Tez Brooks's Blog: TezBrooks.com, page 11
August 21, 2020
The Little Things
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18
From my porch I saw it fly right into someone’s windshield. I walked toward the pile of feathers. A juvenile red-tailed hawk lie on his back, stunned.
Wings could be broke… or might just need to rest and recover.
As a former wildlife rescue volunteer, I acted. I threw a towel over the hawk and gingerly scooped him up. He began to shriek, while overhead, two adult red-tails screamed at me.
At this hour the vet was closed, so I carried him home. A cage would cause undue stress. But our secluded, fenced yard would protect him overnight.
Morning found the little bird of prey hopping around. He should have flown off by now. Must be a broken wing. Wearing thick gloves, I ventured out to catch the hawk and take him to the vet.
As I approached, he flapped and glided into a nearby tree. Surprised, but glad he seemed better, I watched him reunite with his family.
How little I did to help this raptor recover yet what a difference it made. Had he been left by the side of the road all night, he’d surely have wandered into traffic, been attacked by a cat, or died of stress.
Often, the small things we do to care for people make a world of difference we may never hear about. A smile, holding a door open, a warm cup of tea—opportunities present themselves every day.
We don’t have to go out of our way to show kindness. One of the easiest ways to be Jesus to others is to do something simple but meaningful. What will you do today?
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Serious Writer Announces Author, Tez Brooks for BOOK OF THE DECADE
Serious Writer chose The Single Dad Detour (Kregel, 2015) by Tez Brooks as “Book of the Decade” Thursday evening.
Usually held in New York City, the annual dinner and ceremony were moved to Nashville due to COVID restrictions, with Serious Writer adding Book of the Decade as a new category this year, along with the usual categories of Book of the Year and Writer of the Year.
Competition was stiff this year as judges read over 100 entries, narrowing it down to four winners, nationwide.
This is the second recognition The Single Dad Detour received. In 2016 it won Florida Writers Association’s Royal Palm Literary Award for “Best Inspirational Non-Fiction.”
Serious Writer is dedicated to providing a place where writers can learn best practices for their craft, develop marketing and PR skills to grow their platforms, and network with agents, editors, and other writers. They teach at conferences around the country and provide classes through Serious Writer Academy. For more details on this year’s winners and future events, check out Serious Writer
Cyle Young and Bethany Jett of Serious Writer, present Tez with award.
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July 21, 2020
Dependence
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5
Several years ago, I built a pond in our backyard and stocked it with small goldfish. They grew large and healthy within a few months.
Caring for these orange, white, and black spotted fish relaxed me—cleaning the filter regularly, watching the chemical balance and keeping the algae at bay. These beautiful creatures, whether they realized it or not, were completely dependent on me in order to thrive. Simply a few days without my checking on them and something could go haywire, placing them all in harm’s way.
We humans can be clueless when it comes to understanding how dependent we are on each other. Like my goldfish, we swim through life unaware of the help we need (from others and God) just to get through the day. God created us for community, to be dependent upon others and our Provider, to care for us and help us thrive.
Whether it’s family, neighbors, our church, or a small group, surrounding ourselves with people who can speak into our lives is vital to our well-being.
Independence is a real struggle for me. I long to be like a goldfish—trusting in others so I’m not such a loner. I cannot survive without community.
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July 3, 2020
How Do I Raise an Independent Dependent?
Tomorrow we celebrate Independence Day. Our freedom from England.
Several years ago I recall helping my young daughter celebrate freedom by allowing her to walk home half a mile from the grocery store alone…for the first time.
She was 13.
Was I a little behind with that? Is 13 years-old too long to be just then be allowing her to walk around alone in a city that has a high crime rate?
I actually walked with her the first time. I showed her all the places she should run along the path, to escape a kidnapper. I showed her which houses might be the safest just by looking at the outside of the home. (I know, you can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can tell a lot about someone by the outside of their house).
I advised her how to defend herself. And not to stick around long enough to use a defense because the best thing is to run away before an attacker can get close.
Then I let her walk home alone, without me. With her phone. She did fine. No one drugged her up and smuggled her to Cambodia to be a sex slave.
So what do you think? Am I too protective? Should I be more of a free-range parent? Am I making her paranoid? Will she go off to college not knowing how to handle her new-found freedom? My niece believes in having free-range kids and her kids are fine. Maybe I can learn something from her.
I was a free-range kid too…but it didn’t go too well for me. Maybe that’s why I’m unnecessarily cautious.
I have 4 kids….not one of them came with a manual. Does anyone have an extra manual they can send me?
Happy Fourth of July! Now I gotta go check on the kids.
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June 21, 2020
Peacemaker
“For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” Psalm 122:8 (NIV)
When my infant daughter got cranky, we would put her in a highchair and roll it over to our 60-gallon fish tank. Sitting two feet from the glass, Jade would immediately stop fussing and lose herself in the visual wonder of the aquarium. The gentle bubbling of the filter and graceful movements of Scarlett and Rhett, our parrot fish, soothed her fussiness and quieted her manner. Peaceful and content, she would sit there for long periods enjoying the view.
Scarlett and Rhett had no clue they were offering such a valuable gift to Jade, or to us for that matter. Oh, but the peace they brought to our family. What a treasured contribution that transformed Jade’s mood. She became a tranquil little girl with a gentle spirit, easy to raise.
