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Archive for the ‘Called to write’ Category

In Dry Times

Posted in Called to write, Overcoming self-doubts, Pondering Biblical Truth, Publishing journey, Writer's Life on September 21, 2013| 2 Comments »

I love the fall! Well, not the crisp mornings and evenings when it’s too cold to sit on my back porch. But still I do love this season of harvest, the roadside stands bursting with apples and pumpkins, and the beauty of the falling leaves that my grandkids rake into piles and then scatter as they jump into them.

What I don’t love is the times when my creativity feels as dry as the leaves that crunch under my feet.

Father, thank You for reminding me of this chapter from Write His Answer that I wrote years ago. Help me and all who read this to follow Your drought emergency instructions.

Next weekend, September 27-28, I’ll be teaching my Write His Answer Seminar in Cheshire, CT. I know it will be a time of refreshment and renewal for all of us. Please come if you can or order the CDs.

Write His Answer cover

But O my soul, don’t be discouraged.
Don’t be upset. Expect God to act!
For I know that I shall again
have plenty of reason
to praise him for all that he will do.
Psalm 42:11

“I’ll never run out of ideas,” I’ve often said. With a file drawer full of notes and manuscripts in various stages of completion, I felt certain that periods of dryness, or writer’s block, which I heard other writers complain about, would not affect me. But then something happened that was far worse. I felt empty inside!

The Evil One began to fill me with doubts. “You so often fail to live as a Christian,” he whispered in my ear. “How can you expect to help others? You’re nothing but a hypocrite. You have no business trying to be a writer.”

Every time I sat down at my desk, I got a tension headache. Increas­ingly I began to dread facing the work I had always loved to do. “Maybe it is time to quit,” I said to my husband one evening. “I’m willing to work hard and to face rejection, but if I don’t have anything to share . . .”

Paul put his arms around me. “You’ll feel inspired again. I know you will.”

“But what if God doesn’t want me to write anymore?”

The phone rang. It was an editor asking me to write a series of devotionals. My heart pounded with excitement. An assignment on a Sunday evening from an editor, right after I had questioned my call.  It couldn’t be a coincidence! I thanked God for showing me that my writing ministry wasn’t over.

With new enthusiasm I sat down at my typewriter the next morning, but still I felt empty. Ideas wouldn’t flow. I turned to the discouraging task of resubmitting manuscripts. As I plodded along, the whispers grew more intense. “You’re a failure. You don’t have what it takes. God can’t use you.”

I couldn’t get to sleep that night. I tried praying, but God seemed distant. Suddenly I remembered something Lee Roddy told me when I was struggling to complete my first book. “You’re listening to the wrong voice, Marlene,” he said.

The burden began to lift as I thought of Lee’s words and the Scriptures that point to Satan as the father of lies. He is the Christian writer’s great adversary. He is intent on destroying our writing ministries, our homes, our lives.

“But God,” I prayed, “it’s sometimes so hard to discern your voice. The enemy’s whispers seem so true. I do fail to respond to situations in Christlike ways—to practice what I preach. It’s easy to believe those failures make me unworthy to share your Word.”

“Condemnation is the work of the Evil One,” God reminded me. “My Spirit brings conviction of sin and the strength to overcome him. I know you’re not perfect. None of the people I use are perfect. They are willing people. Are you still willing, Child?”

“Oh yes, Lord,” I said as I fervently prayed that I would again expe­rience the anointing of his Spirit. “Please speak to me so that I can write the words you want me to write.”

The next day my writer’s block lifted. Sentences began to flow—not in perfect form or structure—but then that never has been my experience. I always spend a lot of time rewriting and editing. But, praise God, I again had words to rewrite and edit!

Since then I’ve experienced other times of dryness. They seem almost cyclical, like the droughts that periodically occur in nature. I know God allows these times in my life to teach me valuable lessons about the importance of letting my roots grow down into him (Col. 2:7). And so, I endeavor to follow his drought emergency instruc­tions in James 4:6-10:

1. Humble yourself before the Lord and ask him to remove any false pride (v. 6). Affirm anew that he is the Source of your creativity.

2. “Submit yourselves, then, to God” (v. 7 niv). The NIV Interlinear Greek-English New Testament reads: “Be ye subject therefore to God.” The Greek word for “subject,” hupotasso, is “primarily a military term, to rank under” according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. We need to remember that God is not our buddy or our errand boy. Rather, “all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:16-18 NIV).

3. “Resist the devil” (v. 7 NIV). Put on the helmet of salvation (Eph. 6:17) to protect your mind from the Evil One’s accusations. Pick up the shield of faith to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One” (Eph. 6:16 NIV).

