Happy 2014!

Some comments I would like to share. 
Check out www.soudersentinel.blogspot.com


Also I have sat down with Kevin Kreigh from Dekalb PC Repair.  Has anyone tried to make comments below.  When you want to comment, you will need to sign in with email and your password?  I would love someone to try and see what happens.  Let me know at my email.
shirley.faith.souder@gmail.com!

I will bring an update on the rest of the story in later.  I want to check out some things first regarding this blog.

PART FOUR - THE JOURNEY CONTINUES!

Who knew on December 21st, 1973, that Faith's whole life would take a very huge leap of "faith", three days later.

Christmas Day 1973 was no different then normal.  It would be a trip to the "family's house for dinner and everyone would complain they ate too much, take naps and go home miserable from over eating.

As she went on with her story, the animals all gathered around to hear how God would change Faith's life.  

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A few days after Christmas, the phone rang and it was the client's wife on the other end.  "I want to apologize to you, it seems my husband was mad at me and took that opportunity to throw everyone under the bus.  I truly am sorry.  We would like to make it up to you, I called your employer, and made things right.  And, so we would like to take you out for New Years Eve on us.  Like old times.

"No!"  "There will be another account executive on your business as of Monday, and don't ever call here again."

As she got down on her knees, her thoughts were scrambled, but one to be clear was, she was asking God to come in and take control.  "Thank you God, for intervening, now use this to change my life, I give you the reigns!"

Faith got involved in the local Methodist Church again, and heard that Tony Fontane was coming to the church to entertain and give his testimony.  A good friend of Frank Sinatra, he had been in an accident, lost his singing voice and eyesight.  We had heard he was going around to places to tell them what had happened, because now he could see and sing.  He had given his life to God.  He would really be coming to Auburn, Indiana.  It didn't seem possible.  His testimony was vivid and disturbing.  It caused Faith to go forward and give her life publicly to the Lord.  It just so happened that Tony Fantane had cancer and Auburn, Indiana was his very last stop before he died.  What can anyone say about God's timing and how He works all things together for good.

From there, Faith joined the Tri-State Lay Witness Movement Leader Group of people who traveled to churches and spent the weekends giving their testimony and talking to people about the Lord.  She traveled in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky giving her testimony about being involved in occult activities.  One weekend in particular she was experiencing pains in her ear and head.  She got on the airplane anyway and traveled to Tennessee to give her testimony.  The guest house she stayed in was an older couple.  After her testimony on Friday night the lady remarked about how she had better take down that sun-dial of the horoscopes in her bathroom.  Faith dropped to her knees.  She could see in her minds eye the sun-dial of horoscopes in her laundry/bathroom also.  She excused herself and went into the bedroom to pray.  The pain immediately was removed from her head and ears.  After praying, Faith went back out into the living room and they discussed for hours about how Satan's deceives and causes a blind eye to his devices.   Faith went home and tore the house apart for sun-dials, jewelry, a story she had written about Satan, and other artifacts.  It was quite remarkable how things changed at that point.

She changed churches, changed jobs, changed friends, and began the rest of the journey to Fort Wayne Bible College to become a Christian Counselor.

Stay tuned for next week when an overall update of the rest of the story is explained.

Closing her journal, the reached down for her favorite bunny and everyone  took a well deserved nap.

PART THREE - JOURNEY TO JESUS - 40 YEARS!

"Maybe it was a sign", Faith said out loud as she looked out on the pond.  God's handy work has no coincidences.  We are all his handiwork and that is all that kept her going as she continued through the story.

