Sweet Journey

[fundiefan]

Gosh. She wrote that awfully fast.

she was hopped up on the pepsi.

Either that or Mr God on Earth, Steve, said that if she finished the book in time for their dismal fall self-promotional tour, she would be allowed a Pepsi as her reward. Once addicted, you'll do anything to get just one fix, including throwing some emails together with some bible quotes and calling it a book.

[MamaJunebug]

After church, this morning, I was attempting to encourage a woman who's worried about her job. I quoted the verse that promises God will not give a believer more than the person will bear, but will provide a way to live thru it.

Her face changed from a woebegone look to one of piqued interest, and she said, "but what about suicides? Are they people who just lack faith?"

Yeah.

In a Lutheran church, yet.

She said she spent much of her youth in a fundy church, so I explained as best I could: My relatives who died of depression had great faiths, but their brains were sick w bad chemicals.

Her relatives died of cancer and had great faith, but their bodies were sick w bad cancer cells.

I *think* she was beginning to "get" it.

Personally I felt like I might lose it....

And now I visit this thread about medical advice by Doctor (no she isn't) Teri Maxwell.

Aurgh.

[QueenMother]

No, I didn't...do you think I should?

I think you should. You have made a valid statement of fact, and certainly one I agree with. I am a better person thanks to Wellbrutin, Cymbalta, and Zanex. I am curious as to her response, which I imagine she might write in an upcoming article.

[Guest Anonymous]

I wonder if Papa Max has deliberately taken control of the blog this week, so he can keep Teri and Sarah from reading any of our comments.

A young child has left a comment for Sarah on the Sweet Journey thread, but Steve has answered it (in his usual odd way).

Hey Sarah. My name is Blaire. I am 9 years old. I love your Moody books I have read allot of them I am on my 6th one now. I hope you keep writing. After I read the 5th Moody book It inspired me to start writing.The title of the book is summer with the F Family. And I am doing allot of stuff like yours I hope thats ok with you. I just could not think of anything so I thought it would be ok. Please keep writing your books because I enjoy them so much!!!

Love, Blaire.

>>>>>>>>>>>

Hi Blaire,

Sarah has the next one going to the proof reader the end of this week. Hope your writing goes well. (Sarah will read your comment).

Blessings,

Mr. Maxwell

As an aside, I expect the Maxwell lawyers are onto the little boy's case already, to sue for plagiarising Sarah's text... I expect Blaire's version reads pretty much the same as the 'original' Summer Days without trying too hard... that's exactly how kids write, after all..... :lol:

But back to my original issue: the family all live in the same house and spend every mealtime together, presumably talking quite a bit about their work, because that's all they focus on apart from BibleTime stuff. Sure, Sarah will be busy with her proofreading right now, but how much energy would it take for Steve to say, "Here Sarah, come and write a quick response to this comment from one of your fans". It would surely help with marketing their wares to have Sarah engaging with the readers right now.

I think Stevie-boy would be feeling very vulnerable if Sarah and Teri could read some real-life responses to their abusive predicament.

[Justme]

Anniec ~

I think Papa Steve's been in charge of the blog for many months, now. Sarah may still write posts, but Papa seems to do a lot of the comments.

I guess he's got his family doing all the work, writing, cleaning, cooking, etc. so he can sit back.....

[formergothardite]

Back on topic, after skimming some of the 'Depression Years' Corners, I am struck by the sadness of the situation for the Maxwell children, especially the girls. For 8 years (at least), they were raised by a hypercritical, angry, depressed mother, and as a reward for making it through, the two youngest were asked to take on all of Teri's household chores so she could devote herself to writing a book about the 'Sweet Journey' they'd travelled together..... I hope they spend every grocery session skimming a few $$ away into an 'escape fund' and plotting their getaway, poor loves.... :(

And it makes me all the sadder for poor Sarah, sat in the bus alone, writing idealised stories of a childhood she never experienced.[/quote]

That is just so sad to think about. :cry: I really hope she is able to escape, have a family and give her kids a childhood that she never had.

