u/Motorcycleman314

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We are one of the fastest growing Christian churches on earth, particularly in the global south. We are one of the most diverse churches- my church in Denver, Colorado has similar demographics to the city around me. About 45% Hispanic, 40% White, 15% Black. Can you Mainline folks say the same?

We don't just help the poor, we ARE the poor. Not me personally, I admit, but many of my fellow church members are homeless, living in shelters. We have regular bus service to these shelters and help people go grocery shopping and to appointments. Many of my best friends in this church are ex-gang members or were addicted (like myself) and this church turned their lives around. Being part of this church was the final nail in the coffin for many of my remaining sins.

So why all the hate? We love Jesus with all of our hearts, our souls, and our understanding, and we spread this love to places most people would be afraid to set foot in. We don't have a "holier than thou" attitude and understand that our style of worship isn't for everyone.

I hope some of you can open your minds a bit.

So, I love my church.

When I joined it, I quickly wanted to be a part of the leadership, wanted to help out. My wish was granted. It's a big church and there's lots of work to be done.

I'm now a part of multiple ministries. I greet people and take down information, I do baptisms, lay hands, and run a bible study. We have a secondary campus that caters to a lot of homeless folks, and I work there, cooking food, fixing things, reading passages when asked (I love to be a reader, people react well to my voice and style), and bringing needed items. One of the pastors has asked me to work on expanding this secondary campus, and of course I said yes. I'm also an administrator for our "kids university", building power point presentations and handouts, setting up and decorating, making schedules, figuring out how we're gonna register everyone.... and on and on and on.

I'm constantly busy, always on the move. I'm juggling all of this, a relationship with a woman at the church, my "real" job, and a number of hobbies. Nearly every day, I am doing church-related activity.

So what's the problem? I got everything I wanted, I've been with this church less than a year and I'm seen as a leader, approached often with questions and problems.

But this IS the issue. It tickles my idiotic pride to be seen this way, I love the attention I get. I love walking around with pastor's sons, being pulled into conversations with the "movers and shakers" of the church. I love that my church girlfriend (and other women there) sees all of this. I'm often distracted by thoughts of what I need to accomplish and who I need to speak to after the sermon is over.

I repent my pride, I know it's wrong, but let me ask this:

Does anyone else relate? Have you overextended yourself at church? Is it a bad thing? If I'm too proud of myself (there's no if, I definitely am) this, does it negate the good I do? Curious as to your thoughts! How do I continue to serve the church without turning it into an idol?

Hello all. I recently started recruiting with a growing law firm and it's going great.

Issue- recruiting high level, quality Attorneys with law firm experience who aren't jumpers and have civil litigation experience is tough. They don't apply, every bit of engagement i get is from sourcing. This isn't out of the ordinary, we often have to source for good candidates, but my engagement numbers are well below what they've been for other titles.

Those with legal recruiting experience, what are some of your "hooks"? What sort of arguments tend to appeal to senior Attorneys? Where have you found success?

Ok, so, don't need to get super graphic here, but...

Had inginual hernia surgery three weeks ago. Recovery is going well, I'm driving, working my desk job, walking, etc... but something is definitely about to come up.

When/how did you (if you're a man) start having sex? Can you just go easy and be ok? Any position in particular work for you?

I'm still sore to the touch and can feel the mesh, so I'm just not sure how this is going to work...

Things are going much better than I could have hoped. I actually had a vasovagel reaction in the recovery room before I woke up, and so came to with a crowd around me (they apparently had to call a code). But that was the only drama.

Worst pain so far- when they ripped the IV tape off of my hairy arm. This hurt 10x more than anything else associated with the surgery.

Difficulties- for the first two days, including the day of the surgery, it was less painful to stand and shuffle around than to sit or lay down. Engaging my core muscles hurt, not at the mesh site as much, but at the incision sites. Laying down required (and still requires if I want to avoid dull pain), laying down sideways and using my arms to get myself where I need to be. I was able to shower within 24 hours of the surgery, was walking a lot, and didn't have too much pain unless I was sitting down, laying down, or standing up.

The bathroom was kind of difficult. Urinating wasn't too bad after the anesthesia wore off, and I took it very easy with the narcotic pain meds. I started taking docusate sodium (200mg daily), the day of surgery. I also take 500 mg of magnesium glycinate daily, and was about to take a stimulant laxative but my body moved too fast. Took a BM two days after surgery without any difficulty, and today (with mild effort, no pain involved) absolutely destroyed the plumbing. Now I'm in no pain as I sit here, only feel anything if I'm moving the wrong way.

