Latest News - Zia White

The Prodigal Daughter, Part 2

On October 1, 2026

Triptych with the Way to Calvary, the Crucifixion, and the Disrobing of Jesus, 1400–1420, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Open Access

This is part two of a four-part story. Part one is here.

The New Age

Around age 29, I was drawn to witchcraft, but hearing that “spells” don’t work unless you do the work put me off. I lost interest. Unfortunately, I went to New Age instead.

New Age was appealing to me. I wanted to speak things into existence with manifestation. I looked into the dangerous practice of opening “the third eye”. I got divination cards to see the future. I bought crystals to attract love, money and success. I chanted mantras, meditated, lit candles and placed them near mirrors to communicate with dead ancestors.

I will never forget a particular meditation I did. It was about the New Age practice of connecting with your “spirit guide”. During the meditation, I ended up seeing this so-called guide. It was a silhouette of a tall man. I couldn’t see his face or features, but his presence felt comforting. Now I believe that was an evil entity trying to connect with me. He emitted a kind, comforting aura, but he didn’t have good intentions. God is light. That entity was pitch black.

On My Way Home

At age 30, I wanted to connect with angels. I got a book about them and did a quiz to discover my “guardian angel”, but I didn’t realise that guardian angels aren’t Biblical. I was matched with Archangel Michael, which was very disappointing! Why? Because I didn’t want him, I wanted the angel Sariel instead.

Let me be clear: Sariel isn’t mentioned in the Bible. We hear about Michael, Gabriel, Abaddon, the Angel of the Lord, and Satan/Lucifer. But at this time, I didn’t know that.

I went online and looked up angel names and found myself drawn to Sariel. Then I listened to one of my favourite composers, and by chance his song was called Sariel. I took that as a sign. Sariel was communicating with me! He was my guardian angel.

When I lit candles and sat before a mirror, I felt connected to Sariel and my dead ancestors. I used pretty crystals and meditation, too. Eventually another name came to me: Sophie. I thought it was another spirit guide, so I wasn’t concerned at all. Now I’m disturbed by it and wonder who, if anyone, I was “connected” to. Fortunately, after feeling letdown by Sariel and Sophie, I “cut ties” with them and realised that they might not really be there.

But I still didn’t seek God.

My conversion story will continue in part three.

The Prodigal Daughter, Part 1

By AIZ12bjlz

On July 11, 2026

In About Zia

Relief of the Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus, 1264–88, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Open Access

I’d like to share my personal story from being an unsaved Christian child to a saved Christian woman.

This is part one of a four-part story.

Sunday Service

As a kid, I didn’t like going to church, but I went with my family. I passed the time by reading books, only feeling good when sunshine poured through the stained-glass windows. I felt even better when I checked my watch and realised that the service would be over soon.

Year after year, I went to church each Sunday and sat through the service with so many doubts. Quietly I questioned what I heard, shooting down evidence of God in my mind. I didn’t seek answers, so I didn’t realise that I was drifting away from Christianity, but I think my parents noticed. It’s probably why they asked if I really wanted to be confirmed. Of course I did! I didn’t know why they even asked.

Walking Away From God

After being confirmed, I kept spiralling down the wrong path.

I can’t remember why, it was possibly due to being sick, but I stayed home one Sunday. It was fun sleeping in for a change. I didn’t have to put on my fancy church clothes and shoes. I got to chill out by the TV. Unfortunately, over time the whole family started to stay home.

At age 16, I admitted to being an atheist on Facebook. It was nerve-racking to admit it. Nowadays, people don’t bat an eyelid when someone comes out as an atheist, but back then it was different.

Once, someone came knocking at the door to preach the gospel. I said I was an atheist. The man said, “You’re brave to believe in nothing” and hurried off. I was slightly offended by his comment. “Of course I believe in something!” I said to myself.

A few years later, I switched from atheist to agnostic-atheist, and then agnostic. Now I didn’t know or care if there was a God. As far as I was concerned, His existence made no difference to my life.

My conversion story will continue in part two.

Silent Screams, a Poem

By AIZ12bjlz

On May 1, 2026

In Poetry

Silent Screams

Searching for the light

He fell into darkness

His screams were not heard

– Zahra Brown

The Story Behind Silent Screams

I wrote Silent Screams when I was around 13 years old, and I still love this poem over twenty years later.

On Friday, our English teacher said we were entering a children’s poetry competition for students. Most of the class, including me, didn’t want to do it, but we had no choice. We were given one weekend to write a poem for submission.

The next day, I wrote Silent Screams. It was a Haiku, a Japanese-style poem. Haikus are usually based on a certain number of syllables per line, so it was hard trying to meet such a narrow criteria, but it turned out pretty well!

Being published in a poetry anthology for kids was the competition’s prize, so submissions came from many schools. My poem was chosen! It was my first time being published since I started writing. Ordering copies of the book and seeing my poem was so exciting! I didn’t see my work in print again for ten years, which is when I started self-publishing.

To learn more about my publishing journey, click here to see how I went from four pen names to two. One of those names is Zuni Blue, a children’s pen name. If you have kids who enjoy mysteries, adventure, action, non-fiction and, starting this year, Christian stories, please check out my children’s books here.