The Art of Declaring by Susan May Warren

Susan May Warren

Hey everyone, Annette here. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend. We have a treat today, in keeping with this season. Today, award-winning author Susan May Warren is here to share a nugget from her life lately. This devo came in her newsletter over the weekend. I was so encouraged I asked if I could reprint it here, and she kindly agreed. Read on! 

The Art of Declaring

by Susan May Warren

“Who do you say that I am?” 
One of the joys of being a writer is occasionally sneaking out of northern Minnesota to visit reader friends. I often teach at conferences and women’s retreats and after the weekend is over, join them at their house of worship.
I love lifting my hands in praise with my fellow readers/sojourners and discovering truths alongside them.

A few weeks ago I attended the Thunder game with writer and publisher Lacy Williams, and friends from the ACFW Oklahoma group. I joined Lacy that Sunday in church, and the sermon reached right down to my soul and grabbed a hold.

What does it mean to confess? The pastor got up and asked this of the audience. I stifled the urge to run as I pictured strangers telling each other their dark, broken secrets. Oh no, I wasn’t in one of those churches, was I? 

Phew. Nope. But. . .

“Confession isn’t just something you do when you get saved, but rather, something you do every single day.” There I sat thinking about prayer, and going to God with my list of sins.

Still, nope. 

“If we take a look at the word Confession, it also means declaration,” the pastor said. 

That’s right, it does! We don’t often think of the word in that context. . . But God does.

Romans 10:8-9 says, “That 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.”

Confess, as in declare...which is exactly what Peter does in Matthew 16:13-16.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

The Messiah. The Son of the living God.

This is big stuff in Peter’s time. 

This is still big stuff in our time. 

Our family is a big Comicon fan. We love DC and Marvel Comics (actually it’s split down the middle) and Sci Fi, and Dystopian worlds, and Star Wars. . .Why? Because the innate nature of these stories centers on Epic Heroes saving the World from Destruction. 

Ahem, hello. This is exactly who Jesus is, what Jesus did on the cross. 

Yet, as a world, we seem to be still looking. Still hoping. 

What if we took Peter’s stance and began to declare that we have found our Champion. Our Savior. Our Messiah? 

Declare that our searching is over. 

“But Declaration is just the first step. Because after we declare. . .we must BELIEVE. Because belief is what changes everything,” said the pastor.

What do you believe, really believe, about Jesus?

Do you believe he can forgive EVERYTHING? Do you believe He can change people COMPLETELY? Change you completely? Do you believe he—let’s get crazy here—loves, really LOVES you? 

Because if you did, I believe that would change everything. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18) In God’s love, what do I need to fear? Nothing, not even death.

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

The following week I attended another worship service, with different friends, and the speaker (thank you Robin Jones Gunn!) said, “We walk around in a world that says, indirectly, constantly, ‘Shame on You.’ ‘Shame on you for thinking that, saying that, believing that.’ But Jesus came to say shame OFF you! Grace ON you.” 

Grace on you, friends.

“Who do you say I am?” 

Jesus, asking Peter. Jesus, asking you. 

This season, you get to declare what you believe. Are you ready to walk in that belief? That conviction? To BELIEVE in GRACE ON YOU?

Luke 24:6-7

He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and on the third day be raised again.’”

Acts 4:33

With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.

Grace ON you, friends!

~~~~~~

The Wonder of You is available for pre-order. Releases 7/1/15

The Wonder of You by SMW

Mortified after her semester abroad is cut short, Amelia Christiansen returns to Deep Haven, certain she isn’t brave enough for the adventures she’s dreamed of. The last thing she expects is for the man who broke her heart to cross the Atlantic and beg forgiveness.

Heir to a European hotel dynasty, Roark St. John has trekked from one exotic locale to another, haunted by tragedy and the expectations that accompany his last name. Amelia is the first woman to give him a reason to stop running. He’ll do anything for a second chance—even contend with Amelia’s old flame, who is intent on sending Roark packing.

While one surprise after another leaves Amelia reeling, Roark’s continued presence only highlights the questions pursuing her. Like him, is she running from the life God has called her to? Could finding her new place mean leaving home behind?

~~~~~~

 Susan May Warren, an award-winning author, has published books in multiple genres of Christian fiction. She also mentors other writers through MyBookTherapy, teaching writing craft and plotting techniques to hundreds or perhaps thousands of writers. Learn more about Susan at her website: www.SusanMayWarren.com

The Gift by Melinda Viergever Inman

Melinda Viergever Inman

The gift is painstakingly prepared, each detail pondered and gathered at extreme cost to self. With meticulous care, the wrapping paper and bow are selected. A thoughtful handwritten card embellishes the gift. Hours are invested.

Next the present is packaged, addressed, and taped securely. Traffic is heavy on the way to the post office, and there is a long line. But as you wait, you smile, considering the joy the gift will bring to the beloved recipient.