Best practices:

1. Walk and stand more than sit and lay down, if you can. Any pain I've felt has typically come as I'm moving between laying/sitting/standing positions. I can feel the mesh sometimes, but it's not bad especially as I've learned how to move with it.

2. Start laxatives/stool softener right away, don't wait at all. I was lucky not to need a laxative, but I was told to use one anyway to limit any straining and you may want to do the same.

3. Take low doses of narcotics- these cause constipation, and can mask pain too much. I want to let my body tell me what's hurting and what's not. Taking 400mg of Ibuprofen three times daily has been perfect.

4. Collagen and protein (yes, I know collagen IS a protein!). I have a great grass fed beef collagen I use in protein shakes. I'm taking 20g a day.

5. Accept help from family/friends/etc- church people have been coming over daily with food, and my mother stayed with me the first couple of days. I don't really need the food and could have done this on my own, but it's been great to have community behind me.

6. Keep yourself intellectually active- I got some work done, even though I'm off, and I'm helping with church admin functions as I recover. Simple desk stuff. Definitely don't lift!!!

Good luck to all of you!!!

Robotic with mesh. One side.

I'm feeling pretty good, worst part so far was trying to piss at the hospital so I could get out, and hands down worst pain was ripping the tape off my hairy arm at the IV site. I'm spending lots of time slowly pacing around my apartment, standing feels better than sitting down. Not taking the narcotics for now, may take one at night.

So far, not too bad. Nine hours post op and pain is pretty minimal, maybe 3/10.

For those of you who don't know, a Louisiana Pastor who was being threatened and harassed by a family across the street from his Church took action when one family member threatened to sexually assault and murder his wife and daughters.

According to the Pastor, this family had been harassing the church for some time and police have done nothing. I personally fully agree with his actions, but even if you don't, he needs our prayers and support, or at least pray for peace in the situation.

This case causes me distress and brings up a lot of difficult issues. Just how much should a Christian be expected to take before fighting back? A lot of people go on endlessly about Christianity's sins, but ignore the centuries of persecution of the early church that preceded them. I don't think we can justify violence that isn't self-defense, but we're human like any other group of people.

What say you?

My absolute best advice is to be an early applicant. I used LinkedIn and Indeed, and never applied for a role posted for more than 24 hours, or that had more than 50 applicants (I tried to be one of the first 20). I'd check the boards in the morning and afternoon, and set job alerts that I'd respond to right away.

A few more tips:

- Take every call, even if it's marked spam.

- Have your resume on your phone and be able to send it by phone.

- Learn the S.T.A.R interview method.

- Make sure your resume and LinkedIn profile are heavy with tools and accomplishments. Skip things like an "objective" section. Skills (tools) on top, education on bottom.

- On your resume, if you were laid off from a role, say so.

- Have a brief description of the companies you worked for. I had chatGPT do 15 word summaries for me.

I'm a recruiter, which is a saturated field, and due to layoffs had a short tenure and resume gaps. You can get over this stuff, but you need some pep in your step.

Today in church was wonderful, seeing all the fathers praying together, fire sermon, but I'm somewhat bitter as I always am on father's day. I had a biological male parent, but he was no father in any sense. Truly, one of the most pathetic excuses for a man imaginable. I had to learn manhood on my own.

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Others had it worse. He was heterosexual, I wasn't sexually abused (I can't even imagine that), but even years after his death i have little but hate for him and know he's in hell, where he absolutely belongs.

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I pray daily to forgive him, but I know I haven't. I am painfully aware of Jesus's command to forgive and the consequences for not doing so, but it's not going well. I repent my hatred, but I'm still full of tremendous hate. How do I get over this?

One preacher spoke on "You've got to ask"- the gist being that our God created the Universe yet we act like asking him for small things is some kind of burden. Compared it to asking Elon Musk to loan us 20$. Fantastic message and delivered fully in the spirit.

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I've been full of fear lately, and a worrier my whole life. I felt convicted by the message and asked God to wipe my fear away. I'm starting a new job, about to have surgery, and have been consumed by fear. I asked God not just to heal these specific fears, but take fear out of my life.

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He did so. I'm lying here trying to find something to worry about and I can't. If only others knew how big of a change this is for me. A lifetime of worry knocked out in one night. Praise Jesus!!