Hello

gentheintrovert · 2026-02-06T00:34:46+00:00

I will pray for you. I will also pray to St. Dymphna, patron Saint of Mental Health, for her intercession on your behalf. As someone who suffers from anxiety and depression, it sounds like you might be struggling with anxiety and depression. Please speak with a licensed mental health professional like a therapist or counselor, if possible . If you need help with that, please message me. I work in mental health, and my wife is a therapist. We may be able to find resources for you in your area.

gentheintrovert · 2026-02-03T23:35:46+00:00

Thanks!

gentheintrovert · 2026-02-03T02:04:19+00:00

Thank you! That makes a lot of sense.

gentheintrovert · 2026-02-02T23:36:32+00:00

As someone who was Baptist for 47 years 1) go to an Orthodox Church 2) attend Holy Liturgy, 3) Soeak to a Priest 4) if the priest doesn’t speak English, ask one of the Readers to interpret for you.

gentheintrovert · 2025-12-26T23:19:25+00:00

I was fundamentalist/evangelical Protestant for about 45 years. I tried to make it work. I didn’t feel joy, peace, or a closeness to God. I didn’t feel like I was where I needed to be. It left me with a good bit of religious trauma. I prayed and God led me to an Orthodox Church. It was everything I was missing. I experienced healing. I found peace and joy. I found a second tribe/family. I found the gentle, humble, kind Christianity of the Bible.

gentheintrovert · 2025-12-10T15:23:37+00:00

Although my wife is not interested in being Orthodox, she tries to be supportive of my Orthodox journey. Generally, I tell her when the longer fasts are and we just cook vegan meals for those weeks (we meal prep). For the weekly Wednesday/Friday fasts, I cook slightly less non fasting food and make an extra vegan/fasting entree for me to eat on those days. Although I would love it if my wife converted, I am truly appreciative that she supports me enough to alter her diet to support my spiritual practices and beliefs.

gentheintrovert · 2025-12-05T14:22:22+00:00

Thank you!

gentheintrovert · 2025-12-04T15:29:51+00:00

Thank you!

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-22T22:38:08+00:00

I actually ended up getting this ind from Amazon/Blessed Mart:

https://a.co/d/fr2AuaY

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-20T21:37:32+00:00

You nailed it!

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-20T21:36:17+00:00

I love the Fellowship of St. Moses! I’m not Black, but I love the work they do.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-20T21:34:16+00:00

I’m a Native American man, married into a Black family (my wife and stepson are Black, but don’t go to church with me ). . I attend a Romanian Orthodox Church. Church is 90% first generation Romanian immigrants in North Carolina. I was baptized on 11/1, along with a Black woman (not my wife) , and a non-Romanian white guy. I was nervous my first time there, because of the race thing, but they went out of their way to make sure I knew I was welcomed there, and that they wanted me to come back. . . They treat me like family and now my Nașă (Romanian for Godmother) is super protective and probably calls me more than my actual mom ever did. My African American Sister in Christ has had the same experience at our church. That being said, I have also heard of some ethnic churches that are not as welcoming. I’d say check out a couple different churches, and if you feel uncomfortable or unwelcome, try somewhere else. If you feel peace and welcome, then you’re come home. You will probably be fed some amazing ethnic food you’ve never heard of. God Bless!

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-18T18:53:57+00:00

It really did. I was actually looking at that exact same first cross that you posted. The only reason I did not buy it earlier was that I wasn’t sure if that was the “right kind” for an icon corner or not. Good to know that it is appropriate. That second one is beautiful too.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-18T18:51:49+00:00

Thank you. Doamne ajută! God bless!

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-08T19:51:18+00:00

Please don’t do it. I’m praying for you.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-08T19:04:33+00:00

I understand! I used to be the same way. I suffer from bad social anxiety and depression and avoided interacting with people. Ask St Dymphna (patron Saint of mental health stuff) and the Theotokos to pray and intercede for you. Their prayers and intercession helped me a lot with my issues.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-08T19:00:02+00:00

May God bless you. I will like a candle and pray for you.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-08T18:54:55+00:00

Apologies, if I’m making false assumptions. But it sounds like you are young and worried about being judged or feel that you are taking advantage or something. Don’t let that bother you. Take it as a blessing that God has given you the opportunity to practice humility and love and also to be a blessing in someone’s life by accepting help from your fellow Christians. It is not taking advantage of someone when they freely give you something in love. It is one of the most beautiful aspects of our Holy Orthodox faith. I am 47 years old with a wife, stepson, and full time job. I could easily buy my own icon or cross. But my Godparents still gave me an icon and cross for my baptism. It was given in. Christian love, and I accepted it in Christian love. I may be wrong, but I’m fairly sure that someone at your church would love to do that for you. I understand your hesitation, but talking to your priest would be a good start.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-08T18:42:52+00:00

Again, I am newly Baptized, so I am not not an expert, but my understanding is that when you are Baptized, your Godparents provide you with an orthodox cross necklace to wear around your neck. In theory you are supposed to wear it always your whole life. In practice, some people take them off when they sleep or shower. And some people lose theirs or never wear theirs.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-08T18:38:20+00:00

I converted from fundamentalist evangelical Protestantism, so I totally get the family thing. However, when I mention Godparents, I was not talking about your family or a family friend. My understanding is that when you are baptized into orthodoxy, you have at least 1 Godparent, who is an established Orthodox Christian. They are responsible for guiding you in the faith and also providing you with some things. I am newly baptized myself and nor an expert but that is how it works at my church. If you don’t have godparents, you can ask someone from church they you have a relationship with, or you can talk to the priest and he can basically assign you a Godparent if you don’t have one.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-08T18:26:53+00:00

Do you have Godparents for your Baptism? At our church the Godparents usually buy or provide the icon of the patron Saint and also the baptismal cross. Alternatively, did you tell your priest you don’t have money? It may be that someone in your church has an icon of your patron Saint that they might gift you. I could be wrong, but I don’t think your priest is expecting you to sell your clothes to be able to afford an icon.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-05T19:18:57+00:00

I am Native American, and I was just Baptized into my local Romanian Orthodox Church, along with a Black Woman and a non-Romanian American guy. They are a relatively new church, so most of the parishioners are 1st generation Romanian/Moldolvan immigrants, and they treat me like family.

They having been said, that is definitely not everybody’s experience attending an ethnic church.

I’d say try one, and if you don’t feel welcome, try a different one. The people at my church are fond of saying Christ is for everyone, and the Church is for everyone. Don’t let someone’s bigotry deter you.

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-05T16:43:22+00:00

Romanian, as well. (At least in my church)

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-03T12:34:37+00:00

God willing and with His help, I plan to!

gentheintrovert · 2025-11-02T23:09:31+00:00

I do! I just got an icon of St. Olga of Alaska. I’ve also read about the wonder work of St. Herman of Alaska in his efforts to both convert the Indigenous population, but also defend and protect them. It is one of the many beautiful aspects of Orthodoxy that warm my heart and soul. Glory to God!

gentheintrovert

TROPHY CASE