3 Tips to Seek Excellence in the Christian Publishing Industry by Zoe M. McCarthy

image by markus53

Excellence in the Christian publishing industry has troubled my mind and heart. This concern has a history.

The Christian who prophesied my mother’s salvation in March 2012, and whose statements came true, (see September post) handed me a paper in September 2013 that said God was taking me to a new level in my writing. She referenced Isaiah 43:18-19.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

For months, I prayed about how I’d be involved in making streams in the desert, but I didn’t perceive any “new levels” emerging.

In February 2015, I heard the concept of writing with God instead of for God. I believed this was the “new level” to which God was calling me.

To my morning devotions, I added sessions to seek God and His will. I jotted in a notebook what I perceived from God.

Then one morning, I read Isaiah 58:11.

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Here was water in a wasteland again. So, as God promises to continually guide me, I’m working on continually seeking Him, especially in my writing, so I may become a spring whose waters never fail.

I’ve begun to understand my passion to share on my blog what I learn and research about the writing craft, marketing, and blogging. While I’m learning and seeking excellence, I hope others will too.

But I think God’s calling me and others to do more for the Christian publishing industry.

I think, performing the following 3 tips together, we’ll move what we do toward excellence.

1. Pray for the Body of the Christian Publishing Industry.

After viewing the movie, War Room, I fight longer in prayer for the Christian publishing industry.

I think we’re all part of one Christian “sub-body.” We need excellence from every individual part. So here’s those I pray excellence for:

Writers, agents, editors, publishers, marketers, reviewers, cover designers, typesetters, galley reviewers, bookstore employees, beta readers, critique partners, endorsers, publicists, and all who touch our books.

I pray God binds Satan from:

     discouraging any of us,

          tempting us to waste our time,

               blocking us in learning the writing craft and industry tasks, and

                    distracting us from seeking God.

For example, I prayed daily for months for an issue that would impact several authors. I prayed God’s will be done. The issue was resolved in an amazing way. (James 5:16)

2. Do something to improve others in the industry.

Daily, I see many helping others. How amazing it would be if we all used the time we complain and worry about our work to improve someone else in the industry.

     Encourage

          Fund

               Teach

                    Share

                         Critique

                              Mentor

                                   Judge

                                        Etc.

3. Move from Poor to Excellent in our work.

Poor → Good → Very Good → Excellent

EQUALS

Winging It → Working For God (Col. 3:23) → Seeking God (2 Chon. 31:21)→ Working With God (Prov. 3:6)

When we work with God, we’re safer from Satan’s ploys.

Seeking God is seeking excellence. Working with God manifests it.

If you aren’t already, will you pray for the Christian publishing industry and seek God while working on writing, publishing, or marketing tasks?

3 Tips to seek excellence in Christian writing, publishing & marketing. Click to tweet.

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About the Author

Zoe M. McCarthy

Zoe M. McCarthy believes the little known fact that opposites distract. Thus, she spins Christian contemporary romances entangling extreme opposites. Her tagline is: Distraction to Attraction, Magnetic Romances Between Opposites. Now retired actuaries, Zoe and her husband evaluated the financial risks for insurance companies. Nick, in Zoe’s debut novel, Calculated Risk, is an actuary. Christian Fiction Online Magazine published two of her short stories. Zoe self-published two books of contemporary Christian short stories. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She enjoys leading workshops on the craft of writing; speaking about her faith; planning fun events for her 5 grandchildren; and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she lives with her husband, John.
Learn more about Zoe M. McCarthy at her website: http://zoemmccarthy.com

Calculated Risk
by Zoe M. McCarthy

Calculated Risk

What happens when an analytical numbers man meets a mercurial marketing Rep? Romance is a calculated risk…

Jilted by the latest of her father’s choices of “real men,” Cisney Baldwin rashly accepts an invitation to spend Thanksgiving weekend with a sympathetic colleague and his family. Nick LeCrone is a man too much her opposite to interest her and too mild-mannered to make her overbearing father’s “list.” Now, Cisney fears Nick wants to take advantage of her vulnerable state over the holiday. Boy, is she wrong.

Nick wants little to do with Cisney. She drives him crazy with all her sticky notes and quirks. He extended an invitation because he felt sorry for her. Now he’s stuck, and to make matters worse, his family thinks she’s his perfect match. He’ll do what he can to keep his distance, but there’s just one problem—he’s starting to believe Cisney’s magnetism is stronger than he can resist.

