Kristy Moody's Blog, page 12

Jeon Somi Updates Fans On Overseas Trip

Recently, Jeon Somi traveled from South Korea to the USA for work, and she made sure to update fans via her Vlog. From magazines to special shows, Somi had a very busy schedule! She even made time for shopping! Episode 9 of her “SOM-THING” is available to view now.

Turn on the English subtitles to enjoy watching The Black Label artist’s complete video in English.

Coby James Launches Indie Music Career With New Single

Coby James is branching out as an independent artist with the release of his new single “Stay In School Kids.” The catchy song is categorized in the pop genre and was written by Coby and his wife-to-be Ashlyn. Christian Hale is credited with mixing the track, according to Coby James’ Instagram.

Stream the song anywhere you listen to music. Click here to listen to clips on Coby’s IG.

Congratulations on this new chapter, Coby!

DOE Jones And Orlando Palmer Cover Worship Songs

DOE Jones and her hubby-to-be Orlando Palmer have been sharing inspiring Christian worship songs on their social media pages over the past several months. Their voices complement each other as they honor God with gospel tunes.

Check out two sweet performances below:

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A post shared by IAMSON (@iamsonmusic)

[Guest Blogger] 5 Writing Tips from a Bestselling Author

Tamera Alexander: Ready for some transparency? I recently needed to revisit—and recommit to—5 truths that have proven enormously helpful in my 20-plus year writing career. Commitments are essential to accomplishing our goals, but commitments can wane over time due to overcommitment or simply to life crowding in and devouring our time.

Revisiting these 5 truths has helped me to stay focused on the goal. Hopefully they’ll be of help to you, too.

Disconnect . . . and be disciplined about it—
Easy to say, so hard to do.

In my early years of writing, there weren’t nearly as many distractions as there are today. Yes, we did already have cell phones and email back then (I wrote my first novel in 2002—I’m not that old!). But phones and email and social media weren’t the “great commanders of time” they seem to be now. The number of ways to communicate with each other has increased exponentially, which, in turn, has contributed to a general lack of concentration and ability to focus.

Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, podcasts, blogs, and the list goes on and on. An author could easily spend the majority of her time just fielding social media, staying connected with readers (which is an absolute blast!), and sorting the rest of “life stuff” that always crops up—and never write. Or at least never finish a novel.

The best way—and really, the only way—I’ve found that works for me is to turn it off. Literally.

Close your email. Silence your phone. Turn off notifications. Turn off the wifi connection on your laptop. Set aside a block of time when you’re not multitasking like a banshee. Give yourself permission to do that (and gain agreement from family members, if needed, to respect that time, too). It’s transformative!

Something else helpful is to set a timer for 30-45 minutes. For that block of time all you do is write. Just. Write. If you come across a question you need to research, write it down on the pad of paper beside you—which is vital!—and move on. Don’t allow distractions.

Inevitably, disruptive thoughts will come to mind—people you need to reach out to, an errand you need to run, that quick email you intended to write yesterday that you would “just take a second and you might as well do it right now.” But don’t! Make a note of it and then move on! Writing those things down (instead of simply trying to dismiss them or making a mental note) really helps to let go, clear the deck, and keep powering forward.

Instrumental music also helps me get into—and stay within—the flow. I have a playlist entitled Music to Write By, and—for whatever science there may be behind the therapeutic aid of music—this works for me.

Read—

The old adage “If you want to be a great writer, you must be a great reader” still holds true. Read broadly. Read books outside your normal go-to zone. Stretch yourself! Join a neighborhood book club and LISTEN to what your neighbors are saying about the novels. Talk about a learning experience.

Set realistic deadlines—

Deadlines are great motivators, but unrealistic deadlines are utterly defeating. Been there, lived through that. Too many times. If you’re writing for a publisher, be communicative and honest with your editor about needing more time on a manuscript. Don’t wait until the last minute to tell them that. It messes with their schedule and chips away at your integrity. Be honest with them—and yourself.

Write what enthralls you— 

If you don’t feel passionate about the story you’re writing, neither will your readers as they read it.

