Oh yeah, I couldn’t resist. In the Celestine Chronicles; it’s a seven book series of Children of Adonai, I’m revisiting book 2, the Forgiven, where Lucifer has Miriam in Hell. He’d kidnapped her and after conversations galore and emotional challenges, surprise, surprise the two fall in love.
Then, the Lord of Heaven calls for her return to Heaven. Of course she was in hell in part because he allowed Lucifer to take her there to tempt her as he had Job centuries before. Not to test her faith but to test the devil himself to see if he could stand up to Miriam’s faith. He fell in love not having a clue he’s the one being tested here. 
Miriam’s also challenged seeing all the souls in hell and her compassion for them trips her heart. In wondering about hell and how we end up in that dark and fiery place, I went online and perused some of the reasons and I'm more confused by  what I read some of which will depend upon which church you attend or religion you believe in - one reason I gave this blog the title I did. Please don’t be offended or if you must....

1. Hell - unspeakable torment
The traditional perspective, the “traditional” view can be a cheap way - according to many (not all) evangelicals of trying to win the argument without proving the merit of their ideas.
The Eastern Orthodox Church has been around way longer, and have a different take on it. It doesn’t mean they’re right and evangelicals wrong, but let’s dispense with whose view is more “traditional.”
In any case, the “unspeakable torment” view says those who die without Christ experience unimaginable agony — and they’re fully awake for it. This view is the eternal conscious torment because most adherents believe it’s an unending state. There is no reprieve, no second chance.
​
2. Hell - a ghost town - universalist
Christian vs generic universalism, both end in a nonexistent hell. Generic universalism says everyone is basically good and all paths lead to God.
Christian universalism says there’s only one way to God. It accepts the reality of hell, but believes those in hell are able to repent and escape.
There are, in fact, two varieties of Christian universalism:

• Confident: They are sure hell will be empty one day. God’s victory will be absolute and all-inclusive. 

• Hopeful: This is universalism. There is hope for everyone; it’s likely everyone will eventually embrace God.

​3. Purgatory now, hell later  
Those who die apart from Christ go to hell, though it isn’t hell - not yet.
Residents of this not-quite-hell can switch  from “damned” to “saved,” on an expiration date at final judgment, for all eternity.
Think of this hell as “Hades.” It’s rather like a waiting room for the dead.

4. Annihilation
Basically, unrepentant are ended at judgment, not endlessly tormented. Apparently it’s the official view of the Church of England. 

5. Conditional 
Not quite annihilation. Close. To most, annihilation implies God ends the unrepentant. Conditional immortality takes a different route to the same destination. It questions the assumption humans are inherently immortal. In fact, only God is immortal.
The notion we’re immortal — our souls cannot die — isn’t from the Bible. It’s from ancient Greek philosophy - everything physical is temporary (and evil), while everything spiritual is forever (and good). It’s known as Gnosticism, heretical according to the ancient church or whoever.

6. Subhuman existence
This view is something halfway between eternal conscious torment and conditional immortality. The more a person persistently, defies sins against God and others, the less they reflect the image of God so become less than fully human. They will persist in the afterlife as ex-humans. 
____________
And those are just the theories about the nature of hell. There are many more theories to consider about who will end up there.
Exclusivists say only those who consciously put their faith in Christ — or only those predestined to put their faith in Christ — go to heaven.
There are accessibilists who leave room in God’s kingdom for those who never had a chance to accept or reject Christ - God judges.
There are Christian pluralists who say God can save adherents of other religions — such people will meet Christ in the age to come and realize he was the one they were seeking.
There are weak and strong versions of Christian pluralism, with different understandings of just how far God’s undetected grace will extend.
And there are agnostics who insist we cannot know — like I used to say, “I’m just going to let God worry about it.” 
These views have found expression in the Christian tradition. Some are more popular than others. All of them appeal to Scripture for support and how they interpret scripture is individual and personal.
So when someone argues about heaven, hell, who goes where, and for how long — remember… it may not be as simple as we think. 

​      God knows so, put your trust in Adonai and his son Yeshu'a

I started a blog on Hell is a Hoot because there’s so many versions. More on that after this short blog because I was so astonished by what I read, as I was reading and writing about hell.
____
Note Genesis 2:15 says, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” 
Okay. We all know verse 17 by heart and wonder why those idiots ate from the tree of knowledge, but how many of us ever ask ourselves about verse 16, the other tree. Who cares about all that knowledge when we have eternal life to learn everything there is to know?
Once they were kicked out of the garden, they are now denied access to the "tree of life", which they had access to before, and now they will die. Of course, most Christians or Bible readers erroneously assume because the tree of knowledge was forbidden so was the tree of life. At least I did. I’ve never heard a preacher even preach on it.
Read the text above again. The two idiots were told NOT to eat from the tree of knowledge. Until they screwed up, they had eternal life - a gift only God can give and he gave us in the beginning. Now of course, we have to go the extra mile and accept Yeshu'a into our lives. Not that it’s a big deal but just imagine all the drama we could have bypassed if Eve first then Adam had not eaten from the darned tree.

