Hello everyone, I haven't been on here for a while, though I have read a few posts from time to time when I've been visiting my friends Linda and Trevor. I would like to be here more, but I am retired now, and can't really afford a pc or the internet, being on a somewhat limited income.
Since I left the Watchtower Society in August, I have kept myself reasonably busy. I attend a couple of evening classes, help my non jw son and his wife out by babysitting when needed, and manage to see my jw sons' children as often as possible. He initially told me he would be shunning me, and denying me access to them, but he has relented. I also have much more contact with my non - jw sister, and see my jw sister quite often as well. She and her husband are currently trying to fade, having never been over - zealous jws and irregular at meetings for years. They seem to be managing it far more easily than I was ever allowed to.
Apart from that, I have been attending my local Baptist church regularly for the last few months, and it has been a truly joyful, refreshing experience after all those years attending the Kingdom Hall, which is actually only a few minutes walk from the church I now attend. I often see my former brothers and sisters going home from their meeting as I am leaving my church, and if looks could kill....I expect the elders are well aware of where I am worshipping now, and I can imagine some of the comments, but I really don't care what they think. I am very happy with what I am doing now. I started off just attending on Sunday mornings, but I now occasionally go on a Sunday evening as well, and attend a weeknight meeting. I will never be as busy in the Baptist church as I was as a jw, I wouldn't think, but I am very happy to be there now.
Tomorrow morning, I am taking the step of being baptised as a Christian. I have been thinking of this step for a couple of months, and am sure that it is what I really want to do. I know Linda and Trev have a few reservations about it, and perhaps think it could be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire, but they are being supportive as well. They have seen no need to pursue spiritual things since their exit from the Watchtower, so their feelings are understandable, but I could never lose my belief in God, and since leaving the JWs I have learned so much about what true Christianity really entails, that we are saved by grace, not works, and that salvation is a free gift, not something one has to put countless hours knocking on peoples doors to attain. It's almost 46 years since I was baptised as a JW, and although I had many happy years in the WTBTS, I feel that even happier times are ahead of me. I am not apprehensive at all about tomorrow, on the contrary I am very much looking forward to it. The congregation at my church are such warm, genuinely - loving people, who have welcomed me from the very first time I went to their church. They haven't pressured me in any way to join them, I have made the decision myself, but of course, they are delighted that I have.
I invited Linda and Trevor to be there tomorrow, thinking that Linda might come, but not expecting to see Trev there. Apart from weddings and funerals, he hasn't been in a place of worship since his last JW meeting in 1999. So I was most surprised, and delighted when he agreed to come along with Linda. I imagine it will be a one off for the two of them, and no one will pressure them to go again. They won't be love - bombed either, but I am so grateful to the two of them for being willing to be there for me. They are true friends, the best I've ever had. Not only that, they have invited me to dinner tomorrow to celebrate my big day, so I imagine one of us will post about the experience.
It's a big step for me tomorrow, one even a year ago I never thought I would take, but I am looking forward to it so much now. I only wish those I left behind in the Wtchtower could experience the joy and satisfaction I have found in the last few months. I now feel that I am worshipping God in the way he wants to be worshipped, and there can be no greater cause for joy than knowing that.
love.
Marion