Monday, November 25, 2013

A Step in the Write Direction--November 25, 2013--Advent devotional


A Step in the Write Direction

November 25, 2013

Update: This has been a good week, rainy but good (except for those who had a problem with flooding—and people like us who have a leaky roof!)...I received a request from the publisher that they needed 104 more jokes (double the amount I sent originally) for the Little Book of Big Laughs. Luckily I had 365 to begin with, so could meet their request. I also sent three more Bible stories in poetry for the Rhyme-Time book—Abraham, Ruth, and Esther. Am now working on Isaac and Jacob. If I need one more for the Old Testament, I’ll do Jonah. Not sure yet on the publication date of this book….Prayer requests for my sister Norma who’s losing her eyesight, for my brother-in-law Bob who has lost his hearing, and for our daughter Patty who has a liver ultrasound coming up…Still trying to get the rights back on the Step in the Write Direction book. They said they’d let me know on the 21st; now they say the committee needs more time…. PLEASE send any prayer requests you have and we’ll print them in next week’s blogs. We need to support each other, not just in writing but in our personal challenges.

Thought for Today:
“I think Christians fail so often to get answers to their prayers because they do not wait long enough on God. They just drop down and say a few words, and then jump up and forget it and expect God to answer them. Such praying always reminds me of the small boy ringing his neighbor's doorbell, and then running away as fast as he can go” (E.M. Bounds).

Song for Today:
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.
            (“What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” Joseph M. Scriven)

Laugh for Today:
A lady was visiting a church one Sunday. The sermon seemed to go on forever, and many in the congregation fell asleep. After the service, she turned to a very sleepy-looking gentleman sitting in a nearby pew, extended her hand in greeting, and said, "Hello, I'm Gladys Dunn." Without a moment's hesitation, the man replied, "You're not the only one, ma'am. I'm glad he's done, too!"

Writer’s Tips:
(Following is Day 1 of my Advent devotional book, Preparing Your Heart for Christmas):

The Designated Gift Giver

For God so loved the world that He gave His only  begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Although my mother didn’t have much money for Christmas shopping, she always seemed to know what gift to buy everyone—because she listened carefully all year. Her gifts ranged from a sewing box for my niece who made her own clothes, to blank tapes for my songwriting nephew, and a piano bench for my sister.

Through the years, I’ve tried to carry on her tradition, and today I’ve taken on the enjoyable task of designated gift buyer for our writers’ group. I’ll search for hours—in stores, in catalogs, and on the Internet—for just the right present for a particular person. Sometimes I buy things as much as a year early when I find the perfect gift. Then I wrap it in beautiful paper and give it to the only person that gift will fit.

I am acquainted with another Gift Giver. At the beginning of time, He looked ahead and saw millions of people who were in need of a gift. He listened to their cries, and thought, “What can I give them?” Then He said, “I know. I’ll give the best Gift possible—My Son.” So He wrapped this Gift in swaddling clothes and gave Him not to just one particular person, but to the whole world. And the neatest thing about this Gift is that it fits everyone—even me!

Lord, at this Christmas season, may I remember the Gift and the Giver. Let me love as You loved—and give as You gave.

 Have a good week spreading the
gospel through the printed page.

Donna Clark Goodrich
dgood648@aol.com
www.thewritersfriend.net
http://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com

SALE: Books by Donna Clark Goodrich

Will take IOUs or postdated checks for up to 30 days!!
Christmas Is Coming…These Will Make Great Gifts!!


            Title of Book_________________                Regular Price             Sale Price (plus s&h)

A Step in the Write Direction, the Complete
            How-to Book for Christian Writers                   $25.00                         $15.00

A Step—Student Edition w/assignments
            throughout book                                               $17.00                         $10.00

The Freedom of Letting Go                                           $15.00                         $10.00

Healing in God’s Time—story of Dave Clark,
songwriter of 25 #1 songs                                 $15.00                         $10.00

Preparing Your Heart for Christmas—
            31 Advent devotions                                         $10.00                         $  7.00

Ohio Cookbook                                                           $10.00                         $  7.00
Michigan Cookbook                                                     $10.00                         $  7.00
Writer’s Club Booklet  (self-published)                         $15.00                         $15.00 (Sorry!)
Motivational Moments                                                  $10.00                         $  5.00
Celebrate Christmas anthology—stories,
poems, and recipes                                           $24.95                         $17.00

Grandmother/Mother anthology—stories,
            poems, and recipes                                           $24.95                         $17.00

Grandfather/Father anthology—stories,
            poems, and recipes                                           $24.95                         $17.00

Divine Healing—365 devotions for dieters                                                         $10.00
* * *

Coming in 2014: The Little Book of Big Laughs (joke book)—160 pages for only $5.95
     Rhyme-Time Bible Stories for Little Ones—12 Bible stories in poetry

Donna Goodrich, dgood648@aol.com; www.thewritersfriend.net; will send writers’ blog every Monday to your email, or go to: http://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com


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