Always an Adventure by Steph Beth Nickel

I am in agreement with Bryan Norford, that we, as Christians, ought to pray before putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. In fact, we ought to pray before undertaking any task—especially one as important as communicating with our readers.

A crucial part of our prayer life is following where God leads. Sometimes, He responds to a specific prayer and His direction is clear. Sometimes, we pray more generic prayers and only see His leading as we look back over the course of our life. The Lord has directed my path and answered my prayers in ways I never expected.

It's All About Connections by Steph Beth Nickel

It all began well over a decade ago …

Actually, it began long before that, but I won’t go back that far.

Connecting with Other Writers

Ruth Waring spoke to the ladies’ group at my church. Because authenticity marks her writing and speaking, I felt a connection and sought her out after the meeting.

She asked me where one could connect with a writers’ group in Southwestern Ontario. And the rest, as they say, is history.

We didn’t form Women Writing for Christ (WWC) until several years later. From time to time, I would  email Ruth and see if she’d found a group to join. Eventually, four of us began to gather at 

Ruth’s home once a month to learn the craft of writing.

Connecting with Industry Pros

That first year, we took the plunge and went to Write Canada … wearing matching t-shirts no less. Hey, we were green—very, very green.

It would be years before I went to the conference a second time, but when I did, it was like going home. Same venue. Familiar faces. And that incredible feeling that envelopes me when I hang out with other writers and industry pros.

And it was my connection to Write Canada that led to some amazing and unexpected opportunities, opportunities God had planned for me all along.

Connecting with New Friends

There I met Ron Hughes. (We were in the same continuing class.) Because of his “radio voice,” I told him if I ever turned a children’s book into an audiobook, I would hire him to narrate it. And thus began a friendship that led to my involvement in the podcast HopeStreamRadio.

I don’t imagine Ron expected me to jump into the ministry with both feet when he called to see if I knew anyone who might like to get involved. Since he approached me in 2014, I have written hundreds of devotionals and also some book reviews that have “aired” on the daily program.

It blows me away to think that words I write are being heard around the globe and that the Lord just may be using them for His eternal purposes. Mind-boggling!

Did I gather around Ruth Waring’s table thinking that one day I would be writing for an international podcast? Definitely not. After all, the podcasting patent was first issued in 2009. (Thank you, Wikipedia.)

Did I chat with Ruth after our initial meeting with the thought that she would introduce me to Deb Willows, the Paralympian whose award-winning memoir I co-wrote? It never even entered my mind—and still leaves me shaking my head.

And then there is the connection I made at Write Canada with members of InScribe. This connection led to working on the 7 Habits anthology as well as moderating the professional blog and writing regularly for it and this blog … not to mention making some amazing friends.

And on and on it goes.

How about you? Have you taken baby steps into the world of writing only to discover surprising opportunities? Are you an experienced writer who is set on a specific course? While focus is important, I encourage you to keep your eyes and ears open. Your path, like mine, may take you somewhere you never imagined you’d go.

Happy Connecting, my friends!  

Growing as a Writer - by Susan Barclay

I've been writing in some form or other ever since I was old enough to hold a pencil. So hopefully I've grown quite a bit as a writer over the years. Many things have helped - teachers, books, conferences, courses, other writers...

While I've had a lot of positive feedback on my writing, to grow I've had to gain, and apply, knowledge. To this end, I've taken classes at the community college level; completed The Institute of Children's Literature's "Special Publishing" course; attended conferences like Write! Canada, Packaging Your Imagination, etc.; and participated in one-off workshops like Donald Maass' The Fire in Fiction.  I've done a lot of reading - the 'for pleasure' (and learning by osmosis) kind, and books that are on writing.  The writers in my collective are a huge help as well, providing honest critique.

The key, though, I believe, is practice, practice, practice. If a tree falls in the forest, does it still make a sound? If a writer doesn't write, is s/he still a writer? And so I strive to make writing a habit.  I blog; I prepare for writers' group meetings; I work on children's picture books, short stories for adults, and on my adult novel. Sometimes I even write poetry. I'll be the first to admit that if you graphed my attempts at disciplined writing, they'd resemble stock performances since 1934. But still I strive, and the overall movement is upward. The overall trend is growth and improvement.

I'll take it. How about you?

Please visit my website at www.susan-barclay.ca

Believing Prayer, by Janet Sketchley

Believing Prayer
by Janet Sketchley

Each year I attend Write! Canada, I start the conference with a headache. I blame it on the flight, lack of sleep, or an unfamiliar bed. A couple of painkillers later, and it’s gone.

Except for this year. Pills with breakfast didn’t work for long.

I’m Prayer Team Lead for The Word Guild. My main role for Write! Canada is to recruit other prayer volunteers and to be available to pray with people when and as needed.

Some of my best memories from the past few conferences are of those impromptu prayer connections. (Yes, the food, fellowship and professional development are excellent too.)

It’s one thing to pray for someone else. Quite another to ask for prayer. To confess a need.

Some time during that first day, I found myself in the bookstore talking with a couple of other attendees. Maybe one of them said I didn’t look so well. Or maybe she just asked how I was enjoying the conference so far.

I started to say everything was fine, then stopped. Asked for prayer. My head pounded even harder from the tension of admitting the need.

Bless their hearts, Judy and Ann prayed with me in a little huddle right there among the books and shoppers.

With tears in my eyes—gratitude and pain—I thanked them and went in search of Jan. She’s one of the Prayer Team Assistant Leads, a powerful intercessor and the owner of the Under the Cover of Prayer blog. More to the point, my drugs were locked inside her cabin.

Jan’s prayers joined the others’ and the pain only got worse. I swallowed a second dose of painkillers, hoping for a temporary reprieve.

Somewhere between the prayers and the next conference session, I thought I sensed God saying the pain wouldn’t bother me anymore.

It still hurt like crazy, but I decided to believe Him. I told Jan what I thought He’d said and that I wasn’t really sure about it.

By the time we walked into that next session, the pain had almost gone. Every time I felt its grip, I’d remind myself that it wasn’t going to bother me anymore. Then I’d think about something else.

I hadn’t been sure God spoke at all. Nor if He had, how long He’d meant. Long enough for the appointments I had that day? For the panel I was on?

That was back in June. The other day the pain came at me again. It swamped me for a few minutes, and then I looked at my husband and reminded myself aloud, “This isn’t going to bother me anymore.” I gave the spot a gentle rub and promised to hit the medicine cabinet if the pain didn’t go.

It went.

I don’t know how long “anymore” is. But I intend to enjoy it. Caught myself wishing in prayer this morning that God had said something about that ache in my hip....

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For devotionals, reviews and conversation, stop by Janet Sketchley's blog, God with Us: Finding Joy.