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Proclaim Freedom

Posted in Our Christian witness, Pondering Biblical Truth, Writer's Life on July 4, 2016| Leave a Comment »

“He has sent me to proclaim freedom.”
LUKE 4:18 NIV

It was the first Independence Day. Rising to his feet in his hometown synagogue, Jesus was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.  He began to read,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted and to announce that captives shall be released and the blind shall see, that the downtrodden shall be freed from their oppressors, and that God is ready to give blessings to all who come to him” (Luke 4:18-19).

I can imagine how every eye was riveted on him as he added, “These Scriptures came true today!” (Luke 4:21).

There were no fireworks or hurrahs. Instead, people began to whisper among themselves.

“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” someone must have asked.

“But he’s so eloquent and wise.”

“I heard he’s been working miracles in Capernaum.”

“How can that be? We’ve known him all his life.”

“Yes, who does he think he is?”

“I solemnly declare to you,” Jesus said, “that no prophet is accepted in his own home town! For example, remember how Elijah the prophet used a miracle to help the widow of Zarephath—a foreigner from the land of Sidon. There were many Jewish widows needing help in those days of famine. . . . Or think of the prophet Elisha, who healed Naaman, a Syrian, rather than the many Jewish lepers needing help” (Luke 4:24-27).

His remarks infuriated them. As William Barclay says in his commentary The Gospel of Luke, “The Jews were so sure that they were God’s people that they utterly despised all others. . . . And here was this young Jesus, whom they all knew, preaching as if the gentiles were specially favoured by God” (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1975, p. 48). They mobbed him and took him to the edge of the hill on which the city was built. They were ready to push him over the cliff, but Jesus freely “walked away through the crowd and left them” (Luke 4:30).

Mark’s account says Jesus “could hardly accept the fact that they wouldn’t believe in him” (6:6). I can feel his disappointment, but I also feel disappointed for the people of Nazareth. There is no record in the Gospels of Jesus ever returning to Nazareth. What a loss for those people! Because of their unbelief, only a few heard the Good News and experienced the healing, freeing, restoring of sight, lifting of burdens, and blessings that Jesus came to bring.

Just as people had a choice 2,000 years ago, they have a choice today. Christians who write also have a choice. We can accept or reject Jesus’ words. We can proclaim the message of freedom that cost Jesus his life, or we can water down the power of the Gospel and the Resurrection.

Water down the Gospel? That would never be our intent! Yet unless we are experiencing firsthand the implications of Jesus’ Independence Day proclamation, we will not be as effective as we could be in sharing it with our readers.

We need to ask ourselves if we really understand what Jesus meant by preaching “Good News to the poor.” Do we understand the significance of the word poor? Do we recognize that without him we are nothing? Do we daily admit our need for him and humbly put our complete trust in him? And do we take time to sit at his feet and learn more about the Good News he wants us to impart?

God was in Christ, restoring the world to himself, no longer counting men’s sins against them but blotting them out. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others” (2 Cor. 5:19).

Jesus said he came to “heal the brokenhearted.” If we are struggling with deep, unresolved hurts or if an unforgiving spirit has caused resentment and bitterness to get a foothold in our lives, then we need to allow God to heal our hearts. He never intended for us to go through life sapped of our energy and joy by experiences—perhaps some as far back as our childhoods—that we could not control and certainly cannot change. He wants to make us whole!

Jesus also said he came to “announce that captives shall be released.” Webster’s New Dictionary defines captive as “a person caught and held prisoner.” If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit we’re frequently prisoners to negative thinking patterns,doubts, fears, and feelings of discouragement. Or we may be prisoners to bad habits. Are we asking him to set us free?

With his touch, Jesus healed many who were blind. I suspect that some of them knew more than just the joy of seeing the earth and sky, trees, and people. Undoubtedly, many eyes were opened to spiritual truths they had never seen before. What about us? Are we seeing things clearly, or is our vision blurred? Do we need him to touch us and heal us so we can see life from his perspective?