[YPestis]

I get the impression Sarah Maxwell will try to emulate her own childhood with any future children of her own. It's the only thing she really knows. Plus, she seems easily convinced that her parents are right. She writes dramatically about how "sorry" she feels for the public school kids when she drives by them, or gleefully relates how her sister's orthodontist assistants were so jealous she gets to stay home and not attend college----because I'm pretty sure twentysomething girls daydream about living at home with no income of their own, caring for siblings all day. I don't know. Based on her own writings, she seems pretty brainwashed to me. I think only a strong, nonfundie husband could ever convince her to change her ways. I hope she gets into a relationship with a nice boy who isn't a complete fundie, who will marry her and then introduce some normality into her life.

[kpmom]

I couldn't agree more with YPestis.

Much as we all say (and hope) that maybe one of the Maxwell kids will break out one day, I truly do not see it happening.

Any adult children who put themselves willingly completely under the authority of their father, have totally drunk (drank?) the koolaide.

They could at least do a few small things differently, and they are not.

This life *is* their "normal", crazy as it appears to all but the fringiest of the fringe fundies.

[fundiefan]

I want to know what the girls do with her earnings. Steve says on their Titus2 site that six of their kids are wage earning adults. That means Sarah and Anna are making money. For the boys, we know daddy's goal is for them to save enough money to buy a house in cash (meaning, none will be married for many years as they build their savings) but what about the girls? Where and how do they earn their wages? Sarah writes her little books and handles a lot of the Titus2 paperwork. Is she earning a salary by doing that, and if so, what does she do with it? She doesn't need to save to buy a house in cash since that is not god's plan for her. And what is Anna even doing to earn a wage?

I don't see any of them breaking out. They are in way too deep to even consider a different life an option. At 29 Sarah is daddy's mouthpiece through and through. If she hasn't picked up on the idea of a different way of life by now, she never will.

Besides, we know they are not exposed to anything. Daddy controls their every action and there is no interaction with people daddy doesn't approve of. They haven't got a chance.

[treemom]

That's what this R.N. has learned.

Nell

My lay experience with my parents is, yes.

[MamaJunebug]

anniec wrote:

Well, he was 'let go' with a severance package, after taking 'a stand' with his employer that lasted nearly a year.... the Wayback Machine has been used to explore this in detail already

I think he has been in steady decline all his life, but actually being at home 24/7 must have given him extra time 'with the Lord' and the opportunity to start closing in the walls around his little kingdom.

Oh, link, please??????? Inquiring minds have gotta know!!!!

[moreorlessnu]

She writes dramatically about how "sorry" she feels for the public school kids when she drives by them, or gleefully relates how her sister's orthodontist assistants were so jealous she gets to stay home and not attend college----because I'm pretty sure twentysomething girls daydream about living at home with no income of their own, caring for siblings all day.

She is also so naive she doesn't see that those orthodontist assistants are just blowing off steam related to juggling career/school/family/life, and in doing that juggling, are learning how to independently manage their own lives, which, in turn, gives them the freedom and opportunity to live the lives that are right for them.

[NurseNell]

What did Steve used to do before he had this gig?

Nell

[Guest Anonymous]

anniec wrote:

Oh, link, please??????? Inquiring minds have gotta know!!!!

We got a bit obsessed with the Maxwells and Wayback on this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1314

VodouDoll gave a good synopsis here:

The Wayback Machine is a Steve Maxwell psychological goldmine.

On his father. What on earth happened here?

October 1998

March 1998

On ignoring real aspects of others' lives because it's safest to be ignorant of anything that's not in the Bible

April 1999 - the family went to the zoo and Steve bought two videos about mountain climbing

A Mom's Corner from March 1999. Nathan was allowed to preach at the men in the homeless mission, but not to talk with them about their lives because that would corrupt him.

On secretly hating Teri for no reason.

April 1998

On how fun will make you a fat, immature, lazy child neglector and why the Maxwells have eliminated everything enjoyable from their lives.

March 1998

January 2000

November 1997

On the Lord's decision to bring Steve home from the corporate world. It sounds like there's much more to it than they currently disclose. What on earth could his boss have wanted him to do?

September 1997

February 1998

And, just for fun, May 1997. This one is a classic. Why do you suppose he felt so strongly about women not reading it?

