Publishing Secrets

In this episode, you'll hear:A heartfelt reflection on the transformative journey we've shared through the "Leading with Grace" seriesThe exciting announcement of the launch of "The Beacon Show," a brand-new podcast that continues our exploration of servant leadershipA sneak peek into the inspiring content and visionary guests lined up for the first series of interviews on "The Beacon Show"An invitation to join the new adventure and become part of a movement that seeks to navigate the present and shape the futureMEET YOUR HOST: TAMARA M. JACKSONTamara "Tam" Jackson is a dynamic figure in the publishing world and a highly sought-after expert on authentic online visibility. Her journey from struggling to promote her work to establishing the thriving Christian Authors Network and dynamic Beaconship community showcases her tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit. More than personal success, Tam is driven by helping others succeed and now mentors authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs to foster a collective rise in thought leadership, influence, and success. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Tam balances her commitment to serving others with her love for reading, traveling, hiking, kayaking, and spending time with her beloved labradoodle, Spencer. Her story is of perseverance, passion, and dedication to empowering others to transform the world through their work. Her vision for The Beacon Show stems from her unwavering belief that every Christian leader has the potential to become a beacon of guidance, hope, and inspiration. Through this new podcast, Tamara aims to bridge the gap between spiritual goals and the practical realities of leadership, equipping leaders with the wisdom and strategies to navigate their paths with integrity, purpose, and a heart aligned with Christ's teachings. Join Tamara on this transformative journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and spiritual growth as she nurtures wise, compassionate, and resilient beacons of faith who inspire, transform, and illuminate the world with their God-given purpose.ACCELERATE YOUR SUCCESSReady to embrace the journey of transformation? Download Tamara's exclusive new ebook at https://beaconship.co/book/ and empower yourself to lead with purpose and passion.JOIN THE BEACONSHIP COMMUNITYBeaconship is dedicated to empowering and uniting Christian leaders through mentorship and collaboration, enhancing their influence and potential. We are committed to molding visionary leaders equipped to redefine what it means to be a change agent in today’s digital landscape. To learn more, visit https://beaconship.co/CONNECT WITH TAMARAFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebeaconshipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeaconshipLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachtam/ 

In this episode, you’ll also hear:How to measure a leader’s true impactAn example of a biblical leader whose legacy still transforms lives today — and you can accomplish the sameQuestions to guide you in crafting a truly impactful legacyThe True Measure of Leadership“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya AngelouThese powerful words remind us that the true measure of our leadership lies not in our individual accomplishments, but in the lasting impact we have on the lives we touch.As Christian thought leaders and authors, we have the incredible opportunity to shape the hearts and minds of those who encounter our work. But we must ask ourselves: What kind of legacy do we want to leave behind? And how can we ensure that our influence extends beyond the fleeting moments of our own lives?The answer lies in crafting a legacy of transformation — one that ignites lasting change and empowers others to reach their God-given potential. This brings us to the heart of our discussion today. You see, a true beacon’s legacy is measured not by the momentary brightness of their light, but by the lasting change they ignite in the hearts and minds of others. Our goal as servant leaders is not merely to shine brightly for a season, but to kindle a flame in others that continues to burn long after we’ve passed the torch. It’s about using our platform, our wisdom, and our compassion to empower others to become transformative leaders in their own right. Our ultimate goal is to create a legacy of transformation to inspire and empower others to live out their God-given purpose and potential. Thus, to achieve this goal, the impact of our leadership should extend far beyond our own lives and accomplishments. A Biblical Leader with Transformative ImpactLet’s turn to the pages of Scripture for today’s example of a leader who was and is known for his transformative impact: the Apostle Paul. Paul was a dedicated persecutor of the early church, but his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus radically changed the course of his life — and the history of Christianity. Through his writings, which form a significant portion of the New Testament, Paul’s legacy continues to shape the hearts and minds of believers worldwide. His letters to various churches and individuals — such as the books of Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians — contain timeless wisdom and guidance for living a life of faith and purpose. Standout aspects of Paul’s legacy are his unwavering commitment to the Gospel and his willingness to endure hardship for the sake of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, Paul recounts the many trials he faced, including imprisonment, beatings, and shipwrecks. Yet, through it all, he remained steadfast in his mission to spread the Good News and nurtured the spiritual growth of those he led.Multiplying Your ImpactAs we reflect on Paul’s legacy, it is important to consider the lasting impact we hope to have through our own leadership and work. Ask yourself:What kind of transformation do I want to ignite in the lives of others?How can I use my unique gifts and platform to inspire and empower those I lead?One practical way to craft a legacy of transformation is to focus on mentoring and developing others. Invest your time and resources in nurturing the next generation of leaders, just as Paul did with individuals like Timothy and Titus. By pouring into others and helping them grow in their faith and abilities, you multiply your impact and ensure that your legacy extends beyond your own lifetime.The Ripple EffectAs you reflect on the legacy you’re building through your leadership and work, let Paul’s example inspire you to remain steadfast in your commitment to Christ, and to crafting a lasting change in the lives you touch.Remember, your legacy is not measured by the accolades you receive or the momentary successes you achieve — it’s measured by the lives you transform, the hearts you inspire, and the ripple effect of your faithfulness to God’s call. So keep leading with grace and purpose, knowing that your legacy has the power to shape eternity. BIO:My name is Tamara "Coach Tam" Jackson and I am a published author, Facebook© Certified Digital Marketer, host of the Top 100 Publishing Secrets podcast, and founder of The Christian Authors Network (C.A.N.) Facebook© community. I specialize in helping mission-driven authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs increase their exposure, impact, and income through strategic self-publishing and digital media appearances. Just say yes and we will work together to attract a tribe of loyal followers that 1) "get you", 2) love what you do, and 3) are happy to invest in your book, business, cause, or movement. Plus, we will accomplish all of this without fake, salesy, sleazy, or manipulative tactics. Yes you CAN write, publish, and profit in a way that honors God; join the community today at https://christianauthors.net/fbgroup.   GET CONNECTED:Connect with fellow Christian Authors: christianauthors.net/fbgroupGet Booked as a Guest Speaker for Free: christianauthors.netFollow Tam on Facebook: facebook.com/thebeaconshipInteract with Tam on Instagram: instagram.com/thebeaconship/

In this episode, you’ll also hear:The essential balance a true leader must strike — and how to do itHow one member of our community leads with authority while nurturing othersOne practical step you can take to improve your servant leadershipThe True Essence of Leadership“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” -Ronald ReaganAs Christian thought leaders and authors, we have been entrusted with a unique platform by which to influence and guide others. And, as highlighted by the above words from Ronald Reagan, we understand that the true essence of leadership is the ability to inspire and empower others to reach their highest potential. But to exhibit this kind of leadership, we must continually ask ourselves: How can we best uplift and nurture those we lead?How can we strike the delicate balance between providing direction and fostering an environment where others can thrive and grow? Finding that balance can create a powerful ripple effect, not just within our immediate circles, but in the lives and communities we impact through our work. See, leadership is not just about guiding others — it’s about empowering them to guide themselves with wisdom and truth. Our authority as Christian leaders should be rooted in our faith and wisdom, while nurturing those we lead so they can grow and flourish under our guidance.An Example of Balanced LeadershipFor an example of a Christian leader who strikes that vital balance, look no further than a member of our own Christian Authors Network: JR Spear. JR is the author of The Success Guide To Building Your Coaching Empire, a strategic battle plan for motivated coaches and entrepreneurs. His journey from serving in Iraq to becoming a successful entrepreneur and consultant exemplifies the balance of authority and nurturing in leadership. In his book, JR provides a step-by-step guide to building a coaching business, emphasizing the importance of discovering your true purpose, creating an irresistible offer, and building a powerful team. These elements require a leader to exercise authority in setting the vision and direction, while nurturing team members to reach their full potential. JR’s leadership style is further evident in the Business Leaders Network, a community he founded for emotionally intelligent servant leaders. By creating a platform for entrepreneurs to educate, connect, and collaborate, JR demonstrates the nurturing aspect of leadership. He provides the resources and guidance necessary for members to grow and succeed, while also fostering an environment of mutual support and empowerment.Thank you, JR, for setting such an inspirational example of leading with strength and compassion!The First Step JR’s approach to leadership as seen in his book and the Business Leaders Network showcases the delicate balance between authority and nurturing. As established leaders, we must set clear goals and expectations, and doing so requires us to exercise authority. However, we must also invest in the growth and well-being of those we lead, which demonstrates a nurturing spirit. One practical way to achieve this balance is by regularly checking in with your team members as JR does with his network. Ask about their aspirations, challenges, and how you can support them. By providing guidance, resources, and opportunities for development, you can show how your authority is rooted in a genuine desire to see others succeed.Remember, your authority should be grounded in wisdom and exercised with compassion, always striving to empower and uplift those you lead. How can you apply these principles of authority and nurturing in your own leadership today? JR’S BIO:From Getting Blown Up In Iraq To Leading Entrepreneurs On How To Start And Scale Their Business…Hi, my name is JR Spear and I'm the founder of CREED Consulting and Business Leaders Network...Since my return from the hot desert of Iraq in 2007 I've built several successful businesses ranging from the fitness and martial arts industry, marketing and advertising, to consulting...My mission is to arm small business owners with the right tools and resources needed to grow their business, giving them the direct path to bypass the struggles I had to endure so they can achieve the life and business they desire...Since 2017 I have helped hundreds of entrepreneurs 2x, 5x, even 10x their businesses by implementing the proper STEPS (Structure, Technology, Efficiencies, Processes, and Scalability).I’ve presented to audiences both large and small in a variety of different settings and contexts. As an author and presenter, I use personal stories, and life experiences to not only make a point but to keep the audience engaged and listening. They will leave with practical and applicable steps to take with them beyond what they learned. GET CONNECTED:JR’s Website: jrspear.com/speaker_jrThe Business Leaders Network: blncommunity.comFacebook: facebook.com/jr.spear.coach

In this episode, you’ll also hear:Why the gifts you have been given aren’t actually for youWhat resilience and vision really mean for Christian leadersHow one member of our community leads with perseverance and commitment to her visionHow to move forward even in times of uncertaintyThe Journey of Faith-Driven Leadership“The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it.” C.C. ScottToday, we’re diving into a theme that resonates with every leader’s journey: rising with resilience and vision. You see, it’s in the crucible of trials that authentic leadership is refined. Resilience, then, is what allows us to emerge from those trials with a vision that transcends the immediate to embrace God’s greater purpose.Before we further explore the concepts of resilience and vision, however, let’s ground ourselves in Scripture. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in various forms.” This means that whatever gift you have received is not just for you — it’s for others around you. We must stay focused on using our gifts for others each day. When we do that — when we focus on the people we are called to serve instead of on ourselves — we arrive at a place of resilience and are inspired to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This is the journey of faith-driven leadership. The Meaning of Resilience & VisionSo, as Christian leaders, what does it mean to have resilience and vision? Let’s break down each of those terms.ResilienceResilience isn’t just about bouncing back. It’s about growing, learning, and thriving, and often, that happens in the midst of adversity.Honestly, I haven’t learned much from my successes. Instead, the things that could be perceived as failures have caused me to learn and grow the most. I wouldn’t be who I am today, or where I am today, without those setbacks. Remember, setbacks can simply be setups for comebacks. So as you reflect on your own leadership journey, consider how pressure and challenges shape your ability to lead gracefully with conviction and fortitude. VisionA leader’s vision acts as a guiding star. It illuminates the path not just for the leader, but also for those they lead. Thus, a clear, compelling vision inspires action, provides direction through stormy seas, and mobilizes people toward a shared goal.An Example of PerseveranceTo illustrate the importance of resilience and vision, let’s take a look at the example of a remarkable member of our Christian Authors Network community: Aleta Allen. In just four years, Aleta has published two books and is working on her third. Her mission is to encourage everyday people to open their Bibles and let the Holy Spirit guide them, and she constantly shares on social media to support that goal. Despite her dedicated effort, however, Aleta has faced challenges in reaching her intended audience. Yet her resilient spirit stands out. She joined us for our 2-day workshop in February, then for a 90-minute social media workshop in March, and now she’s taking her commitment a step further by joining the Christian Author Success School so she can learn how to connect with her audience online.Aleta’s spirit of perseverance is a vivid example of James 1:12: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”Resilience is about staying committed to the vision even when the path is unclear. As Proverbs 29:18 reminds us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Aleta’s clarity of purpose and faith guides and inspires us to consider the power of vision in our leadership. Thank you, Aleta, for being such a powerful example of perseverance and commitment to your God-given vision!The Power of VisionTake a moment now to reflect on your own vision for leadership and the challenges you have faced. How has your faith guided you through these trials?What vision propels you forward?How can you commit to remaining resilient in the face of adversity?Then, inspired by Aleta’s journey and perseverance, take some time to identify your vision and consider one step you can take this week, despite any challenges you’re currently facing, to move closer to that vision. Remember, resilience is embracing each setback as a step forward towards your greater purpose. True leadership and faith are forged in the fires of trials with a vision that sees beyond the immediate to God's greater purpose. Let's keep these words close to our hearts as we navigate our paths to leadership. And let’s look to Aleta’s story as a beacon of resilience and vision — one that reminds us that our faith and commitment can guide us through the trials, toward the impact we aspire to make.  ALETA’S BIO:Aleta R. Allen was born in 1947 in Springfield, Massachusetts. She is the only child of Nick and Rose D’Emillo. While raising Aleta, her mother, Rose, worked in several manufacturing companies like Milton Bradley Toy Company and the Armory during World War II. Nick, her stepfather, served in the United States Air Force for over 20 years as an auditor in the Auditor General’s Office, allowing Aleta to travel throughout Europe and the Near East during her youth. Aleta graduated from Livingston High School in 1965, computer programming trade school in 1974, and Sacramento Theological Seminary & Bible College in 2005. Her areas of study were Computer Programming and System Analysis, Theology, Church Growth, and Church Administration. Currently, she is halfway to earning a master’s degree in Theology. Some jobs that Aleta R. Allen had as a young adult included computer programming, system analysis, technical writing manuals, developing warehouse facilities and utilization of space, and designing and developing printed material. While having these jobs, she discovered that she had a passion for helping people and a God-given desire to help people in her communities.Aleta R. Allen started, managed, and grew several businesses, including a printing plus mailing company and a community development corporation that provided essential needs like food and clothing to at-risk populations in the community. Community partners included the Children’s Hunger Fund, Feed the Children, Convey of Hope, Jordan Outreach Ministries, and many more. Over 20 years, Aleta’s nonprofit organization directly served more than 1 million people. Aleta continued reaching out by doing a radio show. Aleta was a Personal Administrative Assistant to an Author. Aleta R. Allen is now a published author.As a business owner, Aleta R. Allen specialized in workforce development for ex-offenders who were released from jails, prisons, and halfway houses and those who were recovering from alcohol and drug addictions. She has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and enjoys sharing his love with the people she helps. For many years Aleta R. Allen preached at church services and revivals throughout the United States of America. She donated her professional services to several churches and has helped them enhance their audio systems to optimize media development, developed administrative infrastructure, and wrote policy procedures. Aleta R. Allen is a member of the Daybreak Christian Fellowship in Las Vegas, Nevada, a member of the Armed Forces Chamber of Commerce, and an honorary Board Member of the Armed Forces Chamber Community Development Corporation. Aleta owns A Scribesmith LC (a publishing company) and Rephidim LC (a ranch.) GET CONNECTED:Website: ascribesmith.comFacebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076506520156

