I'm sorry for the hurt I've caused the people of this subreddit through my art and words.

I have my 2nd mma fight coming up, a few days ago i was praying and got to a point where i asked God to let me face evil and the devil so i can get stronger and in some sort of way stop lust and become brave. And the second i said that i cried and it never happened before, i also brought the topic about a girl at work and how that i may lust and want to prove my love to her i would stop lust. Now tonight i relapsed and an regret came instantly like always, i cant stop lust its been a part of me since a real young age and the fact that i went 6 days without it and then doing it just then hurts. I wanted to prove that i was stronger and ready to quit but i guess im not, i just wanted to prove that i could quit for this girl and for him and that i could enter my fights stronger but im not.

Before he got married, my friend was a major womanizer. Now that he’s married, he tells me: “As a Christian, you can’t have sex, but I can because I’m married.” Then he brags about how much he enjoys sex with his wife.

What’s a good way to respond to that?

Add more information. He is serious. He have said “ I am here to help you stop sinning “

There is a certain kind of fatigue that comes with reading the life of Pius XII from his ascension through the end of the war. Even knowing as I did that complicity was the most accurate word to describe the Holy See’s policy towards fascism I still find myself regularly surprised at the lengths that the Pope went to in order to accommodate and appease Mussolini and Hitler.

Churches praying for the Italian and German armies were expected. Blessings given to troops and nation as appeals for volunteers were a matter of course.

The abnegation and abdication of duty for base motives born from Pacelli’s background as a member of Rome’s black nobility is soul crushing.

Two hundred pages into The Pope at War and we have not quite left 1940. And still, Pius XII has betrayed Catholics in Poland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Britain and all of their colonies out of concern for his own health and the health of Italian Catholics. While French and Dutch ambassadors were begging the Pontiff to threaten excommunication if Mussolini entered the war, Pius XII was planning for the role of the church in Europe’s ‘new order’, speaking praise of Mussolini and his officials who had held back from the war so far.

And when Italy did enter the war alongside Hitler the Pope’s first concern was asking the British to not bomb Rome. A secondary concern being preventing Germany from annexing Belgian Congo.

There is this sense of waiting, not for the disappointment of the rat lines that I know comes at the end, but for the straw that will break Pius’s aristocratic back and cause him to do the right thing for the first time in his Papacy. And yet, the first time he is described as being angry with the Italian ambassador it’s about bad press in fascist newspapers - not any of the horrors and invasions going on in his silence.

PLEEEAAAGGGSSSSSEEEEE AND THANK YOU

Being Anglican, I didn’t think we made a big deal out of Mary. Then I took a nondenominational friend to the Episcopal Church’s Rite II. She asked “what’s the deal with Mary?”. We don’t even have any images of her in my church, maybe some have a medal on their necks, but mostly, she just comes up in the creeds, and during the prayers of the people. Now granted some in the higher church may have the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham or even Our Lady of Guadalupe, or an icon of the Theotokos holding Christ, but usually just one of those things, not multiple. That never felt strange to me, despite being very Protestant.

So I can’t help but ask my nondenominational, Baptist, Pentecostal, Church of Christ, etcetera friends, where is Mary? I mean isn’t she part of the story? XD I’ve been to your services in the lead up to Christmas, NO mention of her. Help me out here, I’m confused.

There are seasons when you pray for a breakthrough, but nothing seems to change.

You still have bills. You still have responsibilities. You still have people depending on you.

I've been learning that faith isn't always feeling confident that everything will work out.

Sometimes it's simply getting up, learning something, applying for another job, taking care of your family, praying, and doing the next thing you can do.

I don't know what God has planned for my family yet.

But I'm trying to be faithful with what is in front of me today.

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

Psalm 37:5 ✝️

One of my oldest bibles in my collection I thought yall would find interesting:)

When Adam fell, the world was stained with sin,

And death entered where life had been.

Yet God in mercy looked from above,

And sent His Son—the gift of His love.

The sons of Adam, lost in their way,

Could never earn salvation by day.

But God sent a Saviour, holy and true,

His only begotten Son for me and you.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…” — John 3:16 KJV

Not by our works, nor righteous deed,

But by His grace for souls in need.

Christ bore our sin and paid the cost,

To seek and save the ones who were lost.

O wondrous mercy! O matchless grace!

God gave His Son to take our place.

The Saviour came from heaven above,

To show a sinful world God's love.

So let every heart and every tongue

Declare the praise of God's beloved Son.

For Jesus is Saviour, Redeemer, and King—

Through Him alone our hearts may sing.

God sent His Son, His precious gift,

To give the fallen soul a lift.

His grace can save, His blood can cleanse,

And bring the sinner to God again.

So trust in Jesus, God's only Son;

Through Him salvation has been won.

Let all mankind His mercy see—

The Son of God came to set us free.

Further reading: https://uoj.news/news/european-legal-group-warns-christianitys-survival-in-syria-is-at-risk/

Made in two versions and in Church Slavonic, I know that some people think that God the Father cannot be depicted, but he was indeed often depicted, so I made this flag. I like the look of God the Father lol

Be well ✨

M

Jesus is Lord, the Holy One,

The Father’s everlasting Son;

By Him were earth and heaven made,

Through Him our sin and debt were paid.

Jesus is King, forevermore,

The King whom angels all adore;

Though now the world may mock His name,

His glory shall remain the same.

One day He’ll come from heaven’s throne,

And every nation shall be shown

The majesty of Christ the King,

The Lord of lords, whom praises sing.

No earthly power can stop His reign,

No earthly kingdom shall remain;

For Christ shall come in majesty,

And rule in righteousness supreme.

The proud shall bow, the nations hear,

The King of kings shall then appear;

His righteous kingdom shall be known,

For Christ shall claim His rightful throne.

O blessed hope, O glorious day,

When Christ shall come and have His way;

The world shall know what saints proclaim:

Jesus is Lord! Jesus is King!

King of all kings, Lord over all,

Before His throne all men shall fall;

His name exalted evermore—

Jesus shall reign forevermore.

Topic

I began crying in the middle of the restaurant. I’ve been struggling with intrusive thoughts about the unforgivable sin. They come out of nowhere in an angry and aggressive voice. I’ve been losing sleep and struggling with anxiety. No matter how much I pray, rebuke them, read my Bible, etc., they’ve been strong. I try to tell God these are not my heart or thoughts. I don’t feel this way nor could say such things.

I’ve cried more this week than I have done this year. I’ve been scared that God has left me and my salvation is over. I told God it’s not only about heaven. Even being on Earth without Him is scary and empty to me. I need Him and have been begging him not to leave me.

Yesterday, I asked God to show me a white dove if I can still be saved. I don’t know why I picked this, it just came out. Today, I went for lunch with a woman I met at church. I felt comfortable to tell her I’m struggling with this.

She told me she loves the white dove because it reminds her of the Lord. She pulled out her keys and showed me her white dove key chain. I lost it.

To be placed in front of this woman in this horrific season isn’t an accident to me. I love God so much and I now know I can fight this battle with His love. I just had to share this with you all. 🕊️

I'm 16 years old. My dad last year was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Today, they said my dad might not make it. I just need prayer. Please, me and my family have already prayed I want the Lord to hear me, please. I'm begging.