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Archive for the ‘God’s promises’ Category

Bear Fruit

Posted in Called to write, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Publishing journey on March 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

It’s a beautiful spring day here on the east coast. Okay, I know it’s not yet officially spring, but it sure looks and feels like spring!  My daffodils are in bloom, and the buds on my fruit trees are almost ready to burst.

They’re calling this the winter that wasn’t. I confess I missed the snowstorms we had the past two years. The out-of-doors has looked brown and barren with no snow glistening on the ground and coating my bushes and trees. But even in the dead of winter, faith assured me that spring was coming.

Faith is certainly essential for writers as we wonder if anyone will want to read what we write or if we can even finish what we started. Maybe we have a completed manuscript but so far no agent or editor has shown any interest. Or maybe we already have a book in print but sales have been dismal. We wonder if our work will ever bear fruit.

About fifteen years ago I met Tim Shoemaker at the Write to Publish Conference in Illinois. He had a passion to write fiction for boys but still had a lot to learn. Still, I saw something in him and in his writing. As I talked and prayed with this young man, I knew his dream was going to come true. Since then we’ve kept in touch and I’ve watched his gift with words grow. I rejoiced when he found publishers for his nonfiction devotional books for boys. And then, just this week, I held in my hands Code of Silence, a hardback novel for boys published by Zonderkidz and the first of a trilogy.

Tim’s writing is bearing fruit because he didn’t give up. He’s worked at his craft and then began teaching it to others at the Colorado and Greater Philly Christian Writers conference where he’s served on faculty since 2005. This year Tim is teaching a continuing session at both conferences on “Take Your Fiction to the Gym.” “Consider yourself a beginner or an advanced beginner when it comes to fiction?” Tim asks. “Here’s your chance to take your writing to the gym. You’ll get the tools, tips, and techniques to strengthen your writing to compete in the real world of publishing. We’ll look at Plot, Characterization, Point-of-View, Show-Don’t-Tell, Scenes, Beginnings, Middles, Ends, Conflict, Dialogue, and other areas to help take your fiction writing to the next level. Lace up your gym shoes . . . this is one workout you’ll enjoy!”

I’ve also asked Tim to give the closing keynote, “Finding His Answer,” at both conferences. “Finding His answer in the ups and downs of life is all about realizing He has a plan, that it is good, that we can trust Him, and that there are things we must do,” Tim says. “We must learn our craft and be the real deal as Christians.”

If you’re discouraged, I hope you’ll take heart from Tim’s story and that you’ll make it a priority to attend one or more writers’ conferences this year. The fellowship with other writers, opportunity to show your work to agents and editors, and classes taught by those who know the craft of writing and marketing can make a huge difference in helping you to get your work in print.

Because of the glitches with online registration that, PTL, are now fixed, I’ve extended early registration for the May 16-19 Colorado Christian Writer Conference through March 19.  Online registration for the August  1-4 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference will hopefully open April 15 with the brochure off press by May 1. For info on other conferences I encourage you to check the 2012 Christian Writers Market Guide. It is available through my Write His Answer bookstore at 20% off the $24.99 retail price plus $3.50 shipping. The bookstore has numerous other writing how-to books. Shipping is free for orders $35 and over.

Thank You, Father, for the promise of springtime. Help us to bear fruit for You through the lives we live and the words we write.

P.S. Click here for a free Bible study on “Bearing Fruit.”

 

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Crisis of Confidence?

Posted in Called to write, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Overcoming self-doubts on March 15, 2012| 1 Comment »

Have you experienced a “crisis of confidence” lately? Do you feel overwhelmed and inadequate to accomplish what you know God is calling you to do and to write? Is the evil one no longer whispering, but shouting, that you can’t do it?

Today I needed to re-read the words I wrote over 20 years ago in my book Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers that has been in print since 1990.

“The cure for a crisis of confidence is to reexamine in what or, more importantly, in whom we have placed our confidence. ‘I know the one in whom I trust,’ Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Tim. 1:12 TLB). That’s the key. It’s not self-confidence, but God-confidence.”

The challenges of converting the conference website from FrontPage to Expression Web are daunting. Of course everything is taking much too long and I’m getting farther and farther behind. Time pressures and problems are buddies and last night they invited another “p” word – panic – to join them as an unexplained glitch caused online registration to stop working the day before early registration was supposed to end. (It’s been extended through Saturday, March 17.)

I’m so grateful the Lord wasn’t sleeping and that He nudged a friend to pray and to email needed encouragement.

