tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3131728230211753937.post4894264015872273439..comments2023-09-14T12:59:04.943-04:00Comments on A View From The Sycamore Tree: A Personal Reflection About "When Church Hurts," Because Often It DoesLori Sealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16626604890276905834noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3131728230211753937.post-5317899310724250992015-01-06T21:19:21.686-05:002015-01-06T21:19:21.686-05:00Hi Roxanne. I'm so sorry to hear of what you&...Hi Roxanne. I'm so sorry to hear of what you've experienced. Truly this problem crosses international lines. What a tragedy. Thankfully, our Savior crosses international lines. How I pray He will "redeem the years the locusts have eaten". Over and over I talk with families who are dealing with the "bad parenting" and "bad girl" labels. I'm sorry - truly I am. If there's anything I can do to help and to encourage you in your journey, please let me know. As of this moment I am pausing to pray for you and yours. Thanks for writing. Lori Sealyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16626604890276905834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3131728230211753937.post-75428891689514955772015-01-06T21:16:27.268-05:002015-01-06T21:16:27.268-05:00Hi. I know so many families like the friends you ...Hi. I know so many families like the friends you reference. It seems a truly pandemic problem. I do hope your church leadership will take the time to read, pray, and pursue acting as loving shepherds to this family and any others that they have an opportunity to. Thanks for being there for your friends. I pray you'll be a balm to them amidst the bludgeoning that is autism!Lori Sealyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16626604890276905834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3131728230211753937.post-23325110040442677292015-01-06T21:13:28.806-05:002015-01-06T21:13:28.806-05:00Terri - your response to this article encourages m...Terri - your response to this article encourages my heart so very much. Please know that many have been "one of those people in the lobby." Please know that God is so gracious and repeatedly redeems that which we've botched up. :) Thanks for your desire to go to that mom and make things right. I pray your humility will be used to encourage her, even as it is encouraging me. Lori Sealyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16626604890276905834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3131728230211753937.post-88334229276970020472014-09-09T06:29:20.978-04:002014-09-09T06:29:20.978-04:00Hello Lori. I am a single mom from the UK and hav...Hello Lori. I am a single mom from the UK and have a daughter who is ASD. We stopped attending church several years ago because of the difficulties and because I really didn't have anyone to help me with them. I had a large number of my fellows bully me about my bad parenting and my bad girl but none offered any help or sympathy or even asked me any questions about what was happening. I'm glad you have a supportive group of people and I do hope that your article is read by many and sheds light on this problem. I've come close to trying other churches several times but always get a bit flighty and afraid and we end up staying home. God bless.Roxannenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3131728230211753937.post-25190533733743355622014-09-06T06:52:43.228-04:002014-09-06T06:52:43.228-04:00Thank you, Lori. This post, the one you linked, an...Thank you, Lori. This post, the one you linked, and that conference are 3 very needful things. I have good friends with two children on the spectrum. They finally quit going to church about 2 years ago because of the reasons addressed in these articles. In church they were met with stares and misunderstandings, particularly by our church leadership (IMHO). They were told to discipline more. Since they've left the church they've been met with more misunderstanding, most recently being removed from the church roles because they broke their membership vows. Perhaps they did, but they didn't want to. I've talked with them a lot about this. They wanted to be in church, but got worn out watching their children fall apart. Most assume their kids are spoiler and out of control brats. I am planning to forward both articles on to our leadership. Sadly, not a single pastor or elder followed up with them, other than to tell them they needed to come to church and then to send them their letter of removal from membership. I continue to try to come alongside them, our whole family does, but not many others are. They spend every Sunday watching webcasts now because it's all they know to do. It's not what they want to do and they've said they feel very guilty. But trying to do it alone hasn't helped them be able to do it at all. Thank you for sharing this. There is so much in here that every church member, officer, and pastor should take the time to read. I hope many will. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3131728230211753937.post-38030452441743000832014-09-05T12:34:12.854-04:002014-09-05T12:34:12.854-04:00Oh my word. I've been one of those people in ...Oh my word. I've been one of those people in the lobby. A friend told me about this post. We were just talking about this problem becuase of a family in our church that is having ahard time with their son in our church service. He throws hymn books and bulletins and i watch his parents trying to figureout what to do with him. I've pointed a finger at them. I knew that their son had autism but had never really thought threw what that means. My friend and I have already been getting convicted about our attitudes. Your post has haelped. I'll try to go and talk to the mom. I'll aslo tell her I'm sorry for how I've not been a friend to them. Thank you.Terrinoreply@blogger.com