Took a bit of a break. Sometimes social media can be so toxic. I think at some point I might post something that will purposefully draw out the misogynists and bullies just so I can have a satisfying cull.
That all sounds very negative doesn't it, haha. Hey, the vast majority of you folks are awesome and I love our interactions. But sometimes you've got to cut away the low key trolls who hide in plain site, like lancing a boil 😄😄😄 OH AND LOVE YOUR PIC
MK, lovely lady, I am interested in changing my Substack status to a paid version. I have tried a couple of times, it won’t seem to go through. Maybe because I’m using PayPal? I’m pretty sure I paid for your webinar with Matthew Stapley about gifts of the spirits, was sure I used PayPal.
You are a beautiful soul, you touch so many people and your raw/real post last week brought tears to my eyes. In your transparency, your real truth, you touched a place in my heart that comforted me. You made me realize I’m not living with my deep dark days alone. Thank you. I have been in a place where I could not pay my bills. There was a point in my life, I had lost my apartment, had no place to go money for a deposit on a new rental and no running car to move my family out. Dealing with my autoimmune disorder combined with my severe depression and body crushing anxiety, I had no one to even help me pack or move. I see you MK, I feel you MK. I know the part that wants to climb under the covers until the crisis is over. I see the mom who wants to win the Mom of the Year award, but struggles to fix breakfast, make sure homework is done, make sure they are in bed by their bedtime. The mom who sees a bowl of cereal or pop tart as a suitable dinner, after all, they have eaten.....
I see you. I know you. I have lived some of the days you are living. I have cried your tears. I still cry your tears some days. You are not alone. Keep sharing Mary Katherine. Please. That video you posted, then was worried what some people would think... it gave me hope. It made me feel just a little less alone.
I would love to someday connect with you. Someone to just co-support at times. Maybe someday. I Think you are a beautiful courageous woman with whom I have so much respect so very much. You show your real, that is rare. Huge hugs. 💜
🛑Please let me know how I can become a paying support for the Substack. Thanks in advance.
I've never been WITHOUT to any real degree. But I came very close to destroying my life with alcohol. MK is such a blessing. She's real and honest and I'm trying to figure out how to support her. Another job for the Big Dude I finally believe in again. Just wanted to tell you that you touched my heart.
Do read Diana Butler Bass' account of her experience with "The Cottage" on Substack. This is from a recent email she sent out: "August 4, 2023, marks a significant milestone at the Cottage. Two years ago on that date, I took a huge risk and invited my readers — you — to support the Cottage financially.
I remember how nervous I was! Would anyone be willing to sign up for a paid subscription? Your response was amazing; you upgraded from free to paid. I was so humbled by your support and trust — I can’t even begin to express my gratitude. Your Substack paid subscription has changed all of that. Because of your support, I now have a regular monthly salary. This is what your paid subscription does for me as a writer:
You pay my salary, including my health insurance, taxes, Social Security, savings for retirement, and other insurances — all the things a regular paycheck takes care of.
You support the technology that makes the Cottage possible. Substack has a 10% share and the accounting/payment program costs 5% of the total. (Believe me, 15% is incredibly reasonable for all the tech services they provide this community!). The subscription fee also pays for hardware and software upgrades (like computer needs and broadcasting equipment), ZOOM fees, podcast services, and website hosting and design.
Your support also gives me the ability to accept speaking engagements from churches and nonprofit organizations that cannot afford my standard fees. Having more flexibility and freedom regarding my speaking schedule and invitations is a great gift to worthy groups with fewer resources.
Your paid subscription allows me to donate to other Substack newsletters, especially start-ups by young writers. With your support, I have also been able to donate to World Community Kitchen, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Third Act, my local church, and a neighborhood food pantry along with other causes.
Your financial contributions also support my research needs — books and supplies, professional subscriptions, and research travel for specific writing projects (like my next book!).
But your subscription — the yearly plan costs just 14 cents a day — goes far beyond supporting me as a writer.
The paid community makes it possible for the Cottage to be FREE for well over 90% of its readers. The Cottage is the third-ranked Substack newsletter in the “Faith and Spirituality” category, has more than 40,000 free subscribers in 142 countries around the world, provides 100 complementary subscriptions to those who can’t afford it, is viewed on average 750,000 times a months (that includes those who don’t subscribe but find it on Facebook, Twitter, or through your shares), and has fostered international conversations on Mary Magdalene, the role of religion in the Ukrainian War, and Christian nationalism.
You made that happen. I NEVER could have done this alone. We’ve created a global community of conversation for a different sort of Christianity together.
Getting the most from the Cottage:
Make sure to READ this entire section
The Cottage is more than an email. Most of you have also figured out that it is a community, a great resource for progressive churches, and a conversation on the future of faith."
I can see you doing something similar, Mary Katherine. I'm sure Diana would love to help you get going.
Along with a few dudes and newly discovered authors, I'm recognizing constant gifts from the Big Dude/Dudette. Almost lost my faith entirely, but NO!! Thanks, honeybunch.
Thanks for this post! It help me a great deal!! Such a wonderful friend!! I was feeling that way toward my cousin, but I realize now after reading your post maybe she needs some of that down time you talked about!! Love you and praying for you
Took a bit of a break. Sometimes social media can be so toxic. I think at some point I might post something that will purposefully draw out the misogynists and bullies just so I can have a satisfying cull.