4. “Come near to God” (v. 8 NIV). Whether you feel his presence or not, spend an increased amount of time in prayer and in his Word. To stop your mind from wandering, pray aloud or write down your prayers. You might also want to read Scripture aloud. Grab hold of the promise: “Forever, O Lord, your Word stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness extends to every generation, like the earth you created; it endures by your decree, for everything serves your plans” (Ps. 119:89-91).

5. “Grieve, mourn and wail” (v. 9 NIV) over the ways you fail the Lord. Ask him to make you a cleansed vessel through which his power can flow.

6. “Realize your worthlessness before the Lord” and allow him to “lift you up, encourage and help you” (v. 10).

I praise God for the way “he lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the bog and the mire, and set my feet on a hard, firm path and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, of praises to our God. Now many will hear of the glorious things he did for me, and stand in awe before the Lord, and put their trust in him” (Ps. 40:2-3).


Responding to God’s Call to Write

Expand on the drought emergency instructions by using a concor­dance to find additional Scriptures for these key words and phrases:

Humility

Submission

Resist the Evil One

Draw near to God

Repentance

Forgiveness

__________________

Unless otherwise noted Scripture is from The Living Bible.

From Write His Answer—A Bible Study for Writers. Copyright © 1990, 1999 Marlene Bagnull. With space for journaling, Write His Answer will not only encourage you, it will become a record of your writing journey. Copies can be order from me securely online and at a discount. Click here for excerpts and ordering info.

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Wrong date, free book, and more

Posted in Called to write, Publishing journey, Writer's Life on September 13, 2013| 1 Comment »

I goofed in yesterday’s blog. The West Branch Christian Writers Conference in Jersey Shore, PA (not far from Williamsport), is October 19 not October 9. This conference offers a lot at a very reasonable price.

I also failed to mention that the Vine and Vessels Christian Writers Conference where I’m keynoting on October 19 is in Seaford, DE.

And I’m sorry I forgot to add to the list:
October 18-20 – New England Christian Writers Retreat, Plainfield, NH. Click here for the brochure for this special event.

Free Book – Lori Hynson, GPCWC Writer of the Year and author of SuperGal vs. God is offering her book FREE on Kindle starting today and ENDING Sunday! It’s a great read! Go to www.amazon.com and type in SuperGal vs. God to download the book. If you don’t have a Kindle, there is an app on the same page that allows you to download to your smartphone or other device. PLEASE DOWNLOAD, even if you already have the print book. You would be doing my friend, Lori, and yourself, a HUGE favor! After reading, if you’d take a couple of minutes to write a review on Amazon it would be much appreciated.

GPCWC’s Pacesetter Award went to Vicki Chandler, author of Heart Eyes – Beth and the Bullies. This beautifully illustrated story shows children how they can make a difference. It includes follow-up questions adults can use to guide discussions about how to prevent bullying. Vicki has a burden for children who are ignored or bullied. She says, “I know that everyone wants to be included. Everyone has something they wish everyone knew about them. Maybe it’s the hurt they feel. Maybe it’s the talent they’d like to share. Everyone has feelings, hopes, and dreams. My big dream is that children across the nation will begin to choose their friends in different ways. Children will not be popular simply because they are pretty, rich, smart, or just the right size. Everyone will be included. Even those who look differently, speak different languages, have a disability…Their differences will be celebrated. Their hidden talents will be discovered. That will happen if more children see others with their heart eyes.” I HIGHLY recommend this book. For more info and a link to order either the paperback or ebook go to http://hearteyes.net.

Rise and Shine Movement – Carolyn Ruch is “an author, speaker, writer, and mom on a mission — to educate and encourage adults to talk to the children they love about sexual abuse. Because sometimes the only thing between you and protecting your kids from Childhood Sexual Abuse is a conversation.” Her website includes a wonderful FREE video of her picture book that every parent and grandparent needs to share along with help for “beginning the conversation.” Please join the movement. We can and must make a difference!

Father, thank You for Lori, Vicki, and Carolyn and so many others who have committed to “write Your Answer.” Keep us all on the growing edge spiritually and professionally through Your Word and through the opportunities to fellowship with and learn from other writers. Bless us as we seek to serve You every day this fall.

 

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An elk fell on my head and other news from Write His Answer Ministries

Posted in Called to write, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Publishing journey, Writer's Life on August 18, 2013| 1 Comment »

elk that bit me 

It’s true! An elk really did fall on my head. He lost two legs and his left antler.  And me?  I could have lost my eye if he had fallen just an inch or two lower on my head. Instead Rob Cook’s son had the opportunity to play doctor and use an ace bandage to hold a bag of ice on my head. And my husband has had to look at the growing black and blue mark on my forehead and around my eye this past week.

How did it happen? The same as so many events in our lives.  It was not something I saw coming. It was an accident. I sat down in a dining room chair and shoved it back against my hutch where Mr. Elk had safely resided out of the reach of my grandkids for the past 3-1/2 years. The hutch moved and he fell – onto my head. 

