Romans 8:28 promises, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” NASV. All of us desire to be close to our God Jehovah and his son, Jesus Christ. We long for their comfort, guidance and encouragement in our lives. We are promised in Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” NKJV. Yet when difficult and harsh experiences come, we sometimes feel alone and afraid. In Hebrews 13:5 we read, “God Himself has said, “I will never, never let go your hand: I will never never forsake you.” Weymouth. You are not alone. Your heavenly Father and his Son are watching over you. You are not alone. There are others like you who have experienced hard trials and difficult experiences. Take some time to share with us. To tell your story. To encourage others. That is what this Testimony section is for.
It been a long time since i posted here. So many things i’ve changed. I’m an inactive publisher (last time i went for field service was 2012). I only went to the meetings 3 times last year (the last time was in august, last year). My dad wants me to continue being a witness. My uncle and his wife are still trying to convince that their’s is the true religion (I told them i had doubts not that i didn’t believe anymore). Some of my friends already know. One of them stopped talking to me but later sent me an apology for her behaviour. I make sure to rarely see my other friends, but we’re cool. I no longer mind being disassociated. Whenever they ask me if i still believe that theirs is the true religion, i just tell them that i’m just not 100% sure anymore. This means that they are free to try and change my mind. I just wanted to say, having somewhere to post my thoughts helped me deal with this. I just want to say thank you.
19, HELL0!!!! So nice to hear from you!. Wow you are making great progress, it takes time to just steady yourself first. You are finding that time and learning to control what you say is better on your emotional health it seems. I have been out since Sept 2009 and it gets easier, especially as you say to have a place to post your thoughts makes the world of difference. It is so nice to hear from you. Hang in there and now with your freedom go straight to God through Jesus. He isn’t that far away. Having a personal relationship and talking to him is so uplifting. Your father might just see that you didn’t explode when you left and that all is well, so it might just get some others to thinking. That is the way it is in my family, especially the younger ones in their twenties. Slowly you will develop a thought pattern of your own without referring back to the indoctrination. Then you will be ready to think on what you read from the Bible. I encourage you to pray incessantly as it is God that helped you get out from under the spell of this organization.
No doubt he has many good things in store for you in the future. Don’t be like the lepers that were healed and only one went back to thank him. Thank Jesus for helping you to free your mind and remember your parents are growing older so always respect them and your Uncle. They mean you no harm. By your well adjusted comments back to them they may see you are in good hands.
This site has a lot of great articles that we hope will give you some spiritual thoughts to check against the Bible. You take care 19 and may the LORD GOD and Jesus be with you! Jacqueline
Sister Jackie my website is already there. 🙂
Oh okay, thank you. I will probably come on to the study with Br. Springer again. I really enjoyed it.
My life story. Hello everyone on this website. I am Miroslav and I am 37 years old, from Croatia. I was Jehovahs witness about 20 Years and served as a elder 8 years and as a special pioneer 5 years.My search for the true God began when I was 12 years old. Then I met a one old woman, she lived in my neighbourhod and she was one of Jehovahs witnesses. She gave me a much literature about Bible and so on. I want to be honest. Jehovahs witnesses have a elements of the Truth (what remains after the departure of course). That things satisfied my spiritual needs. I was baptized 1993 when I was 15 yeras old. After that began my progres. First I was a auxiliary pioneer and 6 months after that regular pioneer nad attend the pioneer school which Jehovahs witnesses organized every year in the summer. 1998 I became a ministerial servant (diacon) and 2005 i was appointed as a elder and attend in the UK a MTS- Ministerial training school and so on. Well 2008 I was assigneed in one city in Croatia as a special pinoneer and than was a beggining of wery unusual things. One elder who served theere with me began a harrasment and attacks on me because I sad that according to Gal.5:22,23 it is appropirate to says frutiage of the spirit and not only frutiages. All 9 caractristics which Paul mentioned there is equaly important. In that time I began to realized a heavenly hope, but that year I wasnt take a symbols on the Memorial. After I arrived in my second assignment i there was with one brother as a “partners” in the service. Then my heavenly hope was cristalized and that Year 2009 I took the emblems on the Memorial. After that began a total harrasment against me from that “brother” who was my partner and live in my house. Its not easy to describe all things that happened but Jehovah knows. Also I want to says that I know for the Bible studentsm pastor Russell and Studies in the Scriptures and so on, but I dont know that Bible students exist anymore. 