When writing A Million Little Choices (November 2023), I routinely found myself immersed in that dual timeline world even when I wasn’t at my laptop. I would still be thinking about Claire and Charlotte, the two women from different centuries who lived in the same historic Atlanta house and who share strikingly similar journeys.

I adore Southern fiction (both writing and reading it) and first had the idea for this story almost fifteen years ago. I’m so grateful the right time finally came to tell it!

Remember Who you’re writing for—

As a follower of Christ, everything I do—my writing included—is a form of worship to him. Spending time in the Word of God is essential. Years ago, a dear friend suggested Bible Study Fellowship to me, and this is my fifteenth year to take part in that study. “Life changing” doesn’t even come close.

Remember, if God calls you to write, he’ll also equip you to write. Lean into the eternal confidence of the One who’s called you, not in your own ability to complete the task. He’ll see you through.

Thanks for sharing your time. It’s a gift I never take for granted.

Tammy

The novel “A Million Little Choices” releases on November 7th, 2023.

Learn more about Tamera Alexander by visiting her official website, TameraAlexander.com

A Special Thanks to Tamera Alexander and Tyndale House Publishers for the images and exclusive article.

BTSCelebs to Review Janice Cantore’s “One Final Target”

This winter, BTSCelebs is reviewing another thrilling suspense novel. It’s Janice Cantore’s “One Final Target.” The book promises to be “pulse-pounding” as it tells the story of a retired sergeant and a rookie detective. They are healing from traumatic losses, opposing a dangerous enemy after the retired sergeant and falling in love along the way.

Stay tuned to BTSCelebs for the complete review in the coming months.

Janice Cantore’s “One Final Target” is scheduled to be released on February 13th, 2024.

*A Special Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for an advance reader copy of the book and cover image.*

EmpowerYouth! Enters 7th Year With Lyric Opera & Chicago Urban League Partnership

EmpowerYouth! Igniting Creativity through the Arts kicks off another inspiring year, according to the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s official press release. Lyric partners with the Chicago Urban League to encourage artistic Black teens in the city.

What is EmpowerYouth! all about?

Lyric: “EmpowerYouth! is a year-long initiative that actively engages 30 Black teen students from Chicago. The core mission is to amplify the voices of these students by empowering them to share their unique stories through various art forms. Participants meet weekly with seasoned professionals specializing in acting, composition, vocal training, dance, and creative writing. Throughout this immersive experience, students will collaborate closely with each other, culminating in the creation and performance of an original stage production. This year, for the first time, the students’ new work will be presented at Kennedy-King College, showcasing the students’ creativity and encompassing elements like music, poetry, acting, and dance.”

The head of Lyric and the CUL made insightful statements about the upcoming program this year.

Lyrics General Director, President & CEO Anthony Freud: “Lyric Opera of Chicago — through Lyric Unlimited — our learning and creative engagement initiative, really values our years of partnership with the Chicago Urban League. Together, we are able to encourage our young participants to explore their own voices, power, and passions.”

President & CEO of the Chicago Urban League Karen Freeman-Wilson: “Our partnership with Lyric Opera of Chicago provides an opportunity for youth to hone their artistic and creative abilities and to expose some of them to opera for the first time. We are excited to select and welcome this talented group of teens for another year of this powerful program.”

Mari DeOleo is serving as the program facilitator, and the returning artist mentors are Mbali Guliwe, Tanji Harper, and Shawn Wallace.

Learn more about the program by visiting Lyric’s website, https://www.lyricopera.org/learn-engage/community-programs/empoweryouth/

All the best to the youth participants this year!

A Special Thanks to the Lyric Opera of Chicago for the information and image.

Several Former CCM Singers Join Forces For “Safe for the Whole Family: How to Make a Christian Superstar” Film

Nate Cole (plus ONE), Chanel Haynes (Trin-i-Tee 5:7), Leigh Nash (Sixpence None The Richer), Crystal Lewis, Derek Webb and more team up to tell their truth, according to a teaser trailer for the upcoming independent film “Safe for the Whole Family: How to Make a Christian Superstar.”

