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Mistie Shaw -- Smiling Inside and Out - Photo by Charlie Photofan

Mistie Shaw is a Christ-follower and a writer, in that order.

After nearly a half-century of writing and editing, she's proving that old dogs can learn new writing tricks. In addition to having more than 100 articles published on Suite101.com, her writing experience includes:

• More than two years on staff as a photojournalist/columnist/copy editor for a chain of local newspapers; great fun and lots of work on a survival salary.
• Crafting more than twenty speeches for the Vice Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff while on a temporary reserve assignment.
• Drafting responses to letters written to the Secretary of the Air Force and other high level military leaders.
• Proposing and editing countless military operating procedures, briefings, and efficiency reports as a staff officer at the Pentagon and other locations.
• Creating numerous plays, skits and monologues which have been produced at retreats, churches, schools and universities.
• Composing music and lyrics for productions of musical dramas and solo performances.
• Writing copy for a variety of commercial and special interest newsletters and magazines.
• Ghost writing glossy health brochures for a leading nutritional supplement company.
• Preparing home schooling lessons for her three children.
• Editing master's theses for ESL students in China.

For the past three years, Mistie's been an ESL teacher in the heart of China. In 2009 she was named one of the top teachers at a university with more than 3300 teaching professionals. She is currently working on a book of lesson plans for ESL teachers. Living in a developing country has changed her perspective in many ways. She's more careful with resources. She takes better care of her health. Best of all, she's slowed down. . .a little.

In 2009, with the help of some of her friends, Mistie started a non-profit corporation to benefit her students. Many of them are from farming communities and live in homes without heat or running water.

Learning Chinese, both oral and written, is beginning to be a priority in Mistie's life since she hopes to live in China for at least another five years.

Mistie's passions for God and life have led her through many experiences. She has worn countless hats including those of a home-schooling mom, a grammy, a pastor, a Reserve Air Force officer now retired, a fisherman,and a late-in-life grad student. She has learned that happiness lies at the intersection between expectations and reality. More importantly, she knows first hand the difference between happiness and a joy which comes from faith in God regardless of life's circumstances.

Loving God, other people, and nature keep a smile on Mistie's face and in her heart most of the time.