   Dream on little dreamer, including daydream. I wonder if my characters aren’t part of my life coming to life, they seem so real.
    I’ve always been a dreamer, as I said. Indeed, in the third grade while at the Assumption Academy in Chadron, Nebraska, I dreamt of my father and mother holding their baby while I peed on the floor of a nearby room in what would be the restaurant they later opened. "Piss on this" was my attitude, though I didn’t realize it at the time. I was only eight.
   The dreams rolled in over the years but that one stuck. Others I still recall came many years later when I was in a very traumatic relationship and wanted out but didn’t know how to leave. Three nights I dreamed about the relationship and the reason I was stuck, and stayed stuck.
  April 1st, while falling asleep, I recounted my relationships and what went wrong. Looking for love in all the wrong places. No! I wasn’t looking for love; I wanted to be wanted by someone, anyone! And I was willing to do whatever it took to be wanted. You know what that meant, and so, I went from one man to another who was looking for? Maybe they wanted to be wanted so, in a sense, we fulfilled one another’s need - for a moment. At least that was the dream.
Back to the dreams.
    After the memories came the dream of a man, who'll remain nameless. He reminds me of my oldest son’s friend. That’s how I met the traumatic relationship guy. I wasn’t looking for a man but he showed up at my door and I let him in. Dumb-dee-dumb-dumb. Not this time. Fortunately, my son’s not around and he’s married, so I can’t meet his friends. This guy, I met by happenstance, so I have no idea why he would show up in my dreams. He’s 32 years younger than me! He’s young enough to be my grandson for crimes (typo) sake. Yup. Crimes sake is right. It should be a crime to even dream those sorts of thoughts about him. So get him out of my dreams for pity sake. Help Lord…
     Last night, I had another dream. If you don’t know who Bettie Mitchell is, she was the founder of Good Samaritan Ministries, Beaverton Oregon.
In the dream, I’ve written a couple of pages of … who knows. She’s sitting and a lot of other people have lined up submitting their two pages of… 
I wait to hand her mine as another woman walks up and hands her two sheets of paintings with beautiful images. Jealous, I comment something sarcastic, reach and touch a portion of the paint, and come away with paint on my fingers only it’s my paint. I get up and go into the bathroom to wash off the yellow ochre paint. 
    Now, I’m wondering, when did I ever give her anything I’ve painted? As I’m writing this, I remember two paintings. One very colorful painting of a landscape by a river and waterfall with Yeshu’a sitting with two of his disciples and one of the women; the other was a colorful waterfall with a white bird overhead and the sun sinking down. True I didn’t give them to Bettie per se, I gave them to the ministry here in Vancouver. Still it made me think of the colorful paintings I’ve made and perhaps I should stop writing stories for a time and get back into my painting. Dip my fingers in the paint, if you will. After all, the seven books in my Children of Adonai series are on Apple and everywhere else. Ha.

Of course there still is music in heaven but I doubt very much if there’s music in hell. Although some of the music nowadays is pretty awful and belongs in hell, from my point of view. But that’s just me. I’m writing this because I am editing a chapter in a novel; it’s an unending process and as I’m writing - thinking about Lucifer, how many people ever wonder about the Lord of hell what he lost when he was thrown out of heaven? How does he feel about what he lost, if he has?
Here’s a note: It’s right after Lucifer has kidnapped the angel into hell - with Adonai’s consent of course - like Job, as you recall. 
"I leave and return to my own rooms, leaving Miriam to her fears and insecurities, if she has any. She is a warrior angel after all. Anyway, it’s times like these when I miss the music that use to pour forth from me, from the harps, pipes and timbrels. That’s another part I lost in falling from heaven and it’s something I dearly miss. How I love music but the demons or fallen ones would not understand and it would not be something to have in hell anyway; it might bring solace to the misery of this place or the misery the lost are supposed to experience.
With a sigh, I go to my desk and pick up the diary, running my hand over the soft leather cover. I sit down to write, having recorded my life since Earth in these pages. As I stare at the blank page, I realize one sentence is not enough. There is too much to say about today and how I feel” Lucifer mutters to himself within his chambers deep within hell.
Interesting idea.
Now I’m reading a book about the angels in heaven and Lucifer, Michael and Gabriel are great friends; they cavort through the heavens having fun while busy at work. Then the scene changes and we learn Lucifer is a bit too serious as charon of Earth. I think that’s the title by which he is called. The book seems to take the view this is Heaven before the end times when Lucifer ruled Earth and each of the angels, cherubim and seraphim had work, ruling the different planets. Fascinating and discombobulating, because it’s so far off from what most of us have been taught. But what if this author is not so far off. What if Lucifer  is in heaven roaming about and the sins we commit are all on us and the angels have not yet fallen? There is no hell.
I’ll let you know more once I’ve finished the book or series, which I’m very eager to get back to this evening. If interested, "The Third Heaven: The Rise of Fallen Stars" book 1 of 4 by Donovan Neal & others.

