Pray for Rain

“Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field” (Zechariah 10:1).

Have you ever heard the maxim, “Be careful what you wish for; you just might get it”? When I read this verse, that’s the first thing that came to mind. I have prayed for life’s rain. I have prayed for change, for growth, for a richer walk with God. I have prayed fervently for that rain and then I have watched the storm clouds gather.

I have to tell you, sometimes the rain comes in with awful force. I’ve been terrified by tempest gales. I’ve been blinded by striking light. I’ve been pelted by icy stones. You see, sometimes more than a gentle shower is needed to cleanse the grime. Sometimes that topsoil needs to be washed away to reveal fresh, rich soil beneath, soil that’s cultivated to feed seeds.

We are told in Genesis 1:28 to “be fruitful and multiply.” I always thought those two terms went together, instructing humankind to reproduce. However, I learned today that the “fruitful” part may mean to develop the fruit of the Spirit. (“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).) You know what? Fruit cannot grow without a “season of spring rain.”

In your writing, that season of rain may bring rejection letters, harsh critiques, or low sales figures. Do not be afraid when the raindrops fall. Spread your arms wide open and receive God’s healing rain!

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It Falls Apart

I was reading along just fine. I was the heroine, head over heels in love with my hero. I felt the gritty wind of the trail and shivered under twinkling stars, periodically glancing over my shoulder to see if the villain had caught up to us yet. Then, whoa! I was thrown from my thoroughbred into the land of first drafts.

What happened? I was deeply involved in a published novel, one that was written fairly well…until Chapter 15. In my opinion, the author could have neatly disposed of the villain and wrapped everything up into a happy ending within one, maybe two more chapters, but no, the hero had to go traipsing off on another unnecessary adventure and get himself shot. The writing got noticeably sloppy from that point on as well, relying very heavily on dialog and hitting the reader over the head with religion to resolve all the conflicts. What had been smooth and subtle in the first half blew like tumbleweeds in the second.

Now, I don’t know what really happened during the creation of that book, but it felt like the writer got tired of telling her tale and hurried to wrap it up. The closing pages read like first drafts. I think it is imperative that all writers have a peer group of trusted advisors, a handful of friends who will read your material with fresh eyes and let you know where the glitches are. If you don’t have a support group like that, start one yourself! Find a few friends who tell it like it is. Be prepared to take constructive criticism. Encourage one another, but maintain some sensitivity. (Remember your goal is to refine each other’s writing, not spotlight each other’s mistakes!) And let’s all avoid falling apart at Chapter 15.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

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Puppy Clumsy

We have a seven-month-old miniature dachshund named Slinky. He’s absolutely adorable! He loves to romp and wrestle and chew. Our other two dogs have gotten a lot more exercise since he arrived, and when the three of them play together, it’s quite amusing to watch.

Slinky is puppy clumsy. He bats his big ole paws and nudges his velvety nose at his playmates, then tromps right over top of them until they nip back. He rolls over them, scoots under them, jabs at their ears. Doesn’t matter if there’s an obstacle (or a person) in the way; he charges right across. Long drop from the sofa? No problem, he slinks right down like his namesake toy.

Slinky is all play with no inhibition.

Don’t you long to be that way when you write? I sure do! No holding back. I just want to let thoughts flow freely from the creative recesses of my mind. I want stories to nudge me and tromp through my thoughts until I nab them. I want the words to roll over my mind, scoot under the internal editor, and jab my listening ear. I want those ideas to charge right out and slink onto the blank page. I want to be puppy clumsy!

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The Writer

If you are reading this blog, you are not normal. Nope. Not at all. Because you are a writer. Please allow me to introduce you to, well, you.

You hear voices. Characters whisper in your ear. You see them too. The intricate beadwork on her gown, the plush velvet cape, those pearls…his killer blue eyes. They tease you with tidbits and tales until you relent to recording their rendezvous.

You organize. OK, to some people that might look like one big mess, but all those Post-It Notes stuck on the wall are really an intricate storyboard detailing each plot and scheme.

You persevere. You must. You cannot stop until you’ve written every last detail. If you leave your characters hanging, they may, like Pirandello's Six Characters, seek out another storyteller.

You obsess. You could edit to infinity. This verb is stronger than that one. Show, don’t tell! Torque, morph, develop, improve. Master. Submit.

