Welcome to Gaia! ::

So, I know a big goal of this guild is to create a feeling of closeness, support, and friendship from other members. Like a family, but less likely to cause drama over the holidays. lol

So anyway, we have the introduction thread, which is great, but I thought I'd make another thread that probes a little deeper. Feel free to share anything about yourself here. It can be funny, it can be serious, it can be a little of both and everything in between. You can share something as extensive and personal as your entire life story, or you can just post you favourite ice cream flavour.

Tell us about any amazing and/or inspirational stories of faith, share your testimony, tell us about why you love or hate your family. Vent about anything that's been stressing you out. Show us pictures of yourself/your family and friends/your pets/you bedroom wallpaper/whatever.

The sky's the limit. Let other members get to know you a little better. Get to know your fellow guildmates better. Who knows? You may find that you have a lot in common with some of us, or find out that you're in a good position to help someone who may be struggling with something you've experienced yourself.

There's just one rule for this thread (besides Gaia's TOS and the general guild rules: I am instating a zero-tolerance policy with any flaming or sign of disrespect towards any member, for any reason. I want this to be a safe place for members to share whatever they wish, without any fear of being judged or put down in any way. People may potentially share information or anecdotes that are deeply personal, and I want every member to feel supported and cared about. This is NOT a debate thread. Anyone whose behaviour is aggressive or hurtful will receive ONE warning. A second offence will result in being banned from posting in this thread. Continued posting in this thread after being banned will result in further diciplinary action.

I doubt any of you needed the long scary lecture. I just really want this thread to be a 100% "safe zone."

So, let's get to know each other better!

I'll go ahead and start off, since I was always taught that it's rude to ask of someone else what you won't do yourself. blaugh Frakkin' A, beaten at my own game. *shakes fist*

So let's see...

-I have a Masters degree in Violin Performance, although my first instrument was piano.

-I'm the oldest of six children, though technically they're all my half-siblings (I have a different biological father; all my siblings have the same father except for me)

-I was not raised by my biological father. I've also never met him and don't know his name, nor do I have any desire to.

- I'm a survivor of sexual abuse, which was ongoing at two separate points in my life.

-I'm a recovering heroin addict. Over one year clean!

-I've known my partner, Henry, since I was 17. I'm 30 now.

-I'm pretty crazy. In the clinical sense. I have PTSD, HPPD, a panic disorder, depression, an eating disorder (EDNOS) and a dissociative disorder. My brain is pretty much a petri dish of mental illness. I try to take as few (and as little of those few) medications as possible.

-I own a cat and two horses. My horses are currently living with my mother on our family's property. My partner also has a cat, but naturally, mine is cuter.

-I love video games. Especially Zelda, Mario, and Starfox games. The new Resident Evil game for 3DS is pretty awesome, too.

-My violin is named Isabella. She's Italian and nearly 300 years old. Easily my most prized posession. I'm not a terribly materialistic person. I could get robbed of most of my stuff and not really miss any of it that much. But if I ever lost Isabella, it would destroy me. Because she's not an object. She's the love of my life. Sorry, Henry. You're a close second, but there's a special part of my heart that can only belong to darling Isabella. She is a jealous, demanding mistress, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

-Most of the music I like has no vocals. I find the human singing voice rather grating in many cases, and I'm not really into lyrics, unless they're especially good, in a good song that's well-performed. I listen to music to...well, listen to MUSIC. If I'm in the mood for meaningful words, I'll read.

-I live under a cultural rock. It's cozy here.

-I buy almost all my clothes second-hand. I also know how to sew, which is helpful, because finding clothes, especially trousers that fit me is nearly impossible. I'm 6'2" and weigh about 120 lbs. I'm too tall for the women's section and too skinny for the men's. I have to make a lot of alterations to the clothes I buy, lol.

-I like to cook more than I like to eat.

-I'm named after a character from classic literature.

-My favourite writer is Oscar Wilde. My favourite novel is The Picture of Dorian Gray. My favourite poems are "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" and "The Harlot's House." My favourite play is Salome. All by guess who? Yup, Oscar Wilde. I might be a rabid fanboy. If you have the time, look up the poems, at least. They're on the internet for free. Just google the title.

I think that's all for now. Looking forward to seeing what others have to share. smile

Hmmm where to start.… *ponders*

I'm a huge klutz. My recent injury was last night when a tripped and stumped my toe on my heel and took out a chunk of skin on my heel. Surprisingly the toe hurt the most. My biggest injury was when I tore my achilles tendon by taking a step. God worked a miracle with that but that story is for another time. I now have a mood scar on my ankle an it changes colors when I get cold. I waddle when my ankle acts up this my nickname Penguin.

I come up with insanely creative ideas all the time. Most of them would never work but it's always fun to dream. When I get a good one it always turns out awesome. Most of the time people won't listen to them so they go to waste though.

I'm a youth pastor's kid, which makes me In a rare percentage of ypk's that not only still go to church but are involved in the church. It's really hard because I've grown up seeing the dirty side of the church that most people don't ever see. Also people want to use my mistakes against my dad and me.