“Our Father is the mover of mountains and the God of the impossible. All this opposition is proof of what will happen on those Rocky Mountains in May! It will be beyond our wildest expectations. Have faith in what is unseen.”

And so . . . I’m fixing my eyes on the Mountain Mover and pressing on to prepare for this year’s CCWC. I know it’s going to be a life-changing conference. Today, as I worked on the Book Editors, Periodical Editors, and Agents & Others pages I praised God for the faculty He has provided. I hope you’ll check out their bios, what they’ll be doing at the conference, and their editorial needs that are finally posted.  This year’s CCWC offers so many exciting opportunities for beginning as well as advanced writers. Even more important, I KNOW Father is going to meet us on the mountain.

Online registration is working again. If you tried to register within the last 24 hours and couldn’t, be sure to refresh the page. Scholarship applications are also online. In addition to three $100 Vickie Baker Memorial Scholarships and partial scholarships, my dear friend, Cec Murphey, is offering TEN full registration scholarships. Have confidence in God. If He is calling you to this year’s CCWC, no obstacle is too big for Him to enable you to overcome.

Thank You, Father!

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Deadlines!

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Overcoming distractions on March 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Deadlines! When I worked in an editorial office years ago, the race to meet deadlines was exciting. Of course, no sooner had one deadline been met then there were others looming, but I found that exhilarating rather than stressful. Oh to be young again and to be able to “leap tall buildings” (and meet deadlines) “in a single bound.”

Today I’m older (no kidding!) and hopefully wiser. Deadlines are no longer exciting even though I have a computer (actually two) to supposedly make me more productive and efficient. Sadly, I often find that working with computers adds more stress to the work Father has called me to do. I don’t have patience for the learning curve that comes with new software or the unexpected challenges of installing a new computer with a different operating system.

Like me you probably have a love/hate relationship with your computer. You wonder why, especially when you’re pressed for time, your computer crashes along with the latest unsaved copy of what you were working on.

What do you do when time pressures keep building and you have no control over the obstacles that keep slowing you down?

That’s where I’ve been for the last two weeks with trying to convert my old FrontPage conference website to Expression Web. I’ve written but am unable to upload the Teens Write and Lightbox Method Retreat info. The clinic and scholarship applications are also ready to go but can’t be uploaded. Other pages have a bunch of navigation buttons across the top but the pages appear blank. They aren’t. Scroll down. To say the least, I am frustrated! And daily I’m falling behind where I need to be with work not just for the Colorado conference but for the Greater Philly conference August 1-4.

I’m reminded of PBPWMGIFWMY from Bill Gothard’s Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar. “Please be patient with me, God isn’t finished with me yet.”

If you’ve emailed me and I haven’t yet answered, please be patient. If you’ve tried to access conference info online, please be patient. If you’ve registered and are worried about signing up for your appointments, relax. Appointments are booked in the order that you register for the conference – not in the order that you send us your requests on the form that is not yet available. And if you’ve not yet registered for the conference, the good news is that there still are 26 more openings for a free fifth appointment if you register for all three days.

But the best good news in the midst of the deadlines we all face is that Immanuel, God is with us. “Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, he remains faithful to us and will help us, for he cannot disown us who are part of himself, and he will always carry out his promises to us” (2 Tim. 2:13 TLB). He calls us, He calls me, to come to Him and He will give us rest (Matt 11:28).

Father, thank You that You are with us and that we can trust You to give us Your peace that passes understanding when deadlines press in on us that we feel helpless to meet. Thank You for Your promise that the joy of the Lord will be our strength!

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To Believe

Posted in Called to write, God's promises on February 8, 2012| 3 Comments »

Do 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? Has an editor or agent you met at a conference requested your manuscript, but you’ve never gotten around to finishing and submitting it?

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.”

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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Give up or look up?

Posted in Called to write, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises on February 3, 2012| 2 Comments »

And let us not get tired of doing what is right,
  for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing,
 if we don’t get discouraged and give up. Galatians 6:9 TLB

Have you faced any seemingly impossible tasks lately? Perhaps it was a writing deadline that crept up on you. Or maybe it was yet another returned manuscript – one you felt was the best story or article you’d ever written. Or perhaps someone in your critique group said something that left you questioning whether you are called to write.

The reasons for wanting to give up are countless. For me, yesterday, it was the four times it took to finally upload the corrected (I hope) brochure to the printer. And then there were the features in Expression Web that made absolutely no sense. For years I’ve said, “No way am I going to use HTML.” Right! As someone has said, “never say never.” I thank the Lord for CCWC’s team of pray-ers whose prayers and words of encouragement helped me to keep looking up instead of giving up. I still need to add faculty bios, editorial needs, the list of paid critiquers and genres, and info on the new Lightbox Method Retreat, but the 2012 CCWC brochure is online, and just before midnight last night Father enabled me to open secure online registration.