Father, thank You that I was not seriously injured. Thank You that he did not fall on Cindy Watkins and Margie Vawter who spent a lot of time in that same chair pre and post conference. And thank You that my laptop was not on the table when it happened.

It would be all too easy to view this as a conference battle scar and to allow the evil one to steal my joy. But I am choosing to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you [for me] in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:16-18 NIV).

Directing the conference(s) has not gotten any easier through 30 years of ministry, but the joys have certainly multiplied beyond what I could have ever asked or expected in the beginning (Eph. 3:20).

What about you and your ministry of written words and spoken words as Yolanda Powell reminded us in her powerful keynote at GPCWC? Do you view rejection as an “injury,” or do you choose to “keep your eyes on Jesus” realizing that He never promised it would be easy to serve Him? Do you learn from your experiences submitting your work to editors or, ideally, first to your critique group? Are you teachable and willing to rewrite your manuscript until it is the best it can be? Or will you keep making the same mistakes because you refuse to listen to advice?  Hopefully my husband can repair my elk, but I’ve learned my lesson. Mr. Elk is never again going to sit up high where he can fall on me or anyone else.

As you continue on your journey to publication, I want to encourage you to check out the Write His Answer bookstore and to order CDs from both the Colorado and Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference. The entire Greater Philly conference (over 100 hours of workshops, continuing classes, keynotes, and panels) are available as MP3 files on two DVDs for only $159, postage paid.

If you live in New England, I want to encourage you to come to the “Write His Answer” Seminar I’ll be teaching in Cheshire, CT, September 27-28.

Most of all I want to encourage you to keep on “writing His answer” for men and women, boys and girls who need to know Him.

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It Comes Down to Faith

Posted in Called to write, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Overcoming distractions, Overcoming self-doubts, Pondering Biblical Truth, Writer's Life on July 17, 2013| 1 Comment »

10-1113tm-vector2-3103Do you put off doing things because you don’t believe you can do them? Do you have half-written manuscripts waiting to be finished? What about ideas that you’ve tucked away – somewhere? Are you putting off registering for the Colorado Christian Writers Conference or the  Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference because you’re uncertain that you have what it takes to get in print?

Yes, procrastination is a very real foe, but I am convinced the real reason we procrastinate is because we don’t believe we can do something. And actually, that’s true! We need God’s enabling to do the work He calls us to do. The key is knowing what He is calling us to do. The Living Bible paraphrase of Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.”

It comes down to faith – to believing in the One who calls us and choosing to say “yes, Lord, here am I.”Dream%20With%20Me_album%20cover

I want to encourage you to read aloud the “Writer’s Statement of Faith” below. You may need to read it aloud several times a day. I know I do! I also want to encourage you to watch this video of pre-teen Jackie Evancho singing “To Believe.” Yes, Father, help us to believe that we really can make a difference and bring peace – Your peace – to our troubled world.

A Writer’s Statement of Faith

I have strength for all things in Christ Who Empowers me-I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength in me, [that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]. Phil. 4:13 AMP

Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies, so that God will be glorified. 1 Pet. 4:11 TLB

[Not in my own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in me – energizing and creating in me the power and desire – both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. Phil. 2:13 AMP

My strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power at work within me. Eph. 6:10 TLB

In Him in every respect I am enriched, in full power and readiness of speech (to speak of my faith), and complete knowledge and illumination (to give me full insight into its meaning). 1 Cor. 1:5 AMP

Now I have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing His will are mine during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 1:7 TLB

I actually do have within me a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:16 TLB

I can be a mirror that brightly reflects the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3:18 TLB

I will commit everything I do to the Lord. I will trust Him to help me do it and He will. Ps. 37:5 TLB

I will lean on, trust and be confident in the Lord with all my heart and mind, and choose not to rely on my own insight or understanding. Prov. 3:5 AMP

I will commit my work to the Lord, then it will succeed. Prov. 16:3 TLB

Sharing Christ is my work, and I can do it only because Christ’s mighty energy is at work within me. Col. 1:29 TLB

I will be strong and courageous and get to work. I will not be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord my God is with me; He will not forsake me. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly. 1 Chron. 28:20 TLB

I need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if I want Him to do for me all He promised. Heb. 10:36 TLB

I m convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in me will continue until the day of Jesus Christ – right up to the time of His return – developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in me. Phil. 1:6 AMP

His mighty power at work within me is able to do far more than I would every dare to ask or even dream of – infinitely beyond my highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes. Eph. 3:20 TLB

From Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers. For more excerpts, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

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Writing His Heart, Righting Mine

Posted in Called to write, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Publishing journey, Writer's Life on July 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »

WHAPLogo2 for FBGuest blog from 2012 GPCWC Conferee
Marianne E. Parker, RN  

Cold air blasts as I sit in the dark corner.  Six twenty-one shines in the corner of my computer screen.  I quietly type, trying not to waken my daughter.  Ideas swim in my head like young children enjoying the pool outside my hotel window.  I am still.  Still.  Still small voice; come to me Lord.  Be glorified today.

