The Power of the WAY

[smitty]

It was about this time of year in 1971 that I had my first meeting up with some cool folks from the Way. They came to West Virginia to get some people for a film PFAL class. Man was that an exciting time! I was sure that I had found the truth!

I rate this pivital event as having the most profound affect on the rest of my life as anything I have done before or since. Getting a college degree, first car, first kiss, first "all the way", pot smoking ,LSD, all pale next to getting involved in the Way.

For the next 17 years, where I lived, what I did with my time, who I married, what I did for a living,a nd how I prepared for the future, were all done in accordance with what I felt God wanted me to do in the confines of the Way.

Now that I am "out " longer than I was" in ," I can still feel the tugs of wrong teaching coming up in my mind at times.,

Nancy had two of our children in our bedroom, because we had no money to get a doctor! All turned out well with the births, thanks be to God, but we had to do that because of the depth of our involvement with "moving the Word'. That is just one example of how powerful the grip was by the Way. I am sure each one of you all have similiar stories to tell.

I can't think of anything else in my life that has had so powerful of an affect on so much of my life other than my marriage to Nancy.

[excathedra]

i really don't know what to say smitty, except i think the miracle of a birth of a child is what is powerful, to me anyway

as for the power of the way..... i just don't see its power.... i really don't

in my life now, i see love which i deeply appreciate.... i talk to god which helps me through so much..... i look forward to a life after this bitchuvalife..... christ and all that.....

oh yeah as far as all your experiences paling in comparison

i think not too many experiences hurt me as much as getting involved with the way..... veepee in particular

[GrouchoMarxJr]

Nancy had two of our children in our bedroom

Holy cow Smitty! Never heard that one before!

The more than abundant life?...glad you survived and you're here posting with us now... :)

[T-Bone]

...Now that I am "out " longer than I was" in ," I can still feel the tugs of wrong teaching coming up in my mind at times...

... That is just one example of how powerful the grip was by the Way. I am sure each one of you all have similiar stories to tell.

I can't think of anything else in my life that has had so powerful of an affect on so much of my life other than my marriage to Nancy.

Some great things you said there, Smitty....I feel the same way about my wife. Tonto and I have been married for 30 years and she [above everything else in my life] is the most important person and my closest friend! And it's kind of sad to think back when I was involved in TWI - that my relationship with an organization had the top priority in my life.

[SafariVista]

That was a power packed few paragraphs there Smitty!

ALL of my 21 years involved with TWI had been, from the start , THINKING about what I was thinking about and why... did it LINE UP with the word of God?...

That's what was taught and practiced in TWI, so that's what most of us did.

From how I thought of myself to all of those around me, the job I did, and how I did it, were ALL TALKED ABOUT in TWI... what was BEST?

I can't think of ANY area in life that WAS NOT covered by THEIR DOCTRINE. Let's see, I had more than 21 DAYS of practicing TWI's doctrine in all areas of life :unsure:

:blink:

Now, we had three out of four children at home, but by choice... The forth was born in a birthing center, since the house was too active with older children, school activities, friends, family visiting... All wonderful memories :)

[templelady]

THINKING about what I was thinking about and why... did it LINE UP with the word of God?...

And that was how they kept us "trapped" when you are so busy thinking about what you are thinking right at the moment--your brain has no time to free associate or explore other "random" thoughts.

Keeping your "spiritual trapdoor closed" sounded really good in theory --they just left out the part where there are two kinds of Spirits--keeping that door closed prevented ANY spirit from communication

[smitty]

Thank you to all of you who posted. You know that we all have mixed emotions, feelings, and memories. I have friends here in South Carolina who have never lived anywhere other than here, and who have never had a LEAD moment, pushing yourself beyond what you thought you coluld do, stepping out into space, trusting God to take care of you.

I am thankful and unthankful about all of it at the same time. We are all the sum total of everytrhing that we have done, and I am in a happy place in my life as a reult of all that went before.

Do I sometimes wish that some things were different? Sure I do. I wish I had some hair on my head!!

I must say that in all of it, I don't blame God for anything. He has directed my paths and still does.

I remain thankful for it all.

[lindyhopper]

I am thankful and unthankful about all of it at the same time.

I hear ya, Hal.

I feel the same way. If you are happy where you are today, it is hard to be all that upset and regretfull of the past. If things were different you might not be where you are today, with who you are with today, etc. On the other hand, it is hard not to get really p!$$ed sometimes too.