In this episode, you’ll also hear:What to expect from the “Leading with Grace” seriesHow one member of our community exemplifies a spirit of service and empathyHow to measure — and use — your spark of potentialOne simple action you can take today to make an impactIntroducing the “Leading with Grace” Series!Welcome to “Leading with Grace,” a series where the light of faith intersects with the art of leadership, designed for Christian authors and thought leaders! This series is an expedition to the core of servant leadership as exemplified by our Lord Jesus Christ. In this series, we’ll uncover the seven leadership principles that can transform lives and the world, so you can be inspired to lead with a servant’s heart, uplift others through your words, and create ripples of positive change. Each of the seven principles will shine a light on the pathway to a servant leader approach, helping you not only walk in Jesus’ steps, but also stand on His shoulders and view the higher horizon of your calling. Whether you're scribbling your first draft or putting the finishing touches on your latest manuscript, these principles have the power to deepen your influence and elevate your impact. So if you're ready to step into your role as a change maker — to pen not only stories, but legacies — then “Leading with Grace” is where your next chapter begins! Get ready for an awakening, a rebirth into leadership that serves, heals, and harbors the greatest purpose. A Spirit of Service & Empathy“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”1 Peter 4:10What if the true essence of our potential is not measured by our individual achievements, but by our dedication to uplifting others? What if our greatest legacy is the kindness and understanding we spread through our acts of service?To kick off the “Leading with Grace” series, let’s examine the example set by a member of our own community: John Alexander, whose life exemplifies a spirit of service and empathy. John is a Texas resident, an author, and a cherished member of the Christian Authors Network, and he embodies the spirit of service through his passion for poetry and storytelling.After a successful career in high tech, John turned his full attention to writing, crafting stories and poems that have captured the imaginations and hearts of children and adults alike. But it's at the Frisco Senior Center where John's impact truly shines. He regularly shares his poems there, offering words of hope, encouragement, and joy to everyone present. John’s book of poetry, Timeless Tales: Rhymes from the Heart, and his Quiet Time Rhymes series are more than collections of verses — they are his gifts of empathy and understanding to the world. And his dedication reminds us of an essential truth: Your spark of potential is God’s gift to you; how you nurture it and serve others is your gift back to Him and to the world.Through his poetry readings, John transforms moments into memories, proving that service and empathy can amplify our impact, touching lives in ways we might never fully know.Thank you, John, for being such a luminous example of kindness and creativity in our community!How Will You Nurture & Channel Your Spark?Now it’s your turn. How can you channel your unique gifts into service? How can you allow empathy to deepen your connection to those around you and enhance your journey as an author?Here’s a simple step you can take today: Share your talent with someone who could use a moment of joy. This could be reading, writing, singing, or simply listening. Remember, the essence of service lies in sincerity and love. JOHN'S BIO:John Alexander lives in Texas with his beautiful wife and his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He spent his childhood in a small town in east Texas. He attended college at the University of Texas earning degrees in Physics and Math, then spent many years developing innovative communications systems. While still working, he began writing fiction in his spare time and published The Enclave, a mystery/suspense novel, in 2010.Since leaving high tech in 2014, he now spends full time pursuing his writing passion. John writes children’s books to capture their imagination and help them discover the love of reading early in life. He especially loves writing books that help elementary school children discover that reading is a fun adventure. The chapter books in the Amber-Autumn mystery series, including Christmas Garden, Grandfather’s Blessing, Golden Campout, and The Secret Room appeal to elementary school children. His first picture book, Words That Soar, won first place at the 2019 North Texas Book Festival. The Christmas Gift, published by Elk Lake Publishing, Inc., came out in 2019 and was a finalist in the 2020 North Texas Book Festival. His latest children’s book, The Young Artist, An Unpicture Book, was just released in November 2020.John discovered his love for rhyme and released his debut book of poetry, Timeless Tales, in 2018. His latest books of poetry, the Quiet Time Rhymes series including Quiet Time Rhymes: Peace in the Pandemic, released August 2020, and Quiet Time Rhymes Volume II: Into the Light, released March 2021, contains poems offering prayers of hope and encouragement, heartfelt cries to God, and words of encouragement. He continues to write and share rhymes on his blog. John is also a monthly contributor to Faith On Every Corner digital magazine. GET CONNECTED:Website: QuietTimeRhymes.comBlog: QuietTimeRhymes.com/blogFacebook: facebook.com/QuietTimeRhymes  

In this episode, you’ll also hear:The story of Dee Dee’s successful online dating experience — and how she almost settled for less than she’d always prayed to findHow writing her book turned out to be easier than she’d anticipatedTips on crafting an outline that will help the writing flow naturallyThe importance of getting honest, constructive feedback on your writingDee Dee’s advice for the writer who is hesitating to start (or finish!) their bookDon’t Settle for LessIn her book When You Meet Your Match: My Match.com Marriage, Dee Dee Patterson shares what she’s learned from ten years of marriage after meeting her husband online. Prior to that online meeting, however, Dee Dee explains that she was actually in a relationship with someone else — someone she was planning to marry. But though Dee Dee loved the idea of getting married, she realized that she was settling for less than God’s best.“I was in my late 20s and I wasn’t married yet, and so I was excited about the idea that someone wanted to marry me,” she explains. “But deep down inside, I felt like he did not have the qualities that I always dreamed of when I pictured my future husband.”Trusting that God had a different plan, Dee Dee broke things off and spent some time enjoying being single. That was when she saw an advertisement for an online dating site. Although Dee Dee didn’t believe in online dating at the time, she decided to give it a try. But this time, she wasn’t going to settle. “I did a search for my perfect guy,” she recalls. “And it was almost just to prove that it wouldn’t work.” To her surprise, however, one man on the site met all of her “perfect guy” criteria. At first, Dee Dee hesitated, not wanting to make the first move, but finally she reached out — and the rest is history. Now, Dee Dee says she’s thankful she didn’t settle for someone who wasn’t exactly right for her. If she hadn’t listened to God’s prompting, she wouldn’t be in the amazing marriage she has today. Writing a Book: Not So Complicated After All?Dee Dee says she always wanted to share her story. But after writing an outline for the book that is now My Match.com Marriage, she put it aside for several years. Then Covid-19 hit, and Dee Dee found herself at home, out of work for four months. Wanting to use the time for something productive, Dee Dee pulled out her outline, made a few changes, and started writing. When she was finished, she found an editor, who helped her improve the content and provided instructions for selling the book on Amazon. “I was surprised at how easy it was,” Dee Dee says. “Because when you think of [writing and publishing a book], it's such a big task. But it didn't seem complicated once I did it.”One reason the writing flowed so easily for Dee Dee was because she had that outline to work from. Pulling from her journalism background, she had chosen ten main points to write about, and structured the book so that each chapter focused on one of those points. Not only does this kind of outline make the writing process easier (and often faster), but it also helps keep the book’s content organized so readers can navigate it easily and find the information they need. Finally, Dee Dee made sure to get reliable feedback. In addition to hiring an editor and getting her husband’s perspective on the personal stories she was writing about, she also asked a trusted family member to read it and give constructive criticism. Dee Dee knew this person would be honest with her even if the book was terrible, which made their positive response even more encouraging. Life Is ShortMaybe you, like Dee Dee, have a story to share, but you’re hesitating to take that first step and get it out into the world. If that’s you, Dee Dee cautions you to remember that “life is short, and you might as well chase your dreams now, because now is the best time to do it.”None of us is promised a future. But writing a book is a great way to leave a legacy that will remain long after you are gone. It may seem daunting, but as you move forward, you may just find, as Dee Dee did, that it’s not as complicated as it seems.  BIO:Dee Dee Patterson is a wife and mother with three children who are all under 6 years old. Before she met her husband, she was frustrated, disappointed, and scared that her dream of being a wife and mother would never come to fruition. One day she did a very specific search on Match.com for her dream guy. She got one result! After contacting the man, they dated for a year before getting married. She has been married for over a decade and is in a happy and loving marriage after meeting her husband online. She wrote a book about what she and her husband do to have a happy marriage. She also blogs about going from dating to her dream life as a wife and mother at www.deedeepatterson.com to help other people get to their dream marriage. GET CONNECTED:Website: www.deedeepatterson.com  

