Bruce and Dale
I have "Gone Crazy" more times than I can really count. All because I have not accepted my bipolar diagnosis. Which meant I did not take medicine and did not see a doctor. I believed far too long that my behaviour was for some excuse or another an outside influence and not an internal illness. Before my first manic episode I had become an atheist. So, a year and a half later getting back to a normal life which I achieved and maintained. I had a secure job and was a full time student; shared an apartment and lived in San Antonio, Texas. I was studying Dental Hygiene at a very prestigious school. The University of Texas Health and Science Center. I was surrounded by incredible people with high goals and sharp minds and I was one of them. My driving purpose of becoming a dental hygienist was to have a valuable skill and join the Peace Corp; which was a life long goal for me since I was about 5 and I felt I was finally "on track". I owned a car but soon discovered that if I rode my bike I could get to school faster; by avoiding traffic or riding along side it. (No bike lanes back in the 80's). I would fly past cars stuck in traffic and literally be tapping cars with my fingertips to avoid colliding with them. I sorta loved the small element of danger. I only lived about 1 mile from the University. Also, the bike rack was right next to the entrance of the University; so no long walk from the parking lot. Life seemed to be humming along just fine. Then I met this woman at the bike rack and we had a little conversation. And then planned to meet for lunch. Her name was Dale; she and her husband "Bruce" were med students and planned to be missionaries. I thought I need to know them and learn the best way to go about helping others. Which is what Bruce and Dale were all about.
Now, Backing up a bit, my first Manic Episode and it was severe; I was a proclaimed Atheist. I spoke about how stupid it was to believe in God and wanted others to admit the same.
The 1st Manic Episode brought me to truly know there was a God and that I needed It and the comfort It brought. For those 2 years I did a little searching and went to a handful of churches; never landing in any of them...more like wine tasting; but never finding one I really wanted to drink and claim as my own brand.
So Bruce and Dale were a perfect example of a married couple with a stable healthy loving lifestyle that I hadn't witnessed until now. Although my parents loved each other very much; their relationship was unhealthy in that my dad worked away from home for 2 weeks as a tugboat captain and was out of touch for the entire time. He returned home for a week and it was a honeymoon for them all over again. Oh well it worked for them but I wanted a man to be home with me on the Daily.
Soon after meeting Bruce and Dale I was in a weekly one on one bible study with Dale. She seemed to be able to answer any question I had about God, Jesus, the bible and the fellowship of believers All answers found right in the good ole book. I never met a group of people who were so educated in the bible and science as well. It was wonderful; my life was soaring and I was getting more and more versed on the bible and could quote scriptures along with everyone else.
Then I started going to bible studies in group settings of about 10-15 people; all students like me young in their 20's. Life could not have been sweeter. I learned of God's function and purpose in my own life and there was God the Father...understood that...God the Son..who is Jesus...then the one I had the most curiosity with...God the Holy Spirit...the Comforter. He is the one I needed desperately in my life and although everything was running along quite smoothly...I wanted The Holy Spirit with me any time I needed Her. With these intense one-on-one bible studies I read in the bible... To have that Holy Spirit sealed and secure in my body I must be baptized. Well, for me this was an easy sell. When I was about 8, we were visiting my Grandma Gladys Brier. Early in the morning she was all shaken and told my mom, my brother (Kenny) and myself that our deceased Grandfather woke her up and told her to look at a specific bible verse about baptism. She asked Kenny and me if we were baptized and we told the truth, "No". She was adamant how we need to get baptized. Needless to say it scared me. We were not a church going family and since we only visited Grandma about 2x a year; baptism was left alone.
So when Bruce and Dale said to get this Holy Spirit God; signed sealed and delivered in my heart; I wanted to get baptized. But there was a little added condition. I must feel the urgency to do so and wait until I was very sure...because unlike the many boyfriends and jobs I had had...God was a life time friend and the commitment to Her was very serious and forever.
