Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 44

Writer's Resources

I'm sorry. This week has been messed up. Hubster has been away on a business trip, and I've been pining away for him, so things are more than a little out of whack. The good news is, he comes home today (***APPLAUSE***) and my life will return to normal. Or close to it. Because I'll probably be stuck to him like a bump on a log for a little bit.



But, although I know you faithful readers really like to know that yes, there are great marriages still today and that I missed and love my husband to pieces, that's not why you visit this blog. So. Let's do something you'll find useful.



If you're a writer, chances are, you search the internet for resources; things that will help you as you search for that perfect, non-cliched phrase. Or perhaps you're like me and you get sidetracked. Horribly. Maybe, you're on the verge of sending a query letter to an agent or editor, and you'd like to find something that would help you write the perfect one.



I'm not sure I can help you write the perfect query letter, but I do know there are lots of resources for writer's out there. Here are a few that I've found to be more than a little helpful in my meanderings around the internet. You can see my growing list on my website, BooksByAmanda.



Useful Articles -

Advice for new authors - Rachelle Gardner

How to write a query letter - Rachelle Gardner

How to edit your novel - Nathan Bransford

How to find a literary agent - Nathan Bransford

5 Ways to publicize and market your book - Chuck Sambuchino

Marketing Essentials every writer should know about - Zachary Petit



Useful Websites -

Author Media

Michael Hyatt

Preditors & Editors

Writers Beware

Writers Digest



Books -





I realize these are just a few. What are your favorites?



One more thing. I've been invited to speak at the Maury County Library this Thursday, so if you're in Columbia, TN and would like to have a chance to visit, eat, laugh, and get a Kobo Reader, come by and see me!


Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

You Decide...

In a high school literature class many years ago (and I'm not
telling how many years ago) I read a book called Silas Marner written by
George Elliot. Now it just so happens that George Elliot was a pen name
for a woman named Mary Ann Evans. Why do you ask did Ms. Mary write
under a male pen name? The answer is simple. Silas Marner was published
in 1861 during a time when women were considered basically unable to
think for themselves.



Silas Marner is a tale of a man
who was betrayed and became a hermit. Through a chain
of events over which he had no control, Silas Marner was robbed of
his gold and ended up with a toddler on his
hands instead. Although crotchety and anti-social towards adults, Silas Marner
had a lonely place in his heart that was touched by the child whom he
kept and raised as his own. Many years later, events connected with that
long ago theft threatened to rob him of the daughter he had grown to
love. Silas Marner is a masterful tale of love and hate, greed and gain, loss and
replenishment, bitterness and joy, superbly told; and the highlight of
my high school reading assignments. It was a piece I truly never forgot.



So
you will imagine my surprise when I discovered the movie entitled A
Simple Twist of Fate, written and produced by Steve Martin of all people,
was a modern day remake of Silas Marner. Although brought into the
twentieth century and sprinkled with bits of comedy, as a Steve Martin
movie should be, A Simple Twist of Fate managed to stay true to the main
themes in the book.



It is therefore my humble opinion that this book and movie would make great items for comparison especially for home schoolers who could easily add this to their literature regimen. Even if you don't home school, you and your kids should read the
book and watch the movie; not only as a comparison of tales, but as an
example of how a classic story can be modernized and made into a movie
worth watching.



So ends another episode of Kids Korner with me, Children's Author Aileen Stewart. Join me next week for another exciting episode same krazy time, same krazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal blog Aileen's Thoughts any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, and life in general.

Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Sundays with Kristi - Living to Die

We’re all going to die someday. I hate to bring up the morbidly obvious, but it is a truth that we all must face at some point.

Recognizing and accepting this certainty of death allows us a unique advantage in how we choose to live with whatever time we have. In the Bible, the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 9 addresses the fact that our time here on earth is limited. Still, God created us as eternal beings, so death is not the end for us. Because of this, we are to examine our attitudes and actions in this life, recognizing that they have eternal consequences.

