June's Focus Point

An Eternal Perspective

Eternity is that which never dies, disappoints, disappears, or disillusions. The word eternity describes the longing of our hearts.

We yearn for that which is perfect—lovely, unaffected by sin—eternal. We have never seen perfection, experienced flawless love or tasted eternity, and yet we long for it. Why? How can we long for something we have not seen? Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us—God has “set eternity in the hearts of men.”

As Christian writers, we can address that human longing because the mystery of eternity has been revealed to us. Psalm 17:15 reads, “And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.”

As we write from the perspective of truth—truth that will stand for all eternity—we reveal the eternal God and bring satisfaction to our readers' souls. This is a bold statement but if we don't believe it, why are we writing?

This does not mean our work will be exegetical or theological, though it may be. It does mean that our work will reveal something of the nature and person of Christ, God the Father, and the Spirit of power. Our writing will be based on truth and offer hope. Our words will carry life and the answer to longing hearts.

Take away thought: I will reveal God’s likeness in my writing in a desire to satisfy the soul-hunger of my readers.

See you September 9. This link is to an article you may find inspiring. I hope your summer is filled with many words - read and written!

Write for Him,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

Last Meeting Before Summer

Saturday, June 3

10 am - noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff,

in the Barn (red building on the right when you enter) 

Be prepared to share your summer writing goals 

and 

be inspired by Susan to refresh your blogging.

Last month's focus point is featured below.

Hope to see you Saturday,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

May's Focus Point

Endless Inspiration

I spent time at the Jersey shore this week. Once again I was struck by the same thought that inspires me every time I return to the beach. I walk through the scrub pines, up the sandy path and crest the dunes to be astounded again—it’s still there! The waves didn’t stop in my absence; they didn’t cease to roll without an audience; they didn’t complete their cycle and rest. Any time of day, any time of year, they relentlessly crest and crash, demonstrating their Creator’s faithfulness, reminding me there is never a time when God’s grace, goodness, kindness, and love is not present. His faithfulness does not depend on my attentiveness or awareness. 

Lamentations 3 reminds us God’s “compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (v.22-23).

Since I had been thinking about this meeting, it wasn’t a stretch to see how this truth affects creative writing. Excuses—such as lack of inspiration, writer’s block, finding a market, feeling we have nothing to say worth reading or that hasn’t been written before—dissolve before God’s relentless faithfulness. There is no end to His wisdom, inspiration and opportunities. It’s there and available. We just have to show up. 

As I walked the beach, I resisted the urge to pick up shells. I reasoned, they’ll be here next time—there are always more shells, which is the point of this meditation. God’s supply never diminishes. The constant, fresh supply shells speaks to me of God’s limitless inspiration and vast purposes for us today, and tomorrow, and all our tomorrows.

Take away thought: Be still and wait. Expect inspiration and direction—Creator God has an endless supply.

Meeting this Saturday

Where do You Find Inspiration?

 That's the topic for this Saturday's meeting.

 May 6, 10 a.m. - noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff,

in the Barn (red building on the right when you enter) 

Whether you're an experienced writer or want to get started on a writing journey, you will find encouragement and camaraderie at our meetings. You are welcome to visit and see if NJCWG is a fit for you.Last months' Focus Point is featured below. 

Hope to see you Saturday,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

April's Focus Point

Direction or Distraction?

In March we talked  about maintaining the passion God gives us for His call on our lives. This month let's consider if interruptions are His direction or a distraction that veers us from the path our passion had set us on.

Susan and I attended a writing workshop and on our way home we talked about a writing opportunity that came her way. Aware of the two projects that already fight for her time and attention, the words fell out of my mouth without forethought, “Do think this is God’s direction or a distraction?”

As writers we are creative people. When a writing challenge comes our way, given time, we can generate imaginative ideas, create possible themes and run in directions we’ve not yet explored. This has been demonstrated in the writing exercises at our meetings—nonfiction writers write fiction, fiction writers identify their passion, poets write prose, we try genres and styles we had not considered as we draw from the creative wellspring within us, our God-given gift.