The first-century Israelites were people downtrodden by their oppressors. The Romans imposed heavy taxes and quickly quenched any flames—or even sparks—of political unrest. Today people are still oppressed by cruel governments and merciless economic systems. On a more personal level, many of us know the oppression of being weighed down by heavy emotional or financial burdens or being persecuted for the stand we take as Christians. Others may experience, in very real ways, the oppression of the Evil One. Are we trusting Jesus to give us victory?

Finally, Jesus proclaimed that God was “ready to give blessings to all who come to him.” Again we have to ask ourselves whether we wait long enough in his presence to receive all he has for us. Do we give him prime time each day, or do we squeeze him in only when it is convenient or when our needs are desperate?

Jesus’ first Independence Day proclamation is filled with promises for us today. As we claim and act on them, we will find our lives filled with new power. Then when we take up our pens to write, God’s truth—the truth that truly does set men free—will resound throughout the land.

RESPONDING TO GOD’S CALL TO WRITE

Prayerfully reflect on Luke 4:18-19, and ask the Lord to show you ways you can more fully experience and write about the following truths.
Good News for the poor
Healing for the brokenhearted
Freedom for the captives
Recovery of sight for the blind
Victory for the downtrodden
God’s blessings

 

From Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers by Marlene Bagnull. (c) 2014 Marlene Bagnull.

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Connecting the Dots

Posted in Called to write, Pondering Biblical Truth, Writer's Life on June 27, 2016| Leave a Comment »

 

If you want to know what God wants you to do,
ask him, and he will gladly tell you . . .
James 1:5 TLB

As my friend, Laura Shaffer, shares in the prayer below, all we need to do is to “connect the dots” of what God has already told us in His Word.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Father, how amazing that You sent Your Word through prophets to the kings of Israel to give them direction, instruction, correction, even advice on successful battle plans!  You sent specific word to Ahab to determine that he should fight against the thirty-three kings and their armies and chariots assembled.  You told him who should lead the attack, when, and who would win!

I often wish there were such easily discernible ways I could hear from You.  If only You would send me an email, or write across the sky to inform me about decisions or concerns I face.

And then I realize – You have written me a letter!  It’s Your Holy Word.  If I take the time to read it, often, things become clear.  If I had never read the Bible, I wouldn’t know that in it, You have already included instructions for godly, moral living.  You have already made Yourself very clear on many topics that relate to me today.  Instead of hearing of and memorizing only scattered verses, I need to feed myself, and know the entirety of what You have to say to me.

So, reading Your word is a start.  Studying it for a deeper understanding is also important.  Then connecting the dots to how what You have said impacts my life, is crucial.  Some Bible study methods have big words for this: observation, interpretation, application.  Very simply, it is asking: What are You saying?  What does it mean?  What does it mean to me?

A big part of the burden to hear from You, then, is on me to listen to what You have already said.  But to help me even more, You have given me, and every believer, the Holy Spirit.  Part of the Holy Spirit’s job is to help me understand, apply, and live by what Your Word says to me.  I need to pay attention to what it is telling me, and be obedient, not ignore, discard, or drown out what I hear.

Thank You that I can hear from You just as specifically as those who heard the prophets speak.  You have given me so much more to help me in knowing You and understanding You.  Thank You for Your Word.  Thank You for the Holy Spirit.  Help me to make reading and studying Your Word a priority for my time and energy.  Do not let me quench the Holy Spirit.  And thank You that I can even talk to You personally in prayer.  And know that You hear me.  And trust that You’ll answer.  What an awesome God!  Amen

1 Kings 20:1-22

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Laura volunteered to help at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, and what a tremendous help she was. But more than the work she did, what endeared her to me and the rest of the team were the on target prayers she emailed each morning.

For the past two years, Laura has been sending daily prayers to about 80 people from her reading in the One Year Bible. If you’d like to receive them, email her at davidtshaffer@juno.com. You will be blessed!

Father, thank You for Laura. Thank You for her example of faithfully studying and responding to Your Word. Keep us, keep me, mindful that the only way we can “write Your answer” is through (as my pastor once said) “getting into Your Word and letting Your Word get into us.”