I always have a story to write. Often my stories, even the demonic ones as well as the angelic they come out of my past. Now if you were to change your story what would you change?
For me, it took a while to even consider the idea…. But, online, I found an intriguing idea: "Think of a childhood moment—imagine if things had gone differently.” Now, in life we do not get a do-over but in our imagination we can. So, here goes: If my particular moment in life has changed, how would my life be different now? What would/has remained the same?
Old story:
1951 mom divorced our father for putting alcohol first. We moved to the Pacific Northwest and mom  met a man who later became our step-dad. 1954 our father came to ask mom to take him back; he still loved her but he still smelled of alcohol and she said, go away. He left.
New story:
Our Dad, remorseful, did whatever was necessary to have his family again, gave up drinking, so mom welcomed him back with open arms and bid potential stepdad farewell. Dad went to work, as before, and between the two of them they saved their money and opened a restaurant (which they’d also done before); it became popular and they prospered. Me, I was always a rebel and so, I fell for a lowlife who took advantage of a young girl and my life went on in the same vein as before. I cannot imagine that part being any different. 
It’s interesting that I can imagine a better life for my mother and father but not myself. On the other hand, if my life had changed for the better, if I’d  lived a rich girl life, what would I have been like? I’ve seen the rich and famous on television. I’ve also known some rich folks who’re really great people. A brother and his wife, for example, so I know goodness among the rich is possible.
Now when I write about angels (nice people in life) and demons (not so nice people in life) I find ways for them to see the light and hear new voices in their head so they can change their life and find a new heaven on earth, or in heaven. Hey, with God anything is possible.
~~~~~
Here’s some ways to change your story:

1. Listen to the voice in your head. Is it angel or demon? 
2. Consider what their voice is saying that you repeat.
   • “You'll never be able to do it.”
   • “You really suck at that.”
   • “You'll never be good enough.”
   • “You're such a loser.”
   • “You have no power to do anything.”
   • “It's too difficult. Just give up”
   • “You never follow through. Why try?”
   • “So and so is better than you.”
   These are merely examples. Listen and write the words down word-for-word.
3. Ask yourself if this is helping; is it empowering? Is it enabling you to do what you want or is it preventing you from doing? Be honest. (Sometimes, people are addicted to their problems and the stories that create who they are; they’ve given their demons control.)
4. Now write a different story. Don’t just write a bunch positive phrases someone else made up. Instead, tell yourself a new truth. This simply is a matter of shifting your point of view.
5. Start telling yourself a new story. Every time your inner voice repeats the old rendition of the same old song. Say, “No!” Out Loud. “The truth is...” Then repeat your song or story, whatever works for you. I like both stories and songs that resonate within me.

Once you realize what you are doing, write a new song - a song that makes the whole world sing!

Recently, I read several articles concerning the soul at death, because some of my books have characters whose earthly selves had died and, in the story, they are now living in Heaven (as well as interacting within the ‘fiction' story). Was I correct in their even being in heaven then?
I’m always looking for answers and often it’s simpler to seek the Lord because I didn’t know where to look in the Bible. For example when my mother was dying and my brother, sister and I were caring for her, I opened the Bible and struggled to find comforting passages. Nada. So, I went to the Psalms and all I could find at the time were verses on anything but comfort. Here’s an example, Psalms 12 says, "Everyone lies, flatters, and deceives. Nothing but empty talk, smooth talk, and double-talk. Where are the truthful? (Psalms 12:2-3). Well, I didn’t want to hit my mother with that sort of thing, not on her death bed for pity sake.
Okay - back to the reason for the blog.
This time, I prayed for an answer and the Lord gave me this story. It would have been appropriate back then, but in every situation I’ve confronted, one thing I’ve learned is ‘I am not an evangelist.’ Which is why I write these stories (loaded with scripture if you’re looking); it’s my way of sharing what I do know about Adonai, Yeshu’a and what I ‘imagine’ life after death and heaven would be like - told from a fictional point of view, of course. Moving on...

“What happens to my soul when I die?”
As a pastor and a teaching theologian, this is one of the most frequent questions I receive. However, the inquiry most often comes, not in the form of a question, but in the context of crisis. Indeed, this is how the question was posed by Mrs. Henley: in a defining moment of her faith on trial.
