# 28 years!Outta church



## Prorain (Apr 5, 2011)

I took my family to the lords house this pass sunday it has been 28 years since stepping a foot in a church to worship him.Really started out being kinda scared at 43 y/o that was odd for more felt like I had my shoes on the wrong feet if you know what I mean.Doing things my way was not working and I need change for I have a 5&7 y/o that have not been to church unless someone else took them and that it is a sad thing to say on my part.
       But came out with a spring in my step and have not really stopped thinking about it since.Not saying I'm some sorta angel or a hoodlum but I am Heath Lang Ferguson and I am gonna lead my family in the right direction.So anyone who I can get to help pray me thru my tests and trials so that I make the correct decisions they would be greatly appriciated.Thanks Again to all who read and stop and give me a minute of your time for prayer


----------



## MudDucker (Apr 5, 2011)

The Lord tugs at the heart of his followers to call them back into fellowship.  You are not alone in your imperfection.  We celebrate the crucifixion of the only one who was perfect on this earth. Welcome back.


----------



## Prorain (Apr 5, 2011)

MudDucker thanks! one step at a time!


----------



## formula1 (Apr 5, 2011)

*Re:*

My prayers are sent and I commend you for realizing you need to take the right role as a Dad and a man for the Lord. I encourage you to stay on that path. May God bless your every effort for Him.


----------



## mattech (Apr 5, 2011)

welcome back and prayers sent, you have done a great thing for your family.


----------



## Dog Hunter (Apr 5, 2011)

God be with you.  Continue on this path..


----------



## HawgWild23 (Apr 5, 2011)

Amen praying you stay on the right path.


----------



## ronpasley (Apr 5, 2011)

Continue my friend in church and stay around Godly people and most important stay on your knees. For the battle is hard but the victory is in Christ Jesus our Saviour. 

Give him wisdow Father help him,me and others that are man in up for you Lord, that we put on the whole armour of God for battle in Jesus name. Amen


----------



## CAL (Apr 5, 2011)

What a great step on your part,you will never be sorry.Blessings and prayers for you.


----------



## Paymaster (Apr 5, 2011)

I am Praying with and for you. Welcome back!


----------



## Inthegarge (Apr 5, 2011)

Heath, praying for you on your new journey.............May God greatly bless your decision.....


----------



## timber rattler (Apr 5, 2011)

Prayers are being lifted. Congrats on taking the first step.


----------



## Prorain (Apr 5, 2011)

Thanks to everyone for the support and prayers.I know it's a constant battle but with his help and my family we well succeed!


----------



## Ronnie T (Apr 5, 2011)

God is blessing you right now for your new decision for you and your family.
As you continue to draw closer to Him, He will certainly draw closer to you.
You're in good company with your imperfections.


----------



## BRIAN1 (Apr 5, 2011)

Prayers sent. That is great for you and the family!


----------



## Illinoisbound (Apr 5, 2011)

You got it!  We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!
I just recently got my family back in church myself after several months away. 
Put God first and He will do the rest.  It is amazing how we take something so simple and make it so hard.  We are selfish by nature and as men want to handle everything ourselves in our way.  Sometimes God has to slap us around a little to get our attention.  I hope that HE never stops either because knowing me I wil need it many more times in this lifetime.


----------



## cramer (Apr 6, 2011)

Great decision Heath. My path was similar to yours.
I kept my family from church for many years with vain beliefs until my wife finally convinced me a few years back to go to church with her. 
God's grace is amazing - how He can forgive us for what we cannot forgive ourselves for is beyond comprehension, until you give Him your heart!
Our prayers are with you and your family


----------



## BCPerry (Apr 6, 2011)

Heath,

just remember, now that you have made this decision, satan will make things harder for you for a while. He will throw all kinds of roadblocks up. And there will be times when you feel like giving up and going back to the life you  had ignoring the Lord. DON'T!! When times get tough, pray. Come on here, post up for some help. There are alot of prayer warriors who have got your back. I'm one!


----------



## speedcop (Apr 6, 2011)

man what great news! We will be held accountable for the souls of our children if we dont try to lead them to Christ. Make sure you have your heart right with God, not just the "church". My hats off to you and my prayers are sent for you and your family.


----------



## Core Lokt (Apr 6, 2011)

BCPerry said:


> Heath,
> 
> just remember, now that you have made this decision, satan will make things harder for you for a while. He will throw all kinds of roadblocks up. And there will be times when you feel like giving up and going back to the life you  had ignoring the Lord. DON'T!! When times get tough, pray. Come on here, post up for some help. There are alot of prayer warriors who have got your back. I'm one!



You read my mind BCPerry!

Satan already has the non believers, it's the believers he is after in full force and working overtime on!


This is a praise Heath! One day at a time and do your best to walk the straight and narrow. It's not an easy thing to do (speaking for myself) but it's possible with the Lord's help.  Remember God's time is not the same as ours and that can be difficult at times as well to understand. you and your family will be in my prayers. God Bless.


