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 We’ll consider original, unpublished stories of up to 2,000 words and they must be at least 1,000 words.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.

Meeting Correction

Saturday's meeting, September 10, will be from noon til 2:00

not 10 am -12 (due to a meeting in the church that morning).

Subsequent meetings will be held the first Saturday, 10 am to noon, 

at Cornerstone Christian Church.

Sorry for the error. I hope you can all attend, Barbara