Gratitude enters as I ready for the final day of this year’s Greater Philadelphia Christian Writer’s Conference: Write His Answer.  Habakkuk 2:2 (TLB), “Write my answer on a billboard, loud and clear, so that others may read it and rush to tell others” undergirds the bridge Marlene Bagnull co-labored in love over twenty-nine years ago as conference founder and director.    I imagine her prayer this morning; “To God, be the glory.”

Marlene and all who have been called to come alongside her have accomplished their mission: “Encouraging & Equipping you to write about a God who is real, who is reachable & who changes lives.”

Jim Watkins shared during the Friday opening session that 10,000 hours are required to become proficient in any field.  So, I pulled out my phone started to calculate.  Hmm.  I would like to be proficient in 1 year (remember, I’m a beginner) so 10,000 divided by 365 is the realization that I need 27 hours a day to make that happen. OK then, I start multiplying.  Three hours commitment a day multiplied by 365 equals ten years.  I look up and say to myself,

“OK God, do what only You can whenever You want”.

Personal perspective and heavenly perspective met that day.  Your team also gifted me with healing perspective.  I may not yet know how to write a magazine article or a novel, but I can offer an honorable thank you.  So, from the bottom of my broken heart (that story is not yet ready to tell-thank you Sue Cameron), I so appreciate that you all have heard the voice of our loving Father, walked with His Son and stepped out with His Spirit.  You are blessing many.  Continue saying; “Yes, Lord”.  We need your gifts, talents, leadership and fine example.

It will be my privilege and expectation to see you again next year, if not sooner.

Sincerely,

Marianne E. Parker, RN
(Gratitude and redemption writer)
_________________

Thanks much, Marianne, for sharing your heart. It’s not too later to register for the July 31 – August 3, 2013, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference. If you want to stay on campus, however, you need to register by July 15. Same with meals in the campus dining hall. After July 15 and until July 24 meals can still be ordered but they will cost 50 cents more a meal. After July 24, you’ll have to eat off campus – not ideal because of the fellowship we share around the tables I the dining hall.

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What Christian writers can learn from Peter

Posted in Called to write, Writer's Life on July 7, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Write His Answer cover001


Show to others how God called you
out of the darkness
into his wonderful light. ~ 1 Peter 2:9

I admire Paul,
but I love Peter!

I’ve often written about the apostle Paul. If there was an early Christian workaholic, it was Paul. Undaunted by opposition and persecution, he traveled throughout the Roman world spreading the Gospel. Even when he settled in one place, he filled every hour with preaching, teaching, and tent making. His mind and hands were never idle!

I admire Paul, but I love Peter. In a special, winsome way I see his feelings and failings in the pages of the New Testament, and I feel close to him.   

The first time Peter’s words are recorded in the gospel of Luke (5:1-11), he makes himself transparent. He was washing his nets beside the seashore while Jesus preached nearby. Noticing the empty boats, Jesus stepped into one and asked Peter to push it out into the water. I can picture Peter forgetting the nets and listening to Jesus. When Jesus finished speaking, he instructed Peter to go into deeper water and let down the nets.

Logic told Peter this action was foolish. They had worked hard all night and caught nothing. Daytime fishing was a waste of time, but he obeyed Jesus. And what incredible results! The nets were so full they began to tear. Peter didn’t stop to analyze what had happened or to see who might be watching. He fell down on his knees and said, “‘Oh, sir, please leave us—I’m too much of a sinner for you to have around’” (Luke 5:8). When they got to shore, he left everything and followed Jesus.

From then on, Peter stayed close to Jesus. He was always up front, directing the crowds and speaking for the other disciples. Was Peter simply a naturally gifted leader? I’m not so sure. I can’t help but wonder if Peter was trying to prove himself. He may have thought the others (even those who were also fishermen) were more likely candidates for discipleship. John was a deep thinker. Andrew was outgoing. James had studied the law.

The more Peter tried, the more he failed. He walked on water, only to sink (Matt. 14:22-32). He was the first of the Twelve to boldly confess, “You are the Messiah,” only to be rebuked a short time later for trying to tell Jesus what to do (Mark 8:27-033). He boasted of his loyalty to the Master, only to deny him (John 13:36-38). Yet, on the day of Pentecost, Peter was transformed from a coward into a Spirit-filled preacher and leader (Acts 2:14-41). Even before the mighty Sanhedrin, he stood his ground. “‘We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we saw Jesus do and heard him say’” (Acts 4:20).

