By Henry McLaughlin Effective Communication… …Or not so effective communication. Back in the 1960s, we had what’s called the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Russians placed missiles in Cuba, which could easily reach many cities in the United States. Our government could not tolerate such a threat and we demanded the Russians remove the weapons. The situation escalated to where war …
Transitioning to Storyland
By Darlene L. Turner So no matter what your task is, work hard. Always do your best as the Lord’s servant, not as man’s. – Colossians 3:23 (VOICE) I think we can all agree, 2020 has been a year for the history books and one we’ll not soon forget. I know friends who’ve lost loved ones, jobs, struggled with self-isolation, …
Carpe Diem
By Shirley Gould The Roman Poet Horace coined the phrase, carpe diem, seize the day. He wanted to urge someone to make the most of the present-day and give little thought to the future. Scripture encourages the same message in Matthew 6:34 NLT So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for …
Public Speaking Jitters
by Loretta Eidson Have you stood before a crowd before a presentation, only to see a variety of expressions returning your stare? It’s easy when everyone smiles and looks eager to hear what you’re about to share, but what about those who are sporting lowered brows or a solemn countenance? When they lean back scowl faced with their arms crossed …
ACFW New Releases: August 2020
August 2020 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: The Price of Dreams by Toni Shiloh — Ballet has always been my life, but one terrible moment may have destroyed everything I’ve worked so hard for—especially my title of Octavia Ricci, principal ballerina. I thought for sure my …
Words
By Tanara McCauley We live in an unprecedented time. While there’s nothing new about the circumstances—pandemics, political tension, racial division, economic crises and the like have existed throughout history—this age of social media and varying degrees of quarantine makes ours a unique experience. For example, I bid farewell to my junior and senior students in a Zoom meeting weeks after …
Distractions or Disruptions
by Loretta Eidson Are you struggling with relentless distractions? If you’re like me, your calendar fills with deadlines, projects, and commitments. Finding the time to complete each task weighs on our minds. At times, we have so much going on we give in to the distractions around us and avoid facing the workload. Distraction (Google definition)–a thing that prevents someone …
Passion to Persevere
By Davalynn Spencer My writing desk sits in the middle of a tiny spare bedroom facing a window. The wall space next to the window is covered with framed prints of my book covers, a few awards, and two decorative, inspirational plaques. One of the plaques was a gift from my daughter that reads: Dear God, I want to take …
How Can YOU Reach a Broader Audience?
By Mesu Andrews When I was choosing dates to write for the ACFW blog, I noticed that today, May 21st, is Ascension Day. Now, I’m a theological mutt. Mom’s charismatic. Dad was Quaker. My grandparents were Pilgrim Holiness ordained ministers—both grandpa AND grandma even way back when. Since my spiritual heritage is Evangelical, I don’t know much about Ascension Day. …
Needing to be seen
By Lana Christian Writing is largely a solitary proposition. Then comes the need to be seen. But the coronavirus has limited us in ways we never could have imagined. Countless book launches have been canceled. Authors fear their years of work may never be seen. Their collective cries blanket social media. How can I get people to notice me and …