Purchase links for Calculated Risk: http://zoemmccarthy.com/books

Have You Sought the Lord Daily Like Manna? by Zoe M. McCarthy

The Gathering of the Manna

Bernardino Luini [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

God sent manna from heaven, giving wandering Israelites life. He similarly sent Jesus from heaven, giving believers everlasting life. Just as God directed Israelites to seek manna daily, He’s directed us to seek Him daily. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

I sought God continually the amazing week of my mother’s salvation.

At age 91, partially paralyzed, quiet, yet strong-willed Mom became angry about living in her debilitated, dignity-challenged state. She wanted to die. I believed God was giving her time to accept His offer of painless eternity with Him.

After she’d battled an infection, I arranged to visit her in the nursing home. The day before my flight, I attended a new Bible study and asked for prayer for Mom.

The leader prayed a powerful prayer claiming Matthew 18:19*. She issued this prophecy while the women vocally agreed:

• Mom’s salvation was done and would be manifested.
• God would bind Satan from interfering.
• Every Christian who entered Mom’s room would proclaim Jesus Christ.
• God would send an angel with me.
• All would be well.

I left the study doubting I fully believed the prophecy would happen. I believed I needed to overcome my unbelief.

The NIV Life Application Bible commented about *Matthew 18:19: “Two or more believers, filled with the Holy Spirit, will pray according to God’s will, not their own; thus the request will be granted.” After reading that, I sought God continually.

Fulfillment of the Prophecy:

• The first two days before Mom’s salvation, my morning devotionals delivered specific scriptures about women and others agreeing and God doing what they asked, e.g. Philippians 4:2 and Amos 3:3. After her salvation, the verses focused on being fully convinced that God is able, faithful, and does what he pleases.
• That evening when I entered Mom’s room, a Gideon New Testament surprisingly lay on her roll table. She was too sleepy to talk.
• The next morning, I knew, like Jehoshaphat, I was to sit still and watch God fight Mom’s salvation battle.
• Mom asked me to find Romans in the Gideon Bible. I did. Then she asked me to find underlined passages. I did.
• The day before, a therapist on her last day working at the nursing home had underlined Romans 10:9 for Mom. If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. I asked Mom, “Do you believe that?” She nodded.
• Mom said a Gideon had visited and given her the New Testament.
• During Mom’s salvation moments, no one entered the room like they repeatedly did on past visits.
• When I wondered whether Mom’s nods were enough, my brother-in-law, unaware of my concern, answered my email about Mom’s salvation: “Don’t be discouraged… She ‘is’ saved!”
• Later, I learned that on Mom’s salvation morning, my sister attended a prayer meeting and 21 people prayed for Mom. Then my sister went to a Bible study and 15 people prayed for Mom. Also, a woman from my new Bible study lifted up Mom at church.
• During my last night with Mom, her favorite CNA joined us. She said she often told Mom about Jesus. She sat on the bed and gently sang hymns into Mom’s failing ears. (Mom died 5 months later.)

While I daily sought and gathered God’s manna that week, the prophecy was completely fulfilled. Now, I want to seek God continually.

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Seek God daily as if you’re an Israelite seeking manna. Click to tweet.

When have you sought God and He sent you daily manna?

Zoe M. McCarthy

Zoe M. McCarthy believes the little known fact that opposites distract. Thus, she spins Christian contemporary romances entangling extreme opposites. Her tagline is: Distraction to Attraction, Magnetic Romances Between Opposites. Now retired actuaries, Zoe and her husband evaluated the financial risks for insurance companies. Nick, in Zoe’s debut novel, Calculated Risk, is an actuary. Christian Fiction Online Magazine published two of her short stories. Zoe self-published two books of contemporary Christian short stories. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She enjoys leading workshops on the craft of writing; speaking about her faith; planning fun events for her 5 grandchildren; and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she lives with her husband, John.

Learn more about Zoe M. McCarthy at her website: http://zoemmccarthy.com

Calculated Risk

What happens when an analytical numbers man meets a mercurial marketing Rep? Romance is a calculated risk…

Calculated Risk
by Zoe M. McCarthy

Jilted by the latest of her father’s choices of “real men,” Cisney Baldwin rashly accepts an invitation to spend Thanksgiving weekend with a sympathetic colleague and his family. Nick LeCrone is a man too much her opposite to interest her and too mild-mannered to make her overbearing father’s “list.” Now, Cisney fears Nick wants to take advantage of her vulnerable state over the holiday. Boy, is she wrong.

Nick wants little to do with Cisney. She drives him crazy with all her sticky notes and quirks. He extended an invitation because he felt sorry for her. Now he’s stuck, and to make matters worse, his family thinks she’s his perfect match. He’ll do what he can to keep his distance, but there’s just one problem—he’s starting to believe Cisney’s magnetism is stronger than he can resist.

Purchase links for Calculated Risk: http://zoemmccarthy.com/books