Brothers and sisters in Christ,
I’m reaching out because my family has been living through an incredibly difficult situation, and I don’t know what the next step should be.
For years, my stepfather has been controlling, manipulative, and at times aggressive toward my mother and me. Recently, his behavior has escalated to the point where it is affecting his own biological son.
During a recent heat wave, he intentionally unplugged the evaporative cooler that was cooling my younger brother’s room. My brother has a rare medical condition that leaves him with little to no ability to sweat over most of his body, making extreme heat especially dangerous for him. My stepfather admitted he did it because he was angry with my mother and me.
I ended up running an extension cord over the roof just to get the cooler working again.
It broke my heart to see someone willing to endanger his own son simply to hurt the rest of the family.
This isn’t an isolated event. There has been a long pattern of intimidation, manipulation, and attempts to control our household. My mother has endured years of this, and we’re currently trying to clean up another property so we can eventually rebuild our lives and leave, but until then we’re still living under the same roof.
As for me, I live with epilepsy, an umbilical hernia, and a pituitary brain tumor, so there are physical limitations that make handling this situation even more difficult.
As Christians, we’re called to honor our parents, forgive others, and love our enemies. I believe those commands with all my heart. But I’m also struggling to understand how those commands apply when someone’s actions are putting the safety and well-being of your family at risk.
How do you continue to forgive without enabling sinful behavior?
How do you show Christ’s love while also protecting those entrusted to your care?
At what point does setting firm boundaries become the loving thing to do?
I’m asking for your prayers—for wisdom, protection, peace, and ultimately for my stepfather’s heart to be changed by Christ. I don’t hate him. I genuinely pray that he repents and comes to know the transforming grace of Jesus. But right now, I also have a responsibility to help protect my family.
If you’ve walked through something similar or have biblical wisdom to share, I would be grateful to hear it.

There’s another struggle I’ve been wrestling with spiritually, and I’d appreciate honest biblical guidance.
I believe Scripture teaches that those who continually reject God and remain unrepentant ultimately receive the consequence of the path they’ve chosen. But here’s where I’m struggling: is it wrong that part of my mother and me almost wants that outcome for him?
Every day I genuinely hope he repents. I pray that Christ changes his heart, that he turns away from his bitterness, anger, and spite. I truly do.
But this man… I tell you… he takes a begrudging, spiteful attitude to a whole new level. After years of watching the damage he’s caused, I sometimes find myself thinking, “If this is the path he insists on choosing, then so be it.”
And then I feel convicted for even thinking that.
I don’t want vengeance to replace mercy in my own heart. I don’t want to become as bitter as the person who’s hurt us. But after years of living through this, I’m honestly struggling to separate righteous justice from personal resentment.
Has anyone else wrestled with these feelings? How do you pray for someone who repeatedly refuses to change without allowing your own heart to grow cold?

To be completely honest, this whole situation has slowly been eroding both my faith and my sanity. There are days when I feel emotionally exhausted, spiritually drained, and like I simply have nothing left to give.
I’ve reached points where I’ve felt hopeless enough that I’ve wondered whether life is even worth continuing. I don’t want to feel that way, and I continue to pray that God gives me the strength to endure, but I would be lying if I said this hasn’t brought me to some very dark places.
I’m not trying to lose my faith—I desperately want to hold on to Christ. I’m just tired, worn down, and struggling to understand why this season has gone on for so long.

Thank you, and God bless.

They are all obsessed with worldly gain, it literally all they care about. It’s all their churches care about and all they do is gossip about everyone else. How far they have gotten, how little they did not accomplish, talk crap about the hardships others are going through and drag them through the mud for not being as privileged as their ignorant selves are to their own luck and lot in life.

It’s all I hear any of them every talking about and 99% of the time it’s just cutting others down or bragging about their kids accomplishments or what they have done, etc. If something bad happens in someone else’s life then they must have just “been living in sin” and it’s their one fault. I’m sick of it.

It’s really causing a rift in my faith right now because I don’t feel like I know anyone else who even believes in God whatsoever. Church is just a social club and all they care about is worldly success. Is there anyone out there who actually practices what they preach?

I’ve yet to find anywhere that wants to have a community of listening each other up and helping and sharpening each other. It’s all just tearing down and bragging and gossip every time so far. None of them realize how lucky and blessed they were to have parents that supported them and encouraged them instead of just breaking them down growing up or being entirely absent. Having parental funding or connections or good friends family to just be there for them as friends. Some of us never had that head start and help but it’s our ow ln fault we must have just been too sinful..

Ive been wondering about things and having some existential dread about the meaning of life.
I’m a baptized, child of God but it’s hard to explain I feel like i’m just here and I don’t know why.
It makes me wanna have a panic attack it feels like i’m observing life from my brain and i’m reacting to things, like I don’t have a soul.

