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Parting Words From The WORD . . . Reach Out in Ministry and Receive

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By Vonda Skelton | January 30, 2015
Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

(Now, before you wonder if I’ve lost my mind and converted to a “prosperity Christianity,” please hear me out. This post is far from it.)

As Christians, one of our responsibilities is to reach out to others and minister in His Great Name. The concepts of ministry and outreach are repeated throughout His word. From Israel’s Old Testament patriarchs to the New Testament teachers, we receive the continuous message to be the hands and feet of Christ, shining His Light into this dark, dark world. We’re instructed to care for widows and children, feed the hungry, visit those in prison, and love the unlovable.

Reaching out is not simply a concept to consider, it’s a command to obey. Jesus Himself said we’re to not only love the Lord with all our being, but to love others as we love ourselves. Bottom line: Christ-followers MUST be in ministry through love and compassion.

On the surface, it’s easy to see the benefits of service. Through our efforts, the poor and rejected receive food, clothing, help, encouragement, and love…all in the Name of Christ. And we feel good when we do what we’re called to do.

But what about when it doesn’t feel good? What about those times when we want to walk away?

Perhaps that’s when the ministry is as much for our benefit as it is for theirs. Perhaps that’s when God plans to teach us something through our serving. Perhaps we’re the ones who need to learn new lessons.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV)

So if the time comes when you’re ministering, but just not feeling it . . . maybe it’s time to ask God what He wants to teach you.

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Interview & Book Give-Away with Lori Hatcher

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By Vonda Skelton | January 27, 2015

Lori Hatcher-1Hello, friends! Welcome to another Christian Writer’s Den author interview. Today’s guest is my friend and Christian Communicators grad, author and speaker Lori Hatcher. Lori’s new book, Hungry for God, Starving for Time: 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women, has just been released. And she’s here to tell us about her journey!

Be sure to leave a comment and you’ll be in the drawing for a free book! Don’t forget to return next week to see if you’re the winner.

Welcome, Lori. Let’s start with an easy question: Why write a five-minute devotional for busy women?

Because I know how hard it is for women to carve out time for God. I’m a wife, a mother, I work outside (and inside) the home, I volunteer at church, the list goes on and on. There are days when I want to spend time with God, but I’m not sure how to fit it in. I wanted to create a resource that would help busy women connect with God wherever they find five minutes for quiet reflection—carpool lines, break rooms, yes, even the bathroom, although you won’t find that on my book jacket!

Sounds like a book we all could use! What three words would you say summarize your writing style?

Transparent, quirky, and relevant.

I totally agree! In your book, each devotion begins with a Facetime question. Tell us about that.

I was always the kid who asked why? I guess I never completely grew up, because I’m still asking why? Facetime questions are questions a woman would like to ask God if she could see him face to face. They’re usually questions I’ve asked myself, like God, this is so broken, does it do any good to pray? or God, nobody  notices what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? Some of the Facetime questions are lighthearted, like God, I’m having a bad hair day. What can I do to feel better about myself? Others are serious, like God, I can’t believe she said that to me. Why shouldn’t I respond the same way? The five-minute devotion that follows is the answer to the question—based on Scripture and wrapped in a real-life story busy women will relate to.

How long did it take you to write your book?

Readers ask me that often, and I tell them, “I’ve been gathering material for 50 years.” I never know what life experience or memory the Holy Spirit is going to pull out when he rummages around in the back of my mind looking for something to connect a scriptural principle to. Sometimes I’m entirely unprepared for what He dredges up. It just goes to prove that nothing is wasted in God’s economy.

Which is your favorite devotion?

Hm. It’s probably a tie between “The Day the Car Caught Fire” and “Skinny White Woman.” Although you won’t find the second title in the book. My editor made me change it to “An Inheritance from Grandmother Eve,” but it will always be “Skinny White Woman” in my mind.

What’s your best reader response to your book?

I love hearing that people are buying the book to give to non-Christian or nominally-Christian friends. The “busy woman” focus makes it less scary. People know that I share the Gospel in the last devotion, called “Hopeless in the Chocolate Factory,” and they see it as a non-threatening way to share their faith with someone they care about by giving them my book.

“Hopeless in the Chocolate Factory,” now that’s an intriguing title for a devotion. Tell me about it.

