Introducing . . . Anita, the writer

I fell in love in 9^th grade English Literature class. I wasn't particularly pretty, wasn't among the popular crowd, didn't participate in athletics, but I fell in love with words!  I found I had an aptitude for writing as I learned how to make a story come to life.  It didn't hurt any when it came to essay questions either.  I could spin the words into paragraphs with a little knowledge and make it look good for the test!

After high school graduation it was off to Bible College (now Biblical Life Institute). I enjoyed the challenges of writing and studying. I remember a paper I wrote comparing Mother Nature to the Almighty God.  Wish I could find it now.  I also found my future husband at college and Steve and I have been married 46 years.

 I could not have asked for a more perfect first adult job when I began working as a reporter for our local newspaper, the Public Opinion.  I covered local news and government meetings.  I got to write feature stories and obituaries too. I learned how to ask good questions and I had many opportunities to meet a lot of interesting people.

A year after our marriage we left town to begin our pastoral ministry.    One evening I sat alone in a quiet parsonage, very pregnant with my first of four children.   A group of singers came into the church which was connected to the parsonage and being as quiet as a church mouse, I listened to the sounds of them practicing.  I wrote a little snippet entitled Sounds which was published by the denominational periodical, The Visitor.  It was at our third church that I started a newsletter and always wrote a Message from the Manse.  I may share a few of those someday here on my blog.

After breast cancer in 1992 and treatment was completed, I rewarded myself with a Creative Writing course at Wilson College.  This was so much fun and I learned so much from the teacher and the other students.  Our assignments challenged our thinking and made us better writers.  I will occasionally share a few of these writings too.

In the 90's I worked for a year at a local radio station, WCHA, as a reporter.  I covered basically the same types of things as the newspaper but also had to get sound bites and get them ready for the announcer the next day.  This included typing the stories to be read.

In 2000, I began working for Roxbury Holiness Camp as Director of Development and Public Relations.  One of the first things I did was develop a web site. I also continued editing their newsletter.  I usually included a spiritual editorial as part of the newsletter. 

For many years, but spasmodically, I have been journaling.  This included prayers, dreams, random thoughts, and documenting the happenings in my life.  Often when journaling, I could feel the Presence of the Lord, or sometimes I would find a depth of sorrow and weep.  I  often cried out to God through my pen.  I knew He listened.

So for a little while I have been thinking of starting a blog and have been encouraged to do so.  A place to record and share my random thoughts, or tidbits of truth I have gleaned from a book I am reading or a truth that God has given me for a certain need in my life.  Sometimes it could be a new thought that stirs my soul to greater depths in my walk with Him; things He is teaching me.

This is my introduction to Anita McIlveen, the writer.  The next blog will be about the title of the blog, The Seeker.  Please follow me and we will perhaps become seekers together.