Her counselor carefully guided her through the forest of her trees.  It was painful to learn so many things about her behavior and where it was taking her.  She had modeling jobs at night after 10 hour days at work.  She found herself working at radio stations, television, and then a big jump to personnel recruiter for Magnavox.  So, it was two jobs in one day and the downtown party scene in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  Faith's ex-mother-in-law also suggested that she finish her high school diploma.
At first, it was very discouraging, but rewarding.  She found that graduating from night school gave her a new lease or so it seemed at the time.  At a local television station she met her current husband
"J" and finding that they were both in the middle of a divorce had something in common.  He picked on her, and she fought back.  Five years later they tied the knot and moved to a smaller town.  Faith still felt compelled to look up her five year forecast, and be a part of the party scene.  They both settled into working and partying.  She enjoyed working for the radio station and he had jobs in the graphic areas.  Faith tried the church scene with no real commitment and soon she became restless and empty.  She looked back over the last few years and wondered what was it she should have done, but this probably wasn't it.

On Christmas Eve of 1973, she was calling on a client for the radio station, took the materials back to the station and went home.  Just as they were getting ready to leave for her parents and an afternoon of make Norwegian Lefsa and opening presents, the phone rang.  It was the wife of the client she had seen earlier.  "So he tells me that he is leaving me and boys for you!" 

It was then that the breath went out of Faith and she dropped the phone.  "J" picked it up and she walked slowly to the bathroom.  Her whole life flashing before her.  Where had this come from.  She searched her mind and comments and communication skills.  She hardly knew what to say to her husband. 

The animals were all drawn up in a tight band now around her feet.

They discussed the situation all the way to her mom's house.  They went to late night Christmas Eve Service.  And, then she knew.  She remembered with a vivid tenacity her summer.  She had been so sick and couldn't even pick up a fork for weeks.  Her doctor gave her special Vitamin B and C shots.
She had sat on the pier and said to God. . ."Well, if you are really out there, then come in and fix me.  Do what you have to do to heal me and fix my life."  She had gotten well, and talked to a lady at the radio station.  It was prayer, someone prayed for her.  And, then she promptly forgot.  As she sat in church with the wonderful drifting smells of candles and incense, she knew.  In her mind she started raising her emotional fists.  "Why?"  "Why would you choose such a demeaning and humiliating way to get my attention?"  From she understood, the woman had called her employer and wanted her fired.

Soon she found herself at peace and quietly began to pray in a very foreign way.  She hadn't done much of that over her life, not like this.

"God, I turn my life over to you, I have no idea what you want or how you could ever straighten this mess out, but here I am. . ."


Stayed Tuned for the Rest:  All her pals just snorted and laid down in disgust.

comments may be received at shirley.faith.souder@gmail.com.

PART TWO - 40th Anniversary!!

The snow was getting heavier now and as Faith peeked out the window she saw her friends coming to the door for their gathering.  She opened the door, greeted them and quickly they all bedded down to listen to her story.  She gave a little nudge to the goat who was bossing the kittens around, and then everyone quieted down.

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Faith began by reminding them where they left off last time by talking about how she felt like she had turned into another person when she walked down that dark hall to her bedroom.  She felt hot, angry, disappointed, confused, and defeated by it all.  She opened the window to her bedroom to take in some fresh air.  It was a cold night like tonight and then the white hot tears began to flow.  She couldn't believe what she heard.  She was not interested in that senior boy, what are they talking about.  By morning Faith was not going to talk to her parents ever again as long as she lived, but of course, that wouldn't be true either.  Upon arrival at school that morning, the typical psychological changes were taking place.  She had a renewed interest in this Steve guy, her friends, brother.  Her interest was peeked about whether he was a villain or monster, or what?  The next months would bring about the exact opposite of what her parents had hoped for.  Faith not only struck up a friendship with Steve, but started hanging out more with her new friends.  They would lie for her while she and two other couples would go out riding together, even going to near-by towns for the evening.  Springtime brought on the final blow with her sneaking out of her bedroom window and running off to her friends house for the night.  What she didn't expect was, the perfect betrayal.  Classmates and people in the town soon heard of the run away and asked her friend about whether Faith had slept with her in her room or her brothers room.  With great gusto and story telling ability, her friend told of how they stayed together in his room.  The small town made mincemeat of Faith and her parents.  Her dad being a teacher, her mother working for the religious college, Dean of Students sparked her parents picking up everything and moving to Indianapolis. 

