Where witches existed beyond the boundaries of imagination

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
December 7, 2024

When was the last time some change in your life turned out to be a good one? I know I was apprehensive any time it did. When you survive the thing that caused #PTSD, it changes you into a survivor.  Some people love to remind us of that, but when we deal with the changes it causes, we become terrified the next time something changes.

The Scribe of Salem: "Ministers of the Mystery by Kathie Costos is an enthralling debut in a series that seamlessly blends fantasy, supernatural horror, and elements of spirituality."

His life sucked! Every change that happened to him over the last seven years was terrible. It was September 13, 2019, precisely seven years after he survived a bomb blast in Afghanistan. He wasn't sitting at the bar of the Bishop Hotel celebrating. He has been lamenting his losses since then. PTSD killed his career as a combat journalist. When he returned home, his wife wasn't grateful he survived. She tried to kill him. That wasn't enough for her. She stalked him. Drinking to numb himself left him jobless and homeless. He couldn't leave LA fast enough, so he let his wife have their condo.

He took his time returning to Salem, visiting churches along the way, searching for God, and trying to fill the spiritual void. He didn't find anything to fill it. He left his hometown as a successful reporter. He came back as a successful failure.

So, he sat at the bar while his only friend poured him drinks and listened to him between customers. After listening to him every night for three years, Ed knew almost everything about Chris. What he didn't know was just an hour before Chris walked into the bar, he tried to kill himself.

And then it happened. The change entered the door and set off a series of events that would send Chris into a world no reporter had ever encountered: a world of secret societies and conspiracies, a world where witches existed beyond the boundaries of imagination.

Are you tired of people saying the Bible is the written word of God while failing to see that God didn't make mistakes or edit its errors and omissions? God inspired it, but we all know human thoughts, emotions, and agendas get in the way. We also know that other books were left out of our Bibles. Want to learn how you have the power to reach out to God on your own without anyone getting in the way? Want to know about the passages members of the clergy won't give sermons on?

Suppose you believe in reincarnation, spirituality, and gifts within all of our spirits and are willing to witness the transformation of this successful failure. In that case, you can read the series at half off. 

Get caught up before the 1st Witch Of Salem is published next year.

Get The Scribe Of Salem at 50% off! You can also read The Visionary Of Salem and the 13th Minister Of Salem at this discounted price with the link to the Ministers Of The Mystery Series.

Now is your best chance to find my entire ebook collection for a promotional price at @Smashwords as part of their 2024 End of Year Sale! Find my books and many more at https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/ through January 1! #SmashwordsEoYSale #Smashwords

Y R U HERE

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
August 17, 2024

Have you ever wondered how someone healed long before you did? Was it because they had more support around them than you did? Sometimes, it isn't what or who is around them. Sometimes, it's because of what's within them they gain strength from.

Waiting for the traffic light to change, I noticed a license plate with YRU HERE. I smiled because it reminded me of all the times I wondered why I was here. Why are some of us born with brilliant minds, extraordinary talents, or passions that come with no explanation? Why are some born with kindness and humility while others seem hateful and egotistical?

Can it be because of the spirits within each of us that makes us so much different from others in our families? Are our spirits tested by circumstances or enhanced by what we survive?

Some people call spirits "souls," but Jesus clarified the term when He said, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." He said that to a Samaritan woman at the well when the people of Samaria were hated by the Jews. Top that off with Jesus knowing she was a sinner, especially when she had five husbands, but He spoke to her with kindness and patience.

There is not much of that going on today when we hear "church" people in crowds cheering statements filled with anger, rage, and lies. I am referring not simply to political rallies but to church services. If you notice, the speakers and attendees have something in common. They do not refer to the New Testament but preach and speak according to the Old Testament. It's disturbing how they dare call themselves Christians but have absolutely nothing in common with what Jesus preached.

After a lifetime of faithful church attendance, I walked away. Not from my faith but the people not practicing what they claimed to be.

I've been through hell more times than I can count, but if strangers see me, they'd never guess I had any problems at all. I am not pretending to be happy. I am.

No matter what the universe tosses at me, I honor my feelings. I get angry, swear, sad, and cry, and I even get to the point where I run out of tears. I allow myself to feel hopeless until I am hopeful. There have been times when I am on the phone with someone I trust, crying during the beginning of our conversation and laughing toward the end. My emotional pain was released enough, so joy had room to move back in. I toss the crap out into the universe so it would evaporate.