What can Christian writers learn from Peter? I believe he shows us what must happen in our lives when we come face to face with Jesus Christ. Like Peter, we need to confess our sins, recognizing that Jesus “personally carried the load of our sins in his own body when he died on the cross, so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on” (1 Pet. 2:24). If our words are to have credibility, our walk needs to match our talk.

Peter also shows us the importance of obedience, of being willing to leave what we are doing to follow Jesus into unknown situations. The safe thing would have been for Peter to stay on the fringes of Jesus’ life and ministry. He could have continued with his fishing business and taken time off only when Jesus was in town. But Peter chose to risk everything and follow Jesus.

I’m not suggesting anyone quit their job and go into a full-time writing ministry. I don’t know many who are called to make a living at writing. But we can ask the Lord to help us give up some things we enjoy doing in order to make time for writing. Those who are called to write from personal experience can ask for strength to write openly of the lessons God has taught them in order to minister to the needs of their readers.

“Feed my sheep” Jesus told Peter after his resurrection (John 21:17 NIV). No doubt Peter was still reeling from his denial of Jesus. Three times Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to reaffirm his commitment, and three times he challenged Peter to feed his sheep. Again Peter obeyed. He learned to care for the flock “willingly, not grudgingly; not for what [he] would get out of it but because [he was] eager to serve the Lord” (1 Pet. 5:2).

We need to be ready to share our faith and to “do it in a gentle and respectful way” (1 Pet. 3:15). “Preach [write] as though God himself were speaking through you,” Peter says (1 Pet. 4:11). “Be ready to suffer” (1 Pet. 4:1) but focus on the “wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here” (1 Pet. 1:6).

Another lesson from Peter is how to deal with our egos. We are to “serve each other with humble spirits” (1 Pet. 5:5). Like Peter, we must be willing to give “all honor to God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; for it is his boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again” (1 Pet. 1:3). We must desire to point others to Jesus, not to ourselves.

Peter provides a lot more practical help that has direct application to our lives as writers: “Be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray” (1 Pet. 4:7 NIV). “Keep on doing what is right and trust yourself to the God who made you, for he will never fail you” (1 Pet. 4:19). “Stand firmly in his love” (1 Pet. 5:12).

In 2 Peter 1:2-8 he describes ways to “grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ.” Why? It’s a process! It was for him and will be for us. Like Peter, there will be times when we will fail. But he rose above his failures, and we can too!

At Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts, I received a button with the letters “PBPGINFWMY.” They stand for the sentence, “Please be patient; God is not finished with me yet.” We also need to be patient with ourselves. Our faith is going to be tested (1 Pet. 1:7). Sometimes it may be found wanting. But the amount of our faith (remember what Jesus said in Luke 17:6 about faith the size of a mustard seed?) is not as important as the One we believe in. Truly, he will “‘never disappoint those who trust in him’” (1 Pet. 2:6). He has chosen us and he will equip us so that, through the words we write and the lives we live, we will effectively be able to “show to others how God called [us] out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pet. 2:9).

                                             Responding to God’s Call to Write

Read 1 and 2 Peter. Note below those passages that specifically speak to you and your call to feed the flock of God through your writing. Commit one verse to memory today, and ask God to work it into the fabric of your life.
_______________

© Marlene Bagnull, 1999

From Write His Answer–A Bible Study for Christian Writers by Marlene Bagnull. ACW Press, 1999.  For more info and to order at a reduced price go to http://writehisanswer.com/writehisanswerbiblestudybook.                                                           

Unless otherwise noted Scripture is from The Living Bible.

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Overcoming the Accuser

Posted in Called to write, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Overcoming self-doubts, Pondering Biblical Truth on June 28, 2013| 1 Comment »

Have you ever been ready to give up? Have you tried everything you know but feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall?  What do you do when the accuser tells you that your best isn’t good enough – that it never has been and never will be?

Perhaps it’s a manuscript you’ve been working on for years. You’ve rewritten it not just once or twice but many times. Still you’ve been unsuccessful in finding anyone interested in publishing it. And it makes no sense because you know it’s something God has called you to write. You’ve studied the craft. You’ve  gone to critique groups and conferences  trying to find that missing something.  And now . . . now you’re not sure you can keep on keeping on.

That was my experience with my first book that some of you know was rejected by 42 publishers over a six year period . If I had given up (and believe me, there were many times I wanted to), it and the eight books that followed would never have been published. I would not have founded the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference in 1983 or said yes in 1997 to directing the Colorado Christian Writers Conference.

