Update on RyanL's Wife's Journey (for those who asked)

[RyanL_s_Wife]

I have had numerous people ask me over the last few months how things were coming along as far as my journey goes. I decided that instead of answering people individually, I would just post the answer and then refer inquirers to this post.

(So, if you have no idea who I am or my story, I won’t be at all offended if you stop reading now….)

Basically, someone suggested I “meet the Holy Spirit half way and attend RCIA” So, I went through the entire RCIA process and am still attending the mystogogy at the request of the director. However, I did not join the Church.

The reason why? Honestly. I do not believe God has called me to join the Church. And it is that simply. Trust me, joining the church would make my life so much easier. I could participate fully with my family, I would have the opportunity to teach my children in CCD or other such programs, I wouldn’t feel like an outsider every Sunday, etc etc. However, this isn’t something I am willing to do out of convenience for myself. This is something between God and me. If He isn’t calling me to join then it isn’t something I am willing to do.

But do I believe all that the Church teaches? Quite simply. I don’t know. However, I would have no problems believing all the Church teaches if God calls me to become Catholic. If it doesn’t make sense to you, I don’t think I could adequately explain it. Basically, the beliefs of the Baptist church, from a Baptist’s perspective (interpretation) make perfect sense to me. And, the Catholic beliefs, from a Catholic perspective (interpretation) make perfect sense as well. I could very easily believe either one. I choose to let God lead me to the right one. Right now, he isn’t leading me to the Catholic Church.

Some of you may not believe me. Some of you may think I haven’t tried, or I am not giving Him a chance. However, I do not know what else I can do at this point. I attend Mass every week with my family. (Sometime more…. as my RCIA class went to Mass every Tuesday throughout Lent) I pray every night that God will give me an answer: Catholic, Baptist, something else??? I even prayed a novena with my Bible study group, begging for an answer. (The divine mercy, I believe it was…) The only things I haven’t tried are Eucharistic Adoration/exposition, or just returning to my Baptist Church. (Which I am sure you will all be against.)

I do know that my beliefs tell me my husband is the spiritual leader of my house. So right now, while I wait for an answer from my God, I will follow my husband as far as I can without deserting my Lord. (Which, while you won’t agree…… if God wants me to be Baptist in the end…. Joining the Catholic Church would be turning against Him in certain aspects, but lets not get into any of that.) Therefore, I will continue to attend Mass, but cannot officially become Catholic without God’s “blessing” or call.

Why isn’t He giving me an answer? I have no idea. Usually when no answer comes, it means wait, it’s not your time yet. So that is what I am doing. I am waiting. I am sure there is a good reason. I just don’t know what it is. So I will do my best to be a faithful Christian in every way I can until that answer comes.

The post isn’t meant to start a debate or discussion. It was written just to give an answer to those who pop up sporadically and ask where I stand with the Catholic church.

God Bless,
RyanL’s Wife

 

[Kevin42]

I’m glad that you are taking your time and are praying over this. I do get concerned when I hear of people converting to any religion, just to make it easier in marriage, so I’m glad you aren’t taking that approach. That’s definitely not a good reason to convert! I’m sure as long as you keep listening to God, He will lead you where you need to be. I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to guide you on your journey towards God. Peace be with you, and God bless !

 

[scylla]

Take your time and pray. Make sure that you are following God’s will and not your will and it will work out in the end.
You are right, convenience does not matter and is never a reason to convert, even if the Church is true, it would be dishonest.
But ultimately truth is not dependant upon us and our opinion, it is something we submit to, as Christ is King.

How about reading this article, it might be a little harsh but maybe it will help.
The Value of Truth
This guy comes off as rude but is quite nice once you get to know him, he just is very strict on truth. And if you have any questions\objections give him a call.

Does truth matter? If it does, faithfully follow God to it.
It might take a while and might be difficult as it is always more difficult to do God’s will than our will.

May God Bless you on your journey,
Scylla

 

[RyanL_s_Wife]

I’m glad that you are taking your time and are praying over this. I do get concerned when I hear of people converting to any religion, just to make it easier in marriage, so I’m glad you aren’t taking that approach. That’s definitely not a good reason to convert! I’m sure as long as you keep listening to God, He will lead you where you need to be. I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to guide you on your journey towards God. Peace be with you, and God bless !