I don't know why my spirit was sent to this earth, but it is connected to my passion. It is to help other people become happier after they become survivors of what happened to them. I know what it is like to feel alone, unable to open up about what was going on in my mind. I know what it was like waiting to get over it and return to the way I was before. I drank to numb the pain after spending the day being "busy" doing something to take my mind off what happened to me. After nearly an entire lifetime of agony, I tried it all.

Talking to someone who earned my trust so I could open up worked for me. It helped me consider their advice on what I could do for myself. My therapists knew why they were here—to help people like me heal as survivors. Psychologist friends I made while working also helped me when I was confused. They knew why they were here, too.

Dealing with trauma requires receiving whatever help we need. Sometimes, we need a therapist, but have you ever wondered why they choose it as a profession? My curiosity constantly overcomes my mouth, and I have to ask. Too often, the answer came back, appearing to be something they were told to say. The shocking answer came from the best therapist I had. She told me it was because she was as messed up as most of her patients until a therapist helped her heal. She wanted to do the same thing for others since she was a kid and needed one. Now, that was genuine honesty!

As vital as good therapists are, spiritual therapists are just as important. If you've ever wondered if God did it to you or saved you, you understand what surviving does to us while we are reluctant to ask the question aloud. It is something we need to discover which one is more plausible. Should we believe God caused the traumatic event or multiple events, then seeking spiritual help could cause us to become nauseous. Let me clarify that. God didn't do it to us as some kind of test. Many of us have heard someone say, "God only gives us what we can handle," and we believe it. The truth is, I think He is there to give me what I need to handle what happened to me.

As crazy as it may sound, writing to help others helps me heal and feeds my spirit. That may not be why my spirit came to this earth, but it is why I am here now.

So why are you here? Not since the beginning of your life, but as someone whose life was saved, you became a survivor, too?

Kathie Costos, author of the Ministers Of The Mystery Series The Scribe Of Salem, The Visionary Of Salem, and 13th Minister Of Salem

Are Ekklesia Witches Helping You?

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
July 23, 2023

Why would anyone be offended by the term Christian Witch? The fact is too many are. Is it because they don't understand the Bible they claim to follow? Is it because they avoid what history has to teach them?

It seems that I have offended a lot of people because I am writing things they never heard of in the churches they attend. The problem is, it is all from the same Bible and scriptures not included in the services they attend. After all, reminding people that God did not want a building and Jesus preached outside to a crowd for free doesn't fit the rules they have established for membership in their assembly.

An assembly does not have to be gathered under a roof with a board of directors making all the rules everyone has to abide by. It does not have to include a sum of money everyone must give to the church. It does not have to include a dress code either. It does not ban people they don't like from joining them.

This assembly is open to all. Where the only rules are those laid down by Jesus. This assembly is filled with those filled with gifts from the Holy Spirit to do good in the world. It is based on the assembly Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to along with the famous disciples everyone knows. Few remember that there were 120 men and women gathered together to vote on replacing Judas with Matthias.

It is true that Jesus sent out 12, but He also sent out 72 and they would have been among the 120 but no one knows their names or where they went.

There is what "the people" know and what is unknown to them that becomes the mystery known only to those gifted with the knowledge of such things.

Start with what does Ekklesia mean?
This is from Got Questions:

The word in the New Testament was also used to refer to any assembly of people. In his address to the Sanhedrin, Stephen calls the people of Israel “the assembly [ekklesia] in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38). And in Acts 19:39, ekklesia refers to a convening of citizens to discuss legal matters. However, in most contexts, the word ekklesia is used to refer to the people who comprise the New Testament church.

It is important that the church today understand the definition of ekklesia. The church needs to see itself as being “called out” by God. If the church wants to make a difference in the world, it must be different from the world. Salt is different from the food it flavors. God has called the church to be separate from sin (1 Peter 1:16), to embrace fellowship with other believers (Acts 2:42), and to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:14). God has graciously called us unto Himself: “‘Come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you’” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

I prefer the Bible Study Tool answer:

a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly
an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating the assembly of the Israelites
any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously in a Christian sense
an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting
a company of Christians, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order's sake
those who anywhere, in a city, or village, constitute such a company and are united into one body
the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth
the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven

When we hear the word "church" we envision a building but we need to remember that Jesus preached outside. He was not welcomed in the temple because the leaders hated Him. The Pharisees accused Him of working on Satan's side and not God's.

23 And all the people were amazed and said, “Is not this the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This fellow doth not cast out devils, except by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.”

25 And Jesus knew their thoughts and said unto them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. (Matthew 12:23-25)

Most of history also points to people using faith and the word Christ or Jesus as a weapon to control the people. The Pharisees did it and so did almost every other "leader" of the faith they claimed to represent. Apparently, the witch trials were just a small manifestation compared to the wars fought, claiming the leaders wanted to spread the "love of Christ" and convert the people they intended to kill before slaughtering them. It made sense to them anyway!

