273: Through being with you guys, I have grown up amazingly in the less than a year I've known ya'll. I'm sure you can testify to that.

274. I have learned new ways of explaining my thoughts.

275. I've started thinking about anything and everything in terms of essence and essence maps.

276. I've been encouraged to write a NaNoWriMo story--and actually did it!

277. Motivation to think deeply about theological dilemmas in writing fantasy

278. Even though the past seven months have been extremely busy and I've been on Signing on & off more often than not, going on Holy Worlds still feels like I'm coming home

279. "Forced" to try the coloring contest, the Hemmingway stories, the drabbles, the haikus, and many other projects that I hadn't imagined I'd do

280. Every single amazing, friendly, knowledgeable, expert, incredible person on here

281. The welcoming bustle of the Introductions room

282. The respect for Christ that permeates every layer of this forum

283. The incredible resources contained herein--from horses to swords to arrows to wounds and so much more

284. Seeing/posting photography, art, music, and poetry

285. Being an Editor has sharpened my eyes and allowed me to distinguish more carefully between "mistakes" and intentional grammatical choices.

286. Choosing my words carefully, because, online, many things can be misinterpreted easily

287. Excellent critiques and discussion on my stories and ideas

288. Being able to launch HW Historical, which has totally blessed me in many ways

289. The chat room and the friendships/craziness found therein

290. Essence mapping--not that I possess any practical skill/knowledge in it, but that it has served as an opportunity to stretch my thinking and my imagination (as, indeed, many parts of this forum have done)

291. I have found a great place to procrastinate from doing homework.

292. I can share my funny videos with many people.

293. I can see other people's funny videos!

294. I get to share fun times with wonderful people.

295. I've met new people.

296. I've made new friends.

297. I've entered two coloring contests.

298. HW has lots of good contests.

These two might seem odd on a writer's forum, but:

299. HW has helped my songwriting.

300. HW has helped my art.

301. HW encourages you to get things accomplished.

302. I have learned to type better.

303: I've learned how to go back to God when I'm uncertain about topics.
304: My writing has improved.
305: I'm slowly learning to be accountable.
306: I'm learning that because I've been honoured with responsabilities.
307: I'm able to speak freely about things that are important to me.
308: I understand the difference between disagreeing and being entirely wrong.
309: I'm learning to be less afraid of being wrong. (I have a fear too, Mist! Atychiphobia is the fear of failure.)
310: I feel accepted for who I am.
311: I feel noticed. I rarely feel noticed IRL, but here, people remember who I am. They take the time to say something, even if it's just 'good job.'
312: I feel like I'm acomplishing something, instead of wasting my time.
313: Seer wrote a song for my poem. Dalet somehow figured it out and gave me sheet music. You two made me feel special that you would go through that kind of work for my musings.
314: I'm being prayed for by people I haven't met IRL.
315: I'm able to pray for people specifically, and I can see and understand that it truly makes a difference.
316: Our council is made up of Lord of the Rings characters. They do an amazing job around here, too.

This was a brilliant idea. I didn't know that HW did all that, but once I got started, I discovered lots. This place has been great for me.

317. There are three HW forums.

318. Because HW has three forums, it has three places to meet other awesome people.
319. Holy Worlders are great people to cheer you up.
320. Celebrations have penguins, glitter bombs and glitter cannons, magical food, assorted creatures, and other assorted funny things.

You can have a conversation about

321. monsters,

322. politics,

323. and side characters who unexpectedly fascinate the author

in a matter of moments.

324. You can talk about ANYTHING and find a captive audience

325. Where else can you do battle with Google and get away with it?

There are so many good threads.

326. You know you're a crazy fantasy writer when...
327. Hemingway Challenge
328. Why You're Awesome
329. I'd like to encourage...
330. I'd like to thank...

...to name a few.

331. You get to learn a lot about different countries, and places where people live.
332. You get so many story ideas from simply being here.

Yes, including:

333. Australian words.

I tried writing:
334. Hemmingways
335. Drabbles
336. Loglines

337. This website is very Christ centered.

338. The amount of knowledge I take in almost every time I go on here is amazing and such a blessing!

339. Everyone is very caring on here

400. The discussions on here are so great!

401. HW has the Fireside, which has four places to read good works:

402. Novels

403. Excerpts

404. Short Stories

405. Poetry

406. All the profound and/or amusing signatures.

407. All the cool avatars.

You can see pictures of:
408. Animals
409. Landscapes
410. Objects

411. I get to watch all the brilliant colouring in Airi's Colouring Contests, which is awesome.

412. I was able to take part in the Winter's Writing War, which was fun.

413. I have been able to work in the ACP on Sci Fi and Historical, which I really enjoyed learning more about.

414. You have a legion of supportive people all around you
415. You can bond with people from all walks of life
416. We have Jay and Hannah and all the other great leaders around here as examples

417. Jay founded the forum and is a very honorable man.

418 We band together in prayer and support.

419. I've been immensely blessed by the rallying of the community.

420. I've been able to witness a community grow closer to God as one.

421. This community is a family.

422. This family-the body of Christ-has shown that it is alive and growing, and on fire for Him.

423: I learned that God is epic.

