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Well, for those of us whose RC is still a month and a half away...we can use all the encouragement we can get...♥️

All this stuff about following instructions as the GT is getting close... it really feels closer than ever

Collage: A couple stay zealous in the ministry while awaiting prophecies leading up to Armageddon. 1. A church burning down. 2. The United Nations. 3. The sun and moon are darkened. 4. Soldiers at war. 5. Jesus wields a bow as he rides a white horse through the clouds. If only this next service year could be the last...

I'm okay with watching the end of Jesus drama in Paradise

The last time I addressed everyone on this forum, I said that I was broken. A little over 2 months have went by since that awful day...and I can now definitively declare that I am past being "broken"...I've been ground into dust. There are parts of me that will never be whole again in this system...because those parts simply no longer exist. I've been left sitting as a proverbial pile of dust...and no, I'm not feeling sorry for myself and I'm not being dramatic. I'm sharing this because after speaking with a trusted friend, an elder who has been with me through my years in prison to here and now today...I now am beginning to have a very different understanding of the word "dust"...and it has strengthened my faith immeasurably over the past few weeks. The scripture? Isaiah 57:15 "For this is what the High and Lofty One says, Who lives forever and whose name is holy: “I reside in the high and holy place, But also with those crushed and lowly in spirit, To revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of those being crushed." Dakah...crushed, pulverized, beaten down or ground down into dust! What a shocking word...what a visceral image that would have brought to mind for our ancient brothers and sisters. Total collapse... absolute vulnerability...sound familiar? It does to me...and that's why I'm formulating this post. These aren't just words on a page, not to me. This is weeks worth of shock, rage, humiliation, vulnerability, anger, hatred, sadness, fear and concern, loss of control...spilling out of a heart that has been crushed, pulverized , beaten and ground down...a heart reduced to dust. And yet...and yet, I'm still here. Emotional? Yes. At a loss for words sometimes? Definitely. Unable to move forward or backwards at times? Absolutely. Feeling tiny and vulnerable and sick to my stomach with worry and fear? Always. And yet...I'm STILL HERE! Why am I still here? Why haven't I blown away yet? Particles of me have scattered...individual dust motes of me have flitted away in the wind...I cannot retrieve them...and I cannot find the energy to chase them even if I could. So why am I still here? Dust...it's that simple. I'm dust, that's why I'm still here...here, let me explain. You see, I've always had a backwards understanding of dust, even though I've used it symbolically in my posts before, I never really stopped to take a good look at what it actually is...not to humans...but to Jehovah. Dust is not actually the end state of something...it's quite literally what Jehovah used to START human life. Dust scatters easily...and this isn't something I'm talking about from observation...it's something I've personally felt...something I've lived through...AM living through...currently. The wind comes along and WHOOSH!!...there it goes, up into the air...dancing around...lost and alone...helpless until the air settles down and it can land once again. I am dust...I've been picked up and moved along here and there...and yet...I'm still here...I haven't settled in some random place...I haven't been left to the mercy of chance or a good stuff breeze. Why?? Here's what the brother shared with me: My heart may be dust...but Jehovah's holy spirit is like that wind...it lifts up all those tiny fragments and gently carries it along with his chariot...protecting and shielding all the tiny bits of me that would otherwise be scattered and blown away. And JUST when I start to feel worthless...just when I start to feel like I should just give up and slip away, slip back into the darkness...Jehovah's glory lights up the tiny little specks that ARE me...and by that light...I start to glow and shine...just as real dust glows when hit by a sunbeam. So you see...I'm just dust...but that's okay, in fact it's the only reason I'm still here...because someone much much stronger and wiser than me...simply refuses to let me go.

I had forgotten... I am still digesting the convention - this is really quite amazing the bounty at our table spiritual table 🙂

This is something I'd be very careful with. Jehovah has his people on a schedule, for years. Why would any witness do a YouTube search for BS meetings? We've never used such language, (worship services? That's not us) true witnesses dont have YouTube BS postings, its not how we do things and if a witness was doing this I'd be very suspect.. We may have a few sisters that like to review the WT before the meeting but we're not doing BS on YouTube. When I came into the truth I was harassed by apostates. They left notes on my car. The demonstrations in front of the RC facility were common. In my community there was a splinter group, as has happened in years past, that called themselves Jehovah’s Christian Witnesses. Similar but completely not true. So please pay attention to verbiage. We have a common language that identifies Jehovah’s true people.

Convention lunch is a lot of eating here in Nigeria, everyone looks forward to it, it's a jamboree altogether. Several varieties,heavy and oily meals-Tuwo,Eba,Akpu,eguisi soup,Afang soup,Okra soup,Fried rice and roasted chicken 🍗,jollof rice,local drinks-Zobo and Kunu etc I wonder what else is not brought for convention lunch break,almost every variety of food is brought 😂 Sisters begin cooking as early as 4am of convention day to meet up with the demand of convention lunch break, it's a lot of cooking.

