Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Hope to see you Saturday!

Saturday, September 10, 12 noon - 2 p.m.

is our first meeting of the season.


We will meet at High Mountain Church, as listed on our website
Beginning October 1 we will meet at Cornerstone Christian Church in Wyckoff.

Come prepared to report on your summer goals (successes & frustrations)
and share new ones you've set for the fall.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again as we encourage one another to write for Him,
Barbara



Thursday, July 14, 2016

Summertime encouragement...

A Reminder of June's Focus Point 
I hope you are all finding the time and inspiration to write this summer. Following is the Focus Point from our last meeting. Remember those goals we set? I hope this will spur you on as you write for Him. 
Barbara
Whose life will you touch?    
Photo from depositphotos.com

Why Goals?
We often talk about goals at our meetings. It’s the topic of our first and last meetings of a season and usually touched on in between. It’s no secret that clear goals are the impetus to getting things done and as Christian writers, it’s important that we get our words out there because they bring light.
I am increasingly aware of the subtle infiltration of darkness in our society. I recently read through Ephesians and in chapter four, Paul says that the Gentiles (meaning those far from God) live “in the futility of their thinking.” Read verses 18 and 19:
They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. (NIV, italics mine)
The descriptives of those who don’t know God are bleakdarkened, separated, ignorant, hardened, insensitive, sensual, indulgent, unsatisfied. This is not condemnation but observation because there is hope for change. When I read these verses I was saddened, but they also invigorated me by renewing my determination and igniting my desire to be a beacon of light and truth. This is why our writing goals are so importantbecause of their purpose. Because our words can bring light, connection and knowledge. They can soften hearts, purify thoughts and demonstrate contentment.
We write as those who have been made new in the attitude of our minds (see verse 23) and that attitude is reflected in our words. So press on. Define your goals. Write as the redeemed and bring light to a darkened world.
Take away thought: I will write and work toward my goals to maintain focus on my purposeone beggar writing to other beggars because I’ve been given bread to share.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Writing Opportunity _ Life Changing Miracles

Life Changing Miracles:
True Stories of How God Miraculously Transforms Lives
 
The editor emailed to say stories are due by August 15, 2016.

Send submissions to email address below. Do not reply to this email.


From James Stuart Bell:
You may recall my role as editor for story collections such as: A Cup of Comfort, Extraordinary Answers to Prayer, Love is a Verb, and a number of books related toAngels, Miracles, and Heavenly Encounters.  I am now compiling a story volume for Bethany House Publishers with a working title of Life-Changing Miracles: True Stories of How God Miraculously Transforms Lives. 
 
In the past five “supernatural story” volumes I have compiled, the focus has been on events and circumstances that had a supernatural element demonstrating God’s power.  In this volume I want you, the writer, to share how supernatural encounters brought you as an individual into a state of freedom from past sins of many kinds to walking in the grace and power of God.  In other words, how did a supernatural experience transform you into a new person conformed to the image of Christ?
 
We would like the reader to see “walking miracles”—people who have a new strength to follow God’s will and overcome the aspects of their old nature that were holding them back from receiving all of God’s blessings.
 
We’ll consider original, unpublished stories of up to 2,000 words and they must be at least 1,000 words.  The stories should have a creative title, an attention-grabbing introduction, main body with a conflict or challenge, and a clear, satisfying resolution.  They need to be descriptive, rooted in time and place, with a realistic portrayal of the characters involved.
 
They also need to be substantive stories rather than mere testimonies or teachings, and the focus should not be just on the supernatural realm alone, but rather the spiritual lesson learned.  Please include a personal biography of 30 words or less at the end of each manuscript. 
 
Stories are due by August 15, 2015. Please send your manuscript attached to the e-mail rather than pasting text in the email window.  Send your manuscript in normal manuscript formatting in Times New Roman, 12-point, with your full contact information--name, address, phone number, and e-mail address at the top of the first page.  We are offering a one-time fee of $50 for stories 1,500 words and over, and $25 for stories under that word count.                           
 
We will send you contracts upon the publisher’s acceptance and would need them back promptly.  Payment will be made after all contracts have been received.  Please direct all inquiries and manuscript submissions to my colleague, Jeanette Littleton, at supernaturalstories2@earthlink.net.  If this e-mail has been forwarded to you, and you can’t submit to this call, but would like to hear about other editorial needs as they arise, please send us your e-mail address and we’ll add you to our notification list.
 
Blessings to you and yours,
 
James Stuart Bell