Write His Answer

Years ago my beloved friend and mentor, Lee Roddy, admonished me that I was “listening to the wrong voices.”

“Like me, you’re probably all too familiar with those voices that make us question and doubt that God can use us.

Sandy Quandt, a frequent attendee at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference (CDs from our May conference are available), writes,

We allow stuff to hold us back from becoming the person we were created in God’s image to become. We put self-imposed road blocks in the way of the Holy Spirit’s working in us. The shackles bind and restrict, yet we falsely believe we will never break free. . . . I encourage you to read more of Sandy’s powerful message at http://www.sandykirbyquandt.com/take-those-shackles-off.

Barb Haley, the registrar, appointments coordinator, and bookstore manager at the July 29-August 1 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference shares her experience as a first-time conferee at the Colorado conference 16 years ago:

I’m reminded of the time just before my first conference when I didn’t feel like I was really ready to go. I didn’t know if I was a writer, and I felt guilty squandering our money just for a fun trip. Our finances were tight at the time, and I wondered if I were being a good steward of the money God gave us. As the days before the conference ticked off, my anxiety grew. . . . Read more in Rick Marschall’s Monday Morning Music Ministry blog post, “A Mountain-Top Experience Accessible to All” at http://bit.ly/1DvtZ2F. Rick’s blog, birthed at the Colorado conference, has almost 100,000 hits and is reprinted internationally. Rick will teach a workshop on “Blogging Success” at the Philly conference on Saturday, August 1.

I can so identify with Barb’s feelings. My pastor sent me to my first writers’ conference about 40 years ago.Talk about anxiety! I got lost on the way to the conference and felt even more lost once I arrived as it immediately became obvious I was out of my league. If my pastor hadn’t paid for the conference, I wouldn’t have stayed. But I did stay, and that conference changed my life!

There’s still time to register for one or more days of the July 29 – August 1 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference and to request appointments with our faculty. We’ve just added Cheryl Price from Urban Ministries Inc. Also this morning I posted guidelines I thought were already on the website for Blackside Concepts (my goof!) where faculty member Scoti Domeij serves as acquisitions editor. Included in the guidelines is very helpful info on preparing a book proposal. Click Editors for Scoti and Cheryl’s information.

You say it’s “impossible.” Friend, nothing is impossible with the Lord! He can provide the time, babysitters, finances – whatever is needed if He wants you to come. Far too often the reason “you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it” (James 4:2 TLB). Remember, He works through people if you will make your need known. If you need time payments, I’m happy to work with you.

As you seek the Lord for His plan for your life and your writing, be encouraged by His promise:

“Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied)
are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him,
who expect and look and long for Him
[for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy,
and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!”
Isaiah 30:18 AMP