Comments on: Paul Balluff-The Final Lesson

By: Juli

Juli — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:10:29 +0000

JohnGalt, you’re the man. I wish more were like you, unflinching, equipped, knowledgeable and bold in their exits out from under all forms of tyranny.

most of the time people limp away so scared and so hurt they can’t even get a grip on their emotions, much less their thoughts. I was one of those when I left SGM. I am SO encouraged you and your wife are not. I know in part that has to do with the vast amounts of information and equipping on this blog and others. Amazing what the truth does, huh? Setting us free. Empowering us. Awesome stuff.

so glad to hear your progress and your praise report.

Ellie – I’ve been busy as well…just not taking over the world like John..hehe…just lots of things going on, mostly good stuff. I hope you are doing well!

By: John Galt

John Galt — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:57:05 +0000

Greetings Everyone,
                 My wife and i have been busy, so i haven’t been into posting any comments.
                 Since my last visit to this site we have been challenged by my best friend that we must be angry or bitter or don’t become angry or bitter because we are leaving our fellowship. Also, he speculated that i might be hiding something since i had no desire to talk to leadership. I challenged those thoughts back and forth by email and he relented and accepted that we have heard from the Lord and we are happy so he is fine.
           Also, met and talked with one of the pastors for 3.5 hours. it was interesting and very hard for both of us. harder for him i think ’cause the things i shared are difficullt to swallow. I didn’t pull any punches. I am waiting to see what comes next.
           My wife and I went to a new fellowship this past Sunday and it was wonderful!!! I can’t even begin to describe all the great things we experienced at that meeting. It was refreshing and i left that meeting encouraged in my relationship with the Lord and wanting to share the Gospel again!!!!

By: John Immel

John Immel — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:49:43 +0000

I’m working on taking over the world… so I’m a touch busy. But I promise … more fun an frolic coming soon.

By: Ellie

Ellie — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:44:01 +0000

Hey, where is everybody?? :}

By: Juli

Juli — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:36:51 +0000

John Galt -
your marriage sounds awesome. I’m very impressed you two managed to pull that off in an SGM environment…yeah, I bet your wife wasn’t too popular with the Stepford Wives. But she sounds like many of the other wonderful women who comment here (Canary, Gracie and Ellie to name a few) tell her to stop on by sometime and say hello!

By: Juli

Juli — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:24:48 +0000

Hope Present (not deferred, I’m believing this for you now)

welcome…and so glad you are reading along. The truth is powerful, isn’t it? Amazing how someone you have never met (in this case John) can speak words that divide, what is it..to the marrow?? Yeah…it’s the nature of the word spoken, or in this case..written. I hope you find a place of rest and encouragement…this is the Arena of Ideas..and nobody says you can’t have a bit of fun while you’re at it

good to have you here.

By: John Immel

John Immel — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:27:04 +0000

Right! The ideas speak for themselves. And I speak for myself. LOL. I’m just an ornery soul looking for love!

I’m amusing myself way too much at the moment … don’t mind me.

Heading to the comedy club tonight…. Gonna giggle bunches.

Peace out!

By: John Immel

John Immel — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:21:11 +0000

Hope Deferred….

Thank you for your very kind words.

Right now I suspect it feels like someone kicked you hard and all the life has been sucked out your spine. You alternate between despair and the endless yammering of all the pastoral words in your head. It seems like you cannot get away from the WAY they talked about God. Comfort seems to elude you. And no path seems evident.

Not sure at what point you picked up reading but browse the earlier posts… I laid a lot of ground work. And more is coming. Much more. Soon to debut mp3’s which will give a greater ability to lay out more complex thoughts. (not to be confused with hard to understand.) So many things are tied together in all this… lots to unravel. It takes a while.

I will tell you this… it does get better. It really does.

Soon you will be able to call yourself Hope Present.

Be Blessed, Be Free, Be Whole

John

By: John Galt

John Galt — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:19:57 +0000

John, It is refreshing to communicate with someone who doesn’t take himself to seriously. Right?