You bite your nails. You sweat. Waiting to hear from that editor or agent, you’ve paced a rut in your hardwood floor.

You have tough skin. More than one rejection has taught you this publishing game’s not personal. “Your piece doesn’t fit our market.” “That subject just isn’t selling right now.” “This is very well written, but…” You send it out again.

You come back for more. Again and again. You get knocked down, but you get up again and you keep on going, because you know you have a message to deliver to someone out there, and you are the one who’s been called to task.

No, there’s nothing normal about you. And I pray that never changes, my friend.

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This Sums It Up

I saw this on Facebook last week and literally laughed out loud! Yes, yes, yes! These rules are so simple, yet so frequently broken that it’s really not a laughing matter. I’m very active in the world of blogging, and honestly, when I see poorly written material, I can’t get off that site fast enough. How unprofessional! If you’re going to write for publication—any type of publication—you should present not only your most thought-out material, but also your most correctly written work. A lack of grammatical correctness shows a lack of respect for the reader.

The peeves mentioned certainly are not the comprehensive guidelines of writing in the English (US) language, but I beg of you, please take note of those 10 rules. Learn them. Memorize them. Above all, put them into practice! To do otherwise renders communication ineffectual.

…Aim for perfection… 2 Corinthians 13:11

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Of Noble Character

I read a very good book the other day. The characters were so well developed that after I finished the book, I wondered what they were doing now. That’s quality writing!

My old college professor once reduced fiction to this: something happens to someone. He emphasized that the someone is the key to the story. It’s the someone about whom your reader cares. It’s the someone to whom your reader relates. It’s the someone feeling, affecting, becoming that your reader watches, feels for, worries about…and loves, or loves to hate.

Developing fictional characters requires dedication, especially if you write Christian fiction. You want not only to entertain, but also to make the reading worth the reader’s time. Have you created someone the reader would recognize if he bumped into him in real life? Have you made your hero someone your reader would be proud to know, or your villain someone the reader would be terrified to meet on the street?

Discipleship Tools tells us, “Character is a spiritual Fruit that is built from our real, godly relationship and commitment to Christ as LORD. It is the fiber of our moral center that stretches throughout our being, embracing and holding together our relationships when it is sealed as a choice and commitment, and not just a feeling or a personality.” Many character traits are discussed in Galatians 5:22-23, and dozens of others are found throughout the Bible. So when you’re creating someones for your readers to love (or loathe), keep these traits in mind:

• Love will enable us to appreciate our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and, of course, our family, and others around us.
• Joy will allow us to enjoy His creation, others, and our circumstances with an expression of delight and real, authentic happiness from and with harmony with God and others.
• Peace is surrendering and yielding to the Lord’s control, for He is our ultimate peace!
• Patience is showing tolerance and fortitude to others, and even accepting difficult situations from them and God without making demands and conditions.
• Kindness is practicing benevolence and a loving attitude towards others.
• Goodness displays integrity, honesty, and compassion to others, and allows us to do the right thing.
• Faithfulness is the “gluing” fruit that will preserve our faith and the other characters of the Spirit as well as identify God's Will so we can be dependable and trusting to God and others.
• Gentleness is the character that will show calmness, personal care, and tenderness in meeting the needs of others.
• Self-Control will allow us to have discipline, and restraint with obedience to God and others. (via Discipleship Tools; more can be found here)

Believe it or not, villains often start out as noble characters and at a critical point in the plot either choose ignoble desires or have their true, evil intentions revealed. While the fruits of the Spirit and other biblical character qualities may not seem to apply to all someones, they are still useful for developing characters fully, even if it means looking to them to develop completely opposite traits. And remember, it’s not the something that’s so important in a story, as much as it is the someone to whom it happens.



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The M.O.M. Initiative

I have joined with some wonderful ladies in a great new ministry called The M.O.M. Initiative. I am really quite honored, and to be honest, humbled, to be included in such an amazing group of women who love the Lord so dearly and give of themselves so freely. 

We are officially launching the new website today and invite you to check it out. You will find many encouraging articles and helpful resources online, and a supplemental workbook is forthcoming. Learn more about The M.O.M. Initiative below, and let us know how we can serve you!

What’s The M.O.M. Initiative?