What a Broadcasting! Is it just me or are they trying to push something that’s about to come crashing down on our heads? It’s nothing new, but it’s getting more and more urgent. Or maybe it’s just me spinning a web of hope. Beautiful song, indeed!

Me too, I’m still processing convention we finished yesterday, broadcasting will have to wait a week I think 😆 It’s true we have an abundance of spiritual food 🥰

There are some villages with Bible students in Poland too. One support group feom our congregation encountered them 2 years ago while doing rarely worked territory. Our friends witnessed to them as any other denomination.

This picture will give an idea of how convention lunch is done here in Nigeria,we love the excitement it adds to the convention programs

Every time I OD on chocolate the GT begins.

We saw it last night. The Hamas leaders in Lebanon are willing to give up their leadership from what we understand but, not their weapons. So, much yet has to be seen and understood by this. We don't know what this all means as of yet so, let's wait on the governing body.

With the midweek meeting about obeying instructions, Paul at Malta during the tempest, people having to obey instructions to be all saved... + the broadcasting... the Slave is giving good food at the proper time

The reported move by Hamas to dissolve its civilian government and transfer authority to a UN-backed committee is a significant political development. Whether it succeeds remains uncertain, especially since the article itself notes that Hamas had not committed to disarming and that negotiations remain deadlocked. So it is best to view events like this as another reminder that human governments continue to struggle to produce lasting peace—exactly what the Bible has long indicated. Ex 14:13

Interesting. For the last couple of years I have been taking the audio portion of the new original songs and converting them to mp3 format. I was customarily posting them in my Music Collection on OneDrive. That's to fill in the two-week gap between the time the broadcast comes online to the time the song shows up on jw.org. However, I was noticing now (since the last two broadcasts) that the song is posted on jw.org on the same day as the broadcast!!! Now they're getting too quick for me, rendering my efforts to help out obsolete. So this has been fun. If you have been following along, thank you for your appreciation.

Some years back I came across a Russellite in the course of my secular work. I had witnessed to her in the course of conversation while I was working in her office. That's when she told me she was a Russellite. She said they held meetings once a month in a town about 35 miles south of us. Even though I had not known there were any Russellites in our area nor did I know they held meetings - it did NOT make me want to look them up, do research about them or dig any deeper. If someone asked me to prove that there are active Russellites in our area I would simply tell them they could research it - that I have no interest in digging into such a subject. Just because someone asks about another religion does not mean we have to go research that religion to teach them the truth. I would not search YouTube to find out about meetings for Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Mormons, Russellites, Bible Students or any other religion ... I would show someone how to find a JW meeting by using jw.org

I love this new feature for JW Library!!! Here is a screenshot below. This is just 1 way a person can set up their iPad to study the WT Lesson. (Left Side) WT Lesson (MIddle) English NWT (Right Side) Spanish NWT

Sounds like turtle food to me!

Not really comparable at all

Well, the Slave said their intention is to finish the Jesus drama even if it's in the new system. So, there is that...

I think the GT will start in the fall of 2029 and Armageddon will be 3.5 years later in the spring of 2033. I think that when Jesus gave his life for mankind, Jehovah told Satan he had two days left...😁

What do you think is in store for us this month?

I LOVED how they considered Habakkuk ❤️ (Is consider the right word? How they talked over Habakkuk, discussed)

Am I reading too much between the lines or are we guys arguing (peacefully) without reason. person A said: I think there are no more Bible students person B said: no, I think they still exist. I checked online and a YouTube video popped up person C said: no, you can’t study other religions, it’s wrong person D said: but you should get to Know them, this is what FDS says person E said: no, FDS meant something different Don’t we all agree that: - Russell era Bible students still exist - it’s okay to learn a thing or two about another religion - it’s not okay to study too Much about other religions - we all love Jehovah and other brothers and sisters Love to you all 🥰

Me too, exhausted from convention which finished yesterday. It's been a real struggle in the lead up for everyone I know, but we made it!!

@Ishaya Here is the US, on the rare occasion that someone didn't bring something to eat, some nearby will offer something. But, for the most part, that does not happen often. Since the direction from the US Branch is to bring a simple meal for yourself, that is what most do. It is not common for lunch at a US Convention to be a jamboree altogether. It is also not common for ones to come without a lunch ... unless they are on a diet and don't eat lunch - I have seen some do this.

Do the sisters get to sit and enjoy the meetings? We in the States used to have massive cooked meals for assemblies and conventions many years ago. But it was stopped because of how much labor and time it required of the friends. Between the set up, cooking, and cleaning, many would miss large portions of the programs. Now, each person/ family brings food from home for modest lunch breaks.. just to refresh. It seems to me that meals like you describe @Ishaya, especially in the heat, would induce sleepiness in the afternoons.. 🤔

Have you seen this article? Vatican excommunicates schismatic bishops and priests, and warns their followers https://apnews.com/article/vatican-traditionalist-pope-latin-st-pius-6570c6bcc0784f4b9229e20bdec4e5aa Our unity is definitely a miracle.

