  Spiritual
This week: Edited by: Puditat  
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Spiritual: relating to the spirit or soul and not to physical matter; intangible. Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus
This newsletter explores ideas of the spiritual nature that exists in each and every one of us in an open and non-judgemental manner.
Each editor brings to the newsletter their own backgrounds, experiences, beliefs and opinions. Whether you disagree, agree, doubt or applaud the views expressed, let us all show respect to each other. Together we can learn something about the many varied aspects of the spiritual self and enjoy our differences in true meaning of the Spirit of Community.
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** It's Time to Talk About Me **
I don't think I have ever actually introduced myself formally in this newsletter. I have written for it for a number of years now, received tons of great feedback and some that has made me think. I do think it's about time that I let you all know exactly who I am, and what makes me, well, me.
Some things you will already know, as I would have used certain details to support my editorials. But here is me in a very personal nutshell. Maybe it might help us become better acquainted.
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0-5
I was born the youngest of three children. My mother's last hope for a girl, and she was granted her wish.  My father was always sick--in and out of hopsital, or having dialysis treatments at home. I never knew him as a well man. As a family we attended the local Anglican Church, and I was always bored.
5-12
I was constantly bullied at school from around eight years of age. I was a Christian, I was overweight, and I was a bit of a 'goody-two-shoes'  . It got so bad that my teacher told Mum to keep me at home for a few days so she could talk to my classmates and teach them some kindness. The peace didn't last very long, and when the abuse returned it became more sexual in nature.
My father passed away when I was 12, and I 'enjoyed' a whole week without being teased. At the end of that week a girl spitefully broke a necklace I was wearing that had come from my father's mother. To this date noone has been able to fix it.
I served as an altar girl in the church, and a new priest came along who was very personable. My brothers were at an age where they were allowed to choose whether they went to church or not. They stopped going. Mum, Dad and I left the Anglican church and went to a Pentecostal one in the city, until a 'branch' started closer to us. We went once before my father passed away, but it was to become my regular church.
It was around seven years of age that I started writing and these were mainly poems or songs about God and His creation.
13-19
On into high school I found a group of friends, and that gave me shelter from bullying. Most teachers were great and two in particular I still have a close bond with. During those five years I was in a car accident, one of my brother's was in an accident, I lost a close cousin in an accident where his body was not found for a week, my oldest brother got married - then divorced. I was also rejected for teacher training, which was all I had wanted to do since I was five.
On the up side I won $1000, performed in some memorable dance recitals, and did well in school. I was baptised in water in the presence of the church and extended family members. I started teaching Sunday School, and attended a Youth Training Conference.
20-->
Adulthood was on me then, with the responsibility of work, paying for board, and the rest of 'life'. Mum went to Bible College and chose to board in the city during the week and some weekends. The two youngest of us stayed at home and paid board. I got a job at the local Council, where I was to stay for eight years, progressing through the ranks. I started as a general office 'slave' to where I was an Environmental Planner. I loved the job there, despite the stress.
My brother got a woman pregnant, which shocked me, naive as I was. His daughter is now 13 and is interested in writing also. She is one of my greatest loves, though also one of much sadness as her mother took her to live in Australia. We only see her 2-3 times per year now.
Mum was in an accident which has given her long-lasting spinal issues. The duty of caring for her recovery fell to me, which I resented at the time. Now I am grateful I could do it, and shamed I was so reluctant. She returned home after graduating from Bible College and became associate Pastor at our church.
I got married at 22, widowed at 24. The family of my late husband defrauded me out of both money and possessions. I stopped attending Church as the grief overwhelmed me. Depression, coupled with the stress of my job became too difficult. I received treatment for depression, and went away on a holiday for three weeks. When I came back I handed in my resignation.
I started attending Church on a piecemeal basis, and went to college to study Travel and Tourism. When I graduated at the end of 1998, I was engaged for the second time and full-time back at Church. I attended two Youth Leader conferences, and attended some camps as a leader.
I married my second husband in 1999, and we've been happy, though not without the marital spice of disagreement, for 8 years next March. We have been unable to conceive children, which gives both of us much grief, but we hold to God's promise of childbirth.
I returned to teaching a Junior Bible Class for a few years. Together as a couple we fostered eight children until my heart was too broken at each goodbye. We decided that season was over for us. At the same time we studied and completed a correspondence course, graduating with a Certificate in Applied Theology.
We serve in the Church by the setting up and breaking down of equipment in the public hall we use. From time to time we are given opportunities to speak (preach), though not as often as we'd like. I type up the church newsletter every fortnight as well as producing other documents and songs, and I head one side of the Prayer Chain. I prophesy regularly, and am blessed by God with songs and words to speak out during worship. I am also honoured to have been able to minister to others in our church family, and have seen two people I prayed for receive baptism in the Holy Spirit. We both want to be Pastors, but are waiting on God's timing and the opening of doors.
