Now that you are no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses, from the organizational standpoint, how do you move forward? Who do you congregate with? This is very difficult for me as I have studied with Jehovah's Witnesses for a long time but did not become baptized and have since read books and articles from persons who were previously witnesses. My goal is to serve Jehovah, but if I am not to "forsake the gathering of yourselves", what do I do? When do I become baptized? Where? I feel that I am in a very confusing and unhappy place and I continue to pray to Jehovah in Jesus name for strength and understanding.

There is really no comparison or similarity of our personal situations. To illustrate the point, I attended and participated in meetings at the kingdom hall up to the point when I was disfellowshipped, around the time of the 2005 Memorial. At this stage however, I cannot follow the apostle’s admonition to not forsake the gathering of yourselves together even if I wanted to. After all, the purpose of meeting together is to encourage others to love and fine works. That is not possible for a person who is disfellowshipped--especially for one who has been branded as an apostate--such as myself. My very presence in a meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses would have a discouraging rather than encouraging affect.

However, you are in no such situation. You are free to do as you wish. Your not associating or getting baptized is a result of your own choice and determination.

Jesus once advised his disciples to walk in the light while the light existed because the night was coming when no man could work.

With that in mind, I would encourage you to go forward in the program laid out by the Watchtower while you have the opportunity, because the time is coming when it will no longer be possible to do so.