Our Attitude
No matter what we do or don’t do, whether we are righteous or wicked, obedient or disobedient, good or evil, we are all in the hands of God. God is in complete control of all things. We can trust God to hold us and to know more fully what we should be doing and not doing than we could ever possibly know. How should we respond to this truth? Our response should first be repentance. We have all tried to take control of situations that weren’t ours to control in the first place. With an attitude of repentance, we allow God to take all the responsibility for what He’s capable of controlling and we are free to enjoy life the way God meant us to enjoy it, trusting in Him for everything that we have and everything that we need. This attitude is immensely freeing as we realize we don’t have to get so caught up being responsible for and managing circumstances we can’t control anyway.

Our Actions
After addressing what our attitude should be in light of the fact that we will one day face death, we need to focus on what actions we should be taking during the time that we are given. Our attitude can have a profound effect on our actions. Once we’ve addressed and corrected our attitude, our actions typically fall into place. God knows the plans He has for us and what He wants us to focus on, but like it says in Ecclesiastes 9, verse 10, whatever we find to do, we should do it with all our might for His glory. Once we have our attitude of fear and worry surrendered to God, we can be free to act on the trust that we have in Him. This does not mean acting foolishly or recklessly, but instead this is about acting as Jesus Christ would have us to act in each situation we encounter.

Even though we are all going to die someday, our lives now matter. Our attitude is to be in line with God and surrendered to Him, recognizing that He is in control over everything anyway. Our actions are to be a reflection of Jesus Christ living in us as we place our trust and reliance on Him for everything we need.

Father, I give my attitudes and my actions to You. I know that my time here on earth is limited, but my time with You is for eternity. Keep me focused on this perspective so that I respond in trust and reliance on You in every situation I face today.

Kristi Burchfiel, Christian devotional author and speaker
Living in the World – Living out the Word
Check out my website and daily devotions either on my blog or on my Facebook page

**Excerpts from above are taken from Without Regrets: A Study of Ecclesiastes**

Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Winding Down

Summer is quickly coming to a close. With the start of the school year just a few days away for some of us, stores are having back-to-school sales, families are scrambling to pick up school supplies, and we are wishing that we had just one more day to enjoy our kids, sno cones, and lazy afternoons by the pool.





For some of us this has been a summer of relentless challenges and regret. But it has also been a summer filled with constant reminders that God is good all the time and that He keeps the promises He has made in His Word. The search for jobs in a challenging job market has robbed me of precious time with my children, but it has resulted in a strengthened relationship with my spouse as together we have sought God's will and provision for our family.







Summer may be winding down, but God isn't finished with us yet. We cannot get back what life has taken from us but we can strive to make the most out of everything we have left.






Whether your summer ends on a low note or a high note, take a little time before the hectic school year begins to reflect on God's goodness to you and your family. Pledge to make the most of each day and every opportunity to make a difference and to reflect God's glory. Release to God each disappointment and thank Him for every blessing, no matter how small.





Copyright © 2012 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com





Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Meet Alice Wisler, author of Still Life in Shadows

Still Life in Shadows(from Amazon.com)It's been fifteen years since Gideon Miller ran away from his Amish community in Carlisle, Pennsylvania as a boy of fifteen.  Gideon arrives in the Smoky Mountains town of Twin Branches and settles in at the local auto mechanic's garage. He meets a host of interesting characters -the most recent acquaintances are Kiki, an autistic teen, and her sister Mari. Known as the "Getaway Savior" he helps other Amish boys and girls relocate to life in modern America.

One day the phone rings. On the other end is his brother Moriah calling from Florida. Of course Gideon welcomes his brother to stay with him and offers him a job. But Moriah is caught in a web which ends in his death and forces Gideon to return to the town of his youth, with his brother's body in the back of a hearse and Mari and Kiki at his side. He must face not only the community he ran away from years ago but also his own web of bitterness. Will he be able to give his anger over to God and forgive his father?





Hi Alice, thanks for being here today!Where are you right now and what are you wearing? I’m in my office and wearing my walking clothes---sweaty shirt and pants----because I just returned from my daily three-mile walk. Be glad you can’t smell through the computer screen.