Yet still there are times I doubt–times when as my writing mentor Lee Roddy said years ago, I “listen to the wrong voices.” Frequently I hear the voice of the accuser telling me that my best isn’t good enough as I struggle to get on top of the myriad of details for the July 31 – August 3 Greater Philly conference.  Many days I tell the Lord, “I can’t.” And I know that’s true. Without His help I can’t manage the time pressures and deadlines I used to find exciting.

What can I do, can you do, whenthe Lord doesn’t seem to be listening? Has He abandoned us? Or is He using the problem(s) we’re facing to strengthen our faith muscles so that when the stakes are even bigger we won’t get discouraged and give up?

I’m learning that there are lots of lessons I thought I’d learned (that I’ve even written about in my book, Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers) that I need to relearn!

Keep your eyes on the Lord, on how far you’ve come, and on the prize.  It’s easy to allow problems and challenges to consume us and to blind us to the Lord’s presence, to how far we’ve come, and to the prize.  “I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us” (Philippians 3:14 TLB) Paul wrote from prison in Rome. He had reason to be greatly frustrated and discouraged by the loss of his freedom. He could have questioned the Lord and concluded that his ministry was over. Instead he focused on the needs of the churches and wrote letters that continue to encourage Christ-followers almost 2,000 years later.

Cut the tapes from your past. Although Paul never forgot the person he was before he encountered the Lord on the Damascus Road, he did not wallow in the past or dwell on what others thought or said about him. Instead he embraced the truth of Zephaniah 3:17: “He is a mighty Savior. He will give you victory. He will rejoice over you with great gladness; he will love you and not accuse you” (TLB). Paul was able to preach and write about the message of salvation because he had experienced firsthand God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Don’t grieve the Lord by your lack of faith. Although sometimes it does seem that He’s not listening, we need to trust that He will equip us with all we need for doing his will (see Hebrews 13:20). It’s not easy to wait on the Lord and to have Hebrews 11:1 faith in what we can’t yet see, but “God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he will never go back on his promises” (Romans 11:29 TLB).

Do your best and trust God for the rest. The fear of failure can paralyze us if we let it, and that’s exactly what our adversary wants. I grieve for the books that have not been published and the ministries that have been abandoned because of the evil one’s accusations that our best will never be good enough.

Father, help us to believe You and not the accuser. Thank You for loving us and for being bigger than our perceived failures. Thank You for encouraging us not to give up. We will keep on expecting you to help us. We will praise you more and more. We will walk in the strength of the Lord our God (Psalm 71:14, 16 TLB).

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Overcoming Doubts

Posted in Called to write, God's promises, Overcoming self-doubts on June 22, 2013| 9 Comments »

Do you feel called to “write His answer” and yet struggle with self-doubts? Truthfully, through working with hundreds of writers through the years, I find that those who really have a gift with words and a message that needs to be published are the ones most likely to be crippled by self-doubts.

I shudder when I think of how many times I almost gave up because my self-doubts were so loud and insistent. Why would anyone want to read what I wrote? I What made me think that I could write for the Lord? I wasn’t qualified! How could He possibly use someone who was only a high school graduate? I felt ashamed and woefully inadequate.

How it must have grieved the Lord when I failed to see that the Cross turns my minus into a plus – when I believed the lies of the evil one instead of His promises. And how much time I wasted in my self-centered and selfish focus on my doubts instead of on the needs Father was calling me to address through the words He would give me if I would just trust Him.

Recently I read Joel Rosenberg’s latest novel, Damascus Count Down. I was reminded of the ASSIST News interview, Author of End Times Political Thriller Hits New York Times Best Seller List with His Latest Middle Eastern Novel, from November 2010. Talking about the decision to write his first novel, Joel said:

“Failure has a way of focusing the mind and I’d come off of ten years of political failure in Washington DC and I thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m a Rosenberg, yet I am not a lawyer, a dentist, a doctor, an acupuncturist, a chiropractor, an accountant or even a stockbroker.

“I’ve got no financial genes and I can’t do anything practical. I write ‘Op-Eds’ that people don’t read. I write speeches people don’t listen to; the only thing I know how to do is write and clearly badly. But these are my loaves and fishes and I don’t want to be a failure; I want to be a blessing.

“So, I told the Lord, ‘I want to be a servant of yours, Lord Jesus, so could you take these loaves and fishes, limited though they be, and would you break them, and bless them, and somehow feed people with them.”

Click here to read the rest of the interview. You’ll be encouraged.  And you’ll be encouraged at the July 31 – August 3 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference through the testimonies of the conferees during our Author’s Panel during our Thursday evening session, “Write His Answer – And Give God the Glory.”

Father, thank You for calling us to do what seems impossible and for Your faithfulness to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond as we choose to listen to You and not to our doubts.

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News You Can Use!

