Today, I was contemplating the Mormon cult. I was praying for specific neighbors in Utah and was wondering if Terry and I fulfilled our God-given purpose during our short time living there. I was praying, asking God to use us in Florida. I was thinking along the lines of getting plugged in at a local church. You know, helping the youth group, teaching Sunday School, etc.
And then the local neighborhood Jehovah's Witness, Gin, showed up at my doorstep today. She's an older woman, a great-grandmother, in fact. I actually had time to sit down with her today. Usually we've been on our way out the door, sick, or had some other valid excuse why we couldn't visit with her. But today, I had nothing. Somehow my mouth said, "Won't you come in and sit down?"
We chatted about inconsequential things, discussed Bible translations in non-threatening, generic terms, and she showed me her Watchtower manual.
Meanwhile, Grace was raging because i had to tell her she couldn't play with the neighbor girl next door as a discipline measure for an incident that happened last night.
So anyhow, I really didn't know much about JW's. I knew they were considered by some to be a cult, and that they use the name Jehovah, (which is really a mistranslation and don't get me started on THAT,) and they don't accept blood transfusions. Then I googled Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs and found this. From there, I researched Effective Evangelism. I've got to start memorizing verses. I've always had a mental block about memorizing, from speeches to piano recitals to Scripture. I'm ashamed to say that I only have a small handful of Scripture verses memorized. And remembering their location. . . well, I can usually name the book. . .the numbers just don't fall into place with regards to this. But I can memorize anyone's PHONE number. (I still remember my phone number from the time we lived in Ft Myers and moved when I was 8. And my first boyfriend's phone number, too. Ridiculous, huh?)
My research has left me weary to my very soul. My heart rate is elevated (I did just work out, but usually it drops quite quickly after a SPIN class) and Terry and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I know what it is. I'm sad. Heart-sick. Weary. Tired of dealing with cults. Tired of feeling burdened for those who are misled. Tired of defending my faith. I'm just tired. I thought I'd earned a reprieve considering our time just spent in Utah.
God is so ironic.
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