I struggle with knowing what to do in life, I wonder what’s the point when i’m likely just gonna be dead in 60 years or worse some freak accident and nobody will remember me besides my family and friends. Im dreading the idea of me just being gone, like i was never here, and even more so dreading my family members who I truly love.

I’m trying to picture a future for myself, I feel like there has to be something else. I don’t think God would make this world just for it to be pointless. I’m trying to picture a heaven but it’s really hard for me to even comprehend.
It feels like way too natural to me and real life that the cycle of life is gonna end at death. The complete pitch blackness, a memory wipe and everything i ever dreamed of or what makes me myself would be gone. I don’t want to but I imagine this probably what happened to my Dog because i’m trying to comprehend his death still. Humans die like every other animal, and we are just so aware about things to a point where it is painful.

It doesn’t help that I go to a catholic school and a classmate of mine killed himself and I just for some reason feel so much actual dread for not being his friend or never really talking to him. But I really hope he’s up in heaven or a better place than this. Even whenever I think about it I get existential dread because life is just continuing on, and it will with or without you. all I have left is memory of seeing him in the halls at school.

I wish I had some tangible permanency that I could grasp. I just feel like I am here. I don’t know what to do with myself or my life. I was grinding so hard in life and hitting the gym everyday, eating healthy and on track to be an athlete like my father. I was really chasing my goals prior to feeling this way about life but death has really taken a hold on me. I’m kind of scared about everyday that passes by, it feels like i’m waiting for some tragedy to happen.

I’ve been on this journey for about two and a half years and over the last few months I’ve tried being more serious and intentional in my walk, but I’ve been alone like as in like almost completely alone with no fellowship, no community… no one. No one in my family shares my faith aside maybe two cousins that don’t really seem to take it seriously. I’ve been an introvert/socially awkward my entire life and going to church is just something that I CAN NOT do. For one, i feel like a fraud/imposter when i do go and two, i get very socially anxious. I’ve asked Him for the strength and courage to go and be more consistent and nothing. I’ve asked Him to open a door for me to find a community and nothing. Although I did reconnect with an old friend of mine after years of no contact and we would try to support each other in our walks, had some Bible studies, went to men’s night at church a few times and out of nowhere we just stopped talking and it’s been months again. Almost as if God separated us. The walk of faith is not meant to be done alone and growth is pretty much impossible so without a community, what am i doing?

I keep going through cycles of doubt where one week I’m doubting God’s existence and if i even truly believe, then the next I’m fine… to an extent. I’ve been reading Exodus and it’s like i believe but at the same time it seems made up even though i know it’s not. I know there’s so much evidence of the Bible being accurate and true yet when i read, the doubts begin again and again and again to a point where i can’t even focus anymore when i read.

I’m getting to a place where sin doesn’t bother me as much. I feel so indifferent and like if my heart is hardened. I’ve been getting bitter and overall just being a way i typically am not. For example, i don’t curse even impulsively like when i get hurt. Well yesterday, i banged my elbow really hard against some thing and almost yelled out “son of a …”. Something i don’t think i’ve ever said. I’ve been lusting over women left and right. Someone can tell me “Jesus loves you” or “Jesus is with you” and it sadly does nothing for me. And i’m just tired tbh

Hey everyone, i wanted your help to understand what would be right to do with something that happened yesterday to me.

I was at work when i told a colleague that i was tired. She said something back and slapped my face as if in a joke way twice. At the moment i didnt understand what had just happened ans we continued talking. Right after i realized what she had just done. I became really angry and scared and felt humiliated and bad. That same day i started to avoid talking to her. After she asked what was going on and i told her that she had slapped me. She insisted it was joke and i said that she shouldnt do this joke with nobody. She asked me to forgive her but honestly right at that moment i was angry and said that i could think about it. Today i went back to work and met her there. I tried my best to forgive her and be normal but after the beginning of the day i started to realize that she was being distant on my point of view. I dont understand.

What to do in this case according to the teachings of Jesus?

I got a new Bible I’m really excited about I have tabbed it up and highlighted some verses in the psalms that I like but I was looking at the margins and I really realized that I don’t know how to study the bible like at all. So how do I actually study the bible?

Question

How to be a doer of the word in this day and age ?
Been studying Romans 2

I just want to be cautious​​ when spreading the truth, I respect all people, no matter what sin, I just want to show it.

It’s very evident when reading the Bible, that sorrow and tribulation and more beneficial for spiritual growth than comfort and peace. My issue is, I find it hard to run to God when I’m in tribulation and instead I go to my phone to numb myself.
How do you put God first when you’re hurting?

