On the outside we look like a perfect family, but actually we are rotting inside the home. And slowly my relatives and friends (parent's friends) are coming to know about it.

Kids & Dad + Mom. Mom (background : is a house wife) Cons - is an adamant, indisciplined, unorganized, unsatified person. Always talks back to Dad even if it in the middle of a huge fight, all financial decisions has to go through her. Never hugs or kisses her children or husband, always complains about cheap or 'money loss' things repeatedly, doesn't know how to make variety food, is stingy in everything except for food or clothes, lacks management skills to take after home needs. Lacks financial knowlege( lost lots of money and in the verge of trouble because of her poor investment strategies.) She has to win a fight no matter what, even if it is at the cost of emotionally bleeding her children or husband. Mom pros - encourages children & make them stress free, doesn't cuss or throw things, doesn't want or ask children to help her (rarely she asks) always in the kitchen cooking for us, will try to talk first to children after 2 or 3 days of having a huge fight with her.

Dad (background : lived away to take after family and now is back home. Pentecostal. Cons - Always complains that wife is not a lady and was not able to satisfy his sexual needs from Day 1 of marriage. cusses really bad, throw away and destroy things, physically and violently attacks both wife and children (justifies these activities by telling that all these bad activities started after marriage because of his wife). Always end up being cheated by contractors financially for small house works like painting home ( i.e everyone would charge him more and exploits him because of his gullible nature). Is a people pleaser, an open book (would tell everyone everything that is, the matters that should be kept private inside our family like his child is having a suicidal tendency or by telling his unprivileged friend that we went for gold shopping), insults family infront of others, makes children stressed because of his constant follow ups for their exams. Is short tempered. Lacks financial knowledge. Makes impulsive decisions. Stopped talking to children. Dadb- pros - loves Jesus, forgives children and others easily, kind towards everyone. Teaches children to behave nicely towards others

Children - cons - bad temper, immature, highly sensitive, ignites fight with oil, screams, meddles in fight with mom and dad and gets hurt from Dad. Is disrespectful to Dad when he fights, takes moms side always and ignores her flaws. Prolongs fights and not talk for few days after fight. Pros - sacfricing and helpful to others in the family, is kind.

I am tired and exhausted, I don't know when will everything get resolved ? I am helpless. Sometimes I feel hopeless and want to give up.

At times i feel jealous seeing how happily my relatives and their kids live well without any issues or troubles.

I’m a big believer that God answers all prayers- yes, not now, or nope. So what do you do when it seems like He keeps telling you no?

5 years of chronic illness/disabilities, husband left, extended family members have died, support system moved away, 5 kids and unable to work (or file for disability until divorce is final and ex is being difficult).

I talk to God everyday, try to all day and am now scared to ask for anything because He keeps answering no. How do you continue to ask in His will? 40+ years of being a Christian and this is the most I’ve struggled.

Will probably delete sometime saturday

Does God welcome all to be Christians? Could it be possible that there are some that want to be but are rejected by God?

I was raised non denominational Christian until my parents stopped attending church around the time I was in middle school. There were a lot of issues between the two of them which I won’t get into, but essentially they continued being Christian but didn’t go to church and did not practice. My grandma also identifies as a Christian but is very narcissistic and is always using Christianity to justify her toxic behaviors.

Anyhow, fast forward to now I am in my late 20s and I feel lost in life and have been through an immense amount of stress: with serious health issues, grief over losing my health and several loved ones, and other loss flooding my life over the past few years. I feel sad, angry, and alone in the struggles I have faced and that I continue to face. I have no real relationship with God at this time, but identify as a “Christian.” I cannot recall the last time I went to church, read the Bible, or prayed, which is rough. I’m honestly pretty angry with God and I’m wondering why I have gone through my version of a living hell for the past few years.

Does anyone happen to have any advice?