No matter what church people go to, there is so much that is never preached within its walls. The Ministers Of The Mystery Series was my way of preaching what I live.

I chose to make the secret society of the characters Ekklesia Witches because if you know anything about the Bible, the miracle workers were all accused of sorcery and witchcraft. With "proper" Christians claiming that no one can be both Christian and a witch, it appears they have never contemplated the differences between those doing harm and those doing good because of the gifts of their spirit from God.

The funny thing is that my family called me a witch most of my life as a joke. I laughed because part of me agreed with them but they didn't know what I was thinking. Not everyone is "religious" and not everyone attends the same type of church but everyone can be spiritual.

Jesus said "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Manmade rules have no basis in what was established by the One God sent to teach the people.

If you take those facts, then you'll know why I wrote the Ministers Of The Mystery series. Think about what you know and then wonder what else happened. The Holy Spirit came to the 120 so that they could speak to those they were sent to. We can only imagine where they went and what they did. We can only imagine what the people thought when they encountered these truly spiritually gifted supernatural workers of miracles. We don't have to imagine why people with power over the people feared them and hated them. 

Are Ekklesia Witches helping you too?  Did you encounter someone you were sure was sent by God to help you after you survived whatever caused #PTSD in you? Please share it to give others hope and a greater understanding of what they need to know so they stop imagining the worst.

Kathie Costos author of The Scribe of Salem, The Visionary Of Salem and the 13th Minister Of Salem.

The Scribe Of Salem "No holds barred story of faith"

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
June 1, 2023

The Scribe Of Salem didn't fit in with what many people wanted to read as a "Christian" book. That was fine with me since I didn't write it for that audience. I wrote it so that people would see the beauty and spiritual power in scriptures they would never hear in church. The following reviewer called it Christian fiction. I'm ok with that because the reviewer got the rest of the message loud and clear.

find more reviews here

Book Review

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

The Scribe of Salem: Ministers Of The Mystery by Kathie Costos is a Christian fiction novel that revolves around Chris Papadopoulos, a former war reporter. In Salem, Massachusetts, Chris reunites with his friend Bill Gibson and learns of the death of Bill's sister Brenda. Chris joins his military comrades to honor their fallen comrade, discovering an intriguing woman named Mandy. Chris embarks on a transformative journey, seeking help from Mandy to regain control of his life. Inspired by their encounters and encouraged by friends, Chris finds the strength to write a book that becomes a bestseller, offering solace during the trying times of a pandemic. Chris finds unexpected fame in a series of events that catapult him into public recognition, but when Chris faces a harrowing blackmail attempt, both how strong his faith in God is and how solid his group of friends is are tested to their fullest.

The parallels between the persecution of witches and the persecution of open Christians set the foundational theme in The Scribe of Salem by Kathy Costos. The novel is a no-holds-barred story of faith and will resonate well with readers who enjoy Christian fiction in a way where scripture and conversational sermons run through almost every scene, as opposed to the more nuanced approach that is found in most fiction within the same genre. Costos' style might not be as elegant, but it certainly does get the message across. I liked the contemporary setting and the way the characters are confronted with incidents surrounding COVID-19 protocols. As an observer, these feel really authentic and do well in exploring the group's unique contributions in the fight against chaos and darkness, to which the pandemic adds an additional layer, and realizing the profound impact of their connections and gifts. The full circle that the ending brings is satisfying in that there is closure; a relief given the possibility of a book in a series ending with a cliffhanger. Recommended.

"No holds barred story of faith," and that is what many people with #PTSD need more than ever. Most of the people I helped over the last 40 years, felt the "church" had no place for them. They believed that God wanted nothing to do with them, and even worse, God caused their suffering.

What I found most troubling was well-intentioned people saying, "God only gives us what we can handle." As if that would help them turn to God for help to heal after surviving! Seriously, how would anyone find comfort in that? The truth is, He gives us what we need to get through everything and wasn't the one causing the harm done to us. The other guy did that.

No wonder almost all of them said they were spiritual but not religious. They were offended by what they saw in the world committed by the same people going to church on Sunday, hearing sermons about what Jesus actually taught about how to treat others, and then spending the rest of the time condemning and judging others. Right now there is another thing going on that reminded me of the Salem Witchcraft Trials when one group of Christians, the Puritans, decided to use the power of their faith to attack people they hated.

