A decade(ish) of faith and fellowship and flaws:

Today, quietly and with very bad webcam photos, I'm bidding adieu to Whatsoever Magazine, the publication I've been editing and producing with the help of family and friends near and far for over ten years. As I explained in last issue's editorial, the realisation that WM's era was coming to a close dawned slowly and gently. I prayed about it for a long time and came to see -- without any great thunderbolt but with a quiet sense of knowing -- that it was time to finish.

Being full of bold dreams and an even bolder imagination, I wanted the final issue to be incredible -- smart, relevant, encouraging, faith-filled, and absolutely 100% typo-free. Well, life got in the way and publication of this supposedly scintillating final issue got pushed back and back and back until -- quite possibly -- subscribers may simply have imagined the magazine was swallowed up by a hungry earth. I began to doubt that the issue would ever reach subscribers. Even today, as I spoke to my sister before heading out to deliver bags of golden envelope to the post office, I confessed my fear that a meteorite might wipe out the post office before I'd had a chance to post off the magazines. But I got there, and the post office was intact, and as far as I know, it's stayed that way since this morning. The final issue is in the post -- and yes, there's a typo. There might be more.

Being an analytical soul, it's hard for me not to think that the drama-laden story behind this final issue's s-l-o-w crawl into print is a kind of symbol for the lesson I've been learning during this entire experience: that this isn't about me, or my dreams, or my imagination, or my reputation, or even my hopes. It's God all the way. And His focus isn't on how heavy the paperstock is, or whether the printing was a little off this issue, or if this amount of white space if aesthetically pleasing. His focus is on the fantastical-but-true message of His saving grace, evident in the bloody death and the shining resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's what really matters.

So a huge thank you to those who joined me in caring about that message, and who guided me gently back on track when I forgot that it was what's important. Thank you to all who wrote and prayed and encouraged and shared. And an especially huge thanks to my family who listened patiently to editorial woes, offered invaluable feedback, proofread, allowed me to monopolise the computer until I had one of my own, and took this seriously, even though the whole thing was the lounge-room equivalent of a backyard operation. I'm so thankful.

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Conversations:

Mitanika -- Oh hooray! I'm so glad the post provided some distraction. How is your NaNo going? I'm still disappointed I couldn't take part this year. Please, will someone change NaNoWriMo to July or something?? Ah, I will put Tigerheart on my reading list. Thank you so much for the rec!

Simplythis -- Imma let you come and use my brand new Connector Pen markers I bought! Colouring in dates!! And thank you for reminding me about The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. That's just the sort of thing I'll loooove dipping into in my break. I -- think I am -- looking forward to watching your bug clip.

Samantha R -- I could quite possibly live entirely off naan bread.

Bethany -- I can actually see the Andrea-resemblance, too! Normally I'd never think we look alike but there you go.

Mothercare -- I'll tell them to stop bugging me. *snort* Oh, and re. the colouring pictures -- the images I shared were from his actual artworks, but the colouring book includes B&W line drawings based on those artworks.

Rebecca Simon -- New babies are so exciting! :D Oh yes, do let me know next time you're in Brisbane! Ack, 24 hours is a flying visit. Wow. I owe you an email!!!