Thanks you!

Your post gave me a little smile… maybe I am doing “something” right. I will keep listening and hopefully get my answer soon.

Thanks again,

RyanL’s Wife

 

[RyanL_s_Wife]

Take your time and pray. Make sure that you are following God’s will and not your will and it will work out in the end.
But ultimately truth is not dependant upon us and our opinion, it is something we submit to, as Christ is King.

Does truth matter? If it does, faithfully follow God to it.
It might take a while and might be difficult as it is always more difficult to do God’s will than our will.

Honestly, I have no “will” in this anymore. It is not in any way part of the equation. I just want resolution. It is only God’s will that matters to me. The problem is that He isn’t ready to reveal His will to me.

There was a time when I didn’t want to join in the Church because I knew it would crush my mother and father. Now, I just feel like I am leading them on and giving them false hope. That is just mean. I wish I could just do it so it would be done and over and they could get on with “mourning” my conversion. However, this is not what God is calling me to do at the moment.

I am just trying to clarify, my will is not getting in the way. For some reason (and I am not saying you were) quite a few people just assume I am not joining because I don’t want to for this or that reason… and I am just not telling them what it is (or don’t know myself). The fact of the matter is, The only reason I am not joining the Catholic Church is because God is not calling me to join the Church. It really is that simple!

I will have no problem whatsoever accepting the Catholic Truth, if that is what God desires for me. He just needs to let me know it is time. I won’t make any moves without His call.

God Bless,

RyanL’s Wife

(ps… thanks for the article link.)

 

[scylla]

Maybe my response was your call.

The Catholic Church waits, God doesn’t call everyone with earthquakes and thunder. Sometimes it is just someone working through someone.
I don’t claim to be special, I am just a dummy on the other end of a computer typing too much when I should be sleeping.

I had no call I could discern for me to come back to the Catholic Church, yet I had to.

Take your time there can only be one choice. Since you accept God’s will and He founded the Church then there is no other place for you to go. Sometimes it just takes another step to keep going.

I am pushy because I know how beautiful the Church is, if you don’t believe me, PM me. It is not beautiful because of the people, they might help or not, it is not beautiful because of the art, it might ugly at times, the Mass sometimes is abused. It is beautiful because of Christ, and that beauty you know in another Church is even more radiant in the Church.
You just need to peek inside a little more.

In Christ
Scylla

(I am 100% Catholic and am not ashamed of any doctrine, belief or tradition as it all enhances Christ as King)

 

[blessedtoo]

It was great to hear the update! God bless you in your unfailing quest for God’s will. I will keep you in my prayers!

 

[Pixie_Dust]

I was “born-again and raised” Baptist and am now waist deep in the Tiber.

What clinched it for me was listening to a CD entitled “One Church.” You can download it in MP3 format or order the CD from the Bible Christian Society. It’s free, only $1 shipping if you get the CD. If your particular Baptist church teaches Rapture theology, he also has a CD entitled “The Rapture and the Bible” that is VERY good.

Praying for you!

 

[leonie]

Hi Mrs. Ryan, I think it is wonderful that you are so open to God’s Will. Remember that religion isn’t just a set of beliefs: it’s a relationship. In the Catholic Church we are all connected in the Body of Christ.

My suggestion is that the thing you are missing is of course not a thing at all, but a person: The Blessed Mother.

I’m quite sure that if you got to know her, she would lead you by the hand into the Church.

God bless you and your family.

 

[jmcrae]

It is possible that God is telling you “Not right now” rather than “No.”

Maybe there is something that He wants you to learn before He will let you become a Catholic, so that you can do it right the first time.

That’s what He did with me, and I’m so glad that I waited for His timing, rather than rushing in ahead of time.

In any case, it is good that you are waiting upon the Lord. Continue to seek His guidance in all things - I think that you are doing just fine.

