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Jenn Sal
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Location: Texas
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| Posted: June 24 2005 at 5:16pm | IP Logged
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This is my first time posting, other than my introduction. I guess I'm starting with a hot one!
I want to ask for prayers for my husband, Mark. We have both come a long way on our journey with our faith. Thank's be to God, I am at the most humbled time of my life. I have overcome many questions and doubts. But I have always had the basics of believing and faith. My husband is an engineer. He looks for logical reasonings. He want's concrete answers. He feels that he can't get to the point of just believing and having faith. Thankfully, he goes to church with us every Sunday. He says prayers with us at every meal. Yet he struggles that he doesn't have faith and maybe never will. I know everyone has their own journey. This is hard to watch because I love him.
Please pray for him. And if you could, pray for me. So that I may set a good example for him.
__________________
Jennifer, Texas
Wife to Mark, Mom to Cora 13,Kade 10, Sarah in Heaven 12/05, Colette 7, Corin 5, & Kieran 2
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Leonie
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| Posted: June 24 2005 at 8:06pm | IP Logged
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Jennifer,
I will keep your intentions in my morning novena to St Anthony.
You are right. It *is a journey. I am a convert and it took me many years to actually become a Catholic. I felt I had to research and read and find out information and history. Finally, it became an act of faith - this was surprising to me as I like things all logically laid out. 
Leonie in Sydney
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ALmom
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| Posted: June 24 2005 at 9:06pm | IP Logged
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Jenn,
Wish our husbands could meet! My dh is also an engineer and found it very hard to believe in God, began attending Mass with me once we were married (to my total surprise) and was very instrumental in me rediscovering Catholicism when I wanted us to share more in faith (He didn't think he believed in God at the time so couple prayer in particular was what I missed) and told me that if I believed in God the only church that made any sense was the Catholic church. He took 7 + RCIA classes, etc. He was the one that has led the way in faith even when he didn't think he believed!! When our 8 yo was born, it all came together for him.
I'll ask him to keep Mark in prayer - and pray as well.
It is amazing to look back and see how carefully God has kept my dh in hand from the start - long before he'd ever even heard of God - when religion and cults were one and the same to him.
Janet
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tovlo4801
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| Posted: June 25 2005 at 9:04am | IP Logged
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Jennifer,
I will be praying for your husband. I was going to comfort you by telling you a brief snippet of my conversion story, and I see Leonie pretty much told the same story!
I studied faith and participated in bible studies and faith events for YEARS with my best friend. All the while I was desperately wishing I could believe what my friend believed, but I just couldn't pretend. Eventually like Leonie, it became a leap of faith for me. I realized I might never logically be able to "get" faith and just turned myself over to God in trust instead. It was after I sincerely made that leap of faith that the logical understanding started to fall into place. (BTW I was a double jump convert. The first jump to evangelical christianity, the second to Catholicism. Both conversions required me to let go of my logical analysis and accept things that didn't quite make sense. There were extended periods of research and searching before each conversion, but each time the understanding came after the act of faith.)
I will ask my whole family to be praying. I remember how distressing a time like this can be for your husband. It is very difficult to want faith and not feel able to get there. Also, be patient. My best friend patiently and lovingly walked with me through my time of atheism for almost 10 years! I believe with everything in me though, that if you are open to God working, He will eventually get through. So have faith. And pray. I'm certain my friend was praying hard for me and soliciting others to pray hard for me through those 10 years as well.
God Bless you and walk with you and your family on this journey!
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cathhomeschool
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Texas Bluebonnets
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| Posted: June 25 2005 at 9:12am | IP Logged
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I was an engineer (in my former life ) and my father is too. We can both attest to the fact that it is possible to look for logical explanations (by our very nature) and yet to still have a deep belief in God and the Catholic faith. I will keep Mark and his journey in my prayers. It is very encouraging to note his enthusiasm and *desire* to believe. I think that God will honor that. 
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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alicegunther
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| Posted: June 25 2005 at 10:03am | IP Logged
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I will pray for both of you, Jennifer.
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Love, Alice
mother of seven!
    
Cottage Blessings
Brew yourself a cup of tea, and come for a visit!
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: June 25 2005 at 11:25am | IP Logged
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Hi Jenn
I just read this beautiful quote from Pope John Paul II...
Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth. God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth - to know Himself - so that by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.
With love, prayers and confident hope!
__________________
Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
About Me
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Jenn Sal
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Joined: June 23 2005
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| Posted: June 25 2005 at 12:26pm | IP Logged
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Thank you sooooo much for all of your words of wisdom and support. I feel so much better knowing that others are parying for Mark. I have to believe, in my heart, that he will come to a crossroads.
Thank you for sharing your own personal struggles, journeys, and ideas with me. He is so "sensitive" I don't think I could even tell him of things to read or do right now, but I hope some day. Until then, I will pray along with you and be patient!
__________________
Jennifer, Texas
Wife to Mark, Mom to Cora 13,Kade 10, Sarah in Heaven 12/05, Colette 7, Corin 5, & Kieran 2
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guitarnan
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| Posted: June 27 2005 at 10:20pm | IP Logged
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Jenn,
My dad's an engineer (Caltech and MIT) and I have heard him explain to other scientific types that he finds it impossible *not* to believe in God when he considers the logic, beauty and order of creation. Even the great physicist, Stephen Hawking, can't explain away the origin of the universe...he admits that it's difficult to conceive of a random beginning to the universe and all it contains.
I say this to give you hope and to let you know that some really brilliant engineering types have found peace and comfort in faith. In God's time, it will happen. Keep praying. The wonderful people here on this forum have the most powerful and comforting prayers; let the peace that comes from being prayed for help you continue your own faith journey.
I'm praying, too...I have seen so many non-believers come to faith that I'm confident that you will see it, too.
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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ALmom
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| Posted: June 28 2005 at 7:27pm | IP Logged
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Jennifer,
Don't worry at all about not saying anything. I couldn't really say anything either - it seemed best that I simply try to live my faith as faithfully as possible and trust God with the rest. When it came time to get specific answers and he was ready to ask - God placed a very wonderful man in our path that became his sponsor and shared his technical background.
There were so many times that people just assumed he was Catholic and a believer (he was even asked to train the altar servers and join the Knights of Columbus long before he was ever baptized - both of which he, of course, declined and we laugh about it now).
Janet
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: June 28 2005 at 7:31pm | IP Logged
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Dear Jennifer,
Your husband might really like reading CS Lewis. He approached faith from a "prove it" perspective. You are in my prayers!
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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4Real Forums : We Pray to the Lord
Topic: Husband struggles w/ faith
