A Step in the Write
Direction
December 17,
2012
Update:
A friend just emailed and asked
if I could post a guest blog today. Good thing! It reminded me I hadn’t sent out
MY blog! So I had to get busy. Finished a difficult 243-page proofing job I did,
and enjoyed get-togethers with writer friends, along with our children’s program
at church. Saturday I finished the Christmas cards that I enclose personal
letters in, and sent off the boxes to our daughter and family in Oklahoma
Thought for the
Day
A
preacher tells of the time when a woman, her arms filled with Christmas
presents, came out of a department store and bumped right into him. All of her
parcels dropped on the sidewalk. As he bent down to help her pick them up, she
said, "Oh, I hate Christmas. It turns everything upside down." And so it does.
Christmas turns the world topsy-turvy because it is centered in a baby, and
babies change everything! The Christ child is no exception. This child will
change the world!” (Source unknown.)
Laugh for Today:
Laugh for Today:
Reporter interviewing a
104-year-old woman: “And what do you think is the best thing
about being 104?” She simply replied, “No peer pressure.”
about being 104?” She simply replied, “No peer pressure.”
Guest Post
Shelly Hitz
Trusting God When Bad Things Happen
My heart continues to be
heavy for all those grieving today across our country. I don’t believe it was a
coincidence that I published a book this past week called, “Trusting God When
Bad Things Happen.” And even before the tragedy in Connecticut
When bad things happen,
what is your reaction? Do you trust God even when you don't understand?
There was a dark season in
my life when it literally felt like an earthquake had occurred. Everything in my
life seemed to be falling apart...my family, my finances, our church. And I
asked God the simple question, "Why?" This book is the result of my own search
for answers. In the end, God gave me illustrations that I will share with you
and brought healing to my heart and my distorted view of Him. I was able to
trust Him again, even though my circumstances had not
changed.
I pray that God uses this
short eBook to deeply impact you as well. I have included questions for
reflection for you to go through individually or as a
group.
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/263666 100% Off
Coupon Code: HB95F; Expires: January 1, 2013. This book is also available for
$0.99 on Kindle http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ALLQW5A
Please feel free to share this book and coupon code with anyone you think could
benefit from the topic.
Writer’s Hint:
Two writer friends
received a contract from a publisher with the requirement that they purchase
2500 copies of the book over a period of time, and they asked me what they
should do. The first is a widow who has already self-published the book and has
copies piled up in her garage. I urged her to really pray about this before
committing herself to that large a purchase. The second writer (who hasn’t asked
my advice yet!) is a speaker who travels around teaching classes, and this book
would be used in the classes. Because she could buy these books at a large
discount (cost plus $2) and sell them at retail, she would be making a profit
and it might pay her to go this route. So, as my mother used to say, “What’s
good for the goose isn’t necessarily good for the gander.”
Day 10 (from my Advent
book)
Running for Help
Behold, the Lord’s
hand is not shortened
That it cannot save
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear (Isaiah 59:1).
It was the day before Christmas
and our eight-month-old daughter, Janet, had a temperature of 104 and a croupy
cough. This was just another of the series of events that had plagued her since
birth. “Colic,” the pediatrician pronounced at our newborn’s piercing screams.
“She should outgrow it in three months.” Four months later he said it could be a
six-month colic.
Her crying had no pattern.
Sometimes she would wake up screaming. Other times she would be playing, and
without warning, she would break into a scream. Then she began losing weight,
and at seven months, a specialist diagnosed her with a kidney infection. She
also had symptoms of cystic fibrosis. “She might not live till kindergarten,”
our doctor told us somberly.
Now this crisis. Our regular
doctor was getting married that night so we took Janet to a friend’s
pediatrician. It was noon when I walked into the office.
“I’m sorry,” the nurse said.
“We’re closed.”
“Please,” I pleaded. “I know my
baby has pneumonia. Her temperature’s 104.”
Her voice grew louder. “I said we’re closed!”
Just then I saw the doctor in the
hallway. Bursting through the door I ran up to him. “I know you’re already
closed and it’s the day before Christmas, but please, can’t you look at my baby.
She’s so sick.”
He reached out his hands, took
our baby, and held his stethoscope to her chest. “Call the hospital and reserve
a bed,” he instructed the nurse. Then he told me, “She has pneumonia.” So
instead of celebrating at home with her brother, our little girl spent her first
Christmas in the hospital in an oxygen tent. I was so glad I ignored the nurse
and insisted that the doctor see her. (P.S. This daughter is now married to a
minister and has two girls of her own!)
Do you have a need this
Christmas? Whether it’s physical, financial, or spiritual, God’s Son came to
this earth to meet that need—and to bring life. Don’t let anyone stand in your
way. Run to Him today and tell Him, “I need help.”
Jesus, thank You that Your hands—those same
hands that were nailed to the cross—now reach out to me in my time of need.
www.thewritersfriend.net
"A Step in the Write Direction--the Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers"
"A Step in the Write Direction--the Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers"
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