me on this amazing journey. I've been praying to our Heavenly Father that I would meet new friends. I'm praying to connect with people in the body of Christ. I have a few friends but they are not christians and I've seperated myself from them because, honestly, they were not true friends to begin with and they do not share the same morels or beliefs as I do. I am aquainted with people at my church but have not really "connected". I had a really rough week last week and felt I was under attack by the enemy because I was starting to become very sad and feeling a lot of anxiety, especially at night. I'm doing ok now....I put it all in Gods hands, but the feeling of being overlooked and not connected in my church as been weighing on me so deeply. Please keep me in your prayer. I became a member of the church because I really felt it in my heart that it was where I belonged. My children have connected with their teachers and new friends....but I'm not sure what is going on with ME :-)
thanks

oops...just realized I posted in the wrong Topic. sorry!

Hello Ang!

A scripture came to mind when I read your post..."A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24)

I went through the SAME EXACT thing when I first started going to church. There were so many people in my church at the time and everyone knew each other, it seemed. I longed to have friends in the ministry because I had let go of my "running buddies". One day I went to church and the Assistant Pastor was teaching a lesson and out of the blue he said "some of you desire to have friends, but the Lord says that you will, but you have to show yourself friendly" and he quoted the scripture that I shared above. I will NEVER forget that day because from that point on, I changed the way I greeted people. It wasn't that I was mean, but I felt that maybe I was giving off a signal that I was intimidated or in awe of the amount of people that were in the ministry.

As I started greeting people...each week as I went back to church, if I saw them, I waved at them or went out of my way to walk over and greeted them. I hate to toot my own horn, but I will say this, I became one of the most popular people in the church. I had and still have LOTS of friends in the church. Even though some have gone on and moved on to other churches, I remained friends with them.

Another thing you can do is get involved in a service ministry within the church. That's a way of getting more closer with people on a smaller scale.

I will be praying for you!!

Thank You Cholette.
Its funny you said that maybe you were giving off a certain signal. I'm glad you mentioned it too. I've checked myself on that....and I find that I AM intimidated by the church and the many members. I'm not sure why that is, but I need to get over it. LOL I've allowed that feeling to overwhelm me...causing anxiety.
This too shall pass

blessings

The only signal that I got was that I was you 19 years ago. Reading your post was like reading that season of my life all back over again.

Push past the fear and love on people. People are drawn by the love of God. You will be surprised how many people who are in the church who need a hug!!! Pass out plenty of them...

Ah, Cholette ....God Bless you!

Great advice, Cholette.

I'm going to pray for you to find friends, Ang. In my opinion, being Christian and having close Christian friends is SO important.

Cholette, you are so right, when I first came to my first church I knew nobody, just my family and one person who invited us. But one day I decided to go the youth ministry and reluctantly came up to the youth pastor by the end of the service, told about myself,etc. The pastors were so excited to meet me, they immediatelly took into the ministry as they needed one person who would help them in certain area of the youth ministry.
I was attending the church but was stubborn to go to the youth ministry where I not only met so many friends (some of them became really close) but also had the opportunity to serve young people. It was a huge blessing to me and huge experience.

Mia Sherwood wrote:

Great advice, Cholette.

I'm going to pray for you to find friends, Ang. In my opinion, being Christian and having close Christian friends is SO important.

thank you Mia.

I'm going through a tough season. I'm having conflicting feelings about the church I attend. I've been crying out to God for guidance...and I'm not receiving anything yet. I have to admit that I'm wondering if my gut feeling IS the Lord and I'm just not listening because I'm expecting a different answer, or if the enemy has placed doubts in my mind. I should have friends (fellow christians in the body of Christ) to bond with and share the goodness of God.

Cholette,
I've been going to this church for a year now. I help out with the sunday school classes. I've shared my testimony with a few people as well. I'm not saying thats all I can do to be involved because I'm still looking for more to do, just wanted to share.

Still I wait on the Lord!!