----------



## Prorain (Apr 7, 2011)

Just want to tell everyone thanks again!The straight and narrow is hard.......by yourself but I fill with every step i take for the rest of my life it will be tests and trials but with all the help I am getting and my wife standing beside me I have no choice but to stay on the right trail for all i do is being watched by 2 sets of little eyes and I can't let them down my youngest boys that is for I know if I do what I am suppose to the lord won't leave me behind and he will never leave my boys.Thanks again for i will need help daily.Heath


----------



## sniper22 (Apr 7, 2011)

God bless you and your family. Be strong and prepare for a battle. satan hates to lose but God will see that he does.


----------



## Prorain (Apr 8, 2011)

sniper22 and everyone else thanks for the encouragement!The daily outside challenges are not as bad as my inner challenges.I have realized I can't do it alone.We all need help sometimes,Thanks again Heath


----------



## Phoelix (Apr 15, 2011)

Prorain...That's a great story, thanks for sharing! Everybody is so nice for commenting on your story here.  Me and my wife found that once we became full time followers, we developed a Bullseye on our backs, and have encountered trials and tribulations beyond our wildest dreams....and still struggle. We found that praying together, as husband and wife, gives us the most power against anything the enemy can throw at us, and believe me IT WORKS! So be ready my brother, and keep the faith...


----------



## DavidB (Apr 16, 2011)

Heath, congratulations on a quality decision. I looked up some verses that I thought you might find encouraging.

Luke 15:3-7

Then Jesus told them this parable: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and looses one of them. Does he not leave the ninty nine in the opened country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says    " Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." I tell you that in the same way there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninty nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Luke 18:10-14
Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed " God I thank you that I am not like all other  men- robbers, evildoers, adulterers- or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a thenth of all I get."

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said "God have mercy on me, a sinner. 

I tell you the truth that this man rather than the other went  home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. 

Matthew 6:31-33

So do not worry saying "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink? or "what shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 7:9-11

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? If you, though you are evil
know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?

Romans 10:17

Now faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.



Father God I pray now that you would make yourself known to Heath in a very real and meaningful way. Lord bring your laborers into his life to encourage him and to fellowship with him so that he may gain the benefit from their insight as to how best to walk the path that you have laid out for him since the foundations of the earth were put into place. Father, bless him with the wisdom he will need to be the husband and father that you desire for him to be. I thank you that you have placed that desire in Heath so that he may truly be a blessing to his family as well as a Godly example for them to follow. I praise You and thank You now for what You are doing in this brothers life and for what is to come. I believe by faith  that he will bring You only glory and honor and that should he fall along the way, You will be there to lift him up again. In Jesus precious name. Amen. 

Just remember, it's not about going to a building called a church once a week. It's about your relationship with God every moment you draw breath. The more you seek to know Him the more of Him will be revealed. Don't let the cares of this world and every day life drown out the " still small voice " which is God speaking to you.  He won't shout, but He will talk with you whenever you need Him. He talks to all of us every day. Many of us are just too distracted to hear Him.

God bless you brother.


----------



## Prorain (Apr 17, 2011)

Thanks everyone! Heath


----------



## trailbuilder (Apr 17, 2011)

*prayers sent*

will be praying for you once we realize we can't do it on our own and turn to him that is when he can use us the most. Just stay in GODS word  and give him thanks in all things.  A quote I read  If tomorrow we woke up and all we had was what we thanked GOD for to day what would we have left . thank him for what he does every in our life.GOD bless you and your family be the spiritual leader of your family.


----------



## Michael F. Gray (Apr 17, 2011)

You made the first & most important step. The Lord says those that seek him early shall find him. Keep Seeking, ...You will find. Will be Prayig for you and your precious family.


----------



## Prorain (Apr 17, 2011)

I have found that asking the lord to help me with some of the answers that I am in need of I have had a hard time with trusting myself to ask the right questions but he has had all the answers I need but to be able to put him 1st in my life is a hard row to hoe when all my life I have had to come up with my own answer and now i have realized that i was not answering the questions and situations he was he just wanted me to think i was smarter than i really was.I just have to make sure that once things smooth out that is not because of me but because Jesus is the one actually the brains of this operation i am mearly a human puppet just letting him be in control of my actions is my daily test.

Thanks again to everyone for the positive feedback and for all the prayers for I know I am unable to do it by myself and nor will I ever be able to do so,in short he will be in on all my decisions from now on for as bad as I have done in making decisions I know he will not lead me down the wrong path.


----------



## crbrumbelow (Apr 17, 2011)

Amen!!! Welcome back.


----------



## crackerdave (Apr 18, 2011)

You are an inspiration to other fathers,Heath.May God lead you as you lead your family.

Here's a study Bible that has been a real help to me: The Life Application Study Bible,published by Zondervan.


----------

