My story of the cult I was in part one

When I joined my first marriage was in ruins due to my first husbands drug abuse. I was emotionally not in a good place I was 26 years old and looking for somewhere to belong. I was seeking a divorce but I still loved him deeply. I phoned the Jesus Army and was invited to the local house. The lady who picked me up looked elderly and frail but she was very lively in her spirit when speaking about God and her church. The others at the house were friendly. I was asked to stay for a meeting which was lively singing. I was very attracted to the warm welcome I received and the lively songs. Things stayed welcoming and then suddenly the house closed down and I moved to a new household in Milton keynes. Plus also I was invited to Northampton the big meeting there was even more impressive. The marquee was in the garden of a large house. There was lights smoke machines, electric guitars. It was like going to a concert. By this time I was smitten with this way of worship. To be honest it was more about the music than anything. The leader shouted at everyone 'don't stand in the desert! Go in go in go in!' I had no idea what he was talking about. They didn't give us and bible study and I was a beginner. I was involved in Northampton alot going out on the streets doing evangelism in their brightly coloured buses. By now I had a Jesus army jacket as I had taken what they called 'covenant' where you pledge allegiance to God and the church. Plus I'd just met a gentle natured guy who I really wanted to date. But dating was forbidden without leader consent. We started to converse by telephone secretly. He worked for a church business and called during his lunch break. After a time we met up again at an event and we discussed getting married and stole away outside secretly to kiss. This is when
everything started to go wrong...
The leader of my household and his wife called me into their bedroom. They said they new I had met -----and they were concerned about the relationship. I told them nothing untoward had happened between us. They were very forceful about it all reiterating about us needing leadership approval to date. There were prper ways of proceeding. I was scared so I told them we were friends. I did later on tell them that we were wanting to date and marry. By this time we had flouted the rules and moved in together. This was not taken well especially because he was living in community and had been pushed into celibacy and was now leaving. More meetings ensued and it was decided we should marry ASAP. At this time someone had stolen my savings from my bank account that we were saving to marry so we couldn't afford it. I still don't know to this day how the money was stolen. One of the women in the household wrote me a nasty letter and another told me I was commiting adultery despite my first husband and I being divorced. Leadership revoked our rights to take bread and wine and my right to sing in the meetngs. We were given hard stares ofvdisapproval. But we were terrified of leaving completely because of all the brain washing we had received so we decided to marry and the church paid for it.