424. We are a community of friends and family who pray together whenever prayer is needed.

425. We freely tell each other about our faith.

426. The people here love one another.

We're almost halfway to 1,000.

427. It gave me a place to post my first world building thread.

428. I had people who pushed me to post it.

429. People gave me helpful suggestions on the thread.

430. I can post as many threads as are needed.

431. People poke me about my goals.

432. I finally found a community where I fit in.

433. I've met some of my very best friends.

434. I've gotten to poke others with their goals.

435. I have a wonderful circle of friends who I've never met, yet feel like I’ve known for my whole life

436. I have an amazing big sister who is my mentor. (*Pokes Grace*)

437. I have another amazing big sister who I can pray with and encourage. I treasure our friendship. (*Pokes Mirza*)

My awesome little siblings from HW are:

438. Elly (sci-fi buddy )

439. Joel (the Twin)

440. Alina (who is so sweet)

441. Cammie (who is always sympathetic)

442. Andrew (the knight in shining blue jeans)

443. Mark (the pet)

444. Za (who is a good Za)

445. Brendan (who is very humble)

446. Eva (who asks awesome questions)

447. Zoe (I am her Isiel )

448. Matt (who calls me Jenny )

448. Arien (who makes me write )

449. Artemis (who gave me a baby dragon!)

450. Milly (who welcomed me warmly to HW)

460. Nessie (who let me judge a contest with her!)

*Smiles*

461. Grace, who always encourages me

*wags non-existent tail*

Sui.... You always crack me up.

462: Rose, my chipper little purple cricket who always has a cheery word for me, all the while valiantly slaying typos and keeping things organized. =)

463: Ophelia, my encouraging big sister. Za, you have blessed me in countless ways just when I needed it most. God bless you. =)

464: Grace! =D Grace, we haven't gotten to chat much recently, but you have always been a blessing to me from the moment you joined.

465: Brendan! Doubtless you were unaware of it, but you reminded me that there are still good, caring, responsible young men in this fallen world. I respect you, because you have proved yourself worthy of it. God bless you, my brother, in many ways greater than I ever could.

466: BushMaid, our cheerful Aussie! =D Who could overlook our faithful friend from down under? Bushy, you are an amazing masterpiece, created by God for a purpose. And just maybe part of that purpose has been to share some of His joy with the rest of us. =)

These are just a few of the many people who have impacted me in the just over a year I've known you all. I can't believe how much I have grown in such a short time!

*smiles, and hugs Milly* *grins at Mark* *hugs Alina*

467. I own a beautiful poetry book with contributions from many amazing people.

468. I can always be sure of a place to come to be cheered up when I am down.

469. I've learned to have more confidence in myself and others.

470. I've learned to have healthy, helpful, and pure relationships with young men.

471. I have been inspired by the awesomes who have stepped up and published their books.

472. I have met some of my closest friends, and become closer with other old friends.

473. I've learned to be kinder and more gentle.

474. I've learned that it's okay to be both weird/silly AND quite serious/mature.

475. I've been blessed to see young members grow and mature amazingly.

476. I have gotten closer with God thanks to all the amazing examples and role-models here at HW.

477. Talking to the people here is the best way to lift your spirits.

478. Holy Worlds encourages me to be an over-achiever.

Thank you.

479. I can find good book-recommendations here.

480. I can find good movie recommendations as well.

481. I can freely share my opinions.

482. I don't have to worry about being judged.

483. I can just be myself!

Amen!

484. People can be themselves here.

485. Most HWers don't mind answering your annoying and stupid questions.

486. You are constantly given challenges to improve your writing.

487. There are a bunch of epic emotes that are perfect for expressing your emotions.

488. No matter how old you are, you are respected here.

Amen! This was a very big one for me when I first joined, because I hadn't experienced it anywhere else.

489 - I gained a twin brother, two older sisters, and two younger ones.

490 - HWers care enough to confront me when I'm wrong.

491 - I've learned more about God's providence, and faith, through HW than I ever wanted to.