That devotion is based on the old I Love Lucy show where Lucy and Ethel were stuck on the assembly line packaging chocolates. The harder they worked, the more behind they got until they were completely overwhelmed, ineffective, and hopeless. That pretty much describes our lives without Christ. It’s the perfect segue into the Gospel.

I love that analogy! So, who’s been your toughest critic?

My mom. She’s also been one of my best encouragers, but she’s not a reader. She just doesn’t enjoy it. Two days after I gave her the beta copy of Hungry for God, she called me to tell me she had taken it to bed with her. Before she knew it, she’d read half the book. She finished it the next night.

Okay, one last question before we go. What’s one detail about your book you’d like our readers to know?

These aren’t cotton candy devotions. I ask hard questions, and God has given me good answers. I like to describe Hungry for God like a spiritual power bar—solid, biblical nutrition to get you through the day.

A spiritual power bar! Great comparison! Thanks for being with us today, Lori. And readers, don’t forget to leave a comment and you’ll be in the drawing for a free copy of Hungry for God, Starving for Time.

Bio: Lori Hatcher is an author, blogger, and women’s ministry speaker. She shares an empty nest in Columbia, South Carolina, with her ministry and marriage partner, David, and best dog ever, Winston. She’s the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine, works part time as a Registered Dental Hygienist, and homeschooled her daughters “from birth to college.” She’s authored two devotional books, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women and  Joy in the Journey – Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time . Connect with her on Facebook (Hungry for God), Twitter (@lorihatcher2) or by email ().

Check out the YouTube Book Promo, filmed at the Christian Communicators ADVANCED Conference:

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Parting Words From The WORD…Is It Possible to Stop Telling Others?

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By Vonda Skelton | January 23, 2015
Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

Don’t you love reading His Word and finding something you’d never noticed–or at least never considered–before? In my reading a few years ago, I found a such a verse.

In Acts 4, Peter and John have been called before the Council by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some Saducees because they were healing and preaching the resurrection of the dead. They were thrown in jail.

The next morning the leaders decided that in order to keep Peter and John from spreading their message, they would warn them not to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus again. And here’s where it gets exciting:

But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19-20 NIV

“We cannot stop telling…”

What about me? What about you? Can we say that? Can we say that we can’t stop telling the Good News of Jesus?

I recently heard that we should have our testimony ready in a variety of forms, to be delivered at a moment’s notice. We should have a 30-second “elevator pitch” testimony, a 2-minute testimony, a longer one, and a fully-written, fleshed-out version.

After all, we have the Good News of the mercy, grace, and love of Jesus. We cannot stop telling everyone about it.

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Writing Opportunities & Conferences and Who Won Linda Goldfarb’s Book?

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By Vonda Skelton | January 20, 2015
Image courtesy of StuartMiles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of StuartMiles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It’s our 3rd Tuesday and time to help you find writing opportunities!

1.  Chicken Soup is ALWAYS looking for stories! Currently looking for stories about dreams, nurses, luck, Christmas, and volunteering.

2.  Celebrate Life Magazine

3.  Horse-lovers, this one’s for you! Appaloosa Journal writing guidelines. 

4. American Falconry

5. Writer’s Digest Magazine writing guidelines

6. Bee Culture 

7. Anyone from Bloomington, IN? Writing guidelines from Bloom Magazine.  

8. Catholic Digest

9. WOW: Women on Writing (scroll down for guidelines)

10. Cat Fancy guidelines

11. Faith Today Magazine  

12. Kaleidoscope Magazine focuses on disabilities 

13. Northern Breezes sailing magazine for Great Lakes and Midwest sailing

14. The Secret Place writing guidelines for devotions   

15. Now What? Magazine is looking for stories

16. Reach Out, Columbia is looking for articles Spring/Summer/Easter articles. Contact editor Lori Hatcher at .

Okay, writers! I can’t wait to see what comes of your efforts this month!

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Image courtesy of StuartMiles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of StuartMiles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 If you’re serious about writing and speaking, you’ll be serious about attending

conferences. 

When I first started this writing journey, I didn’t have money for conferences, so I asked my family and friends to contribute to my conference fund rather than giving me gifts for Christmas, birthday, Valentine’s Day, anniversary, and Mother’s Day. That went a long way towards my conferences. You might want to try it, too.

Here’s a list of upcoming writing and/or speaking conferences. Make your plans now to attend at least one conference a year. You wouldn’t expect to get a job without being prepared and qualified, would you? You can be sure your chances of publication increase with your training and experience in writing as well.