In this episode, you’ll also hear:The importance of obeying God’s call, even if you don’t think you’re qualifiedHow God supplied “manna” for Jeaninne during her writing journeyHow to write your story in a way that helps people connect with itWhy Jeaninne refers to writing as a ministryWhat kind of writers this world needs right nowJeaninne’s advice on returning to your “burning bush” for renewal and motivation when the journey gets toughObeying the Call to LeaveIn her book Lessons from the Writing Wilderness, Jeaninne Stokes shares the story of leaving her full-time job to pursue a ministry in writing — or, as she puts it, “leaving the ‘Egypt,’ if you will, of my career, journeying through the wilderness of preparation, and then finally entering my promised land to become an author.”Jeaninne says she truly loved her job at the time. So when she first heard God calling her to leave, she ignored the prompting for about a year. But God kept trying to get her attention. From an audible voice telling her it was time to go to the words “never be afraid to give up the good to go for the great” mysteriously appearing on her computer screen, the nudges from God became too obvious for her to continue ignoring them. Despite not knowing why God wanted her to leave her job — or what she was supposed to do once she left — Jeaninne obeyed. Now, she encourages others to be obedient to God’s call, even if it doesn’t seem to make sense. “God will not reveal anything else to you as to what He wants you to do until you take that first step of obedience,” she explains. “And that's what I had to do.”Preparing in the WildernessAfter taking that first step of obedience, Jeaninne found herself at home alone, uncertain of what to do next. But that alone time allowed her to ask God for guidance and to listen for His answer. “When you make yourself an available instrument,” she says now, “God will start speaking and making His plans known.”The first answer Jeaninne received was to get up at 4:00 AM every morning, go to her office, read the story of Moses and the Israelites, and write down the lessons she learned from it. Only after she obeyed this call did Jeaninne begin to understand the purpose for it. “God started speaking to me and saying, ‘I'm having you read this because you're going to be going on a similar journey. I've called you out of your Egypt and put you into the wilderness to prepare for a writing ministry,’” Jeaninne recalls. Although she didn’t necessarily want to undergo this “wilderness” period of preparation, Jeaninne came to understand over time that it was necessary. “Before you can do anything great, you’ve got to prepare for that great,” she explains.For Jeaninne, preparation meant not only becoming a better writer, but also growing in her faith and learning to trust in God’s provision and guidance. She didn’t consider herself qualified for ministry, but as she continued to follow God’s leading, He continued to provide exactly what she needed for each day — just as He provided food and water for the Israelites in the wilderness. Learning to Be VulnerableAlthough Jeaninne had written numerous devotionals, Lessons from the Writing Wilderness was especially challenging to write, because it required her to be more vulnerable and transparent in her writing than ever before. Sharing her personal struggles and hardships with the world was difficult — but it was also important.“I came to realize that people need to hear your story,” she says. “People connect with your story.” Through transparently sharing the story of her writing journey, Jeaninne has been able to help others who are going through similar “wilderness” experiences by offering them hope and encouragement.It was a difficult journey, but Jeaninne says that once her book was finished, she felt a strong sense of closure and relief. “I felt like I had given birth, and that I was now able to really go out and help other aspiring Christian writers,” she adds.Understanding the Ministry of WritingFor many people, ministry is something that happens from the pulpit of a church or out on the streets. But, as Jeaninne has learned, writing can be a powerful ministry as well. What’s more, Jeaninne argues that writing is an essential ministry.“The world needs good writers,” she says. “The world needs people who are willing to write from God's perspective and not our own, in light of the hope and hurt and all that’s going on in our world. God calls people He wants to use to write, to share His Word, to spread His gospel. And it took me a while to understand that if I'm doing that as a writer, then that is my pulpit.” As writers, we can share the good news of Jesus with a much wider audience than we might otherwise be able to reach. So it’s vital that we obey God’s calling on our lives and write the message He has given us to share with the world around us. After all, if He can use ordinary people to write the Bible itself, what might He use your written words to accomplish?Returning to the Burning BushMaybe you, like Jeaninne, have felt God tugging at your heart to pursue a ministry in writing, but you’re hesitating to obey the call. If that’s you, Jeaninne advises following the example of Moses. Go back to your “burning bush” moment and remind yourself that God has called you to do this — and He’ll provide the ability and resources if you will just take that first step of obedience. “You're going to have your doubts, you're going to have your struggles,” Jeaninne says in closing. “But you have to go back to the burning bush, to remind yourself of the call that God has placed upon your life, and find a renewal there.” BIO:After beginning her career in higher education and on the trajectory to retire, Jeaninne's life was going the way she planned it until she heard the call to step away to prepare for a career in ministry as a Christian author and Bible-teacher. In 2002 Jeaninne answered the call. She took a leap of faith and left her career to prepare for a new career in ministry as a Christian author, speaker and Bible-teacher. After a season of preparation, in 2015 she founded JStokes Writing Ministries and began her writing ministry by publishing her first book, Living by Faith, a collection of inspirational poetry. Since the publication of her first book, she has authored four more books. Jeaninne has also written numerous devotions and articles and her writings have been published in Cross and Quill, The Christian Communicator, Harmony on the Go and Christian Woman Today Online. In 2009, she founded Inspiration for Living Ministries, her ministry platform where she walks out her calling as a Bible-teacher offering books, keynote messages and other inspirational resources to help people grow in their walk with the Lord.Combining her experience and background as a former educator and her passion to help others being called to the ministry of writing like she was called to do, in 2012 Jeaninne also launched Writing For Him, a ministry designed to help prepare aspiring Christian authors to write and publish for the Christian marketplace. Her service offerings include personal coaching, workshops and keynote messages for Christian writing conferences.Jeaninne's formal education includes a B.B.A in Business Administration from the University of North Texas and a M.Ed in General Education from Texas Christian University. She is a self-taught writer and her training to write professionally included attending numerous writing conferences, participating in several online classes, reading books on the craft, studying the writings of great Christian authors, and the daily practice of writing to perfect her craft.Jeaninne resides in Arlington, TX with her husband and two young adult children. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, reading, watching old movies, listening to old school music and rooting for her favorite professional football team. GET CONNECTED:Website: www.inspirationforliving.netTwitter: https://twitter.com/stokes_jeaninneFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeaninne.stokes

In this episode, you’ll also hear:How Candy came to write and publish a book dealing with a very difficult subject, despite people telling her a publisher wouldn’t want to pick it upWhat Candy has learned about waiting well — and why waiting doesn’t have to be negativeHow to tell if you have enough material to write a book rather than an articleTips on blogging consistentlyCandy’s advice for the writer who wants to land a publishing dealFinding Inspiration to WriteCandy Arrington says she has always enjoyed writing. As a child, she constantly made up stories for herself, and she chose English as her college major. But it wasn’t until much more recently — while on a church retreat with her husband — that she decided to write a book. “The Lord woke me up early, one morning, and I just had words swirling in my head,” Candy recalls. “I got up and grabbed my journal and began to write.” Later, Candy shared some of what she had written with others at the retreat. To her surprise, multiple people asked for a copy of her words to take home. “That was my first indication that perhaps writing was something that could minister to others, not just a personal way of processing emotions and thinking about things,” she says.Candy’s first book, Aftershock: Help, Hope and Healing in the Wake of Suicide, deals with a heavy but important topic, and it was born from personal experience. After a traumatic experience involving an acquaintance, Candy collaborated with a Christian counselor to write the book — and, in the process, learn to better understand why this kind of tragedy happens and how to deal with it. Through Aftershock, Candy endeavors to dispel common misconceptions about suicide and to offer hope and healing to those who have lost loved ones in this manner. Trusting God to Bring it All TogetherWhen it was time to find a publisher for Aftershock, Candy explains that God opened all the right doors at just the right times. While attending a Christian writers' conference, she knew she would have to act fast to secure a meeting with the specific editor she felt drawn to. There were hundreds of fellow writers at the conference, and that particular editor only had three meeting slots available. It seemed impossible that Candy could make her way through the crowd in time, but God had other ideas.“As I walked across the room, it was like the parting of the Red Sea,” Candy says. “Everybody just moved aside, and I could see this editor's name on the table. And I just stepped right through that opening and put my name on the last appointment on that list.” Although the editor turned Candy’s book down, she pointed Candy to another agent, who invited her to share her book idea at breakfast the next day. Candy was disappointed to see that she wasn’t the only person he’d invited, but she gave her pitch anyway and handed over her book proposal. Then something amazing happened. Each person at the table shared how their lives had been impacted by suicide. Even though the agent had intended to reject her idea, the stories that the other people shared convinced him that there was not just an audience for Candy’s book, but a need for it to exist. “If I had tried to orchestrate that breakfast table, it would never have happened,” Candy says in retrospect. But because she trusted God enough to keep going when things didn’t turn out the way she expected, God rewarded her by pulling it all together in even better ways than she had planned. Learning to Wait WellCandy’s latest book, Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well, also deals with an important topic: having patience and trusting God when life isn’t going the way one wants it to. Periods of infertility and financial insecurity tested Candy’s patience over the years, and she admits that during many of these times she did not “wait well.” But one morning, while reading the Bible, she came across the words “Thus far, the Lord has helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12). “I started thinking about all the thus fars in our lives,” she says. “And in doing that, I realized that this waiting season didn't have to be a negative thing, that it could be a time when we benefited from just watching for the Lord at work. Not feeling like we had to make something happen, but just trusting and waiting.” In our fast-paced society, we’re often taught that if we don’t act quickly and make things happen, we’ll miss out. As a result, waiting can feel scary and frustrating. But the more we focus on God’s faithfulness, the more we can learn to let those fears go and trust that God will come through yet again, in His own perfect timing. Learning from ExperienceAlongside learning to wait well and trusting God to provide, Candy’s publishing experiences have taught her several important practical lessons for success as a writer. Create an Annotated OutlineIn Candy’s experience, many aspiring authors have a great idea — but their idea doesn’t include enough material to fill an entire book, at least not yet. Starting with an outline helps you determine how much material you have to work with, and how easy or difficult it will be to expand that material into book-length. Sometimes, what you think is a book idea would work much better as an article instead. Be FlexibleWe may have a plan for where we want to go with our writing, but God may have other ideas. It’s important to be open and listening for His direction, because He may lead you in a completely different direction than you expected — and inspiration may strike anywhere, at any time. Maintain ConsistencyWhen Candy started her blog, she committed to posting once a week, no matter what. Sometimes, it can be tempting to let that commitment slide, but with God’s help, she always finds something to write about. The key is to always be on the lookout for ideas and to ask God for help, especially when it gets hard. Making the Right ConnectionsWith God’s help, Candy has achieved many accomplishments and gained valuable experience in the publishing industry. For aspiring authors who dream of having their book picked up by a traditional publisher, Candy’s #1 piece of advice is to attend a writers' conference. Not only will you gain valuable insight and have the opportunity to connect with editors and agents, but you’ll also be able to connect with and learn from fellow writers. “Often, you can learn as much from other writers as you can from editors and agents, especially if you're just starting out,” Candy explains. “If you can decide to be teachable, and decide that you're going to learn from people who have a little more knowledge than you do because they've been in the industry a little bit longer, then I believe that you can experience success.”  BIO:Candy Arrington is a writer, blogger, and speaker. She frequently writes on the topics of faith, health, personal growth, and methods for moving through, and beyond, challenging life circumstances. Candy’s publishing credits include other nonfiction books, including Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well, and hundreds of articles and stories in numerous print and online outlets including: Focus on the Family, AriseDaily.com, Inspiration.org, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest.Candy gains writing inspiration from vintage photographs, historic architecture, nature, and the application of scripture to everyday life. She enjoys teaching at writing conferences, guiding writers in how to best craft their ideas to experience publishing success.Candy and her husband, Jim, live in upstate South Carolina and love their roles as Glam-Glam and Bop to their three precious grandchildren. GET CONNECTED:Website: https://candyarrington.comX (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/CandyArringtonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Arrington.Author

In this episode, you’ll also hear:Ann’s definition of emotional intelligence, and why she says everything Jesus taught leads us to itWhy Ann says a believer’s born-again process follows the classic Hero’s JourneyQuestions to help shape your identity after God’s purposes instead of after what the world says you should beWhy Ann says losing a month’s worth of edits on her first book was an “act of God”The problem with jumping into Christian leadership too quicklyAnn’s advice for the aspiring author who struggles to find the confidence to finishEmotional Intelligence for ChristiansAnn Lenaers packs a ton of valuable information into her first book, Perfect Love: A Hero's Journey, but two words stand out from the rest: emotional intelligence. Or, as she puts it, “a smart heart.” Ann explains that throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites are described as having hardened hearts. As a result, God communicated with them through rigid rules and structure. But when Jesus came, He taught discipleship that focuses on what’s happening inside of our hearts instead of outward actions alone. “In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus took it out of your head and put it in your heart,” Ann says. “It’s not ‘an eye for an eye,’ it’s ‘turn the other cheek,’ because there’s more to it.” In other words, to have emotionally intelligent “smart hearts,” we must “know the word in our heads and teach it to our hearts.” While the work of the Holy Spirit is essential to the process of growing in Christ, Ann believes the church has an important role to play in discipling new Christians so they can learn to let Christ reign over their hearts and live emotionally intelligent lives. Faith & the Hero’s JourneyAlthough Ann grew up in the church, there was a time when she temporarily walked away from Christianity. “I got to this point where I knew I needed something in the spiritual understanding of my life,” she recalls, “and I’d grown up feeling like the church didn’t give me answers. So I started looking everywhere else.”After getting involved with the New Age movement for a few years, however, Ann found her beliefs being challenged to the point that she realized she needed to know who Jesus was. So she cried out to God, and after fasting for three days, she encountered the glory of God. Ann compares her experience to the biblical accounts of Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus and the transfiguration of Jesus: “It was just this brief moment standing in the light and presence of God… There are not enough words in eternity to try and explain it. But I tell people that the feeling it gave me was like if I could shove my hand in my chest and rip my heart out, I'd be looking at what love is. Because that's how it made me feel.”That was the beginning of Ann’s born-again journey, and she says it really was like starting life over. As God guided her in growing spiritually, He also guided her in writing Perfect Love to share her journey with others. In the book, Ann also compares the journey of being born again to the classic “Hero’s Journey” structure found in many works of fiction. “It's not like God was trying to give us this list of hundreds and hundreds of rules we had to follow,” she explains. “He was trying to help our minds be pointed in the direction of love, which is Him.”Although Ann admits that writing this book was an ambitious undertaking, she also says that once God had placed the idea in her heart, there was no way she could keep it to herself — she had to share the fullness of God’s amazing love with everyone, however she could. Four Identity QuestionsA huge part of Ann’s born-again journey was reshaping her identity to build on her new foundation of faith. To find this identity, she says it’s crucial to understand the importance of our relationship with God, others around us, and even ourselves — and to understand who we are in relation to all three.So in Perfect Love, Ann asks readers to answer four key questions:Who am I to myself?Who am I to others?Who am I to God?What needs to change about my answers?That last question is especially important, because we as humans are always going to make mistakes and have lessons to learn. “What I thought I was is not the same as what I actually am,” Ann says. The more we learn to conform to the image of Christ — and to shape our identities according to who He made us to be — the more assuredly we’ll be able to stand on the foundation of our faith. A Month of Editing… LostEven after deciding to write her book, Ann wrestled with doubts about whether she was qualified or if anyone would listen to what she had to say. But when she finally surrendered to God’s calling and started to write, the words poured out of her.“Once you know that God has called you into something, once you’re ready to start, there’s nothing that can stop the floodgates from opening up,” she says now. In a matter of months, Ann wrote the entire first draft of Perfect Love. But after she had spent a month editing — and changing parts of it that she now realizes she shouldn’t have changed — her laptop crashed. Ann lost all of her edits. But in losing that work, she learned that she had been heading in the wrong direction.Ann returned to her first draft, but this time the only edits she made were to improve the grammar and structure of the writing itself, not to alter the content. “I think losing the edits was an act of God,” she says in retrospect. “Making the edits was Satan messing with my head.” Ann’s story is a powerful reminder that sometimes what we think is the work of the enemy is actually God redirecting us to follow His original design. That’s why it’s so important that we partner with the Holy Spirit, so He can guide us and keep us from straying too far from His plan. Trust & ConfidenceAnn’s journey certainly has not been an easy one. And chances are, yours hasn’t been easy, either. No matter where you are on that journey — whether you’re just starting out, working on putting the message God has given you into the right words, overthinking how to edit your book, or unsure if what you’ve written is good enough — you’re not alone. Ann advises starting by finding and solidifying your identity in Christ, and everything else will follow as you learn to stand on your faith. “If you’re standing on a solid relationship with God, there’s nothing you can do that would be really wrong,” she explains. “Either it will be exactly what He’s guided to you, or He will correct you if you’re on the wrong path, and He can use it for your good because He called you.”Ann defines faith as a combination of trust and confidence. When your trust and confidence are 100% rooted in God, you’ll be able to follow where He leads and to fulfill the purpose He has placed in your life. Stay close to Him, listen for His guidance and correction, and He’ll show you the way.  BIO:Ann Lenaers is first and foremost a loving mother to Ava and a guardian to Hazel who likes to call her fairy godmother. She is also a Christian Author, Public Speaker, and Master Certified Life Coach operating under the business name Peace Is The Road. Her calling is to help raise up the children of God into maturity by aiding in the development of the emotional intelligence and healthy communication skills necessary for love and peace to be lived in balanced truth and grace. She works to bring words to life that have been abused in modern culture through fostering universal understanding of their meaning and calling people to action. She has a passion for community service and puts that love to work as the Community Outreach Coordinator of her home church as well as being a founding board member for Strategies for Life, a local nonprofit partnering with Living Free. GET CONNECTED: Website: www.peaceistheroad.orgInstagram: www.instagram.com/annjolina12Facebook: www.facebook.com/peaceistheroad