While many women dream of being the perfect mom who has all the right answers, never raises her voice and never has to count to three, we all know it’s not always easy being a mom. Those sweet little bundles of joy don’t come packaged with instruction manuals or warning labels and moms are often left to figure it out on their own.

The M.O.M. Initiative is an acrostic for Mothers On a Mission to Mentor Other Mothers. It exists as a group of moms and a package of resources to equip, enable and support women as they experience Titus 2 in real life. We want to help moms become the best moms they can possibly be.

The Website:

The M.O.M. Initiative website offers virtual encouragement for real life moms. The website exists as safe place to grow as a mother, to gain a better understanding of what a mother is and what a mother does and to foster and support mentor/mentee relationships.

Along with practical tips, helpful tools, godly wisdom and informative insight on current issues, The M.O.M. Initaitive website also offers a private chat room where a mom can connect with a ‘virtual’ mentor and find help in times of need. The website offers help for the mentor as well as the mentee.

The articles on The M.O.M. Initiative website are provided by a wonderful group of moms who are passionate about ministering to the hearts of mothers. Some are writers, speakers, counselors, nurses or experts in their fields, yet they all devote much time and effort to serving other mothers in whatever season of life they find themselves.

The Workbook:

The M.O.M. Initiative workbook is being developed to serve as a tool in the hands of Christian moms to help foster mentoring relationships beyond the four walls of the church and take Titus 2 to the streets. It will be an eight week study containing five lessons per week. Each day the mentee will be presented with biblical truths as well as mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and developmental needs of a child. She will also gain insight through thought provoking questions encouraging her to implement proactive mothering techniques.

The workbook will also provide a M.O.M. mentor guide and a missional planning guide in the back of the book.

Summed up, The M.O.M. Initiative is a missional mentoring package of resources that will give Christian mothers an easy, hands on approach to passionately pursue mentor relationships with younger mothers and mothers-to-be, and ultimately impact the next generation for Christ.

How Did The M.O.M. Initiative Get Started?

The M.O.M. Initiative was birthed from founder, Stephanie Shott’s own story. At the age of nineteen, she was a single mom. Without Christ and without a mentor, she made a series of serious choices that affected her precious young son. After becoming a Christian five years later she learned being a mom is much more than a three letter word and a handful of sacrifices. She also realize the significance of Titus 2:4-5.

What’s the Vision for The M.O.M. Initiative?

We believe that if the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world, then the church that mentors those hands will win it.

The primary vision for The M.O.M. Initiative is that it not only be limited to those who enter the four walls of the church, but that it also be used to facilitate mentor relationships in homes for unwed mothers, in low income housing projects, apartment complexes, homeless shelters, prisons, juvenile shelters, schools, hospitals, the mission field and anywhere young mothers can be found. (Planning guides for each of these venues will be available in the back of the book.)

We are mothers on a mission to mentor other mothers and we really want to change the world one mom at a time! Won’t you join us?!

The M.O.M. Initiative is not just a book. It’s not just a website. IT’S A REVOLUTION!

To join the revolution and become a M.O.M. Mentor, please click the link: http://www.themominitiative.com/contact-form-to-join-the-revolution/

To learn more about The M.O.M. Initiative, you can visit our website at: http://www.themominitiative.com

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Does That Make Sense?

In any language, whether spoken or written, there exists a structured syntax, a set of grammar rules to regulate sentence construction. Without such organization, language would be ineffectual, right? Random words gestured haphazardly make no sense.

Even made-up languages maintain structure. Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky of Through the Looking Glass is sheer nonsense. Or is it?

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

The poem’s theme may not be immediately evident, but it has rhythm and rhyme and structure and some sort of imagery of which main character Alice herself says, “Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas—only I don’t know exactly what they are!”

What about languages long since outdated and archaic? Take this piece of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales in Middle English, for example:

But ye that holden this tale a folye,
As of a fox, or of a cok and hen,
Taketh the moralitee, goode men.
For Seint Paul seith that al that written is,
To our doctrine it is y-write, y-wis.
Taketh the fruyt, and lat the chaf be stille.

Indeed a message can be discerned without the benefit of a translator. Well-written material with proper structure—grammar, syntax, punctuation, formatting—can leave quite an impact on the reader. It is effective communication that can leave quite an impression, even when the words are not completely understood.