1.  Writers ADVANCE Boot Camp: February 20-22, 2015, Asheville, NC

2.  Florida Christian Writers Conference: February 25-March 1, 2015, Leesburg, FL

3.  American Christian Writers Mentoring Retreats begin in March: Various locations and dates

4.  Mid-South Christian Writers Conference: March 7, 2015, Memphis, TN (I’ll be there and would love to see you!)

5.  Carolina Christian Writers Conference: March 13-14, 2015, Spartanburg, SC

6.  Weekend with the Writers: March 20-21, 2015, Greenville, SC

7.  Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference: March 25-31, 2015, Felton, CA

8.  Write2Ignite Conference for Writers of Children’s Literature: March 27-28, 2015, Tigerville, SC (I’ll be there would love to see you!)

9.  Orange County Christian Writers Conference: April 24-25, 2015, Santa Ana, CA

10. Colorado Christian Writers Conference: May 13-16, 2015, Estes Park, CO (watch for details coming soon)

11. Northwest Christian Writers Renewal: May 15-16, 2015, Redmond, WA

12. Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference: May 17-21, 2015, Ridgecrest, NC (I’ll be there and would love to see you!)

13. Write To Publish: June 3-6, 2015, Wheaton, IL

14. West Virginia Writers Conference: June 12-14, 2015, Ripley, WV

15. St. David’s Christian Writers’ Conference: June 24-28, 2015, Grove City, PA

16. Christian Communicators Conference: Hold the date! August 26-30, 2015, The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, Asheville, NC. Registration will open late February. (I’ll see you there!)

17. American Christian Fiction Writers Conference: September 17-20, 2015, Dallas, TX

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Loving the Me God Sees cover Linda Goldfarb

Who won Linda Goldfarb’s book?

The winner is…Pat W! Congratulations, Pat! Contact me with your mailing address and Linda will get the book right out to you!

And for those who didn’t win, here’s a direct Amazon link to Linda’s book, Loving the ME God Sees.

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Well, that does it for another 3rd Tuesday. I’ll look forward to being with you again on Friday for Parting Words From The WORD!

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Parting Words From THE WORD…Starting Again

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By Vonda Skelton | January 16, 2015
Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

How do you feel as we end this first half of January 2015? Did you accomplish what you had hoped? Maybe you’re like me and you can see progress, but also see the things that didn’t get done.

So what do we do now? As for me, I think I’ll simply toss anything that whispers of failure and rest in Him and His great mercy.

And then trust His plan for my life…again.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Interview & Book Give-Away with Linda Goldfarb, Kudos, & Who Won $100 in the MoGo7000 Challenge?

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By Vonda Skelton | January 13, 2015

Linda Barn headshotWow, do we have a jam-packed day today! First up: Linda Goldfarb…

Friends, you can’t imagine how excited I am to introduce Linda Goldfarb to you! As you’ll see in the interview, we go wayyyy back to our much earlier days of writing and speaking. We’ve both experienced the joys and sorrows of living the writer/speaker life…and we wouldn’t trade it for anything!

Be sure to leave a comment for Linda and you’ll be in the drawing for a free copy of her new Bible study, Loving the ME God Sees. Don’t forget to check back next week to see if you’re the winner!

Okay, let’s get started! Linda, welcome to the Christian Writer’s Den. You and I go way back to the Glorieta Christian Writer’s Conference days, also as trainers with CLASSEMINARS Inc., and I was a guest on your radio show, Not Just Talkin’ the Talk, many years ago. We’ve shared a lot of road on our journey and now you’ve released your first Bible study. These are exciting times!

Ha ha, yes we have so many stories we could talk about for sure, Vonda! Thank you for the opportunity to be here with your readers, it’s an honor for me to be on the other end of the interview especially with you as the host!Loving the Me God Sees cover Linda Goldfarb

What inspired you to write a Bible study for women on Relational Transparency in Loving the ME God Sees?

Seriously, I never had the intention of writing a book, let alone a Bible study. I’m one of those speakers who writes magazine articles, online columns, personal/professional blogs, and yes, I have co-authored an eBook with Kim Garrison called, The Art of The Interview: Before, During, and After the Interview Strategies for Writers, Speakers, and Leaders, but a Bible study was never on my radar.

