Free From Religion, Needing Community

I have been outside of the institutional church for a while now. Leaving religion behind to experience light and love was my ambition. While I went through years of deconstruction, and enjoyed being “free” from religion, I still longed for the community. You know, having friends that you spent time with that had a common faith.

It’s Not Enough

Community is what I miss, but something else nagged at me for years. What in the world does spirit led living look like? I asked others who had left the church and their answers left me wanting. They said to work, live and be nice to people. That’s what they came to, anyway. My heart said there was more.

Spirit Led Life Is Out There

I had a taste of living a Spirit-led life while living in Africa. Perhaps that is what makes me not want to settle for good ole, “American Dreams” without community. My support was twenty-five dollars a month which lasted mere days. Then I had to “live by faith” for the rest of the month. During the six months that I did this, I never went without, and saw miracles.

Provision

Like the time an African couple gave me five hundred dollars. I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from and an invitation to lunch ended up with five fresh one hundred dollars in my pocket. Then, another time, a German scientist, looking for God in Africa, paid for a renewal of Tanzanian visa’s and monies to travel back to Arusha, Tanzania. Time and time again, complete strangers gave me what I needed and more. I had provision and temporary community.

Miracles Witnessing Truth

There were also miracles in my travels. I prayed for a Muslim man who died of alcohol poisoning, and he opened his eyes. There was the man who had been mute from birth who spoke. The two brothers with epilepsy who haven’t had a seizure since I prayed for them. When I prayed, in faith, things happened. I also preached from my heart. Apparently I was a good orator because people loved me to teach. I found myself finally standing in front of about four thousand people.

Second Sight

These experiences helped me to see, while I was inside religion, that there was something more. During my time in Africa, I wasn’t attending church on a regular basis. My life was wholly leaning upon divine trust, and relationship with the part of me that shared spiritual essence with the creator. I could hear the “still small voice” within me and learned to lean upon that intuition. It was truly, a spirit led life.

God Isn’t Mad

This has led me to the belief that I pass on to you. One that aspires me to inspire others that there does exist a potential for spirit-led communities. Not living a life, working and coming home to do it all again the next day. I don’t believe that life is existing without a greater purpose than living. There is still “Good News” to share. The good news for me is that our creator desires communal relationship with us and that the world needs to know that behavior does not separate them from their creator.

Community

There are places springing up around the globe where people are returning to earth values. They are choosing to take part in a community where all take part and produce. These communities are egalitarian in nature, with everyone serving a purpose. There are eco-villages, communes, co-housing arrangements and kibbutzim springing up all over. People are yearning for more, for the familial connection that runs through us all. I believe that we can create communities such as these, but with a spiritual emphasis. Wouldn’t it be nice to agree to “love God and others” and then share that same message.

Please Check This Site Out and Get Back To Me With Your Thoughts:

https://ecovillage.org/projects/?gen_country=united-states

Available publications by PK Langley

PK’s Fine Art Store where you can find many of the Frustrated Grace Prints.

KINDLE E-BOOKS

PK writes short stories about life. They are in the form of ebooks for $1.37 each. Get them here.

PAPERBACK BOOKS

Religious Deconstruction, The Frustrated Grace Series is now available, with over two hundred comic images on Amazon. You can get a preview of every single one here.

All Things Equal, is an exposition for women and how God

sees them from a very “biblical” point of view. It was what I needed in my first push toward deconstruction. If you are still in a church, and a woman, this is a great book to start. Get it here.

Deconstruction tools

LangleyTown has a specific page for materials that will help you with your deconstruction. There are over 80 books listed here to assist you with your journey. Some I have read, others have come recommended by friends along the way. Find them here.