So learn the language in which you write. Know its rules and know how to break them correctly. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV), because “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33) and neither should you be.

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A Homeless Man in Holy Socks

I drove my usual route to work one gloomy January Tuesday. It was 42 degrees and misty in Dallas. Along the sidewalk near my office strode a slender man about forty, in need of a shave and carrying a small duffle bag. Nothing intimidating about him; he did not appear threatening. He just walked. But it was 42 degrees and he wore only a flannel shirt, jeans and flip-flops with socks. If you can call them socks. They were more like holes held together with string.

I was young, petite, alone in my car and afraid to offer a ride. I had maybe 50 cents in my wallet. I wondered what I could give him. I considered making a u-turn and running in to the convenience store to purchase something, anything, to warm him but feared he’d be gone before I returned. Just days before, I’d had a packing blanket in the trunk of my car. If only I hadn’t stored it away. All I had to offer was a prayer for his safety and comfort.

When I arrived at my office, I asked if anyone else had seen him. Though most had entered from the same direction at about the same time, they had not. I peered down to the street from my sixth floor window. I could see quite a distance, but the only people around were other workers scurrying in from the cold. Where had he gone? When I went out at lunch, I searched street corners. Surely, a homeless man in holey socks would be panhandling as there were no shelters in the area. He was gone!

A Colin Raye song played in my mind. “What if Jesus came back like that?” the song asks. “Where would He find our hearts are at? Would we let Him in or turn our backs? What if Jesus came back like that?” I had turned my back! The stranger was in need, and I had not assisted him in any way. I was unprepared.

At home that evening I packed the blanket back in my trunk. Then I took a brand new pair of my husband’s socks from his drawer and tucked them under the front passenger seat of my car. There those socks remained for five years.

I drove that same route to work every day, and each morning I hoped to see the man along the sidewalk. I prayed for him, that his circumstances had improved, and if I saw him again, I’d be prepared to clothe the King (Matthew 25:34-40 NIV).

Although the man did not physically get into my car, he has journeyed with me through the past 10 years. I’ve often thought of the homeless man in holy socks and wondered what became of him, or if he was even real. Perhaps the man was an angel sent to remind me, “There will always be poor people in the land,” and to instruct me, “Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land” (Deuteronomy 15:11, NIV).

At this season of giving, let’s remember those around us who may are struggling to make ends meet. Let’s edit our finances and help another in need so no one else walks the thread right out of their socks.

An earlier version of this post originally appeared in 2009. As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, let's remember to BE Jesus to the world.

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Following God through the Bible: The Book of Ecclesiastes

The latest in AMG Publishers' Following God through the Bible series, Ecclesiastes: Understanding What Matters Most, is a six-week workbook study that takes an in-depth look at Ecclesiastes. This debut offering from author Stephanie Shott provides a Christian woman’s unique perspective into an oft misunderstood book of the Bible.

To place events in context, the study begins with an historical overview of how Solomon became king. As the son of King David, Solomon’s life had been mapped out for him, and he embraced it fully.

When time came for Solomon to take his father’s throne, God spoke to him, offering Solomon whatever he should ask. Solomon chose wisdom. God was so pleased with this humble request, he also granted Solomon great success and favor. However, Solomon made many mistakes throughout his reign. Despite doing much to honor the Lord, Solomon also made many unwise choices. And he recorded all he learned in the process in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Stephanie Shott’s honest and sincere approach immediately dissolves any trepidation readers may have about looking at their own lives and the choices they’ve made along the way. In this study, she graciously points out the heart of every man is written in the pages of Scripture. Readers in all walks of life are sure to identify with and be encouraged by Solomon’s wisdom. As they turn this pages of this workbook, they will be challenged to live lives of purpose and will come to know “what really matters most in this life we live under the sun.”

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for review and promotion.
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How Well Do You Hear?

I explained in my last post that I am learning new ways to listen. I am a bit discouraged to report my hearing has not been restored, but I have hope. Like I said in that article, I am being more diligent to listen and not just hear.

Well, the writing process mimics life to the extent that we must be attentive to the story that's longing to be told. Be it fiction or non, our job as writers is to communicate. If we are not tuned into that message, the pieces we write will be ineffectual.

