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 Spiritual: June 15, 2005 Issue [#419] |
  Spiritual This week: Edited by: windacMore Newsletters By This Editor   1. About this Newsletter 2. A Word from our Sponsor 3. Letter from the Editor 4. Editor's Picks 5. A Word from Writing.Com 6. Ask & Answer 7. Removal instructions   "We will find only what we look for, nothing more and nothing less." - unknown - 
 Hello everyone, and welcome to this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter! Your editors are: Puditat  , Ms Kimmie , Erika  , and me, windac. May something you read here provoke a thought, a question, or a memory.  "If our thoughts and hopes are elsewhere, it is impossible to set our faces steadily toward the work required of us." - unknown - In a past edition I spoke about the different ways God speaks to us, but never went into specifics as far as my own experiences go. After receiving an e-mail from Puditat , in which she shared a piece of her life with me, I decided to share a few of my own moments. With her permission, I have included the e-mail below:"My turn to send feedback to you via email. I just think that I will not be able to remain under 1000 characters for the feedback form. I was touched and moved by your editorial this week. I could feel your questing, your desire to know more of God. From the church you describe and the history of church life you have experienced, it sounds like you haven't truly been shown the Father heart of God. My recommendation is to pray, pray and then sit quietly, letting his Spirit wash over you. He will speak to you, if you remain quiet. Through this your personal intimacy with God will be developed and grow stronger. I wish I could pass on to you the intimate knowledge of God. But that can only happen between the two of you, a relationship no one else has a right to be in. I'd like to share this example of the relationship I've experienced with God. When my first husband committed suicide, I was, naturally, devastated. Two days after he died, his mother came in and requested all valuable items that belonged to my husband to be returned to her. In my state of extreme shock, I did hand over one item-- a solid gold Rolex. I never should have. As I sat with the most overwhelming sense of grief, betrayal, anger and hurt I had ever experienced, or ever have since, Jesus came to me. He sat me in His lap and lay my head against His chest, cradling me like a child. I could FEEL His arms around me. I felt safe, loved, and understood. Physically I was sitting on the sofa in my lounge. But emotionally and spiritually, I was being cuddled close to my Saviour in a very tangible way. This is the type of relationship I wish all people to experience with God. to know that He is right there. And that in our deepest sorrow, He carries us with love. Dearest Wind, your newsletter was particularly poignant this week. Your openness and searching are to be admired. May your journey to a deeper relationship with Christ be an amazing one. Much love and blessings, Puditat" I am humbled, touched and grateful for her honesty, deep and abiding faith, and willingness to share all these things, not only with me, but also with the rest of the writing.com community. In turn, I'd like to share with you some of my own experiences that have been indelibly etched on my heart and in my memory.  Engaged to be married when I was 17, the only way we could be married in the church he attended was if I became a member. The way it worked in this particular Baptist church was this: 1) you were saved and 2) you were baptized. (To be saved means that you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.) During one service when I was ready, I raised my hand at the appropriate time. Several days later, the pastor and a deacon came to my house, and right there in the living room, I was saved. There was prayer, a lying on of hands, and I accepted Jesus into my life. I have never before, or since, felt so cleansed in mind, body, or spirit. There's not another moment in my life that has more meaning or significance. My father suffered with congestive heart disease for 15 years before it finally took his life. Six years ago, as he was nearing the end, my brother had been telling me that I needed to come home, and soon. This meant that I would have to fly, which I hate, and which I really couldn't afford, so for weeks I kept putting if off. I awoke one Wednesday morning and my first thought was, "I need to go home this weekend." The sense of urgency was so strong that I made flight reservations for Friday. At this time my father was in the hospital, so this is where my family and me spent most of Saturday. Upon arriving at my parent's home late that afternoon there was a message on the answering machine from my husband, telling me to phone home immediately. I called to hear the most horrific news imaginable - my stepdaughter and her 4-month-old had been found murdered. This is another story in itself, and one that I will not delve into today, but the point of sharing this with you is this: Because of the ensuing trial, had I not gone when I did, I would never have gotten to see my father before he died 3 months