Apparently, our "friend," who will hereby be referred to as CA (Church Antagonist), after the Kids' Crusade meeting called a bunch of her cronies or minions, or what-have-you (I can't say she really has any friends, because she has pretty much stabbed them all in the back, and no one really trusts her...) and complained about:
a. The fact that my advertising was being misleading because it didn't specifically mention the teaching of the gospel; and
b. Apparently, she decided to also get into a snit because we are planning to do gospel illusion.
Well...our pastor's wife got calls from people who weren't even at the meeting expressing "concern" over the fliers. So whatever. I talked to the pastor, and I said I'll change the flier to specifically include that it IS a Christian event. No skin off my nose. It's just typing a few extra letters and making some more copies. I was a little irritated, but I got over it...just about.
Until I found out that this man (the would-be board member who declined) called the church complaining about illusion, saying that it was deception and occultic, and that we shouldn't be doing it. The thing is, he wasn't anywhere near the meeting, and wouldn't have had a flier, unless CA gave one to him. Our pastor talked to him, and then put DH on the line (DH is my "illusionist" ) to explain the difference between occultic magic and gospel magic - which is basically NOT magic, but clever object lessons with a twist.
The one thing I should mention is that I just started seeing a therapist this week and am in the process of tracking my moods to find out if my depression and anxiety are chemical, hormonal, or just plain me needing to talk. I'm on sort of a "low" swing, anyway, and I sort of freaked out when DH came home and told me that.
Huge crying fit...almost a panic attack (yes, I journaled it like a good client )...I just don't know how much more of this I can take.
DH told my pastor and his wife that CA is basically trying to wear us down with nitpicking until we just resign. Our pastor looked at his wife and said, "Honey, I can't do this without them." She said that she wouldn't send her own kids to our church if I wasn't the children's pastor, based on the negative atmosphere that it was before we came (kids being bellowed at by leaders, running around picking on the other kids, etc.).
He is prepared, if it comes down between us and her, to remove her. I guess he was going to tell the board, in no uncertain terms, that they WILL stand behind the kids' event 100%, etcetera, etcetera.
But nothing is going to change unless she leaves. Or unless I get put on meds, lol, so she doesn't bother me.
Anyway, starting to feel a little better...just needed to come in here and vent!!
Oh, Puppetmaster: I do so feel for you. I know what you are going through. Why can't people just be good Christians, with a goal of winning the lost, oozing w/ the fruit of the Spirit, & love like 1 Corithians 13 says to love? Is it that hard?!?
Just remember the devil is continuing to attack, using this woman as his weapon. This means that he is trying to stop the great things that God is doing through you. Keep the faith.
I'm still praying for you. Hope you have an awesome Wednesday night.
We had a lady who was probably alot like this lady. She got made because I wanted to do an Advent service for Kids Church and light candles, etc. She went to my brother-in-law, who was Sr. Pastor at time, saying I was having children "worshiip the candles" and that I needed to stop. I don't know how he kept a straight face - but he explained what I was doing. But a few years later after he was killed ( actually just less than a month) at a church baseball league - she was going around to all the members in the stands watching and telling them about this awesome church she found- right in front of me. She really started this after trying to get a group to run dh out after he took over as Sr. Pastor. I wanted to punch her out at the baseball game - becasue she was also comparing thie "new" pastor to dh's brother who died. Very inapproriate. In short - he asked her to leave saying she was obviously not happy - so just please leave and respect other members feelings and do not contact them because that is sheep stealing. She did leave - but called people all the time. It's frustrating I know dealing with people. Especially the dissenters.
Don't let this woman drive you to the nut house. Please! She's not worth it. You are so much bigger than all this. I know exactly what you are dealing with...I dealt with it with several people for years, and trust me, it's just not worth pulling your hair out over or having panic attacks. You have to realize exactly what this woman is and who you are. I just came to a point where I said, "I'm not going to let people do this to me...who I am in God is so much bigger than all this."
I realize you are in an abusive situation that has been that way for years. Barring a miracle of God things will not change there. You have to decide...are you receiving enough support from your pastor to stay there and weather the storm and try to win this battle together with he and his wife...or are you going to pray about moving on? If you are going to stay it's going to require you to grow to a new level.
You have to go in there with your game on. You can't let her think for a second that she's winning. Walk in like you own the place and do not let her see you sweat.
We all talked together as a staff last night, and our SP said, "I just feel very strongly that if the six of us stick together and stay united through this, that we WILL come through it." He keeps referencing the letter from our district superintendent for this month that talked about transitions in leadership and mentions how when David first became king, there was much fighting and bloodshed between the house of David and the house of Saul, but soon the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker...
We have narrowed our "house of Saul" down to two families (isn't it always one or two bigmouths?), and it is already growing weaker. Apparently, the would-be board member did not inform CA that he was declining the nomination; she had to hear about it at the board meeting like everyone else! As I told DH last night, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." So much for their 'understanding,' or 'united front,' or whatever against the pastoral staff...my SP said that after he made the announcement that only one guy accepted the nomination - he felt a surge of power. And last night our numbers were back up to where they had been. It's like a dark cloud has been lifted...
We all feel that it's not completely over, but that we ARE going to make it. We were talking about different people that we'd like to see trained into our areas of ministry so that we could leave the church in good hands when we go someday, and SP said, "Well, we're talking years down the road, but yeah, we definitely need to start building some strong leadership teams."
MAJOR PRAYERS are requested for the upcoming kids' event! We feel like this is really key to getting some of our new families cemented into the church, and really growing it...two of our new Christians from the Alpha course (one of them has 3 kids ) came up to me and said that they wanted to help with it! People who have never been involved in anything have come out of the woodwork and gotten really excited. Which is why the devil is using the antagonists and working so hard against it.
But he's down to nitpicking and grasping at straws. CA tried to stir up trouble against us with one of our workers (over an incident from two years ago!), and this worker told her, "Well, I know them and I trust them, and I am going to give them a call and find out the scoop." My workers, as few as they are right now, are behind me. My SP and YP are behind me. And now, most of the board will be behind me...and more importantly, behind our pastor!
I told everyone last night that my goal with spiritual and personal attacks is that I would be so in tune with God that the attacks would be like annoying mosquitos (hey, I'm a Minnesotan!!) that I can just swat away and never think about them anymore.
Pray also for my emotions - I am not against taking medication if it is determined that it is what I need, but it will be another nine weeks before that recommendation is or is not made. I really need my head clear so that I can stay in the game. My pastor needs me...my husband needs me...and my kids at church need me...to stay calm, rational, 'large and in charge,' and just all-around emotionally stable over the next month!!
Thanks for all the prayers and support - you guys are awesome!!!
) to explain the difference between occultic magic and gospel magic - which is basically NOT magic, but clever object lessons with a twist.
)...I just don't know how much more of this I can take. 
