"Truthseeker"

[Amie]

Howdee all,

I would like to introduce y'all to "Truthseeker", aka "Rhonda". I met her on YahooGroups, about what (?), 2 years ago now? Her openness about her Universal view of redemption has placed her on certain "wolf lists" ;) more than once. We haven't met in person yet, but in my experience she is a woman of integrity and grit.

Rhonda, Ed and a couple of others say a bit about themselves here (http://www.talk-grace.com/showthread.php?t=20).

I love everyone here, and love my sister Rhonda - I'm excited that y'all are finally meeting!

Welcome to talk-grace Rhonda :)

Amie

[Paige]

Welcome, Rhonda! Very glad you are here! :)

Paige

[Truthseeker]

Hi!

Its GREAT to be here with all of you. Thank you, Amie for the kind introduction. :)

Hi Paige--thank you so much for the welcome.

Looking forward to many interesting and wonderful discussions about our GREAT and LOVING God of GRACE and His Faithful Son--Christ Jesus. Love to you all--rhonda

[Truthseeker]

Hi Dear Friends,

I promise to make this short and sweet. :)

I've loved the Lord since I first heard of him--my earliest memories. When I was 10, I used to walk to the Baptist Church, where I was baptized. (Baptism #1.) (Does anyone like Monty Python? Say no more!)

I couldn't ascribe to much in mainstream religion, and my Baptist experience was short-lived (too much gossip from the old women about me at 10 and boys who liked me.) And hellfire was something I never saw in scripture, and could never accept.

I married at 16--and when I had my first child at 19, a son--I realized that he had begun dying as soon as he was born. That was just tooo much, and I sought God again. As a kid, my mom had listened to Herbert W Armstrong on the radio everyday at noon, and I always liked it. (I guess that's one reason I still listen to Rush Limbaugh at noon everyday. lol) After speaking with everyone from SDA, to Mormom, to JW--I joined the Worldwide Church of God, HWA's org, and was baptized. (#2 Say no more!).

I had a daughter in the meantime.

After about 3 years, I'd had enough of all the "God's True Apostle" business. I left. I prayed. Not too long after, JW's were knocking at my door.

I was a JW for 10 years, (baptism #3)--and when I say I was a JW, I WAS a JW--a pioneer (which was a high as sisters could go--door to door and bible studies full time.) I brought many people into the org working the territories, but as I saw such kindness, (held many a child in my lap in those days, drank many a cup of coffee--and took away many bags of garden produce from those good people) I couldn't see that Jehovah would destroy them all just because they didn't believe the JW message. Say no more.

So I left. I became agnostic. Put my bible on the shelf. After a few years, I found a life without hope and without God to be unbearable. So I blew the dust off my bible. I prayed for insight, and for God to remove all the indoctrination I'd received over so long a time.

I found Universalism because a good man had the guts to come onto a very non-Universalist forum and give the good news before he was kicked off.

And then, on a Universalist Forum, another good man came on and in one message, gave the Preterist Archive website.

And then I began putting the pieces of Universal Reconciliation together with Preterism. And what a wonderful picture it made. Say NO more. :) --Bless you all--rhonda

[davo]

Hey great stuff Rhonda, glad to have you here :)

[Barry]

Absolutely incredible sis (Rhonda). What a ride you have had.

We have chatted before about "revelation" if my memory serves me right. Very insightful.
God bless you my sister. So very glad to be blessed with your fellowship here.
Barry

[Infinite Grace]

Rhonda,
You said "say no more" quite a bit in your post. I hope that you don't mean that literally...I'd like to hear a whole lot more from you. I think everyone here agrees.

[Tam]

Hi all,

My name is Tami. Am very new at moving around this site so pls forgive me if this is repeated somewhere. I had tried to post this somewhere and have no idea if it posted! lol. Ok let's see, have strong Conservative Baptist background. Began moving around from church to church searching for the grace I had heard about but hadn't experienced. Found some places much more grace-loving than others but never quite found what I was looking for, although this was an important part of my journey though. Had a grace revelation. Left organized religion, but still stubbornly clung to the "basics" of my belief system. Now I'm thinking and believing things I never dare dreamed. A pure miracle.

Rhonda and I know each other from another group and she thought I might like checking out this site. I've enjoyed the posts very much and am looking forward to getting to know you all better.

Rhonda, Your post touched my heart friend.

Tami

[Paige]

Tami,

I am so glad you found us and decided to post! I'm sure that there is much in your background that I and others here can totally relate to ;)

I am so looking forward to hearing more from you and getting to know you better. It is especially nice to hear from someone who has not been "scared" off by some of our un-orthodox (lol) posting!

We love hearing from Rhonda around here, also. If you happen to talk to her, let her know that she has been missed lately :) (Rhonda, are you there? LOL)

Paige

[backtothefuture]

Welcome Tami,
You will find this a really nice a warm and caring place to ask all your questions. Would love to hear more of your story.
Blessings and welcome.:biggrinbounce:
Nancy

[davo]

G'day Tami, glad to have you "on board". Hope you'll jump in with questions and thoughts and whatever else when you're good and ready :). WELCOME!! :1asp099:

[Tam]

Thanks Paige, Nancy, and Davo for your very warm welcome. I can tell I'm really going to enjoy all of you. Tami