Writing is serious business because it’s our business—the work we’ve been given to do. Ephesians 5:15-16 reads, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Wise people have discernment; they are focused and determined. They are not distracted but make the most of every opportunity God presents to them, which brings us back to our original question—Is the potential opportunity, challenge, invitation before you God’s direction? Or a distraction?

Take away thought:  Be careful—watch for direction, resist distraction.

Meeting this Saturday

April 1

10 am to noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff, in the Barn

 (red building on the right as you enter the property)

Our Focus Point this week is

direction or Distraction?

Graphic compliments of nationalgeographic.com

Saturday's discussion:

Memoir - what is it and what makes it worth reading?

Get the encouragement you need, whether you're an accomplished writer, beginner or somewhere in between.

Hope to see you Saturday,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

The Practical Side of Passion

The following is the devotional from our meeting on March 4.

Outside of those who write instruction manuals or how-to assembly instructions, I would think that every writer is motivated by passion. I can’t imagine writers giving themselves to the task if there is no passion in it. Passion is greater than enthusiasm. By definition, it is an “intense, driving, or over-mastering feeling or conviction; a strong liking for some activity, object, or concept.” (Mirriam-Webster Dictionary)

Writers may have a passion for justice or encouragement or health or for weaving a good story. My friend's blog was born from her passion for fashion. Maude’s poetry is birthed from a passion for God, family and Israel. Revealing passion in our work, makes it contagious and engages our readers.

Passion is what inspires us and compels us to sit in a chair for hours, putting words to paper. The problem with passion, however, is that it’s heavy with emotion and emotions vacillate. Which brings us to today’s focus, The Practical Side of Passion. How do we maintain passion? I make three suggestions:

• Passion takes up space, so make room for it—in your mind and in your moments. 

This means we will be intentional with what we put in our minds and allow to take up our moments. Isaiah asks, "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare" (Isa. 55:2).

• Passion fades, so fan it.

Talk to yourself; talk to God; talk to others. Learn; practice; blog. Paul wrote to Timothy, “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Tim. 1:6-7).

• Passion subsists on truth, so feed it. 

What we feed grows, so we must feed our passion, not with vacillating feelings, but with sustaining truth. It’s not a matter of getting emotionally pumped, but being deeply balanced. How many times have you run off at the mouth with something that you deeply felt, only to find out you were mistaken. Let’s feed our passion with truth, “…for out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34 NIV). Read this verse in the NLT: “…For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.”

Take away thought:  Make room for your passion; fan your passion; feed your passion.

Article developed more fully on my website barbarahigbyhope.com 

Graphic compliments of pintrest.com/stickmancliff

Meeting this Saturday

March 4

10 am to noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff, in the Barn

 (red building on the right as you enter the property)

Our Focus Point this week is:

The Practical Side of Passion 

Passion compels us as writers. This Saturday we'll talk about 

stoking our passion and writing from full hearts.

Get the encouragement you need, whether you're an accomplished writer, 

beginner or somewhere in between.

Looking forward to seeing you,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

February's Focus Point

The Diversity of God

I remember standing in front of the birds on display at the American Museum of Natural History and being overwhelmed by the vastness of God’s creativity. I thought, “If I was given the specifics of an animal that had wings for flying and a beak for eating, and told to create a bird, how many variations could I possibly contrive?” Six? Sixty? The museum exhibits 300 of the 400 species New York City attracts alone. There are almost 10,000 species of birds in the world—tropical birds and arctic birds, fish-eating birds and seed-eating birds, large birds and small birds, drab birds and outrageously colorful birds. The diversity of appearance, habits and habitat is astounding—not even considering mammals, amphibians and fish. All of this from a wildly imaginative, abundantly creative, generous Creator God, who also made us.  

Having been made in God's image, we not only mirror His creative nature, but are gifted by Him to use our innovative skills for Him. Read what Moses said to the Israelites in Exodus 35:30-33, "See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel … and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts—to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship." 