"Many people in Puritanical Salem Massachusetts died because they were different, and the Puritans were afraid they could not control them easily. Many people in Puritanical Salem did not conform to the societal beliefs and ended up losing their lives as a result. There were many rules and if citizens did not follow all of those rules, they were cast out. The religion of the Puritans was very strict and “the Puritan community rewarded conformity-you were expected to fit in and do what everybody else did” (Mills 15). The Puritans desire for conformity was so strong that they wanted to get rid of anyone that was different. The trials were an excuse for the people of Salem to expunge of all those people who were different. Witches were thought to be able to harm people and therefore were feared greatly." (The Salem Witch Trials)

For the rest of us, all too often, we feel as if we're out here all alone. We hear that we need mental health therapy to heal from surviving whatever caused PTSD. All is well and good when we can get an appointment to see one. Then we hear that we need to add spiritual healing since the part of our brain occupied by the PTSD demon wants to claim more territory within the emotional part of it. Many believe that is where your soul lives.

So how do you figure out what or who can help you heal spiritually? Forget about what you think you know about the need to fit in with everyone else who chooses to go to a church or any other religious building. God doesn't live there and if you know anything about Jesus, He taught the people to pray directly to God, The Father in spirit.

While you can be a religious person and also spiritual, you can be a spiritual person without religion. Just ask anyone recovering from addiction to alcohol and finding spiritual support from A.A. where no one is required to believe in God or hold a certain faith, and are fully allowed to reach out to a higher power.

A.A.’s Twelve Steps are a set of spiritual principles. When practiced as a way of life, they can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to recover from alcoholism.

The Twelve Traditions apply to A.A. as a whole. They outline how A.A. maintains its unity and relates itself to the world around it.

The book Alcoholics Anonymous describes the A.A. program of recovery. It also contains stories written by the co-founders and stories from a wide range of members who have found recovery in A.A.

It works because it reminds people they are not alone and they can find hope by hearing how others, not only recovered but dedicated their time helping others recover too. 

There are battles going on right now with many people trying to enforce what they believe to rule over others. Just as it happened during the Witchcraft Trials. If you're different, they want to make sure you have no power over your own life. It is even worse if you happen to be a Christian and are also a witch. The word "witch" has different meanings to different people. They want to help other people but are condemned for "practicing witchcraft" even though that is exactly what happened throughout the Bible.

Can you be a spiritual person connected to Christianity and still be a witch? According to many, the answer is no. Ironically, the point is, being religious is not required to believe or to act as moral mortals. Using spiritual gifts you were born with does not make you evil, as some "religious" people claim. As a matter of fact, the Disciples and Apostles, and even Jesus, were accused of using sorcery. Jesus was accused of being in league with Satan.

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This fellow doth not cast out devils, except by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.”

Why? Because the religion He was born into feared Him and wanted Him dead. After all, He healed people and did not ask them to pay money, repent their sins, or do anything other than believe He could because God sent Him. He didn't ask them to convert and renounce their gods. That was apparent when He healed the servant of the Roman Centurion. All He asked was first they believed it could be done and a few times He told them to go and sin no more.

The Pharisees were charging money for everything they did. They made the rules and said the rules were from God. An easy thing to claim since no one could prove they heard the exact words from God. Many Christians point to scripture condemning witchcraft, yet ignore how those doing harm were the ones worthy of condemnation but those doing good were miracle workers. This is from a Christian site Crosswalk

What Exactly Is Witchcraft?
While this word may have different meanings in different cultures, at its core witchcraft is the attempt to manipulate the environment, circumstances, or situations through mystical or spiritual means. In Bible times this was done using what was often called mediums or spiritists. Within this definition, there are two words I want you to focus on regarding witchcraft. Manipulation – This is all about influence, usually in an unfair manner.

Spiritual means – When you call on assistance that steps outside of your realm of ability. In the case of spiritists and mediums, this is demonic assistance.

And yet when you consider those delivering miracles, using the gifts of the spirit, were accused of being among those they condemn.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit
12 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 2 You know that at one time you were unbelievers. You were somehow drawn away to worship statues of gods that couldn’t even speak. 3 So I want you to know that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “May Jesus be cursed.” And without the help of the Holy Spirit, no one can say, “Jesus is Lord.”

4 There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit. 5 There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. 6 There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.

7 The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. 8 To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others, the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. 9 To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. 10 To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others, he gives the ability to prophesy. To others, he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages. 11 All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.

It is man-made rules that attempt to overrule God or your Higher Power. It is from the minds of men that the gifts of your spirit, the gifts you were born to use are being subjected to judgment. It would be worse to say no to God so you can fit in with the same people sharing the mentality of the Puritans and the really rotten thing is, it is worse for the world because you're not sharing your gifts to help them. Live your life as if you can be part of a miracle to others and feed the power within you to live happier.