Many writers say they see stories all around them. Is there any place unusual you’ve found a story?After watching a show on TV about Mose Gingerich, an ex-Amish man who helps dissatisfied Amish youth relocate from their farms to western lifestyles, I started my novel.  Still Life in Shadows shows the not-so-peaceful side of the Old Order life.

What is your favorite part of writing? Did anyone inspire you to write or was this something you always wanted to do?I love it when my characters tell me that they aren’t going to be minor ones and take over more than I’d planned for them.  I also love editing my work once it’s completed.

What is something that very few people know about you?I don’t sing in the shower.

What is your favorite material item that you own?Photos of my son Daniel, who had cancer and died at age four in 1997.

What do you do to unwind and relax?I love going out on our boat, Rain Song.

What are your expectations for your book?I hope it sells at least five copies.  J

Do you have any upcoming appearances that you would like to share with us?I’ll be at The Regulator Bookshop on Ninth Street in Durham, NC on August 9th at 7 PM.  I really like this independent bookstore and have had many book events at it.  I’ll be serving some apple butter because one of my main characters, Gideon Miller, eats that on toast every morning.

Do you remember how your interest in writing originated?As a child I loved to read and decided then that I would write a book.  My first grade teacher encouraged me when I showed her my little stories, stories written with a dull pencil, stocky illustrations, and stapled together.

Would you like to share a little about your current work in progress? Perhaps the first chapter of your book?

Here are the first few pages of my novel that has just come out, Still Life in Shadows. I hope by reading, you’ll want to read the whole book.



Kiki had to get out, get going, or she’d punch a hole in something.This two-bedroom house was as cramped as a coffin and nearlysmelled like one, as the aroma of fried food saturated the walls. Marihad told her to stay close, dinner was almost ready. But who wanted towait around inside as her sister stir-fried green peppers, onions, and potatoes—again?

In her room, Kiki laced her neon green tennis shoes as quickly asher fingers could maneuver the frayed strings. She grabbed Yoneko, hercotton tabby-cat puppet, and scrambled to her feet. Too quickly. Theblood all rushed from her head. She steadied herself against her closetdoor and waited for the sensation to pass. Slow down, slow down, forPete’s sake. Then with tiny steps, she ventured into the hallway.

Her sister Mari—a lanky figure still wearing the tea shop’s frillyapron—stood in front of the stove. With her back to Kiki, she turnedvegetables over with a spatula and hummed some song—probably fromthe last century. Mari liked those old romantic songs by the Beatles andBob Dylan because, as she put it, they had meaning for her heart.

Kiki held her breath; she was good at that. One, two, three. She’dheld it for ninety-nine seconds once. No way could anyone, especiallynot that braggart, Angie Smithfield, compete with the record she’d set.Still holding and counting to herself, she made no sound as she slippedtoward the screened back door. She opened it cautiously, making surenot to bang it against the frame.

Quiet as a mouse. If Mari knew what she was up to, the game wasover. Mari would yell, then Kiki’d yell and do what Dr. Conner said shemust not do—throw a clenched fist at her bedroom wall.

There, dimmed by the fading sun on the crooked driveway, stoodher best friend—her maroon bicycle. She tossed Yoneko into the wirebasket that wobbled by the handlebars, hopped on, and released thekickstand with a swift push. Just a little cruise before it was time to eat.Just down the street and around the corner. Exercise was good for her.Hadn’t Dr. Conner told her that?

She pedaled fast and then slow, pretending she was a cyclist onsome reality TV show, going for the prize. With the evening breeze inher short-cropped black hair, she smiled. Riding was almost as beautifulas hearing the choir at church sing the benediction about God beingclose to us, like our very breath. When she rode, it didn’t matter thatshe was often a girl in the shadows watching others her age gather totalk about boys, leaving her out.

The dry mountain road curved around, and the climb was steep.But once she passed the Ridge Valley Apartments, the road sloped andshe could coast down it with ease. To the left, right, suddenly she was intown pedaling past the hardware store, the tearoom, the Smithfield FuneralHome, and then a right curve by Russell Brothers Auto RepairShop.

