Reflections from the community: 

My friend Dan has never been to church. Not once, not even a wedding. His parents were pretty anti-religion and he just never had a reason to go.

We were on a trip in Somerset last month after we won on stake and I wanted to catch a Sunday service at the old parish church near where we were staying. I figured he'd wait at the pub. Instead he goes "fine, I'll come, but I'm not singing."

He sang. Badly, and about half a line behind everyone, but he sang.

The building did a lot of the work honestly. Huge stained glass window behind the altar with four saints in it, and the sun came straight through right around the readings.

Painted blue ceiling with little gold bits. Dan kept leaning over to ask about stuff. Why are there angels with trumpets on the organ. Why do people bow at that one part. What's the little dish by the door for. I knew maybe 60% of the answers

(Side note, those pews were the most uncomfortable thing I've ever sat on. Carved oak, gorgeous, clearly designed by someone who hated spines.)

During the prayers the vicar read out names of people who were sick and Dan went quiet.

Afterwards he told me his grandma is in hospice and he'd never really had anywhere to put that. He didn't say more and I didn't push.

On the drive back he asked if he could borrow a Bible. I didn't have a spare with me so I've got one being delivered to his place.

He texted me last night asking where he should start. My instinct is Mark because it's short, but I don't want to hand him something that throws him off right away. What did you guys start with, or what would you give someone coming in completely cold?

My lord my Jesus ✝️

Full attributions here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pYkEV0hggQM

Hi, I’m a Christian convert from a Muslim background. I’d like to share my story and ask for some advice.

I used to be a devout Muslim, I studied Sharia and fiqh which is the islamic theology and islamic jurisprudence, Arabic is my first language, and after I learned English, a friend said to me, “If you can speak English well, and studied Sharia why not use that gift to engage in dawah and invite people to Islam. It’s one of the greatest things a Muslim can do.

I agreed, and I joined Telegram and Discord groups to discuss Islam with Christians, respond to their questions and criticisms, and raise questions about Christianity. But one day, I had a conversation with a Christian who raised questions I couldn’t answer. Doubts began to creep in, so I asked God to guide me and show me the way.

I had a vision but when I woke up, I dismissed it. I prayed again and said, “God, you know I can’t leave Islam because of one dream.” The dream came back the next night, and again I tried to dismiss it. I asked God for something clearer, a sign I couldn’t mistake.

On the third night, I had another dream that I couldn’t ignore. I came to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, that He died on the cross for me, and that He rose from the dead on the third day to give me eternal life.

The problem is that I come from a Muslim family and live in a country where converting from Islam to Christianity can put me in serious danger. There are no churches I can attend. Churches are banned and converting to Christianity is punishable by death,

Also My beloved father died as a Muslim, and so have others I loved. Thinking about them hurts deeply and leaves me feeling depressed.

I’m also afraid of what would happen if my mother, my family, my friends, or my community found out I had become a Christian. I think they would disown me. I worry it would break my mother’s heart, and that the community would shame my family for my decision.

I’m struggling with all of this and feeling very depressed.

I'm not afraid of death, because I know that's just the start of my everlasting life, but I feel guilty about the pain my decision might cause them, I mean how could I do this to them after all they've done for me?

What advice would you give me?and Please keep me in your prayers.

Context: 28F , I’m a black woman, also a Christian, however a few years ago I got breast implants, a BBL, and I still get lip filler. My butt is humongous and often gets attention. Is it possible God doesn’t like this stuff? can it be hurting his feelings that I enhance my looks on the outside? Biblically I want to know how God feels. Is too much sex appeal offensive for him? I really don’t want to be hurting God by making myself more sexy or always attracting unwanted attention the Bible does say stay modest. However I notice a lot of girls at church have big butts too but I assume theirs may be natural

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I'm an Iranian Christian, and because of my faith, I came frighteningly close to facing a death sentence.