At the time of my weeks of contemplation, I was currently dating a man from Lebanon who was previously a heroin addict. He was clean and appeared to really love me. Sex was out of the equation because after all I was being groomed to be a good Christian woman. Premarital sex was completely forbidden. One Saturday night before church Adnon ( my Lebanese boyfriend) asked me to marry him. An added attraction in Adnon was he was from a seriously wealthy family. Quite the temptation. So in church the next Sunday morning sitting next to Dale....she noticed I was not my regular self. I told her Adnon asked me to marry him. She said loud and firm voice NO; Then I began to understand God could also be my provider as well. God then became my main squeeze and I said yes to God and was baptized November 21, 1985. and said NO to Adnon and broke up with him. The singles group at church became my best friends and we had parties; bible studies and of course church services and I was involved in out reach programs helping the needy. I was exactly where I wanted to be in life. I was living a fulfilled life. And of course Bruce and Dale were always there for me and I helped them if they ever asked for it.
Now, Backing up a bit, my first Manic Episode and it was severe; I was a proclaimed Atheist. I spoke about how stupid it was to believe in God and wanted others to admit the same.
The 1st Manic Episode brought me to truly know there was a God and that I needed It and the comfort It brought. For those 2 years I did a little searching and went to a handful of churches; never landing in any of them...more like wine tasting; but never finding one I really wanted to drink and claim as my own brand.
So Bruce and Dale were a perfect example of a married couple with a stable healthy loving lifestyle that I hadn't witnessed until now. Although my parents loved each other very much; their relationship was unhealthy in that my dad worked away from home for 2 weeks as a tugboat captain and was out of touch for the entire time. He returned home for a week and it was a honeymoon for them all over again. Oh well it worked for them but I wanted a man to be home with me on the Daily.
Soon after meeting Bruce and Dale I was in a weekly one on one bible study with Dale. She seemed to be able to answer any question I had about God, Jesus, the bible and the fellowship of believers All answers found right in the good ole book. I never met a group of people who were so educated in the bible and science as well. It was wonderful; my life was soaring and I was getting more and more versed on the bible and could quote scriptures along with everyone else.
Then I started going to bible studies in group settings of about 10-15 people; all students like me young in their 20's. Life could not have been sweeter. I learned of God's function and purpose in my own life and there was God the Father...understood that...God the Son..who is Jesus...then the one I had the most curiosity with...God the Holy Spirit...the Comforter. He is the one I needed desperately in my life and although everything was running along quite smoothly...I wanted The Holy Spirit with me any time I needed Her. With these intense one-on-one bible studies I read in the bible... To have that Holy Spirit sealed and secure in my body I must be baptized. Well, for me this was an easy sell. When I was about 8, we were visiting my Grandma Gladys Brier. Early in the morning she was all shaken and told my mom, my brother (Kenny) and myself that our deceased Grandfather woke her up and told her to look at a specific bible verse about baptism. She asked Kenny and me if we were baptized and we told the truth, "No". She was adamant how we need to get baptized. Needless to say it scared me. We were not a church going family and since we only visited Grandma about 2x a year; baptism was left alone.
So when Bruce and Dale said to get this Holy Spirit God; signed sealed and delivered in my heart; I wanted to get baptized. But there was a little added condition. I must feel the urgency to do so and wait until I was very sure...because unlike the many boyfriends and jobs I had had...God was a life time friend and the commitment to Her was very serious and forever.
At the time of my weeks of contemplation, I was currently dating a man from Lebanon who was previously a heroin addict. He was clean and appeared to really love me. Sex was out of the equation because after all I was being groomed to be a good Christian woman. Premarital sex was completely forbidden. One Saturday night before church Adnon ( my Lebanese boyfriend) asked me to marry him. An added attraction in Adnon was he was from a seriously wealthy family. Quite the temptation. So in church the next Sunday morning sitting next to Dale....she noticed I was not my regular self. I told her Adnon asked me to marry him. She said loud and firm voice NO; Then I began to understand God could also be my provider as well. God then became my main squeeze and I said yes to God and was baptized November 21, 1985. and said NO to Adnon and broke up with him. The singles group at church became my best friends and we had parties; bible studies and of course church services and I was involved in out reach programs helping the needy. I was exactly where I wanted to be in life. I was living a fulfilled life. And of course Bruce and Dale were always there for me and I helped them if they ever asked for it.
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