She’d watched these men, greasy with car fluids, jack up a Chevroletor Ford in the two bays and use their tools to fix what they neededto. They had so many shiny tools. Her fingers itched to touch them, touse them on her bike. One of these days, she’d ask them—ask the manwho always wore a beige shirt and John Deere ball cap—if she couldborrow a tool or two. Her bike’s front wheel was squeaky, especially aftershe cruised in the rain. But now a sign on the shop’s glass door read“Closed.” That meant everyone had gone home. She edged her bike towardthe parking lot, a wide section to the left of the shop. Today it wasbarricaded by four bright orange cones, cones standing tall in a linewhere the lot met the leaf-blown sidewalk.

Past those cones was a spacious place to ride, without a parked caror truck in sight. She bet she could go fast. The space called to her; shecould hear it. She would just ride around it, the autumn air in her face.She wouldn’t hurt anything—those cones probably just meant they didn’twant people parking there when they were closed. She heard musicin her head—not one of Mari’s ancient songs, but one of her own thatsang, Kiki is the champion, Kiki rides faster than the wind.

She pedaled quickly into the lot. Immediately her bike slowed, grewsluggish. She pedaled harder. What was wrong? She looked at the pavement.For Pete’s sake, it was soft and gooey, like the oatmeal Mari madefor breakfast on chilly mornings before school. She pumped her legshard; that always made her bike sail. But today it was only getting thefront tire stuck. She tried again, but the bike teetered to the left. To regainbalance, she dropped her feet from the pedals onto the ground.Like the tires, her shoes made fresh imprints into the pavement.She saw all the faces that could get mad, grow red with frustration.“Yoneko,” she said to her puppet, “We gotta get out of here.” Her tireswere coated with a gray film, and as she rushed home, flecks flew fromthem and dripped off her tennis shoes.

Yep, sounds like a good book I'll be adding to my wishlist! Friends, you can connect with Alice at these places - 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AliceWislerPatchwork Quilt Blog:  http://www.alicewisler.blogspot.com/Writing the Heartache Blog: http://www.writingtheheartache.blogspot.com/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Alice-J.-Wisler/e/B001J6GVNE

Amazon Page for STILL LIFE IN SHADOWS:http://www.amazon.com/Still-Life-Shadows-Alice-Wisler/dp/0802406262/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342275268&sr=1-2Facebook Page:   http://www.facebook.com/alice.j.wisler

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alice-J-Wisler/333751835453











Lonely Hearts The Price of Trust Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

The Book Club Network Birthday Bash!

Do you love to read?

Do you love to connect with other readers?

Do you perhaps hate going out on cold nights to meet with your local bookclub? Or starting the stove-hot car on 100+ degree days?



And, would you like a chance to *WIN* free books during the month of August?!



You're in luck.

Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Nora St. Laurent, CEO of The Book Club Network Incorporated









Nora is the CEO of The Book Club Network Incorporated. Nora and her husband run The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org She runs two book clubs near Atlanta, Ga., Former ACFW On-Line Book Club. Nora currently writes a Book Club column for the Christian Fiction OnLine Magazine and is a Book Club Talk Columnist for Novel Rocket. You can read author interviews on her Finding Hope Through Fiction blog, located at http://www.psalm516.blogspot.com, and reviews around the web at The Christian Pulse Mag, Title Trakk, Novel Reviews, and Suspense Zone.





What inspired you start TBCN?



The Book Club Network was born out of a desire to share Christian Fiction authors with other book clubs, share book club ideas with other leaders and to encourage the authors who are writing such amazing books. The economy has been really tough for a few years and people are not parting with money like they used to. Through TBCN they can take their time and find the right book or win it. We have give away opportunities each month. ALL of our contests are from the 19th – 21st of the month.



I run two face to face book clubs one at the Christian Book Store I work at and the other at the church I attend. It’s a position I never imagined I’d be in since I didn’t read for pleasure much before I started working in a Christian book store 11 years ago.



