Posts by esw1966

25

Anyone Ever Read The Four Agreements, A Toltec Wisdom Book?

by Good Girl or Bad Girl? in

jw
friends

subtitle is "a practical guide to personal freedom" by don miguel ruiz .

i just started reading this book and it is amazing.

i have been underlining on every page things that i can personally relate to - and i must admit i'm not very far into it yet (page 25) but i felt a very strong urge to not only recommend it (i'll be back later to weigh in again once i start reading what the four agreements actually are/entail) but also ask if any here (oh my very dear friends on jwd) has read this book and what your personal thoughts are?.

esw1966

It seems to be a very popular book. I have seen it a lot. I have intended to read it, but at the moment I have a deep interest in learning more about Christ and books like that. Trying to figure it all out....

I have a future sister-in-law who is very hippiesh and is currently freeing herself from Seventh Day Adventism and she just LOVES the book and has highly recommended it to us as well.

I have read through parts of it and I think it is a positive book that helps free people. I think that is very beneficial! In the end, I think that Christ frees us from everything and brings us greater joy than we could ever experience any other way. So I turn to him. But I think it is probably a good book.

In the end, if it helps you GREAT!!!!

Enjoy the book and let us know your conclusions!

Ethan

11

40 years!

by Blueblades in

jw
friends

it is our 40th wedding anniversary!

we are invited to a nice family dinner tonight.

merry christmas and happy new year to you all.. blueblades.

esw1966

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

CONGRATULATIONS ON 40 YEARS!!! HOORAY!!!!

16

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM DOWNUNDER!

by ozziepost in

jw
friends

yep, downunder it's already christmas day and mrs ozzie and i have returned home from a midnight service to welcome in this special day.. .

we wish you all a happy christmas and a peaceful new year!.

.

esw1966

MERRY CHRISTMAS OZZIE!!!

Ethan

20

Somehow.... I am winning out in the end...

by Billzfan23 in

jw
friends

ok... something strange is going on here - what is it?

i just stepped down as an elder back in early november - and basically have a wife who has her hooks so far in the organization that i thought she would never bend... you know the drill - many family members in the truth - raised in the truth, etc..... well... last night we had a heart to heart about the doubts that i have been having, why i stepped down, and what i think will be a fair an equitable solution to the handling of our two kids.

it was like my coming our party - she completely bent on everything... she was completely understanding about my stance on everything, and although she does not agree - she does agree to not fight me on everything.

esw1966

That is SO awesome!!!!

I am SO happy for you!!

Keep showing yourself reasonable and things sound as though they will go very well for you!

Congratulations!!!

Ethan

13

Pep talk needed...

by esw1966 in

jw
friends

i have been nervous about this for 6 months and now the time has come.

my kids are coming by plane to see me on the 25 of dec to jan 3. they are good little jw's.

i am no longer a follower of jw.. i havn't been with them for 2 years.

esw1966

Hi!

I have been nervous about this for 6 months and now the time has come. My kids are coming by plane to see me on the 25 of Dec to Jan 3. They are good little jw's. I am no longer a follower of jw.

I havn't been with them for 2 years. 13, 11, and 8; all girls. Love them to bits!

I will be much different than they remember. They will have heard many bad things about me. I have a Christmas tree in my house. I go to a 'worldly' church. I even changed my name to Ethan from my middle name Scott. I'm sure they have many questions yet will be too timid to talk about them.

Everyone around them must view me as having gone crazy with all my new life decisions and must view me negatively around them. How can my kids respect me?

I figure I can handle this well enough, but I was hoping to hear some words of encouragement before I meet them at the airport in 36 hours.

Thanks!

Ethan

7

Oops.... I Did It Again!

by evetteto in

well i'm really feeling down about jumping all over my husband with all this new info i find here.

i'm really upset with myself because i dont want to use this info in a negative way ( as to say aha!...told you so ), but as a means to enlighten him, because of my love for him i had the hoove in mouth disease.

esw1966

My 3 daughters are in and I am out. They will be coming to visit me for the first time this Christmas for 10 days!