2011 I want to obtain a Hymns of Milenial Dawn and I searched for them in the internet, and obviously by the Lords providence I found a website of the DawnBiblestudents associoation. I leaved on their website my request for the hymns, but long after that thy dont redpond me. But one day I receieved a email from one brother from Canada, br.Ryan Hangs and he send me Hymns and music for them also by the email and by the mail he send me from Canada some litarure, BIbles and Biblestudy library on the DVD. That was my first contact with the Bible students. My earliest desire was that I read the Studies in the Scriptures from Pastor Russell. When I was on my third assignment I received from brother Keneth Rawson a package with the all six Volumes and Tabernacla shadows and with much literature about Harvest message. And of course I earlier also received some literaute from the Dawn and they send me regularly their monthly magazine.Interstingly what happen on that my third assignment alo as regard my heavenly hope. I had a much subtle problems with some elders there. For example during the Memorial they request of me that I seat on the back f the hall that rest of the brothers dont be distracted because of my pariticipation of emeblems, and so on. By the Lords grace that year I began attend a online meetings with the Bible students, because after I personaly sudied Pastors writings I was realized that Jehovahs witnesses seriously departed from the present Truth. That things bottered me. On one hand I felt that I dont belong to witnesses any more. Realy brethren belive me I felt that. I felt how daer Lord by his providence help me in that important maetters. In the october 2013 I decided to leave the witnesses and my assingment. To be hones that was not a easy decision. I pray earnestly for the direction and help. Of course Lords aye and hanf was on me and he helped me. They of course after received my letter disfelowshipped me imidaetly and relesaed me from all privileges and so on. I want to say that I am now betwen Christ brethren. I was lost an He found me. I now a happiest person on the earth. I decided to continue my fultime service but now as a Bible student. I was created a website http://www.CroatianBiblestudents.com and began also many translation projects, betwen them translating a Volume 1 on the Croatian which is now almost over ny His grace, and so on. If someone have a specific questions be free to request me about everything. Lord be praised!
Miroslav, greetings. We will need to put your website on the side also as a link. Br. Peter will decide.
I have never mentioned to any family of my heavenly hope. While I appreciate that most of them are good JW and know very well the organizations rules and thoughts on scripture are pioneers etc, not many of them are spiritual. They will kick the subject back on well what does god’s organization say. Well Jackie they say, organization, no matter what I say from the bible. Although they listen silently, they can not grasp the scriptures, they simply can’t seem to see that it is saying something different than the governing body.
I have finally come to the conclusion that you must be called by God if you are a witness. I have never seem this type of attitude with other Christian religions. They will at least look at the scripture and engage you or acknowledge, but a witness is like a zombie almost. As you say that organization has an amazing power over grown 50 and sixty year old men and women. It makes you stand back in amazement. I have often feared since the November Study copy is asking them to do whatever they are told in the future even if it doesn’t seem logical, to do as the elders say. I hope there will not be another Branch Davidian or Jim Jones.
To be truthful, that is the only reason I keep up with their letters to the elders, KM and pub edition watchtower to try to save my grandchildren. My children are adults and can make their own decisions but hopefully they would give me the children if they decided to do something stupid.
Many might say that isn’t likely, but the November pub issue is scary. You take care and stay strong my brother. I am the same Jacqueline on facebook that is in discussions where you are. By His Grace, Jacqueline
Jacqueline, I noticed the “zombie” mentallity of the witnesses also, if someone says anything that deviates from the GB teaching, as you said, even if it’s from the Bible, they’ll shut down!
Dear bro Miroslav,Greetings in Christ.I Read your post & are so happy for you.Like me you have found the truth.I would like to keep in touch with you.Like you I am a ex witness,also pioneered untill I was married.I met Bro Springer at our convention in Australia a couple of years ago & had some good talks with him.God bless you & The Bretheren in your class.