At last! It is insured and on its way. Days pass. The tracking system displays the gift’s arrival time with signature attached. Your heart pounds as you await your friend’s phone call. You can't wait to hear her excitement and to discuss the gift!

But there is no call. No response. Nothing.

You rationalize. Perhaps she’s busy. You wait another day, but still no call. You check your tracking slip again. Yes, it has arrived.

Days go by. Still nothing.

Eventually, you run into your friend. Nothing is said. You aren’t sure what to do. Awkwardly, you ask if she received your gift.

"Oh, yes. Thank you so much!” And then she turns to talk to someone else.

Your heart plummets.

This is the life of a writer. Brace yourself.

Writers offer gifts to people we love, invest in, and seek to serve—our readers. Most never acknowledge our offerings. Thousands may read our books or blogposts. Few will comment, thank, or review.

This will crush the spirit right out of you.  When you offer gifts you have prepared at great expense—investing hours, days, months, and years—and then receive little response compared to your great investment, you will be tempted to give up. You will cry. You will feel invisible. You will wonder if your gifts even make a difference.

Here is where Christian writers learn about the emotions Christ experiences when we count his gift cheap, don’t acknowledge it, or reject it outright.

When we pour ourselves out in service to readers who may never consider what those written words cost us, we comprehend Jesus' feelings as he offered himself, perhaps more than ever before. We also learn the value of expressed gratitude.

How often do we blast through a day without thanking him for even our breath? How frequently do we consider and acknowledge what taking on human flesh cost him, not only in the dying, but also in the living?

Today, on Good Friday, we remember, but what about every other day?

When you hit that spot of despair over your writing, remember Jesus.

He said to the Father, “A body you have prepared for me…Behold, I have come to do your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:5b, 7a).

Writing is the task God has given us. Like Jesus, we present our bodies to carry out God’s will. He never promised this would be easy.

When we follow in the steps of a bleeding Savior and pour our lifeblood across the written pages, we suffer as he did. In this way we grow to comprehend the fellowship of his suffering (Philippians 3:7-10).

This participation in Christ’s suffering and death brings great intimacy and great pain. But take heart!

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Hebrews 6:10).

Keep your eyes on the Savior.

He sees. He understands. He sympathizes. He rewards.

Refuge

Refuge

Nudged toward evil by Satan, Cain 's hard-hearted hubris results in Abel's murder and Lilith's broken heart when he is banished, splitting the family and propelling mankind toward ever-increasing violence as their siblings seek revenge. Crushed by what he's done, Cain runs, certain he's destroyed Lilith, his parents, and the entire family. With Satan hounding his every move and no idea of the forces arrayed against him, can Cain ever find God after he's committed a sin of such magnitude? Can he ever be forgiven?

Melinda Viergever Inman was raised in the tornado capital of the U.S.—Wakita, Oklahoma, of "Twister" fame. There her parents met. There her roots were sunk in a storytelling family. During years of relocation, tragedy struck. Wounded and heartbroken, Melinda forsook her roots and ran from herself and from God. A journey of trial and heartache brought her home again. A prodigal now returned to her secure foundation, she writes with passion, illustrating God's love for wounded people as he makes beauty from ashes. Refuge is her first novel. Melinda shepherds women in church and in prison ministry and writes inspirational material on her biweekly blog at http://melindainman.com/blog/. With her family she is involved with Mission India, rescuing orphans and providing theological and job training for impoverished students— http://rimi.org/.

You can learn more and connect with Melinda here:

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Melinda-V-Inman/189731601076470

Website: http://melindainman.com/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelindaVInman  

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/melindavinman/  

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MelindaViergeverInman/posts/p/pub

 

Shine by Susan Tuttle

Diamond

Diamonds are beautiful, aren’t they? What makes them that way? Because they sure aren’t too pretty when they’re mined from the earth. Yet when someone takes them, polishes them, and cuts facets into them they suddenly burst with light. It’s the facets. They catch the light and reflect it in a rainbow of colors back out from the diamond. Gorgeous.

Our writing—our lives—need to be the same in regards to Christ. Many of us write for the CBA market, and there’s a lot of different genres within that market. Even within the same genre the stories vary. For some, the spiritual thread is obvious and unmistakable, for others it plays more quietly in the background. And just like diamonds can be cut in many different styles yet still catch the light, so can our stories.

See, not all women are drawn to the same diamond. As such, all of us will reach separate audiences—and that’s exactly how God intended it! We can’t fault people for having too much God or too little God in their stories as long as ultimately they point to him! As a writer we must write what we’re called to. We must make sure that within each facet of our story, Christ can be seen. The style in which we do it might be different, but the result is the same either way—our story reflects Christ in a brilliant burst of color coming off the page.