That all sounds very negative doesn't it, haha. Hey, the vast majority of you folks are awesome and I love our interactions. But sometimes you've got to cut away the low key trolls who hide in plain site, like lancing a boil 😄😄😄 OH AND LOVE YOUR PIC
MK, lovely lady, I am interested in changing my Substack status to a paid version. I have tried a couple of times, it won’t seem to go through. Maybe because I’m using PayPal? I’m pretty sure I paid for your webinar with Matthew Stapley about gifts of the spirits, was sure I used PayPal.
You are a beautiful soul, you touch so many people and your raw/real post last week brought tears to my eyes. In your transparency, your real truth, you touched a place in my heart that comforted me. You made me realize I’m not living with my deep dark days alone. Thank you. I have been in a place where I could not pay my bills. There was a point in my life, I had lost my apartment, had no place to go money for a deposit on a new rental and no running car to move my family out. Dealing with my autoimmune disorder combined with my severe depression and body crushing anxiety, I had no one to even help me pack or move. I see you MK, I feel you MK. I know the part that wants to climb under the covers until the crisis is over. I see the mom who wants to win the Mom of the Year award, but struggles to fix breakfast, make sure homework is done, make sure they are in bed by their bedtime. The mom who sees a bowl of cereal or pop tart as a suitable dinner, after all, they have eaten.....
I see you. I know you. I have lived some of the days you are living. I have cried your tears. I still cry your tears some days. You are not alone. Keep sharing Mary Katherine. Please. That video you posted, then was worried what some people would think... it gave me hope. It made me feel just a little less alone.
I would love to someday connect with you. Someone to just co-support at times. Maybe someday. I Think you are a beautiful courageous woman with whom I have so much respect so very much. You show your real, that is rare. Huge hugs. 💜
🛑Please let me know how I can become a paying support for the Substack. Thanks in advance.
I've never been WITHOUT to any real degree. But I came very close to destroying my life with alcohol. MK is such a blessing. She's real and honest and I'm trying to figure out how to support her. Another job for the Big Dude I finally believe in again. Just wanted to tell you that you touched my heart.
I recently vanished for three months for the first time ever and it was fantastic.
Is ok to breathe out.
Do read Diana Butler Bass' account of her experience with "The Cottage" on Substack. This is from a recent email she sent out: "August 4, 2023, marks a significant milestone at the Cottage. Two years ago on that date, I took a huge risk and invited my readers — you — to support the Cottage financially.
I remember how nervous I was! Would anyone be willing to sign up for a paid subscription? Your response was amazing; you upgraded from free to paid. I was so humbled by your support and trust — I can’t even begin to express my gratitude. Your Substack paid subscription has changed all of that. Because of your support, I now have a regular monthly salary. This is what your paid subscription does for me as a writer:
You pay my salary, including my health insurance, taxes, Social Security, savings for retirement, and other insurances — all the things a regular paycheck takes care of.
You support the technology that makes the Cottage possible. Substack has a 10% share and the accounting/payment program costs 5% of the total. (Believe me, 15% is incredibly reasonable for all the tech services they provide this community!). The subscription fee also pays for hardware and software upgrades (like computer needs and broadcasting equipment), ZOOM fees, podcast services, and website hosting and design.
Your support also gives me the ability to accept speaking engagements from churches and nonprofit organizations that cannot afford my standard fees. Having more flexibility and freedom regarding my speaking schedule and invitations is a great gift to worthy groups with fewer resources.
Your paid subscription allows me to donate to other Substack newsletters, especially start-ups by young writers. With your support, I have also been able to donate to World Community Kitchen, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Third Act, my local church, and a neighborhood food pantry along with other causes.
Your financial contributions also support my research needs — books and supplies, professional subscriptions, and research travel for specific writing projects (like my next book!).
But your subscription — the yearly plan costs just 14 cents a day — goes far beyond supporting me as a writer.
The paid community makes it possible for the Cottage to be FREE for well over 90% of its readers. The Cottage is the third-ranked Substack newsletter in the “Faith and Spirituality” category, has more than 40,000 free subscribers in 142 countries around the world, provides 100 complementary subscriptions to those who can’t afford it, is viewed on average 750,000 times a months (that includes those who don’t subscribe but find it on Facebook, Twitter, or through your shares), and has fostered international conversations on Mary Magdalene, the role of religion in the Ukrainian War, and Christian nationalism.
You made that happen. I NEVER could have done this alone. We’ve created a global community of conversation for a different sort of Christianity together.
Getting the most from the Cottage:
Make sure to READ this entire section
The Cottage is more than an email. Most of you have also figured out that it is a community, a great resource for progressive churches, and a conversation on the future of faith."
I can see you doing something similar, Mary Katherine. I'm sure Diana would love to help you get going.
You are such a blessing for me, dudette.
Along with a few dudes and newly discovered authors, I'm recognizing constant gifts from the Big Dude/Dudette. Almost lost my faith entirely, but NO!! Thanks, honeybunch.
Thanks for this post! It help me a great deal!! Such a wonderful friend!! I was feeling that way toward my cousin, but I realize now after reading your post maybe she needs some of that down time you talked about!! Love you and praying for you