Posted in Called to write, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Our Christian witness, Persecution of Christians, Praying for our nation, Publishing journey, Writing Fiction on June 17, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Yes, it’s been far too long since I blogged! I’ve been focused on mopping up the Colorado Christian Writers Conference (click here for a CD order form) and my garden and my house that are sorely neglected during conference season.

It’s time (okay, I admit past-time) to focus on the July 31 – August 3 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference (GPCWC). Some “News You Can Use” whether or not you’re able to come to the conference (although I hope you’ll prayerfully consider coming):

Looking for an agent? – This year’s GPCWC has five agents on faculty! Two are new agents with established firms: Sally Apokedak with the Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency and Ruth Samsel with William K. Jensen Literary. Now is a good time to check out the genres they are interested in representing before their stable of clients is filled. You’ll find info at http://philadelphia.writehisanswer.com/AgentsOthers.

Appointments – Of course, the very best way to land an agent is through meeting with them at a conference, and GPCWC offers more opportunities than most conferences for one-on-one appointments. And good news! Because we have such a large faculty this year, not just the first 75 conferees to register but the first 150 conferees will receive an additional appointment. Also, since I know it’s not possible for everyone to come to the entire conference, all who are among the first 150 to register will receive an additional appointment. That means:

One day conferees – Two appointments

Two day conferees – Three appointments

Three day conferees – In addition to the bonus appointment
for coming all three days (Thursday through Saturday),
will receive an additional appointment for a total of
FIVE 15-minute one-on-one appointments.

Keep in mind that the earlier you register, the better opportunity you have of getting your top picks. Bios and editorial needs for our 16 book editors and 13 periodical editors will be posted in the next few days. I’ll announce on the Facebook conference page when they are online.

CFOM June 2013

Encouragement and help for novelists – Check out the June issue of Bonnie Calhoun’s Christian Fiction Online Magazine. There is no charge to subscribe to this excellent resource that each month features 35+ columns by the best and brightest authors, publishers, and agents in Christian fiction. 

Bonnie’s “Publisher’s Choice” this month is yours truly with an article that highlights the opportunities for novelists at this year’s conference. From Dr. Ted Baehr’s “Breakthrough Scriptwriting” and Tim Shoemaker’s “Take Your Fiction to the Gym” continuing sessions, two clinics, and numerous workshops this year’s GPCWC offers more than ever for both beginning and advanced novelists.

Scholarships – GPCWC is offering two 50% off scholarships to readers of Christian Fiction Online Magazine. But scholarships are not limited to CFOM readers. If you need scholarship help, you’ll find the application at http://philadelphia.writehisanswer.com/Scholarships.

Teens Write – You’ve heard the question: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! This year’s Teens Write answers a similar question: How do you write a novel/article, devotion, screenplay? One Word at a Time! Pam Halter has done a fantastic job putting together an exciting program taught by nine authors and editors for teens ages 12-18. For more info on the Thursday, August 1, all-day Teens Write click here.  Please ask Father if there is a teen He wants you to encourage to come and to mentor.

Let Freedom Ring” in our Churches– Important thoughts from Mike Huckabee in a five-minute video. I’ve chosen never to seek tax exempt status because I don’t want to be muzzled from speaking or writing His answer. And although I pack both the Greater Philly and Colorado Christian Writers Conferences with an outstanding faculty and tons of learning and networking opportunities, I will continue to offer special sessions that are not about the craft of writing or of selling/marketing/promoting our work but that instead focus on the critical issues of our day. If you’re coming to the GPCWC, please prayerfully consider tithing your conference time by attending one of the following two-hour Thursday specials or order the CD.

Prepare for Persecution with C. Hope Flinchbaugh
A Culture in Peril with Rick Marschall
Compassion, Justice, Advocacy with Steven Lawson

Father, I feel such a sense of urgency to “write Your answer” NOW, while the doors to print and distribute Christian literature and take full advantage of the Internet are still open. Help us not to hide our light under a bushel but to effectively and faithfully write what You’re calling us to write whether fiction or nonfiction, stories or articles, poetry or screenplays. Use each one of us, Father, to make a difference in the lives of our readers.

You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.
God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this,
as public as a city on a hill.
If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you
under a bucket, do you?
I’m putting you on a light stand.
Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!

Matthew 5:14-15 MSG

 

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Put on the Armor

Posted in Called to write, God's promises, Persecution of Christians, Pondering Biblical Truth, Writer's Life on May 5, 2013| 5 Comments »

Put on the full armor of God
so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood.
Ephesians 6:11-12 NIV

My hands tied behind my back, I was dragged before a tribunal of cloaked men. They accused me of subversion against the government because of my faith in Jesus Christ. I could not deny the charges, for spread across the table were books and articles I had written.

The congregation’s singing brought me back to reality. Had I dozed off or seen a vision? I’ll never know for sure. But I do know the Lord spoke to me. “Do you realize, Child,” I felt Him say, “that the things you are writing may one day convict you? Are you willing to follow Me despite the cost?”

