FreeAtLast

Rafael, Thank you soooo much for explaining this thread. How funny. You are quite the poet!! I have a nack for that myself. Maybe I will send you a couple of my poems. Anyway, thank you for clearing up the confusion I have been experiencing.

Hey I am there with you. Why doesn't anybody want to know where I am? Maybe all my old buds are still in? Nah!!!!! can't be. Oh well. I guess I was invisible when in twi. NP!!! That might have been a good thing. From what I hear though in the old site,,,, was it Waydale? My mom went out there a lot. Anyway out there certain people were looking for my mom and dad and my oldest brother. So I guess I can say I was sought by association. No consolation. As for recognizing names. Sure I recognize a lot of them but none of my old buds. Well the friends I am making now in life have been truer than my closest friends in the Way Corps.

Actually Sam and Pat have 2 younger children too. Scott and Becka. The last I heard,,,, and that was about 6 months ago they were in Lee's Summit Misouri. They left the ministry and separated. Rumor was that they started going back to fellowship and got back together. I don't really know what is true in that whole scenario since the info came down through the ranks of twi leadership. Sam used to call me all the time with computer questions, but after the fall out I haven't heard from him. I tried his old e-mail and phone number and couldn't get him. Haven't tried information, since I just recently left the ministry, and while in I wasn't supposed to contact him because he was M & A'd. Try information in Lee's Summit Misouri. I know their kids were pretty well established there as far as activities go and they probably haven't left yet since they are still in school. Debrah, however got married to someone outside of twi (a lawyer). Kudos to her. I liked Sam and Pat. They are good people.

Ok, being relatively new to the GS world. Will someone explain THE for me!!!!! Thanks

Hey I am a Jersey girl. Don't live there no more. But spent the majority of childhood and young adulthood there. Got in twi there, at the ripe old age of 11 I am from Trenton!! well Hamilton Township. - Don't know the exit What about the best Pizza - Brothers Pizzaria on Hamilton Avenue out in suburbia - there is one in the Mall too. Hogies,,,, hmmm,,,, can't say that I know. But if you want a good Canoli (sp?) there is a little bakery toward downtown Trenton on Hamilton Avenue called Little Italy. Yummy. Never got into the bar/dating scene in Jersey. Hope these places are still there. Haven't been in Trenton in oh,,,,, let's see,,,,, 15-18 years

Does anyone know where Michael Patterson is? Last I knew I believe he was in Minnesota. That was 14 years ago. Does anyone know what he is up to.

How sweet that you would proclaim your love for your spouse so openly. Cudos to you and congratulations

Ok I have to reply to this one. This has been a great part of my unlearning since departing from twi cult. We were always told that it wasn't the first will of God to experience bad things in our lives. So whenever something bad did happen, it was condemnation time. Since being free of the bondage of twi, I have re-thought this. I thought of some of the "not so primary will of God" events in my life and realized,,,, had I not experienced those things in life, I would have been hard toward others that had. Experience is what actually allowed me to be compassionate toward others. And when another falls short in a different area. Well the memory that I fell short in areas of my life as well,,,, again allows me compassion. God's Word says he will not allow us to be tempted above that which we can stand, without making a way to escape. He doesn't say we won't be tempted, and he expects us to fall short. That is the human element. Thus, I have come to the conclusion that God allows some of this "experience" in our lives so we can be better people, ministers, friends, workers, drivers (hehehe) etc.

I got a holiday card from the Thorps 2 years ago when I was still "in". Last year I sent them a card and didn't hear back from them. So I assume that last holiday they were probably "out".

I was in grade school when my family got in and I am actually in my late 30's now. I got out just recently. Part of the reason I stayed in so long was the fear of being unprotected, but I really did believe the Way had gotten evil. The majority of the reason I stayed so long was that I had invested most of my life in this thing, and wanted to make it better. The more I tried the more I got crushed. First I was told I wasn't Corps because my husband quit the corps, then I was told I wasn't corps alumni because I didn't leave my husband. Finally I was told I had to retake the advanced class because we were marked and avoided during the ac grads weekends. I finally, after 3 years of being stripped of all that I invested in, realized I couldn't fix it and left.