I'm going through a lot right now and it's very hard for me because I don't have an accountablilty partner. My last one died four years ago of double anamonia three days before her birthday. I haven't found a new one because it's hard for me to trust other's with my problems because some have tried to use it against my dad.

I have 56 kids that I claim as my own though they aren't biological. I have numerous little sisters as well. Working with kids are my calling and I love it. I'm mainly called to work with middle school girls. I've been working with kids for eight years because God called me at an early age. Lately He's called me to go to India to work with orphans there so I'm trying to get a job so I can save up to go.

I don't play any instruments other than the comb. You heard that right, I play a hair comb. I'm more of a singer and I sing all the time. I prefer singing accopella or harmony. Apparently I'm a really good singer.

I have a half sister and she is 16 years older than me so we don't really have a sisterly bond. It's an odd relationship to explain. I have a brother in law, two nephews, and a niece.

There is more but that's all I can think of.

Well what's up with me?
I play piano and didgeridoo. In fact I have two. A five foot PVC didge called the didge of time, and a two piece four foot PVC didge with a two foot base amp that deepens tone and amplifies the sound.
I'm a ska punk and I'm hoping to get my Mohawk the first day of summer vacation.
I'm a duct tape artist. I've made duct tape wallets, a duct tape bible cover and, this summer, a duct tape/gorilla tape messenger bag.
I've got four non-biological moms, three non biological Dads, and more non-biological siblings than I know what to do with.

My past is something I'm not quite proud of but it's something that God used to make me who I am, and having God work so deeply in me is what I love about my life.
I went to a very cliquish school and I, being the weird person I am, was excluded and bullied because I wasn't like other people. I had become convinced that I wasn't good enough for anyone. That no matter how good I was at something I was never good enough as me. I felt that about my brother, my parents, my teachers, my friends, and even God. Yes, I had heard the Gospel, but I had never thought that I was cared for.
That all changed when I went to T Bar M Sports camp in New Braunfels, Texas. the theme that year was Stamp'd and the theme song ran like so, "We've been stamped by God; accepted. We are His; approved forever." I was weeping my eyes out, so bad, in fact, that the photographers got a 3-4 second shot of me bawling while trying to clap along with the beat. When I returned from camp, God began piecing me back together after I had been broken apart, and HERE I AM!!!!
God broke me down to build me up again. He took a broken and unwanted David and made him into Punk for Christ and now I'm hoping to go into full time ministry. Doing what exactly, I'm not sure, but I know I'm going to be working for the best boss in the world; Yahweh.

It's to help you from backsliding. You go to that person with anything and everything that is affecting you and your walk. You can open up to them and they will never judge you. It's better than going to a friend that can be too close to the situation and might be bias about it.

Well I sort of jumped the gun, but for a reason. I wrote my testimony out already, but because God has urged me repeatedly to share it when possible, and to spread the underlying message. You can find that here.

In short though, I've had a huge struggle with self-image and identity in the past, but God came in and removed all of it in a blinding moment and allowed me to see my own beauty, which was quite a huge hurdle. I owe God everything; if it weren't for that moment - despite having been a Christian for years - I either wouldn't be a Christian now, or I would have gotten to the point of killing myself. So I'm glad He sorted that.

Music is my main gift, unless you count heart, in which case I have been blessed with two gifts. I have a passion to help people, emotionally, even if I'm not very good at it yet. There's a girl who I'm semi-counselling at the moment, because she's got some huge problems.

I am also on the lookout for a husband at the moment, and although that might sound a little early for an 18-year old, I'm really - despite my childish mannerisms - rather mature. In many ways I already feel 25, and frankly, I want to get down to enjoying my marriage perks ;D I used to wonder why God wanted me single, but I see now that he blessed me with loneliness for the past 5 years. There is no way I could've held out this long if I was in a relationship! :L Also, God called me to mission works in the 3rd world recentl, but specified "after children". So I am sort of...champing at the bit, as it were.


In reference to the idea of an accountability partner on the idea of faith, me and my youth leader became accountability partners about swearing because when I approached her about it, she got a little sheepish and said that she still had a problem with it, although she'd stopped most of it.

Hey. I'm pretty sure I have not posted in this guild yet so I guess this will be a first. Here's a little about me.

~I have never had my father in my life and have only been talking to him this past year, which is not a lot. Still haven't met him. Planning to some day.

~At the age of seven, my mother passed away, leaving me in the hands of my grandparents who have been so wonderful. God couldn't have put me in better hands. For two years I didn't grow because of the shock of her death, which has resulted into my mere shortness compared to everyone around me. It wasn't until middle school that I began feeling the emptiness of having no mother in my life. I started blaming God for taking her away, but at some point, a person told me God does things for a reason and I began to ponder on that. I realize, he may have brought her home so I could learn how to live without her, and because of that, I have been able to help others. Down side, I have a hard time feeling emotions.

~I have played the flute from 6th grad until 10th grade. I have been playing it in church with our praise team for the past two and a half years, and loving it. My last two years of high school, I played the bassoon, which I have learned to love and really miss it now. I do play the mini flute, the piccolo, and I play a little piano.

~All my life, I have been told by people that I can't sing. For the past two years, I have been attending a church camp. It was there I found my voice.

~And I guess the last thing I will about myself is, without the Lord, I would be dead.