….
I was a pastor “on loan,” …dispatched to provide pastoral ministry to a family I didn’t know. …. 
Mrs. Gladys Henley, Mr. Henley’s wife of sixty-some-odd years was there to greet me. Mr. Henley’s forty-plus-year-old son and his wife were also there. 
….
I rehearsed the pastoral visit. … drew in a breath of hope as I exhaled a prayer: “Lord, guide me.”
I opened my Bible. I needed a passage that would serve as my “pastoral prescription” … [at least God answered him at the time]
My eyes found the words of Acts of the Apostles and Peter’s quote of Psalm 16:10, “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence” (Acts 2:27, 28 ESV).
The family greeted me …in a family vigil. For, by then, Mr. Henley was a dying man. [and Mrs. Henley was tired so… The nurse encouraged Mrs. Henley, to leave for tea and a sandwich. She agreed and left with her son, and his wife. ]
…
alone with Mr. Henley. … I felt led to speak, “Mr. Henley, I am not sure if you can hear me, Sir. I have a Scripture for you from God’s Word. It is a very simple and powerful truth. I am certain you know it.”… 
“‘We are confident, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord’ (2Corinthians 5:8, italics added). … He moved not. I was not deterred. …
I began to pray the Lord’s Prayer audibly: “Our Father...” Mr. Henley’s lips began to move. I drew closer, still praying, “who art in heaven...” [He] was seeking to pray with me. “Hallowed be Thy Name ...” He began to worship God. …He uttered the next phrase as if waiting to catch up with me. “Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done...” 
As I continued, more confident in my own faith because of his, his voice went silent. …Mr. Henley had stopped breathing. At just about “Thy Kingdom come...” Mr. Henley’s prayer was answered. Mr. Henley was in the presence of the Lord. …I thought of the Psalmist’s words, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15 KJV). 
…
Soon enough, the family returned. …This new widow needed the promises of God, the assurance of the love of God, and the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. ... she embraced me — and wept, ever so softly. Right after I spoke these words, it happened: “Mrs. Henley, the Bible says your dear husband is in the presence of our Lord Jesus at this very second. He passed from this life into the arms of Jesus. I was with him as his soul departed this room. He is more alive than ever.”
…
The still, quiet sobs were broken by a stern word from her son. “Mother, I am sorry, but that is not right. Daddy is not here. He is, well, for all practical purposes, just asleep.” He spoke the words for his mother, but he aimed his arrows at me. …“Mother, come out here and let me talk to you.” Mrs. Henley followed obediently. … What else could she do? 
…
[Then] Mrs. Henley returned. …She took my hands without ever moving her eyes from mine…. “Oh Pastor, my son says my husband’s soul is just asleep! He is not with the Lord! …” I held Mrs. Henley and felt the deep grief. “He is gone, Pastor. But where? Where is my husband?”

 “What happens to the soul at the time of death?” 
To understand, [this pastor] arranged the biblical material according to the Bible’s explanation about the soul and the soul’s destiny. 
…
I opened my Bible and asked his grieving widow to read the Scriptures, she wiped her eyes, …leaning in to read: “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV). 
Mrs. Henley looked up again. “Pastor, I read that according to the Bible my Robert — my husband — is with the Lord. As soon as his spirit left his body he went to be with Jesus. That is what I had always been taught. But my son . . . Oh, is this the truth?”
….
“According to our Lord Jesus Christ I say in the name of God, you will see your husband again.” 
And she rested in the promises of God.

But have you? The soul lives forever in one of two places: with your Creator or without Him. The adjudication of your eternal life rests with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And He welcomes any and all who will turn from all other persons and plans and turn unto Him. For Jesus our Lord says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Rest from the frantic search for answers. Trust in Christ Jesus … [italics added] Christ’s sacrifice for your sins — has secured your destiny. And you will never walk alone.
…
Lord, our Heavenly Father: I am in awe of Your mighty creative power demonstrated not only in the wonder of the stars above or in the microscopic invisible world, but, especially, in the coming of Your Son Yeshu’a our Lord; and in His perfect life lived for me and His sacrificial death offered for me on the cross, I do repent — turn away from — my sin of unbelief, self-sufficiency, and trusting in anyone and thing other than Your Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth; I know I am a soul and body, and I ask that You transform my soul according to Your promises and Your power; I ask that you forgive me and receive me as Your child; and I believe when I depart from this life I will go immediately to You; So, take me and use me for Your glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/where-does-our-soul-go-when-we-die.html (heavily edited for more concise reading in this blog and to share the message)

