It’s the 3rd anniversary of TLS. Hooray! I’m very happy. I had no idea we’d go this long. TLS is a thing! But I want to make it a better thing. And I want it to become a model of even better things to come and more things to come.

So I’m asking you to read this if you care to hear me talk about my transparent financial needs of TLS. If you don’t want to read this, close the letter now. No hard feelings. If you do, then read on!

As you are probably aware, after expenses, I might make around $1200 per month from TLS. It’s not a supplement, but my primary income before taxes. I do make other income from my art and book sales, but not near as much. My income from my art and books often goes into developing TLS. Plus, not all members pay. I have a personal agreement to provide free memberships to those who are in desperate need and really can’t… such as a spouse of a controlling spouse who manages their money; fixed-income people; those who’ve hit a hard stretch for a brief period of time; etc. It’s my personal charity. Other TLS members help with this too.

Honestly, if Lisa wasn’t a full time nurse, I would have to find a full-time, paying job. Every other day I wonder if I should. But I don’t want to. I’m glad I’m able to do what I do. I love it. I do love cartooning, painting, and writing. But what I love most of all is helping people evolve spiritually. That’s my passion. Actually, my cartooning, art, and writing are all expressions of this one drive of providing space for people to be spiritually independent. So I want to keep doing what I do. And I want to do it full time as I am now.

Which motivates this letter. TLS needs your help. Let me explain. TLS’s main site needs work. There are a couple of things that need to happen that cost money:

1. I’ll be up front here: I want a paying membership of 1,000 people. That would provide the income I feel I need to live without undue stress, as well as provide the money necessary to maintain and develop the site and help others out. I have a high demand for excellence. I think TLS is awesome, but we need some work to get to where I think it is possible for us to be. We are learning. That’s a part of our expression of authenticity.

2. I want to restore the forums as a feature of TLS. Not all members like Facebook. Some members are crazy about forums. Also, some significantly helpful content posted in Facebook gets lost in a day or so. My intention is to restore the forums so that people have a choice of using Facebook or forums or both. But, when a post of helpful, timeless content is posted on TLS FB, I will encourage the poster to post it in the forums on the main site as well. This way we can continue to build up a good stash of resources for those desiring to deconstruct and reconstruct in healthy ways and easily search for material to read.

3. The site itself needs updating and maintenance. There’s a lot of work to be done on the site that surpasses my abilities. Things like a more secure payment, membership profiles, syncing with paypal and credit card, courses, letters, etc. I have someone I’m working with who can accomplish what needs to be done to make TLS a more user-friendly place… someone I trust and who is fair. I have a lot of ideas. But, as necessity mandates, the implementation of these ideas costs money.

4. I’ve learned a lot over the past year. The course was rather like a gauntlet. Pain seems to be my most effective teacher, and I’ve been taught well over the last while. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that I want to focus on my passion, and that is helping people evolve spiritually. This is going to mean more writing, creating more material, doing more moderating, training facilitators, and applying more updates on the functionality of this space where it can occur. Thankfully, we have more facilitators now, Jessi, Kristie, and Chris. Thanks so much! It helps me to focus on making the TLS space a better one. And we have such a vibrant membership that amazes me. All TLS needs is an influx of some finances to help this happen.

I’ve been interviewed recently a few times about TLS. It seems that more and more people are hearing about it as a model of what is possible for those who are spiritually independent. In fact, one interviewer exclaimed, “David! What you’re doing there is so amazing. It is a very rare thing and so needed right now! The diversity you envision and finds expression in TLS is unmatched! But nobody knows about it! You’ve got to get the word out there TLS can help more people!” Well, thanks. But… again… well… you know.

I’m very sensitive about money. I’ve been seriously abused concerning money by the church and by myself. I’m on a huge learning curve discovering how to appreciate value in whatever form it takes, including money. I know this request may be triggering to some. I also know that for many of you it will make perfect sense.

So, please hear me when I say that I don’t want anyone to feel any pressure at all. If you can’t do it, don’t. If you don’t want to, don’t. If you feel your monthly or annual payment is enough, then I want to sincerely thank you. But if you can and want to donate more, it would be appreciated.

Thanks for letting me be honest. Please receive this as a genuine, heartfelt call for financial participation in the success of TLS.

Again, kudos to TLS for going 3 years so far with great success. We’ve really helped people transition. We really have! I’m proud of this. So my plan is to keep doing it.

Thanks for helping this to happen!

If you want to and can donate, click the button below! Much love and thanks!