We often think that being a peacemaker means helping others work through disagreements. It’s more than that. Peacemaking includes “making peace” in the midst of noise or chaos. It means being a calming influence when tension or irritation seem to rule.
Jesus had that effect on others as he walked this Earth and he still does. In John 14:27 (NIV), Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
As a follower of Christ, I too want to be known as a peacemaker—someone whose influence rubs off on others, helping them find harmony.
If we can reflect the serenity of Christ unto others, think of what a light we could be in this world.
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June 11, 2020
Blended Step-Dads
Blending two families doesn’t happen without a few bumps along the way. It’s not unusual for the stepdad role to include some heartache and hardship. But there are rewards to those who persevere in relationship building. I’ve witnessed it in many families.
If you’re a stepdad, thank you for the important role you play. Your stepchildren might not recognize the value you add to their lives yet, but time is on your side. And for those days that you need a little extra help, remember God’s promise in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”
If you’re married to a stepdad and want to understand him better, check out Surviving Father’s Day Dread or one of our other posts about dads.
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May 21, 2020
United Front
“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)
I slapped my legs in horror as I looked down and saw what was stinging me. Hundreds of fire ants, undetected, had covered my leg as I’d napped in the Florida sun. Now, in one accord they triggered one another to begin the attack.
Liquid fire ran up my leg as I ran to the swimming pool and jumped in. Within seconds they ceased their attack, floating away. But the pain would last the rest of the day as tiny bubbles of poison formed where each ant buried its unflinching little jaws into me.
How I marveled at their organization. They were so in-tune to know the exact moment to come against the enemy. Like soldiers, fire ants are known for their undivided front in order to make an impact on intruders much larger than they.
As a follower of Christ, I too am a soldier. I could learn a lot from these little creatures. Children of God are constantly faced with problems much bigger than us. Yet so often we try to go it alone—to face the giants without the help of our comrades.
What trials might we overcome faster and more efficiently if we would only call on our brothers and sisters to pray with us, to stand with us in unity? Ephesians 4 reminds us how desperately in need of one another we should be. May we never say “I don’t need others in my life.” Instead, I want to reach out daily to my fellow believers and together, lean on Jesus.
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May 8, 2020
May 6, 2020
Testimonial
My name is Joan and I came into writing with a formidable learning curve ahead of me. Then I met award-winning author Tez Brooks and his encouragement told me I could learn a lot from this gentleman.
Having Tez mentor me in writing is one of the best steps I have taken. Not only did my writing improve, but so did my self-confidence and knowledge of the industry.
Tez’s style is both gentle and forthright. He shared stories of his experiences, which gave context to the corrections he encouraged me to consider. I’m a better writer because of his coaching and I’m now moving forward in publishing a book.
A few times a year, when I confront an area I need to develop, I ask Tez if he has time to work with me again. If you are looking for a writing coach contact Tez today.
~Joan Borton, Florida
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April 30, 2020
What I’m Working On Currently
I’m very excited to announce the completion of God Watchers: 52 Reflections for Discovering Him Everywhere. My agent is currently shopping the manuscript around to top publishing houses.
I also have two other books on the back burner:
Mending the Nets: How to Care for Your Missionary
Pre-Launching: How to Prepare Your Teen for Adulting in Today’s World
What I’ve Done:
Literary Business/Training
Writer & Editor – Jesus Film Project (2017-current)
Director of Donor Communications – Jesus Film Project (2 years)
Screenwriter/Film Producer – Broken Phonebooth Productions (2 years)
Editor in Chief Today Magazine – Cru Australia (2 years)
The Christian Writer’s Guild, Apprentice Level (2 years).
Authored
The Single Dad Detour: Directions for Fathering After Divorce (Kregel 2015) Nonfiction, parenting.Imagine Australia (Panorama Publishing 2009) Nonfiction, inspirational, photographic.Somewhere in the Journey (self-published 2003) Nonfiction, devotional.
Compilations
Christmas Moments Yvonne Lehman (Grace Publishing 2017) Short and Sweet, Too Susan King (Grace Publishing, 2017) All God’s Creatures: Devotions for Animal Lovers (Guideposts 2019)All God’s Creatures 2020 (Guideposts 2020)All God’s Creatures 2021 (Guideposts 2021) AVAIL NOV 2020
Articles (most recent)
GuidepostsThe Upper RoomCru.orgCBN.comFocus on the FamilyClubhouseClubhouse Jr.
Awards
Jerry Jenkins Christian Writers Guild – First Place Creative Non-Fiction (2012) Florida Christian Writer’s Conference – First Place Article (2016)
Word Weavers Intl. – First Place Children’s Picture book (2015)
Royal Palm Literary Awards – Best Inspirational Book (2016)
CENFLO – Best Comedy Short Film (2015)
Flagler Film Festival – Best Short Film (2016)
Nominee for Best Short Film at Prince of Prestige Academy (2017)
Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Foundations Award – 2nd Place Flash Fiction (2017)
Top 30 Single Dad Blogs, Feedspot (2017)Honoarble Mention, Writer’s Digest Writing Competition (2018)
Top 30 Parenting Blogs, Feedspot (2019)
Memberships and Misc.
Florida Writer’s AssociationChristian Writer’s AssociationWord Weavers Intl. (president of two chapters)Served as faculty at several writer’s conferencesJudge for the 2017 & 2019 Royal Palm Literary Awards
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