You are needed more than ever because what happened to innocent people during the witchcraft trials is beginning to be repeated.

You can find The Scribe Of Salem and the rest of the series here.

Lady Gaga, spiritual hero

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
March 14, 2023

Are you a hero? I don't mean the type of hero we all think about when we hear that word. I'm talking about the quiet ones that are around us all the time. The type of hero who spends time, not just thinking about others, but acting on what they need and what the hero can give them.

Lady Gaga sang Hold My Hand at the Oscars. I didn't see it until today when I was checking to see who the winners were. I was warmed by seeing her without makeup, or fancy clothes because this fabulously talented lady looked like everyone else. So set aside her fame and wealth, and see the simple fact that she is still just like everyone else. She has had hardship in her life, just like all of us and she has had someone coming into her life to make it a little easier than it would have been without them. Judging by the song lyrics she wrote, it is easy to assume that she helped other people as well. To me, she is a spiritual hero!

Hold My Hand

Lady Gaga

Tell me you need me

Hold my hand, everything will be okay I heard from the heavens that clouds have been grey

Pull me close, wrap me in your aching arms

I see that you're hurtin', why'd you take so long

To tell me you need me? I see that you're bleeding

You don't need to show me again

But if you decide to, I'll ride in this life with you

I won't let go 'til the end

So cry tonight

But don't you let go of my hand

You can cry every last tear

I won't leave 'til I understand

Promise me, just hold my hand

Raise your head, look into my wishful eyes

That fear that's inside you will lift, give it time

I can see everything you're blind to now

Your prayers will be answered, let God whisper how

To tell me you need me, I see that you're bleeding

You don't need to show me again

But if you decide to, I'll ride in this life with you

I won't let go 'til the end

So cry tonight

But don't you let go of my hand

You can cry every last tear

I won't leave 'til I understand

Promise you'll just hold my hand

Hold my hand, hold my

Hold my hand, my hand

I'll be right here, hold my hand

Hold my hand, hold my

Hold my hand, my hand

I'll be right here, hold my hand

I know you're scared and your pain is imperfect

But don't you give up on yourself

I've heard a story, a girl, she once told me

That I would be happy again

Hold my hand

Hold my hand

Hold my hand, hold my hand

Hold my hand, hold my hand

Hold my hand

I heard from the heavens

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Michael Tucker / Stefani Germanotta

Hold My Hand lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

It is so easy to dismiss others and walk away. After all, they didn't matter to you in the first place. Yet, when you do care about others, it would be harder to walk away without trying to help them. Most of the time it is because you knew what it was like to need someone, suffered until someone stopped to help you and then felth as if your heart became full again with hope. That is a magical thing!

If all of us do what we can to help someone else, this world would be a better place for all of us, but right now it seems as if hatred has taken over so many. The words of claiming fellowship with Jesus and claims of being "Christian" flow from their lips, but their actions prove otherwise. For the wise, we know they only use faith as a weapon, just as others throughout the couple of thousand years have done.

Maybe that is the biggest reason why most people do not claim to be religious but spiritual instead. To tell you the truth, I think they are living what others only claim to do, when the truth is, they never understood what it is supposed to cause us to do.

Do you judge others?

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 26, 2023

Do you judge others and if so, by what standards? By their actions, what they say, or how they look? By the color of their skin, income level, or where they live, or the language they speak? What is it that makes us form a judgment of anyone we do not really know?

People are claiming to be witches but are also Christians. It isn't up to me to judge what gifts God gave them or what they believe. As long as they are doing good for others, trying to help them, I'm good with that. Considering I've never really felt I fit in with what others consider "normal" I find them unique and fascinating.

If you have a problem with anyone calling themself a Christian Witch, then consider what the Bible says about gifts of the spirit and the list of things God chose some people to have.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:1-11

12 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 2 You know that at one time you were unbelievers. You were somehow drawn away to worship statues of gods that couldn’t even speak. 3 So I want you to know that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “May Jesus be cursed.” And without the help of the Holy Spirit, no one can say, “Jesus is Lord.”

4 There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit. 5 There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. 6 There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.

7 The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. 8 To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others, the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. 9 To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. 10 To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others, he gives the ability to prophesy. To others, he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others, he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages. 11 All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.

When the Bible addresses "witches" it is good to notice that when they are considered evil, it is because they are doing harmful things. When they are doing good, they are given acceptable titles like a healer,  or any of the above other gifts of the spirit.