But since I love talking with people and the main thing to talk about in a book store is books I started reading Christian Fiction (publishers sent ARC copies to our store and I started checking them out) The first book that rocked my world and got me hooked in Christian Fiction was a book by Linda Nichols called Not a Sparrow Falls her next book did me in and I couldn’t stop talking about it, At the Scent of Water was her next book that prompted me to contact the author and let her know how much her book touched my spirit.



After reading these two books and telling customers about these reads I had a reason to read. These books spoke to me because I wasn’t expecting it. It reminded me of the stories in the bible. Jesus is the greatest story teller and He knew a story could change a life or prick our spirit and move us in a direction we never thought we’d be in.



I tell you all that to say I’m dyslexic and I have not been a fan of reading. Movies were more my thing. I could watch a movie of a book and have a lot more fun. Reading Christian Fiction changed my life in more ways than one. I wanted to tell everyone about the greatest book I read, and I’d do that at the book store. It was possible to talk about the new book I read and loved for about a month or more but when At the Scent of Water and Not a Sparrow Falls were not on the shelf anymore, I had to find some other books to talk about at work. I’m not a very fast reader so; discovering the next new book was a challenge. Would I get the book read before it disappeared from the shelf? How long do books live on a book shelf? The shelf life of a book was a mystery to me and still is.



I was whining to my husband Fred about my problem. How can I get the word out about great books for a very long period of time??? Being a man who likes to face challenges head we began to talk about how we could do this and the fact that I can’t read books fast enough to keep up with it’s shelf life at the store.



I also told him as a book club leader I wanted to promote great books and share them with other groups. Not everyone has the advantage of working at a book store and see what new books hit the shelves each week. Another struggle I had was if I had an author speaking at my book club I wanted to share them with other book clubs in the area. How could I do that? Where are book clubs meeting?



Our answer to many of these questions and more was the birth of The Book Club Network - TBCN. Connecting authors to book clubs and readers to their books; it’s also a network of book clubs as they post what they’ve read and how the meeting turned out.



It’s a place to find where a book club is located. We have a member map where you can find a book club near you. Message them and see if they are accepting new members. I envision it to be similar to be similar to the Weight Watchers program (don’t laugh Grin) you can go to a meeting anywhere in the country right? All you have to do is look on line and get connected. This is my hope for the future of TBCN.





Have there been any surprises for you @TBCN? What benefits have you seen by bringing readers and authors together?



I’ve been encouraged and fascinated by our growth. I can see there were other people out there like me wanting to connect with other book club members.



I’ll tell you what has surprised me is the author/reader interaction each month. This is something I didn’t foresee as I’ve watch the authors are having a blast interacting with the readers and visa/versa. The beauty of this discussion is it’s there forever for all to read no matter when you join TBCN.



The authors have done a great job coming up with questions for readers to answer that give them a peek into their book – create interest and then the discussion helps book club leaders connect with the author. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the amount of authors that want to be featured @The Book Club Network. It’s been a great thing.



The interaction with the authors is almost like having a book club meeting on line. It’s a huge benefit for both the authors who’ve wanted to ask clubs questions and readers who want to get to know authors. The authors are catching on. Our sponsors have loved the interaction as well. Members have told me that they love the author interaction from the 19th-21st as much as having a chance to win all these books. It’s hard to know if a book will be a fit for your group so these interaction times are helpful for that and so much more. Another thing I love about TBCN members is the fact they are not afraid to share what they think in a good way. I’ve learned so much and laughed out loud in some discussion where the questions lead to sharing funny moments. 



My hope is that book club leaders and/or members participate in the discussions and make that book connection with the author and their book. I want TBCN to be a tool for them in picking out their books. Maybe invite the author to speak to their book club on the phone. It’s my hope. The discussion will be there forever. No worries about a books shelf live here @TBCN. So, everyone has time to get to know each other!! It’s a beautiful thing!







How can readers join in the anniversary celebrations?



