tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24229132.post1870041681748952185..comments2023-04-01T03:24:04.298-07:00Comments on ∴ out of the woods ∴: two anglesMeghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11370652206065562050noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24229132.post-24558379394060201712008-09-16T10:11:00.000-07:002008-09-16T10:11:00.000-07:00Oops, I guess I should include Meghan Winters' con...Oops, I guess I should include Meghan Winters' contact info, since I removed her comment: mob@umich.edu.Meghanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11370652206065562050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24229132.post-35853981940287503832008-09-15T11:04:00.000-07:002008-09-15T11:04:00.000-07:00Hi Anonymous. I'm hoping you decided to come back...Hi Anonymous. I'm hoping you decided to come back and read my response. Thank you so much for your apology; I really really appreciated it. And hearing more of your story definitely makes you seem more real. I did get a chance to apologize to my friend at the bus stop last week, and it was great to get to receive grace from her. I have you to thank for that deeper conviction.<BR/><BR/>I did receive your comment directed to Meghan Winters. I’ve decided to take her comment down and ask you to please email her—she offered her address in her post. I hadn’t spoken with her at all in the last few weeks (until today), but I know that she put her contact information down, because she would much prefer to speak with you directly about the hurt that your original comment caused her. <BR/><BR/>Since you can’t read my tone, please hear my words as a plea: you are obviously still very hurt. It is no longer biblical to remain anonymous. “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over” (Matthew 18:15). <BR/><BR/>Meghan W. and I are in a particular bad position, because there is disunity in our relationships with you, but our hands are tied. You may not have intended to hurt or give offense in your original comment, but by referencing New Life so specifically, you indicted a very large group of people. How is Meghan or anyone else expected to respond in a biblical way, if you do not confront us personally, instead of anonymously and publicly? <BR/><BR/>This cyber-conversation is particularly unsettling, because I can’t tell if you still attend New Life or did attend, and if so, how long ago? I have been around for seven years, Meghan longer, and I find it difficult to believe that we have not at the very least met you. What’s worse, you could be someone that I see often. How can we allow this to go on? <BR/><BR/>If you email me (meghanlou@gmail.com), I will not look down on you once I know your name. This is not about my ego or yours—this is about God’s name being glorified and the unity of the church being protected at all costs. If there’s something that I’m radically passionate about, it is unity in the church, and I don’t know what else to do besides this. Please take some time to consider contacting me, Meghan W., and/or your friends who abandoned you, to express your hurt. God’s whole business in this world is reconciliation, and it is His will that it happen among his people.Meghanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11370652206065562050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24229132.post-47456378688333441592008-09-14T14:31:00.000-07:002008-09-14T14:31:00.000-07:00Meghan,I still choose to remain anonymous but I ju...Meghan,<BR/>I still choose to remain anonymous but I just wanted you to know that I did not intend to hurt your feelings with that comment. I am so sorry. I was just hurting for that girl because I have been her and have had people whom I thought loved and cared about me abandon me in my most desperate times of need. It made me feel worthless, broken, and flawed. I felt as if I was doing something wrong by feeling so bad and not knowing why, especially when everyone around me seemed to disapear when things got worse for me emotionally. I know that people don't always know what to say or do but being on the brink of suicide, I guess I prayed that someone would help me or find someone else who could. It made me question god and these people who constantly preached love and family. I understand that people are not perfect, I am a prime example, but I just hope that the broken people are not skipped over or forgotten as I have felt and experienced. It is a place I would not wish on my worst enemy. I am sorry my words hurt you. I only meant to give another side to your story. Please forgive me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24229132.post-1033768406652921572008-09-10T22:18:00.000-07:002008-09-10T22:18:00.000-07:00Thank you for your honesty, Meg. It was funny rea...Thank you for your honesty, Meg. It was funny reading these 2 posts tonight. I have given of myself over and over again over the years and even the past week have had to have some tremendously hard conversations with people I truly love VERY deeply.<BR/><BR/>I have sacrificed my emotions, energy, love, time, etc. to especially love a group of REALLY burned, hurting people in my life right now.<BR/><BR/>And it's just resulted in pain.<BR/><BR/>And, yet. I'm confident it's what Jesus would do and wants for us.<BR/><BR/>As for the church- yes, we can SEEM fake. I will admit that. But, please, whoever reads these things, realize that we are just human beings. We are more than Sunday mornings. We are souls who hurt, who are MESSY, who are broken.<BR/><BR/>I ask myself "why?" so often. On nights even like tonight where I am going to cry myself to sleep because of how much I give and how much I'm criticized and can't be perfect, I ask "is it worth it?"<BR/><BR/>Loving the people God created is ALWAYS worth every ounce of pain.<BR/><BR/>I am a COMPLETE mess who is proud of it and proud to be a close friend to Meghan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com