Chanukah Challenge:

I know some people will have to think about this for a few days so I decided we'll get a head start. All us forum users already know how much we gained and there is to be gained from using this venue properly. We remember that first post wondering if we should risk writing about ourselves, or if anybody would be interested in reading or responding.

Well here is a big welcome and challenge to all of you lurkers out there who need that final push. WE ALL ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU HAVE TO SHARE! I'd like to challenge at least one of you per day of chanuka (of course you can start from today) to summon enough courage to make that first post, and change the course of your life forever. Let it be your own small chanuka miracle.

Anyone with ideas how to entice new posters, please post.

I promise I'll give you karma! Just use promo code CHNKACHLNG.

                                   Grant

Are old lurkers allowed to participate?
I'll take a glass of woodford any day instead of the karma.
Or an installment in the story time section from you.
Harry's son was a good story.

Brilliant idea grant,
I lurked around for at least 2 years until the forum only became accessible to users. 

lionking wrote on 08 Dec 2020 20:10:

Of course old lurkers welcome, if they start posting about their struggles and can help and be helped. Woodford is definitely available instead of karma, virtually of course. But an intoxicated lion?!?

What's this story thing? You want me to make one up? I don't know any Harry or his sons...

Sooo.... where are these lurkers?

Perhaps he meant Chana and her sons? Either way, that would be great bait for a lurker; i.e., stop jumping between 2 worlds (see Melachim A, 18, 21) and throw yourself all in. And smash your yetzer the way you would destroy a bottle of Woodford (I actually prefer Jack or Larceny).
Oh, also tell the lurkers that once they get into shviras hayetzer mode, it will become their "project" so the need for the other outlets that they are afraid of letting go of - actually diminishes. (Big talker, I'm only on day 18....)
You're the man, Grant

Anyone to accept the challenge?!?!?

Anyone feeling brave?!?

Anyone with something to share?!?

*

Wannabepure2 wrote on 09 Dec 2020 01:33:

MIRACLE #1 BY: Wannabepure2.

173 DAYS! INCREDIBLE! 

Welcome!!! Thank you for joining and posting. You are the very first hero of the challenge! 

I'm going to write something that is 100% true. I just posted on my thread that the past few days I am having a really hard time. Reading your post really helped me. I can't place my finger on it exactly, but I feel encouraged and more confident. Thank you for that.

Grant400 wrote on 08 Dec 2020 23:00:


Story of Harry's son

Story Time

lionking wrote on 09 Dec 2020 02:03:

@Lionking: Check out the new thread called "The Story Teller". It's a chanukah present.

Grant400 wrote on 08 Dec 2020 16:00:

Ok! Yesterday we had miracle #1 by wannabepure2. He accepted the challenge and shared a little of his story with us for the very first time. Thank you wannabepure2! 

WHO WILL BE TODAYS MIRACLE? 

WHICH LURKER WILL HAVE THE COURAGE TO POST FOR THE FIRST TIME?!?!?!?

Please feel comfortable to share. You never know where you can get chizuk from, and who you may encourage. 

Thanks so much! Can't wait for the next installment.

One thing bothers me, I don't recall giving you permission to use my real name?! This site is supposed to anonymous!

lionking wrote on 09 Dec 2020 23:16:

That was before the COVID era.

Hi all,

I've been lurking for years.

I started m***ing in high school, not knowing it was wrong. However, I did know that looking at magazines at the same time, which I did, was wrong.

After a member of the Hanhala in my school spoke about the topic, and offered to talk to anyone who wanted to come over to him privately, I did.

After that, I stopped for a number of years. That lasted until a few months after I got married. For me, things got harder then, and I started m***ing again, but not with inappropriate pictures again.

Since then, I have been going in cycles of trying to stay clean, fall, try harder, etc. I don't remember having any clean streak longer than about 50 days, except for one streak that was about 165 days.

Each time I fell, my acting out would get worse.

I reached out via email to R' HHM, who was very helpful, and we spoke on the phone a few times.

I had a long clean streak (I reset it incorrectly, so it was really around 230 days), but with Corona things got harder, and I fell again.

I finally reached out to R' HHM again some 56 days ago, and have been in contact with him each day since then, either via texting or calling. His chizuk and advice is sound.

I'd rather read than post myself, especially since I don't feel that I have so much to offer others.

I like reading many of the older threads, which have lots of great material in them. (I actually bumped a couple of excellent old threads recently.) Many of the newer threads also have good material.

Thank you Grant400 for the push to post.

eved41