In this episode, you’ll also hear:Why many men (and women) often find themselves stuck with untapped potentialWhy Josh says we need to look at more than just one side of JesusQuestions to ask yourself to determine if you are building with the right spiritual resourcesWhat to do when you feel called to do something, but can’t see the opportunity opening up just yetJosh’s advice on finishing what you’ve startedUnderstanding Jesus as the StandardAs an entrepreneur, Josh Khachadourian has a lot of experience with leadership in the business sphere. Several years ago, this experience helped inspire his book, The Standard: Discovering Jesus as the Standard for Masculinity, as it gave him a fresh perspective on the person of Jesus. “I was looking at the life of Jesus, but this time I was looking with a new lens,” he recalls. “I was looking through the lens of not just the miracles, not just seeing Jesus as the Son of God, but I was really examining His life, His methods, His operating principles, His EQ. And I was looking at him through the lens of leadership that I've been privileged to walk down.”Through conversations with fellow Christian men, Josh realized that many struggled to see Jesus as relevant and accessible in their daily lives. So he wrote The Standard as a resource to help people — especially men — understand and experience Jesus as a real man who modeled how we as humans should live, without separating Him from His divinity. One major issue Josh addresses in the book is the fear of failure. “We’re created for dominion,” he says. “It’s in our DNA.” According to Josh, this spiritual need to accomplish great things is what drives people to build, create, and conquer mountains. “They’re searching for God,” he explains. “They’re searching to be reunited with the way they were created.”Unfortunately, many people end up suppressing this desire because they’re afraid. They worry about what others will think if they go after their dreams and fail to achieve them. As a result, they end up frustrated, because they know they aren’t living up to their God-given potential. Going after our dreams and being vulnerable about our struggles can be incredibly scary, but it’s necessary if we’re going to live the life God created us for. Following Jesus’ ExampleAnother important theme of Josh’s book is exploring the different attributes of Jesus as the standard for masculinity. Although Josh believes anyone, regardless of gender, can and should learn from Jesus’ example, he writes especially to encourage and inspire Christian men to become leaders according to the model set by Jesus. In Josh’s experience, the church often emphasizes Jesus’ softer, nurturing side, while placing less importance on His more traditionally masculine traits. “We’ve highlighted Him so much as the Lamb that we’ve lost sight of the Lion,” Josh says. Josh’s book covers six characteristics of Jesus that set an example for Christian men:Self-leadership and disciplineLeadership of othersCommunication skillsEmpathyConfrontation, especially in defending the vulnerableLove and bearing the crossIn each section, Josh includes not only examples from Jesus’ life, but also practical applications for those lessons. For example, referencing 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, he argues that everyone is building something spiritually — the question is, what are you building and why, and is it what God wants you to build?“I don't necessarily believe that wood, hay, and stubble is necessarily bad,” he adds. “You can build really good things with wood. You can build structures, you can build things that can last. But the scariest part for me is, was I called to do that?” As we learn to follow the example of Jesus, we must also learn to examine our motivations and discern whether our actions align with God’s plan for our lives. Overcoming Perfectionism & the Fear of FailureMost authors experience some level of fear and hesitation when it comes to putting their work out into the world. Even sharing your writing with a family member or friend requires you to be vulnerable and can feel like you’re taking a huge step outside your comfort zone. For Josh, much of that fear manifested as perfectionism. “I do love to do things with excellence, so if I'm going to do it, I want to do it the right way,” he says. “But when it crosses over into perfectionism, that's really the fear of failure. That’s what I was scared of: ‘What are people going to think? What are they going to say? I’ll tweak some more.’ And you can get stuck in an endless cycle of tweaking and never releasing.”Despite his fear and perfectionism, however, Josh knew that the message he’d been given was important and that he needed to release it. He views it as giving God a return on His investment — he’d been entrusted with the message, and it was his responsibility to share it with the people who needed to hear it. So Josh pushed through the fear, and God opened doors for him to publish the book — and he continues to hear from people whose lives have been positively impacted by the book. “I was just obedient with what the Lord told me to do,” he observes. “I released it, and now it's off me. It's out there.”Staying CommittedIf your fear of failure and of what others will think is holding you back from sharing the message God has given you, Josh says the key is commitment. If you are committed to obeying God’s call, you’ll be able to conquer fear and keep going even when you don’t feel like it.So many of us have amazing ideas of what we’d like to accomplish. But if you never actually start writing — or if you start but never finish — all those ideas will never come to fruition. “You're either committed to your excuses, or you're committed to finishing and completing the vision,” Josh says in closing. “And when you do [finish], you will take dominion in life.” BIO:Josh Khachadourian is a husband, father, leader, coach and host of the 'Raising The Standard' podcast. Josh has spent the last 15 years ascending the corporate ladder in a Fortune 500 company where he focused on building high performing teams and developing best in class leaders. Josh has encountered and observed the pressures today's men are facing. Most men are grappling for identity and struggling through challenges in life without a plan. Jesus provides a plan and sets a standard that is relatively unknown to the modern Christian man. Josh has made it his mission to show men everywhere that Jesus is accessible, relatable, real and relevant. His breakout best seller 'The Standard' has been challenging, changing and calling men to raise the standard in their lives. The four areas that all men must take dominion in are their faith, fitness, family life and finances. Josh helps men that feel the call to expand and prosper in all areas. You can connect with Josh, read his blog and be the first to hear about new podcast episodes at www.standard59.com GET CONNECTED:Website: https://www.standard59.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/kingdomathleteFacebook: www.facebook.com/kingdomathlete

In this episode, you’ll also hear:How God called Pastor Jim to plant a church in a community that was very opposed to the idea — and how God opened those doors anywayHow to keep going when you feel like giving upThe unique process Pastor Jim went through to turn his thesis into a bookImportant questions for leaders to ask about communicating and connecting with all generationsHow to deal with “us vs them” mentalitiesPastor Jim’s advice for those struggling with intense internal battlesPlanting a ChurchWhen Pastor Jim Wickham heard God calling him to leave the church he was already serving in and move out of state, he had no idea why or what God was calling him to do in the new city. But he obeyed anyway, and as he prayed for God’s continued guidance, a thought came to him: “Wherever Paul went, he planted a church.”Then something strange happened. People from the community began to visit Pastor Jim and his wife, and without being prompted, many of them asked the same thing: “Are you going to plant a church?” One of those visitors offered the use of his renovated garage for a meeting place, and soon the congregation now known as Living Word Community Church was born. To others who feel a similar call to church planting, Pastor Jim says it’s important to first be assured that you are really being called directly by God, and then to be faithful to that calling — because there will be challenges.For Pastor Jim and his new congregation, one of the biggest challenges was finding a space to move into once they outgrew the garage. Many in the local community were hostile to churches that weren’t Catholic and refused to rent a storefront to them or allow them to meet on school property. Although Pastor Jim could have pushed back with accusations of discrimination, he chose to be patient and trust God to open doors instead. “I’m here to plant a church that will exemplify the love of God,” he explains. “And those people, they're not resisting me. They're resisting someone else, and that's the one I represent. And I want to make sure that the way I represent Him [communicates] that, ‘Okay, that’s okay. The God I serve — and we serve — opens doors, and no one can stop that.’”Ultimately, not only did God provide a building, but He led Pastor Jim’s congregation to rent that building from a man who had stepped away from the church at large and needed to find his way back.Persevering Through Insecurity & HardshipGod’s provision for Pastor Jim’s life wasn’t limited to finding a building for his new church. He also opened doors for Pastor Jim to get much higher degrees of education than he would have done on his own. It all started with Pastor Jim finishing his bachelor’s degree on the side while pastoring vocationally. Then his university opened up a new program that allowed students to earn a master’s degree in just one year. This was an intense program, and Pastor Jim admits he sometimes wondered why he had decided to do it. But he earned the degree, and enjoyed the feeling of freedom and accomplishment at having finished higher education for good — or so he thought. A few years later, someone from the seminary reached out to ask if Pastor Jim had ever considered getting a doctorate as well. Pastor Jim believed there were many reasons he couldn’t — he hadn’t taken certain prerequisite courses, he thought he wouldn’t be accepted — but, again, God opened those doors and made it possible. Throughout his higher education journey, Pastor Jim says there were many times he thought about quitting. But now he sees that God was using the experience to help him grow and conquer his insecurities. “When I have my personal time with the Lord,” he recalls, “I hear another voice that affirms me and speaks life and says, ‘You can do this. Not because of you — you can do this because of Me.’”Reacting to Culture ShiftsPastor Jim’s book, Facilitating Change to Reach All Generations, actually started as his doctoral thesis. When his family urged him to turn it into a book, he listened, even though he says he had no clue how to go about it. Again, God opened a door to make it possible, and again, Pastor Jim walked through the door. The book’s topic came from Pastor Jim’s experience leading Living Word Church. Turmoil involving some of the church’s former leaders made it necessary for Pastor Jim and his team to turn their focus inward and prioritize strengthening their own leadership and programs. While this was happening, the culture around them was experiencing shifts and changes that caused gaps in the church’s effectiveness at reaching various groups of people. “The culture outside shifted so drastically that I began to see the church was not really acknowledging that,” he explains. People from new generations and different cultural contexts were being turned away because they didn’t understand the terminology being used or because the way the gospel was being presented made them feel unwelcome. “I realized there are some shifts here that really need to take place in us,” he says. “We don't need to change our message; we just need to change how we say the message. How do we say this to connect with those people? And how do we do things differently, to connect with them and say, ‘You are welcome too’?”If the church is going to be effective at reaching the lost, Pastor Jim believes Christian leaders must learn to understand how culture and values shift over time and how to appeal to people of different generations without watering down or compromising the gospel. Dealing with “Us vs. Them” MindsetsOften, churches or organizations that fail to reach people from different generations have fallen into an “us versus them” mentality. When that happens, Pastor Jim says it’s important to step back and examine yourself first. Ask yourself why you feel that it’s you versus the other person or people, and let God show you the answer. Then work alongside Him to deal with the root issue instead of just the surface-level emotions. “Instead of seeing the differences, then I can see what the real need here is,” Pastor Jim explains. “If they don't know Christ, that's the greatest need of all. And they're not going to find it if I'm going to be at odds with them.”As Christians, we know that God lavishes His love on us. Instead of fighting against other humans, we must let His love and grace transform us into His image first, and then we must share that love and grace with everyone around us. Of course, we also know that, ultimately, God is the one who works in other people’s hearts to draw them to Himself. But how we treat others and how we market ourselves to our community plays a direct role in either helping draw those people into our church or driving them away from it. That means we need to closely examine how well we are reflecting God’s love, and it also means we need to ask real people whether they see God’s love reflected in us — and if they don’t, we need to make some internal changes. It’s not easy, and it can be uncomfortable and painful to hear negative feedback, but as Pastor Jim has experienced, this kind of self-evaluation is crucial to our success at reaching the lost and growing as a church. Looking Beyond the StruggleMaybe you, like Pastor Jim in the past, are battling insecurities and difficulties and are considering giving up on what God has called you to do. If so, Pastor Jim advises you to remember that you aren’t in the position you are now because you chose it, but because God loved you enough to put you there. “I don't think there's accidents. I think God is purposely leading us, and so it's always for our good,” he says in closing. “Look beyond the moment, beyond the internal struggle and the stress that's there. You may not be able to see what's beyond that, but we know who is beyond…. And He's always faithful.” BIO:James W. Wickham and his wife, Isla, reside in beautiful Southern Maryland, about an hour and half from Washington, D.C.. In July of 1986, they planted Living Word Community Church, which they still pastor. They led Living Word from its infancy, through the several stages of growth, until today they have their own building with plans of future growth and expansion. Both are passionate about people experiencing the transforming power of Christ’s love, the presence of God, and teachers of the Word of God. For almost forty years, James has filled various levels of leadership positions for the District Ministry Network, plus for over 20 years, he has served on the board of a local Crises Pregnancy Center. In addition to the position of pastor, counselor, mentor, and coach, he holds B.Th., B.A., M.A., and D.Min. degrees. He and his wife have three grown married children with eight grandchildren. GET CONNECTED:Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/James-W-Wickham/1788947756/Get Pastor Jim’s book: www.amazon.com/Facilitating-Change-Reach-All-Generations-ebook/dp/B08RTVH5TT/