By: John Immel

John Immel — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:12:36 +0000

The difference betwixed me and they is ya’ll don’t have to say things nice about me. It seems like you MUST say ONLY good things about them.

So please … these words are great for me ego! Don’t stop now! LOL.

And as for ruling the world… I have zeal and concern…. I am utterly qualified Buwwwahahahahahahaah

Uh …

Errrr..

Ehem…

By: John Galt

John Galt — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:33:04 +0000

Hope Deferred,
Welcome to the site if you have not been here in the past. Maybe the same place not just sphere??? Thanks for the encouragement to run. Running has certain meanings attached to the behaviour. Just so we are clear, I am not running away from as much as i am running towards a better and freer life in Christ!!
I agree with you about John Im. Got to be careful we don’t want to lift him up higher like those who do CJ and SGM, though i understand he wants to rule the world!!

By: Hope Deferred

Hope Deferred — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:45:18 +0000

Hello everyone. John G, I wonder if your in my sphere. Buddy Run, and don’t look back. Freedom is sweet it has come at a great price. My friend also just graduated and is a baldy, his blog is cultish, and his wife and children just need sprinkles and icing because they are cookie cut Sovereig Gracers. I only know Paul B through someone, tho I have seen his face on facebook and laughed about where he is pee ing lately…

I really wanted to say Hi though to John Im..Man you have got to be my brother from another mother. When I read your stuff I cry hard, print it out and take it into counseling. You have defended me when you write and you never knew how vulnerable I really was, you give me courage when I read, and you don’t know how really scared I am. John Im…you make me laugh really hard, and the confusion some how clears a little. You are precise, your bold, and sometimes hard to understand, but yet you cover over what has happened and help me to grasp that I can uniquely be myself and think for my self and not let the religious idols walk over me again, not one step more.

My Portion in Sovereign grace Ministries was hell. Betrayed, mocked and cast aside, for looking outside the mire and saying…this is not right. But John, MY voice didn’t count, only those who worship CJ and the likes can stay. Apparent strong men of God, lying, glossing over the truth, It really feels like a dream. What just happened..

John Im…the monkey poem is whatever.. I think you are a genious. Thank you

By: John Galt

John Galt — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:55:06 +0000

Juli,
Thank you for your encouragement about my relationship with my wife and the way we walk out our relationship in the Lord together. One of the things that i try to keep in the back of my mind is that she is first and foremost a daughter of the most high God and a gift that he gave me to enjoy. She is not an object that gives me permission to own or control, but a precious sister in the Christ that The Lord has allowed me the privilege to to live with and cherish. do i supply leadership?? Sure. Is it a heavy handed do what i tell you to do style of leadership? Never. Besides my wife wouldn’t stand for me to totally ignore her insights and giftings in Christ and nor would i want to do so. I love talking with her and getting her input. she has kept me from making some bad decisions, but she was able to do that because we make no life-changing decison without the input of the other spouse. The only thing is that ultimately for our marraige the final decision is mine, but she has the full confidence that i will listen to her and will ultimately act in the best interest of our marraige. She is kind enough to allow me to perform that role without huge resistance, on the other hand it has been incumbent upon me to go to her and admit when i have been wrong and she was right. After all we are in this together and it only works if we are living in this matter. Case in point: the decision to leave the fellowship needed to be a mutual one. thankfully it is. We will at some point start the process of searching for another fellowship. In this regard she has already proven invaluable because of a recommendation she made that would have never occurred to me!!! Make no mistake, i love my wife and am glad that our friendship in Christ is something we both enjoy!!!

You said…

“yeah…not inviting your wife to the meeting is an outright insult to you, her, and your marriage. I’m glad you declined.”

That was sort of the way we interpreted the invite. It was like an assumption was made that she was not part of the decision making process!!!

By: Juli

Juli — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:54:08 +0000

yeah..IT guys are such nerds. and they never get anything done in a timely manner…

By: John Immel

John Immel — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:15:09 +0000

No. Actually, I did some updates to my blog and I think it whacked some of the settings. I just noticed this today… gotta figure yet another tech thing out. Dang those IT guys!