Are you old enough to remember the Twilight Zone? A recent event in my life reminds me of the series. When I cannot sleep at night this is the sort of thing I do. An author, I use Fictionary, an online editing program. and usually people are fairly responsive, Until the other day.
I went online yesterday, but was unable to access Story Teller software so I could not edit my manuscripts. I’ve asked for help a few times but no one is responding. Did I drop off the face of the earth or did everyone else? I’d move on except I paid my $699 to become an editor and am 1/3 of the way through, but now I cannot use the program.
So, I called: You hoo. Is anyone out there? No answer. Maybe never
There’s an idea for a story… I’m thinking: A woman wakes up and starts her day except when she goes to the store no one is there. Driving home, she notices her car is the only one on the street. She calls a friend then her sister, but no one answers. Turning on the news to see if there has been a national disaster, nothing. Na da. No people, no news.
It’s twilight zone. she begins to wonder ‘Am I going crazy? That’s the way it feels when people don’t respond to you. It’s always better to tell them the truth than to remain silent.
Yeah, I know. What the heck does that have to do with the maybe story? I’ll let you know if I write it.

Authors are always concerned with roadblocks in writing. While I have oodles of ideas, the trouble I have is with a title for a novel. So, in case you didn't read the Home page here's what I'm proposing: a contest for a book title and here's the blurb.
_____
In a time ruled by the Lord of Heaven and populated by angels, demons, and other supernatural beings, the story follows the tumultuous relationship between Miriam, an enchanting beautiful angel, and Lucifer, a gorgeous rebellious cherub. Despite their undeniable attraction, their paths constantly diverge due to their conflicting natures and beliefs.

Once Lucifer is evicted from Heaven, Miriam is caught in a love triangle between Lucifer and Andras, a lustful demon commander, also very handsome. She must navigate through their intense emotions and danger. Then, Miriam finds herself kidnapped into Hell as a test of her purity.

Amidst jealousy and betrayals, Miriam and Lucifer's bond grows stronger and they come to find solace in each other, in Hell. Then, as the two are torn apart once again, Lucifer must make a difficult decision - whether to save Miriam or to live without her for an eternity.

In this epic tale of love and redemption, will Miriam be able to reunite with her beloved Lucifer in the face of danger and temptation? Or will their love be lost forever?
_______
Thus begins a new drama but I Need a Title for the Novel and offer a contest. So send in your ideas, and, if your Title is selected, I will send you a FREE copy ASAP (as soon as published) in either paperback or eBook, whatever way you prefer.

Do you have negative thoughts or destructive dialog in your mind? I imagine some of us, especially if we’ve not sold many books (if any) may embrace destructive dialog or negative thoughts. After all, they seem reasonable because they appeal to our normal human insecurities. 
Let me give you an example. I’m writing a book called “Our War with Lucifer.” While reading an article by Jack Graham, I’m beset by doubt and negative thoughts, destructive deceptions that go something like: My writing is nowhere near as good; No one will want to read what I’ve written; My book is so inadequate; and so goes the litany of doubt and insecurity. And part of me wants to give up and stop writing.
On the other hand, there’s another force at work in my life as well, (I’m a believer in Yeshu’a) so I’ve an angelic force fighting the battle for me between good and evil, negative thought patterns and healthy ones. And whether my book is as good as Jack Graham or anyone else is not the point. The point is, Adonai/God prompted me to write about the spiritual and so, write I will. Maybe I’m not as good a writer as some authors, but one day, if I persist, practice and improve, I may be. 
What makes me think that way? Well, because I trust Adonai who works all things together for the good of those who love him and are obedient when fulfilling the purposes for which He called us. You see, the more we allow negativity or destructive dialog to confuse our minds the more influence the negative has over us.
So, whether you're a writer of nonfiction or fiction or maybe you're pursuing another career, don't permit the negative to gain a foothold in your life. If it's already there, resist, resist, resist. When you resist the devil, he will flee from you.