Yippee!

I can't decide which is worse: having the GT before we finish the Jesus drama or finishing the Jesus drama before we can start the GT.

I used to think that as well but we can’t second guess Jehovah, his ways are not our ways. But with over 9 million witnesses, one of us is going to get it right.

Let your Yes mean yes, Brother Todd !

I’m thinking of household tips, gardening tips. Pet care. Little experiences. How to make sure you exercise, drink enough water. A little visit, and a share!

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/hamas-gaza-government-israel-palestine-b3010082.html Hamas announced on Monday the dissolution of its government in Gaza and is preparing to transfer power to a United Nations-backed technical committee as part of a US-brokered ceasefire deal.

Did anyone see the headline from PBS news :" HAMAS SAYS IT HAS DISSOLVED IT'S GOVERNMENT IN GAZA TO TRANSFER POWER TO A UN-BACKED COMMITTEE"? Just saw it today in my Google News feed. Thought it was very interesting considering what Jehovah's people know has to be fulfilled before the end can come! (Sorry I don't have the direct link, don't know how to do that)

Reading your comment about being dust made me recall a verse in Isaiah that says: do not despise the day of small beginnings. Everything starts small. A child starts as fertilized eggs. The earth started with Jehovah's spirit roving back and forth. Every business starts with an idea. A spark in the brain. So do not despise the day of small beginnings. Rather cultivate the mindset of being open to make it grow and willingness to ask and receive help and guidance. A little conversation with a fellow elder helped me in my recent health crisis. If I had not followed through I would have considered myself chronically ill. A little verse, a comment at the meeting, a smile could be the lever that would lift up that dust and give it life. Be open to that possibility because Jehovah works with style. Sent from my moto g stylus 5G - 2024 using Tapatalk

The only thing I know for sure is that she has some type of temporary housing and she was approved for universal credits. I didn't report that though to anyone here really because from what I'm hearing, it's only temporary and they could pull all of that away from her in an instant. I don't want to celebrate too early because they're raking her across the coals. A lot of it has to do with our house here, they're basically saying she is on the title so she is a homeowner therefore they have no duty to care for her. But a bigger part of it is the fact that they are simply making her wait wait as long as possible before they help.

Likewise Tim, I appreciate what you explained. Makes sense and its beautiful. We are Beautiful Dust to Jehovah. Jehovah takes care of us and loves us despite that in reality we are all dust! Take care dear brother. You are not alone in this saga.

I really appreciated this, Tim. It made me think of Psalm 113:7. You highlighted that dust was Jehovah's starting point. That scripture reminds me that even when someone feels they've ended up on the ash heap, Jehovah still reaches down and lifts them up. Thank you for giving me another way to think about those verses.

Yes, it looks great. I saw it on my iPad app yesterday and took some screenshots.

I would like to see this multiple-instance on Windows

Oh my my my. Thank you for posting the screen shot. What a treat from Jehovah❣️❣️❣️🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 This is incredible. So I tried it out. It took me a few moments to comprehend how to open another screen but mission accomplished. First picture 2 jwlibrary screens AND the Notability app for note taking hand written and typed The second picture 2 jwlibrary screens open to Bible and Tract and a downloaded a Watchtower PDF to Notability. Third picture 3 screens open to home page of jwlibrary. Can’t wait to play with this for optimum use😝 Using an iPad Air 5th Gen.

Do you have JWPUBS installed? If so, that is the extension adding that! That is not native to JW.ORG 😅

This splint started about 50 years ago. But, now Rome is really irate with the division of church. Could it be the beginning of the string that we are awaiting? For awhile now the news have been nothing but a ball of yarn. (Where does one begin?) However, this could be or not something to wait and see what the GB says if anything. We continue to wait. One thing for sure, the news have been replete with astonishing and amazing reports that we have not seen the like of. All packed in together. Has anyone seen the meeting work book for December? There is an interesting graph there. (food for thought).

Well, we could see a remake after John the Baptist is back 🤪

After the resurrection so the original people can recreate their roles?

I recently read an analysis of the popularity of Brown’s Da Vinci Code. It turns out it to be so great best seller because so many public figures on the Catholic Church directly opposed it. It drew so much interest that it sold in ten of millions of copies despite being literary weak position. Direct confrontation and opposition usually gives the opposite effect. So it’s wise not to directly engage with apostate and/or accusatory content. If something requires attention, I’m sure legal and OPI will take care of that. On the other hand, its absolutely necessary to be visible. People need to know us. We do share the good news. And as Jesus said wisdom is proved righteous by its actions. Thats why the new IG/TT accounts are so great - they provide visibility and are positive.