Dear Pat:

I looked up “The Way” and The Power of abundant living (the class) and couldn’t get much information that was helpful to me in trying to understand your brother. I learned that The Way International (Wikipedia) does not believe in the Trinity, for example, but that doesn’t help me understand. In Wiki it reads regarding their beliefs: “Once a person is born again, they receive ‘holy spirit’ (which is not part of the trinity) and cannot lose it through any sinful acts”-

That is the closest to being helpful to me, maybe, in understanding that your brother has that ‘holy spirit’ regardless of his financial sinful acts. What are the beliefs of “The Way” that he stated?

You mentioned your experience as a child or teenager (?) when your father introduced you to “important men” in the restaurant and how that made you feel special. You also mentioned your youth with your brother, how he took you for rides before you got your license. You wrote: “I know things change but I never thought his (brother’s) love for me would”-

What changed may not be that he loved you then and does not love you now. What changed is you are no longer a child. When we are children, there is magic in how we view our families and life in general. Parents (and older/ idealized siblings) seem greater than life, magical. When your father introduced you to important men in the restaurants, that was magical. If it happened NOW, it wouldn’t feel magical.

When your brother took you for those rides, it felt magical. If he took you for a ride presently, it wouldn’t feel magical, would it?

As a child, a very young person, some things appear more beautiful than they are. With your brother in the car, you felt so good, that it FELT like he loved you. It felt like a very special time. But for him, it may have been just another day. He may not even remember it.

I read the rest of your post, a bit about the history of your marriage and your children. Your son’s troubles. I do hope they are indeed both doing well now.

At this point, your thoughts…?

anita