Creativity in craftsmanship also includes crafting words. Chuck Colson wrote this about creativity in language:

The nature of Scripture itself affirms the importance of creativity in language. God did not reveal Himself through a list of essential doctrines or a schematic outline of theology. Instead, He chose to reveal Himself through the writings of a variety of authors over many hundreds of years in just about every type of literature then known to humanity. There are historical narratives, laws, poems and songs, proverbs, prophetic oracles, parables, letters, apocalyptic literature, even genealogies. In producing our own literature, we are following the example of God who gave us a rich literary heritage in His word. (The Image of God and Creativity, colsoncenter.org)

In our writing group, we have often looked at Ephesians 2:10, which calls us God's workmanship who have been created … to do the good works God has prepared for us to do.

My challenge for us today is to step out of the little boxes of time and space where we live. Let's ask the Creator, our Creator, to lead us where we’ve not yet gone and use our skills in new arenas.

Take away thought: Let’s expand our minds to be as broad, diverse and inclusive as our Creator’s.

Meeting this Saturday

February 4

10 am to noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff, in the Barn

 (red building on the right as you enter the property)

Our discussion will focus on tapping into our 

God-given creativity

Get the encouragement you need, whether you're an accomplished writer, 

beginner or somewhere in between.

Looking forward to seeing familiar faces and new,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

January's Focus Point:

The Power of a Word

How many of you choose a word for the year? My word for 2017 is clarity. There are reasons far too personal to share in this setting but one area where I want clarity is in my writing—not how I write, that goes without saying—but in what I write. I feel conflicted by competing desires, good ideas and worthy goals and acknowledge that, as valuable as they may be, having too many possibilities can deter productivity.

Proverbs 4:25-27 says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left....”

The phrase I want to focus on is this: “take only ways that are firm.” There are many ways, opportunities that are worthy, but I believe God will position us on a firm footing to accomplish what He has for us at this time. Options and creative ideas abound for each of us—we’re writers, creative by our God-given nature—and I hope we all keep lists with every brilliant idea we have, but we must to fix our gaze, make a level, firm place to stand, and do one thing at a time really well.

Take away thought: The blessing of creativity is a river that requires channeling. We must quiet our hearts and ask, “God, what would you have me do now?” and then do it wholeheartedly.

Requested Recipes!

We had a great time at our annual brunch. In addition to great fellowship and goal setting, we enjoyed a delicious array of foods. In response to popular request, here are some of the recipes you asked for:


Sticky Buns - Ann VanHine

1 1/2 loves of frozen bread dough

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1 tsp of cinnamon

1/2 pack of butterscotch pudding mix (COOK & SERVE not instant)

1 stick of butter

walnuts or pecans

Put a layer of walnuts or pecans in 13X 9 baking dish. I do spray pan with PAM. cut dough into 12 pieces and lay on nuts. In a bowl, combine the sugars, pudding mix and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the dough. Cut stick of butter into 12 pieces and place one piece on each piece of dough. Place in oven overnight. In the morning prick the dough with a fork and then bake at 350 for 30 minutes. After done cut around the edges and flip over onto serving plate.  Enjoy!

Salmon Spread - Maude C. Pych

1 14.75 oz. can salmon, red preferred

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. horseradish

2 tbs. lemon juice

1/4 c. parsley, minced

1/2 c, onion, minced

dill, thyme and/or sage, minced (optional)

red bell pepper, minced (optional)

1/2 stalk celery, minced (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix well. Shape like a fish.

Use a slice of pitted ripe olive for fish-eye

Use pimento or sliver of red pepper for mouth

Sprinkle with dried dill, if desired

Decorate platter

Serve with crackers, carrots, celery

Be creative. Vary spices.

Winter Salad - Susan Panzica

Dressing:

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely chopped onion (or dry minced onion)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup oil

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Salad:

1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces (about 10 cups)

4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup cashews (I use pecans or whatever)

1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 apple, cubed

1 pear, cubed

In blender container or food processor bowl with metal blade, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard, and salt. Cover; process until blended. With machine running, add oil in slow steady stream, processing until thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds; process a few seconds to mix.

In large serving bowl, combine salad ingredients; toss to mix. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.

Notes:

Swiss cheese can be omitted for non-cheese eaters.

In summer, I substitute strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, mango, etc.