When we married we determined I would not work, but through the fostering I started doing some relief work at preschool. I ended up relieving for three different preschools until I wanted, and needed, a change. Locked into the extra income we had been enjoying, I did not see returning home as an option, so I applied for a 10 month contract at the city museum. I was successful. At first I loved it, but after the shine of newness passed, I saw the cracks. I extended the contract, but ended up leaving before its end after being sexually harrassed by a co-worker and continually sidelined by employers.
My husband supported me returning home to pursue writing full-time with the knowledge that any income was far-off, and far from guaranteed. To date I have seen no money from my writing, but I believe in my heart that I am doing the right thing. I am hoping my novel will be ready to start sending to publishers by March next year, but it has been a long and often arduous process - though very fulfilling.
God is bringing my husband and I into a new phase along with another couple who are two of our best friends. We are setting up a community youth 'hang-out', starting next year. The aim is not to preach, but to provide somewhere safe and healthy for all teens to go on a Friday night.
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Life has thrown many adversities at me, as it has to all of us. I have also known tremendous joys, but believe even greater joy is yet to be known.
The only one true constant throughout my 35 years has been a faithful and loving God.
I attempt to be no more in life than a loving and faithful daughter. This is the heart my editorials are born from.
Thank you for your time.
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Another good letter. Personally I disagree about Harry Potter... I think magic can be good if used in the right context. i.e, Gandolf. But that is a matter of personal choice. I tend to lean more towards the miracles aspect. Perhaps the person has the ability to do miracles and some do for good and some for evil. Some recognize that their ultimate power comes from above i.e, God and some thinks it comes from themselves.
It is an interesting dillemma though. You have to include evil and make it realistic but good has to win in the end. I get so tired of those horror movies where it seems God is on vacation, asleep or powerless.
werden 
Absolutely, I agree it is about personal choice. My aim in these last 4 editorials was to make people think and decide how far they are comfortable in taking their writing. I was not attempting to place my views on people, but to give my views as examples. You make interesting comments about horror movies; personally they are too scary for me.
I too have thought about this for along time and have struggled with it. Nowadays, if I'm not comfortable with a subject I just won't write about it. I have several stories that I wrote before I gave my life to Christ. They are Sci-fi related and aren't that bad, but they don't glorify God by any means. But, I do have one poem that is in the horror genre that I wrote for a contest (they wanted the sickest, goriest poems). So I wrote the sickest poem ever called "Psycho.” I was very embarrassed by it and this was before I gave my life over to God. Now I have it in my port for "my eyes only" so it won't contradict my faith. I probably will just take it out of my port altogether. As of now, I try to only write articles and stories that are God related and things that inspire people. Thank you for the great newsletter here. It has helped me, and I know it's helped many others who have questioned what is crossing the line with our writing and our Christian faith!
Blessings,
Michelle
Michelle M
It is a blessing to know that my editorials have helped you out. As for your poem, we all have things that we look back on and cringe to think we wrote it, for one reason or another. These are a great tool in helping us define exactly who we are in our writing. Whether it be subject matter, as in your case, style, grammatical errors or a really lame plot. Consider it a valuable period in your growth as a writer. Thanks for sharing.
I have to say I'm a little disappointed in this Spiritual newsletter. There are more paths to God than just Christianity and this newsletter seems to be a forum for Christians to bash other beliefs and/or spiritual paths, than to truly explore the concept of spirituality, which can take many forms. You spent a great deal of time condemning the use of magic. Some people consider magic to be a very important and vital aspect in their spiritual lives and journeys. You should keep that in mind before passing judgment and condemnation. I know Christians don’t take a lot of time to explore other religions to truly understand them, but please try to remember there are other spiritual practices out there besides Christianity, and they are just as valid and just as sacred to the practitioner or the follower. You really should rename this newsletter and change it from the Spiritual Newsletter, which is extremely misleading, to the Christian Newsletter, which is exactly what it is.
lizco252
I am sincerely sorry you felt I was 'bashing' other beliefs. It has never been my intention to, nor will it ever be. I was merely attempting to explain my points by giving personal examples. The whole focus of my editorials was to tell people to come to their own position on these matters. As for the title of the newsletter, is not Christianity 'spiritual'? Thus spiritual would be a fair title, regardless of the inclusion of other beliefs or not.
The content of the newsletter depends on the faiths/beliefs of the editors at the time, and we have had many different beliefs writing for this newsletter, including wiccans. It will not always be totally Christian in tone.