Upcoming Events

 

July 9, Baltimore – Christian Writers Seminar 

From 10 am to 4:30 pm I’ll be teaching 5 workshops at Restoration Temple Apostolic Center. Click here for more info and to register.

Idea to Published Manuscript – How to find, capture, organize, evaluate, and sharpen your ideas. Using a Writer’s Check-off List. Making a good impression on an editor, including proper manuscript format and effective query and cover letters.

Going Indie? – “For such a time as this” God has provided the technology to independently publish books and ebooks as well as ways to reach potential readers through the Internet. We’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages, cautions and costs, as well as the how-to.

The Power of Story: Turning Personal Experiences Into Print – Learn how to pass on to your readers the help and comfort God has given you. Seven essential elements of a personal experience story and pitfalls to avoid.

Writing Manuscripts that Sell and Touch Lives – An overview of the needs of the Christian market and the best opportunities. How to get your devotionals, articles, fiction, profiles, fillers, humor, and poetry in print. Alternatives to outlining and how to pass the “So what?” test.

Making It Happen – How to overcome procrastination, deal with the D’s (disappointment, doubt, discouragement), rise above rejection, and prayerfully set goals.

 

July 15-16, Denver
E=D3 Fishers of Men Power Conference – FREE!
A City Wide Evangelism & Discipleship Conference

From my friend, Mike Wolff – Hey all, wanted to make you aware of a transformational FREE evangelism/discipleship/community building conference coming up here in Denver on July 15-16 at His Love Fellowship at 9th & Kalamath. It will kick off with a great time of fellowship and food on Friday night, and then a bevy of gifted speakers inspiring you to think outside the box when it comes to what church, and our role in the kingdom, could look like in the coming times. Click here for more info.

 

August 3-6, Langhorne, PA – Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference

Faculty of 56 agents, editors, and authors teaching 42 workshops (plus 19 Wednesday afternoon early bird workshops), 8 continuing sessions, 3 clinics, 7 keynotes and more. Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity. Click here

August 3, 7:30 pm
Marty Goetz in Concert – FREE!

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Tempted to Give Up?

Posted in Called to write, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Overcoming self-doubts, Writer's Life on June 14, 2016| 2 Comments »


I will commit everything I do to the Lord.
I will trust Him to help me do it, and He will.

Psalm 37:5 TLB

 

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.

Yes, there have been many times when I’ve doubted and when, as my friend and writing mentor Lee Roddy admonished me years ago, I’ve “listened to the wrong voices.” The accuser still taunts me. “You’re not smart enough. You can’t do this.” And that’s true. What the Lord asks me to do is so far beyond my abilities. I can easily become overwhelmed and stressed. Like dangling my little toe in quicksand, I can get sucked down into that dark place of doubt and fear. It happened again just yesterday.

“Worship Me,” I felt the Lord say. “Put on a CD and worship Me.” To be honest, it would have been easier to continue wallowing in the quicksand. But I obeyed. The darkness began to lift. Lessons I thought I’d learned and even written about in my book,  Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers), came to mind.

I need, we need to …

Keep our eyes on the Lord, on how far we’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. Paul 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 our 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 of his firsthand experience of God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Don’t grieve the Lord by our lack of faith. Although sometimes it may 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 our 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 for ministries that have been abandoned because of the evil one’s accusations. I pray for those who are frustrated and discouraged by the need to build their platform and questioning their call to “write His answer.” Friends, we must not leave God out of the equation. Instead we need to affirm His promise that He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV).

Father, help us to believe You and not the accuser. Thank You for loving us and for being bigger than our fears. 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).

What promise do you claim when you are tempted to give up?


I keep an excerpt from Write His Answer
taped to the cabinet next to my desk.
When discouragement sets in,
when the loneliness of writing and the
enormity of the task threatens to overwhelm me,
Write His Answer spurs me on. I can think
of no better resource for helping a writer
maintain a biblical perspective than this book. 

Linda J. White
Christian Author & Speaker
www.lindajwhite.com

 

For 25 years Write His Answer has encouraged writers.