 

[toaslan]

Yes, thanks for the update! With your preparation and openness, your path will open before you. But when you say that God is not calling you, and I mean no disrespect, that just can’t be right! . Why? Because He is always calling everybody to come fully into membership in His Body, the Catholic Church. Jesus wants us all to be One, even as He and His Father are one. I expect that for some reason you do not yet hear Him on this point. One can miss one’s vocation (calling from God) in life–pass by any number of potentially good spouses for example, and never marry-- due to the white noise in one’s own head, or some personal issue…

I’m not thinking a person should come in anyway, I agree that one should come when/if one’s conscience allows; I’m just saying that at the same time, God is calling–always calling, each of us to come into the fullest union with Him that is possible while we are all here on earth. That is full membership in the RCC, see…

God is always calling me, for another example, to live more deeply in Him, to set aside for Him (sanctify) my life more radically, to join Christ on the Cross in order to be with Him in Heaven. I can always do (a lot) more to receive and respond to that call to be a radical Catholic!..sorry to be so discursive… I admire your effort and prayerful thoughtfulness in this journey…I admire your attitude toward God and your husband. Godspeed!

 

[Mickey]

**After God, let us have our conscience as our mentor and rule in all things, so that we may know which way the wind is blowing and set our sails accordingly. **
St. John Climacus

 

[MariaG]

I have to tell you, I know exactly what you mean and I believe you 100%.

God has always been quite clear to me when He wanted me to change churches.

I had been feeling the pull of the Catholic Church, including the Real Presence of Christ, for awhile. But I did not feel as if I had been called to leave the Evangelical Church I was in, but was trying to do both.

Then one day, it was really quite simple and like a four by four hitting me between the eyes! I was reading the bulletin for the Catholic Church and down at the bottom was a little announcement for people to cut out and place in the offering so one would be an “official” member of the parish.

God literally wacked me and said, do this.

I did.

I believe that God will provide a similar experience for you.

And thanks for the update. I had been wondering and praying for your family and am glad to recieve an update. I’ll start praying for God to make it as obvious as it was for me for you

Your sister in Christ,
Maria

 

[RyanL_s_Wife]

MariaG[/B]
, post:13, topic:72446”]
I have to tell you, I know exactly what you mean and I believe you 100%.

God has always been quite clear to me when He wanted me to change churches.

I had been feeling the pull of the Catholic Church, including the Real Presence of Christ, for awhile. But I did not feel as if I had been called to leave the Evangelical Church I was in, but was trying to do both.

Then one day, it was really quite simple and like a four by four hitting me between the eyes! I was reading the bulletin for the Catholic Church and down at the bottom was a little announcement for people to cut out and place in the offering so one would be an “official” member of the parish.

God literally wacked me and said, do this.

I did.

I believe that God will provide a similar experience for you.

And thanks for the update. I had been wondering and praying for your family and am glad to recieve an update. I’ll start praying for God to make it as obvious as it was for me for you

Your sister in Christ,
Maria

Thanks! I really appreciate your post. I’m glad to know somebody understands and has been there and come through on top.

God Bless,

RyanL’s Wife

 

[Maria1212]

Dear RyanL`s Wife,

I think you are very smart to wait until you feel called to join the Church. You want to be sure, and that is very wise. We can`t compare ourselves to anyone else when it comes to our spiritual journey, and some journeys take longer than others.

I know God has a special plan for you, and whenever we do our best to follow His will, we will not be led astray. You are obviously dedicated to God and have shown your willingness to study the Catholic faith with an open heart. If you do decide to convert, it should be because you feel that is God`s will, not in response to pressure from others. I admire the patience you are showing by taking your time.

I definitely encourage you to continue studying the Catholic faith,to continue praying, and definitely spend time praying in Eucharistic adoration. It is absolutely amazing.

I will keep you and your husband in my prayers.

Sincerely,

Maria1212

 

[MariaG]

Thanks! I really appreciate your post. I’m glad to know somebody understands and has been there and come through on top.

God Bless,

RyanL’s
Wife

Yup Thankfully for me it did not take long although it seemed that way at the time. (It was about a 2-3 year time period in which I attended both churches) And I pray this may not be the case, for I still tend to have my Nazarene Pastor’s view on this, God may be trying to teach you patience

And the only way to learn patience, is to well, be patient

God will work on His timetable, not yours, and not your husband’s

Your sister in Christ,
Maria

 

[Erich]

Then one day, it was really quite simple and like a four by four hitting me between the eyes!

I know several people who came to the realization that God said “Do this” when they found themselves “thinking like a Catholic.” In one case, the person responded to a stated misperception of what Catholics believe about something by saying, “no, we don’t believe that” (and at the same time thinking to himself, “hmm, I just said ‘we’”).

