Friday, August 25, 2006

Teens4Jesus

Teens4Jesus Ministries is an online ministry that deserves support.

Staff volunteer Kelvin Oliver writes, "Teens4Jesus Ministries is a non-profit organization that reaches approximately 30,000 visitors each day, average. We offer a few different websites through which we do this, offering variety to our visitors in the process of sharing Jesus with them. We have our original site, Teens4Jesus, for youth, an online magazine for youth, a women’s site, a men’s site, an extensive media site covering Christians in media (including Christian music), a counseling/advising site, as well as a few smaller sites. It is amazing to see what God does through these sites each and every day. We get wonderful feedback from our visitors and have seen lives touched and changed through the message on our sites."

Several CEA authors have been interviewed and contributed to the media site, Christian Scoop. I encourage you to check out the sites, and if you believe they are a valuable online ministry, as I do, support Teens4Jesus with your prayers and perhaps your financial resources.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Catalyst: God's Tool

Although I'm always excited about the successes of my friends and clients, sometimes it seems that everyone is accomplishing great things but me. My novel languishes with little notice and few sales, while friends tell me about awards and great sales numbers. I see so many worthwhile causes I would like to help, but my budget keeps me from being as generous as I'd like.

Recently I met a woman who writes letters to nearly 100 deployed or wounded soldiers every week. She is struggling to cover the postage costs, and I feel that I'm not doing my part ... and that's only one of many things I wish I could do.

But I have a friend who likes to support worthy projects and is financially able to do so. I introduced my new friend and my "old" friend, and now the one with the financial wherewithal is contributing to the expenses so the other can continue her work. Both were so grateful - my new friend for the financial help and my long-time friend for the chance to participate in supporting the troops without having to write letters herself. I realized that while I didn't write letters or contribute money, God used me as a catalyst. What I did was nothing more than introducing two friends who would otherwise never have met, and as a result something good was accomplished.

That started me thinking about how often God has used me - and perhaps you - to accomplish His purpose in ways that seem trivial but that are essential. As a freelance writer and editor, I help my clients make their work the best it can be. Someone else's name is on the cover of the book or the byline of the article, but the book or article would have been less than it is without my help. My part may be behind the scenes, but it is important in the final product.

In the Koinonia service at my church recently, the leader Jim Cravens talked about "but God ..." The words "but God ..." appear often in the Bible. The people in the Bible couldn't see God's plan in the activities and events of their lives. But all the pieces fit together to fulfill His plan, even when the pieces seemed to be random and meaningless. God works in the same way today.

Sometimes the seemingly random and meaningless events may be me - or you - acting as a catalyst in accomplishing His purpose. Our part may be tiny and in the background. We don't get any glory; no one else may ever know. But God knows, because He planned it that way.

We all have different roles in fulfilling God's plan. Some of us have little parts in the background. Some of us have large parts in the public eye. But it takes every one of us doing our part - small or large - to accomplish God's purpose.

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)

Monday, August 21, 2006

The Most Important Thing a Writer Can Do

When it comes to advice, writers can find it everywhere.

The gurus give various opinions of the most important thing a writer can do:
- Read, read, read.
- Write, write, write.
- Park seat in chair and write.
- Network with other writers.
- Etc., etc., etc. ...

All this advice is valuable, but for a Christian writer none is the most important thing.

The most important thing for a Christian writer - just as the most important thing for a Christian anything - is to go before the Lord, ask for His guidance, and strive to follow His will.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Calling Young Writers

EPIC, Electronically Published Internet Connection, is sponsoring its second annual writing contest for middle school and high school students.

EPIC established the New Voices Writing Competition to encourage reading and writing among middle school and high school students and to promote e-book literacy in public and private schools.

The contest is open to students attending public, private, or home schools, and each entrant is permitted to submit one entry in each category (Short Story, Poetry, Essay).

Guidelines and entry form are available on the EPIC Web site. Entries will be accepted between August 1 and November 1, 2006. Winners will be announced in February 2007 and will be invited to receive their awards at the E-Fiesta at EPICon (EPIC conference) in Virginia Beach, Virginia in March 2007.

There is no cost to enter the contest or to receive a prize. First place winners in each category will receive eBookwise-1150 e-book readers, second place winners receive $50 gift certificates for e-books, and third place winners receive $25 gift certificates for e-books. Honorable mention and Judges' Award winners receive certificates.

All winning entries will be published in the anthology New Voices 2007, which will be distributed on CD at the conference and by download on the EPIC Web site at no charge. Winning students and their school libraries will receive copies of the anthology on CD and in print.