The singers expose the struggles they faced behind-the-scenes at the turn of the 21st century, and the audience is given the opportunity to make their own decision about the faith industry as a whole. (At the time this article was published, the movie was still in the fundraising stage.) Jason Ikeler Whitney Fern head the directing and producing team.

Personally, I grew up completely immersed in the CCM industry and Christian entertainment. I still love it to this day, so it is heartbreaking to know some of my favorite singers possibly weren’t treated fairly or were hurt behind closed doors. I’m interested in seeing this film because of my love for the industry and hope to hear about their emotional healing ever since.

[Guest Blogger] The Gift of Adoption

Michelle Shocklee: The theme of my new novel Appalachian Song is “I choose you,” with adoption at the heart of the story. Recent statistics show there are over 100,000 children in the US foster care system at any given time. Their ages range from newborn to seventeen years, with the older ones on the verge of aging out of the system, leaving many of them homeless. Some of these children will return to their birth families, but the vast majority need a permanent home. 

A forever family. 

That’s where the beauty of adoption comes in. 

Adoption is a gift not only to the child in need of a home, but to the family—immediate and extended—they are joining. I’ve been privileged to have a front-row seat to the forming of many families through adoption. The four stories below are from people I personally know. (Names have been changed to protect privacy.) Each one is different, because each child and family are different, but they share one thing in common: these adoptive parents answered the call God put on them and opened their homes to children who were not related by blood but have become the children of their hearts. 

My Extended Family

Our extended family was blessed through the foster-to-adoption program when a tiny newborn boy couldn’t remain with his birth family. John and Ann had prayed for a child for many years. When the call came from a CPS worker about the baby, they gladly opened their hearts and their home. One year later they officially adopted the little guy. We celebrated with them at the courthouse on that special day. Although they’ve had ups and downs due to his birthmother’s drug use, they know he was always meant to be their son. “He’s an answer to prayer. Every day we thank God for bringing him into our lives.”

Adopting older children can be challenging, because unlike a newborn, they’ve already felt the sting of rejection, isolation, and in some cases, abuse. Yet God has amazing plans and beautiful lessons to be learned, not only for the child but for the adoptive families as well. 

Adopting from Overseas

When Lori and her husband decided to adopt, they felt led to provide a home for two unrelated Romanian orphans. They faced many delays, but after years of waiting they were able to bring the school-age girls home. Time spent in austere Romanian orphanages had left its mark, and both girls had emotional and physical issues to overcome.

Lori says: “Although we adopted older children, we didn’t miss any firsts: that first love letter I framed; the first time I heard the word mama; the first time I cried, exhausted at the end of the day. I realized that my husband and I had truly created a childhood for our children that they didn’t have to recover from, despite our shortcomings. We have been blessed beyond measure through all the hard moments and immense joy that was divinely orchestrated for our family.”

The Unexpected Blessing

Sher and her husband were the parents of three boys, two of whom were already living on their own, when God put a nine-year-old girl in their path. Her birth parents were unable to provide the care she needed, and she was being bounced around from one relative to another. As a mom of boys, Sher wasn’t sure she’d know what to do with a girl, but within two years of Mary coming into their home, it was made official. “We thought our family was complete with three boys. She’s the daughter we didn’t realize we needed.”

Becoming a Dad at Fifty-Something

Joe was a confirmed bachelor in his fifties when his life changed. He went to church on a typical Sunday morning where a guest speaker from the local foster care agency shared about the need for foster parents. As a single man, Joe had never considered volunteering, but God nudged him that day to do just that. Soon he was introduced to a fifteen-year old boy who, as it happens, had the same last name as Joe. The two hit it off. As soon as it was legally possible, Joe adopted the boy. “We felt like a family from the very beginning because our last name was the same, but now it’s official. He’s my son, and I’m his dad.”

There are many other adoptive families I’ve watched form through the years:

Empty-nesters who opened their home to a set of siblingsA family with two boys who adopted a little girl from ChinaA couple who were blessed to adopt a boy and a girlA family with five biological children who opened their hearts and home to two more childrenA single woman who had just turned 50 when God made it possible for her to a adopt an orphan from Haiti

The stories go on and on. Beautiful, life-changing stories. Not without challenges, but nothing that can’t be overcome, because nothing is impossible for God. 