Hello everyone, I apologize in advance for the long read but I’m need of advice. I started dating a girl 6 months ago and while I believe in God and am a practicing Christian, she is not and believes that there is no point to it. To help y’all understand a little better, she believes that Jesus was a historical figure and that God may or may not be real, but at her core belief, she thinks that she’s lived this long without religion and is a good person (which she is, she’s a beautiful person inside and out) and doesn’t see the point in believing in God and accepting his salvation now and that if God truly wanted her to believe, He would’ve sent signs and shown her that He is real and that there is a point in believing in Him. My question is, how can I explain to her that God loves her and the importance behind salvation and belief in Him. If anyone can give me advice on how to lead a non-believer to salvation and convince her that Jesus is the way to heaven, it would be appreciated! (Just a post note: I tried to explain that God loves her dearly and that He sent His Son down to the Earth to die for our sins so we could be saved, but I can’t reiterate in a way that can tell her why God is important.)

Hi, I'm a baby Christian and I haven't been Baptised yet. something that comes to mind is how God wanted all males to be circumcised, but if a person follows God's commandments God sees that person as if they were circumcised even though they were not. I just see Christians on here telling people to get Baptised if they haven't and makes me wonder why should we get Baptised, what is the purpose and is it necessary.

Hey everyone. I have a hard time sitting and reading my Bible. Like, I can sit and read through a few verses but that’s it. I’m very music oriented so I’ve usually got music going in the background and I often find my self humming or singing instead of reading. Worship is just how God talks to me I think. I also have a hard time sitting and reading anything honestly. Any tips?

Has anyone else ever felt like when you try to draw near to God that you are pushed even harder and tempted to backtrack?

Please I’d like to explain and hope to hear from other Christians to strengthen and encourage me.

Over the past few years I have had a very hard time with life. I had been away from God even though I have been a Christian my whole life.

Recently I have been praying hard to fight Satan and for God to protect me. I feel like I have been under attack for a long while and I was just too weak to fight back.

This week I downloaded this book called Winning the War in Your Mind but Craig Groeschel. I have been drawing closer to God and praying a lot more. Especially today I really tried to make God the focus of my day.

Twice today I felt Satan try to drag me back down. Really try to attack me. Some of the issues we have had the last couple years had kind of calmed down for a couple months. BUT today when I was really trying to be closer to God and make Him the focus of my life, I felt Satan bringing struggles back up. I received a negative phone call trying to drag me into that sad place again. And then received a very expensive bill in the mail I had been stressing about previously.

Idk if I can even call it backsliding ive continued in Sin with masturbating ever since I came to Jesus with only quick stints of quitting. Ive been on and off weed but more so on than off for the entire 4 years of my faith while also battling alchohol on and off too.

I quit all of it again at once a week and a half ago and Im afraid its useless. Im terrified that Ive lost my salvation.

I so desperately want to have a relationship with God but im afraid I messed it up for good because I didnt take it serious.

Ive had so many spiritual attacks and dreams since trying to go back and actually be the Christian I should..

I met a guy 14 years ago when I was getting over a painful breakup. We were in our early 20s and used to hang out every day after work. I didn't want to date anyone back then as I was healing. A year passed, and I started hanging out with a group of his male friends. Everyone thought we were dating since we hung out so closely. Over time, he fell in love with me, and I decided to take a break from the friendship, but it didn’t happen, as we were literally the only people we liked around us. He would get hurt when I spent time with other guys, so I distanced myself from others and stayed with him. We dated a couple of times, but it always ended for one reason or another. We traveled, saw the world together, shared hotel rooms, and kissed a few times, but we never went further than that. We were virgins.