Autographed copy available for only $10.
Click here for excerpts and to order.
E-book available through Amazon.com.

 

GP banner 2016

I’ve worked all day yesterday adding bios, editorial needs, and what they are teaching for the 19 editors serving on this year’s faculty. Wow! Thank You, Father, for their willingness to come. The page isn’t live – yet! It needs proofreading, and I still need to add the pages for our authors, agents, and other professionals – a total of 57 faculty members. I’ll let you know when everything is live. Meanwhile, check out our 8 continuing sessions, 61 workshops, 3 clinics, and keynotes at www.philadelphia.writehisanswer.com. I’m extending the opportunity for an additional free one-on-one appointment (a total of FIVE for those who attend Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) to an additional 25 more conferees. Don’t miss out!

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Spread the Word

Posted in Called to write, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Marketing, Platform building, Praying for our nation, Promotion, Writer's Life on June 6, 2016| Leave a Comment »

It used to be the biggest challenge writers faced was getting words down on paper and finding someone willing to publish them. That still is a challenge, but today it’s just the beginning of what a writer is expected to do.

 

Writing not facebookingNow we daily face the overwhelming task of building a platform. The time needed to write words worth reading is infringed upon by the need to have a growing presence on social media. We are driven to develop our “brand” along with a memorable tagline that will resonate with our “audience.”

I confess it’s all too easy for me to get caught up in this not so merry, merry-go-round.

 

Last week I spent a day and a half preparing a new flyer for the August 3-6 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference. One side is an overview of the conference and highlights the concert my friend, Marty Goetz, is giving on Wednesday night.

Marty poster for web

 

The other side describes our exciting Teens Write on Thursday and Pastors Write on Friday.

 

TW & PW flyer GP 2016 for web

 

I am excited about all this year’s conference offers. And I do work really hard to present the opportunities in the most professional and best way possible. I even added a new Spread the Word page to the conference website. But sadly, in my effort to “market” the conference, I am convicted that I forgot the most important thing.

 

The 3-1/2 day conference in August does provide many opportunities to learn about the craft of writing and marketing, but it is the message – “His answer” – that is the most important Word that needs to be spread.

 

As Michael Gantt said in his keynote at last year’s conference and this year’s  Colorado Christian Writers Conference, “The Cross is the Main Thing.” I urge you to watch the video of his keynote and/or read the transcript.  I also urge you to subscribe to his blog at http://growinggodlyseed.com.

 

Yes, I’d really appreciate your help spreading the word about the August 3-6 conference, but the most important thing each one of us can and must do is to spread His Word, His answer.

 

Again, quoting Michael Gantt from the blog he posted today:

We are called to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven. We are called to magnify and glorify the matchless Name of Jesus. We are called to declare deliverance to the captives, healing to the broken, and to declare that forgiveness of sin is found in none other than Jesus Christ. We are called to bring the light of the gospel to our cities; to bind up the broken, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and to declare even in the face of Caesar the eternal decrees of God – That’s what we are called to do!

Yes, indeed, that is the Word we are called to spread. God help us to be found faithful.

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It Comes Down to Faith

Posted in Called to write, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Compassion, Writer's Life on April 27, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Faith rockDo 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?

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 wantDream%20With%20Me_album%20cover 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 am 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 Saved My Life

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Writer's Life on April 25, 2016| 1 Comment »

Barb Haley Apr 2016Guest Blogger
Barbara Haley
Registrar & Appointment Coordinator
Colorado & Greater Philly
Christian Writers Conference

 

I was ten years old when I asked God to show me if He was real. The next day my sixteen-year-old sister was killed in an automobile accident. God was real. I shouldn’t have asked.

Of course, I didn’t tell anyone. Instead, I stuffed the guilt and the excruciating pain when my parents said things to me like, “You may look like her, but you’ll never be as good as her.” Or, “Comb your hair a different way; I can’t stand to look at you.”

Thirty-five years later, I finally opened up to a therapist. He sent me home to write a letter to my big sister from the point of view of a ten-year-old child.