I also know a couple of folks who each read The Catholic Mystique: Fourteen Women Find Fulfillment in the Catholic Church and who each said about at least one of the stories that, except for a few details, it could have been their story.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

I know several people who came to the realization that God said “Do this” when they found themselves “thinking like a Catholic.” In one case, the person responded to a stated misperception of what Catholics believe about something by saying, “no, we don’t believe that” (and at the same time thinking to himself, “hmm, I just said ‘we’”).

Yep, that’s exactly what happened. I noticed that I was thinking like a Catholic. A LOT.

I also know a couple of folks who each read The Catholic Mystique: Fourteen Women Find Fulfillment in the Catholic Church and who each said about at least one of the stories that, except for a few details, it could have been their story.

I haven’t read THAT book, but several chapters in “Surprised By Truth” and David Currie’s “Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic” felt like I was reading my own story. Freaky stuff, that.

 

[MariaG]

I know several people who came to the realization that God said “Do this” when they found themselves “thinking like a Catholic.” In one case, the person responded to a stated misperception of what Catholics believe about something by saying, “no, we don’t believe that” (and at the same time thinking to himself, “hmm, I just said ‘we’”).

I also know a couple of folks who each read The Catholic Mystique: Fourteen Women Find Fulfillment in the Catholic Church and who each said about at least one of the stories that, except for a few details, it could have been their story.

That is . I’ll have to read that

 

[Altesse]

I have to tell you, I know exactly what you mean and I believe you 100%.

God has always been quite clear to me when He wanted me to change churches.

I had been feeling the pull of the Catholic Church, including the Real Presence of Christ, for awhile. But I did not feel as if I had been called to leave the Evangelical Church I was in, but was trying to do both.

Then one day, it was really quite simple and like a four by four hitting me between the eyes! I was reading the bulletin for the Catholic Church and down at the bottom was a little announcement for people to cut out and place in the offering so one would be an “official” member of the parish.

God literally wacked me and said, do this.

I did.

I believe that God will provide a similar experience for you.

And thanks for the update. I had been wondering and praying for your family and am glad to recieve an update. I’ll start praying for God to make it as obvious as it was for me for you

Your sister in Christ,
Maria

I was born and raised Lutheran, converted to non-denom./pentecostal and am now Catholic.

I left the last protestant church because it was too internalized, no outreach or service. I didn’t go anywhere for a while. From my apartment; the Lutheran church I grew up in and the Catholic church I go to now are both 3-4 blocks away.

The Sunday after Christmas I thought I would try the Catholic church. I got there early and was walking around. I saw the mission statement posted on the bulletin board.
It fit exactly what I was looking for. After mass I talked to Sister about books or classes I could take to see if there was a place in the Catholic church for an outspoken pentecostal like me.

I wanted to know more and see if there was church doctrine I absolutely could not accept and if I believed differently about an issue that the Church would “allow” me my differences.
I started taking the RCIA classes and was confirmed that year.
I had always considered myself a Protestant, I never would have considered the Catholic Church. God has a good sense of humor!

The last pentecostal church I attended spoke heavily on prophecy and the return of the Lord. I believe that He is preparing to do something very special with the Catholic church, and I want to be a part of it. The spotlight on the priest issue is just one area that demonstrates this. I figure it this way, when you are expecting important company what is the first thing you do…clean house.
There are bad people in clerical positions in every denominiation known. The “house cleaning” will continue until the Church is the way HE wants it.

The Real Presence is a part of what made me Catholic. The non denominational churches say the bread and wine/juice are “symbols” of Christ. The Lutheran church teaches that Christ is ‘in and with’ the bread and wine.

This is an area where taking the Bible “literally” is actually true.

When Christ said “This is My Body and this is My Blood”

HE MEANT IT!

Why would I want less of Him?

I love knowing that during the Mass, there are Catholics all over the world joining at the same time in the the Eucharist and even more astounding; is that the believers who have passed on are all joining us in the “Communion of the Saints”.

I just disovered information about my paternal great grandmother - I didn’t even know her name. I had the Mass for her on her 150th birthday. During the Eucharist, I looked up toward heaven and said quietly - Happy Birthday Grandma Mattie!

All of us together sharing in that great mystery!

It is truly a universal faith!