Good evening Jacqueline,
My name is Yvonne. As far as JW’s are concerned I am one of them, but my heart started leaving the organization 18 years ago. On a congregation level I knew things were terribly wrong but I believed with Jehovah’s and Jesus’ help the FDS would correct things. About two years ago something started to really bother me, but I did not know what it was. It was not until the AGM in October when we got the new NWT that the veil start lifting from my eyes. When the member of the GB was going through the features of the new NWT he mentioned a scripture where they removed the brackets from around a word. I cannot remember what scripture he mentioned because I was quickly looking in Colossians 1 to see if they removed them from around the word “other”. Sure enough they did. I started feeling faint and was hyperventilating and I could tell my face felt flushed. Nobody noticed because the lights were turned low for program. The reason this was a big issue for me was because in 1978 when I was doing my own personal Bible Study I noticed things added in the NWT that were not in my two other bibles,the KJV and Douay. One of the issues I had was the brackets in Colossians. I put the NWT on the bookshelf and never used it again in my studies. A few months later a witness came to my door and I told him I did not want the magazines and gave him the NWT. He asked me what the problem was and I told him I found things they added to the NWT. He asked if I would show him where and I told him no, I just was not interested.
In February of 1980 (I was 23, married with two toddlers) two of my family members invited me to go with them to an assembly; it was the first time I was ever to a religious function that was not Catholic. I started studying with JW the next week and was baptized in February of 1982. Being raised a Catholic both my Heavenly Father (I learned his name a few months before I started studying with JWs) and his son Jesus Christ were both so very important to me. I never believed in a Trinity, I always in pray visualized an older Father with his grown Son. I knew the Holy Spirit was very important but I never thought of it as a person figure.
It was not until about five years after my baptism that a young pioneer sister told me that she learned from the CO that Jesus was not the Great Crowd’s brother. She was very happy about it but I felt like someone had just put a knife through my heart. After that I always felt that Jesus was my brother but I never shared my belief with anyone. It was not to long after I learned that information that congregation problem started affecting myself and my young children. Through the years of my children’s spiritual problems, my husbands and my health problems, one of our grown child’s death, I have always looked to, and leaned on Jehovah and Jesus for help and strength. I could not imagine my life with one and not the other. Within a few days of the AGM I realized what has been bothering me the past few years, but more so since this past summer. The mention of Jesus is getting less and less. The July study WT showed an illustration of the congregation setup and Jehovah’s throne but Jesus was not in the illustration. The new NWT has a section on Jehovah but none on Jesus. Meetings can go by and the only time Jesus name is mentioned is at the end of both prayers, and there is no warmth and feeling when they say “through Jesus name, amen.” WT study subjects that use to highlight Jesus no longer do, but they do mention the GB. The special track that was placed in November did not use Jesus name. It used Jehovah once and mentioned the organization three times. I am happy to say I refused to participate in its distribution I think the real shocker for me was about a month ago when someone mentioned that Jesus is not the Great Crowds mediator. I did a search on the CD Rom and the month our child died there was a public WT on the Trinity that stated Jesus is our Mediator, but the following months WT Study article stated he is not the Great Crowds mediator. So the faithful Jehovah’s Witnesses are being told one thing and the public is being told another. It makes me wonder if this is the reason they started printing separate WT for the congregation’s studies and a separate WT for the public. That way the public does not find out until they have allowed themselves to be baptized into the WT organization. I was not baptized into the organization; Jesus was very much in my thoughts and spiritual heart when I personally dedicated my life to do his Father’s will and when I was baptized. My questions never mentioned the organization.
This is the first time I have shared what I have been going through since the AGM. I have shared a few personal thoughts with my husband but with his health issues I have not really got into it with him. Our kingdom hall closed last year so we have to travel almost an hour and a half for meetings. So we have not made it to many meetings this winter. That has proved to be such a blessing for me. I have not been to a meeting for about six weeks and have learned so much about the organization that I really do not want to go to a meeting.