If it’s okay with you Vonda, I’d like to touch on two concepts leading to my book; our fear of exposure…or being transparent, and God’s will for our best.

Transparency is something we usually run away from, and being truthful, I ran from it with style. As a professional speaker/actress, I had the knack to disguise hurt, pain, shame, and low self-esteem with humor, a quick wit, redirection and if need be, withdrawing from situations that made me vulnerable to exposure. You’re a great actress yourself, so I’m sure you know where I’m coming from.

Linda Goldfarb communicationI knew there were things in my life, my past, that I had to face or let go of, but covering it up and using humor seemed more Christian-like—I became very comfortable with the phrase, “I’m fine. Everything is good. No worries.” Over the years of speaking and coaching I realized women around the globe suffered as I did…especially women in the church.

Several years ago, God’s will brought me face-to-face with our mutual friend, Georgia Shaffer. Without going into a lot of detail concerning our discussion at a CLASS Seminar event, Georgia’s words, “Linda, until you allow others to see your pain, you are limiting God’s impact on their lives and yours” struck me hard.

My gut reaction to her words put me in a defense mode, “Seriously Georgia, people don’t want to hear about my hurts, my pain, my challenges. They want to laugh and be entertained. People really don’t care.”

I walked away from our meeting with an unpleasant taste in my mouth and an unsettling feeling in my heart. Georgia was right. You see, in truth, I was very afraid to be real. Afraid of what others might think. I’m a professional; I should have it all together, right?

I’ve found God’s will is most evident in the scary moments of our lives. When we’re asked to step out on that unseen bridge of faith trusting Him more than we fear the world.Linda Goldfarb affirmation

Would you share with my friends the story of how the book came to be published?

In September of 2009 during my morning quiet time, God prompted me to write a Bible study. What transpired over the next two months is too long to share during this interview, let’s just say I had a two-by-four spiritual awakening to God’s best for me.

I began writing and teaching, at that time the study was called Walking Faith-Full, based on the Book of James. God literally provided seven women who met with me faithfully over the course of 13-weeks to complete the study. After that we opened the study to my church. At one point the women attending asked for the study title to be changed, as walking faith-full didn’t quite hit the mark. The result was Loving the ME God Sees.

In 2014, I approached our friend Cheri Cowell of Living Parables Inc/EABooks. about publishing the study as a POD and eBook. Her team worked with me all through the process and I love the results.

My encouragement to your readers: don’t allow your fears to overshadow God’s best in your life. If His will is for you to write a book, an article, a Bible study or whatever, be alert to life and He will affirm your calling. Then walk boldly through the door He opens trusting He has His best waiting around the corner… never give up.

Warrior Sisters Linda GoldfarbI just love that story! And I love Cheri Cowell, too. 🙂 A two-by-four moment, isn’t that just like God? Now, before we go, would you tell us what’s next for you?

I’m still speaking at retreats and emceeing events as the Lord allows. As a board certified Christian life coach, I’m blessed to work with women, couples, and parents helping them grow from good living to God’s best life. My hubby, Sam and I co-teach Parenting Awesome Kids in our church each week and I’m also writing a couple more books. One for my sisters-in-Christ called, His Warrior Sisters: Standing Strong for Faith, Family & Freedom, and the second is the I CARE Guide for Parents: Bite-sized Child-caring Principles for Busy Parents.

Thanks for being with us today, Linda. And readers, don’t forget to leave a comment and you’ll be in the drawing for a free copy of her book, Loving the ME God Sees. Just check back next week to see if you’re the winner!

BIO: As a national speaker and board certified life coach, Linda Goldfarb empowers women, parents & grandparents to move forward with hope & possibility when life changes. Linda is the author of Loving the ME God Sees: Peeling Back the Layers to Experience a Heart of Transparency. She has over 200 published articles covering physical, relational, and spiritual wellness. Linda is the mother of four adult children, Maw-Maw to six-grandies, and wife to her incredible partner in ministry, Sam. She is the Women’s Ministry Director at First Baptist Church of Universal City, Texas, and founder/instructor of Parenting Awesome Kids. Linda loves her life in the Texas hill country where she and Sam reside with four country dogs!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~celebration - Morguefile

It’s time to celebrate YOU with our Christian Writer’s Den Kudos!