Faith sat back in her chair and readjusted the covers.  She sighed and went on.  It was quite the shock for her, her parents, and their readjustment to a much bigger city.  The relationship between she and her parents had further deteriorated.  As a 10th grader now, she joined a girls click called the 17 checks and did some cheer leading.  One of the football players, a senior had now taken notice of her also.  Suddenly Faith sat up and said loudly," Oh, and did you know one of the former teachers told me I should find a man and get married, cause my math scores were too bad to ever go to college?"  There were agreeing gasps in the room.  It is safe to say at 16, she was now depressed and wondering what was next.  Her new boyfriend was joining the Air Force in the spring, and talked her into getting married and moving south with him.  Unfortunately, she reported, it wasn't hard to be talked into at that time.  And, so they ran off and got married in another state.  Before he deployed south later that year, she was soon pregnant.  Her dad cried and her mother evidently was planning a very elaborate scheme that would change her life forever.  After her husband went off to his first base in the south, Faith's mother encouraged her to see a doctor about the pregnancy and make sure things were okay.
The doctor was not a regular doctor and during the exam performed a first stage abortion.  Becoming irate and full of the knowledge of what was happening, Faith caused more harm then good.  And, to make the story less then horrible, she lost that child, packed her bags and flew to Georgia ahead of schedule.  On the airplane Faith tried to think through about what had just happened.  Where is God in these kinds of things?  How could this happen to anyone, let alone me?  What had I done to deserve this?  I must be one deranged and horrible daughter, person, woman.

Faith stopped talking for awhile trying to decide where to take this very long and sad story.  All those hopes and dreams of being a pianist, tap dancer, writer, actress, were gone.  And, so after two years of miscarriages, and her husband being sent to Okinawa, she went back home to finish commercial college, and see what path to take in life.  Learning that her husband had taken a geisha girl overseas, she filed for divorced, and started partying with friends.  She renewed her interest in the occult things and began searching her future out of horoscopes.    She did well at the Commercial College.  Her mother thought she should get a finishing school and modeling career going, therefore paying for it.

Sub consciously she knew her new relationship with a Mexican-American family would create more stress with she and her parents.  She married the oldest son and another nightmare would unfold.

Having a career in modeling, teaching finishing school, partying, forecasting futures herself;  it had now become a lifestyle of emptiness and craziness.  Serious alcoholism and gambling had entered into the marriage and before all was lost, she divorced once again.  Her wonderful mother in law (who to this day - calls her daughter) insisted she go to counseling - "You need help!"

Faith acknowledged her anger, depression and did just that.

Looking up Faith put the Bunnies down on the floor and said, "And, we've just got to the tip of the ice-berg, gang!"  Next time I will have yet another huge journey to tell you about.  The one that finally led me to Jesus 40 years ago.  Thank you for listening, night, night!

MY 40TH ANNIVERSARY AS A CHRIST ONE!

As a little girl I remember seeing this picture in the Lutheran Church in North Manchester where I grew up.  I always thought how fascinating it was that he would be standing at the opening of a tomb.
I much preferred the picture of Him standing in front of a big log cabin door, where it portrays the idea  "Behold, I stand at the door;  all you have to do is ask, seek and knock" picture.  Then I fell in love with the picture where he is standing on a rock, leaning over and extending his hand to the little children to help them climb up over the rocks.  I have that picture somewhere in my computer and can't find it.

Artists always have him looking so serene and inviting.  However, I never really knew what it was to have a "Jesus" life changing event come into my life until December of 1973.  I spent most of my life as a youngster playing on both sides of the fence.  I would get this music stand and a Bible and play preacher.  Sing songs and talk to God, or so I thought.  Then the next night I might be found reading ghost stories under the blanket and checking my future with an eight ball.