One such person I follow on Facebook is called TruthSeekah. He doesn't look like what fits in with what some consider godly, but he speaks about the love of Jesus and God. 

Maybe people judge him because of what he looks like. Others may judge him because of the people he interviews. The thing is, he accepts others because we are all children of God.

I used to be part of a motorcycle group. Not as a biker but as a rider. I remember hearing people speak badly about bikers, especially when we were riding in packs. Sure I get how intimidating that can be, but we were judged by what we looked like and not what we were doing. Every time I was in one of those packs, we were heading to a fundraiser to help someone, or a charity to be able to help other people. Often they were patriotic rides, like escorting the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall to honor those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of this country. Oh, I forgot to mention that every member of the group was either a veteran or a member of law enforcement, or a firefighter. We were judged by what people saw.

I hope that you remember this the next time you are given the opportunity to learn about someone new you encounter and then wonder if they are judging you by the same standards you judge them by.

Judging Others
Matthew 7:1-5

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Free gift to readers of Wounded Times

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 25, 2023

When I was writing The Ministers Of The Mystery series, I was thinking of all of you. All the people I've met over the years struggling to heal #PTSD and then turning around to help other people heal too. I am in awe of each and every one of you. I wanted to find a way to let you know that.

The Scribe Of Salem is the first book in the series. I've been auditioning narrators for audiobooks. I found several that delivered the emotions of this rollercoaster ride, as well as had a voice that fit. I had a woman do one chapter from each book and liked it. However, I've decided to go back to my original thought of having a male read it. The main character is male, but there are at least 30 characters in the three books and heavy dialogue going on. It seemed more important for the voice to carry the overall flow. 

Anyway, when I was uploading this video of Chapter 3, The Trials, I decided it was time to thank all of you and anyone else interested in reading these books.

All of us know the way our story happened. It started out with shock, confusion, and feeling lost in our own bodies. For most of us, someone came along to help us find our way back to seeing ourselves when we look in the mirror again. That is the way the first book starts. It is also for all of us, no matter what caused PTSD in us. Remember, the only way to get hit by PTSD is to survive the trauma that caused it, and the only way out of it is to be shown the way to heal. The fabulous thing about us is, we aren't selfish and love to pay it forward, helping someone else the same way others helped us. 

By this chapter, Chris's old friends came back into his life when he needed them the most. He also met Alex and Mary Michaels. They are book publishers he agreed to show around Salem. They are walking around when this story begins to get really strange.

Read The Scribe Of Salem for free until January 31!

Please leave a review of what you think wherever you read it from. It will help me as I write the 4th book. Right now I am still researching it and a good time to discover what hits people the most.

Travel to Salem in This Deliciously Macabre Tale of the Occult

BookTrib
Monique Snyman
January 18, 2023

The Scribe of Salem by Kathie Costos

In The Scribe of Salem: Ministers of the Mystery, the first book in the Ministers of the Mystery series, Kathie Costos takes readers on a wild fictional journey that has one foot in reality. Filled with suspense, historical intrigue, magic and scripture, get ready for an edge-of-your-seat novel that’ll leave you wanting more.

A Darkness Looms Over Salem 

Most people who have the slightest interest in the occult, hard-to-believe historical occurrences, or early settlers of North America will be familiar with the Salem Witch Trials. While specifics may not be easy to recall, it’s difficult to forget how so many people were brutally tortured and executed due to hearsay and gossip.

In The Scribe of Salem, we are introduced to Chris Papadopoulos, who has seen his fair share of life’s horrors. Having traveled across the world as a newspaper reporter, he covered quite a bit, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Then, his life fell apart …

We first find Chris in the bar of The Bishop Hotel in Salem, which has become somewhat of a place of comfort since moving back to Salem. There, he hears the name Mandy, an enigmatic woman who had supposedly saved the life of his friend, a veteran soldier, Bill, and some others in the bar from teetering into darkness.

It is here, as he is invited to the Puritan Lawn Cemetery, where Chris’s life will take another terrible turn … You’ll have to read to find out!

A Supernatural Thriller With a Cultish Feel

From early in the novel, readers will realize that Kathie Costos’s writing has an atmospheric quality to it. The sinister feeling that forms in the pit of your stomach as soon as Bill calls his companions “Brothers” or quotes scriptures to make a point is intensified as the story continues. The feeling soon turns to dread as this whirlwind, dark tale mixes witchcraft, history and Christianity together and offers it up to readers on a silver platter.