It’s easy to sign up to be a member of TBCN. We ask a few questions for you to answer and for other information that helps us keep spammers and other information seekers out of the network. It’s also FREE. You have opportunities to win lots of books. For our BIRTHDAY BASH we are giving away 10 books a day and announcing winners once a week. You’ll have all week to enter the daily featured contests.







Do you have any other comments for my readers?



If you are avid reader this is the place for you to learn about the latest in Christian Fiction and interact with the author each month.



Are you a book club leader? Well this is the place for you to find your next book club pick. We’d also love for you to set up your Book club page at our site for others to see. It’s a place to share your latest featured book. Post pictures of your club and the field trips you’ve taken. The authors you’ve met and the book fun you’ve had. Learn from other book clubs that have already set up their pages.



Want to start a book club but felt it was too overwhelming? You can learn from other experienced book club leaders, and you can start right away making your book club list!



Do you like to win books? This is the place for you. You’ll have a chance to get to know the authors and their books and read genre’s you normally wouldn’t. We’ve been giving away about 100 books a month and for our birthday bash it’s going to be 10 books every day; starting August first. Winners are picked weekly and announced each weekly.



THANK YOU! You’ve been a grand host to have me here and let me talk about The Book Club Network and our Birthday Bash!! I hope to see you there @TBCN www.bookfun.org







Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

The End of a Season...

Summer has just sped by this year and I can hardly believe that Emily will be going into second grade in only three and a half more weeks. With that in mind, we are trying to make the most of the time we have left. Today we went to the library where she played games on the children's computer and looked for books while I changed the display from summer reading to a back to school theme.



This weekend we are planning on having one last family outing with my mom, sister, and my brother and his family. We are going to a new public pool about an hour from our home that has water slides and assorted other fun water implements. We have a family birthday party to attend,  and Vacation Bible School starts.



After that, we will probably try to squeeze in a few more cooking lessons and a few rousing games of Boggle (my daughter's favorite) as well as a few more craft projects. One craft project that we have already worked on and have had great fun sharing with friends is the latest craze known as Search and Finds. Search and finds are really simple so they are great for kids to make. All you need is a clear empty bottle of some kind (the kind with the nice wide lids are easier to use), sand or rice, and assorted bobbles like paper clips, beads, rubber bands, toothpicks, shells (pretty much anything small enough to hide in the bottle).



Fill your bottle about halfway with your sand or rice, add trinkets, fill up the bottle with more sand or rice; but be sure to leave some room at the top (at least two inches) for shaking purposes. Thoroughly shake the bottle to evenly hide and distribute the items you have added. Then comes the best part of all which is to make a list of all the items you hid in your Search and Find so that your child's friends can attempt to find them. I print off multiple copies of the list so each child can check off items as they find them. Such an easy and great craft with which to end the summer.



So ends another episode of Kids Korner with me, Children's Author Aileen Stewart. Join me next week for another exciting episode same krazy time, same krazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal blog Aileen's Thoughts any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, and life in general.Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Sundays with Kristi: Run to Win!

The Olympics have begun again!

Every four years we are treated to the excitement and pageantry that is the summer Olympics. I must admit, I enjoy watching the Olympics. I find it fascinating to watch these elite athletes perform. I participated in Track and Field in high school with moderate success and it always brings back memories of the grueling practices and the discipline and effort that were required in order to be ready to compete. As I watch the Olympics, I have a great amount of respect and appreciation for the people who have dedicated so much time and energy into training in order to be able to showcase their talents to the world on this grandest of stages.

There is no wonder, then, that Paul uses the analogy of racing as an example of how to live the Christian life.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make if my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

The discipline and the focus required to become an elite athlete is all-encompasing. These athletes are concerned about their sleep habits, their diet, their exercise. They have coaches who help them and direct them. For them, 99% of the real work and struggle that prepares them to compete is done away from everything and everyone else. At the end of the day, it is only their own personal dedication and desire to fulfill that goal that keeps them disciplined and focused.