Have you ever wondered if you should take the next steps to becoming a foster or adoptive family? Maybe God has been nudging you to pray about it. Our local church has partnered with Tennessee Kids Belong, a foster care organization, that has information about becoming a foster parent. Check with your state for similar organizations. 

For those of us unable to become foster or adoptive parents, we can still help in various ways. Foster families are always in need of assistance. Babysitting, laundry, food prep, homework, and help with a million other daily needs is always appreciated. Your local church or foster care agency may have information about where you can volunteer. 

These adoption stories, and the adoption stories I share in my novel Appalachian Song, remind us that God has a perfect plan in place to create families. Sometimes it looks a little different than what we expected, but the joy and blessings are worth it.

“Appalachian Song” releases on October 3rd, 2033.

A Special Thanks to Michelle Shocklee and Tyndale House Publishers for the exclusive article and images. 

“Games Week Georgia” Starts This December

Atlanta’s Plaza Theater plans to commence the exciting gaming and esports industry celebration “Games Week Georgia” at the end of the year, according to a press release from Tadpole Communications. The week (December 11th-17th, 2023) will feature a special film screening and activities with DreamHack Atlanta, Esports Summit, GirlGamer Atlanta, SIEGE and even a VIP Creative Industry Mixer. It will all happen in the city, which is  affectionately known as the nation’s esports capital.

A movie featuring film, music and gaming leaders, a pro teams competition in Rocket League, Esports Summit, annual SIEGE conference and more await attendees of “Games Week Georgia.”

Senior Industry Engagement Manager of GDEcD Asante Bradford: “A lot of people don’t realize that digital entertainment — video gaming more specifically — makes more money than the film industry globally. Here in Georgia we have worked hard to cultivate the gaming industry, and I am confident saying that it will grow and thrive exponentially as this industry continues to flourish in our state.”

Vice Chair of the Atlanta Esports Alliance Grant Wainscott: “Georgia, and specifically metro Atlanta, has become a thriving hub for gaming and esports. This jam-packed week invites gamers from around the world to celebrate the breadth and depth of the incredible ecosystem we have quietly built here in recent years.”

SIEGE Director Andrew Greenberg: “Georgia’s game industry is booming. Thanks to the Entertainment Investment Act, we have gone from five game studios to more than 160, with over 20 colleges in the state offering game development programs. This has become a major Georgia industry, as well as one of our most popular social pastimes. Bringing all these forces together creates a week of great events not to be missed.”

Learn more about the daily activities by visiting “Games Week Georgia’s” official website: gamesweekgeorgia.com

A Special Thanks to Tadpole Communications for the image and information.

The Studios Behind “The Chosen” Series & “Sound of Freedom” Are Set To Release “AFTER DEATH” Film

Next month, the team behind “The Chosen” series and “Sound of Freedom” film are releasing a new movie titled “AFTER DEATH,” according to an official press release from Angel Studios.

The film features a group of well-known professionals like Don Piper, Dr. Mary Neal, John Burke, Dr. Jeffery Long and Dr. Raymond Moody. They, along with doctors, scientists and survivors, are opening up about their personal experiences.

Jared Geesy, CDO of Angel Studios: “The Angel Guild found AFTER DEATH to be a compelling cinematic experience. Life’s biggest question deserves the biggest screen.”

Stephen Gray, Director of AFTER DEATH: “I’ve found that there are a lot of people in this world who are hurting and searching. I have a deep personal connection to the stories we’ve included in our film, which is why I’ve dedicated the past 6+ years of my life exploring these questions so that it might become a beacon of hope for others. For skeptics, this film opens the door to begin to ask haunting questions.”

This film is a Sypher Studios Production. The expert writing, directing and producing team includes Stephen Gray, Chris Radtke, Jens Jacob and Jason Pamer.

Check out the trailer below:

“AFTER DEATH” opens in theaters on October 27th, 2023.

*A Special Thanks to Angel Studios for the press release and image.*