After just a few sentences, my heart connected with the hurting little girl inside, and she began to voice her pain. Begging forgiveness from her precious older sister for causing her death. Suggesting that everyone would have been better off if only she could have died in her sister’s place that day. And finally, admitting how very much she hated God for what He’d done.

My next letter was to that sweet child—explaining to her that she didn’t cause her sister’s death and that God was not angry with her for her honest feelings and reactions. I released that child to be exactly that. A broken and confused child who desperately needed to know she was loved by God and family.

That writing changed my life and instilled in me a desire to learn how to use my life experiences to minister to others through the written word.

But I needed to learn how to write tight. To eliminate wordiness. To organize my thoughts. To connect emotionally with the reader. To stick to one point of view. To create a setting that captures the reader’s imagination and transfers them from their everyday life to an exciting new story world.

Writing conferences. This is where I’m learning the craft. Where I connect with other writers to encourage and be encouraged. Where I receive one-on-one feedback with paid critiques. And where God speaks clearly to my heart through inspiring worship and keynote speakers, informative workshops and continuing sessions, life-changing editor appointments, and most of all—the day to day rapport with fellow writers while sharing meals, waiting in line at the book table, or joining together for intimate prayer and Bible study.

Sure, you can buy books about the craft of writing. My shelves are loaded with them. But only when I began to consistently attend conferences did I really improve as a writer. I needed the immediate feedback and the hands-on practice provided in small groups led by experienced teachers. I grew in leaps and bounds as I jotted down strategies mentioned by other writers and began implementing them in my own writing. And, as I stood amazed, listening to big-name authors share their overwhelmingly deep love for God and His people, I realized just how sacred the ministry of writing is.

Let me encourage you to come and grow in your ministry as a writer at the May 11-14 Colorado or August 3-6 Greater Philly Christian Writers’ Conference. The friendships you’ll form will develop into a network of love and support in all areas of your life, and your writing friends will truly become your family. I promise.

______________

Thanks, Barbie, for sharing your heart and for serving as the registrar and appointments coordinator as well as the book table manager at both conferences.  You are a blessing!

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Driven or Led?

Posted in Writer's Life on April 17, 2016| 5 Comments »

Be careful to do what the Lord your God
has commanded you;
do not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Deuteronomy 5:32, NIV

The wonderful world of pretend. As a youngster growing up in a not-so-happy family, I visited it frequently. I’d compete against myself in the “Olympic” event of batting a beach ball in the air, determined to beat my previous record and improve my “form.” A two-by-four became my “high wire” circus act with Mom’s clothes  pole my balancing pole. My bicycle made it possible for me to escape to the forest preserve half a mile from home. There I spent many hours in my make-believe world. There my father did not slap me across my face and lock me in my room.

When I married and moved away from home, I no longer needed my pretend world. I did, however, desperately need to prove to my family and myself that I was somebody. Abraham Maslow, in his hierarchy of needs, refers to this need as self-actualization. It’s not all a bad thing. In fact, it can be one way God works for good the abuse and rejection we may have known as children. It can also, however, cause us to live life as someone who is driven rather than led.

How do we find the balance and maintain it? In a profession that is so competitive, where our very best is more likely to meet with rejection than acceptance, how do we keep on keeping on?

What is the difference between being led by his Spirit rather than driven by our need for recognition and success?

“I surrender all,” I publicly proclaimed when I was baptized as an adult. After a brief testimony, I read aloud the words of J. W. Van DeVenter’s powerful hymn with that title:

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

It was a life-changing experience, and one that I need to keep coming back to as I struggle with the business/ministry tension of being in full-time Christian work. It’s so easy to take my eyes off the Lord. I begin to worry (I’m so good at it!) about paying the bills and making a mark in the world of Christian publishing. Instead of being led and empowered by God’s Spirit, all too frequently I drive myself to make things happen in my own strength. I run ahead of the Lord and lose the joy he wants me to experience each and every day.

“Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him, and he will respond to us as surely as the coming of dawn or the rain of early spring,” Hosea said (Hos. 6:3 TLB).