There’s almost a cultish quality to the book, especially in the way that Biblical scriptures are sprinkled throughout the dialogue. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of looking up the various verses and finding the deeper meaning in what was being said by the characters. Having verse juxtaposed with talk of witchcraft gave the novel a slightly unsettling edge.
read more here

I hope you read the rest but what I find intriguing is that everyone in the series has #PTSD from different causes and they joined forces to help Chris. This fabulous review never mention PTSD because she didn't have to. It isn't a typical PTSD book. As a matter of fact, it isn't a typical "any" kind of book. This is the kind of review that means this author, did what I set out to do!

The Scribe Of Salem is also on Amazon

Christian religious leader from 7th century was a woman!

U.K. archaeologists unearth 7th century treasures owned by a woman who may have been Christian religious leader

CBS News
DECEMBER 6, 2022

"We are now looking at places we would never typically have looked at, and as a result, we are finding genuinely unexpected things." Simon Mortimer

Liz Barham, senior conservator of the Museum of London Archaeology, displays an early medieval gold and gemstone necklace during a photo call, in London, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. KIN CHEUNG / AP

The Harpole Treasure – named for the village where it was found, about 60 miles northwest of London – was unearthed in April by archaeologists working with property developer Vistry Group on a neighborhood of new houses.

Researchers say the burial took place between 630 and 670 A.D., the same period as several other graves of high-ranking women that have been found around Britain. Earlier high-status burials were mostly men, and experts say the change could reflect women gaining power and status in England's new Christian faith.

The Kingdom of Mercia, where the Harpole Treasure was found, converted to Christianity in the 7th century, and the woman buried there was a believer, maybe a faith leader. A large and ornate silver cross was placed on her body in the grave. It is adorned with tiny, astonishingly well-preserved likenesses of human heads with blue glass eyes, who may represent Christ's apostles. Clay pots from France or Belgium, containing residue of an unknown liquid, were also found.

Remember the Bible passage about women should be "silent" in church? The following is from 1 Corinthians 14

34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.

Or how they left out women who also had the gift of prophecy?

14 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

Yet also in 1 Corinthians 14, there was this.

10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

The truth is, there were many women with Jesus and thought history, as the ancient woman above, that were leaders in Christianity. Never, ever, doubt the gifts of your spirit are of any lesser value just because some think it is. 

Which Witchcraft Is Acceptable?

Why Do Witches Ride Brooms? The History Behind the Legend

From pagan fertility rituals to hallucinogenic herbs, the story of witches and brooms is a wild ride.
History.com
SARAH PRUITT
OCT 29, 2021

History.com

By the time of Edelin’s “confession,” the idea of witches riding around on broomsticks was already well established. The earliest known image of witches on brooms dates to 1451, when two illustrations appeared in the French poet Martin Le Franc’s manuscript Le Champion des Dames (The Defender of Ladies). In the two drawings, one woman soars through the air on a broom; the other flies aboard a plain white stick. Both wear head scarves that identify them as Waldensians, members of a Christian sect founded in the 12th century who were branded as heretics by the Catholic Church, partly because they allowed women to become priests.

One notion put to rest about witches. Now, if we could only put to rest the one about no one can be "Christian" and "witch" at the same time. To me, it is easy to figure out since all the passages about "bad" witches in the Bible are about those that use their gifts to harm, are not using their gifts from God but serving Satan instead. Those who use their gifts to heal or help, use their spiritual gifts from God to serve God.

Let's take a look at some thoughts that happened in Salem when other Christians got it wrong.

History of the Salem Witch Trials
Rebecca Beatrice Brooks
August 18, 2011

As the years went by, the colonists felt ashamed and remorseful for what had happened during the Salem Witch Trials. Since the witch trials ended, the colony also began to suffer many misfortunes such as droughts, crop failures, smallpox outbreaks and Native-American attacks and many began to wonder if God was punishing them for their mistake. On December 17, 1697, Governor Stoughton issued a proclamation in hopes of making amends with God. The proclamation suggested that there should be:

“observed a Day of Prayer with Fasting throughout the Province…So that all God’s people may put away that which hath stirred God’s Holy jealousy against his land; that he would…help us wherein we have done amiss to do so no more; and especially that whatever mistakes on either hand have fallen into…referring to the late tragedy, raised among us by Satan and his instruments, through the awful judgement of God, he would humble us therefore and pardon all the errors and people that desire to love his name…”

The day of prayer and fasting was held on January 15, 1698, and was known as the Day of Official Humiliation.

In the same article, one of the accusers offered her apology.

