Changed my life

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lauraella

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i have recently changed my life…it was very hard and i still have some struggles with it.
i was an exotic dancer for 9 years and i lived a life of sin. I did howevr still believe in jesus and i knew what i was doing was wrong. I got involved with the worng people, even though they did have some what of good heart.
The last year and a bit, i had an opportunity to change my life…i met a wondeful man and we got married and had a beautiful 3 month old daughter.I now am a stay at home mom and living a normal life and my parents are so happy for me. I cut off all the people i used to talk to and have no contact with anyone other than my family. I sometimes feel that it was not right for me to do that but i knew deep down it was the right thing.
i would like to know ways of how to connect better with god and how to keep my faith after all i have done. i feel because i knew i was doing wrong that it might be too late for me to be a good catholic.
any help or ideas would be appeciated…thank you
 
St. Paul must have felt the same way since he “work out (his) salvation with fear and trembling.” St. Augustine was a grand sinner with a mistress and an out of wedlock son. St. Peter denied he knew Christ (wow! how much further can you go!) Mary Magdalene is often purported as a prostitute. I think that you can be a good Catholic; maybe you can become a saint!

I applaud all your efforts to keep away from “near occasion of sin.”👍 I would offer this: don’t give up, don’t think that your sins are greater than God’s Mercy and put your trust in the promise of Christ. I will pray for you.:byzsoc:
 
lauraella said:
i would like to know ways of how to connect better with god and how to keep my faith after all i have done. i feel because i knew i was doing wrong that it might be too late for me to be a good catholic.
any help or ideas would be appeciated…thank you
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First let me say congratulations on changing your life and wanting to come Home! :clapping:

Have you gone to Confession? That would definitely help you to keep your faith and connect better with God. I will pray for you and again, Welcome Home!! 🙂
 
You know what, you are probably better than the rest of us.

Not that I am judging anyone, but what you have done is the sign of a VERY, VERY strong person.

You were deeply involved in something that would have been very hard for the average person to get out of. To walk away from the sin you were committing, shows your love for God. He is VERY, VERY proud of you and will bless you 10 fold.

This is exactly what God wants from us, to turn from sin.

I know exactly what you feel, are you feeling shame because you had lived that life before? That is noble of you.

I want to say congrats, from one person who used to live a life of deep sin to another.

I wasn’t a stripper or anything, but I lived a life that I should not have and did the same thing you did, threw it away for God.

CONGRATS!! 👍
 
Hi!

Personally, I initially grew in faith after attending retreats. There are a couple of great church groups that do retreats, or seminars ( Curcillo, Couples for Christ, etc. )

I also grew in faith after reading some great books. My favorite author is Peter Kreeft and Scott Hahn. I would suggest reading Peter Kreeft’s “YES/NO straight answers to fundamental questions to Christianity.” Most of his thinner books are easy to understand and are really a delight to read. Scott Hahn is also great, I loved “Lamb’s Supper”.

On the non catholic books, I would recommend case for faith by Lee Strobel.

I guess the most important thing I could share is to remember that the church is built on imperfect people loving a perfect God. Sometimes we struggle, but God is always faithful!

😃 God bless!
 
lauraella said:
i have recently changed my life…it was very hard and i still have some struggles with it.
i was an exotic dancer for 9 years and i lived a life of sin. I did howevr still believe in jesus and i knew what i was doing was wrong. I got involved with the worng people, even though they did have some what of good heart.
The last year and a bit, i had an opportunity to change my life…i met a wondeful man and we got married and had a beautiful 3 month old daughter.I now am a stay at home mom and living a normal life and my parents are so happy for me. I cut off all the people i used to talk to and have no contact with anyone other than my family. I sometimes feel that it was not right for me to do that but i knew deep down it was the right thing.
i would like to know ways of how to connect better with god and how to keep my faith after all i have done. i feel because i knew i was doing wrong that it might be too late for me to be a good catholic.
any help or ideas would be appeciated…thank you
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well done on changing your life around:thumbsup:, and congratulations on your marriage and your baby daughter,:clapping: ,
some ways to connect better with god would be :
  • to attend mass as often as you are able
  • read some catholic books, magazines, newspapers
    *you could join a prayer group that is in your area
    *speak to a priest about wanting to grow in your faith
  • go on a retreat (sometimes there is information on posters at the backs of churches or catholic newspapers for their parishoners)
    *pray regularly…say a morning offering prayer so that your entire day is offered up to god…then say plenty of little short prayers through out the day…you can say them for yourself or for others…eg jesus i love you, jesus have mercy on me and all mankind, jesus help me to keep my faith and be closer to you each day, jesus assist and save the dying, jesus release the holy souls in purgatory…
    anyway if you say these prayers between your morning and night prayers ( your morning and night prayers can be whatever you want them to be)…then you will feel that your day has been spent in prayer and that you have prayed not only for yourself but for others…and if you say a morning offering prayer then all these little prayers will go towards that…
    *receive holy communion…and when you can’t …then make a spiritual communion so that jesus will come to you and come in to your heart…my jesus, i believe that you are in the most blessed sacrament, i love you above everything and i long for you in my soul, since i cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually in to my heart as though you have already come, i embrace you and unite myself entirely to you, allow me never to be seperated from you, Amen.
  • this forum (CAF) is a good place to visit…you can get answers to your questions…read about other peoples stories and experiences…it will encourage you in practising the faith and being a good catholic…(especially on days when it may seem like you are getting no where and feel like giving up)
    *talk to jesus in your own words (like you would a parent or a friend) and just tell him everything, that you want to be close to him, all your hopes, fears, etc…he will listen…
    *lastly don’t punish yourself by thinking its too late to be a good catholic…it’s not…god knows you are sorry and the moment you turn back to him and seek him he will be so happy and so overjoyed…remember also when jesus came to eath he didn’t come to save the just…he came to save sinners…
i hope everything works out well for you…
i will say a prayer for you and your family…