Father God,

I pray for this sister in the name of Jesus. I pray that you will send her true friends that she can rely on and build relationships with. God, I ask that you send might women of God her way, that they will pour into her life, and God, I ask that you will send those to her that will always be honest with her, even in the times she may not want them to be. God I pray for people that will be a safe place for her, people that will keep the secrets of her heart safe, and not reveal them to others. I pray for peace, understanding, wisdom and guidance for this sister. Lord, you are going to bless her with those she needs so she can grow in you. God, we give you praise and we thank you for what you are going to do. Amen!

SCGirlyGrl wrote:

Father God,

I pray for this sister in the name of Jesus. I pray that you will send her true friends that she can rely on and build relationships with. God, I ask that you send might women of God her way, that they will pour into her life, and God, I ask that you will send those to her that will always be honest with her, even in the times she may not want them to be. God I pray for people that will be a safe place for her, people that will keep the secrets of her heart safe, and not reveal them to others. I pray for peace, understanding, wisdom and guidance for this sister. Lord, you are going to bless her with those she needs so she can grow in you. God, we give you praise and we thank you for what you are going to do. Amen!

Thank you, this made me cry...its the perfect prayer

Angelwings wrote:"I'm going through a tough season. I'm having conflicting feelings about the church I attend. I've been crying out to God for guidance...and I'm not receiving anything yet. I have to admit that I'm wondering if my gut feeling IS the Lord and I'm just not listening because I'm expecting a different answer, or if the enemy has placed doubts in my mind. I should have friends (fellow christians in the body of Christ) to bond with and share the goodness of God."
Just a question I had when I read your post: What are your gut feelings about the place? Often the things that concern us most, in this case your church, are the things that are pointed out to us for a reason.. I just want to encourage you to keep searching God about this as He does have a place for you, if that's the place you are right now, I can't answer that for you, He only can.
I've been in a very similar situation: lack of godly friends when moving to a new town/church and noticing things that I thought were just a gut feeling.., etc. A lot of things that I was getting discouraged by.. and I believe God never brings discouragement..the enemy tried to get me on weak spots (as he does..). But God has been so faithful to me in that time. That time forced me to learn to totally depend on Him, whilst still having the (legitimate) desire to have godly friends. HE is and has been there for me everytime I need(ed) a friend and I can't count the number of times that I've cried out to Him with the same questions. But you know what, it's been in those times that I've found the deepest moments of healing I needed (didn't know I needed it until it happened..)
And on the seeing things that aren't right (your gut feeling), I've noticed that in my case it is because He has a plan with that. It takes certain people to notice things that might need changing for Him, to be passionate about those things, to be the change He desires in those places. This is just what happened to me, I don't know if it applies to you, but just wanted to share this to encourage you. God is GOOD and He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you:) By the way, I am praying you will find good friends too!!

In Christ,
traveller

Traveller,

Your words are very encouraging, thank you. As you said, I will take this time to depend totally on HIM.

UPDATE!!!

I have since left the church I was attending. It's not where God wanted me. I didn't make the decision on my own. God gave me a few words and it took a few months to receive confirmation. After I posted this prayer request I got a revelation on the words I received in the beginning of the year. Little did I know that it had to do with the heartache I was going through.
Isn't that amazing? Seems like we go through such heartache before a big break through, at least for me!! I felt so much joy in my heart when I realized that God was looking out for me and my family. He knows our every need.

Thank you to anyone who kept me prayer.

I'm so excited for you. Once again, I can be touched with your joy!! I too left my church a few weeks ago, after being there for almost 20 years. I was very unhappy. When I resigned from my leadership roles and my membership...there was a weight lifted. You gotta do what God tells you to do. Sometimes he doesn't come in a voice, but He will speak to you through the lack of rest you feel in your heart. I had to learn this by my constant mediatation on Col 3:15, which gave me my internal exit papers. I had to remind myself through God's Word that there is ONE GOD and MANY CHURCHES. God never wants us to be unhappy going to His House. We won't miss out on blessings by leaving because the blessings are ON US...not in a location!!! You gotta love serving God!!!

I'm happy that you are happy...I feel it girl...I really do!!!

Praise the Lord! God is so Good!

Thank you Cholette!

Dear Angelwings,
Peace be with you.
I'm in your shoes.I went and go through similar situation you were in.My husband is unsaved.So it's not easy.But I trust the Lord.
Our God is great.He handles the situation.
I pray for you and your family.
God bless you all.