I think it was last week’s book study that they mentioned the Lord Prayer. I know our Gods name is very important, but our relationship with him as our Heavenly Father is so much more personal when we call on him as our Father. It seems that when Jesus said “Our Father in heaven” that most JW’s do not acknowledge it because they only think of the words “your name”. When we were little children we did not know our human Father’s name, but we loved and knew him in a very personal way. As we got older and learned our human Father’s name we did not use it when we addressing him, but let others know what his name was when we were asked. The same is with Jehovah. When we personally pray to him or are praying with a group of people that also know his name calling on him by using “Father” is so much more meaningful and personal. When I first started using “Father” it seemed strange, but for the past few weeks it just feels so right, like it did when I was a child and teenager. I feel so close again to our Heavenly Father and our brother Jesus, and will feel even closer when I can put the whole JW experience behind me. I have my husband and two extended family members to help get out of the WT organization. I am happy to say that with both the help of our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus my heart is so far removed from the WT organization.
All I think about is our loving Father, Jesus and heaven. Heaven has been out of my life since I was 16 years old and felt I was not good enough for it or deserved to be there. About 6 weeks ago it came into full focus again for me when I heard on TV the phrase “through the grace of God”. I knew I heard that on regular bases when I was young but I did not know what it really meant. So I got the NWT and looked up the scripture. Instead of grace it said undeserving kindness. WOW!!! Nobody deserves to go to heaven but it is a gift from God because of his grace or undeserved kindness. How easy it was for JW’s to convince me that my only hope was to live on the paradise earth because I did not believe I was good enough for heaven but I also did not believe I was bad enough to go to a fiery hell. I did not believe that due to my choice of marring out of the Catholic faith my infant daughter should go to limbo because they would not baptize her. All I could think of was that my little family would live on the paradise earth and they would be there because the end of this old system would come, I believed, while they were under my care and guidance. No wonder it is so easy for JW’s to convince imperfect, sinful, suffering, and lost humans that their only hope is a beautiful, peaceful, parade earth.
Is it normal to think of our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and heaven all the time? That is all I do, no matter what I am doing. I just love them both so much, and nobody is going to snatch me from their hands.
With warm Christian love,
Yvonne
Yvonne, what a joy to awaken and see your email, Kent and Miroslav testimony. Neither of you know that there is a dear one in our contact section with a story that would make you weep. He I know was encouraged when he saw your experiences. It’s enough to make you cry when you see the Jesus at work! Yvonne I was taken back as you story could have been written by me. I would put another bible in a cover and take it to the Kingdom hall because the NWT lacked something. The NEW, nwt is simply not user friendly and they have taken the brackets as you say from around some words and added it as text. We know Rev. warns against that but there seems to be no fear on their part.There are no descriptions at the top of the page and instead of a better bible it is paraphrase, teaching book.
Isn’t it something how the sell of your KH proved to be a blessing. God could now get thru to you since he has called you. Separation from Mind control allows you to think. There are so many with experiences like yours that realize their call is to heaven and things beyond their control start happening and like you said your eyes almost visibly open up! You can read the bible with understanding. You end up on sites without knowing how you got it. I firmly believe Daniel was told to seal it up and not worry for the internet and cell phone etc would be available in the time of the end. Its seems to be a flood of witnesses waking up and an even bigger hostile group pledging their loyalty to the organization. One of my sons proclaimed he is willing to die for the governingbody even.
If it is not normal to always think about our Heavenly Father and Jesus then you, I am others are abnormal. I know the warm feelings you have. It feels good to wake up even during the night and get in touch with OUR Father. Jesus no longer exist as a person of interest within the JW religion. I once thought only I recognized that the GB, faithful slave and organization is mentioned where Jesus should be mentioned.
I am going to use the example of not knowing your father by his given name as a child and never calling him by it for he was your FATHER. We have adobe connect for many conventions and are working on a way to connect by internet with our Wednesday night studies where there are many xjw.
It would be nice if you could get you family out but it might be a challenge. I just leave mine alone with a tidbit here or there and if they ask. The fact that I have not been struck with leprosy or something since I left is helping them to be more open. Believe me they waited to see if I would die LOL. Please enjoy all the info on this site as it is written with witnesses in view. I enjoyed waking up to see your comment and please comment on any other subjects. In His Grace, Jacqueline.