In 1706, afflicted girl Ann Putnam, Jr., also issued a public apology for her role in the Salem Witch Trials, particularly in the case against her neighbor Rebecca Nurse. Her apology states:

“I desire to be humbled before God for that sad and humbling providence that befell my father’s family in the year about ’92; that I, then being in my childhood, should, by such a providence of God, be made an instrument for the accusing of several persons of a grievous crime, whereby their lives were taken away from them, whom now I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons; and that it was a great delusion of Satan that deceived me in that sad time, whereby I justly fear I have been instrumental, with others, though ignorantly and unwittingly, to bring upon myself and this land the guilt of innocent blood; though what was said or done by me against any person I can truly and uprightly say, before God and man, I did it not out of any anger, malice, or ill-will to any person, for I had no such thing against one of them; but what I did was ignorantly, being deluded by Satan. And particularly, as I was a chief instrument of accusing of Goodwife Nurse and her two sisters, I desire to lie in the dust, and to be humbled for it, in that I was a cause, with others, of so sad a calamity to them and their families; for which cause I desire to lie in the dust, and earnestly beg forgiveness of God, and from all those unto whom I have given just cause of sorrow and offence, whose relations were taken away or accused.”

While 1698 was a day they publicly admitted shame, it took over 300 years to clear the name of the last accused witch.

Last Conviction in Salem Witch Trials Is Cleared 329 Years Later
New York Times
Vimal Patel
July 31, 2022

Elizabeth Johnson Jr. is — officially — not a witch.

Until last week, the Andover, Mass., woman, who confessed to practicing witchcraft during the Salem witch trials, was the only remaining person convicted during the trials whose name had not been cleared. 

Though she was sentenced to death in 1693, after she and more than 20 members of her extended family faced similar allegations, she was granted a reprieve and avoided the death sentence.

The exoneration came on Thursday, 329 years after her conviction, tucked inside a $53 billion state budget signed by Gov. Charlie Baker. It was the product of a three-year lobbying effort by a civics teacher and her eighth-grade class, along with a state senator who helped champion the cause.

And yet, here are some examples of what was done that were considered witchcraft but acceptable. Witching Sticks, also known as Dowsing Rods, and Divining Rods were acceptable for thousands of years. Some said the word divine was given to them because the power to find what was being looked for was found by the divine intervention of God.

Which witchcraft is acceptable? Of all the places I thought I'd find something, the FBI was not one of them.

Law Enforcement Bulletin FBI January 11, 2022
Forensic Spotlight
Dowsing for Human Remains — Considerations for Investigators

Unproven Method

Dowsing, also called “divining” or “witching,” refers to the practice of observing a pointer — often a forked stick, rods, bent wires, or a pendulum — move in response to some type of influence or transmitter. Some consider it a reliable method for locating underground items of interest, including water, oil, and ore. There are even those who believe that dowsing can help locate buried remains (sometimes called “grave witching”).

On the other hand, there are those claiming it is the work of Satan. This is from GotQuestions What does the Bible say about dowsing?

There are only two spiritual forces at work in our world: God and Satan. They are both real, both spirit, and both powerful. But they are not equals. Satan is merely a created being, a fallen angel whom God allows to rule this world within the boundaries God has established (2 Corinthians 4:4; Luke 10:18). Any supernatural power that does not originate with God is evil. There are no neutral spirits, friendly guides, or positive energies. There is no “power of the universe” behind supernatural occurrences. We are either experiencing the mighty power of God or dabbling in Satan’s playground.

2 Corinthians 4:4 reads "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God," but they use it in this case? Huh? Luke 10:18 was just as confusing. "He replied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.'"

How do they explain the miracles that were happening with the gifts of the spirit?

Luke 10:17 "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Because Jesus sent them to heal the sick and cast out demons with their spiritual gifts.

Guess they skipped over 1 Corinthians 12:7.

The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. 8 To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. 9 To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. 10 To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages. 11 All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.

If you're confused about which witchcraft is acceptable, I hope by now you see that if it is to do bad things, the gift itself came from God, but they chose to use it to serve Satan. If it is to help, heal, and deliver the miracles God is trying to deliver, then they are using their gift from God for God.

I am not a witch, nor do I pray to anything or anyone other than God and Jesus. When I light a candle, it is simply to light a room during a power failure or to add some fresh scent to a room. I don't use Tarot cards but I have prayer cards. I am a firm believer that while some people believe women do not belong preaching the word of God, the Bible clearly states women were among those Jesus sent to heal others and also among the 120 that chose Matthias as the replacement for Judas. (One of my best friends is a female pastor.) Above all, I believe that God sent us all here with gifts within us to do good in this world, but some, choose to do harm instead.

About Kathie Costos Author of Minister Of The Mystery Series