When problems (best to call them “challenges”) threaten to overwhelm you, do you give up or look up?

I’m convinced that Christians who are called to “write His answer” are on the front lines of an intense spiritual battle for the hearts of men and women, boys and girls. It’s critical that we know He has called us. Then, despite self-doubts and tasks that really are impossible in our own strength, we’ll cling to His promises and look up. “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he will never go back on his promises” (Romans 11:29 TLB).

Thank You, Father.

P.S. Do you lack assurance that Father has called you to write? Click here for the first chapter, “Called to Write,” in my book, Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers. And be sure to let me know if I don’t have your USPS address for the brochure that will be off press in a little over a week. Please pray about coming. Father has used CCWC to help thousands of writers to look up rather than give up!

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Getting started is the hardest – yes?

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises on February 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty . . . (Genesis 1:1-2 NIV).

A blank piece of paper or empty computer screen can intimidate authors and writers’ conference directors, especially when our thoughts are scattered. Where do we start? And how do we silence the self-doubts that can cause us to do anything but the task at hand?

Getting started is always the hardest part – yes? But then it’s not easy to carry something through the completion either. If I depended on my own strength, it wouldn’t happen. I praise God for His promise that now we have “every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing his will” (1 Cor. 1:7 TLB).

The brochure for the May 16-19 Colorado Christian Writers Conference is at the printer and should be in your hands in less than two weeks if you’re on our mailing list. Thank You, Father! The brochure is also posted online – click here. With Father’s help secure online registration opened yesterday, February 1, just before midnight. There’s still lots to add to the website, and the Expression Web learning curve continues to be a challenge – a BIG challenge when I need to go into the HTML code that I said I never want to use. Someone has said, “never say never.”

The first five to register will receive a free copy of my book, Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers. If you prefer not to register online, the brochure is posted at www.writehisanswer.com/Colorado. Send me an email to let me know you’re mailing your registration on Wednesday, February 2, and you may be one of the five to receive a copy of Write His Answer.

Father, thank You in advance for all You’re going to do through this year’s conference. Thank You for the faculty You’ve provided and their willingness to take time to join us on the mountain. Thank You for the special friendships that will be formed and most of all for how I KNOW You will speak to each one of us.

 

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Seeking His Wisdom

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Publishing journey on January 25, 2012| 1 Comment »

If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father.
He loves to help. You’ll get this help,
and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.
Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.
People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves.
Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way,
adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

James 1:5-8 MSG

 Good morning everyone –

This week I’m in the process of finalizing the faculty and workshops for the May 16-19 Colorado Christian Writers Conference.  (Secure online registration opens February 1.) Each year it seems more challenging. I know more gifted authors I’d love to invite, and Father keeps expanding my connections with agents and editors. It would be easy to “worry my prayers,” especially when I consider the cost of flying in a large faculty. I always intend to shrink the faculty but, as usual, that hasn’t happened. Check out the website. We now have 62 on faculty and our eight continuing sessions are in place. (Yes I know the file name for the continuing session’s page says 2011. I’m still trying to learn Expression Web 4.)

If we’re honest, we often feel overwhelmed and even clueless about what to do next. What should we write? Where should we send it? How can we effectively market not ourselves but the message Father has given us? How can we build that “platform” we’re told is so important?  And how do we fit in everything we feel we need to do in days that are already packed full?

I’m so grateful that I don’t have to figure this out on my own – that my Father and yours “loves to help.”  It’s up to us to seek Him and to listen.  He will give us the guidance we need through His Word, through what are clearly “God-incidents” and not mere coincidences, and through the counsel of others.

I appreciated the counsel one of our faculty members gave last Thursday in her blog. Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. In her third post on tackling the “Platform Monster,” Amanda gave eight easy steps for success in article-writing and why it’s a great way to build your platform. I encourage you to read it and to look at the opportunities CCWC offers to connect with 13 editors who represent 18+ periodicals. Exciting! (My writing ministry began with writing for Christian periodicals. The 1,000+ sales Father enabled me to make I’m sure have reached more readers than my eight published books.)

One final word – warning! Be sure to seek the Lord first. Look at the precarious position this fisherman got himself in when he hooked a bull elk!

Father, please help us not to run ahead of You or to lag behind. Remind us to look to you for the guidance and wisdom we need.