I don't like to waste words, so I make sure I do not interfere with what needs to be heard. Here's how I get ME out of the way:

"Remove the ME"

by Jodi Whisenhunt

I

just fail.

I

am in the way.

Lord, take

Me

away, remove

Me.

Speak through

Me.

Live through

Me.

Flow from

Me.

So

I

cease to exist.

Don't make

Me

Your instrument.

I

am Yours already, just

remove the ME.

May the Lord fill you with Himself so you may be receptive to His word and effective in His ministry.

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Learning New Ways to Listen

I guess I got too good at tuning things out, so God turned off my left ear. I’m hoping it’s temporary, and I go to the doctor on Wednesday to check things out, but for the last three weeks my hearing has been lopsided.

What happened?

Well, to be completely honest, I lived life my way. I made some decisions I thought were alright with God, despite the fact I never truly had peace about them. I marched forward anyway thinking it was an opportunity of a lifetime. I thought surely since the door had been opened I was meant to walk through it.

But not all open doors are held by the hand of God.

I’m not saying God physically punished me for disobedience, although He is capable of such thing. He did, however, allow certain consequences to occur in response to my lack of faithfulness.

So I am learning new ways to listen:

1)      I am attentive to God’s voice. I make conscious effort to hear Him speak. And He almost never shouts.

2)      I request discernment. I want to hear His voice and none other. The voice of truth, not of deceit.

3)      I get Satan behind me. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7, NIV). Satan is “a stumbling block to me,” so with Jesus’ help I send him away (Matthew 16:23, NIV).

4)      I get myself behind me. Personal pride just trips me up. “…not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42, NIV).

5)      I obey. I repent and ask forgiveness and then I DO. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22, NKJV).

My ear will heal, be it now or when I get home to heaven. In the meantime, I will listen intently.

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Edited by RA

Writing can sometimes be a pain. For me, literally. I am blessed with an autoimmune disease called Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). That is a bit of a misnomer, as RA is neither rheumatic nor arthritic. It is a confused human body that wages war against its own healthy tissue, destroying joints, connective tissue, and internal organs, and causing a plethora of other potential debilities. It disfigures. It hinders. It hurts. A lot. It progressively worsens and it never goes away.

RA has edited my life.

But I know a real-life warrior! She battles this disease herself, but she doesn’t fight alone. Her name is Kelly Young, and she advocates for patients with autoimmune diseases, such as the one she and I share. This post today is part of a blog carnival to increase awareness of these illnesses and bring better understanding and better treatment and care to those afflicted. Thank you for indulging me a bit today, as this Aim for Perfection Editing post ventures from the realm of writing!

One thing Kelly has discovered by interacting with thousands of folks via her RAWarrior website is that RA and other similar ailments are often misdiagnosed and misunderstood, and therefore mistreated or not treated at all. I suppose I am fortunate to have received an accurate diagnosis immediately upon onset. Many are not so lucky and spend years suffering needlessly. Some are told repeatedly that they are not sick, because autoimmune diseases can be invisible. Oftentimes, symptoms do not show outwardly; there are no physical signs. Sometimes, the markers, or lab numbers, do not register in blood work. Other times, an uncompassionate physician simply dismisses the patient’s complaints.

What could be done to reduce the time it takes to receive a diagnosis in such cases? I think doctors need to educate themselves—not by reading textbooks but by listening to their patients—and stop looking at numbers and statistics to define debility. Every patient is unique. Certain symptoms can be present across the board, but sometimes they are missing from the equation. If our condition has brought us to the point of seeking help, we need you to help us.

We do not need to be doubted. We do not need to be judged. We do not need you to minimize what we say we feel. We do not need to be drugged and dismissed. We do need to be heard. We need compassion. We need relief. We need your support, because we need hope.

I have a wonderful rheumatologist now who listens to my concerns, who cares about reducing the limitations RA imposes on my life, who works with me to relieve flares and prevent further damage. She asks me questions, and she pays attention to my reply. I appreciate her very much!

People have asked me why I say I am blessed with RA when it seems a curse. My answer is simple. God has chosen me for this task. He deems me worthy to do His work. A difficult chore, yes, but I am honored to have been selected and I am blessed to receive this assignment.

Read others’ experiences and find my onset story at RAWarrior. See more blog carnival articles here.