It is my BIGGEST desire to help them to see the truth.

But as it has been explained to me, the best thing that I can do is to show them love, model Christ's example, PRAY, and ask them questions.

THEY are the ones that will need to see it. YOU need to set the example of love and Christ's example. In time, your husband will begin to open up to you and you can gently lead him as he thinks HE is getting this idea on his own.

Just thought of the scripture, 'won without a word', 'by her good conduct'.

Now I just hope that I can live my own advice!!! It is just SO TEMPTING to want to share all the things you have learned. But it can't be that way. That will just have them pushing you farther from you.

Hope it is of some assistance and I hope that you are successful in helping your husband to see things properly.

Remember, GOD will do the work. He LOVES us all and is trying to draw us all to Him. By setting a good example and creating a safe environment for questions and frank discussions, you can help him and you can help God.

Much Success!

Ethan

48

Monday, Dec. 18th -- Happy Birthday, Ian (Dansk) !!!!

by Alleymom in

jw
friends

it's after midnight in england, so ..... happy birthday, ian !!!!!!!.

love and best wishes for the upcoming year!.

marjorie and jim .

esw1966

Happy Birthday IAN!!!

6

Appreciating true spiritual freedom - a word to our newbies!

by diamondblue1974 in

jw
friends

i remember my feelings of bewilderment when i first read through threads on jwd back in february 2005; by then i had been an exjw for over a decade.

i must have been at my pc for two days solid while i just read and read.

it was impossible to take everything in, but i couldnt stop reading and couldnt stop taking in all the information this site contained.. i remember the initial fear i felt too, like reading about other's experiences was an act of rebellion or evil.

esw1966

where has your research led you and how do you now feel about your history as a JW.

My journey began in March of 2005 as well. I had been a jw for 30 years, ages 9-39. I had gotten df'd a second time, my marriage had just ended, and I was determined to figure out why I was the way I was and what was really true and what was not. My experiences as a jw made me feel as if I just couldn't please Jehovah no matter how hard I wanted to. I was exerting myself, but I kept screwing up! Thus came depression....

For 6 months I was convinced that I was going back! I knew it was the 'truth'. Where else could I go???

I saw a book at Barnes and Noble that was entitled, "An Awakening of a Jehovah's Witness". I peered into it and it didn't seem as if she was telling lies about the organization, so I thought it would be hypocritical to not read it. It really helped me to see things more clearly.

Then came religious podcasts. Soon I began getting a sense of things. Then this site!!!

Now I go to 2 community churches a weekend and I just LOVE them!!! They are online at ctkbellingham.com and cornwallchurch.com and are each available on iTunes. I also love listening to The Daily Audio Bible on iTunes!

I LOVE my new Christian Freedom!!! I LOVE having Christ in my life and NOT the wts!!!

Two years ago, I NEVER would have imagined myself in this position! I was always the good boy who listened to everything and followed everyone's orders.

For the first time in my life I have felt JOY and EXHILERATION! For the first time, I feel like a man. Embarrassing to say, but before I always was a follower and trying to be accepted. Now I make my own decisions.

Ethan

14

Starting December 1st

by lisavegas420 in

jw
friends

every year and continuing until christmas day, my husband is one of those people that wears a santa hat everywhere he goes, even to work.

(we've been together for 15 years, always the same.

just thought i'd share.

esw1966

Merry Christmas!!!

Looks like you know how to enjoy the holiday!!!

48

I'm one of the EVIL SLAVE

by Amazing in

jw
friends

basd on my comment to another post titled "1979," i thought that this would make an interesting separate topic.. a little history: many here are aware that i was an ms and then elder and of the anointed while a jw.

i openly professed anointing for 20-years of the 27-years i was associated with the watchtower.

since that time, i have totally and completely renounced all but one watchtower doctrine.

esw1966

Thank you for your posts Amazing!

Your experience and posts help solidify my continued belief that I have made the right decision to not return to the Society. I was already quite confident, but I love adding another brick to my brick wall of faith and confidence in my decision!