[lilwriter85]

I want to know what the girls do with her earnings. Steve says on their Titus2 site that six of their kids are wage earning adults. That means Sarah and Anna are making money. For the boys, we know daddy's goal is for them to save enough money to buy a house in cash (meaning, none will be married for many years as they build their savings) but what about the girls? Where and how do they earn their wages? Sarah writes her little books and handles a lot of the Titus2 paperwork. Is she earning a salary by doing that, and if so, what does she do with it? She doesn't need to save to buy a house in cash since that is not god's plan for her. And what is Anna even doing to earn a wage?

I don't see any of them breaking out. They are in way too deep to even consider a different life an option. At 29 Sarah is daddy's mouthpiece through and through. If she hasn't picked up on the idea of a different way of life by now, she never will.

Besides, we know they are not exposed to anything. Daddy controls their every action and there is no interaction with people daddy doesn't approve of. They haven't got a chance.

That is a good question about Sarah and Anna. I wonder more about Sarah though. I bet she probably uses some money to buy herself clothes and other stuff but I wouldn't be surprised if Steve is acting as her financial adviser/planner and is controlling her money.

[Guest Anonymous]

Sarah won't be making a fortune from a few $7 books and I imagine she is a minimum-wage slave for her 'admin' contribution to the business. They probably deduct board and lodging from that. I'm sure Steve will have ways of keeping her dependent on him..... I also wonder if the adults tithe to 'his' church?

[Guest Anonymous]

Looks like Mrs Mari is one of the first victims of the new book:

Mrs. Mari says:

September 11, 2011 at 10:24 pm

I am in such need of Teri’s new book. Steve, your introduction to Teri’s new book has me in tears (good tears). I am one of those women of whom you speak, “depths of despair, but they don’t know what they are missing. They are going through life as a Christian, while lacking power and peace.†While I don’t struggle with being a mother, I do struggle with caregiving my mother andmy husband with cancer, and it seems the closer I try to get to God and lean on him, the further I fall into despair. I don’t know what I am doing wrong. I am in such need of Teri’s new book.

You and your family are such an inspiration.

Blessings, Mrs. Mari

You are in need of some home help, a cancer support nurse, and possibly a counsellor or and/or meds if it all gets too much, Mrs Mari :cry:

[Justme]

I doubt the women are making much more than what the Victorian's would call "pin money". They've probably never heard of "minimum wage". As there husbands are to provide for them, they probably earn just enough to buy frumpers and maxi pads. ;)

Though Sarah's books sell for $7, she still has to pay expenses, paper, printing, etc. She probably doesn't "net" more than $2-$3 per book.

[NurseNell]

Looks like Mrs Mari is one of the first victims of the new book:

You are in need of some home help, a cancer support nurse, and possibly a counsellor or and/or meds if it all gets too much, Mrs Mari :cry:

Ya think? :? Honestly, reading Teri's book will do nothing to lighten her load and will delay her getting some real and practical help.

Nell

[Guest Anonymous]

Ya think? :? Honestly, reading Teri's book will do nothing to lighten her load and will delay her getting some real and practical help.

Nell

I think we are saying the same thing :)

[clarinetpower]

In the sample pages, Teri gets an email from a homeschooling mom who's worried about her anger toward her children, and the fact that she can't keep up and she can't train her children to act like other homeschooling kids at the conferences.

Teri's reply? Read your Bible more.

Oh yeah, that'll do it. :roll:

[SunnyAndrsn]

After Steve Maxwell posted the release of Sweet Journey on their blog, and completely dismissed the use of anti depressants, I e-mailed him. Here is his reply:

 

"We can't defend or account for other Christians but we do have some thoughts on this manner. We certainly received your email in a spirit of communicating a concern and without malice. Thank you.

 

Because Steve believes that he and his family are just about the only Christians out there--the rest are deluding themselves and don't have the 'right' answers.

 

First what I said about antidepressants - saying that Teri didn’t use antidepressants, isn’t saying that others shouldn’t. It is simply giving information and perhaps offering hope to those who want a solution aside from medication. It is letting ladies know a little of what they might expect to find in the book. It certainly wasn’t a statement for or against antidepressants nor was it a statement to say the book is a book about depression.

