Write His Answer

“Relax,
everything’s going to be all right;
rest, everything’s coming together”
(Jude 1:2 MSG).

I discovered the above paraphrase of Jude 1:2 after five exhausting days of refinishing my back deck. Despite 90 degree weather, I pushed myself to finish a job that needed to get done. We stained the deck two years ago only to have the finish begin to peel less than a year later. We couldn’t afford to hire a contractor, and my husband couldn’t help because he tripped over a cord in the driveway and sprained his hand two weeks ago. He’s in a cast that he is supposed to remove only to take a shower.

It’s a job that would have been difficult for someone 30 years younger than me. (I’ll be 70 in January.) Lessons learned:

• Count the cost. Jesus said, “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it?” (Luke 14:28 MSG). The job did turn out to be more costly than I anticipated – and not just in dollars and cents. It’s all too easy for me to get in over my head. You, too?
•  Ask for help. “Tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers” (Phil. 4:6 TLB). Because God works through people, I also needed to let my daughter and her husband know that I really needed their help. Thank You, Father, that they did not ignore my cry for help.
•  Rely on His strength. My own strength would never have enabled me to finish. “He gives me new strength,” Psalm 23:2 (TLB) promises. He also “lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams.” I admit in my desire to finish I didn’t pace myself as well as I needed to, but I did go to bed earlier at night and sleep later in the morning. It was much-needed rest that has included a nap this Sunday afternoon on my lovely new deck!
•  And more learned-the-hard-way lessons – After four days of sanding off the old finish, I will never again use stain or paint on the deck or a stripper to try and remove it. I used Thompson’s Natural Advanced Water Seal. It’s supposed to last three years – I hope!

Update July 30 – August 2 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference

Reminder – The price increases July 2 so register now.

Another reminder – Clinic applications are due July 1.

Teens Write info is finally online (click here). Thanks Pam Halter for the great program you’ve put together for our teens.

Faculty Bios and Editorial Needs – With 58 on faculty this was a time consuming task. Unexplained techno glitches didn’t help. The same as with the Teens Write page, I lost my updates to the Authors page and had to begin again several times. Then, when the Authors page was finally uploaded, I discovered that it had somehow copied over the Paid Critiques page. God bless Jonathan Shank at SKWD (my webmaster) who was able to recover the information. Jonathan will teach a workshop at the conference on “Effective, Efficient, Engaging Websites.” I am so grateful Father led me to SKWD two years ago.

Friday Special 

There has never been a society in the history of mankind
whose moral values
have deteriorated so dramatically,
in such a short period of time,
as those of Americans in the last 50 years.
And so far it shows no sign of stopping. 

Bert M. Farias, “The American Church – How Deceived Are We?”

The above quote from a June 1 Prophecy News Watch article is sobering and cause for deep concern. I encourage you to click here to read the entire article. I clearly felt Father speaking to my heart as I read this article that I needed to invite Rick Marschall to come and teach the following special session on Friday from 1:00 – 2:00 (during the Indie Publishing Panel). It is open to the community free of charge.

Save Our Children – Christians are pilgrims and strangers in this world. Surely every believer senses that these times are darker, more dangerous than ever. Our culture has turned hateful toward Christians and children are the primary targets of the enemy. There are things we can and must do as Christians. Let us engage!

       Rick has 74 books and hundreds of magazine articles to his credit. A former political cartoonist, editor of Marvel Comics, and writer for Disney, his fields as an author are as eclectic: popular culture; classical music; country music; biographies; television history; children’s books; cartoons and comics; and Christian books, where his publishers have included Thomas Nelson, Faithwords, and Tyndale House. For four years he has produced the weekly blog www.MondayMinistry.com, devotionals that feature music videos and address culture, worldview, church history, and matters of faith.

News You Can Use

Must Read Articles – “Culture Upside Down: The Colossal Shift In America’s Values Since 2001,” is another must-read (click here). And please make time to read Joel Rosenberg’s blogpost, “Anne Graham Lotz & new Southern Baptist Convention president call for urgent prayer for a Third Great Awakening” (click here) and to click on the link to the video of the message Anne Graham Lotz gave at the National Day of Prayer last month. “Judgment is coming,” she said. “God’s patience is at an end.” If ever we needed to earnestly pray for our nation to return to God and to “write His answer,” it is now.

Reality YA Fiction – Click here for an interesting article from Publisher’s Weekly about  contemporary, realistic YA fiction. Father, please raise up Christian writers to address to issues our children and teens are facing through the power of story. And please encourage Christian publishers to get these books in print.

Writing for Children – Click here for a helpful post from LittWorld Online, “Beware of these blunders in writing for children.”

Word Counts – Click here for a helpful article from Writers Digest.

What Are You Reading? – In Part 4 of 10 of  “Secrets from Professional Writers” GPCWC keynoter Cec Murphey says, “We Read. A Lot. Often. Constantly.” Click here. What are you reading this summer?

Keep writing His answer!