Photo from a conferee who wrote: This guy from Texas was fishing this week on the Big Thompson outside of Estes Park. It was his first ever fly-fishing venture. A crowd gathered on the highway to take pictures, including a Denver Post guy. One of the pics is on the front page of the Denver Post.

 

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Trusting the Lord

Posted in Called to write, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference on January 18, 2012| 3 Comments »

Planning the Colorado and Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference is a huge step of faith for me each year although I don’t think I worry as much as I used to. 🙂 I certainly shouldn’t for Father has been so faithful . . .

I’m reminded of the words I wrote over 20 years ago in my book, Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers (now in a second edition and still in print).

God has called me to write. Neither I nor my husband question his call. I know Paul fully supports my choice to stay home and write. But I also know our financial obligations make my writing seem like an unaffordable luxury. If I put in the same number of hours at a “real” job, there would be a regular paycheck. I wouldn’t need to worry about how we are going to pay for college for our two children or the repairs our house desperately needs. And Paul would not have to work a second job delivering pizzas.*

It’s as if I’m engaged in a tug of war between what I know I am supposed to be doing and the realities that make it seem unrealistic. I feel guilty staying home and writing when I see my children doing without some things I’d like to be able to give them. And then the doubts come. I wonder whether I’m torturing myself with writing aspirations that are only pipe dreams. . . .

I am reminded of Jesus’ words about God and money in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus knew the hardships his countrymen endured because of the heavy taxes Rome imposed. When crops failed or the nets were empty, no doubt many went hungry. Yet Jesus told them not to worry about food, drink, or clothes. He sought to change their perspective – to help them see that they should be grateful for life itself.

Jesus drew their attention to the birds of the air. “They don’t worry about what to eat – they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food – for your heavenly Father feeds them. And,” he reminded them, “you are far more valuable to him than they are” (Matt. 6:26 TLB).

He pointed to the lilies in the field. “King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they” (Matt. 6:29 TLB). Again he spoke words of reassurance. “And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you, O men of little faith?” (Matt. 6:30 TLB).

His words convict me. My faith is little. My perspective is wrong. Although God promises to meet all my needs, I waste a tremendous amount of emotional energy worrying. This gives Satan a dangerous foothold in my life. I allow him to rob me of the joy of writing when I embrace negative thinking patterns and my list of “have nots.” As a result, more times than I want to admit, I’ve wondered if I should just give up. Because my work is not selling and ministering to people? No. Because what I earn from manuscript sales never seems to be enough.

Then something else Jesus said comes to mind. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33 NIV).

That is the key! I must keep my priorities in order – must keep my eyes on the Lord and the kingdom work he is calling me to do. I cannot lose sight of my call by allowing my writing to get tangled up with my worry about our finances. I need to see God as our Source instead of trying to “produce” bigger and better manuscripts that will bring in larger and more frequent checks. I have been assuming a burden God never meant for me to carry instead of trusting Him to provide.

______________

*  More than twenty years later I can witness to the fact that God is and has been faithful. My son graduated from college and my daughter from medical school  the same spring I received an honorary doctorate. Our house didn’t fall down around us, and Paul no longer delivers pizzas. He’s now retired, and two years ago  we moved to a new home within walking distance of our three precious grandchildren. Our old house is still on the market – another faith-stretcher. We thank God that it is paid for and that He is enabling us to absorb the extra expense of taxes, insurance, and utilities along with our new mortgage payment. And I am so, so grateful that I didn’t give up and get a “real” job.

The  above (minus the * postscript) is just a portion of the chapter, “Seek First His Kingdom,” and just one of the thirty-three chapters in Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers that address issues such as self-doubts, writer’s block, rejection slips, discouragement, procrastination . . . Best-selling author, Lee Roddy, says,

“This book can change your life.
It not only gives ongoing encouragement
 to respond to God’s call to write,
  but helps you keep on writing.”

 Click here to view the Table of Contents and two free chapters as well as info for ordering at the discounted price of $11.90 (retail $14.00). Mention this blog in the “comments” section of the secure online order form and take an additional 10% off through the end of January.

Father, You know the struggles we face as we seek to “write Your answer.” Thank You for Your promises. Help us to see the challenges we face as opportunities to trust You more.

 

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Encouragement

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Overcoming distractions on January 15, 2012| 2 Comments »

“Be strong and courageous and get to work. Don’t be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord my God is with you; he will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly” (1 Chron. 28:20 TLB).