In this episode, you’ll also hear:The important first step Marlena took once she had decided her audience and the type of book she was going to writeMarlena’s journey to finding the right title for her bookThe difference between a cover designer and an interior designer — and why you need bothWhy Marlena recommends putting together a full presentation to walk potential investors through your vision — and why it’s useful even if you aren’t looking for investorsMarlena’s advice on being fully authentic in your writingWriting AuthenticallyLike many people, Marlena Banks says that growing up often involved not feeling like herself. As a result, she had a strong desire to express herself creatively and to leave her mark on the world. That’s why it was important to her that her book, Big Idea Food: A Weekly Devotional for Entrepreneurs, Side Hustlers & Dreamers, be written in her unique, authentic voice. While Marlena clarifies that she didn’t necessarily make a conscious choice to “be her most authentic self,” she did take inspiration from her journals while writing, and she made an effort to write in a way that was true to the message she knew God was calling her to share.“There was no other way to write,” she explains. “I didn't hear it any other way except to share what was truthfully shared with me in the way it was shared with me. But, in hindsight, it was very important to me that, if I put this out there, it expresses me. I didn’t want to open this book five years later and be like, ‘That is not who I was!’ So it really brings me joy to know that this is like a snippet in time of my most ‘selfiest’ of selves.”Marlena’s authentic voice speaks well to her target audience, in part because she wrote it for people like herself: millennial entrepreneurs. But, although she felt that Big Idea Food was the perfect way to express her faith and share her God-given message, she started by scoping out the market first to see if someone had already done something similar. To her surprise, there were no other books on the market like the one she intended to write. This made her even more excited to write it herself, and it confirmed that she had truly found her niche. Finding the “Big Idea”Before Big Idea Food and the start of her entrepreneurial journey, Marlena worked as a freelancer for almost ten years. “I did a lot of work for up-and-coming startups, mom-and-pop shops — people who have visions and dreams — and I helped create identities for them,” she says. “I just spent so much time with people who were just like me, who felt like, ‘I know I have so much to do in this world. God has shown me a vision.’” Eventually, working with all of these “big ideas” and visions inspired the name of her devotional book, because she wanted to encourage people to view God’s Word as fuel for their ideas and endeavors. She describes the book and its bite-sized devotionals as “Red Bull for your faith” or an energy bar to give entrepreneurs a quick boost when they’re feeling discouraged or in low spirits. “God's word really fuels all of the seeds that He planted inside of you,” she adds. “The activation that occurs when God's word hits the calling and the seeds that He has planted in you, it really brings the fruit.”For an extra spiritual energy boost, Marlena titled each chapter with an affirmation to help readers immediately ground themselves in God’s truth and to deliver maximum value in a relatively short word count. Assembling the TeamEven though Marlena’s background is in marketing, she realized early in the self-publishing process that she needed expert help to launch her book successfully. She started by researching and hiring an editor and then branched out to add more members to her little self-publishing team. As a graphic designer, Marlena planned to design the book cover herself — but she quickly realized she was out of her depth and needed help with that, too. “I was too close to the project,” she says in retrospect. “This was a lesson for me that sometimes when God is calling you into those higher levels of your purpose, or to the next season, even, sometimes you’ve got to let go of those old talents and the old season.”Marlena’s experience is an important reminder that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. It’s tempting to try to do everything yourself, but it really takes a team of talented individuals working together to publish a high-quality book. That said, Marlena has also learned that focusing too much on the resources you don’t have can prevent you from moving forward. Assembling a dream team can be expensive, and Marlena knew she didn’t have enough money yet to hire everyone she needed. But what she did have was the ability to put together a presentation about her idea, which she used to secure financial investments. “You need to communicate your vision,” she says. “You need to get out of your head, get out there, and talk to people about what you're doing. And I'm telling you, that's all you need. God just needs you to take those steps, and He will order them. He will bless them. He will provide what you need.”Building a CommunityOnce you do step out in faith and follow God’s leading, trusting that He will provide the resources you need to make your vision a reality, you may be surprised by where you end up. Beyond the book, Marlena’s calling led her to establish a community of like-minded people who strive to follow God’s direction in their creative and professional pursuits. Not only does this community allow Marlena to build the type of relationships she’s always wanted, but it also empowers her and the other members to make an impact for God’s Kingdom in their respective spheres of influence. Even starting this community took a leap of faith on Marlena’s part, however. Not only did she have to obey God’s prompting to leave her job so she could focus on launching Big Idea Food, but she also had to launch before she felt “ready.” “I was going to plan and make things all perfect for the launch,” she recalls. “And then the pandemic hit, and then I felt a push, like, ‘No, you don't need to perfect this thing. People need community right now — your people, the ones that I am sending to you. Right now.’”If you, like Marlena, feel God calling you to do something before you think you’re ready, let Marlena’s story inspire you to do it. It may be scary, but if you are willing and obedient, God will expand your territory and open more doors than you can even imagine.Telling Your Story in Your VoiceSometimes your calling and your God-given message are easy to follow and express, but often aspiring authors struggle to share their message in their own voice. If that’s you, Marlena encourages you to remember that God gave you a unique voice and message — and He gave it to you for a reason. Someone out there needs to hear you tell your story as only you can, and hiding behind an inauthentic voice only gets in the way of that. “When you show up as yourself, you truly, truly, do empower others to do the same,” Marlena says in closing. “And we need more of that. We need fewer copies out here. And we need more of our authentic who God called us and made us to be.” BIO:Marlena Banks is the founder of Big Idea Food™, a Christian media brand that produces faith-fueling content for entrepreneurs & creatives. Since releasing the Big Idea Food™ book, a down-to-earth, faith-based devotional for entrepreneurs in 2018, she's continued to grow the brand's offerings to include a weekly devotional newsletter, edge-snatching social media content, a growing membership community & business coaching. She’s found admirers across the globe including Yvonne Orji from the powerhouse show Insecure and other faith based entrepreneurs and tastemakers. When she’s not speaking at inspirational events or podcasts like this, you can find her curating faith-filled programming inside her community, Big Idea Food™ TRIBE or coaching early-stage founders to launch & grow their big ideas into the influential businesses God has called them to be. Her ultimate mission is to elevate the influence of more Christian creators so that, together, we can positively impact our world at the level God intended. Learn more about Big Idea Food™ and sign up for the weekly newsletter at bigideafood.com/subscribe GET CONNECTED:Website: www.bigideafood.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/bigideafoodFacebook: www.facebook.com/BigIdeaFood

In this episode, you’ll also hear:Why Courtnaye says this generation is one of the busiest of all time, and her advice on being still How Courtnaye started a successful blog with no prior knowledge — and how she’s maintained it for ten years The difference between marketing and self-promotion Tips on how to break into writing online Courtnaye’s advice on conquering the fear of putting yourself out there Time for God with a Busy ScheduleBetween writing, blogging, speaking engagements, family, ministry, and more, Courtnaye Richard is a woman who wears many hats — or, as she describes it, “My life is on wheels.” But Courtnaye also understands the importance of prioritizing her relationship with God. That was the inspiration for writing her 52-week devotional Inside Out with Courtnaye: to help other women like herself who needed a reminder — and perhaps even a little guidance — to set aside time to study God’s word. “When we're sitting with Jesus, we're sitting with Him and allowing Him to teach us,” Courtnaye explains, “but we have to be still. We have to pause.” With that in mind, Courtnaye designed her devotional to include both Scripture and reflection questions in each section, inviting her readers to pause, reflect, and learn from what they read. However, since she wrote the book for women who lead busy lives, she kept each section short enough to be completed on a single day out of the week. “I didn't want them to have any excuse not to get into the Word of God — including myself,” she says. A Blog that Opens DoorsAlthough Courtnaye has been writing since she was a child, it was blogging that opened doors for her professionally. In fact, her very first speaking engagement came about because someone read a blog post she’d written and asked her to speak about it at an upcoming women’s conference. But Courtanye admits that when she first decided to start a blogging, she had no idea what it was or how to do it. She only knew that she wanted to reach women far beyond her circle of acquaintance — and blogging was a great way to do that. Over the course of ten years, Courtnaye has grown her blog and audience through:Research: Before Courtnaye started, she researched how to run a blog and even watched a movie about a food blogger for inspiration. Quality: Courtnaye chose to write about topics that would truly help her audience in their everyday lives.Consistency: Instead of blogging whenever she felt like it, Courtnaye “trained her audience” to anticipate her blogs by posting at the same time on the same day each week. As Courtnaye’s experience shows, a blog can be an incredible platform and a gateway for many opportunities. But it takes hard work, dedication, and intentionality to do it successfully. A Biblical Perspective on Promotion & SalesCourtnaye self-published her devotional book, and she did so on a very tight schedule. With only three months to edit, proofread, take photos, design the cover, and more, she reached a point where she was afraid she couldn’t get it all done in time. But with encouragement from God and her husband, she kept at it and ultimately succeeded. Despite juggling so many other tasks, however, Courtnaye knew that marketing and promoting her book couldn’t wait until after it was finished. “If you have a product or service, you need to let people know about it,” she explains. “How are you going to make a sale if nobody knows about it?”Even though many aspiring authors understand that marketing is an essential part of publishing, many still hesitate to promote themselves or to focus on making sales. But Courtnaye believes we shouldn’t be afraid of putting ourselves out there. “It’s not about you; it’s about the message” she says. You are the messenger. You’re the vessel that God is going to use.” Think about it this way: God has equipped you to impact others. But that won’t be possible if you don’t allow Him to make your name — and your book — known to the people who need your help. Likewise, instead of thinking of sales as “doing it for the money,” consider it an exchange of value. People are simply paying for the valuable information and services you have to offer. And, by selling those books and services, you just might be able to support a ministry that goes far beyond what you would be able to accomplish on your own. Opportunities: How & Where to Find ThemEven though we as Christian authors are on a mission to spread our God-honoring message, to be successful we also need to make sure we are grounded in good business principles. That means being good stewards of our resources, but it also means being adaptable and seizing opportunities to grow and develop new skills. According to Courtnaye, sometimes all we have to do to gain new opportunities is to ask for them. First, pray and ask for God’s favor, and then reach out to people and pitch your ideas or services. That’s exactly how Courtnaye landed a role as a contributing writer to a huge blogging platform that reaches thousands of women around the world. While Courtnaye sent that particular pitch via email, she adds that these days, you can often send direct messages to people’s social media inboxes. That said, you should always follow directions — if someone only wants to be contacted by email or through a form on their website, don’t insist on reaching out to them in a different way. When sending a pitch — whether it’s for a guest blog post, a podcast appearance, or a service offering — Courtnaye recommends contacting the owner, founder, or coordinator and pointing them to your own website so they can view samples of what you can do. That means you need to make sure your website is professional and that your samples represent you well. Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of being visible on social media. “Sometimes people don't know anything about you until they start seeing you everywhere,” Courtnaye says. The more people see you show up consistently and talk about what you are doing, the more likely they are to reach out and offer you opportunities. Courage to Step Out of the BoatIf you struggle with the idea of putting yourself out there, you’re not alone. It’s common to feel insecure about promoting your work and asking for opportunities. But with God’s help, you can conquer that fear!Courtnaye advises dedicating time to read passages of the Bible that deal specifically with fear. Be honest with God about what you’re feeling, and ask Him for the courage to move forward. “Before you know it, you'll be stepping out of the boat and heading right towards Jesus,” she says. “He’s going to hold your hand, and he's going to walk you through every single step. So just step out of the boat, trust Him, and rely on His Word.” BIO: Courtnaye Richard is the founder of Inside Out Media Group, LLC - a faith-based PR, Marketing & Mentorship Agency. In her 15 years of experience, she has worked with platforms such as PBS, CBN, & TCT Networks, as well as local television and print publications. Courtnaye is also the founder of Inside Out with Courtnaye, a ministry that helps women grow in their walk with Christ from the heart and equips them to fulfill their God-given purpose. Courtnaye is also an author and contributing writer for ibelieve.com, Women’s Ministry Tools, YouVersion, and is a speaker of a host of women’s conferences. Her blog, Inside Out with Courtnaye, reaches thousands of women across the globe and was listed as the Top 50 Christian Women Bloggers Every Woman Must Follow. She's passionate about helping women make a greater impact in their personal lives, homes, church, community, and purpose. To find out more information or to book Courtnaye for your next speaking engagement, please visit www.courtnayerichard.com.  GET CONNECTED: Website: www.courtnayerichard.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/insideoutwithcourtnaye  X (formerly Twitter): www.twitter.com/inoutwcourtnaye  Facebook: www.facebook.com/InsideOutWCourtnaye

