Is there any way of filtering the featured posts on the main page...because if I read ANOTHER post about....Being Single..being depressed whilst single...partnerships...relationships...dating...the differences between men and women .....finding that 'special' someone.....

I may end up gouging my own eyes from out of their sockets....or just quit visiting revelife altogether.  If I wanted to read posts about marriage/dating/partnerships and the likes all the time, I'd join datingish.  Okay, I don't mind the odd one or two...but it's getting beyond a joke here and I'm seriously considering leaving Revelife altogether because of it.

Can't a new place be started up for christian singles (seeing as they seem to be the majority posting all these weblogs about dating and various questions etc etc) so that those of us happily single, not interested in relationships, not having an opinion on relationships and seeking to read about things other that finding that special someone, don't have to be utterly bored by the posts on the main page.

I'm a lurker here at Revelife, I comment on posts more than I weblog (evidently), so a lot of my interest is taken up with the featured/main page topics.  I'm becoming increasingly irritated by the various 'relationships' posts appearing.  I feel like singles are being vicitimised and making themselves victims also.  There seems to be a mindset that it's wrong to be a Christian and single.   That we should be lonely, that we should be constnatly seeking for a partner, that we should be suffering all these pent up feelings of emtions because we haven't got that special someone in our lives. 

It's exhausting trying not to be weirded out by the fact young twenty somethings would rather be tied down in relationships than enjoy their relationship with God and freedom as a single person.

I wanted to speak a little about my granda (or grandfather) George, my mothers father.

Growing up, Granda George was a huge huge presence in my life. My ma comes from a big family, six kids in all, and all of them married, with kids of their own.  Growing up, a family visit to Granda and Nanna's every weekend meant the house was filled with kids and grandkids and even great grandkids.  And all of us were completely devoted to my granda as he was to us.  As I've grown up, he's remained a 'hero' in my life, despite having passed away several years ago.

My Granda was a devout catholic, a regular church attender who gave of his time to help others also.  He had such a heart and love after God that touched and has helped me over the years, certainly an inspiration.

Even after all these years he's remembered by the people who knew him as a good man who was very much liked and loved within the community.  I've met people who had only met him once or twice who hold fond memories of the man. 

My granda died of cancer, after four years of suffering.  In the last two years of his life he could barely speak and was bed ridden in the worse, latter months.  What started off as bowel cancer spread to his throat and despite treatment, nothing could be done.  It was a dark time for the family yet he never wavered from his faith, from his happy outlook in life and I think it gave my nanna, my ma and the family some strength in the hard times.  In the last year or so our communication with him was through a notepad or type of etcha sketch.  He still told us jokes, made me laugh and was contented to see his family surrounding him.

When he died I was only eleven and my ma didn't think it a good idea for me to attend the funeral.  In a way I'm glad of that, because in not saying an 'official' goodbye, I never felt as if I'd really lost him.  I'm not sure if that makes sense to others, but it certainly does to me.  Whether I remember him as he carried me over the railway lines to the horse fields opposite the old house, (which looking back on it now was a crazy thing to do, but at the time, sitting atop the giant of a mans shoulders, sugar cubes in hand to feed the ponies, I was oblivious to any danger), collecting worms in a tub as he dug for potatoes, going with him on occasion to mass or in those last few years where our communication was through a notebook I just remember that glint in his eye and the happiness he always seemed to exude.

George was from a working class generation.  He and the family had little yet they made the most of what they had.  I know he went through a dark time in his faith although I've never really asked about it, I just know he pulled through it.  When he was in his early twenties, there was an accident involving his nephew whom he'd been looking ofter. The child fell from the back of a wagon and was killed and my granda went through a very depressive stage.  A few weeks later he was walking with my nanna in what has now become the towns shopping centre and an Angel appeared to him.  It was a great vision and testimony that he held onto  and spoke about throughout his life.  Whether people believe in angels, in people seeing them or not is neither here nor there for me.  I believe and know he believed and that what he saw was an amazing experience which helped him through a time in his life when he was wracked with guilt over a young boys death.

Other things happened in his life which would have swayed many from their path.  He worked in the shipyards and a terrible accident occurred where he was smashed in the face by a steel beam and lain up in hospital for months.  He lost his sense of smell in the process.  He went through months of depression after the accident, yet somehow he pulled through.  I've no doubt that God's hand was forever guiding him despite how low he felt within his faith.