Twenty-eight centuries later, there’s no better counsel I can give myself or you. Knowing the Lord needs to be our focus, our passion, our heart’s greatest desire. It’s only out of the overflow of our relationship with him that we have anything worthwhile to say or write. And it’s only as we learn what it means to surrender all that we discover the joy of being led instead of driven.

J. W. Van DeVenter wrote “I Surrender All” out of his own struggle to say yes to God’s call to become an evangelist. “For five years he wavered between this challenge and his ambition to become a recognized artist,” Billy Graham wrote about this man who influenced his early preaching (Crusader Hymns and Hymn Stories edited by Cliff Barrows, Chicago: Hope Publishing, 1967, p. 117). It seems to me his impact on Billy Graham is reason enough to give serious consideration to the words of this hymn.

“All to him I freely give.” The driven writer claims ownership of the words he writes and his career, rather than acknow- ledging the Lordship of Christ. Instead of being “content whatever the circumstances” (Phil. 4:11, NIV)—published or unpublished, well known or obscure—he covets success. It happens so subtly. Without accountability partners who are not afraid to speak truth into our lives, we may not even realize we are in danger of forsaking our first love (Rev. 2:4).

“Humbly at His feet I bow.” The driven writer draws her identity from how many manuscripts she sells, how high her published books rank on the best-seller list, royalty statements, and reviews. No wonder she is up one day and down the next and always striving, always driving to produce manuscripts that will win accolades. Shamelessly, she promotes herself and looks for ways to push herself into the spotlight.

Am I saying that striving to become the best possible writer is wrong? That it’s wrong to push ourselves to work when it would be easier to procrastinate? That it’s wrong to promote our books and speaking ministries? Of course not, for it is God himself who puts within us the drive to serve him and be the best we can be so Jesus Christ will be glorified. But we need to regularly examine our hearts. Do we desire to point others to Christ or ourselves? And do we realize that without him we are nothing? The apostle Paul asks, “What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you are so great, and as though you have accomplished something on your own?” (1 Cor. 4:7 TLB).

“Make me, Savior, wholly Thine.” This line reminds me hat he is the potter and I am the clay. “Does the pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with him who forms it, saying, ‘Stop,you’re doing it wrong!’” (Isa. 45:9). If God chooses for me to be a best-selling, A-list author, praise his name. If only a B-list author or wannabe, then praise his name anyway. He is Lord, and he knows the plans he has for me (Jer. 29:11). My part is simply to be faithful.

I know I’m driven when I try to force God’s hand and tell him what to do. But when I choose to be led by God, I don’t need to look to the left or to the right to see what others are doing. I don’t need to try to keep pace with them. Instead, I’m at peace doing what he has commanded me to do. And he gives me the assurance that all that happens to me is working for my good if I love him and am fitting into his plans (Rom. 8:28).

“Lord, I give myself to Thee.” This line speaks to me of my need to be wholeheartedly committed to the Lord and to his plan for my life and writing. To be honest, I’m not always there. I need “to put aside [my] own desires so that [I] will become patient and godly, gladly letting God have his way with [me]” (2 Pet. 1:6 TLB). Praise God, he also promises: “The more you go on in this way, the more you will grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 8). Isn’t that what Van DeVenter had in mind in his last line: “Let Thy blessing fall on me”? It may not be what we would have proposed to the Lord. No, it will be far better—but only as we surrender all and choose to be led rather than driven.

Responding to God’s Call to Write

Sometimes our drivenness comes from fear that we will not measure up to what God expects of us. Like the apostle Paul, we may try to earn our salvation. Read about his experience in Philippians 3:4-14. Then take time to examine your own heart. Ask the Lord to show you whether you are driven or led. Then, if you are ready, sing or read the words of “I Surrender All” as a prayer.

