Ok, I'm sufficiently rested from camp and have caught up on my e-mail/blog/news. I'm in the mood to celebrate.Disclaimer: Beyond this point you may encounter heathen pop music. Read/listen at your own risk. Do you know what's worse than a maliciously sued woman? A group of maliciously sued women partying!I've been having fun reading news… Continue reading Three Women Celebrate
Author: Julie Anne
The News and My Thoughts
As many of you know, I have been at a Christian high school summer camp as a counselor since Sunday. We had been expecting the results any day, so I had my smartphone which is really pretty much useless when you are in a remote area. There's one spot out by the flagpole where I… Continue reading The News and My Thoughts
Judge’s Decision
I just got off the phone with my attorney, Linda Williams. WE WON!!! Every single claim of defamation was dismissed, Hannah's, Meaghan's, and mine - even the one about the sex offender that seemed to be a sticky point with the media. I'm having a hard time typing this and don't even know if I'm… Continue reading Judge’s Decision
Christian Summer Camps
This has to be quick. So at camp today, I was talking to a counselor who just got back from a month-long camp where she was a counselor. She had a disappointing experience for a number of reasons. The primary disappointment was that she thought the staff focused more on numbers for the wrong reason.… Continue reading Christian Summer Camps
I’d Love to Know
I'm at camp now and typing this Sunday morning. The counselors will eat breakfast soon, have a Communion service and then we will have training for the counselors. Campers come in around 5 or 6PM. I am in a cabin with 12 beds. Nine young ladies will be in our cabin. My friend who was… Continue reading I’d Love to Know
No News is Good News?
A number of people have been asking if I've heard anything from the judge on the court hearing. I have not. There seems to be confusion regarding when we would hear something. I heard the judge mention the date of July 23rd and couldn't tell whether that he meant we would hear by the 23rd… Continue reading No News is Good News?
Independent Churches = Recipe for Spiritual Abuse?
** We were taught submission at our former church:Â children to parents, wives to husbands, husbands to Christ, congregants to pastor/elders, civilians to governmental authorities. Most churches have a check and balance system in place to ensure that there are no abuses going on in church. Â Here is part the doctrinal statement from our former… Continue reading Independent Churches = Recipe for Spiritual Abuse?
Rough Week
If you have some extra prayers, I would like to ask for you to pray for me and my family. This is hard. The lawsuit decision is hanging over my head, but I'm not sure my funk is all about that, though. The harder issues for me right now are spiritual abuse and how it affects… Continue reading Rough Week
Outside Family Members: Why Are They Shunned?
After this busy weekend with the court case (no ruling yet), spending wonderful time with my friends and a little birthday celebration, I woke up in a funk. Two e-mails were pressing on my mind and then I realized, no, there were actually three e-mails that arrived over the weekend that described the destruction… Continue reading Outside Family Members: Why Are They Shunned?
Two Important Issues for Me
*** There were quite a few interviews I did, KPTV, KATU, and KOIN, and at one point there were a group of reporters and I think I counted five microphones in front of me with various reporters asking questions (yikes). Â This occurred during a break time at the court hearing which was much longer than… Continue reading Two Important Issues for Me
Court news
No real  news. The judge will mail his ruling after careful review.  So we wait.......
False Teachers Who Mark and Avoid Church Members
 I received an e-mail from a missionary today who was involved in a church whose pastor used similar tactics with church members as my former pastor.  He sent me a link to look at and I realized I could easily replace his pastor's name with my former pastor's name;  he said the same thing… Continue reading False Teachers Who Mark and Avoid Church Members
Pre-Court Stuff
I'm in the middle of working on a post and perhaps because of the topic of the post, I'm getting a bit worked up, so I need a diversion. :::::breathe deeply, JA::::::::If anyone is in the Portland area tomorrow and would like to come to the court hearing, you are welcome. It is open to… Continue reading Pre-Court Stuff
My Story – Key Blog Posts
*** I Â began this blog in Feb. 2012 after noticing that the Google reviews I had posted of my former church were being removed. Days after the commencement of this blog, I received a legal summons suing me and three others for defamation to the tune of $500,000. The story of spiritual abuse needs to… Continue reading My Story – Key Blog Posts
A Parable of Suffering
* Â Â * Â Â * I've been excited about this next post and couldn't wait any longer to share it with you! Â The MSNBC.com article regarding my case brought a number of visitors to the blog. Â One person was Craig Vick, who also is a pastor. Â He read the blog and stayed, participating… Continue reading A Parable of Suffering
More Reasons to Bless the Lord
10,000 ReasonsI'd like to use this post to express what we are thankful for as we did a while back. There are a lot of reasons we have to be thankful. What is God doing in your life? What has He taught you recently? What has brought you encouragement?I'll start. I want to share… Continue reading More Reasons to Bless the Lord
No Gossip Allowed in My Church!
*** Great Is Thy Faithfulness Summer and winter, and spring-time and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above, Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand… Continue reading No Gossip Allowed in My Church!
Creepy Pastors and Churches Using Creepy Stalking Control Tactics
*   *   * There have been a few stories of spiritual abuse in the news lately. A kind reader sent me this article from The Christian Post:  Spiritual Abuse: Shepherds – or Fleecers – of God's Flock?  This article starts by discussing the abuse of gaining members' funds through… Continue reading Creepy Pastors and Churches Using Creepy Stalking Control Tactics
Spiritual Abuse Blogs: Christ-Honoring?
Flowers in my neighborhoodThis has been an interesting week or so, none like we've ever had before on this blog, that is for sure. (If you are just coming to the blog for the first time, we had some great discussion in the three previous posts which are linked at the bottom of this post.) … Continue reading Spiritual Abuse Blogs: Christ-Honoring?
The Big Elephant: Contend for the Faith or Not!
Note to Fred Butler: My husband and I discussed this post at length, gave me his approval, and also said that if you want to call him, he knows you have our number. Here is the big reveal. What is the big elephant in the middle of the room that so many pastors and… Continue reading The Big Elephant: Contend for the Faith or Not!
Spiritual Sounding Board 