Two years ago (12 years after we met), we finally decided to leave the place we both grew up in. He applied for a student visa to another country. I helped him prepare for his tests and interviews, and we both applied. He got his visa, and I started my PR application to the same country. Thus began a two-year struggle to get to him. We were on Zoom calls every day (5-6 hours a day); it almost felt like he was right here with me. In August this year, we decided to start dating again. I told him that this time I wouldn’t break it off, no matter what, and he was happy. He was going to send me a ring overseas, but I told him it would be nice to do it face-to-face since I’d be with him in about 5 months. He agreed. We laughed about how we were like like husband and wife in the 14 years and how everyone was jealous of how close we were.

Fast-forward to October, he sees a girl pass by several times on his route to work and tells me about her on our calls. He’d even be on the phone with me when she passed by, and he’d say, “Oh, here she goes again.” A week later, he said hello to her and they went to a cafe. I was completely at peace during those days, thinking, “Ah, he’s finally making friends, which is great.” I trusted him 100%. He told her my name, how long we’ve known each other, and that we’re in a strong relationship. He met her a few more times, and they discussed their lives. She told him about her separation from her husband and how he used to beat her. On one outing, she asked for a goodbye hug, and he refused. She started crying, and he felt bad. A few days later, he told me he had gotten her flowers and a shawl as a gift to cheer her up. I was upset and told him he should have asked me first since I was in a relationship with him (I would have even helped him pick out the flowers). I broke us off and told him that we should figure things out. I also told him that since he’d never been with anyone else, he should see if he wanted something different in life.

Two days after we broke up, he told me he had slept with her and that they were together now. I told him that was fine, but inside, I felt like I was dying. I had stayed by his side for years, pouring myself into him emotionally and financially, training him to get to where he is now. He messaged me mid-October, saying he was attracted to her and that she wanted to marry him and start a life together. He felt unsure, and guilty and was crying on the phone with me. I told him I felt the same.

He has now broken up with her (because he felt he did something wrong to me), apologized, and wants to get back together with me. I asked for space and a break to think for myself again. I’m already 80% through the PR process, have paid a lot for a good lawyer, and keep wondering why I’m going to a new country to be all by myself.

All my dreams are shattered after 14 years of standing by his side. I also feel guilty that he broke up with her; but he says he’ll wait for me. When I asked him not to wait, he got upset.

I feel lost and confused. I don’t want to leave him, but at the same time, I need to stop feeling so pathetic. I feel sad for us - all the years of memories and dreaming together.

Yesterday I woke up and imagined them together outside at a cafe in Paris on vacation as I walk past. They don't notice me. I fell down crying. I die a little bit each day.

Did I waste 14 years? I'm 35 now and I don't think I'll find someone or get to know someone as closely as I knew him. We are in No Contact now and I'm lost, alone, confused, guilty, and feel pathetic.

Hi, everyone. Thank you for reading this, if you do.

I'm a 24 y/o woman, starting the process of faith for the first time, as a former Apostolic Pentecostal kid. I was in that denomination from ages 6-14, and it caused a level of trauma that I still don't fully understand. Because of it, I renounced all things Christian for a very, very long time. In 2022, I went through a breakup with a deeply emotionally abusive man, which brought me to my knees. I went to church with my mom as a means to keep myself safe, as I constantly felt that I would take my own life if I was left alone for more than an hour or two at a time. As my healing from that trauma progressed, I fell away from church again.

Over the past few months, I've been completely immersed in grief related to the back-to-back deaths of all 4 of my grandparents. It feels like a quicksand riptide. Somehow, I have been called to follow Christ again. I keep trying to ignore it, using my ego to look for reasons to not follow Him. Some of them, I don't know how to go about and I really just need guidance. This is me humbling myself before you all. Please respond in kind if you have it in yourself. Here I go.

1. What if I'm not willing to give my life completely over to Him? I believe in the idea of 'taking what resonates and leaving the rest' when it comes to all things. There are things in the Bible that I don't resonate with, such as the idea of God being vengeful or being a Being that would send me or others to the fire-filled pits of Hell, should we not follow Him wholly.