 

The important part that I hope others will gain from this, unfortunately he won't post my comment on his blog, is that medication and therapy = quick recovery time, I was feeling significantly better within weeks and went off medication after 18 months, therapy stopped after a year; Trusting in Lord Maxwell and Jesus without using your God given brain and the resources God puts in front of you: MINIMUM of 8 years of depression, and likely Teri still is still dysthymic

 

My personal feelings are that there may be a time for antidepressants, but that is between the individual family and the Lord. In your case it worked for you. Amen. Personally, though, I'm not going to promote them, but I don't condemn them either.

 

Depression should be dealt with, but the issue comes down to how the Lord leads the family, and I sure would recommend women try to avoid the drugs. I've had many tell me that the drugs are not what they are cracked up to be. We have even been reading that in Consumer Reports on Health recently. There are side affects that are serious and significant and getting off of them can be terrible. I have also heard from a few vocal ones who were positive about the drugs.

 

Not promoting, trying to avoid them...doesn't that mean condemning them? Consumer reports is the place to get hard scientific data now?

 

I know that doctors push the drugs quickly. I do feel, based on many conversations Teri and I have had with moms, that often time with the Lord is overlooked. I'm just saying that the Lord was Teri's strength and support. I believe it would be wrong of us not to say that and give Jesus credit/glory for what He has done.

 

If God was Teri's support, why was she depressed for 8 years? Why did she have to suffer for so long? What's that joke about the man who drowns and gets to heaven and asks God why he wasn't rescued? God says "well, I sent the log, the boat, and the helicopter but you ignored them".

 

The major point here is that depression should be dealt with and as the book back cover says, "leading you in the right direction" and "discover direction for solutions to your problems." Drawing closer to Jesus is ALWAYS the right direction. He will then direct how He wants to deal with any issue whether it be anger, depression, or worry. Could He direct toward drugs? Maybe.

 

Mr. Black and White can't conceive that God would use men for anything other than bad music and MOTH crap. huh.

 

One other writer shared two sad examples of violence and depressed women who were on drugs but stopped taking them. Her example of the two women who stopped actually affirms concerns others have shared with us regarding drugs. The feedback we received about the drugs was that when they stopped taking them, they were worse than before. There would have been a reason those moms wanted off of the drugs. Others aren't inside of them and don't understand, but they wanted off of the drugs for some reason. The drug backlash was obviously worse and as a result you have the tragedies.

 

We are glad drugs worked for you. However, could we stand before the Lord and not give Him credit where credit is due? Drawing closer to the Lord is always an important step so the family can hear His directions more clearly. Who could argue with that?"

 

In my e-mail, I said that God lead us to using medication and therapy, and this ended up being a time a spiritual growth for me. He completely missed the point. Note in the last paragraph how he generically refers to medication as "drugs". Despite his lack of comittment through out the rest of the response, his beliefs are quite clear.

 

He gets his information from Consumer Reports, not scientific data. His own data collection suggests "many" tell him medications are bad, while "few" tell him that they are good. I guess I'm in the few.

 

Might I suggest that we increase those numbers? Will my fellow Free Jingerites who suffer from depression flood his e-mail? Just for fun?

[anniebgood]

I think I'll give old Stevearoo a holler and tell him that not only am I on medication, so is my husband whose bi-polar swings were so bad that I was afraid for myself and my children.

And guess what? The Lord led me to a Christian counselor who worked with my MD to get both of us on meds. Yeah, a minister who went to seminary and everything.

Like you said, the boat came, the copter came and the flood kept rising.....

[Evie Teale]

Steve Maxwell is an idiot.

I can't help but think that if I'd stayed on the Prozac back in 1990, I wouldn't have married someone like Steve Maxwell in 1991. Now I'm faced with a divorce and raising 7 children on my own. My only consolation will be NOT being married to a Steve Maxwell wannabe anymore.

So much of what he says is parroted from others in the fundy circle. I think fundy men want to keep their women depressed. It keeps them at home and shuts them up.

[kaetrin]

Steve is so insistent on drugs OR Jesus that he refuses to hear any testimonials of drugs AND Jesus. So frustrating. I suppose he wouldn't be able to promote Paul's advice to Timothy to "take a little wine for your stomach's sake", either. Since wine is mood-altering and all.