Dear Aserb,
I posted a message yesterday about this subject. Here is a copy to you. I would like to hear from you as well.
God bless you, Juliana
Augustine,
 I wanted to thank you for your input on the matter of mixed marriages. I knew my husband for six years before we were married. He is a very honorable man who was brought up in the Jewish faith. Actually, his father is a russian jew and his mother converted (she was italian catholic). I also was a lapsed roman catholic. During my college years, I fell away from christianity and explored buddhism and hinduism. I was confused and searching for something but then basically gave up.  I put my spiritual life on hold. Another words, I forgot about God and steeped myself in worldliness. Looking back, I now see how wretched it was. Anyway, fastforward to finding my husband, falling in love and bonding in true friendship. When we decided to have children we briefly discussed what we would do about religion. I realise now that it is very important for spouses to be in alignment on matters of faith.  It wasn't until my oldest daughter at the age of 4 starting asking me questions about who God is and what happens when we die? that something happened. I think it was that our Lord had mercy on me...heathen that I was...and opened my heart. I can't explain what happened...but one night lying in bed...I dared to pray...and tears of remorse and repentence pierced me with excruciating pain. How could I have turned away from our Savior?? My children (the other one was a tiny baby at the time) deserved to grow up knowing and having the chance to worship in church. Originally I left the RC church because of certain things (papal infallibility, immaculate conception, stance on original sin, etc) so I was wondering where I would go. The Holy Spirit guided me. In the span of a week I met 3 different people who all happened to be Orthodox Christians. I had never heard of Orthodoxy. With my children, I went to my first Divine Liturgy(at a GOA parish) and that was it...our Lord showed me the One True Church.ÂÂ
  Needless to say, there were changes in our lives that my husband suddenly had to cope with...and I must commend him for his patience. It is very difficult at times. He doesn't like that I have changed and become (in his words "religious"). He liked it better when I seemed to be more carefree and breezy. He keeps saying that he hopes this is just a phase and we can get back to normal. But now I think he knows that this is a life change for me. I try not to mention anything about the church so he won't get upset. I just want to show him and my family LOVE. I pray and hope that my faith grows. I want to be able to put my full trust in God. I am just a beginner. It is still a struggle to always have the rememberance of God during the day and to remember to always give Him thanks.  I don't want to go back to the world...temptations are always there to make me forget Him. I am reminded of something someone told me once, "The greatest thing the Devil does is to make one believe that God doesn't exist."  Lord preserve me from forgetting. May I always praise You!!ÂÂ
   I apologize for the long post. I am grateful to have found this forum where I can learn and have support from fellow christians. God bless you all and please pray for my family.
Love, Juliana