I don't want my entire identity/life to be based around Christianity. Not that I don't want to follow the Word, but I want to engage in other ideologies too, to still entertain other ideas with the intent of being a well-rounded person. I believe that I can take helpful tools from other religions, like Buddhism (i.e. Eightfold Path) and still come home to God.

2. Where do I start with accepting God into my life, and learning about Him? I know, reading the Bible is the main advice. But where do I start? How do I make heads & tails out of it? Starting from Genesis and moving through from there doesn't work for me. I've tried.

3. How do I pray? When I was a kid, I was regularly reprimanded for 'not praying correctly' because I didn't do it out loud or with my hands clasped, elbows on the edge of my bed. Is there a right way to pray? How do I figure out what's stopping me?

Again: thank you for reading this, if you have. It's a lot longer of a post than I intended it to be. Much love.

My mental health is really deteriorating. How can I handle this as a Christian?

Can anyone share any personal stories of how God rescued you from tough circumstances (I.e. declining health, prolonged unemployment, depression due to divorce, etc)? Any stories of how God used your tough times for ultimate good?

I was invited to share my personal testimony, but I immediately declined because I was afraid to speak in front of a large audience. I’m not sure how to gain the confidence to speak and, hopefully, inspire others with my story.

It’s 2024, I am past 30 years old. Have wife, no kids. There are a lot of families that have children. And older Christian families with grand children. Everyone seems busy. I hardly go to home church for a while now. God is good, bible is good, brothers and sisters are good. I just didn’t feel I was growing much to be honest. We don’t have monthly gatherings for lunch at church. People chat maybe 15 minutes after church in their small groups. Then everyone go their own way it seems to me to their own lunch with families and small group of friends. People are busy during their week, busy doing work or spending time with family. I use to go to bible study, but there wasn’t much social or discussion of our own lives. Is this normal adult life? Of course I can occupy my life too and free times with Reddit, News, YouTube, games. I guess it’s hard for people to live their own lives to care much or interested of spending time with others? Time is limited, life is hard, people are busy….what connection is there? What do you people think? (This is just my experience in my life.) A lot of my circle has food, has shelter, has clothes….there isn’t much to give to brothers and sisters if they have these things already. I guess it’s good for them? I guess there isn’t much bonding….

I am a hypocrite

To cut to the chase, I Chose to willingly Sin.

I smoked weed, and Chose to PMO I professed Jesus as my Lord and Saviour professed I believed. I even made videos telling people to stay away from it. I’ve told other people what sins are and me myself have committed that Sin.

And yet I ran to it, instead of praying or anything I just Done it.

Even writing this I feel like I’m saving face but I know I am a hypocrite. I don’t want to be a hypocrite,

As anyone dealt with something this before, what should be my next steps moving forward.

I feel like if I even tried to have a conversation about Jesus it would be in vain because of what I’ve done. This is absolutely terrible.