Congratulations to the following CWD friends who’ve been doing the work and finding success:

1. Cheryl Barker (KS): My article “From Generation to Generation” appeared in the December issue of War Cry. Also, my article “Verbs of the Proverbs 31 Woman” was accepted for publication by Evangel, and my article “Propelled by Mother Love” was accepted for publication in the upcoming spring issue of The Lutheran Digest.

2. Brenda McGraw (SC): Brenda began her blog, AskGodToday.com, in 2013, but in recent months has added some excellent writers to her line-up.

3. Dr. Michelle Bengtson (TX): Michelle is offering a free webinar, “10 Tips to Beat the Post-Holiday Blues” on Tuesday, January 27 at 7:30pmCT. Click here to register for “10 Tips to Beat the Post-Holiday Blues.”

4. Sheri Levy (SC): Sheri’s YA novel, Seven Days to Goodbye, was released in the fall. (I’m so sorry I apparently missed including this earlier. Please forgive me!) You can read more about the book at Sheri’s website and here’s a link to her book trailer

Congratulations, Cheryl, Brenda, Michelle, and Sheri! And friends, if you need help finding success in publishing, be sure to return next week when I’ll be sharing writing opportunities and conferences with you!

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And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for . . . Who won the 2014 MoGo7000 Challenge?

Well, before I announce the winner, let me share some exciting statistics with you:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

  1. Would you believe over half a million new words were written on book projects and reported by Christian Writer’s Den friends in 2014? The grand total was 517,772 words!
  2. Nine writers participated in the 2014 challenge.
  3. I know several books came out of these months of writing, but I don’t know how many.
  4. And I know one writer is going to be $100 richer. 🙂

Congratulations to all the writers who worked hard and made progress in their book projects this year!

So, are you ready to see who won $100 to spend as desired? Drum roll, please…Random.org says the winner of the 2014 MoGo7000 Challenge is…

Joan Hall!

Woo-hoo, Joan! Congratulations! Now, I just need you to contact me with your snail mail address and I’ll get that check right out to you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~mogo7000 logo

Don’t forget–the 2015 MoGo7000 Challenge is now underway! You could write a book this year and possibly win $100, too!

That’s right, the MoGo7000 Challenge is open to everyone, and it’s free! Check out the page for complete details, but the bottom line is I want to help you write your book this year, and one of the best ways I know to do it is to entice you with cash. 🙂

It’s easy, it’s free, and it’s all for you. Check out the MoGo7000 Challenge details and then get to work. Every month you can win an entry. The more months you meet the challenge, the more entries you receive.

So what are you waiting for?

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Well, that’s it for another Celebration Tuesday. I hope you’ve been encouraged today to write the words you were created to write!

Vonda

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Welcome to 2015: Pie In the Sky Dreams or Real Goals?

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By Vonda Skelton | January 9, 2015
Image courtesy of cuteimage/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Image courtesy of cuteimage/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wow, can you believe it’s 2015 already?

It seems only a few years ago that we teens of the 60s were dancing to the lyrics of Zager and Evans’ futuristic, pie-in-the-sky song, In the Year 2525. When it released in 1969, it was pure sci-fi, frequently assumed to be the result of a drug-induced bad trip.

But today, as I read their prophetic words of babies coming from test tubes, mind-altering drugs, and technology ruling our lives, I realize the song carried more truth than we ever thought possible. And way ahead of schedule.

But this post isn’t created to generate a discussion about the 60s or the prophetic reality of Evans’ lyrics. Instead, my goal is for us to face the truth and determine our response to this question: Will we look forward to the future with a pie in the sky attitude, dreaming big, then sitting back in our office chairs to watch them come to fruition? Will we make a plan and then whine when things don’t go as planned? Or will we do the work, put in the hours, and take the training needed to see those goals accomplished?

Unmet Goals

I have to admit, for the past few years I’ve backed down from some of my goals. I’ve run into conflicts of time, opportunity, and responsibilities…and sulked in the corner of defeat. I’ve tried and failed and given up, always eager to point to the reasons I didn’t reach that goal–again.

But this year is different. Oh, I still have many responsibilities beyond writing and speaking–responsibilities beyond my control–but this time I’m committed to doing the work, putting in the hours, and taking the training needed to see those goals through. Please understand, that doesn’t mean I’m determining the outcome. After all, only God is in control. But this year, instead of giving up because my schedule was interrupted–again–I’m committing to simply picking up where I left off and moving forward, in whatever time frame God allows.

