Christian Writer Author:
Janet Seever
Location:
Alberta
,
Canada
Email:
jseever1@shaw.ca
Website:
www.inscribe.org/members/janet-seever
 Living in Calgary, Alberta, Janet Seever writes for Word Alive and Prayer Alive, publications of Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada. Her writing has appeared in numerous places on Internet and in a number of newspapers and books. She and her husband have two adult children, one of whom is married, and a five-year-old grandson.
Visit Janet's website to read more of her wonderful articles.
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I've Written . . .
A Place To Call Home
Christian Missions
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Mission Trips
Fiction: False
A discouraged new missionary overseas learns perseverance from veteran translators.
The machete wound probably wouldn't require stitches, but infection was a real danger in tropical Papua New Guinea (PNG). I wrapped a clean cloth around my bleeding finger, angry with myself for being careless.
"Lord, what am I doing here?" I questioned. "How am I serving You? What does skinning bark off logs
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Comfort from Above
Christian Article
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Faith
Fiction: False
Haze hung like a thin gray blanket over Manila. Although it was only 6:30 a.m., I knew the day would be another hot, humid one—my blouse was already sticking to me. Dreading the trip ahead of me, I wished I could make the nightmare of the past few days vanish by closing my eyes.
Weaving in and out of traffic, our Filipino driver was taking my co-worker, Helena, and me to the bus station. Three
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Fire on the Mountain
Christian Article
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Other
Fiction: False
Stars were beginning to poke through the darkening southern Mexico sky. Crickets chirped and the high-pitched trill of the cicadas grated painfully on our ears. My husband, Dennis, and I -as well as most of the other missionary trainees-were settling down for the night.
It had been another busy day. We started our day at 6 A.M. with mile run on the airstrip, observed the national culture aroun
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Friendship, a Blue Shawl and a Hug
Christian Article
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Other
Fiction: False
It was an unlikely friendship—Lee had dropped out of school in 10th grade after her father died. She married an abusive man at the tender age of sixteen to avoid being put in a foster home, since her mother had abandoned the family years earlier. When I met her in 1995, she hadn’t attended church in years.
I, on the other hand, had five years of university education and worked for a mission org
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Holding on to Hope
Christian Article
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Other
Fiction: False
“Woe.” He says the word as his blue eyes peer intently into mine.
“No.” I repeat the word. “Watch where I put my lips and teeth, Dennis.”
“No.” This time it sounds much more like what it was meant to be. We repeat it about a dozen times and go on to the next word.
“Why,” I say, exaggerating the position of my mouth and he mimics me. We do the next six words, a dozen times each, and then
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Numbering Our Days
Christian Article
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Other
Fiction: False
So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.
-- Psalm 90:12 RSV
The last few golden leaves tumbled to the ground, leaving bare branches like bony fingers pointing skyward. The biting wind stung as I walked through the driven rain, bundling my coat tighter. It wasn’t quite snowing, at least not yet. This was never my favorite time of year. In the past, I would count the mo
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Just One More Letter
Christian Article
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Other
Fiction: False
During the night of an ice storm in March 1957, my baby sister was born. While Mom was in the hospital, my four-year-old sister and I, a ten-year-old, stayed with our paternal grandparents. My nine-year-old brother stayed with our maternal grandparents.
When the time came for Mom to bring baby Sharon home from the hospital, we were excited about going home as well. However, my sister and I star
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There's a Stranger in My Bedroom!
Christian Article
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Other
Fiction: False
Feb. 4, 2006, was a night like no other. I hadn’t slept well for some reason, and at 3:30 a.m., just as I was drifting back to sleep, the light in our bedroom went on. A man was standing by our bed, glaring down at my husband and me! He had a short haircut and a goatee like our son Tim, who lives in our basement apartment, but when I got my eyes to focus, it definitely was not Tim. Barrel chested,
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The Sun Still Shines
Christian Article
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Other
Fiction: False
This is an update of a previous story, “Holding on to Hope.”
“Doe.” He says the word as his blue eyes peer intently into mine.
“No.” I repeat the word. “Watch where I put my lips and teeth, Dennis.”
“No.” This time it sounds much more like what it was meant to be. We repeat it about a dozen times and go on to the next word.
