![]() One of the most difficult things for me is understanding how to navigate purpose. I never want to come off as egotistical, harsh, abrupt, or cocky, but sometimes I think these traits are misconstrued by onlookers. I believe this is because people who carry a message are often very strong in their convictions. Everyone, whether they like it or not, is being ushered into a new world with promises of a utopian euphoria, it is what lens we see this promise from is the confusion. Anyone bringing a message is right in their convictions, some a message of hope, but frequently it feels like despair. I have tried to convey our message with gentleness, truth, and above all, LOVE. When I finished writing An Abomination That Caused Desolation I was overjoyed that I wrote something I believed everyone would get behind. I took something old and made it relevant for the age we live in now. It was an ambiguous prophecy that nobody talks about, and yet it is the kickstart to most end-of-days theology. I was doubt-founded that nobody in religious circles was clever enough to see the connection between Daniel's prophecy and the planned epidemic/pandemic (unsure of what I mean, it's in the book), I couldn't understand why I felt such a strong conviction to write about it. The book is not an attempt to start a new cult following, a new movement out of the church, a new revolution, convert atheists to Christianity, and/or convince the religious right to convert to the new age. It is simply a meager attempt to inform people about deception and lies that we are all being exposed to, and to stay awake. In the past several months I have written blogs to try and get to the heart of issues. Using my habitual manner of thinking through biblical rhetoric, I often conclude that it is our heart that we need to examine and learn to have compassion and understanding with the difficulties that come our way. This was not the original point of the blogs. The point of blogging was simply this, to try to create interest in my first published book. I was so sure that the information contained in the book was going to change lives and help shed light on very controversial material. I still maintain this, but it is up to the reader to grasp the concept, not by coercion, but by their awakening or enlightenment. Anyone who has sincerely read the book has come to me with words of encouragement and praise, to this I have been feeling very humbled, as many times the words that came out of me were... well... not of me. Believe me, I'm not that smart. This past week I was on the ferry coming home, and as I often do, I sat in the lobby to find conversation. I noticed a lady was carrying a book so I started to engage in dialogue with her and her son. "What are you reading?" I ask. "It is a fiction book by a local author," she answers. I like to see what people are reading as I like to get ideas for my readers, although I write non-fiction. I realize many people read to escape the reality of living, not for information or education. I decided to steer the conversation by telling her I am a writer. "What do you write?", she asks. "Non-fiction, about biblical understanding of end-of-days theology." "Really! I'm a pastor's wife", she smugly confesses. At this point in the conversation, my language radar goes on, as I know that everything I am saying now is being scrutinized through her lens of understanding and Biblical indoctrination. "Interesting", I retort, "your husband won't like the book!" I needed to get out the gist of the book, but like many religiously convicted members of denominationalism, it was falling on deaf ears. Her strong conviction that she and her husband have the one true way to God is based on the thousands of dollars in tuition at UBC and the hours spent studying to get good marks. This makes her married to an expert in the field and anyone who does not speak the same language is often referred to as an apostate, cultic, heretic, or the devil himself. I could see that she was not interested in my message, and she and her son left the ferry lobby with a polite, "Goodbye". I may have been wrong in my assessment of body language and atmosphere, for this I apologize to the pastors wife (if she ever reads this?). I am not picking on any person and/or specific group, but in many religious groups, which I was part of, the members are trained to look for trigger words or misinterpreted scriptures. I spent over 25 years in bible scripture showdowns and being reprimanded for not reciting scripture properly. Learning to criticize your opponent "in love" is an art, but extremely exhausting. I still need to know when to hold my tongue, this is an ongoing process. I was scrolling on social media a few days after the ferry incident, and someone had posted a meme about the pandemic and the mountain of lies that surrounded it. It triggered a response in me, in which I politely stated "Lest We Forget!". The plandemic is not over by a long shot! We are fighting a Beast bigger than most people want to understand and it is ultimately after our heart. I knew that once the Abomination That Caused Desolation was completed I needed to keep going, the second book is now out for editing and publication. I started the book about 8 months ago and it has been a battle between the mind (words) and the hands (keyboard). The heart of the matter is this, "How do we slay the beast, especially those who live in the most luxurious time in history?" The new book is interesting, but after much review and contemplation, the tools are the same, "Love one another!". When people rumor, mock, lie, and gossip about me, how should I respond? We are not fighting flesh and blood, but powers and principalities. Or, turn the other cheek! Or, forgive them Lord for they know not what they do! Or, love thine enemy! What do these even mean? In light of the new book, it means you'll have to wait and see, just kidding... it means to keep living and find purpose. As I stated in my first book, if you have been given a life full of riches, use your blessings to bless others. If you are poor, accept gifts, work hard, and love your freedom, as possessions tie people down. If you are in politics, make decisions based on generosity and not mercenary. Living life is ultimately about hope. It is this hope that we should strive for, found within the teachings of Jesus and many others. I also plea for those who understand, do not give up hope and stay awake. The work isn't finished, for some, it is just beginning. Until division has turned to unity, and the real enemy is exposed, the person behind the curtain, be strong. By a vessel with love and peace and patience and kindness, William John
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