I think sometimes we can go through those low times where we think 'I'm just so bad, I can't get anywhere in God, I've let my Christian life slip and slide down a long slope.  What's the point in trying? ' Yet we probably don't have to look very far to see how God helps people along through those dark times.  That no matter how low they get or what comes against them, if they just keep hold of that little bit of faith they have left and put their trust in him they will pull through.

Who are the inspirational people in your life who you can draw strength from, through their faith and their testimonies of what they've gone through and how God gave them strength to carry on?

Just some thoughts that were in my head I felt I needed to write down after reading some replies to a comment I made on one of the weblogs here at rev.  I'm not one for getting into debates/politics of different aspects of church.  I believe that everyone has a different way of living their Christian life and making it work for them.  I think different people have different standards and totally respect that.  I can't expect someone to live the way I do because perhaps certain ways of how I live will bring them down in someway spiritually and equally so in mine.  We are non of us perfect and although there are basic rules of living as a Christian (and probably even then most of us would differentiate in the meanings haha) a person cannot live my life nor me theirs.  But I felt a need to react with my own views on the comments but didn't want to start a full blown heated debate so I'm posting it on my blog so as to not 'spam' a weblogs comment page.  The comments I'm 'replying' to are in italics

The way the church of Christ sees it, if it gets to the point where people don't want to worship unless there's some sort of "entertainment" going on, then it's wrong. And our church just doesn't do anything like that, because we don't want our members to come for the fun. Church isn't just about feeling good.

Personally I have to say, Church should be all about feeling good. It should be about being excited for God and looking forward for what is to come. A Church is a mere gathering place for the congregation. The Church is the body of people and I'd not like to be around people who aren't looking to be feeling good in God. I'm glad I attend a church where fun is encouraged. It's not like antics are going on ALL the time, but at the same time my ministry team are always happy, joyful and laughing quite often enough. If I don't go church expecting to have a better time than I did going to a 'social' event through the week then I'd be a little disappointed. Because church should be more fun than any 'social' occasion we go to. I'm not saying church is a 'social' occasion, I'm just saying that it should be funner than one.

When I see the ministry team becoming so caught up by the music and worship, unable to hold themselves back because God is moving then it's hard not to want that for yourself. There are times for being quiet and silent and there are also times for dancing and singing and giving God all of your praise.

Yes, I can hear an uplifting sermon or hear the congregation sing a song (without instruments) that gives me goose bumps, but it's not always about that. Sometimes you have to hear things that don't make you feel good. The Word of God is not about entertaining. It's about teaching.

Growing up I went to a completely different church to what I attend now. I basically grew up surrounded by many rules, regulations and a lot of fire and brim stone. I was never truly stirred in spirit by that way of teaching. The church I now attend is completely different and very uplifting. I understand that many people are affected by different ways of teaching. Personally I could never ask for better teachers than my pastors. They are the most influential, touching couple I've had the honour of meeting and knowing. They are all for fun in life. They have a passion for living that comes for God and strenuously work to teach and show people how amazing he is. That isn't to say they don't sometimes bring a harsh word to say to get people back on track. That comes with the job description, they have to admonish as well as encourage. But I also find myself crying with laughter through some of the ministry because it's taught in a light, touching, positive way. I learn from that and find myself more encouraged and willing to try harder, because I want to catch on to that vision that my ministry team brings. I could not ask for better, more encouraging loving leaders who want nothing more than to see their church thrive in their spiritual walks.

Also, it's not about how we want to worship God. It's about how God wants us to worship him. In reverence.What is reverent about clapping, or dancing, or waving your hands in the air, or special performances?

I couldn't imagine going to church and not clapping, raising my hands in praise, jumping up and down shouting hallelujah (most of the time I have to kick off my heels, I should really remember to wear flats!). It's all done in praise to God, I'm not doing it to impress anyone or even because of whatever is going on at the front of the church in the praise and worship time. And there are moments where I am so touched by the Holy Spirit that I am still and silent reaching out to him and letting him work in me. There are also times when I've been so touched by the Holy Spirit that I've fallen into joyful laughter that cannot be stopped. It's an amazing feeling to suddenly be so filled that you cannot hold in the joy of God and yet have no idea where the laughter is coming from or why. There are times when there's no music, no singing just people reaching out to God speaking out, praising, praying, speaking in tongues, being silent, just doing whatever they are stirred inside to do.

I've been to churches where it hasn't been encouraged to not jump about and dance/clap/raise your hands even and have felt very uncomfortable in such situations. But then it could be working for someone in their spiritual life and who am I to question it? As much as I'm uncomfortable and unable to be touched spiritually in those situations they may be equally uncomfortable in the way my church and the worship/ ministry team works.