Information Related to "VCM Letters to the Editor: September/October 2001"
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Letters to the Editor Money Problems I want to truly thank you for this article on "Money Problems." I really should be the poster child for the article, holding up the "BILLS BURDEN" on the first page. I just want you to know I really appreciate this article, because for the first time, I really heard the message. I don't know why it took me so long, but I am thankful to our gracious Father in heaven that He opened my eyes. My debt is about $5,000 with credit card and other miscellaneous debt...and I am a single mother living with my parents, who are much like your grandparents. I thank God for my parents who help me a lot. The pay will eventually be better than I am used to. Even then, I must learn to live within my means, to be an investor. Because if I do not learn from this I will go through it again! And I do not want to do that! I truly want to "escape the debt of slavery and become an investor." -- Debbie What a fool I have been all my life. I have constantly lived the "good life" worrying only that tomorrow I will wake up and there will suddenly be wealth at my doorstep and all I will have to do is take it. I am ashamed and I should be! I recently lost over $50,000 in a bad investment of sorts, all because I didn't realize my selfishness. I have always been a Christian, but I have taken my faith for granted. I am working diligently to remedy that.... I have a wonderful wife and two beautiful, young children, all of whom I love dearly. My wife has stuck with me much longer than she should have. I have told her that I pray to God every day, that He just give me ONE more chance to love her and my children and be happy. I just need to find some ray of hope and light. I wish that I had read your articles years ago and heeded your advice.... I would be in much better condition right now! -- CP The Amazing Engineering of the Dragonfly Wonderful article! It really evokes praise for our Creator! It also stimulates desire to research not only the dragonfly but all of the magnificent creation known as "nature." -- Dale Osborne General Comments I'm a member of the United Church of God in the Flint, Michigan, area. I just had to tell you that I really enjoy Virtual Christian Magazine. It has proved to be both informative and uplifting. How blessed we are to have God's truth and be able to share it. I've been a baptized member for four years now and am very thankful that I have such a wonderful family of brethren. There is nothing that can compare or replace [God's] Spirit.... Keep up the excellent work. -- Lynne Burton But You Look So Healthy? I would like to extend my empathy and appreciation to the author of this article. I completely understand! I have been battling CFS for several years and, starting in March of this year, have been fighting for my life due to mercury poisoning. I am in my twenties, am married and have grown up in the church. Until the energy starting seriously ebbing about 20 months ago, I had always been active in the church, community, school, work, family. Gradually, I had to relinquish my involvement in many things simply because I could not physically or emotionally handle it anymore. Oh, the exhaustion and depression! It can be absolutely overwhelming. You can't make anyone who hasn't gone through it understand. It's so morbidly draining in every way--physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually. It has been a tremendous struggle for me to go from perfectionism to being barely alive, but I would not trade the lessons God has taught me for anything. This trial, though severe and ongoing, has brought me out of thinking I had to be all things to all people and that it was never okay to say "no." This article helps to educate the brethren, who for the most part are understanding and prayerful. However, I have been hurt by those within who have voiced or implied derogatory opinions on my sporadic or lack of attendance, methods of treatment and lack of involvement. I'm learning that you can't expect everyone to understand an illness that allows you to function somewhat normally at times and then completely retreat from life's activities and relationships at other times. It's sometimes lonely humanly, but we always have the ultimate comfort and empathy of Jesus Christ who knows all pain and whose hope is that all humans are made free from every infirmity forever! I know that this encourages me to know there are others who suffer--yet not without hope--and are educating themselves and others about how to live with physical and mental torment but not to fear! Through God's guidance and healing, I am beginning to come out of the delicate balance of life/death, and am trying to move on. I feel that Christ is teaching me to not wallow in misery or to feel sorry for myself as I sometimes was, but to allow Him to free me from the shackles of the illness to go on living in faith, focusing on God and Christ, looking for our true eternal homeland as part of His Kingdom. -- JG Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Copyright 2001 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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