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A Social Network Christmas

This is one of the most creative pieces I've seen in a while! Enjoy! Merry Christmas, everyone!

What's in Your Wallet?

What’s in your wallet? If you’re a fiction writer, that’s what you need to ask your main character. Look! He just dropped it on the ground. Let’s go take a peek!

Of course, he has the usual driver’s license, insurance information and at least one credit card. Wait! What’s that? Interesting, it’s a Visa that expired three years ago. Let’s keep looking. Aw, there’s a nice picture of his family. It’s a bit faded, soft and worn around the edges. One corner’s actually stuck to the plastic holder. Must have been there awhile. Looks like something’s tucked in behind it. Weird! There’s a pink string off his wife’s favorite blouse and a crumpled gum wrapper with “I love you” written on it. I think we know enough. Let’s return the wallet to its owner now.

What you find in your main character’s wallet are the things that matter most to him. The things that matter most to him are the things that define his character. His character is what drives the story, what makes the reader care. In fiction, something happens to someone. If the reader doesn’t care about the someone, he won’t care about the something either, and he will close the book.

So what about the wallet’s contents? I think what’s in there explains the fight he has taken to City Hall. If he can illegalize dump trucks and get them off city roads, maybe, just maybe he can prevent the death of another innocent mother and her children. If only that one hadn’t barreled through the traffic light on Main Street three years ago…

What’s in your main character’s wallet is what makes your reader laugh—or cry—it’s what makes them feel the character’s angst. Help us get to know your characters as well as you know them. Take another look in that wallet!

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Andrea Carter and the Price of Truth, by Susan K. Marlow

Trouble has no problem finding thirteen-year-old Andrea (Andi) Carter. Despite best intentions, her plans almost always get thwarted. In this sixth and final book of the Circle C Adventures series, Andrea Carter and the Price of Truth, Andi secretly plans to earn money herself so she can give her mother a very special birthday gift. But keeping those plans a secret from her family is easier said than done.

One of Andi’s ideas seems to be working out. That is, until she identifies an upstanding citizen, and her brother’s best friend, at the scene of a back-alley murder. When the town bully holds her beloved horse hostage, pressuring Andi to recant, the young girl must decide if the price of telling the truth is worth the cost of losing Taffy. Her thoughts express her frustration, “All I did was tell the truth, and now everything’s in a muddle.”

While this book brings the series to a close, Price of Truth is quite enjoyable on its own and can stand alone. I do recommend reading books one through five, though, to get to know Andi, her friends, and her family, and to catch a glimpse of the Old West and 1880s America.

A FREE, downloadable, 24-page enrichment guide comes with each book in the Circle C Adventures series and includes:
• Vocabulary
• Discussion Questions
• Geography
• A "Closer Look" at history that ties in with the book
• "Just for fun" hands-on activities, crafts, cooking, or games
Lapbooks are available by separate purchase for grades 3-6. Find it all at Circle C Adventures!

Now younger children can get to know Andi too! The first two books of Susan’s Circle C Beginnings, a new series of early reader chapter books that introduce a six-year-old Andi to the elementary audience, have just been released. Each Circle C Beginnings book has color covers and illustrated pictures, with FREE supplemental activities available online. Visit Andi’s blog for an adorable treat to hear little Andi herself tell all about it.

The Circle C Adventures and Circle C Beginnings series are wholesome reading for the entire family. Read more about Susan in this Aim for Perfection Editing interview or by visiting her website.

Compensation Disclosure: I received one complimentary copy of this book from Kregel in exchange for reviewing it on my blog.

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Sharing Recipes

In light of the holiday season, I'm sharing a couple of my favorite recipes with you! Hope you enjoy them! And do feel free to share with friends and family.

"Your Best Writing Ever!"

Ingredients:

• YOU
• A dash of creativity
• Sprinkle of inspiration
• 1 Comfy chair
• 1 Computer word processor (may substitute pen and paper)
• Peace and quiet to taste
• Optional ingredients: dictionary, thesaurus

Prepare YOU ahead of time by spending time alone in prayer and the study of God's Word. Here you will receive the creativity and inspiration to spice things up. Once YOU are prepared, situate YOUrself in your favorite workspace, complete with comfy chair and preferred writing utensil. The necessary simmer time varies per project and may require anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. I have found the optional ingredients tend to improve flavor.