ANGELIC PEACE
 
I don’t have anything more to add to what others have said, but I just wanted to say “Praise God” for your return to the Church! You absolutely did the right thing by cutting off contact with the people you associated with when you were living a sinful lifestyle. “Bad company corrupts good morals,” they say. When you are first coming out of something like that, it is only too easy to fall back into sin if you still hang out with the people who knew you when. Pray for them, but stay away from them. You have a new life now with your husband and your baby, and you have a new life in Christ. It is never “too late” to be a good Catholic – as soon as you walk out of that confessional with your sins absolved, you are as “good” as any of us, and maybe even better for turning your life around in such a radical way. Stay strong, and God bless! 👍
 
ANGELIC PEACE and others have given great advices, lauraella.
Welcome to the forums, and thank you so much for sharing your faith. Yes, you are strong to walk away from those things of the past.
God has given you so much graces in order to do that. Thanks be to God.

We also thank to your husband who must be very loving and caring for you.

God bless you and your family!

PS: visit this Spirituality forum often, you would love to be here. 🙂
 
lauraella said:
i feel because i knew i was doing wrong that it might be too late for me to be a good catholic.
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Welcome to CAF.
All others have already given good suggestions.

I just want to add this:
It is never too late for a new beginning.
Trust in Jesus’ mercy and keep up your good work.
God bless!
 
I just skimmed the thread, but I don’t think I saw anyone suggest the rosary, so there’s your suggestion. The rosary, or the Divine Mercy Chaplet, or both, really help me meditate and focus on Christ.

I have little doubt that your conversion is the result of prayers, maybe even by people you didn’t know who just prayed in general for the ladies in your former profession. Congrautlations on your daughter, on your husband, and on your new life! 👍
 
Congratulations on coming home and the baby! 🙂

I am sure someone has mentioned it, but pray the rosary… Mom will look after you and yours 😉

Confession may seem scary or daunting, but it is therapeutic and cathartic and will bring you closer to God.

I believe cutting ties from your old life is indeed a good thing. If you ever feel drawn back, look at your beautiful baby, pick up the rosary, say a quick prayer and appreciate how much better God has made your life.

Oh - and you can check the internet (or scan your dial) for Catholic radio in your area. We are blessed to have AM 990 Ave Maria up in the Detroit / Ann Arbor area. You can listen online I believe also. Catholic radio will be a great comfort to you and also a great way to expand your faith. Catholic Answers live in the afternoons (or rerun in the mornings), Theresa Tomeo is grrreaaattt! And of course Dr. Ray and Al in the afternoons.

God bless! 👍
 
lauraella,

There is no sin we humans can commit that God almighty cannot forgive. The trick is that we must want his forgiveness, which you do, and then ask for it. My advice is for you to go to confession if you have not already.

Praise God for bringing you out of a sinful and dangerous situation and giving you so many blessings!
 
I would reccomend reading about St. Augustine’s life and how he just could not help but become a Catholic Christian. Remarkable story.

Congrats on the baby! Very exciting.

Happy you are here:)
 
Praise God ! :extrahappy:

Remember all of Heaven rejoices at the return of 1 sinner. :angel1: :angel1: :angel1:

You are important!

Learn your faith WELL. It will sustain you in the hard times. They will happen but do not ever give up. If you should fall, return to the Lord, He is always waiting. Do not get discouraged, we all go through these things.

Prayers and Blessings,
:blessyou:
 
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