Founder and Editorial Director
I am filled with a grateful heart as I announce the third edition of Just Saying for October, 2017. I am thankful for the on-line pages of this magazine, as it is reaching into many hearts and homes all over the world. Readers have been interacting with me and I encourage you to continue doing so. I also want to encourage you to reach out to the talented contributors of this amazing work of art!
In the wise words of Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
For the past three months I have watched with an overwhelming thankful heart as this international community of contributors has devoted themselves individually and collectively to creating Just Saying. Our writing and videos are providing each one of us with a renewed sense of purpose and meaning. Yet the purposed messages goes beyond this, as without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of individual purpose or of a collective community’s purpose. Without the direction and guidance from God, it is all done in vain. Together our goal is to reach the lives of people, one-by-one, knowing that if we do so, we also help the larger community. For, if we as a community don’t step up to help each other, then who will?
October’s edition welcomes several new contributors to the Just Saying community! Please take time to read the contributors’ biographies. These short descriptive write-ups only capture a brief glimpse of who these fascinating people truly are and what they do. If you should want to discover more about them and how they might be able to support your church, your organization or yourself in areas such as spiritual wellness, fitness, finance, parenting, physical health, emotional well-being, social relationships, or if you are seeking to develop a deeper understanding of their perspectives, many of them have contact information contained within their biographic descriptions or at the end of their articles.
As for us in North America, October signals autumn’s harvest. Together we put aside time to celebrate the bountiful goodness that God has bestowed upon us. As I reflect on all that we should be grateful for, I also question why are we seeing so much hatred and anger in this world? With the recent shootings in Las Vegas we might surmise that there is nothing to be grateful for. Bookstores, magazines and newspapers are filled with content promoting skepticism towards the possibilities of having an attitude of gratitude, as the many authors debate the plausibility of it.
Yet as I continue to contemplate the concept of gratefulness, my mind quickly turns to the many devastating floods and storms that have wreaked havoc throughout Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. These horrific events have caused unheard of heartache and pain. However, I have also watched in awe as people have devoted themselves to the good of the individual and the community. Complete strangers have donated days and weeks of their time for a greater good, the good of humanity with the goal to preserve life. Looking around at the sacrifices of the helpers, we all have much to be grateful for! In times of crisis and need, good always overcomes evil. Why is this so? It is so because we are all created in the image of God, and God is love. God did not create evil, and he did not design us for evil purposes. Sin brought about evilness. We need to be steadfast and to trust in this truth, even in the midst of our storms. I encourage you to not blame God for the evil, but to cling to him when evil happens, asking for wisdom and guidance. God’s faithfulness endures forever, even in the midst of life’s storms!
The contributors of October’s edition have written and recorded stories of truth and gratefulness, some in the midst of a crisis. I encourage you to take hold of the teachings found in these articles and to decide to challenge yourself to a life filled with gratefulness. You might say, “how can I be grateful when life has been so rough on me?” This is an honest question that I do not have all the answers to. However, what I do know is that even when life throws events that are completely unfair and tortuous your way, having an attitude of gratitude might not turn your circumstances around, but it will turn you around to face in the right direction. That direction is pointed upwards, towards eternity. As you read through the articles in Just Saying, decide for yourself to give gratefulness a chance, even in the midst of unspeakable hurt and sorrow.
With grateful hearts, the Just Saying community is one united voice wanting to reach the nations of the world to offer hope, encouragement and healing. By opening up the electronic pages of Just Saying you will experience the unfolding stories that promote healthy lifestyles through relationships, travel, music, faith, family, food, fitness, finance and fun!
I would love to hear from you. Please send your comments and questions to cheryl@justsaying.today.
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