Thankful that I found God in my life

[luv2bless]

Hello my name is Mary from Columbus, Ohio. I have found God a year ago and I came from a very dysfunctional family. I have 5 sisters and I have reconciled with one of them that lives in Malaysia. The rest of my sisters hate me so much that they have excluded me out of every family gathering that you can ever imagine. I used to have the attitude of living my life my way with the attitude of being all about me. That kind of behavior I have inherited from my mother. My father did very little even though he knew that the way that my mother had raised me wasn't right. He just let her have her way all the time. When I finally made up my mind to submit myself to God and to do things his way and not my way. For years God has dealt with me on a lot of things and it took me so long to realize. I found a great church by my friends that go to the church that I go to. I even started going to bible study and started watching the christain channels. I'm so thankful for the wonderful messengers in Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer and others that I watched. And I have learned so much. I've tried to show my parents that I'm not the person that I once was. My parents and sisters have done nothing but try to remind me of my failures and past faults all in my past. I know that the Devil is working through my family members to try to bring me down.

My question is the bible says that we are to honor our mother and father. But how can I honor my parents when neither one of them has ever supported me in anything that God has put in my heart. They never encourage me or try to motivate me to accomplish anything. But I'm very thankful that God has instilled in me to be a self motivator. I had to encourage myself through God's grace, wisdom, and strength. Another thing that I thank God for is he has put people in my life to replace my dysfunctional family. I have a great church family and people on my boyfriends side we are one big happy and loving family. Everyone has love and accepted me for who I am and not try to change me. I have prayed for my sisters that have hurt me. I asked God to bless them and ask God to heal them. I refuse to wish and pray bad things against my sister even though they have done me wrong in many ways. I have put things in God's hands and let it rest with him.

 

[Plinshree]

Seems we have a bit in common.
I once lived in Columbus, Ohio and I hail from an extremely dysfunctional family myself.

Being familiar to the area, I'm just curious, what church do you attend? You don't have to answer me here, you can shoot me a PM whenever you feel like it.

To answer your question about honoring your parents: no doubt you will have a number of people here who will tell you that, no matter what, you HAVE to honor your parents no matter what you do. However, I've heard a number of Christian counselors state that, if honoring them puts you in a position where they can repeatedly hurt you, then you would be honoring God far more by staying civil to them but not putting yourself in reach of the harm.

How would you feel if your beloved child kept getting hurt in the name of pleasing you? Well, God would feel the same way. Being civil and praying for them is about all you can do.

I'm glad you have the support of your boyfriend's family . I'm glad you have the support of a community. Bask in those things

Welcome to the site! Glad you're here!

 

[luv2bless]

I go to Trinity United Church of Christ here in Columbus, Ohio. It really feels good that I'm not alone coming from a very dysfunctional family. My family plays this game by comparing who has the most money and most materialistic worldly things. My parents always take any of my sisters side against me regardless whether they are right or wrong. Most of the time they are wrong. My parents treat me like a dog and don't care how I feel and no matter how I state my case when I know in my heart that I'm right about something. I don't have much and I would like to have better but I'm just thankful that I have a place to live, clothing on my back, food in the fridge, and a good decent car to drive. My youngest sister lives in New Albany and lives in a almost half a million dollar house and drives a Mercedes Benz. So because she has these material things whatever she says to me or my oldest daughter that we have no right to fight back and my parents will always side with her and the rest of my sisters all because they have more money and more materialistic things than I have. Yes it's nice to have those things but I believe that God doesn't think that I'm smart enough nor mature enough to have those things and until I do become smart and mature enough in God's eyes then he will give me those things. I know now at this point that God is working some things out of me. My parents will go see my sister in New Albany but will never come visit me because they say I live too far or they're too busy for me and my sister lives further than me. And to be excluded out of family gatherings really hurts me and I've told God that and I know and trust in him that he's working on it even though I don't see it in the natural.

 

[Plinshree]

I haven't heard any bad things concerning your church. Which is most excellent! I'm glad you got to plug into a healthy church home.

I do understand about the family. My mother fell pregnant with me quite young and it would be a full year before abortion would be made legal so she had me and then never quite forgave me for having arrived when I did. When I was around 18 her boyfriend of the time tried to assault me. However, he was paying half the bills at that time so I got das boot. So, rejected and alone , and very homeless I fell in with a cult.

I've been out for years but, in the ensuing time, my family disowned me and I'm considered a waste of human flesh by most of them.Mostly due to the fact I'm not swimming in money and status symbols : the two things that mean the most to them.However, I have family now because of my hubby's family. So, honestly? Their loss. And in your case? Your family treating you like that? Their problem entirely. Their loss.

 

[skipbeat]

Welcome to TJ luv2bless so blessed to have a sister like you with such a background here with us. Hope you like it here, and you find the answer to all that you seek here. Peace, love, and smilesBlessingsssssssssssssssray:

 

[luv2bless]

Thank you I'm willing to learn and expand in applying the word of God to my life. From the posts that I've read here I feel right at home. Amen to that.