When you know the enemy has control over you is when you do anything that you want. If you want to drink you drink if you want to be colder you turn the heat on even if it’s a couple degrees higher to fit your comfort. If you want to have sex you have sex. Masturbate? Masturbate. If you want to argue and fight you argue and fight. It’s all about the pleasures of the flesh and that’s one of the huge ways demons are allowed to come into a person and control them. Can’t control your anger? You will commit a crime of assault. Can’t control your lust? You will spend all your money on sexual pursuits, damage your health, and worst case be a predator. Prideful? The devil puts a blinder on your eyes so you can’t see anything you do wrong. For example. “I can control myself I can stop whenever I want” or “I already know this I don’t need you to teach me” or “Jesus has it all covered, we have certain freedoms to do what we want and it’s covered”. Pride is a subject not preached about enough and it’s affects are like a disease. Just like any tactic of the devil. It spreads slowly but you find it encompassing your life. Further pushing his agenda. Ways this can be rooted in is through small battles like smoking or vaping. Do it when you want? “its harmless.”but no. inch by inch even centimeter by centimeter the devil will work his way into your life to wedge you against God in order to push his agenda. I could think harder and go into more details about these things. But the point is…. God does not work in the same ways. We are born in the flesh. When Adam and Eve sinned. It cursed us to be bound to our fleshly desires. What “WE WANT” is naturally sin since the day we are born. I’ve never had a kid but I’ve had a baby sister. One of The first words you learn is “MINE”. The first good thing you taste as a toddler? You want it every day all day. “Candy, ice cream, cartoons” if toddlers go without their “pleasures” they will throw a fit. And that’s the curse of Adam. A (certain person) will say “I was born this way. God made me this way”. God didn’t make you the way you were born. We have to go against it. That’s why satanism preaches do what you want if it makes you happy. No. If a child gets too much of what they want they are “spoiled”. Because you will never always get what you want. That’s what leads to sin. Is only wanting what you want and if you can’t get it you try to go get it. (Only pertaining to selfish desires of the heart.) there may be a loop hole in which a child can be loving and sharing and sweet because If someone shows them love, they will show love back. But Jesus teaches. Love your enemies. It’s easy to love those who hate you what reward is there in that? But love those that hate you? There’s a reward. My big big big point is. What is of the lord, the devil doesn’t want. And what is of the devil the lord doesn’t want. Thank God we have our lord Jesus to save us from our iniquities. Because we could never do this on our own strength. But let us pursue Jesus and be aware of the traps of the devil

I don’t know if I’m coming to the right place with this but I’ll give it a go, I have been a Christian my whole life but within the last few months have actually been practicing and talking to God, actually being a part of my beliefs. Anyways, my husbands brother has a girlfriend and every time I’ve been around her for more than a couple hours I feel physically sick, I’ll get a fever, I’ve even gotten the flu once after being with them. She does tarot card readings, talks about me being Christian (behind my back) and makes fun of me for being “ignorant” could all of that affect me physically. I was getting sick before I even realized all of the tarot/talking behind my back. The first time meeting her I got such a migraine we had to go home 3 hours away instead of staying the night. She blocked me on everything yesterday (she assumed I voted one way because of my faith) and I feel a sense of relief honestly, but obviously she’ll still be around considering she’s dating my brother in law (and has been for like 4 years now) we do Christmas together at his parents house every year and I’m DREADING it this year. Sorry, got off the point, could I be “allergic” to her? (I don’t know what other word to use) has this happened to anyone else?

Hi all, looking for some advice on psalms. Thank you!

So I started watching porn when I was maybe 7. Over the years my preference changed to hentai and I’ve watched all kinds of horrible stuff. I’m 19 now and disgusted with myself. I’ve watched things like loli literally a week ago and can’t believe what I’ve done. I’m disgusted and disappointed with myself.

Guys, why does the Lord hide His knowledge? He encourages us to seek Him right? But why does He hide His revelation to people, who, if they knew, would lead to a life that is pleasing and acceptable before Him… which I believe God wants from His children.

Why is it necessary for us to be burdened with daily seeking? Why doesn’t God just reveal His word and understanding to us right away?

Just a question… thanks.

I'm struggling a lot with my identity as a Christian and an artist.

I spent a VERY long time working on ideas, stories based on my own life and what inspired me. I still hold these ideas and stories dearly but now I wonder if it would be wrong for me to pursue them (writing them in order for them to be produced as screenplays or as novels).

I was banking on my creativity and have always believed in myself but ever since I had a radical change in faith (for better and perhaps for worse) I have begun feeling like because they are not 'Godly' they shouldn't get made. And overall I don't know how I'm serving the kingdom with them. But, and here's the big but, I don't have sufficient faith to really want to serve the kingdom anyway, outside of helping people worse off than I. I am feeling very challenged in my faith and speading the gospel just isn't in me right now.