In this episode, you’ll also hear:The unique approach Kirstyn took in her devotional journal’s table of contentsThe importance of taking actionHow to relieve the pressure of worrying about tomorrowWhy you should seek a professional editor for your book — even if you are an editor yourselfKirstyn’s advice on moving forward a little bit each dayReceive God’s Grace & Take ActionWhen Kirstyn Mayden was putting together her devotional Merciful Moments: A Devotional Journal for Moving Forward With Grace Each Day, she decided to take a different approach to the table of contents than many authors use for their devotional books. Instead of labeling the sections as “days,” she labeled them according to their action-based topics. “I wanted the reader to have freedom to look at the topics and scan whatever topics they may be going through in that season, and whatever resonated with them,” she explains. “And I didn't want anybody to feel like, ‘Oh my gosh, I missed day one! I'm gonna freak out!’ Because that's the purpose of receiving God's mercy: to give yourself that grace. So I wanted that to start while reading the book.”It was also important to Kirstyn that each of these sections have a clear action step for readers to follow so they can move forward in faith after receiving God’s mercy and being encouraged by His word. Of course, we can trust that God will take care of our needs, but Kirstyn argues that we also have a responsibility to fulfill the role God has empowered and equipped us to play. Focus on the PresentAccording to Kirstyn, part of that responsibility is to understand that we can’t always control our circumstances — but we can choose to keep ourselves encouraged and moving forward even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Often, this means focusing on the present day instead of letting ourselves get distracted by worries about the future. “When we take the time to focus on today, it's a way to relieve the pressure off ourselves of having to carry all that weight of wanting to know the outcome,” Kirstyn says. “Then we'll be able to focus more on giving gratitude and focus more on, ‘What needs are being met for me this day?’ As opposed to what needs I may not have tomorrow.”Choosing to focus on one day at a time like this allows us to be present and appreciate the small moments of beauty God gives us each day. Scripture tells us that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), but if we’re always thinking about what’s happening tomorrow or next week, we may miss the mercies of today. Let Go of PerfectionWhen it came to actually writing and publishing her book, Kirstyn says it was not a quick process by any means. Although she knew for years that she wanted to write a book — and kept telling herself she would do it — she kept putting it off. Even after she’d started writing, she hesitated to share it with others, because she wanted it to be “perfect.”“I just gave myself a list of all these reasons why it wasn’t ready to move forward,” she recalls. “And in that moment, God was like, ‘You know what? You’re just going to have to step out and move forward. It’s never going to be perfect.”Once Kirstyn accepted that it was time to share her work and hired an editor, she found herself getting frustrated by how long it took to undergo multiple rounds of editing — and then to get it all finished up and ready for publication. “It's been a journey,” she says now. “But I'm glad that at the top of the year, I didn't tell myself again the list of reasons why this wasn't ready to move forward. So it's been about a two year process, but I'm glad that I stayed the course. And I'm glad that I didn't let my pursuit of perfection and my fears totally deter me from moving forward.”Stay the CourseMaybe you, like Kirstyn, are afraid to share your manuscript with others. Or maybe something else is holding you back from moving forward with writing and publishing the message God has given you. Whatever the case may be, Kirstyn urges you not to give up. Pray for God’s guidance, and make use of the resources you have to work on your book and your craft just a little each day. When you need help (and you will!), don’t be afraid to invest in professional assistance so you can present your God-given message as effectively as possible. “This journey of writing a book is not just about writing the book — ultimately, the message that you have for your reader is going to live on long beyond the book’s publishing,” Kirstyn says in closing. “This is your message to the world that God has given you, and it's going to be beautiful, but you have to stay the course. So don't give up, be encouraged, and know that the message that God has given you to write will manifest in its due time.” BIO:Kirstyn Mayden is a Christian blogger who writes devotionals that empower and equip believers in their everyday lives. She is a wife, Mom, Pastor’s wife, writer, speaker, non-profit leader and most importantly, loves Jesus with all her heart. She is also a writing contributor for Beloved Women, Bible Study Tools, and iBelieve. She has a Master of Divinity degree from Emory University in Atlanta, GA. For the last 20 years, Kirstyn has served in several ministry capacities serving with children, youth and women. She has a passion to serve with women empowering them to grow and live out their God-given purpose. Currently, she serves alongside her husband in ministry in West Virginia. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. GET CONNECTED:Website: www.kirstynspeakshope.comGet Kirstyn’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Merciful-Moments-Devotional-Journal-Forward/dp/1953000126Instagram: www.instagram.com/kirstynsmaydenFacebook: www.facebook.com/kirstyn.brownmayden

In this episode, you’ll also hear:How God got Anita’s attention when it was time to share her storyAnita’s journey through tragedy, and how writing her book served her first – and also helps encourage others around herThe power of working with a book coachAnita’s advice for the aspiring author who hesitates out of fear of judgment or resentment from othersA Book Born from TragedyMany aspiring authors have had a dream of writing a book from the time they were young children. But for Anita Morris, becoming an author wasn’t something she dreamed about or aspired to –- it was something that happened as a result of a tragic experience in her life.Six months after Anita’s husband retired from his career as a firefighter, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Eight months after that diagnosis, he passed away. “That was the most devastating thing I’ve ever experienced,” Anita says, “and I didn’t know how I was going to move forward with my life.”That’s when Anita was reminded of four words that had come to her while caring for her husband:Stand: Anita thought she knew how to be strong, but now it was time to stand in her faith and use the lessons she’d learned from previous trials to carry her through the grieving process.Trust: Anita also needed to remember the sovereignty of God and to trust that what He allows, He allows for a purpose.Endure: It’s one thing to endure, but now Anita had to learn to endure with grace and be present in the process of grief – not run away, fight against, or suppress it. Proceed: Finally, it was time for Anita to continue along the path God had ordained for her and enter into His purpose for this new season of her life. Throughout the entire journey of caring for her husband through his cancer and then dealing with his death, Anita had shared her story with her online communities so they could pray with her. To her surprise, many people urged her to write a book about the experience, because her words had helped them deal with trials in their own lives. “That was the beginning of the promptings on my heart to write a book,” she says. “I heard them, but I kind of brushed it off.”But God has ways of getting our attention. While browsing the internet, Anita kept seeing little nudges – a YouTube video about self-publishing that the algorithm just happened to recommend, for example, and a podcast interview she listened to that featured a book coach. “I was like, that is way too strange to be a coincidence,” she says. So she took the hint and signed up for a writer’s conference with that book coach – and the rest, as they say, is history. Writing ChallengesAfter setting out on her author journey, Anita had to overcome some challenges to ensure she was putting out the best possible book. First, she had to learn not to limit herself by constantly editing while writing. Her writing coach challenged her to write an entire book in 30 days, without editing a single word. Although Anita admits it was difficult to resist the temptation to edit, she sees now that getting all the words on paper first and editing afterwards helped her finish much faster and kept her from getting stuck along the way. Another challenge Anita faced had to do with the content of her book itself. She knew God wanted her to share a very difficult, painful story about discovering her husband’s affair and how they ultimately reconciled, but she was afraid of how others would respond when they read it. Though Anita says she argued with God over whether to include the story in her book, she finally did – and once it was out, she felt a surge of relief. “I don't even think about that anymore – what people are going to think,” she says now. “I have so much freedom, because I told my own story on my own terms, and nobody will ever be able to weaponize it and use it against me. Because I told it first.”As Anita has learned, sharing the parts of our stories that we are afraid to share often completely frees us from that fear. What’s more, it helps other people who are going through similar trials to see that there is hope and a way out.  Following Where God LeadsIn addition to being an author, Anita is also a transformational speaker, bringing “a message of hope, resilience, and triumph for those who are living in the midst and aftermath of devastating life trials.”This path actually began before her book was finished, and Anita shares that her first speaking engagement after losing her husband was extremely difficult to prepare for. She knew what she wanted to speak about, but there was so much material to cover that she couldn’t even get through half of it in the allotted time frame. “I remember sitting down in the chair in my bedroom crying, and then I started praying,” she recalls. “And then I heard a sweet, still voice say, “The rest of the content is for the book.’” God may not always speak to us in such a direct, unmistakable way, but as Anita has learned, as long as we follow where He leads, He will order our steps and take care of the details we can’t figure out on our own. Beautiful Possibilities AwaitNo matter where you are in the writing or publishing process, if you’re struggling to move forward, Anita advises that you first seek help from professionals in the field – like a writing coach – and then simply trust the process. “Allow yourself to go through it without trying to make it what you want it to be,” she says. “Because sometimes, when we go into it with our preconceived notions, we end up trying to stick to one form, one framework, or one thing that we think we know is going to work. But when we release ourselves to just trust the process that we’re being taught, so many beautiful things can happen.” BIO:Anita Morris is an Inspirational Speaker, sharing a message of hope, resilience, and triumph for those who are living in the midst and aftermath of devastating life trials. She is the Best Selling Author of “STEP Into It, Overcoming Trials that Lead to Purpose,” where she walks her readers through the process of stepping into purpose through personal storms. She’s also the Founder & CEO of the popular DIY Fashion Brand, “Anita by Design,” where she teaches women all over the world how to master the basics of garment construction.Anita understands the struggle that arises when one is faced with a personal storm that threatens to rob you of your peace and happiness. After experiencing two of the most devastating trials in her life, she learned how to navigate the process of overcoming which has led to a transformed way of thinking and living. Anita says, “The trials of life don’t come to destroy you, but they have the potential to usher you into the purpose for which you were created.” GET CONNECTED:Website: https://www.anitabydesign.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anitabydesign/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnitabyDesign/