There were nights when all I had was a small metal cross that had been given to me by someone who had been sentenced to death. I would light a candle, kneel down, cry, and beg Jesus to hear my voice. In those moments, when I felt like I had almost nothing left, my faith was something I could hold on to.

Somehow, I made it out alive. My journey is far from over, and I know there's still a long road ahead of me and a completely new life waiting for me. But when I look back at everything I've been through, I feel that I wouldn't have made it this far without His help.

I'm sharing this because I want people to know what my faith means to me. I found Jesus when my life was at its darkest, and even now, with so much uncertainty ahead, I don't feel like I'm walking this road entirely alone.

Please pray for my beloved Timmy. He is over 13 years old and is now looking like it could be near the end . I do not know how to live without him. He has been there for me during some really dark and difficult times and my best friend. It’s breaking my heart. Please pray for him 💔

Do Christians in other branches of Christianity believe this pastor is doing right and doing good? If Quakers, Unitarians, and Catholics see him as a dangerous extremist causing harm throughout society, then how are these other Christian branches taking a stand for their religion? This "pastor" seems completely hateful and violent. I don't understand how that is supposed to draw non-believers into Christianity.

I’ve just been seeing the brokenness of the world around me lately. I see how much hate, destruction, death, there is around us.

As a Christian I feel as if it breaks me. It’s like I have the cure to it all through Jesus, but nothing I can do about it.

Politics are part of the issue as well. Seems like on both sides there are people who claim to follow Jesus but the fruits of their life show as if they are not.

Babies getting killed in the womb, children and families dying in wars, hate for those with other beliefs.

Jesus calls us Christians to live a life worthy of the calling we have received in Ephesians 4. Frankly speaking, a lot of us don’t do as such. I myself fall guilty to it as well.

I long for the day Heaven comes, but our life with Christ doesn’t start on that day, it starts now, in this life.

I keep seeing ads and getting flyers in the mail criticizing James Talarico for saying “God is nonbinary”… but what else would he be? The Bible refers to God masculinely and femininely… man and women were both made in His image… and he’s also a non-corporeal embodiment of the universe and existence itself.

Am I wrong?? I just don’t get why this is such a crazy thing to say or think.

I find it really interesting that the two religions are interlinked somehow... Does anyone know what is mentioned about Jesus Christ there?

I don’t have any friends other than of course Lord God the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. It would be nice to have someone to talk to regularly someone born again.

@micheltorrescosta

Back story: I had an abortion when I was 21. I had just started seeing this guy, still had 2 years of college left, and was just not ready to be a mom yet. At the time, I did not have a relationship with the Lord like I do now. While I was sad about it, it did not fill me with much guilt.

Fast forward to today: I am now 26, am married to a wonderful man (not the same man I had the abortion with) and we have 2 beautiful children. We both have a really strong Christian marriage and were both saved before the birth of our first child.

Recently, I have been ate up with guilt about my abortion I had at 21. How could I do that and go on to have kids later on? I look at my kids now and feel disgusted with myself that I did such a thing. But if I hadn’t had the abortion, I would’ve never met my husband and had my children, who are the best things that have ever happened to me.

I’ve been feeling condemned and that I will never be forgiven for it, even though I have confessed and have asked God for forgiveness.

If anyone has any advice on how to cope with this, it would be greatly appreciated.

I used to be believe in god when I was younger then as I got older I started to party and do drugs and drink a lot and I kinda lost my faith but I've been sober from drugs for atleast 3 years and only drink on occasion now but I was just wondering how I can get closer with god/build my relationship with him

How can someone be disappointed by missing such a bloody event

I bought a laptop online, but unfortunately, it has problems, and dealing with the seller has been so stressful. I honestly don’t know much about these things, and I’ve been losing sleep over this situation. The seller takes so long to reply, even though they were quick to respond when I was making the transaction.

I really need this laptop because it’s my bread and butter. I’m a single mother, and my online teaching job is my only source of income for me and my daughter. My old laptop is already very old, and I thought buying a new one would help me with my work. My budget is very tight, so spending this money was a big decision for me.