I feel cornered. Like I have no options. I decided I might as well sing about it. So I am. I'm working on songs, and trying to develop myself as an artist but still, in the back of my head, I am asking myself is this really doing anyone any favours?

Am I serving God, or doing good?

And to be fair these questions have plagued me for my whole life, even as a back slidden Christian. I am sick of it.

I never could make myself care enough to be a civil servant and always abandoned my artist and now I am incredibly sad I never spread my wings as an artist.

I don't know why God would make me an artist and saddle me with such a concious that I could never do anything with it without feeling guilty.

Even now I think... is it good enough if I sing for the disadvantaged?

Which I am happy to do anyway...

Maybe I don't see it yet. A way in which God could marry my artist to my servant heart but I have to live some kind of life. I can't keep throwing away the only prospect I have and yet some part of me feels like that is what I'm called to do. Just pack up my stuff and go do missionary work or something like that.

I simply don't know what to do.

Hi everyone, a few weeks, almost a month ago, I began following Christ. It's been hard, temptation is something I struggled with, and still do, but I think I'm improving. I'm really having trouble with a few things, and I hope that you guys can give me some advice. See, my first issue is that many people I hang around with aren't Christian and love dark humor. Some of the jokes they make are uh, not great. The thing is, despite the fact that I know that it's bad, I still laugh. By far my largest issue is that I can't seem to spread the good word of Christ. Already tried it, with my brother, mom, and dad, and they all declined, my parents did it politely, but my brother was less polite. I try spreading it online, and whenever I consider doing it, I get this kind of conviction, kind of like God is telling me to do it, but I always choke. Could you guys give me some help?

What are your guys general thoughts on universalism?

From wikipedia: "Christian universalism is a school of Christian theology focused around the doctrine of universal reconciliation – the view that all human beings will ultimately be saved and restored to a right relationship with God."

From an early age even though I was an atheist my whole life I "knew" that hell was eternal and that its where sinners/nonbelievers went when they died. Eventually I learned about Universalism though and thought its interesting.

Certain verses like Phillipians 2:9-11 seem to imply that eventually everyone will be saved. "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Ive wrestled with the idea of an all loving God putting people into hell forever and the two really just dont jive together for me. If Universalism is true however, and both the living and dead are judged at the 2nd coming, it would mean all those in hell are given a 2nd chance.

What are your guys thoughts on Universalism in general and the idea that everyone will eventually be saved?

Alright so I’m in a Facebook group and I asked a question about worldly things. I really enjoy playing video games, and the Bible says stay away from worldly things but how are we supposed to stay away from some things when we are in the world. I’m new into this and I like to play Fortnite, Minecraft and DBD however that one idk if I should play because of the violence even just playing survivor. What are your thoughts? I understand the secular music, and have limited that to only happy clean country but what about video games.

I’ve realize that when I’m lazy or when I don’t want to listen it’s my flesh and I was wondering how can I be motivated in Christ

Don't know what to do and my faith is almost gone.

Any word from the Holy Spirit would help, since my mind is too cluttered and my sin has ruined my clarity.

I don't care if it's negative or positive. Any warnings or encouragements, or anything I need to change.

Thank you.

These two verses are making me question it:

1 Corinthians 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

If this interpretation is true though, that makes it seem like devil worship is something really easy to stumble into. I think most Christians would assume that false gods aren't demons, but just man made ideas and imaginary things. But looking at scripture, it makes it seem like anyone who is believing in a false god is accidentally or unknowingly worshipping a demon. I just can't see this being the case.

How do you parent an unbelieving teen? Do you treat them differently than a believing teen when it comes to explaining decisions and rules? Do you force them to church?

My ex husband has stopped attending church and told our unbelieving teen they don’t have to attend anymore either . Just looking for friendly support

It seems weird to me to by anything spiritual on Amazon. I COULD buy it on Amazon, but how do I know which seller to trust for such an item?

Can anyone recommend a reputable place online to buy pure, authentic myrrh oil?