In this episode, you’ll also hear:How Julie went from being rejected by a major publisher to self-publishing her book anyway – and why that turned out much better for her in the endWhy Julie says a book is better credentials than another degreeMistakes to avoid when writing nonfiction to keep your book from being boringHow knowing your reader helps you create a successful marketing planDifferent avenues you can take to publish your book, and considerations for eachJulie’s advice for the writer who feels discouraged by rejections or lack of supportThe Path to Book PublishingToday, Julie Broad helps business leaders publish books that help grow their impact and influence – but that’s not the career path she intended to take at first. Instead, Julie started out as a real estate investor. And yet, even that business venture began with a book: Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki. “It’s funny how books have such a powerful impact on our lives,” Julie says now. After reading Kiyosaki’s book, Julie bought her first investment property. Eventually, that purchase led to a full-time career in real estate. It wasn’t an easy job, but as she gained more properties and people expressed interest in her story, Julie started building a platform on YouTube and through an email newsletter. Before she knew it, not only did she have a real estate training and education business, but she was also being approached by publishers about the possibility of writing a book. There was just one problem: the publisher Julie spoke to wasn’t interested in Julie’s book idea. They offered an idea of their own instead, and helped her develop a proposal, only to shut the whole project down months later because their marketing department decided her platform wasn’t strong enough to sell books. Julie was disappointed. But, after taking some time to process the rejection and with encouragement from her husband, Julie decided to write and self-publish the original book she’d suggested. “In many ways, I felt like self-publishing was giving up or that it wouldn’t be a real book,” she admits. “But in the end, I think it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.”Julie’s self-published real estate book made it to #1 on Amazon. On top of that, she kept full rights and all of her royalties, allowing her to make much more money from it that she would have under that traditional publishing house. Best of all, her book’s success led to an entirely new business venture, because other aspiring authors started coming to her for advice. “My love was in the books, not the real estate,” Julie realized. “Finally, I started Book Launchers, and I feel like everything I have done in my life has prepared me for this company and for what I'm doing right now.”Furthermore, the experience taught Julie that writing a successful book can actually be a greater form of credentials even than earning a degree. Although Julie has an MBA in Real Estate and Finance, her efforts to raise capital for her investment business didn’t really take off until her book came out. “The MBA didn't raise money – the book did,” she says. Julie’s story is an important reminder for aspiring business owners. Simply having a degree doesn’t guarantee that you actually know what you are talking about, and that you are able to apply the information you were taught in school. Books, on the other hand, allow you to demonstrate what you know and prove your expertise – with minimal investment from your audience.The Value of AssistanceAnother important thing for aspiring authors to keep in mind is that your book is a representation of you and your business. And that means sometimes you need assistance in making it the best representation that it can be. As Julie says, “Just because you can do something all by yourself doesn’t mean you should.”In Julie’s experience, far too many authors end up feeling embarrassed about how their first book turned out. Now that they’ve grown and improved, they wish they could erase every trace of it and make sure no one ever sees the typos, sub-par cover design, and so on. But here’s the thing – once your book is out there, it’s out there for good! So you want to make sure you get all the help you need to get it right the first time. Another reason getting assistance is vital is because new authors often underestimate how many different skills are required to put together and sell a successful book. It’s not just about writing, editing, and cover design – there’s also a ton of work that goes into the marketing side of things, from keyword and category research to scoping out the competition and creating a complete marketing plan. Think about it this way: your book is a business in its own way – a product that you’re releasing to the market. So that means, when you prepare to publish a book, you need to be thinking about all the same elements that you would consider when starting up a new business. “The book often becomes the center, and the business builds around it,” Julie explains. “And everything you’re doing with that book needs to tie back to your goals of why you're writing the book and what you're going to use it for.”Lessons for Publishing SuccessJulie’s experience helping aspiring authors get published has taught her several valuable lessons about crafting and selling quality books. 1. Nonfiction Books Shouldn’t Be BoringJust because your book is nonfiction doesn’t mean it can’t be interesting and engaging. Too often, authors writing for the same industry tend to include the same type of content over and over again. For example, how many books have you read that talked about setting SMART goals? If you’re just regurgitating the same information that other authors in your field have already written about, why would readers pick your book over theirs? You want your book to be relevant, of course, but you also want it to stand out from the crowd and offer value that readers can’t get from other books. 2. You Need a Solid Marketing PlanJulie credits much of the success of her real estate book to the fact that she intimately knew her audience – because she was her own ideal reader. That doesn’t mean you have to be your ideal reader for your book to sell well, but it does mean you need to have a thorough understanding of both who your audience is and what specific problem they are trying to solve. Once you know those things about your ideal reader, you’ll know where and how to reach them – plus, you’ll know exactly how your book can help them, and why your solution is different from other solutions they may have already tried. “That's the hook,” Julie says. “That's the backbone of your book. So everything that goes into your book has to tie back to that hook – focus on what they need to know in order to achieve that outcome at the end.”3. A Good Writing Coach Can Make a Huge DifferenceOne of the services Julie’s business offers is writing coaches who help ensure the finished project aligns to the authors’ goals. She explains that these coaches provide three main things:Accountability: A coach keeps the author on track to make sure the book gets done on time.Emotional support: Writing and publishing a book is an emotional roller coaster. Coaches are there to uplift the author when they feel discouraged and help them set realistic expectations. Writing support: A good writing coach will help the author avoid taking detours from the core message and also push them to dig deeper and be more vulnerable – because often the things we hesitate to share are the things that will really resonate with readers. Without a writing coach, it can be very difficult for new authors to strike the right balance between being relatable and truly helping readers solve their problems. Dealings with DoubtsIn addition to internal struggles and marketing challenges, many aspiring authors also wrestle with negativity from other people – including their loved ones. For example, Julie shares the story of moving from Canada to California as a newly expecting mother. Her grandmother – with whom she had a very close relationship – opposed the move so much that she wrote a four-page letter detailing why she thought Julie and her husband were making a mistake. “We were up against a lot of resistance from a lot of people about the move,” Julie recalls, “And to have her – a person I thought would be my supporter – write this letter, was devastating. It was so hard, I couldn't even finish reading the letter, even to this day.” Ultimately, Julie had to come to a place where she understood that her grandmother believed she was protecting her – but that she had made the right decision for herself. And the same is true of writing books. There will always be naysayers who try to stop you because of their own fears and doubts. Instead of internalizing their negative feedback, you’ve got to believe in the message you’ve been given and get the support you need to get that message into the hands of the people who need to hear it. Publishing OptionsAnother reason many aspiring authors hesitate to get the assistance they need is because they’re afraid of being taken advantage of. And that’s a valid fear – vanity press publishers, who only care about getting money from authors, do exist, and you need to be careful to avoid them. But traditional publishing and vanity press are not the only two options available. Julie describes the different types of publishing as a spectrum with three main points: traditional publishing at one end, self-publishing at the other, and various types of hybrid publishers in between. “All vanity publishers are hybrid publishers, but not all hybrid publishers are vanity publishers,” she explains. With any hybrid publisher, the author pays some fees for things like editing and design. Often, hybrid publishers have good distribution to get your book out into stores and may include marketing services. They also typically keep some of the royalties for each book sold. If it’s a good hybrid pu

In this episode, you'll also hear:How John’s background as a radio announcer, pastor, and writer prepared him for the platform he would eventually build onlineWhy a major publisher took note of John’s online presenceWhy John says writing a good book is only the first half of an author’s workWhat John discovered about his own internal dialogue that inspired both a book and supplemental materialsJohn’s advice for the writer who feels like giving up for lack of visible results Experience as a Training GroundFrom pastor and church planter to author to podcaster, John Stange wears many creative, ministry-related hats. Many of those pursuits, however, didn’t start out as branches of his ministry. Instead, they trace back to his childhood dream of becoming a radio announcer. His first full-time pastoring position was located near a Christian radio station, so when John learned that the station was hiring, he applied despite not being experienced in the field. He was hired, and even received on-the-job training to develop skills in speaking, broadcasting, and editing digital content – all things he could later use as a podcaster, speaker, and more. “I really didn't see the long thread of how the Lord was going to use that,” John says in retrospect. “But it definitely factored into some of the things that I’m doing now.”John’s story is an important reminder of how God can use our present experiences as a training ground for things to come. We can only see what’s right in front of us, so we must learn to trust that God is a good Father, and that His ultimate plans and purposes for us are good – even when we don’t understand them. Like his dream of becoming a radio announcer, John’s desire to write a book had been around for a while by the time he actually put one together and self-published it. Even then, it was several more years before he started self-publishing more content and building an audience. Between self-publishing and voiceover work – something else he learned at the radio station – John was able to support his family through financially difficult seasons of church planting. As John’s online platform and audience continued to grow, he eventually started up a website to house his various creative endeavors. “That’s what ultimately caught the attention of a major publisher, when they saw that this was multifaceted,” he explains. “But this developed over the course of many years, and I had no idea that this would result in a traditional publishing deal. As I felt led to work on one particular thing, I worked on it. And then I added the next piece as I felt led to do it. And then, before I knew it, I could step back and look, and there's a whole kind of system here in place, almost like its own media channel.”Marketing = RelationshipsAs John has learned, cultivating a relationship with your audience is crucial. In fact, marketing is more similar to everyday relationships than you might think! It doesn’t happen overnight, but when you put in the work to build relationships and consistently put out valuable content, eventually all those pieces come together. “A lot of times people think that the work of an author is just to write a good book,” John says. “And that's the first half. And then the second half is actually letting people know that the book exists. Because you could write good content, but if no one knows about it, no one's going to read it.” Like many aspiring authors, John says he used to hate the idea of marketing. He didn’t want to annoy people or push them away. But over time he learned that marketing – when done well – isn’t annoying. It’s an opportunity to share the message you’re passionate about. When you truly care about your message and the difference it can make in people’s lives, and when you’ve taken the time to cultivate relationships with the audience who needs to hear that message, marketing becomes less of a chore and more of simply being excited to tell people about the message God has given you.  Preach to Your Own HeartOne message John is passionate about can be found in his book Dwell on These Things, which is all about managing one’s mindset to line up with what God says instead of the negative things we tend to tell ourselves. John says the inspiration for this book came from his own experience in ministry. As a pastor, he noticed a gap between what he was preaching to his congregation and what he was preaching to his own heart. “From the pulpit, I would encourage my congregation to understand who they are in Christ and find their sense of identity in Christ. And then a lot of times, after I'd preach a message, I would be very critical of myself,” he says. “When I look at Scripture, it tells us that Satan is the accuser of the brethren. And I thought, ‘Wow, my internal dialogue sounds a lot like accusation.’”As John worked on aligning his self-talk with the truth of God’s word, he realized that he wasn’t the only person who could benefit from this message. So he started writing. He also shared his idea with an agent, and ultimately the book was picked up by a major publishing house. And, in addition to the book, this publisher helped John develop a companion product: a set of inspiration cards summarizing the book’s key ideas. More than just a second product to sell alongside the book, these cards make it easy for people to grasp the message and apply it to their daily life. Stick With ItJohn’s story is a powerful reminder that achieving our dreams is a journey. It does not happen overnight – often, we have to take baby steps all along the way. But eventually, if we keep at it, we’ll end up exactly where God wants us to be. That’s why, if you’re frustrated with where you are on your journey right now, John advises you to persevere. After all, God uses all sorts of people to accomplish His purposes – so why shouldn’t you be one of them?Instead of comparing your progress to someone else’s, remember that success takes time and consistency. When John started his podcast, he only received about 10 downloads – but today that number has multiplied to several million!So don’t give up if you don’t see results right away. You might have to keep at it for a few years, but eventually you will start to see the results of your efforts. “Stick with it one day at a time,” John says in closing. “Be faithful to the tasks the Lord has given to you, and do it for a period of years. And then step back and look at where He brings you. I think He'll surprise you.” BIO:John is a follower of Jesus, husband to Andrea, and father to four great kids. He holds degrees in Bible, Education, and Counseling, is a certified speaker, trainer and coach with the John Maxwell Team, and serves as the Lead Pastor of Core Creek Community Church in Langhorne, PA. John is an adjunct professor at Cairn University, where he teaches courses on church planting, theology, and counseling. He also serves as the Director of the National Mission Board which is a ministry that is focused on church planting and church health.John hosts three podcasts, "The Chapter-A-Day Audio Bible," “Daily Devotions with Pastor John,” and "Dwell on These Things." At present, his shows have been downloaded over 5.5 million times by listeners throughout the world.John's books are focused on spiritual growth, leadership, marriage and the practical and applicational aspects of following Jesus. He recently signed with Penguin Random House to publish his latest book “Dwell on These Things” which is a 31-day-challenge to talk to yourself like God talks to you. GET CONNECTED:Website: www.desirejesus.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pastorjohnstange/Twitter: https://twitter.com/pastorstangeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.john.stange

In this episode, you’ll also hear:The long journey that led Beth to find her calling – and the common thread she found throughout all of her many pursuits The importance of having a mentor who can both challenge and uplift youWhy you shouldn’t write in isolationWhich numbers and analytics really matter from a digital marketing perspectiveBeth’s experiences with both traditional publishing and self-publishingNo Need to WaitAs a coach’s wife, Beth Walker says she has seen many fellow coach’s wives shrink back out of the limelight as though waiting for their turn to shine – only to realize when they finally get the chance that they could have been working on their own careers all along. That’s why, with her book, Lessons from the Sidelines, her mission is to let women know they don’t have to wait. They can go ahead and work on the “building blocks” of their own calling, even while supporting their husband’s endeavors. “There seems to be this need for a cheerleader of sorts,” Beth says, “or someone to just point these women to resources. So I felt like Lessons from the Sidelines could be that space to say, ‘You've got a calling. God created you with a voice and skills and talents before you married this amazing man. And none of that went away!’”Nothing Is WastedAs is the case for many people, Beth’s journey to discovering her calling was a long one. “Figuring out exactly that sweet spot of where God is calling you is not always going to be this light bulb moment,” she admits. But through the seven-step action plan outlined in her book, she hopes to help give people a shortcut to discovering what God may be calling them to do. Beth’s own journey carried her from one job to another. Eventually, she realized that although these jobs were all very different – from swim coach to administrative assistant to stay-at-home mom – there were some common elements among them, and each job gave her some skill or experience she could add to her resume. ‘Nothing is wasted,” Beth says. “Even if it feels like we’re taking a step back, we can always take that opportunity to say, how can we better ourselves? There are some moments where we have to take what we would consider a space where we’re settling… but sometimes we need people to shake us out of those.”Beth’s story is a powerful reminder of the intentionality of God in preparing us for our unique purpose. No matter where you are right now, He can use this circumstance to develop and refine the skills you’ll need later on – even if you can’t see a connection right now.And throughout her long, sometimes difficult journey, Beth says God has always brought people into her life to help cheer her on. One of these people was a fellow coach’s wife who Beth describes as a mentor and a voice of wisdom. This woman had already written a book of her own to help coach’s wives, but she encouraged Beth to become a new voice in the space, and she also supported Beth with prayer, advice, and much more. Ultimately, she wrote the forward for Lessons from the Sidelines.Other important “cheerleaders” in Beth’s author journey were her editor and her mastermind group, all of whom helped her develop and refine her work. “There were certainly chapters that were more difficult to write than others,” she says in retrospect. “But I had a good structure in place, and I had people holding me accountable… I don’t think it could have gone any better.”Editing MattersWhen it came to the editing process itself, Beth says she learned that you have to be humble if you’re going to have someone else edit your book – but it’s well worth the difficult conversations and the discomfort of letting another person critique what you’ve written. “I know that it is the best book possible because of my editor’s input and her willingness to pull more out of me,” Beth says. “She had edited for me for a couple of years prior, so she knew my voice and I trusted her.” Because of that trust, Beth’s editor was able to point out sections of the book that didn’t reflect Beth’s authentic voice or that weren’t getting Beth’s point across in the way she intended for them to. At the same time, she was able to push Beth to open up and share more than she would have done on her own. For many aspiring authors, letting another person read – let alone edit – their manuscript can be uncomfortable or even scary. But Beth’s story is an important reminder that an editor plays an essential role in making your book into the best possible product for you to give your readers. When you write in isolation with no feedback, you risk putting out a book that confuses or even alienates your readers through simple errors, unnecessary repetition, or language that means something different to you than it does to others. Your own writing makes perfect sense to you because you wrote it! But an editor can help you see where adding more context or phrasing things differently will enhance the readers’ experience and communicate your God-given message much more clearly.Know Your AudienceOnce the book was finished and ready for publishing, Beth ran into some unexpected challenges in marketing. As a digital marketer herself, she knew her content was reaching and engaging her niche audience, but the agent she was talking to at the time prioritized other metrics that Beth knew didn’t really matter. “What it ultimately came down to was I needed to go with a publisher that understood my buyer persona and my audience,” she says. As an author, understanding your buyer persona is crucial. As Beth explains, your book is not for everyone. Instead, you are writing for a specific audience made up of the people God has called you to serve. That means you need to understand who those people are, what they value, and what problem you are trying to help them solve. The better you understand your buyer persona, the better you’ll be able to address their pain points, show up in the spaces where they normally go for information, and convince them to buy – and read – your book. For Beth, that buyer persona was fellow coach’s wives and anyone else in ministry. And the pain point she addresses is telling these wives, “You don’t have to wait in order to make your husband’s career thrive. You can both thrive. And when you do that, your marriage will thrive, and you will both be honoring the Lord to the best of your ability.”Beth is passionate about this message, because she has seen it at work in her own marriage. Just as she supported her husband in achieving his career goals, he supported her in writing and publishing her book, each of them picking up the slack around the house when the other needed them to. “Marriage is partnership,” Beth says. “And part of that means you're both thriving in the way you're created. And in order to do that, that means sometimes you sacrifice for each other.”Don’t HesitateNo matter where you are in your author journey – whether you’re still wondering when it will be your turn to start or you’re struggling to make it to the finish line – let Beth’s story inspire you to move forward with the message and the talents God has given you. “If you're partnering with God, and you've done the work, and you know who your audience is, you don't have to wait for someone else to tell you that your voice matters,” Beth says in closing. “So if you know who your buyer persona is, your target audience, and you've got a great book to put out there, don't hesitate to pull the trigger.” BIO:Beth Walker has partnered with her husband for twenty years, in leadership and ministry both on and off the football field. Beth is passionate about encouraging women to pursue their individual callings from God. She is a contributor to Friday Night Wives and The Glorious Table. On her own blog, Lessons from the Sidelines, Beth offers practical advice for other coaches' wives as well as a behind-the-scenes look at her family's life as they serve their football players and their community. GET CONNECTED:Website: https://lessonsfromthesidelines.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bw.alker/