PS. Yvonne, you share something with Mary when she saw her son died as an adult. It is difficult. May God and Jesus support you in their word and loving care. I have had the experience also. I notice you are grandmother of 3, I used to be but now I am grandmother of 5. Take Care my dear sister.
This is the testimony of two elders, not to share it with you would be wrong.
It helps you understand how to escape: Where you land after escaping is your choice. They found Jesus, ENJOY:
http://users.adam.com.au/bstett/JwElderDavidReed10.htm
This is my first time to post on your site. Could you please tell me if the Phone number on the testimony of the two elders still works.
Thank you.
I will go thru this talk and get back with you Yvonne and thank you so much for commenting. Check back later this evening. Also there are so many great articles on this site.
Please enjoy.
Briefly to say that when Monica called at my door back in the eighties I was a knew convert to Christianity I was as green as grass about anything except I believed in Jesus and recently accepted him into my life as Saviour and Lord this was at an evangelical crusade
Like I Say I was as green as grass about anything doctrinally but excited and very intrested when I was told that Jesus will be returning soon so obviously I was trying to find out as much info as possible so When Monica called at my door the first thing I asked her was about the Lords return to cut a story short this led to a JW Study but to be honest with you it worried and confused me most especially more then anything the teaching that Jesus is the archangel Michael and not Almighty God
Hello Steve, thanks for your experience. It is refreshing to see you recognize the need to accept Jesus in your life thus opening you up to what his ransom really means for all of mankind.
Are you asking if Jesus is the archangel or if he is Almighty God? Or do you say Michael should be Almighty God. If you could clarify someone will answer. Thank you, Jacqueline
I Love Jehovah witnesses esp my friend Monica
Thanks
Regards
Thanks Jacqueline, I agree with you. The millennium, being judgement day, mankind individually will be on trial for his life so the two choices will be to choose either obedient to Jehovah God or secondly obedient to Satan which means death. Since Satan will be In the abyss, it will truly be a person’s choice.
Yes! One can’t blame sin or the demonic influence and the whole world will know accurately what the will of Jehovah is.Granted.
Armageddon will bring to an end systems and governments and resurrection of those dead in Adam will rise. Daniel 2:44,confirmed the government of today system of things. I agree with you. So Even ones that lose their life fighting in that battle. Survivors from all religions or no religion will have a chance to know the real truth about Jehovah and Restitution of all things with Christ as head and his bride.In Revelation to John,he saw another scroll opened for people.
Well done!I love your comment very well which is why i have said in my previous comments that “we are created with free moral agent and so decide the religion you want to associate with”.It is a matter of choices.This is due to the fact that over the century critics of Jehovah’s Witnesses find in it delights to see JW’s members as sets of region that their teaching is contrary to the doctrine of the holy scriptures. So Was the question. Jesus Christ was it not criticized by the religion leaders of his days?. I am not raising an argument here but just responding to some of the critics of JW’s. I was happy to hear this from the former Pope Benedict XVI, as regard Christmas. Here is comments on his book on Christmas posted on social media”In Jesus of Nazareth – The Infancy Narratives,” the pope says the Christian calendar is actually based on a blunder by a sixth century monk, who Benedict says was several years off in his calculation of Jesus’ birth date.
” According to the pope’s research, there is also no evidence in the Gospels that the cattle and other animals traditionally pictured gathered around the manger were actually present.
He also debunks the claim that angels sang at the birth, a staple theme of Christmas carols. The book, which is being published in multiple languages in time for Christmas, is the third in a series by the pontiff. The previous two volumes dealt with Jesus’ adult life and his public ministry.
Alessandro Speciale, Vatican correspondent for the Religion News Service, told CNN the pope was not so much aiming to debunk myths as trying to show that the Jesus depicted in the Gospels is a real historical figure, who walked on earth and talked to people like anyone else.
The JW’s over the century had made this clear with their zealous preaching of the good news about the truth yet they are still blind to it criticizing.