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Part 2 – Interview with Allen Arnold

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Writer's Life on April 14, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Allen Arnold 2 Mar 2015
Nurturing the Heart
of the Storyteller
Donna Brennan
Interviews Allen Arnold
Part 2

Question: So I need to work with God as I write my novel and tell my story. But what about after the story is written? Then I have to go to conferences and pitch my manuscript; and get a blog and try to build a following; and I’ll need an author page on Facebook; and I should start tweeting on a regular basis; and what about Pinterest and Instagram… That all sounds so exhausting. Is there a better way to get my book in the hands of readers and still find time to work on my next story?

Right – it doesn’t just sound exhausting. It is exhausting. What I’ll say here is counter to much advice within the industry. But I think sometimes those in an industry can repeat an answer so many times that it starts to sound like absolute truth when it is just opinion. Let me offer another opinion based on working with hundreds of authors during 20 years in publishing as well as my experience now in a ministry that focuses on the heart.

I understand that publishing houses have less staff than they did years ago – so the more an author can do to promote their book, the better. And the larger following they have online, the higher the odds of a successful launch. That is horizontal (human) wisdom – but large on-line followings actually don’t guarantee a book’s success. And those called to write are not usually equally gifted at marketing. So rather than taking half your writing time to strive after social media – what if you spent 95% of your time doing what you were called to do, which is to create and write?

Sure it’s important to promote your book. Find others who are gifted at marketing and find a way for them to spearhead it – whether you pay them or trade services. Absolutely do the interviews and participate in spreading the word about why you wrote your book. But to assume your project will only succeed if you succeed at social media is not only exhausting…but basically godless because the assumption is it is all up to you to make it happen. In the great stories of the Bible – victory was never all on the shoulders of the person following God. If God has given you this message, then He will not be sidetracked by you not tweeting enough or not building your platform.

Please don’t take my comments as minimizing the promotional aspect of publishing. My degree is in marketing and I spent much of my career at major advertising agencies and overseeing author branding. I believe in the power of great promotions – I just don’t believe the author should feel they must become marketing experts or spend hours a day on social media to achieve success in the calling God has given them. I want these words to alleviate stress and allow authors to breathe deep so they can focus more on their calling.

_____________

Note from Marlene: Thank you, Donna, for your great question. And thank you, Allen, for your important and insightful response. Father, please help us not to leave You out of the equation. Forgive us for thinking we are responsible to make it happen in our own strength.

Be watching tomorrow for the chapter, “Driven or Led?” from my book, Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers.

Allen will be keynoting and teaching a continuing session of almost 6 hours at the May 11-14 Colorado Christian Writers Conference. His topic:

From Overwhelmed to Creative Breakthrough
Has the initial joy of creativity been replaced with feeling sof being overwhelmed, disheartened, and alone? A refreshing journey into why God invited you to write in the first place, what your true identity means, and how you can actively create together with the Creator. It’s an interactive, invigorating class that is equal parts practical and mysterious. Gain peace, clarity, and break through to the story you are living as well as the story you are writing. You were never meant to write alone!

The registration fee increases April 16 so I encourage you to  register now! If your schedule and finances make it seem impossible, remember nothing is impossible with the Lord. Partial scholarships are still available. Email me. We’ll find a creative way to make it work!

Possible And Impossible Keys Show Optimism And Positivity

 

 

 

 

 

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Nurturing the Heart of the Storyteller – Part 1

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Writer's Life on April 12, 2016| 2 Comments »

Allen Arnold 2 Mar 2015
Donna Brennan
Interviews
CCWC Faculty Member
Allen Arnold

As founder and former Publisher of Thomas Nelson Fiction, Allen Arnold was a strong advocate not just for story, but for the storyteller. He has worked with hundreds of authors and published more than 500 novels in his 20 years in Christian publishing.

Allen’s personal ministry is now to nurture the heart and spirituality of the storyteller. More recently, as Director of Content and Resources at Ransomed Heart Ministry, he has been able to expand his reach to help many others—besides just authors—get closer to God and live the story of their life with an awakened heart.

But Allen still has a special place in his own heart for the storyteller. That’s why he’s such a popular presenter at Christian writing conferences, and part of the reason he received the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.

