We may leave Him, but He is with us. Always.

This post is in response to a thread on retalk.com – an ally of The Gadsden Press.

Scrolling through threads on Retalk_ this last Sunday evening, I found a strong and intense thread from an atheist questioning the truth of his beliefs. Below is u/CottonGrey’s post in its entirety.

There is more to unpack here than any political, international, or social story I could’ve evaluated today, especially after you read the entire thread. Dozens of people sharing the same sentiment, burrowing into the sense of community that Retalk_ brings to many (myself included). Despite the many who express their doubts, I can’t find myself feeling any sort of sorrow by any of their stories, doubts, or denials. Instead, this thread breathes life into me, filling my heart and body with emotions that can only be supernatural.

I’m not going to lecture anyone about why they’re wrong or try to preach the Bible. The beauty of intellectual freedom and a respectful community is that everyone can and most likely will do their own research and soul-searching; it’s the only thing that can make the United States the light of the world again (despite my own doubts). Rather, I’m going to share, much like the brave atheists, deists, and God-fearing people did in the Retalk_ thread, a short-story about the truth that I’ve never been able to avoid.

How I Know there is Life after Death

Plain and simple, I’ve lived with dark thoughts, mental illness, and unexplainable, heart-breaking deaths all around me for my entire life. I’ve seen and known Satan and I’ve almost been to Hell a number of times. Despite a decade of therapy, outpatient care, and living a fairly great life now, I still cannot find the light. Oftentimes, tomorrow doesn’t appear that it’s going to exist. It nearly hasn’t a handful of times. Yet, through all of this, I persevere. I get told it’s because I’m a survivor and a fighter, that I live to piss people off and that it’s often what keeps me going. I don’t disagree. Yet, I can’t completely get on that boat either.

For as long as I can remember, there’s been this feeling inside of me. This stirring of energy and passion and relentless emotion. I can’t describe it. They’ve tried to equate it to my neuron imbalances and thinking-errors, but when I dig really deep I know that can’t be it. There’s no science or explanation for it outside of spiritual.

As I began thinking about u/CottonGrey and the others in the thread and re-read each post, that stirring in me started churning. I started itching to reach everyone. As I started writing these very words, I could read that the Holy Ghost was rising inside of my new friends on the other side of the screen. That God was searching for them even though they can’t see it clearly. Think about the middle section of u/CottonGrey’s post:

In the past few years, something has felt different. I have attempted to embrace the spirituality of my partial Cherokee heritage but for some reason, “spirituality” does not quite cover what is going on in my head.

u/Cotton Grey went on to write “I do not know what to believe in anymore.” It’s a beautifully terrifying state to live in. It can be the beginning of a new era for my new friend if he wants it be.

Hope Out of the Darkness

Publius and I have talked time and time again about why we live in the world that we do on the Whiskey Rebellion, but I’ll sum it up here for those who haven’t gotten the chance to listen:

As Heaven was perfect, God’s number two questioned why He would want to create the cosmos and mankind; were the angels in Heaven not enough? The disagreement turned into a Holy war as God cast Lucifer out from the kingdom. Lucifer’s hatred for his Father and for His creation led to the first sin, and Satan has wreaked havoc on Earth ever-since.

That’s why Jesus came. The Earth was supposed to be paradise, but the free-will God allowed us proved to be the one mishap of His creation. Our souls trapped, God wanted to bring us home. It’s a story of survival, love, sacrifice, and the unimaginable power of resurrection.

I guess that’s the story I really want to tell. My story finds itself being written and searching further and further for the words God has transcended me to tell. I’ve cursed and abandoned Him more times than I can count, yet He’s always right in front of me wherever I go. He is with you, too u/CottonGrey. He’s trying to reveal Himself to you once again! You want to try something new to believe in? Turn on The Chosen. I promise you that once you watch season one nothing will ever be the same for you again. Dallas Jenkins’ presentation of Jesus and the 12 Disciples is a new and fanatical take that cannot be described with words alone.

As I’ve found myself searching for the next part of my journey with Jesus beside me, I know bringing others back to the light is vital. Not just for me or my family’s story, but for the story of mankind. We are a broken people in need of revival. Our world, especially on the Right side of the aisle, grows darker and colder as the elites attack and oppress ever facet of our lives. I’m not asking you to go all-in today, not yet; I’m just asking you to dip your toe in a time or two. Test those waters and feel the stirring in your own spirit begin to rumble. We will pray for you and ask God to specifically search for you. You don’t need religion or to take what the preacher says as the only word: There’s only one word, and the authority certainly does not belong to anyone on Earth. I know your fears and your questions and I invite you to send me a message for any you have. My understanding does not come from any sort of theological education: It just comes from my heart.

A little bit of guidance from a friend is worth more than any decision any of us ever makes on our own. The enemy is strongest when we are alone. Surrounding yourself with family and friends is a great start, but God can and wants to always be with you. As I sign off an wrap-up this post, I can’t help but want to respond to every single person. Maybe the day will come where I can reach everyone, but I know God pointed to this thread on Retalk_ not only to inspire the Holy Ghost inside of me, but the spirit that lives in you, too u/CottonGrey. Keep fighting the good fight, and may the Gadsden fly forever. Amen.