We found our church home. After visiting for a month and sending the boys to VBS there, not to mention a ton of praying on it and discussing it, we have decided that this is where we need to be for our time in Maryland. *whew* That feels good. It's not 100% spot-on with what I believe, nor with what Zorak believes, either (I'll get to that in a moment), but it is close. Extremely close. It is also friendly, spirit-filled, academic (in that study of Scripture, history, tradition and language are all pursued and encouraged), and pretty much fills in every prayer request I sent up during the four years Zorak was in school.
That said...
Huge kudos go to Zorak. He is a gem among men, and I am so thankful for him. He is actively involved in choosing our church homes, in guiding the boys' spiritual upbringing, and in supervising the overall spiritual growth of our home and family. He encourages me to study the Bible and to follow the teachings of Christianity. He undertakes his role as the Head of our Household with great love and reverence. He listens to Biblical arguments for or against certain decisions. He holds hands around the supper table for prayer.
All that, and he is not a believer. He doesn't ken to the faith I do, and yet he puts that faith at the center of our home and family because he knows how deeply I cherish it (his description is that my faith is not something I do, but what I am~ which is more than a little humbling, to be honest), and that the boys will receive nothing but good from it. He is a strong man, and I appreciate all that he does for us, in more than the traditional ways of providing a roof over our heads and food in our pantry.
He is honest and upfront, as well. He doesn't sugar coat our situation- for me, or for anyone else. He doesn't buy it. He doesn't claim to have the answers, but he's relatively certain Christianity doesn't, either. He asks questions when something seems askew. He challenges my beliefs- not in an antagonistic manner, but in a logical, loving, curious manner. We actually sit down and discuss Faith, Religion, and Doctrine in depth, and our conversations are wonderful.
Yes, I know what the Bible says about being unequally yoked. I know the statistics on mixed faith marriages, as well. But truthfully, although I was not walking closely with the Lord when Zorak and I met, and I have come Home to Him more over the past six years than I had previously, I don't know how many husbands, believers or non, would handle that shift with the grace, love and unconditional support that Zorak has offered to me. I am truly, truly blessed.
So, we have a new church home, and I am once again more thankful than I have words to describe.
~Dy
7 comments:
Dear Dy,
You are a wonderful couple. You are both so loving to one another. Thank you for sharing your love and respect with us. Inspiring!
God is so good. God worked thru my husband even before he believed. It was very cool to see!
Bless you,
Donna
Hey Dy its Sherri - I have to post this way becuase I dont have a blogger account ;o) Anyway, I just wanted to pop over and tell you how much I appreciate your loving posts on my blog... its like getting a little cyber hug just when I need it most. *grin*
I also want to say how happy I am that you have found your church home... it sounds like your DH is a wonderful man and is so incredibly devoted to you. I am very curious though to learn what your beliefs are? I know that I spent alot of time searching for a church that matched my own beliefs... its funny because long before I found my church home I believed in things like Eternal Marriage, Eternal Families, God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit being seperate entities and the like... I never found a church that I could walk into and just feel like I came home. I also wanted to know why God didnt speak with us through prophets anymore... it didnt make sense to me that the only prophets were on the earth a thousand years ago and that suddenly God stopped speaking with his children. Ah I am rambling but I suppose that I am trying to say that I went to a church on the advice of a friend - and it was the first one that had the same beliefs that I did. How wonderful to find a church home for you and your family! Congratulations... may Heavenly Father bless you there!
HUGS
Sherri
www.upsaid.com/aptghomeschool
Dy, no doubt your husband's attitude toward your beliefs is a direct result of your own character. It is quite clear that you must be living the words of Peter: "In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the words, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior." I Peter 3:1-2.
He sounds like a wonderful man. Love your blog.
Kim in ON
Donna and Kim, thank you for your sweet words. Honestly, it's very interesting to see how his support and encouragement spur me on to do a better job of being the wife and mother God has planned for me to be. Like I said, humbling... :-)
Sherri, {{hugs}}, I'm glad to know you're doing well. I'll probably blog about it later on (when we aren't waiting for the glass guy to come, lol), but basically I believe in the Supremacy of Christ, in the Trinity, in salvation by faith and grace, in the priesthood of the believers and in the depravity of human kind. I believe that when we shed this earthly shell, we lie in sleep and await the coming of the Lord to join His believers together in heaven. I believe that when we stand in heaven, it will be to worship the Lord and our earthly concerns and ties will no longer be the burdens we carry. Our focus will be wholly on praising the Lord and being in His presence. I believe in the inerrancy of the Holy Bible and that while the translations of the text have changed according to the scholars' understanding, the message has never changed- just as He promised. I believe that God does still speak to His believers, but also that He has a really firm grasp of rhetoric and knows how to put the message out there in a way we will understand in our time. I believe it's up to us to listen. I could go on, but will probably flesh it out further in an actual post. :-)
The bits and pieces that don't quite jive at this church aren't what I consider "deal breakers"- they are more to do w/ tradition than with salvation. I'll go into that more, as well, as we delve farther into the visitor's class (as I'd like to include the pastor's take on these points as we come across them).
Dy
You've got a good one there, Dy. That's the real meaning of marriage, isn't it? You lift each other up. He doesn't believe, but that doesn't stop him from lifting you up.
It seems in terms of being open to question and learn you both ARE equally yoked. That's what allowed you to grow in faith and is allowing your husband to watch and question without antgonism. Kudos because that's the key to a loving, successful marriage whether it is about faith, child rearing or whatever.
And God moves all of us in His own time anyway, right? When we married, I was pretty much an atheist and have now moved way past my "cradle-Catholic" husband as a convert. As a result of what I have learned we all wind up having conversations like the ones you mention, although my husband truly believes. Throw in our teenaged daughters and it can be a totally nerdy dinner conversation ... which we all love! All that conversation will do it for Zorak too, in whichever way God needs to move him.
Just keep praying for him that one day he will be saved. My mother prayed for YEARS for my dad..not because he wasn't saved, but because he wouldn't go to church. Up until he started having bad back problems, he went to church for years. Now, he has to stay home, but he's definitely changed!
Kathy in West Texas
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