It was a sobering moment. I didn’t ask Him to give me a closer look at the titles of my published works. And I didn’t answer quickly or feel very brave when I finally said, “Yes, Lord.”

That was fifteen years ago. Societally, things were bad and getting worse; but Christians generally were seen as part of the answer—not the problem. We were not the frequent brunt of jokes on TV sitcoms and talk shows. Media coverage was not openly biased. Gays were not militant. People did not worry about being politically correct. The New Age was beginning to infiltrate some churches, but few discerned its danger.

Things are changing—rapidly. We can no longer ignore all the signs that point to the return of Christ. They challenge us to be actively involved in spreading the Gospel while the doors remain open to produce and distribute Christian literature. But we do need to count the cost. In a very real way, writing for the Lord puts us on the front lines where “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12 NIV). To go into battle without the “full armor of God” (Eph. 6:11 NIV) is dangerous.

“This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels,” The Message says. “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued” (Eph. 6:12-13). Having been defeated too often, I’m learning to pray on the armor every morning that I might “resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over . . . still be standing up” (Eph. 6:13 TLB).

“Lord,” I pray, “help me to gird myself with your belt of truth’” (Eph. 6:14 NIV). “Give me discernment that I might immediately recognize the enemy’s lies and half-truths. Help me to refuse to receive or believe them.” When a manuscript is returned and those insistent inner whispers threaten to defeat me, I buckle the belt of God’s truth more tightly around me. I affirm, often out loud, that the return of one manuscript (or dozens of manuscripts) does not mean I should quit writing. I know God has called me to write, but that is not a guarantee of accepted manuscripts. I must keep developing the gifts of writing and marketing and persevere.

The breastplate of righteousness (Eph. 6:14 NIV) protects my most vulnerable area—my heart, the home of my feelings and emotions. It is so easy for me to be wounded by others, to allow myself to be influenced by fear of what they might say or think. I need to be constantly vigilant against the temptation to compromise because “everyone else is doing it.” I cannot pad my writing expenses on my Schedule C. I cannot be careless attributing quotes or use copyrighted material without permission. Instead, I must handle every aspect of the business side of my writing in a way that honors the Lord. My first priority must be to bring glory to Him and not to myself. “Lord,” I pray, “help me today to consistently choose to do what is right in Your eyes.”

Putting on the shoes of readiness to share the Gospel (Eph. 6:15) protects me from the temptation to get sidetracked. There are often other things I can do and write that would require less time and effort, but if I am to be a soldier of the King, I must take my orders from Him. I need to follow His marching orders instead of asking Him to bless mine. When I walk in obedience, I find that my feet do not become bruised and weary from going places He never intended me to go. I also find that when I say yes to what He wants me to do, rather than yes to what others tell me I should do or what I feel they expect me to do, I am filled with peace instead of tension.

I prayerfully pick up the shield of faith to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16 NIV). I ask God to make me mighty in spirit—to help me to walk by faith, not by sight. I also ask Him to help me not to lower my shield by nurturing doubts. A soldier can be fatally wounded if he lowers his shield for only a moment.

The helmet of salvation (Eph. 6:17 NIV) protects my thought life. Each morning I thank God that I do not have to be bound by old habits and thinking  patterns. I ask Him to continue His work of transforming me by renewing my mind (Rom. 12:2) and giving me the “thoughts and mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16 TLB).

Finally, there is the one offensive piece of armor. It is with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17 NIV) that we go forth into battle to confront the evil of our day. Doing so doesn’t mean we are supposed to hit our readers over the head with the Bible. Instead, I pray that God’s Word will so permeate my life that the principles of Scripture will be evident in all I do, say, and write.

“The enemy is within the gates,” Chuck Colson wrote in Against the Night (Servant Publications, 1989, p. 19). “I believe that we do face a crisis in Western culture, and that it presents the greatest threat to civilization since the barbarians invaded Rome” (p. 23). But God commands us to trust Him. Even when facing the spirit of the antichrist, we need not fear because “the one who is in [us] is greater than the one who is in the world” (l John 4:4 NIV). We need to “pray all the time” (Eph. 6:18 TLB) and to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Eph. 6:10 NIV) knowing that Jesus has already won the battle.

 Responding to God’s Call to Write

 Study Ephesians 6:10-18 in several translations or paraphrases. Ask the Lord to show you what each piece of the armor can mean in your life. List those insights below and begin to daily pray on the armor.

Belt of truth                                                                                      

Breastplate of righteousness 

Shoes of readiness                                                                          

Shield of faith 

Helmet of salvation 

Sword of the Spirit


From Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers by Marlene Bagnull. ACW Press. © 1990, 1999 Marlene Bagnull.

 

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