Allen will be keynoting and presenting a five-part continuing session at the May 11-14 Colorado Christian Writers Conference entitled “From Overwhelmed to Creative Breakthrough.” I caught up with him to ask him some questions about this session and about his passion for nurturing the hearts of others.

Question: If I sell my stories and articles, then I’m a writer, or an author. That’s my identity; that’s who I am. Or am I missing something?

Here’s what is missing in that assumption: being called to write is not dependent on whether your article or story sells (“IF my story sells, THEN I am a writer”). God calls people in ways that often never correlate to monetary validation. That said, even when a person is called to be a writer and even if they sell millions of stories, that is never their identity. Your identity goes far deeper than being a writer. At your core, you are a son or daughter of the Father. He knows you by name. For who you are…not what you do.

Some children of God are called to create. But calling isn’t your core identity – which is quite freeing because no matter what happens within your calling, it can’t touch your identity

Question: I think most Christian writers believe they are called by God to write their stories. So, after we spend the necessary time learning the craft, all we need to do is start writing, correct? After all, if God wants us to produce, we should be busy producing. Isn’t that how we obey our calling?

The thought that writers should just get “busy producing” is prevalent…and toxic. And it is because it puts our focus on “doing” rather than “being.” And it can cause us to miss the bigger issue of why God invited us to create in the first place. Is it important for authors to improve their craft – yes. But more than that – or perhaps I should say before that – we are called into Creative Fellowship with God. What the world needs most is the warmth from the glow off the face of those who spend time with God. It’s the difference of a storyteller who sits around a small campfire telling stories…and a storyteller whose face is glowing so bright she doesn’t need a campfire to warm the souls of those listening.

Understanding why God invited you to create is the most foundational aspect of your calling. Start there and dive deep into all new waters…then move on to enhance your craft. But by all means start with why you were called and what that means. Because that changes everything.

__________________

Note from Marlene – Thank you, Allen and Donna. I’ll post the rest of this interview tomorrow. For now I think Father would have us reflect deeply on what has already been shared.

And good news – You can register for the May 11-14 Colorado Christian Writers Conference through April 15 at the April 11 price! Click here for more info and to register securely online.

 

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Clarification

Posted in Uncategorized, Writer's Life on February 22, 2016| 3 Comments »

Mud

Clear as mud?

I need to clarify what I meant in my last post:

I’m slowly making progress updating the website that is now mobile-friendly. Sadly HTML is not user-friendly. Can anyone recommend a good book or website? And would you please pray that I can get the photos, bios, and editorial needs/areas of expertise of our 57 agents, authors, and editors online in the next couple of days?

I am NOT looking for a new webmaster. Celebration Web Design (SKWD Associates) is the BEST! I can’t say enough good things about them. Not only are they skilled web designers, they are deeply committed to Jesus Christ and to advancing His Kingdom through the world-wide web. They are always there for me when I have questions. They are my brothers in Christ and an essential part of the Write His Answer team behind the two conferences.

Celebration Web Design has done a great job making http://writehisanswer.com and http://colorado.writehisanswer.com mobile friendly. Their EZ-CMS (content management system) really is easy. Typically I do not need to use HTML, but when I do need to go into the Source code, I know just enough HTML to be dangerous and, sometimes, to create a mess. Part of the challenge is that I like to center lines of copy, but now that the sites are mobile friendly and I’m checking how the copy displays on my iPhone, I find centering lines often results in awkward lengths. I know my friends at SKWD can fix any problems I create. I just don’t want to be a pest.

I really need to be able to work with HTML – not just for the websites but for my blog on WordPress (https://writehisanswer.wordpress.com) and the Constant Contact email system I use. It’s frustrating not to be able to do the formatting i can so easily do (well, usually) in Quark. (For those who haven’t heard of Quark, it was the industry standard for desktop publishing until InDesign.)

The bottom line . . . sigh  . . . is that is all another learning curve in the midst of constantly pressing deadlines!

Lord, when doubts fill my mind,
when my heart is in turmoil,
quiet me and give me
renewed hope and cheer.
Psalm 94:19 TLB

 

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