These words that King David spoke to his son, Solomon, when he commissioned him to build the Temple have again convicted and encouraged me. Even though I’ve been directing the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference since I founded it in 1983 and the Colorado Christian Writers Conference since 1997, I still struggle with feeling fearful and overwhelmed when it’s time to begin work on the conference websites. I admit it’s easier to procrastinate than to “get to work,” especially this year as I face the daunting task of learning Expression Web 4.

I am praising God for reminding me that He is with me and for the progress He enabled me to make today. Although I’ve still got tons to learn, I am trusting “He will see to it that everything is finished correctly.”

The continuing sessions, clinics, markets, cost, and lodging pages now have 2012 info. I’ve added four more editors to the faculty:

Robyn Burwell – Editor, Leafwood Publishing

Catherine Lawton – Publisher/Editor, Cladach Publishing

Nicola Martinez – Editor-in-Chief, Pelican Book Group (White Rose, Harbourlight)

Ginger Kolbaba – Editor, Kyria.com, Christianity Today

I’m also praising God for the exciting line-up of continuing sessions:

Surviving in the New Publishing World – Dave Lambert

Take Your Fiction to the Gym – Tim Shoemaker

Breakthrough Scriptwriting – Dr. Ted Baehr

Gift Books and Devotional Writing – Karen Moore

Narrative Nonfiction: Changing Culture Through the Power of True Stories – Craig von Buseck

Please, NO Pat Answers! – Lissa Halls Johnson, Sue Cameron, Liz Babbs

Marketing for the Promotionally-Challenged Author – Rob Eagar

Writing Suspense/Thrillers – Robert Liparulo

There’s still a huge amount of work to be done in order to open online registration February 1, but I’m trusting His promise that He will not forsake me.

Have you claimed a promise for your writing this year? Do you believe that He can use the words you will write to make a difference in the lives of your readers? Are you making it a priority to “get to work” or are you procrastinating?

Michael Hyatt, the former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, posted a helpful blog this week on 10 Practical Ways to Boost Your Energy Level.  His number one point was “Connect with God.” He wrote: “You were not created to function without a connection to God. He is the ultimate energy source. Trying to navigate life without Him is like trying to ride a motorcycle without starting the engine. You can do it, but it only works downhill. Unfortunately, a lot of life is uphill. The way I connect is by reading several passages from the Bible . . .”

James Duncan, a pastor who has attended the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, is challenging his congregation to read the Bible through more than once this year. His blog entry, “Reading the Bible – It Doesn’t Take Long” has some thought-provoking  facts I encourage you to consider and act on.

Father, thank You that I can choose to wallow in my self-doubts or to look to You and trust You to help me do what I could never do in my own strength. Thank You that the very best place to be is dependent on You.

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2012 Conference Plans and More

Posted in Called to write, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference on December 31, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Happy new year everyone!

As promised, I’ve begun to upload info for the May 16-19 Colorado Christian Writers Conference to the website. (I hope to get some info for the August 1-4 Philly conference uploaded before midnight!) Of course, I haven’t gotten as far as I hoped, but you can view the list of 50 authors, editors, agents, and PR specialists presently on Colorado’s faculty by clicking here.  Sadly, once you click on this page the navigation structure disappears. My ten-year-old, no-longer-supported FrontPage software finally crashed. I’ve “upgraded” to Expression Web 2. The 972 page online manual is intimidating to say the least.

I’m reminded again of the apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:10 (TLB):

“When I am weak, then I am strong –
the less I have, the more I depend on him.

My paraphrase:

“When I am tired and overwhelmed,
confused, and frustrated,
and when I do not feel smart enough
to learn how to use my new Smartphone
or master a new computer program,
then I can know His strength –
the less energy, time, wisdom,
and computer expertise I possess,
the more I depend on Him.”

How I thank God for His promises. They are my “faithful armor” (Psalm 91:4) when the evil one tries to convince me something is impossible.

This year I’ve committed to again read through the entire Bible. (It’s been too long!) I’ll be using Tyndale’s The One Year Study Bible that I purchased a month or two ago. Despite all the hoopla, I’m still not sold on ebooks and do not own a Kindle. I like to hold a real book in my hand, turn the pages, and mark them up. I am excited, however, about the hundreds of free reading plans in various translations that http://www.youversion.com/about/reading-plans offers. They can be downloaded to your computer or phone or sent daily via an email. I hope you’ll visit their website and ask Father to show you the plan He wants you to follow. After all, if we’re going to “write His answer,” it’s critical that we spend time in His Word.

Father, thank You for the freedom we have to study Your Word. Help us to make it a priority to bury Your Word deep in our hearts. May all that we think and write, say and do be a reflection of You in this coming year.

Looking to Jesus in this new year – Marlene

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