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Celebrating 20 Years With FaithWriters 6

by Janice S Ramkissoon 
03/09/25
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Reflecting on the Journey:

When I joined FaithWriters, I was new to the area in which I now live and new to writing articles for publication. At that time I had only had poems and travel articles published in a youth magazine before I began life as a married woman.


As mentioned in part one (1), I also had one poem published in an anthology which was encouraged by my then pastor’s wife. I had no intention of becoming an Author or even writing articles to be published. I was simply looking for friendship with fellow Christians who also enjoy writing. Hence the shout out, in part one, to the friends who chose to reach out and befriend me.

I was five years into my role as a wife and three years into my role as a mother, at the time of joining Faithwiters. I was a young wife and mother who was excited about the journey ahead, just happy to be a servant of Christ; a vessel God chose to use to help my husband. I had left everything that was familiar to me, taking a career break which became a change of career from working in the city as a Travel consultant to becoming a stay-at-home mother, providing care for our son on a full-time basis.

In addition to starting up a Freelance writing business whilst a stay-at-home mother, I’ve had three other jobs outside the home. Two (2) of those jobs were part-time roles and the other full-time. All three lasted longer than a year but none of them made it to three years. It could have worked if I had some form of support but I was on my own with the caring responsibilities. There was very little flexibility on my part. I previously thought I was super-woman and of course I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me but I learned there are no super-moms. My body, mind and emotions taught me that they do have a limit.

We had no additional support, so financially we were hardly surviving. We survived from pay-day to pay-day and soon debt was introduced into the mix. It took me much longer than it should to realise the weight my husband was carrying, whilst we were managing our financial commitments on one wage. Had we that 'village'/community around us that could speak into our lives, we would have gained much wisdom from those who have travelled this path before. 

In that time frame, Vince also asked for a transfer so that he could be closer to home to help with the raising of our son. We both came from homes where fathers were absent (his emotionally and mine physically) we didn’t want that for our son. We have seen the damage caused to individuals and to homes where fathers are not actively involved in the lives of their children. We have learned that to be in our child’s future we must be in their life today. 

We wanted to make a difference so we chose to be the change we wanted to see.

During those early years of being at FaithWriters, I was home alone for most parts of each week day, due to my husband’s daily commute. The weekends were precious family time. We’d go to the park and have fun with our son. We would visit different church groups within that period and soon became members at one. Then we moved on to another, became members and seven years later we were moving on again.


During those years, when we were dealing with many issues from outside the marriage, I would read an article that spoke into that area of need. We would look at each other in amazement at how God used someone or more than one members of FaithWriters to answer a prayer or speak into an area of need.

I am particularly grateful to Thomas Kittrell who chose to adopt me as his 'Internet Daughter'. I've never seen myself in the role of a daughter before. I grew up with grandparents as someone's grandchild or someone's niece, sister or cousin. I don't know what it feels like to be someone's daughter. So being accepted in that way was really special. For that reason, I wanted to give a shout out to Thomas in the first part of this article. 

Thomas has been a breath of fresh air in the way he taught, through his writing, with gentleness and lovingly corrects the saints. He also gave me personal advice that still helps me and my family today. I am indeed grateful for the gift he and his late wife, Mary, has been to us as a family. God certainly answered my prayer for friendship but He knew what I needed more than friendship, was fatherly guidance and that’s what he provided through Thomas Kittrell.

Vince and I are grateful for the love received from all our friends at FaithWriters, especially those of you who have embraced our family as a whole. To you, I say thank you for the time you took to bless us with your friendship. Although we’ve never met you in person, I am so thankful for the gift of the World Wide Web, through which our lives connected and friendships developed.

May God bless you all for allowing yourselves to be used by Him to bless the lives of others. I have most certainly been blessed by your ministry. I am one of those fatherless children spoken of in James 1:27.

Your writing is a gift from God. If you have laid it aside, please re-dedicate it to Him and pick up your pen or pull out that keypad or keyboard once more and begin to write again for His glory.

Thank you to Thomas Kittrell for the opportunity to co-author with him for DUSTONTHEBIBLE - He gave me the opportunity to co-author with him for a children’ story which I thouroughly enjoyed. I also wrote, ‘My Bible And I’ for his website which some of you also wrote for before it was deactivated. That website was a gift to many including myself.

Write 2 Shine was my personal website. It was where I shared my writing as a freelance writer. I was unable to keep it running and had to deactivate it. I’m still grieving the loss of what I thought it would be. Yet, I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to share with you all and for the gift you’ve been to me in sharing your gifts with myself and the visitors to Write 2 Shine between 2006 and 2023.

I was invited to a Catholic church where my son’s school choir was singing. On that Sunday morning, through one of the songs sung, I clearly received God’s instruction: “Freely, freely, you have received, freely freely give.” I never even knew that I could be paid for my written pieces at that time, so that gave me freedom to continue posting my pieces as ‘free-to-share’ articles. I am glad I was obedient. If not, I wouldn’t be writing today but that’s for another article. I also would not have gotten to know some of you and neither would I have received guidance over the years.

James 1:27 tells us that, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

“Psalm 27:10, which reads "Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me," signifies that even if one is completely abandoned by their closest earthly relationships, God's love and care will remain unwavering and will always be there to support them; essentially, it's a powerful statement about God's unconditional love despite any human betrayal or abandonment.“ (An AI’s summary, via a Google search for Psalm 27:10).

The New Chapter Begins

My name is Janice Simone. I write for the edification of the church; to encourage health in our families (as we individually develop a personal relationship with Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to do His transforming work in and through us).

Thank you for taking an interest in my writing and reading the various parts of ‘Celebrating 20 Years With FaithWriters’. Here's to the journey ahead, with Jesus at the wheel, steering us in the right ditection.

My prayer: Abba, Father! May Your will be done, and Your Kingdom come, as I continue to use this gift(s) You've blessed me with, to be a blessing to others.

Amen.

Your sister in Christ,

Blessed to be a blessing!

(9th March 2025).

End of part 6. End of article: ‘Celebrating 20 Years With FaithWriters’

>>>Back to part 1: Celebrating 20 Years With FaithWriters (1)

>>>Back to part 2: Celebrating 20 Years With FaithWriters (2)

>>>Back to part 3: Celebrating 20 Years With FaithWriters (3)

>>>Back to part 4: Celebrating 20 Years With FaithWriters (4)

>>>Back to part 5: Celebrating 20 Years With FaithWriters (5)