Serve fresh to anyone who requests!

OK, here's one you can eat!

"Pumpkin Soup"

Ingredients:
1/4 C onion, finely chopped
1/4 C celery, finely chopped
1 small clove fresh garlic, minced
1/4 C olive oil
1 C chicken broth (reserve remainder of can)
1 15-oz can Libby's pumpkin (I've tried other brands & it turns out yucky! Use Libby's!)
Half & Half
salt
pepper
Ritz or Club crackers

Saute onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until vegetables are transparent. Lightly salt and pepper them and stir. Add 1 C of chicken broth (reserving remainder) and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 can pumpkin. Add 1 C Half & Half and stir out lumps. Add remainder of pumpkin and another C Half & Half and stir til smooth. (Add additional cream or reserved chicken broth if needed for desired consistency.) Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with Ritz or Club crackers. (Serves 4.)

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Red Ink, by Kathi Macias

Zhen-Li, a young Chinese woman raised in a prominent family, marries a Christian peasant and adopts his faith. Her parents, obedient to the Chinese government, are appalled and ostracize Zhen-Li and her husband. When Zhen-Li becomes pregnant for the second time and refuses to have an abortion, her family pays to have her kidnapped and the baby aborted.

Zhen-Li stands firm in her faith and boldly teaches children about Zhu Yesu ("Lord Jesus"), distributing Christian literature every chance she gets until she is imprisoned and accused of adopting a foreign religion “who regularly surrendered state secrets to foreign devils.” Her faith does not falter during torturous “re-education” sessions, and Zhen-Li continues to minister to her cellmate, fellow prisoners, even the brutal prison guard, Tai Tong.

Kathi Macias’ Red Ink is based loosely on the life of Christian magazine editor Li Ying, who is currently serving a ten-year prison sentence in China for printing and distributing Christian materials, particularly to children, and for whom the author prays daily. As a reminder for Christians to “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering” (Hebrews 13:3 NIV), a secondary story line follows two ladies in a nursing home in California who see to it they accomplish one thing if nothing else each day, to pray for those afflicted, especially someone in China.

Though I have enjoyed other works by Kathi Macias, this is the first of her novels I’ve read. So far, there’s been nothing she’s written I would not recommend. Kathi is a very talented, multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 30 books and ghostwritten several others. She has taught writing courses, been a guest on many radio and television programs, is a popular speaker, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, California, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley. You can learn more about Kathi at her website or blog.


NOTE: A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me as a blog tour host by New Hope Publishers in exchange for posting this interview on my blog. Please visit Christian Speaker Services at www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com for more information about blog tour management services.

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Pull the Wool Over Your Eyes

I relieved the nursery caregiver during the children’s naptime. For a few minutes, I rocked beside a little girl asleep on her mat. I glanced down to see one little eye peeking up at me. The other opened and together they blinked away dazed confusion.

I smiled and kept rocking. The little girl’s eyelids heavied. She pulled her blanket up over her eyes, and returned to peaceful slumber.

I’ve done that before. I’ve believed, “If I can’t see the monster, it’s not really there!” And I have closed my mind to scary possibilities, believing if I shut my eyes and squeeze them tight, the danger disappears.

If I can’t see the monster, it’s not really there!

Obviously, in real danger, that way of thinking doesn’t work, but when it comes to writing for publication, it’s a downright good idea. Many times I’ve been on a roll, writing pages and pages and pages, when into my subconscience creeps a great big, ugly monster: Fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of acceptance. Fear of insignificance. Fear of importance. A dichotomy of desire and doubt that halts my progress and tempts me to hit DELETE.

So I close my eyes to the monster. Because, you know what? It’s not really there! Fear is a perception. It’s an emotion. It’s a deceiver. It’s Satan’s trick to prevent me from accomplishing God’s goals. If I let it scare me into quitting, I will make no impact on the world at all. I will not “go into all the world and make disciples” with my writing. I will not be a “good and faithful servant.” I will be serving the wrong master.

Next time that big, ugly Fear monster creeps up on you, do what I do. Go ahead and pull the wool up over your eyes!