I usually pare the pear, skin can be bitter.

BON APPETIT!!

         

         

Reminder - this Saturday!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year! 

At our next meeting on Jan. 7, 2017, we will hold our annual brunch 

(postponed from our usual December so that more people can attend). 

We look forward to breaking bread together as we continue along our writing journeys. 

For the brunch, here are the signups so far. If you aren't on the list and would like to bring something, please just hit reply or email: njcwgroup@gmail.com. If you're new to the group or just not able to bring something, please come anyway! 

Quiche - Leslie

Sticky Buns - Ann

Bagels - Nancy

Salmon Spread - Maude

Fruit Salad - Brian

Winter Salad - Susan

Juice - Jack

Beverages & Paper Goods - Barbara

***

Come prepared to share writing goals for 2017!!

We will continue our focus on story (for both fiction & nonfiction writing),

and if there's interest, we'll talk about the possibility of creating a NJCWG anthology.

***

New Year's Brunch coming up!!

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

At our next meeting on Jan. 7, 2017, we will hold our annual brunch 

(postponed from our usual December so that more people can attend). 

We look forward to breaking bread together as we continue along our writing journeys. 

For the brunch, here are the signups so far. If you aren't on the list and would like to bring something, please just hit reply or email: njcwgroup@gmail.com. If you're new to the group or just not able to bring something, please come anyway! 

Quiche - Leslie

Sticky Buns - Ann

Bagels - Nancy

Salmon Spread - Maude

Fruit Salad - Brian

Winter Salad - Susan

Juice - Jack

Beverages & Paper Goods - Barbara

***

Come prepared to share writing goals for 2017!!

We will continue our focus on story (for both fiction & nonfiction writing),

and if there's interest, we'll talk about the possibility of creating a NJCWG anthology.

 *** 

December's Focus Point

A blessed Christmas to our members and followers. May your celebration of Christ's birth be meaningful and rich. 

Since some of you requested it, I posted this morning's Focus Point below.

Blessings to you & yours,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

The Power of Story, part 2

Last month we talked about Jesus’ story telling. If anyone possessed the wisdom and knowledge to cut directly to the heart of the matter it was Him - He didn’t need to weave stories to convey His point. Could His reason for storytelling have been because it is easier for us to grasp and remember truth through a story?

Jesus’ stories were not for entertainment; they always had deeper meanings—take-aways, if you will. As His people we can present deep truths through stories as well. Last month I shared this takeaway from Cec Murphey's website: Stories convey truth, sometimes better than stated principles. 

Luke demonstrates this in his 18th chapter with these words: ¹Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him… We know this as the parable of the persistent widow. Jesus told the story “to show them…” He did not tell them to always pray and not give up; He told the story and the story told them, impressing hearers with a story not easily forgotten.

This season many people will read the story of the first Christmas from the Bible or a retelling or both. This beloved "story" is not about the elements that have grown precious to us. It is not about a journey, full inns and a manger bed. It’s not about glorious angels making a surprise visit to sleepy shepherds. It’s not about foreign dignitaries following a star to honor a baby King. The purpose of the story is the takeaway - eternal life for all who believe the Christmas Babe is their Messiah.

As Christian writers, our stories have the power to convey God-ordained messages that offer life.

Take away thought: Story may be our greatest show-don't-tell tool and our most powerful method to convey truth.    

Join us this Saturday

Our next meeting is Saturday, November 5 

 10 am to noon, at Cornerstone Christian Church in Wyckoff

In the Barn - red building on the right as you enter the property

Digging In 

Come prepared for a unique creative writing exercise.

Also, November is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), 

which calls writers to produce a 50,000 word novel during the month.

 This Saturday I'll invite you to consider a different writing challenge - 

The ShoStoWri Challenge.

Get the encouragement you need, whether you're an accomplished writer, beginner or somewhere in between.

See you Saturday,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

Story Callout - Moments

Moments

Yvonne Lehman has 5 new Moments anthologies in the works. This is a non-paying market, but royalties go to Samaritan's Purse. Please email Yvonne for any questions.