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When I realized it had been 40 years the other morning, I thought how can I pay tribute to the Lord God - my Savior and Holy Spirit Teacher.  So I thought about my favorite places.  And, who would listen to this story anyway.  Evidently you are, but my special invites were to a special bunch of critters who have followed me to a cabin in the woods.  If I had the time and money I would build it.  For real!  Up on the side of a small incline that over looks the lake at Lakewood.  It would, of course have a fireplace (that somebody tends for me) and a wonderful cozy lazy-boy chair with a fuzzy blanket in tow.  I am a passionate animal lover and so I thought I would tell them my story and you can listen in.   My favorite animals would be a basket of long haired calico's, two female white and brown shih' tzu's, a baby lamb, a baby goat, two baby bunnies,  and everyone has to have a fawn in their midst.  I have just fixed a cup of green tea and we have all quietly settled into a listening mode.

Once upon a time there was this little girl named Faith who loved animals,  and since she was an only child, her teacher, 4-H leader dad decided she should raise bunnies for her project at the 4-H fair.  Her mother, on the other hand wanted her to be inside sewing on the "Joseph" coat she was to make for a pre-Christmas play at church.  Being a strong willed young lady, she snuck out the back door and ran after her dad to see how to feed all the animals.  They had kittens under the porch, and Yapper, first ever dog was running ahead.  "Daddy, daddy, wait for me.  She tried to make both her daddy and mother happy, and almost did it, except truth would have it she was much more interested in the barns and pig pens then in any old sewing machine.  And, especially doing those silly Bible stories for Sunday school.  You see, right there God had His hand on her life because she was still trying to ride both sides of the fence.  Plus she enjoyed Ghost stories, and things that went bump in the night, black magic, the eight ball etc.  When her mother what she doing up there, she would get the music stand out and play preacher for a little while.  That went on until the year of her 8th grade.  Then something very dark began to emerge.  So, maybe it was that sudden move to town out by the college.  They had college kids who rented their rooms.  Her mother was secretary to the Dean of Students, her mother was getting her degree part time, and now she found herself chosen to be on the cheer leading team.  Her new friend Linda and fellow cheer leader,  also had a brother who was 17.  He did seem to pay a little more attention then he needed to as far as she was concerned.   She had spent most of her life on the farm, riding horse, feeding animals, showing them, playing in the woods, and this new completely different thing of living in the city was quite foreign.  She had no grand parents, or cousins to hang out with and so who were these people anyway?   It was about to turn out badly. 

It was a typical sports night and the junior high team had just finished.  It was time for the Varsity [and something they called a school dance afterwards.   It was her first school dance.  Still dressed in her cheer leader outfit she went up on stage and watched the girls pick someone to dance with as they got to choose first.   Linda took her over to choose her brother Steve.   Turns out he was a senior and wanting to date his sisters new friend.   She danced with him three dances, grew bored and moved on. 

Turned out her parents were there and stayed to watch.    Linda her had offered to drive her home.  Which turned into her brother driving Faith home.  NO BIGGY!  She got out, thanked him and went inside.  Waiting for her there was World War III.  She went up the stairs and was called to the master bedroom for her punishment.  Punishment?  For what?  Faith listened in horror about how they had gone to the principal to find out who that guy was she was dancing with and he had helped the story along by noticing that Steve did come to her locker occasionally, and followed her down the hall.  Sorry,  she tried to even remember that happening.   Nothing she said or did made any difference.  Faith was grounded.  Faith would be driven to school for two months and yadda, yadda, yadda.  With great anger Faith turned on her heel and walked down the hall slamming her door!

SHE WAS NEVER THE SAME PERSON AFTER THAT NIGHT!    continued!

(The baby deer blinked a good night, the goat was snoring, the kittens were piled in a heap, the shih tzu's were running in place after the bunnies who were sitting in my lap waiting to hear more)

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