Write His Answer

This morning the Bible program that is always open on my computer crashed. I could have gone inside to get a Bible, but what if they had all been confiscated by the government because of the “hate language” they contained? What if it was a crime, punishable by death, to share my faith in Jesus Christ?

Sounds far-fetched? Not really unless we’ve buried our head in the sand and refused to recognize the growing hostility toward Christians in our nation. Not unless we’ve chosen to ignore how our brothers and sisters around the world are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ.

I got home at 1:00 am Wednesday morning from directing the Colorado Christian Writers Conference for the 22^nd year. As I left the YMCA of the Rockies, I couldn’t help but wonder if this would be the last year for the conference even though I’ve already paid the deposit for 2019 and 2020.

I’m NOT quitting and I’m NOT retiring even though I am 73. But I can’t assume that next year Christians will be free to gather or that our nation will even exist. When, not if, our economy collapses, we’ll have anarchy on our streets. If an EMT destroys our electrical grid, we’ll be back in the middle ages. Or if enemies intent on destroying America and Israel unleash another 911 . . . But as my friend Michael Gantt says, it is Almighty God we need to fear.

The sad fact for America is that
our sin has made God our enemy.
Because of the rejection of God and His Word
and because we have exchanged
the God of Life for the gods of death
and perversion,
America is already under
the Hand of God’s judgment.

If there is no national confession of sin
and if we cannot find a heart of repentance,
a Holy God will complete his judgment;
either by the complete annihilation
or subjugation of what was once a great
and godly people or by rendering it
completely irrelevant on the world stage.

And so with a growing urgency each year the Colorado and Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference strives to “encourage and equip Christians to write about a God who is real, who is reachable, and who changes lives.” Whether through fiction or nonfiction, articles, poetry, or screenplays, we must “Write His Answer.”

Yes, I trust You have heard that the Philly conference is continuing in a new location (Dock Mennonite Academy in Lansdale,PA) and a slightly different format. GPCWC is now 2.5 days instead of 3.5 making it more affordable and not as challenging to get time off work or find needed childcare. We still have a faculty of more than 40 agents, editors, authors, and other professionals. You can find out who is coming at http://philadelphia.writehisanswer.com.

Online registration is open and I’m working this holiday weekend to finish our 16-page brochure. Serious issues with my new laptop computer made it impossible to complete it before I left May 14 to direct the Colorado conference.

Outlook crashed ten days before I left for Colorado. Seven hours on the phone with Microsoft technical support intensified the problems rather than resolved them. My nephew, Peter Burek, who is a brilliant computer consultant, worked two days to try and recover thousands of critical emails that were lost including the itineraries for 29 faculty members flying into Colorado and over 150 emails in “must answer” folders. He said he’s worked on a lot of bad computer problems, but mine was one of the worst he has seen.

As you probably know, the stress landed me in the hospital overnight with symptoms of a heart attack. It’s the first time I’ve been hospitalized except to deliver my three babies. I’m so grateful that all the tests confirmed it was stress and not a heart attack, but I’m appalled that the cost was over $17,000! I’m not yet certain how much our insurance will cover.

I’m sorry this blog has gotten so long. To recap:

• If you emailed me and I have not responded, please resend. Your email may be among those that were deleted when Outlook crashed or it may be buried in the more than 2,400 emails presently in my inbox. Please put CCWC or GPCWC in your subject line to catch my attention.

• Please visit the website for the July 26-28 GPCWC at http://philadelphia.writehisanswer.com and ask Father if He is calling you to attend.

• Please pray for me as I work this weekend to finish the 16-page brochure and to somehow get the faculty and bills paid for the Colorado conference. Please pray for His provision financially since the conference checking account is almost $20,000 lower than last year at this time. (Please, Father, help me not to be discouraged or to panic. I know there has got to be more money somewhere.)

• And please pray for the staff of the Colorado conference who worked so hard. Barb Haley, Laura Shaffer, Eric Sprinkle, Tabatha Scheffler, and Roy and Chris Richards will also be at the Philly conference. Thank You, Father, for the great team You have provided and for Darcie Gudger, David Shaffer, and Marti & Tom Pieper who were also on staff in Colorado.

• Since I’m over a month late finishing the Philly brochure, please help spread the word about the conference. Here’s a logo you can post on social media.

As for my Bible program that crashed, here’s the Scripture Father reminded me of this morning:

Not by might, not by power, but by Spirit

somewhere in Zechariah