Submissions should be sent to:
Yvonne Lehman

Story callout from Yvonne Lehman:
MOMENTS BOOKS: Send your personal articles!

Take a look at previous Moments books that Grace Published has released, particularly the first one, Divine Moments, to see what we accept. The article length is anywhere from about 500-2000 words or so. I’ve even included poems and some written by children. So the guidelines aren’t strict. The main point is the context of the article. I like them sent as an attachment to an email, times new roman, 12-point type. Include on the article: name, mailing address for the one free copy, and email address. Send to me at: yvonnelehman3@gmail.com

Already published are: Divine Moments, Christmas Moments, Spoken Moments, Precious Precocious Moments, More Christmas Moments, Stupid Moments, Additional Christmas Moments. Loving Moments will be released early 2017.

We’ve just decided to release Christmas Moments Book #4 (no final title yet) in 2017. Would like to have those by end of December.

I’m also accepting for:
Romantic Moments (falling in love, puppy love, marriage, dating, second time around, weddings, flowers, mother-of-bride,
bridesmaids, anything to do with personal love or planning a wedding, etc.)
Coola-nary Moments (culinary mishaps or unusual cooking experiences, recipes. I have one about making  mud pies when a child)
Questionable Moments (Author’s response to questions asked by God/Jesus in the Bible, or implied, such as “Where are you?” “Where are you going?” “Do you love me?” “Do you believe?” "Where is your faith?” “What do you want?” etc. etc.
Personal Titanic Moments - This one still in idea stage (Highs and Lows of Life - Grandeur and Disaster)
Might as well plan another Christmas one for 2018.

No payments. Authors get one free copy, discount on orders, and all royalties go to Samaritan’s Purse, an organization that helps victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through his son, Jesus Christ. www.samaritanspurse.org

The articles are written by both multi-published, and beginning or non-published writers.
The story is the important thing.

Story Callout

Life Changing Miracles: True Stories of How God Miraculously Transforms Lives

The story deadline has been extended to October 20, 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 October 20, 2016. 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, atsupernaturalstories2@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

Don't miss October's meeting

This Saturday, October 1

Usual time: 10 am - noon

New location: Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff (directions are on our website)

We will continue to look at Active vs. Passive voice. If you were present in September, please bring your homework paragraph, creatively edited in active voice. All pages for critique should adhere to the guidelines on our website. 

I'll be looking for you on Saturday,
Barbara
barbarahigbyhope.com

September's Focus Point:

Passive vs. Active

I will never pretend to understand the book of Ezekiel—I only started reading it because my pastor is preaching from it this fall. The first day I began reading this complex book, I journaled a disclaimer: I do not assume to understand the imagery in Ezekiel; I will simply note what speaks to me. And in chapter one, the words spoke to my heart. I share this because the focus of our meeting is Passive vs. Active, and that’s exactly the area I was challenged in—living actively rather than passively.

Ezekiel saw a vision of four creatures and this is what he wrote (taken from 1:10-21):

Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle…. Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.… As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.… When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

This passage encourages me to an active, rather than a passive lifestyle, in three ways.

• Each of the four creatures had four faces, but each one moved straight ahead, without turning. Writing is one of many hats, or faces, I wear. This verse encourages me to be present and forward-looking with whichever role I’m walking in at the moment. If I have a message to write, I must intentionally face forward, write diligently and not allow my other roles to distract me. 

• The passage also tells of following the spirit, going wherever the spirit goes. This speaks to me of an undivided heart―one that is not passive but responsive and active. I want to be sensitive and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life.

• Their own spirit was in the wheels and the wheels followed them as they followed the Spirit, not visa versa. I confess that too often I follow my own spirit and ask the Holy Spirit to bless me―kind of expecting Him to lead from behind. I need to trust that as I follow Him, my own spirit will fall in place.

As men and women with a message and the gift to write it, we cannot passively wait for the right mood, time or inspiration, but actively press on. That’s what this writing group is about—giving the inspiration, encouragement and accountability to do just that.  

Take away thought: I will do my best to follow the leading of God’s Spirit and take my spirit out of the leadership role—in my writing and in all the roles I fill.