So when you sit to write today, make sure you’re carving him into those words. Pray over the audience he has you writing for and how he can best have you reach them. When you do, when you begin faceting that story with him guiding your hand, you’ll find it shines for him on every page.

****

Susan Tuttle

Susan Tuttle is a homeschooling mom of three who is crazy about coffee, dark chocolate, and words—both reading and writing them. Combine that love of words with her passion for leading women to a life-changing encounter with Christ, and you’ll find her crafting Inspirational Contemporary Romance stories laced with humor, love, and healing transformations. When not cheering on her Ironman hubby, chasing the family dog, or tackling complex math problems to teach her kids (yes, even the third grader), you can catch Susan at her blog, Steps.

Researching the 1700’s by Beth White

For me, the earliest days of our American history would seem difficult to research. Fortunately, that didn't stop author Beth White from finding the resources she needed to write her novels. Today, she shares some ideas for those resources. -- Sandy

Beth: First, let me get something off my chest. Research is messy. Research is frustrating. Research can take over your life.

But for most readers, a big part of the enjoyment of a historical novel is learning about an alien time period—which means the author has a responsibility to make that landscape as authentic as possible. So research we must.

I usually start with museums, historical landmarks, and reenactments— whose associated preservation societies can be extremely helpful—within traveling distance. For example, while writing the first draft of The Pelican Bride, I drove up to French and Indian Days at Fort Toulouse in Wetumpka, Alabama, just a couple hours drive north of Mobile. While poking around, I took videos and pictures that were invaluable in developing my setting and characters.

One of the most productive results from that day was a conversation with a French soldier who turned out to be a member of my church! We exchanged phone numbers and email addresses, and Jeff has shared pictures and videos from other reenactments he’s participated in, as well as connecting me with other knowledgeable historians.

Period maps can be found on the internet now, but often those images are reduced to such a small size for web purposes that they become pixilated when enlarged. Local genealogical libraries offer more useful documents, and state libraries have large collections of maps that they will loan or copy for a small fee.

Many primary sources like journals, letters, and essays are available for free in Google books and in the Kindle store, and Writers Digest offers a wonderful series of “Everyday Life in the…” books. Of course all kinds of legitimate sources of information are as close as your favorite search engine, but the most reputable are related to history museums. One of my favorites for the 1700’s is the Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, site. The pages for children contain lots of pictures and rich descriptions of people’s daily lives—as well as some really fun interactive elements. I got lost for a couple of hours one afternoon, clicking around on the “dress a character” page.

For each of my novels, I buy one solid nonfiction history devoted to the time period and setting. I select an accredited author who documents primary sources and still composes a readable narrative. For Pelican Bride I chose Professor Jay Higginbotham’s Old Mobile: Fort Louis de Louisiane 1702-1711. For Creole Princess it was Thomas E. Chávez’s Spain and the Independence of the United States. For Magnolia Duchess (next year’s release), it was Andrew Jackson and Jean Lafitte at the Battle of New Orleans by the inimitable Winston Groom. All three of those books are now dog-eared, highlighted, coffee-stained, and sticky-note-filled. As I read, I make an Excel timeline, because keeping track of related historical events and people by date facilitates plotting and story construction.

Oh, and one more thing before I go. Research is one of my favorite things in the whole world. If you have questions or comments, feel free to chime in on the conversation.

Do you have additional ideas for finding those historical tidbits that make less known eras come alive?

~~~~~

Torn between loyalties to family and flag, one young woman is about to discover that her most important allegiance is to her heart.

It is 1776 and all along the eastern seaboard, the American struggle for independence rages. But in the British-held southern port of Mobile, Alabama, the conflict brewing is much quieter—though no less deadly.

Lyse Lanier may be French in heritage, but she spends most of her time in the company of the ebullient daughter of the British commander of Mobile. When a charming young Spanish merchant docks in town, Lyse is immediately struck by his easy wit and flair for the dramatic. But is he truly who he makes himself out to be? Spies abound, and Spain has yet to choose a side in the American conflict. Is Lyse simply an easy mark for Rafael Gonzalez to exploit? Or are his overtures of love as genuine as Spanish gold?

With spectacular detail that brings the cultural gumbo of the Colonial Gulf Coast alive, Beth White invites you to step into a world of intrigue and espionage from a little-known slice of the American Revolutionary War.

Beth White is the award-winning author of The Pelican Bride. A native Mississippian, she teaches music at an inner-city high school in historic Mobile, Alabama. Her novels have won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award, the RT Book Club Reviewers’ Choice Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award. Learn more at www.bethwhite.net.

“Duplicity, danger, political intrigue, and adventure.”—Booklist on The Pelican Bride

“New France comes alive thanks to intricate detail.”—Publishers Weekly review of The Pelican Bride

“The brutal New World [is] captured with distinct detail in this fast-paced romantic adventure.”—RT Book Reviews on The Pelican Bride