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Twitter Tutorial

A good friend of mine who is relatively new to the Twitterverse asked me for a tutorial. She wasn’t sure how to make the most of social media. I’m sure this is not comprehensive, but here's what I know. If you have any helpful advice to add, please let us know in the comments. Thanks!

OK, so the obvious first step is to set up an account and sign into Twitter. You should choose a user name that accurately reflects what you represent. I suggest using either your own name or your business name so it’s easy for others to find you. Likewise, your profile picture should be either a quality, professional-looking photo of yourself or one of something that identifies your business.

Most of the initial setup depends on your personal preferences, like backgrounds, mobile settings, etc. You can use Twitter’s assortment of backgrounds, upload your own, or download one from a third-party site like twitrounds or twitterbackgrounds. Tweets will not be sent as messages to your cell phone unless you select that option. When you write your brief bio, be succinct. You have one sentence to communicate to the world who you are and what your tweets will be about.

Ready to tweet? You have 140 characters or less to express yourself! If you’re not a minimalist, this may seem daunting, but with practice and abbreviations, you’ll do fine. Here are some things you’ll need to know:
• Start following people! You need to follow to get followed. Be sure to create lists so that as the number of people you follow increases, you'll be able to keep them organized for more manageable viewing.
• Please follow more than 50 people. Most people who follow me and don't follow many other people call me a Twitter queen, because I do tweet frequently. To be effective, you need to build a following with whom you converse & build relationships, and you should post a minimum of 8-10 tweets a day.
• Direct messages are private conversations between you and a friend. You can only direct message (DM) someone who is following you. Even if you are following that person, it will not go through unless they follow you back.
• To mention someone without direct messaging, use @name (ex: @JodiWhisenhunt). This will show up on their sidebar mentions section. Check this often so you know when people are conversing with you!
• Fridays are "Follow Friday," when people recommend their favorite tweeps to follow. You'll see the hashtags #FF, #follow, or #FollowFriday. I think some people do this for every weekday, but Friday is the main one.
• Hashtags are used to help people search for topics of interest. They’re Twitter’s version of keywords. For instance, if you tweet a lot about Disney, you’ll want use #Disney to help people find your tweets.
• Twitter people are very courteous. We thank others when they mention us (aside from just conversing - like when they #FF us) and we thank them when they RT us.
• RT means retweet. That's when someone re-posts something someone else said. Like, if you tweet about a great book you reviewed and I want to let my followers know about it too, I will post: RT @yournamehere Just read great book! http://www.whateverthelinkis.com #bookreview (or whatever you've said) You will see this in your mentions and reply to thank me for the RT :) [By the way, I have seen statistics that tweets posted between 3:00-4:00PM on Friday afternoons are most likely to be RT’d.]
• You ought to use URL shorteners like bit.ly to create an abbreviated link so you have more room to say what you want to say.

Several third-party social media managers exist for those who multitask. HootSuite, TweetDeck, TweetLater, and Ping.fm are some that allow you to manage several accounts in one location. You can pull feed from and post to multiple social media sites simultaneously, schedule tweets to post at a specific date/time, or pull RSS from blogs or websites. You can also view your mentions and direct messages all on one convenient page. I am not really an expert in any of those, although I do use TweetDeck occasionally.

Pulling your blog feed to Twitter can be done different ways. Twitter itself does not offer that option; it has to be through a third party like the social media managers mentioned above or through sites like Twitterfeed. Twitterfeed requires three simple steps: 1) sign up, 2) identify your RSS, and 3) create the feed. If this method does not work for you, see if your webmaster can add necessary adjustments. I believe blog hosts like Wordpress and Blogger offer the option to post updates to Twitter (correct me in the comments if I’m mistaken!). Personally, I prefer to tweet my blog updates myself. I do this so I can customize what the tweet says. Automatic ones usually just put the title and a link or a generic statement. I usually want to add a hashtag and additional information.

You can also pull your Twitter feed to display on your blog. Most blog hosts have widgets to assist you, or you can simply click the RSS feed option at the bottom of your Twitter page’s right-hand sidebar. Be sure to add a “Follow Me on Twitter” button to your blog or website.

Mainly, be relevant and stay current. You will lose followers and/or stop gaining them if you do not maintain your presence. Click here to see an earlier post of a video I made about the benefits of social media networking. Happy tweeting!