As Paul compares this, does the above paragraph describe us going through our Christian life? How disciplined are we at staying focused on our goal of becoming more Christ-like every day? Are we obedient to Him even when no one else is looking? Does it influence what we do and say throughout the day? Are we focused on this as we make decisions throughout our day? These are the questions that we must ask ourselves and answer honestly. If you, like me, find that sometimes you are not as focused as you need to be, perhaps you want to consider a “coach.” Finding a mentor or having another Christian brother or sister that can come along side and encourage, direct, and “coach” is a wonderful way to maintain consistency in our level of discipline.

As we watch the Olympics over the next couple of weeks, as we see these people live out the dream that they have worked and struggled and sacrificed for over the course of several years, think about how your dedication to the race of the Christian life compares? God is watching and waiting to give out the golden crowns for a life lived in obedience to Him.

As you run the race of the Christian life, are you running in such a way to win?

Father, You are the goal for which I am racing. I will focus and discipline myself to run the race of the Christian life in such a way that You are pleased. I pray that You will forgive me for losing focus. Cleanse me and make me new so that I can run the race in such a way to win. I want to receive Your crown and reward.

Kristi Burchfiel, Christian devotional author and speaker
Living in the World – Living out the Word
Check out my website and daily devotions either on my blog or on my Facebook page

Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Running to Win

There is something inspiring about the Olympic games and the great physical prowess of the participating athletes. These young men and women work tirelessly, training their bodies to run hard and finish strong. They know that every decision they make directly impacts their performance, so they sacrifice ordinary pleasures and discipline themselves to eat healthy, sleep well, and exercise diligently. They are committed to press on against all odds in order to win the prize of Olympic glory.







I am reminded that we each are in a race, and we should daily “run the race in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but  we do it to get a crown that will last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).   We run, forgetting what is behind, straining toward what is ahead, and pressing on to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14–15)

 



What is the prize that you are seeking today? Whose glory are you living for? The recognition that Olympic athletes receive during the competition will not last eternally, but the prize of a relationship with Jesus is one that can never be taken away from those who choose to receive him as Savior. When we live our life for Jesus, we win and he wins. We receive the prize of eternity with him, and he receives the glory of a race well run.








From Good to the Last Drop:  Refreshing Inspiration for Homeschool Moms and Other Busy Women

Copyright © 2009 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved.







Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Book Review: The Still of Night by Kristen Heitzmann

"Though he is professionally successful, the one life Morgan Spencer can't seem to set straight is his own. Behind his charming rebel facade is a need that drives him toward perfection--and emptiness. Morgan has been haunted for years by the tragic decision his first love made when they were still in high school, but everything changes for him when Jill Runyun reenters his life. And the news she shares will either set him free or bring him to his knees." (book description)



It's no secret that I love Kristen Heitzmann's writing (see other reviews HERE and HERE). And since I read the first book in this series, I had to read this one.




Over the years I have read thousands and thousands of books; some have kept me on the edge of my seat, some have made me happy, some have totally drawn me in, but only a handful of books have actually made me cry. In my opinion, if a book can make you actually, physically cry (in the appropriate places), then it's a great read. This book...made me cry!




In the previous book, A Rush of Wings, we meet Morgan Spencer who is the type of guy who sees a problem and always tries to fix it. We saw him try to help Noelle out but was unsuccessful. I found myself hoping that I would see Morgan come to have a personal relationship with Jesus in the previous book but knew that it wouldn't happen until this second book.




In this book we also meet Jill Runyan, who is a Christian, but is now forced to face some of the lies and sins from her past. She is forced to face Morgan again due to a tragic circumstance (sorry no spoilers this time). It's obvious to both parties, and everyone around them, that they each still love each other, however, both are struggling with their past, their lies, their fears, etc.




I won't tell you the rest, but it's at the climax of the book, towards the end, that I cried for these characters as they faced their circumstances both together and apart. Does the book have a happy ending? Yes, because, let's face, we all want a happy ending. But this book will not only make you feel for each of the characters and draw you in so deep you might even cry, but it will also make you think about your own life and choices. 




I very much recommend this book to anyone and hope that you will pick up a copy today! (It's only $9.99 on Kindle over at Amazon)





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Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com