later. It took a long time to realize that God had spoken to me with that strong sense of urgency, telling me I had to go then. In the midst of such overwhelming grief, not only for my stepdaughter and her baby, but for my father as well, this was a true blessing! I will forever be grateful that I had the chance to see my Dad one last time. Several years ago my youngest son, who has ADHD and who was then 11 years old, was in the grips of a painful and rather personal crisis. This was to be the precursor to weening him off medication, for good. He had always been a rather shy, albeit very active, child. Even so, during this time he was upset to the point of panic - calling me at work umpteen times a day, clinging to me like there was no tomorrow, and crying every morning as I left for work. I had made an appointment for him to see a counselor, but it would be a long, four week wait. The next morning as I drove off down the street headed for work, this child was literally following me, crying the whole way. I cannot tell you how much that haunted me - how much that hurt! As I continued driving, tears streaming down my own face, I literally screamed at God, "I've done all I know to do to help my child... I've made an appointment, but how are we supposed to wait four weeks?" I arrived at work to find a message on my voice mail. The counselor had called, leaving a message that there had been a cancellation and asking if I could have my son there in 40 minutes! No one can tell me that it wasn't God answering my heartfelt plea for help. When I first started seriously writing, I found myself confused and doubtful. I really thought that since God had chosen to give me this gift, that He was the only thing I could, or should, write about. I know it sounds silly, but this was the dilemma I was facing. Every short story, every poem I wrote, I felt God should be in there somewhere. I fretted and worried about this for several months. Then one day on my way to work, I had what can only be called a visit from the Holy Spirit. The entire "encounter" lasted for maybe 10 to 15 seconds, but stopped me in my tracks. It was as if a dazzling light shone directly into my mind as a voice simultaneously said, "It doesn't matter what you write, but it should all be for the glory of God." My eyes widened, my jaw dropped, and I whispered one syllable, "Wow!" With that one syllable, it was over. I have so wanted that feeling again! But what I hadn't realized before that moment was that God was already in everything I wrote. This last winter I went through a very despondent period that lasted several months. It could've been due to the fact that my 50th birthday was bearing down on me, that my body was changing, that my marriage was changing, or more likely a combination of them all. Needless to say, I felt unattractive, unwanted, unloved, and not the least bit feminine - not the way any woman wants to feel. And then, I had a dream like no other I've ever had. Now, you must know at this point that I don't have normal dreams. Mine are always bizarre - most times downright scary. I don't like to dream, and have gone for long periods of time when I don't, or if I do, I don't remember them. In this dream, I was walking in a huge, cavernous place with many rooms and many people. Actually, I was being led from room to room by a man I can only describe as looking like the character Sahid in the television series "Lost", an extremely handsome, well spoken man from the Middle East. He had his arms wrapped around me as we walked, and not one word was spoken. I felt so beautiful, loved, desirable, - so much a woman - yet there was nothing sexual about it - not in the way in one usually thinks. I awoke with the most tremendous sense that I was loved completely and unconditionally. This was another "wow" moment for me, and I'll take a dream like this anytime!There are so many other moments I could speak of - spiritual conversations that turned inexplicably toward the very thing that had alluded those involved just moments before, and with a light-bulb quality that astounds - other short, but very vivid dreams that would have no meaning for anyone but me - and times when I've heard or read just what I needed to at just the precise moment I needed it - moments when an explanation of mere coincidence will simply not suffice. Yes, I'm on a quest, and yes, I want more. And it's not because I don't believe... it's because I do. And Puditat - the journey so far has been amazing. May it never stop! I've created a survey to gather information for a possible future edtion of the SNL. I'd appreciate it if you'd take a few moments to complete it.
Thank you all for tuning in again. Until next time, may God touch each and every one of you as only He can!  Love, light and laughter!!! ** Image ID #811949 Unavailable ** Image created by Fictiøn Ðiva the Wørd Weava  .
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Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter! http://www.Writing.Com/main/newsletters.php?action=nli_form  Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter! http://www.Writing.Com/main/newsletters.php?action=nli_form Don't forget to support our sponsor!
