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April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Cec has four resources on the topic of sexual abuse. 
When a Man You Love Was Abused
Not Quite Healed
Stolen: The True Story of a Sex Trafficking Survivor
Shattering the Silence Blog
Forgive
“Forgive your failures. Forgive your past mistakes.” The motivational speaker kept on that theme for several minutes, but those two sentences stayed with me for years. Sure, I thought, easy, huh? How do we forgive? It’s not like hitting the delete key on my computer.
That’s the way I thought back then, and I’ve made a slight shift since. It started when I read a quotation from Mohandas Gandhi, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” The context was about forgiving those who had hurt us, but the words also hold true when it comes to self-forgiveness.
For example, last week I said something that, on reflection, was boasting. I realized it too late to apologize (and wasn’t sure what I’d say anyway). But I felt troubled for two days.
Awareness of pride has been a serious issue for the past three months. At our church each Sunday we have a time of silent confession. Pride seems always at the top of my list.
“Why now?” I asked God repeatedly.
Within minutes I thought of a triple answer. First, I was ready for my conscience (I prefer Holy Spirit) to convict me. Second, people who love me have probably been aware of that flaw and have loved me anyway. They didn’t decide to wait until I was perfect to accept me.
Third, for some weeks I’ve been praying and trying to accept others just as they are. It hit me: This is who I am. I need to start by embracing my flawed self. I can’t say I’m quite there, but I now understand that until I can accept, love, and forgive the man who lives inside me, I can’t fully do that for others. 
Murphey's Maxims
Personal News
  • March brought a number of stay-over guests, beginning with writer-friend Jim Pence and his wife, Laurel, followed by Jim Watkins, another writer friend. Shawn and Suzanne Kuhn finished out the month to work on a book that we started in November of 2014.

  • April 27–30, I’m scheduled to speak several times in the Jamestown, NY-Erie, PA, area. That’s my last scheduled event where I’ll leave metro Atlanta. Retirement is creeping closer.
     
  • May 5–6, I’ll speak for PENCON, the only conference for Christian editors in the Christian market, here in Atlanta. I’ve known many of the editors for years.  

  • This month, I plan to start serious volunteer work with the Toco Hills Community Alliance, an organization that cares for the needy and homeless. My first duty is to set up a monthly newsletter for them. I think I can do that. (If not, Twila is still around. 😊)
Cec is with Susan King, Associate Editor of The Upper Room, at the Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat.
In March, Cec participated in a Hunger Walk with his church. His group of 14 people raised almost $5,000 for hunger. 
The Twila Zone--News from My Assistant, Twila Belk
What joy for me to have the opportunity to speak at Rozetta Baptist Church in Henderson County, Illinois, on March 22. The Ladies' Night Out was my first event since being diagnosed with breast cancer last March. My stamina isn't what it was before chemo, but I had great fun, and it appeared that the ladies at the event did too.
Mary Kenyon, a friend of mine (and Cec's), told me that her husband's oncologist said it would take one month to recover for each week of treatment he had. That encouraged me and served as a reminder that I shouldn't be so hard on myself when I can't do everything I think I should be able to do. I have many more months of recovery time ahead of me, and I'm grateful for an excuse to give myself a break now and then.
As this newsletter goes out, I'm in Pittsburg, Kansas, at the Called to Write Conference. I did one keynote talk, taught three classes (twice each), did a Q & A time with fellow teacher/keynoter Kathy Ide, and met with conferees for one-on-one appointments. I enjoy encouraging writers and hanging out with them.
I'm delighted that I've recently been asked to teach at the WordSowers Christian Writers Conference in the Omaha area April 28-29. I'll also keynote the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference June 22-24.
I'll speak for a local MOPS group this month, and I'm scheduled for a ladies' event on May 20 at Our Savior Presbyterian Church in Argo, Iowa. 
After wrapping up all those events, I'll celebrate by having reconstruction surgery on July 11. Woohoo! My motto this year has been The Best Is Yet to Come and The Breasts Are Yet to Come. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)
I continue to be a regular contributor to Positive Note Magazine. My latest article is "Thinking" (see page 4). I look forward to partnering with Positive Note Network in another role in the days to come as they lay the groundwork for Positive Publishing, a concierge house. 
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