Thanks
James Russell good morning, I will answer and reread your comment later. I am leaving for a 3hr trip so I will answer later.
James Russell – I enjoyed your comments. Do you feel Jehovah would be unhappy with anyone celebrating Jesus birth if it were really centered on Jesus? I am just encouraging you to elborate becuase I think it is good to talk these things out with each other.
Hi James Russell. I find that as a witness we were told it was a warning or saving message to survive Armageddon. I often wondered why we we using the slowest method as the main method door to door. It was easy to single out easy Pickens and indoctrinate that way but not warn of impending destruction.
We do know messiah died in the middle of the week and we know his age at death so calculations can be determined from the bible.
I agree we should have a choice now to associate without fear of losing our families with whatever we want. There will indeed be the right choice and the wrong choice in millennium. Choosing wisely now to understand his word gives us a jump on confidence to make the right choice based on true prophecies.
I had a young pregnant jw at my home not married. She felt she and baby plus dad would die at Armageddon. After we talked about why families fare better when there is marriage we discussed our system that fights this. If she marries she can’t get money to finish college and healthcare. Her boyfriend does not make enough to support them without the food stamps etc. They were ecstatic when I explained the abolishment of this system and the rule under Christ millennium.
The truth finally was making sense she said now about a God of love. She vowed to tell her mother who also have left the jw and her aunt.
Her joy was undescribable! She saw hope for her child and her boyfriend she got on the phone immediately to tell what she learned. Her whole countenance changed. I didn’t say to her you got to meet with the Bible Students to be saved. Her faith will get her through in millennium as she now appreciates what Jesus has done for her. Only took 3hrs to help her understand. Freedom, James you are so right. In Him, Jacqueline
Like the days of Moses and the nation of Israel,Jehovah knows his people. Expect criticism from false religion, friends, co-workers. Was Jesus Christ not criticized by the religion leaders of his days? Follow your heart desire and that will be just fine.You are created with free moral agent and so decide the religion you want associate with. It is a matter of choice. It is your choice NOW decide.
Thanks James Russell, I agree one should be free to choose, for there is freedom and along with it comes liberty in Christ. The millennium, being judgment day, mankind individually will be on trial for his life so the two choices will be choose obedient to Jehovah or second death. Since Satan will be In the abyss, it will truly be a person’s choice. One can’t blame sin or the demonic influence and the whole world will know accurately what the will of Jehovah is.
Armageddon will bring to an end systems and governments and resurrection of those dead in Adam will rise. Even ones that lose their life fighting in that battle. Survivors from all religions or no religion will have a chance to know the real truth about Jehovah and Restitution of all things with Christ as head and his bride.
James Russell – Yes, you are correct. We are free moral agents and can choose whatever religion we want. Your point of view is not clear. Criticism can go both ways. Yes Jehovah’s Witnesses may criticize the doctrines of other denominational churches as false beliefs and false religion. However, true believing Fundamentalist and many other Christians believe that Jehovah’s Witnesses will suffer eternally in Hell. Personally, if it were me, I would rather die in Armageddon then suffer eternally in Hell. So the JWs may be a bit tough in their approach, however relatively speaking they are nicer guys than many.
In my mind James, the real question is the same question that Pilot asked Jesus; “What is Truth?” The honest truth seeker will want to lay aside feeling and preconceptions, going straight to the Bible to see Truth. The stumbling block most Christians encounter is that their already determined beleifs drive their interpretation of scriptures. Better to place our faith in Jehovah/Yahweh, honestly and patiently studying the Bible thoroughly on any given topic and only coming to a final conclusion when you feel all scriptures on a topic can be harmonized into one correct view, even the seemingly conflicting scriptures.
John 16:13 (RVIC) says, “Howbeit when that one, the spirit of truth, is come, it shall guide you into all the truth: for it shall not speak from itself; but what things soever it shall hear, these shall it speak: and it shall declare unto you the things that are to come.”
Sadly, how may Christians do you know that claim to be filled with the holy spirit, yet are clearly confused? And how many do you know that claim not to have the holy spirit, yet are convinced they have the correct interpretation of scriptures?