I believe that if one is a true Christian then one will be promoting the only true Way that there is. Theres not another Way. Because its not about being 'spiritual' like the intro to this newsletter says, its about the Spirit of Jesus Christ that lives in us if we are born again believers. Jesus is our only hope of salvation. otherwise we're all sinners that areheading straight to hell. but thank God Hes sent His pure and holy Sacrifice. now if we truly beleive that in our hearts then John3:16 says that we have eternal life. think about it thats the one thing thats going to matter 100years from now. our bodies will die but our souls will go on forever. my point is if we truly believe this then our only concern will be glorifying our Lord now by doing what Hes temporarily left us on earth to do:to reach others with His word and truth. so think of this as encouragement to all the other Christian writers out there. Dont just promote any/all 'spirituality'. make sure that you tell the Truth. He'll show you that He's well pleased with His child. so use your gift of writing from God and stand up for whats true.
audralovely
Thank you so very much for the feedback. This comes as great encouragement. As criticisms come it is easy to lose the way and wonder whether it is time to abandon this task. However each time I come to that question, God brings me back to what is important. For all the negatives, just one positive outweighs them all in His name. Blessings.
Thank you so much for your input and suggestions. I'm in the process of re-writing what was originally written as a youth ministry drama (over 10 years ago!) of a teenage female who met someone and is leaving home to meet up with him. Would like to make the storyline more modern. If you read it now, it appears a little "unrealistic" I want to make it more captivating and genuine.
Some of your suggestions have helped me decide which direction I want to now take in re-creating this story.
THANKS!
chellevett.on.hiatus
That's great to hear! Thank you for sharing a personal example of how this newsletter has assisted you.
This will be the second book I'll be working on, after the big one, Alien Bond, is finished. This story, rather the character Robyn has been in the works in my mind since I was in 8th grade, a looonnng time ago. lol. My beliefs have changed since then, and so has she. There are still aspects of her character that I'm working with to align with my faith. I no longer call her a telepath, but will make sure to let readers understand that she can search the depths of people's souls by looking into their eyes. God showed her whom she could and would help in her lifetime. This has definitely been challenging.
Beth Barnett
Also:
In the novel I'm currently working on I've had to deal with spiritual warfare. Without the dynamic scenes in chapters 6,13,32,38,42,43,49, and 50 where good wins over evil, without damage to flesh and blood, but only restoration, there would be no story. The love scene in chapter 51 was the hardest, but I prayed about it and it turned out well, I believe.Beth Barnett
It is indeed challenging to find ways to deal with such things. But all things are possible because God is a God of impossibilities. He will always provide the way when you look to Him for the answer to a problem in your writing. It sounds like He is already providing you ways to write the story you want to while honouring Him at the same time. Awesome!
Excuse me. I don't wish to shout and be obnoxious. I do wish to be heard when I point out that too many issues of the Spiritual Newsletter contain comments that are very offensive in regard to my belief system.
I am also asking that the editors of the Spiritual Newsletter be sensitive to such belief systems and to discontinue these kinds of comments. Yes, this may be the way that you feel as a Christian. It was precisely these kinds of feelings that burned over a million witches to death in Europe---to cleanse the world from their evil `magics'.
Should comments in the Spiritual Newsletter concerning the belief in Christianity be as objectionable as the ones concerning the way of magick, Christians would cry "Persecution!".
Yes, it is, and I am angry about it.
animatqua
Hi. I noticed that Becky Simpson responded to your feedback in her newsletter last week, but I would like an opportunity to respond, too. I believe your comments were possibly directed at my last newsletter, given the date of the feedback.
Firstly, my response to lizco252 (above) also applies to your comments, but I wish to expand on this a little.
I am a little perturbed that I am being likened to a witch-burner, but I realise it is not a personal comment. The burning and drowning of witches was atrocious, regardless of whether they were 'real' witches or not. Does that mean I agree with witchcraft - absolutely not! Just because I do not agree with witchcraft does not mean I would go around flaming anyone, be it literal or figurative.
My references to magic were examples. If I was vegan I might have used an example of using alternatives to writing about eating meat, but I am not. I chose to give an example of something that was relevant to me.
I have said it before, and I will reiterate it here: I refuse to apologise for my beliefs, and I will not be dictated to about what I should write when it comes to my faith. I cannot promote, or even discuss, something as an acceptable spiritual path if I believe it to be anything but.
I always strive to be 'sensitive' to believers of other faiths - everyone makes their own choice and I respect that decision, however much it grieves or delights me. However I will not let that stop me telling MY personal beliefs. I have no wish to offend anyone, and I believe my editorials are usually not inflammatory. So I do apologise if anyone has found anything I've said to be offensive, for it was surely not intended to be so.
In life we are always processing information - from television, magazines, conversations with friends, mini-scenes witnessed at the supermarket...in fact, everywhere. As we do this we make instant decisions to discard it, or actively do something to change what we don't like about the episode, if it's within our powers. You may, for instance , choose to be an editor of the Spiritual Newsletter to be able to share your own ideas on spirituality.
If something applies or witnesses positively within our spirit, then we enjoy it, and share it. This is what I do -- I present a Biblical perspective with a clear conscience and an open heart. What each reader chooses to do with my offering is their part of this relationship.
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Spiritual: November 22, 2006 Issue [#1386]
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