I’m accepting the fact that I can’t make anything happen. He’s the One in control of day. I’m only in control of my response to it.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15 NIV

So, would you join me? Would you stand beside me, raise your right hand, announce your goals, and then say, “I’ll do the work, put in the hours, and take the training needed…and then trust His will for my life.”

Lord willing, we will write that book, get that agent, finish that article, and see our goals achieved. But know this: Publication is not the be-all and end-all of writing. It’s only one of the MANY ways God can use us and our words for His glory.

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Writer’s Headlines: Call for Kudos and MoGo Totals, Win $100 with 2015 MoGo7000 and Who Won Allison Flexer’s Book?

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By Vonda Skelton | January 6, 2015

newspapersCall for Kudos for the Past Few Months!

Okay, friends, it’s time for us to celebrate YOU and celebrate EACH OTHER! After all, that’s the goal of The Christian Writer’s Den–to encourage and instruct writers.

In order to do that, I need to hear from you! It doesn’t matter how small it may seem to you or how recently it’s been, every step forward is a step that leads to the next one.

So I want to know what you’ve been up to. Have you had something exciting happen recently in your writing or speaking life? Maybe you’ve had an article published, signed a book contract, released a new book, got an agent, or started a new blog. If so, we want to hear from you. Everybody’s welcome to share.

It’s really simple, but I do ask that you contact me with the info in this format and order ONLY:

**Your name
**Your state in two-letter abbreviation
**Link to your website or blog
**Your good news
**Link to your good news, if online (online bookstore, online article, etc)

I can’t wait for us to celebrate with you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~mogo

It’s Time to Earn Your LAST Entry for the 2014 MoGo7000 Challenge!

If you wrote at least 7000 new words on a book project in December, you can receive a final entry in the drawing for the 2014 MoGo7000 $100 cash prize! It’s open to everyone who qualifies with 7000 new words written in December.

To report your December results, please leave a comment below with your total new words written on a book project in the month of December. (Please do not send your totals by email or through the Contact page. Totals must be left as a comment here by next Sunday). 

And remember, the winner isn’t the person who wrote the most words, it’s simply the person Random.org selects from the qualifying entries.

I can’t wait to see who wins the $100 cash prize next week! It could be YOU!

Image courtesy of StuartMiles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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2015 MoGo7000 Writing Challenge Has Begun–YOU Could Win $100 in Cash!

If you missed out on last year’s money-winning writing challenge, don’t worry, the 2015 challenge is now underway. Here are the MoGo7000 Challenge rules. All you have to do is write at least 7000 NEW words on a book project in any month and you’ll receive an entry into the end-of-the-year drawing for $100. AND IT’S ALL FREE!

Each month you qualify with 7000 new words, your name goes in the “hat” for the drawing. Reach the goal one month in 2015 and you receive one entry. Reach it all 12 months and you receive 12 entries! At the beginning of 2016, a winning entry will be selected at Random.org and the winner will receive $100 in cash to use as he or she desires.

And just think, whether you win the money or not, at the end of the year, you could have a completed book, or at least be well on your way to one…and it doesn’t cost you a cent. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

So what are you waiting for? Sit down and get to work. Be sure to mark your beginning and ending for the month, so you’ll know how many words your wrote, then report them when I post the call-out each month.

Isn’t this fun?Allison Flexer book cover tlsw

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Who Won Allison Flexer’s Book, Truth, Lies, and the Single Woman?

Random.org says the winner is…Bitsy Rawlings! Yay, Bitsy! Now, all you have to do is contact me with your snail mail address and Allison will have your book right out to you!

And for those who didn’t win, here’s a direct Amazon link to Truth, Lies, and the Single Woman, by Allison Flexer!

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Well, that does it for another first Tuesday. What fun to be with you! Don’t forget to check back next week to catch up on all your friends, see who won the 2014 MoGo7000 Challenge cash, and learn about a new book from author and speaker Linda Goldfarb!

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Parting Words From The WORD…What is Your God-Given Goal for 2015?

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By Vonda Skelton | January 2, 2015
Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

As we begin 2015 and consider what God would have us do in the next twelve months, let’s turn to God’s Word for His direction.

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3

Paul wrote his heart’s desire 2000 years ago, but his goal then should be our goal today. What will I–what will you–do to help others know Christ and be encouraged and united in love?

As always, but especially as we begin this new year’s journey together, I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts.

Vonda

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