 Thank you to everyone who took the time to send feedback. It's always welcome and most appreciated! I apologize for not responding to each individual person. Due to increased pressure and activity at work, and the extra commitments that come with the end of the school year and summer, I've simply not had the time to spend here that I would like. Please know that your comments mean so much, and might possibly spark a future edition. God's blessings to you all! Per a personal e-mail from Qwyksylver Just finished reading your article in the most recent newsletter and wanted to send a quick 'thank you' for your insights and your perspective. Though I attended church until about the age of ten, as an adult I've never been a church-goer, unlike the rest of my family. At best I think I'm basically an agnostic, though when really pressed I will confess to being a Taoist. Both your editorial writing and your poetic voice are awfully hard to find fault with, you seem to have an instinct for both the tools (language) and the content (thoughts) needed to write well. Thanks for your continued gifts :) ~~~~~~~~~~~ Submitted By: dream_child Wind in My Wings, You have truly delivered an exceptional newsletter! It never fails that the right words that I need to hear I can always count on the Spiritual Newsletter to deliver. Your encouraging words have been true to form because on this day, you have been the wind in my wings. Thank you and keep up the good work! Nikki Submitted By: winklett  I enjoyed your honest, thoughtful words this week. Something tells me you will do just fine. I think the whole subdued church/loud church thing is interesting, too. I think it's all about what you're used to, what you grew up with. I was raised in an upstate NY, Catholic parish where if someone shouted "Amen!" I think I would have jumped out of my skin! But I am fasscinated by that whole if-the-spirit-moves-you idea. Halleluia! Nice newsletter. Amy ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Submitted By: mgsnider Submitted Item:
I truly love your work. Your questions about God and religion have been my questions as well. For me, religion has more to do about control, power and domination, as well as collecting money, than it does about being spiritual or learning the Truth about God. I just posted my favorite poem that I have written called, "Spirit" The Truth lies within each of us, not in what someone else tells us it should be. I hope you enjoy! Mike ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Submitted By: PlannerDan Wind, your editorial was very insightful, as usual. You ask the questions that we all ask. To be huam is to ask questions--to sometimes doubt. What is significant is that through those times we can become stronger and more confident in what we believe--even if we don't find the answer to our questions. I sometimes feel that it is the journey that is important rather than finding the answers. After all, we are to 'walk' with the Lord, not 'stand still' with Him. I'm glad you're back ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Per a personal e-mail from mgsnider WOW, I truly loved the River. You have very succinctly stated most of what I believe and you did so very beautifully. I am going to offer some of my thoughts that coincide and counter some of what you wrote in the newsletter. Religion: You stated that church can not quench your hunger nor the bible slake your thirst (pardon my paraphrasing) I believe that this is so because the church was never designed to be more than a way to organize common thought and exert power and control over the masses. It may seem overly negative, but I also believe that the church was originally made part of the state in order to bring money through tithes into the state/church coffers. The Bible: I have come to believe that the Bible is an incomplete document. Edited and changed throughout history to reflect what a male dominated heirarchy wanted the masses to believe in order to keep them under the control of the powers that be. There are many other wonderful manuscripts, texts and other writings that, in my opinion, should be included in any true "Word of God". Are we not all "Sons of God" and is not all that is written, in some fashion or another, the "Word of God?" The teachings of Jesus as depicted in the Bible are a very limited view of what I have come to believe that Jesus was all about. He was so much more than what we have been taught by the Bible, and he believed and taught so many more things, but in some ways, those things were in conflict with what the male dominated heirarchy of the time wanted people to know. One great text, that is changing the world, is The Course in Miracles, believed by many to be the teachings of Jesus himself. If you are not familiar with the Course, I highly recommend that you look into it. It may well answer some of the questions you have about church, religion, the bible, God and Jesus. It did for me and I haven't finished the Course yet. I am in the process of writing a book called, "Cosmic Dancing, The Evolution of a Soul," which describes in much greater detail my views on religion, reincarnation, and what I believe is the truth of why we are here. I hope when it is finished, you will find it to be an interesting read as well. Okay, enough rambling. I just wanted to let you know that I am thrilled to find a forum in which we can discuss these issues. I am very interested in all sides of the discussion!!! Thanks for all you do!!!! Mike Have a question or comment for the Editor? http://www.Writing.Com/main/newsletters.php?action=nli_form
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