In this episode, you’ll also hear:The many surprising ways Carol has experienced God’s grace in her lifeTips on dealing with “analysis paralysis” when you have too many optionsWhen self-publishing might make more sense than traditional publishing — and how to self-publish a book you can be proud ofThe importance of letting people who don’t love you read your work before it’s publishedCarol’s advice for the writer who’s struggling to finish their book and get it publishedCarol’s “Come to Jesus” MomentCarol McCracken says her life has been anything but “traditional.” Raising a son with four mental health disorders was incredibly challenging, especially since there weren’t many resources available to help her and her husband navigate those challenges. Over time, they both turned to alcohol to cope — until one day, Carol was pulled over for driving under the influence. Now, she calls it a “come to Jesus meeting,” because “He loved me enough to get my attention.” As a Bible study teacher, Carol was terrified and ashamed. “I’m a rule follower,” she explains. “And I knew I had broken so many rules.” But when she appeared in court, instead of being punished, her slate was wiped clean. The judge warned her not to repeat the mistake, returned her bail money, and no record was left on her insurance. “I did not deserve one bit of that,” she says. “But I was like, ‘Lord, I will not mess up again. You literally scared the hell out of me!” Until this experience, Carol hadn’t realized how badly her judgment was being impaired. But now she knew she needed to make some significant changes in her life. One of those changes was making the difficult decision to divorce. Though Carol hadn’t believed in divorce up to this point, it was becoming clear that the marriage was not healthy for either of them.Carol’s story is a powerful reminder that you don’t have to be perfect to be used by God and to serve in ministry — in fact, no one is! But God loves us enough to pursue us, to get our attention, and to set us back on the right track so He can perfect us for His purposes. Carol admits that she would have chosen a much more “dignified” path if she could have. “But alas, this is my story, and I’m meant to share it,” she says. Journey to Publishing Non-TraditionallyThough Carol considers herself a speaker rather than a writer, God soon started calling her to write. Almost on a whim, she found herself attending a Christian writers conference and meeting agents, one of whom listened to her idea and asked her to submit a book proposal. Instead of accepting the proposal, however, the agent advised her to publish independently or through a small press — because that agent believed the book needed to be written to support Carol’s speaking ministry. Ultimately, Carol published her book, Wisdom: Where To Find It If You've Lost, Forgotten, Or Never Had It, independently. This was a different publishing path than she’d anticipated — after all, for many people, even getting to talk to an agent and submit a proposal is a dream come true! But Carol’s story is a valuable reminder to us that just because the traditional publishing route doesn’t work out, doesn’t mean your story doesn’t have value. It may just mean that God has another plan for you and your book. Additionally, Carol’s publishing experience highlights that your book is only a piece of the story. For many people, the real income opportunity — and ministry — comes not through the book itself, but by leveraging your book to give credibility and visibility to the other gifts God has given you. Analysis ParalysisWhen it came to actually getting her book published, however, Carol says she wrestled with indecision for a while. “I did a lot of research, and I had a lot of analysis paralysis,” she explains. “If you have paralysis, you cannot do anything. You’re in one spot, and you must move forward. And I’ve got to be honest, I learned just as much by trying things that didn’t work as I did with things that did work.”One of the things that did work was joining an international writing critique association. This organization helped her find her unique voice, develop a 15-minute presentation of her message, and connect with people to edit, design, and format her book for publishing. “I have learned, do not ever put anything out there unless somebody has read it first,” Carol says. You want your book to represent you and your message well, and that means you need to make sure it’s professionally made. That way, not only are you putting out a finished work that you can truly be proud of, but you’re also presenting your God-given message in a way that compels people to buy and read it. In addition to getting feedback and editing help from someone who isn’t a friend or family member, Carol recommends having someone read your book out loud. This will help you understand how your message is coming across to the audience, instead of relying on how it sounds inside your own head. Turning “Tests” into Authentic TestimonyFollowing her court appearance, Carol says she was afraid that everyone who knew her as a Bible study teacher would judge her. Instead, people told her what she had been through made her more believable and authentic as a spiritual leader. “I learned that in ministry, if you act like you’ve got it all together, you’re not being authentic,” she says.Of course, there has to be a balance, and Carol adds that you still have to earn credibility from people who have never met you. But being able to share how God brought you out of your mistakes and failures can give people hope that they can also overcome whatever mistakes they’ve made in their own lives. Not only has Carol been able to grow her ministry and her platform, but she has also found renewed friendship with her ex-husband and used her story to inspire countless others. “I did not go through life traditionally,” she says. “I have had a lot of challenges. But I am still here, and there is still breath in me. And I would like to encourage others that God can use anyone. Stick close to him; He will get your attention, and He'll help get you through some stuff. Because the stuff that you're going through is going to be used in ministry. Somehow, you're going to be able to help somebody else.”Don’t Give UpWe all must face some kind of challenge in our lives and in pursuing the path God has called us to. No matter what challenges you are facing right now, Carol encourages you not to give up, no matter how hard it is or how long it seems to be taking. “Stick with it,” she says. “If God has given you that message, He will also give you the way and the timing of that message… Whatever you do, get that message out there. It is important for the kingdom.”  BIO:Carol Ogle McCracken has been a Bible teacher for twenty years and served on church staff and in women's ministry for three decades. She currently serves as the Minister of Discipleship at her home church. Carol is a Christian communicator in many different forums, large and small, and especially enjoys teaching at women's retreats. She teaches a weekly Wednesday night women's Bible study at her local church, which is also a podcast. She has a passion for helping couples prepare for their lives together and presently owns a wedding planning company on the Gulf Coast. But her greatest passion is to make the Bible come alive for women, connecting scripture to a real relationship with Jesus. She continues to search daily for wisdom and appears to be in good company, as she finds many women on the same quest. Her book Wisdom, Where to Find It if You've Lost, Forgotten, or Never Had It was released in November, 2020.  GET CONNECTED:Website: www.CarolMcCracken.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/carologlemccracken  

In this episode, you’ll also hear:How one basketball game changed the trajectory of Tyler’s lifeThe difference between confidence and arrogance — and why Tyler says confidence is a game-changerThe importance of setting aside time and removing distractions to focus on writingTyler’s advice for the writer who feels God’s call but wrestles with self-doubt and a busy scheduleReflecting on a Life-Changing Basketball GameBetween youth ministry, sports writing, and high school basketball coaching, Tyler lives what he calls a seasonal life: his focus tends to change depending on the time of year. Many people would find it extremely challenging to make time for more writing alongside all of those other commitments, but Tyler says writing — and in particular, telling and engaging with stories — is something he’s always enjoyed. “We as humans connect the most with stories,” Tyler says. Pointing to Jesus as the greatest Storyteller of all time, Tyler adds that, no matter the setting — be it listening to a sermon or watching a sports match — he’s always drawn into other people’s stories and always looking for a story to tell. That’s why he begins his book, Searching for Seven, with the story of a high school basketball game that ultimately changed the direction of his life. During this game, Tyler was not playing well and had been arguing with his coach. “I remember sitting at the end of the bench thinking, ‘This is not looking good for my career in basketball. I’m not where I wanted to be.’” But then, just when Tyler thought he was finished playing for the night, his coach put him back in the game — and he played better than he ever had before. Thanks to his performance that day, his basketball career took off, and a few years later, Tyler was recruited to play basketball at a Bible college. Although Tyler thought he was only attending that college to play basketball, God had other plans. The opportunity to work in youth ministry one summer turned into a long-term calling. But without that one high school game where Tyler found renewed confidence and his basketball career changed, it’s possible he might never have ended up at the Bible college that led him to youth ministry. Finding Confidence in GodTyler’s story is a valuable reminder for us all. In the moment, we don’t always see or understand what God is doing. But sometimes God is working behind the scenes to put the pieces together and bring about a greater good than we could possibly imagine. Additionally, Tyler’s story reminds us of an important distinction between confidence and arrogance. While we should always keep in mind that our gifts and talents come from God, it’s also important to believe that we are capable of accomplishing great things with God as our strength. What matters is that “we are putting our confidence in God, recognizing where the abilities come from,” Tyler says. “That's a game-changer: when I can face every day and every challenge knowing He's got my back, He's put me in this position. And it's not really my ability, it's what He's given. And I'm going to use that ability through Him.”Making Time & Space to WriteTyler says he had the idea to write his book several years before he actually started working on it in earnest. “I knew at some point it was going to happen,” he explains, “but life is busy. There's a lot going on. And so for many years, I did not make the time to start writing.” Instead, Tyler would write down notes and ideas here and there. He had a general idea of what he wanted to write about and which stories from his life he wanted to include, but it wasn’t until later that he made a conscious decision to set aside time to write. When he decided it was time to focus on his book, Tyler took weeks off from work and used the time he would normally have spent at his job working on his book instead. Sometimes he would work at coffee shops, while other times he would go outside to be inspired by nature.Tyler explains that when doing something important — be it praying, writing a book, or spending time with family — removing distractions is key. While some people may be able to multitask effectively, Tyler has found that trying to juggle multiple things at once only divides his focus and prevents him from giving any of those things the attention they deserve. And, as Tyler has learned, environment plays a huge role in eliminating distractions and helping us focus on the task at hand. “Everything should lead us to worship, even if it's sipping a wonderful coffee or listening to a song that I love,” Tyler says. “I see the stars, I'm out in nature, I’m hanging out with friends — all these things should call us into worship. And so for me to be most creative and most in tune with God and what he wants me to do, those environments are key.”As Tyler reminds us, writing the book God has called you to write doesn’t have to be a burden or a painful process. By finding the right environment and focus, you can make it into an adventure of sorts, and actually enjoy the process of writing!Pushing Through ChallengesOf course, no matter how enjoyable the process may be or how focused you are able to be, writing a book is a challenging endeavor. While Tyler believes his entire life led up to him writing this book — which made the process much easier than it might have been otherwise — he also acknowledges that setbacks and challenges are unavoidable parts of life. “There will be big challenges,” he says, “But push through. Keep going. Even if you wonder, ‘Is it worth it? Is there going to be anyone who cares?’” You never know where God may lead you, so if you feel called to do something, keep pushing through, even when it gets hard. Think about this way: There are many times in life when we, like Tyler in that high school basketball game, get second chances. But how we respond to those opportunities can make all the difference. Maybe you, like Tyler several years ago, have heard the call to write but haven’t actually taken action yet. Maybe you’re in that space between having an idea and following through on it. If so, Tyler advises you to take action on what God has called you to do instead of putting it off, and surround yourself with people who will help and encourage you to keep going. “Believe fully that, if you've ever felt even a nudge from God, there's a reason for it,” Tyler says in closing. “Celebrate the fact that you have a call, that you have the ability to do it. Find some help. And go after it.” BIO: Tyler D. Smith is a pastor, NBA sportswriter, basketball coach, and author; he has also worked in the Christian music industry. He graduated from Lincoln Christian University and has served in ministry since 2005. Tyler resides in Indiana with his wife, Katelyn, and their two daughters, Addi and Ellie.  GET CONNECTED:Website: www.searchingforseven.com  Instagram: www.instagram.com/searchingforseven