“Why,” I say, exaggerating the position of my mouth and he
... Read Christian Article
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A Journey Through Time
Christian Article
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Loss
Fiction: True
Glancing at her watch, Sandra knew she had exactly two hours. She grabbed a box of tissues and made herself a cup of tea. Getting out the box of old journals, she spread the contents in front of her. The passages she wanted were already marked, but now there was an urgency to her journey through time.
Taking a sip of her tea, she picked up the journal marked 1973-1975 and began to read.
Oct
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A Kiss From Ricky
Christian Article
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Health
Fiction: True
Laughter rang out as children raced across the school yard, busily engaged in one of their inventive games. The October wind swirled red and yellow leaves against the brick four-room country school, which had stood like a sentinel on the corner for generations. It was a vital part of the rural community of Harriett—population 150—including some of the dogs and cats. In 1953, school games were inno
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Exactly the Right Teacher
Christian Article
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Encouragement
Fiction: False
Autumn leaves drifted down on a sunny Saturday morning in late October 1985. I stood watching our children through a sliding glass door in the house where we were temporarily staying. Rachel, three, was rolling in the thick layer of leaves on the ground, while Tim, six, was busily making piles with a rake that was much too big for him. Noticing me standing there, Tim came over to the door.
"Mom
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Angels Watching Over Me
Christian Article
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Angels
Fiction: True
“I like that ceramic angel in the corner best, Gram,” said Amanda. “She’s so pretty.”
Her grandmother leaned over and peered into her glass case that held her angel collection—ceramic, glass and carved wood. When Amanda came for a visit, they often looked at the angels.
“Are angels real? Do they watch over us?” Amanda always had a million questions—and that’s only a slight exaggeration. Gr
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I Choose to Laugh
Christian Article
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Overcoming Struggles
Fiction: False
Awakened by the phone ringing at 11:35 p.m., I fumble for the receiver beside my bed. Who would be calling at this time of night?
“Hello,” I mumble.
“Mom, I’m not in jail.” The voice at the other end belongs to my 21-year-old daughter, Rachel.
“What?” My heart is beginning to race.
.
“I’m not actually. I’m fine. It’s my car.”
“What’s the matter?”
“My car was impounded. I fo
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This Christmas Has 12 Days
Christian Article
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Holidays
Fiction: False
Twinkling lights on the Christmas tree reflected off the red, green and blue ornaments, while candles waited to be lit. Outside a few snowflakes drifted down as the gray Sunday afternoon sky darkened. Night comes early in mid-December.
Although it was less than two weeks before Christmas, I found it difficult to be in a festive mood. I went through the motions of putting up a few decorations a
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A Glimmer Of Hope
Christian Article
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Hope
Fiction: True
Downy snowflakes fell on the bare trees branches; they fell on the charred wood scattered outside of the house at 319 Elm Street, covering the evidence of the fire the previous night; and they fell on Connie Barrett, melting on her face and mingling with her tears.
Connie looked up at the roof, or what was left of it. Huge plastic tarps covered the gaping hole where the fire had burned through
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Making a Difference
Christian Article
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Children
Fiction: False
It was very late in the summer of 1970. I was a new teacher with a secondary science degree, desperate for a job. A parochial school in a small town of 1,300 people urgently needed an elementary teacher for geography, math and some science. It wasn’t an exact match, but I got the job.
I didn’t fit in with the other young lay teachers who, unfortunately, were into the party scene. My closest fr
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Welcome to My Menagerie
Christian Article
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Life
Fiction: False
Summer had faded into fall in the small Minnesota farming community, bringing hoards of eager and not-so-eager students back to school. Golden fields of wheat were now great grasshopper-filled expanses of stubble. Ripened apples hung on the trees, waiting to be picked.
As a young teacher in my second year of teaching, I planned as much hands-on experience as possible for my 5th and 6th grade s
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Who Is My Neighbor?
Christian Article
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Loss
Fiction: False
I first rang her doorbell as a volunteer, collecting funds for the Cancer Society in April 2002. The weather was still chilly, but tulips had already poked through the ground, and were beginning to open in front of her house.
The dark-haired woman from South Asia who answered the door told me she wasn’t interested.
“But nearly everyone has a relative or friend dealing with cancer,” I said.
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Next Exit Grapevine
Christian Article
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Overcoming Struggles
Fiction: True
“Why didn´t you pay the electric bill last week when it was due?” Greg´s face contorted in anger as he waved the unpaid bill in Karen´s face.