I’ve been so stressed, overthinking everything, and worrying about what will happen next. I’m praying that God will help me resolve this problem, give me peace of mind, and guide me through this situation. Please pray that the seller will respond properly and that everything will work out fairly. I really need God’s help right now. 🙏❤️

My husband (32m) and myself (27F) have been together around 3 years and married 2. Our marriage has been rocky since the day after we got married. We were only together a few months when we married and I was 3 months pregnant with our first child at the time too. My husband was the sweetest most caring man up until the day after we got married.
A couple years later and 2 children in (2 under 2), our marriage is so toxic that I feel like I can’t even breathe right around him. My health has been suffering. I was diagnosed with a seizure disorder and have been fighting almost daily seizures while on medication. I still work 2 12hr shifts a week and care for our children everyday.

It’s gotten to a point where he tells me he hates me almost daily and tells me how he’s going to divorce me and take the kids. I’m on his health insurance and they cover therapy and all of my meds. My neurologist is also in their network. He’s been holding the health insurance over my head because I need it.
That’s not terrible though. We’ve both done things. I’ve said some pretty nasty things to him and he’s don’t the same. I’ve been angry and lonely for years now with him. He never put me and our children are one of his top priorities. He says if he didn’t, he’d be getting drunk with the guys nightly. So, maybe I’m wrong. I’m not sure.

All of this is to say PLEASE pray for my family. I love him so much and I don’t want to be without him. He’s the love of my life. No matter what he has done, I can’t just stop loving him and I know God brought us together. It was too perfect. Please please please. PRAY FOR US. I’ve been so distraught to the point, I’m now having a hard time praying because I feel like maybe God doesn’t care about us anymore.

So we were home alone and sometimes I'm like too emberessed to talk to her about Jesus because she's in that phase where she is all cool and rhinks siblings are emberesing ect. Well we had a privat moment and I was washing the dishes while thinking of what to say and praying for God to help me. I'm telling you, I was so anxious, I could feel my ears and face heat up. Bur something was telling me to tell her. And I did. And it went so wonderfully. She asked questions and was actually interested. And I'm very glad I got to talk to her about life and how to include Jesus and how Jesus made my life better. PRAISE THE LORD!!!! Blessed are you Lord our God, King of the universe, who is good and does good!!!!

Marriage Violations - Deuteronomy 22

13 If a man takes a wife and, after sleeping with her, dislikes her 14 and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, “I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity,” 15 then the young woman’s father and mother shall bring to the town elders at the gate proof that she was a virgin. 16 Her father will say to the elders, “I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her. 17 Now he has slandered her and said, ‘I did not find your daughter to be a virgin.’ But here is the proof of my daughter’s virginity.” Then her parents shall display the cloth before the elders of the town, 18 and the elders shall take the man and punish him. 19 They shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the young woman’s father, because this man has given an Israelite virgin a bad name. She shall continue to be his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives.

20 If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the young woman’s virginity can be found, 21 she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you.

22 If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.

23 If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24 you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death—the young woman because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man’s wife. You must purge the evil from among you.

25 But if out in the country a man happens to meet a young woman pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. 26 Do nothing to the woman; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbor, 27 for the man found the young woman out in the country, and though the betrothed woman screamed, there was no one to rescue her.

28 If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, 29 he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.

Additional questions- if the betrothed woman that is raped is also mute, and cannot physically scream, do we still put her to death?

How is virginity defined? Is it always penile insertion? Or if someone uses really large dildos, because it's not a man, they are still a virgin as they've not been used by someone? Is the poophole loophole actually Biblically accurate?

I find it interesting how in every case, the woman remains married to the abuser/accuser/rapist. It only says these punishments are if they are discovered, if they keep it discreet, does that make it okay?

How does forcing children to marry their rapist coincide with loving one's neighbor as you would Christ himself?