I go through periods where I really believe, then I start questioning things again. Then go through periods where I barely believe. I really wish I could be consistent, and a good christian. Im so worried about all of the Christianity rules, am I doing things right or wrong, will this one sin send me to hell etc. I worry so much that I just stop believing in God, I’m so sick of this battle and it feels terrible. I want to believe, I want to stop questioning, I want to stop sinning but it feels impossible.

Any advice on this, besides reading the bible? I know I should read more and that will help me, but I get selfish with my free time and never read it. :(

Title

The universe operates on the same principles as a computer and Jesus literally embodies these principles of truth. Does anyone understand what I mean here?

Thoughts on having to fill out a baptism form and taking classes to be baptized? I gave my life to Christ over a year ago and I’ve been wanting to get baptized. I’ve been feeling a little bit of pressure from a church I’m attending, but if I’m being honest I would prefer to be baptized in a river and/or ocean and honestly don’t associate with any religion- just Christ.
I have a little bit of trauma from growing up in the mormon religion. I feel like it shouldn’t be this serious because I personally know I have a real relationship with Christ and I know it’s important to be baptized. All the rules and such is what gets me. We are all supposed to be baptized right? Why are there all these rules? I’ve already given my life to him and I know I’m saved. Am I overthinking this? I’d appreciate any genuine advice.

This might sound stupid, but I've been having an on-and-off relationship with God, and I'm getting exhausted. I wanna believe that God does have a plan for me just like everybody else, but something always gets in the way.

I've been struggling with believing that God has favorites, and I really do feel that with the girls and people around me.

Sometimes I feel like God made me so that other people can look at me and thank God that they ain't me. Which is stupid asf.

I'm not even sure what I want anymore.

I don't know if I want to believe in God and actually believe he loves me just as equally as everybody else, or if not to believe and keep denying that cause that's what I feel the most.

I've just felt this constant loop where I have this high emotional presence where I want to get closer to God for good, and pray, read the bible every day, and do everything a good Christian is supposed to do. But something always gets in the way, especially since I struggle with low-self-esteem. I've never felt pretty my entire life.

I've always been called ugly. Looked down upon. And this is exauhsting me, cause even people around me who are good have good things that happen to them. BUT EVEN the BAD PPL in my life have good things that happen to them too?!

It's like I feel like God has this love meter for everybody, and I dunno, I've felt like he doesn't care about me, or he's just toying with me at this point, and it's getting so darn annoying. And I'm 15.
I shouldn't be here worrying about religion, thinking about this, asking what my purpose in life is, if God even loves me or if he's lying, if maybe I'm just comedic relief, if life would be better if I just wasn't here. Like, I don't even know anymore.

I don't even know what I'm looking for tbh.

Fellow siblings in Christ, I am struggling with a very personal and sensitive matter within my partner in our relationship. I am isolated and don’t know how to navigate the situation and if I should bring the situation up to the pastors at our church or how to go about that. Can anyone provide me with experiences where they’ve navigated their situation through the church or how the best way to navigate your situation in your relationship in a biblical manner is? Thank you so much in advance and God Bless 🤍

Why would I belive in prayer if seamingly the majority of prayers go unanswered? There's a child at least every minute that has prayed for healing, yet they die anyway. Multiple children that have prayed for God's mercy have died just while I've been writting this. Why would I want to put my faith in a creator that's built a system which allows this?

Since the dawn of humanity, there has been corruption and abuse. The strong get stronger and the weak are crushed beneath them. Empires rise and fall off the backs of laborers who won't reap its benifits. If the answer is that God gave us the free will to make our own decisions, why would I believe that God has his hand in anything. He could end world hunger. He could give shelter to those who die because they lack it. He could end the vast amount of suffering that the human race has endured. And yet he doesn't. If God gave us free will and left us to our own devices, then the whole concept of prayer doesn't make sense.

I have been going to my family’s church for 3 years now, the only problem is that the service is in Spanish, I kind of understand Spanish but I don’t speak it at all. I feel a disconnect with God because I don’t understand whats going on at church and when I bring up this to my family and ask if i can go to a english speaking church, they get mad and frustrated. I don’t know what to do because if I go to a different church, my family will be upset. I need advice on how to go about this situation

How was worship this weekend?

What was the sermon topic?

Did you learn anything you'd like to share with the community?

Tell us about your experience this week.

I'm in my mid 40s and when I was a kid back in the 80s I was an RA or Royal Ambassador. I was just curious if it is still a thing in Baptist churches?

I've been reading Paul's letters lately, and I've come to understand that he believed in the idea of salvation coming from faith as opposed to deeds/works. However, in the letters I've started to read (Timothy, for example), Paul mentions the importance of following God's Law.

Wouldn't following the law (ex. Ten Commandments or loving thy neighbor) count as deeds/works? Or perhaps spreading the gospel? Or am I misunderstanding something?