“I thought you were going to drop it off on your way to work,” said Karen with a calmness she didn´t feel. She continued making orange juice for breakfast.
“Why can´t you do anything right? I couldn´t even find clean socks in my drawer this morning.” G
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Thanks, Dad
Christian Article
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Relationships
Fiction: False
My father grew up as an only child of second-generation German immigrants, a rigid upbringing. In his early twenties, he married his high school sweetheart from a neighboring farm. I was the first of five children.
Dad expected his children to excel at school and whatever else they did. As the oldest, I worked hard to meet his expectations.
In this era, fathers did not hug or kiss their ch
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Waiting for the Sunrise
Christian Article
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Overcoming Struggles
Fiction: False
Brilliant hues of crimson, pink and orange paint the eastern sky with a constantly changing kaleidoscope of colours. Trees stand silhouetted in black against the spectacular backdrop as the world waits with a holy hush. Finally the sun peeks above the horizon as a new day dawns. No matter how dark the night preceding it, the dawn holds a new promise from the Creator whose signature it bears. In Ps
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Learning to Be Content
Christian Article
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Relationships
Fiction: False
The return address on the envelope of the Christmas letter was unfamiliar. When I opened it, I saw the letter was from our friend Elaine. Had she moved?
Elaine quickly explained the reason for her change of address. After 30 years of teaching and living in a major city, she had retired. She was now helping her 86-year-old dad take care of her 64-year-old brother who needed 24-hour supervision.
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A Lesson for a Lifetime
Christian Article
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Relationships
Fiction: False
When I arrived at 6 a.m. in the large hospital kitchen, Rose was already checking name tags on the trays against the patient roster. Stainless steel shelves held rows of breakfast trays which we would soon be serving.
"Hi, I'm Janet." I tried to sound cheerful, although I already knew Rose's reputation for being impossible to work with. "I'm scheduled to work with you this week."
A stocky
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Sarah, Please Come Home
Christian Article
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Children
Fiction: True
Groggy from sleep, Cheryl was awakened by persistent ringing. Who on earth is ringing the doorbell at this hour? she wondered fearfully, glancing at the clock-1:25 a.m.. She decided not to awaken her paramedic husband, Rick, since he had an early morning shift.
From the kitchen window, she saw flashing lights of a police car.
"Mrs. Anderson," the officer confronted her at the door, "we have
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It Only Takes Time Management
Christian Article
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Relationships
Fiction: True
"My job as administrative assistant is really a challenge," I said to my sister, Sue, as I stirred my coffee. We were sitting at her kitchen table while she watched her children playing in the backyard.
"It offers me an opportunity to meet people, travel and stretch my mind," I continued. "Sue, I just don't know how you find motherhood all that fulfilling."
I guess that was the wrong thing
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God’s Abundant Supply
Christian Article
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Devotionals
Fiction: False
I prayed with my grandson, Andrew, before bedtime as I sometimes do. After we finished our prayer, I asked, “Do you want to see a picture of Jesus?” I pointed out the picture on the living room wall of Jesus holding a lamb in His arms. But Andrew, who was three at the time, wasn’t at all interested in the picture on the wall. He had seen it dozens of times before.
“Grandma, Jesus is in the bat
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Comfort in Times of Trouble
Christian Article
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Encouragement
Fiction: False
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV).
“I’m so glad your husband is coming to the retreat,” wrote Doris in her email. “It means that I won’t be the only one there with m
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Not Forgotten
Christian Article
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Devotionals
Fiction: False
August 2010 was a time when I had far more questions than answers. I was 65—retirement age—but still had no definite retirement plans for the time in the future when I would no longer be capable of working. My husband Dennis and I were living in Canada, and the rest of our extended family—except for our two adult children—lived in the U.S. Dennis was severely handicapped from a major stroke in Nov
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WorthFinding Designs by LaVella
Beauitful images of nature's best adorn these notecards. They are a great way to send a note of encouragement or thank-yous. Notecards may be personalized with your special message on all 4 sides! Add a scripture, an encouraging word or both! Designs and Images by, LaVella Kraft Design Challenged? No worries! I'll gladly design hats, t-shirts and more for you or your organized Special Event. Email me at justask@worthfinding.com for details!
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