Women of Color Writing 4 Christ

The Spiritual Fitness Checkup for the 50-Something Woman

2010-08-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

A NEW BOOK BY SHARON V. KING

from HEALTHY LIFE PRESS

The Spiritual Fitness Checkup for the 50-Something Woman:
Ten Steps Toward Midlife Spiritual Health

If you are a 50-something woman, or have been, or will be--THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU!

Midlife is a great time to tone up your physical health, but did you know it's also a good time to tone up your relationship with God? Find out how by taking these ten "checkups" that can help you get a clean bill of spiritual health.

You can order this unique book using this link: https://www.createspace.com/3464798.
Your order will be printed on demand and shipped directly to the address you provide.

SPA ONYX

2010-05-20T03:43:00.000-07:00

NEED SOME PAMPERING?

You deserve to be pampered – and SPA ONYX knows how to make your Home, Office, Or Special Event the perfect destination for relaxation. Enjoy a full or half day of soothing services to calm and rejuvenate your body. Celebrate Birthdays, Graduations, Weddings, Proms, Corporate Give back events, or even Just a Night In With the Girls!

http://www.spa-onyx.com/

Favorite Quote #3

2010-03-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

Howard Thurman is one of the most inspirational writers and speakers of all time. If you are unfamiliar with his many works, please see:

http://www.howardthurmanbooks.org/

His writings are so moving and so meaningful that no comment is necessary (or possible). This is one of my favorite quotes from his book, Deep Is the Hunger (New York: Harper & Rowe, 1951, p. 43).

"We determine what we shall do with our circumstances. It is here that religion makes one of its most important contributions to life. It is a resource that provides strength, stability and confidence as one works at one's destiny. It gives assurance of a God who shares in the issue and whose everlasting arms are always there."

National Christian Writers Conference

2010-03-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

The National Christian Writers Conference is traveling to Howard University School of Divinity, Washington DC. Join us for an empowering event that will expand your creativity and accelerate your goals!

Location:

Howard University
2400 Sixth Street NW
Washington, DC 20059

Accommodations:
Kellogg Conference Hotel

Date and Time:
August 14, 2010

8am to 6pm

http://ncwcfr.com/

Writing on Your Feet

2010-03-05T04:36:00.000-08:00

Living ten minutes away from a state park affords me wonderful opportunities to regularly walk in lovely natural settings with lakes and trees. In addition to burning calories (!), I have discovered that I do some of my best writing on my feet. If I have run into some “mental underbrush” in my writing, walking helps me clear away some of the bushes and brambles so clear ideas can slip through. Also, walking prompts those “out of the blue” creative thoughts that never seem to visit me as I sit staring at my computer screen.

As a Christian, walking provides an instant spiritual retreat, particularly if you can find a spot free of distractions like traffic. Tree-lined lakes aren’t required for this; a walk in a quiet neighborhood works just fine. The deeper breathing and increased circulation that I get from walking calm me spiritually and help reduce obsessive thoughts. Praying aloud while walking is something I love to do. I just talk to God, as if He was strolling along beside me. If I’m out in the woods, I can really cut loose and vent to the Lord as loudly as I want about some irritation or confusing choice.

Over time, I have learned to add a small tablet and pen to my string backpack during my walks, along with a bottle of water, my keys, and my cell phone (turned off). I miss fewer good ideas if I can capture them in writing before they skip away, like the squirrels whose privacy I interrupt as I walk through the woods.

Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant has a great online article on Writing.com about the benefits of walking for writers, titled “Using Footpower to Boost Your Brainpower: How Walking Away Can Improve Your Writing.” She includes helpful tips like making a list of writing items to focus on while you walk, leaving your dog at home, and carrying a hand-held tape recorder to record spoken notes for later reference. I haven’t tried this yet, but I sometimes call and leave writing messages for myself on my cell phone. It serves the same purpose, but Leigh Anne’s tape recorder idea saves cell phone minutes!

Check out Leigh Anne's article at the link below . . . then go take a walk!

http://www.writing-world.com/life/footpower.shtml

TENTH ANNUAL BLACK WRITERS CONFERENCE

2010-03-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

TENTH ANNUAL BLACK WRITERS CONFERENCE
March 25-28, 2010
Brooklyn, NY
http://www.nationalblackwritersconference.org/home.html

Presented by
The Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College, CUNY

DON'T MISS IT!

The Dark Side of Fellowship

2010-03-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

Christian fellowship can have a “dark side.” We seldom discuss it. As enjoyable and as faith-building as fellowship with our sisters and brothers in Christ can be, we sometimes abuse this wonderful intimacy. We judge; we manipulate; we exclude. Ouch! We know better, and this is not our intent; but, if we all took a quiet moment to reflect, we would acknowledge our guilt in this area. Our humanity often gets in our way, even in our most spiritually-motivated interactions.

Among the more subtle dark sides of fellowship is manipulation. We can engage in manipulation, convinced of our good intentions and with no malice of any kind in our hearts. At a point of conflict, our spirituality prompts our desire to bring harmony to discord and peace to turmoil. But at what cost? At times, resolving a conflict distills down to convincing someone that we are right, and he or she is wrong. Are we willing to sacrifice some of our desire to be right for the sake of the well-being of another? Or, do we slide almost imperceptibly into “manipulation mode,” using the trust and familiarity that grows from fellowship as tools to obtain the outcome we want?

A very poignant example of manipulative behavior in a religious context—and one of the most profound responses to it—can be found in the dialogue of the movie masterpiece, A Man for All Seasons, the story of Thomas More. Thomas’s close friend, the Duke of Norfolk, tries to convince Thomas to join with all the other nobles in the court of King Henry VIII who have signed a document endorsing the King’s divorce and re-marriage, despite the Pope’s disapproval. Thomas More feels compelled to acknowledge the Pope’s authority and refuses to sign the document, knowing this action may result in his execution for treason (which it does). The following dialogue ensues between Thomas and the Duke of Norfolk (taken from “Memorable Quotes—A Man for All Seasons” at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060665/quotes ):

The Duke of Norfolk: "Oh, confound all this, Thomas. I'm not a scholar. I don't know whether the King’s marriage was lawful or not, but look at these names! Why can't you do as I did and come with us, for fellowship!"

Thomas More: And when we die, Norfolk, and you are sent to heaven for doing your conscience, and I am sent to hell for not doing mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?

We all have been guilty at one time or another of manipulative behavior, and I include myself when I say we all need to search our hearts and motives when our fellowship with other believers tempts us to sway someone’s contrary opinion to our way of thinking. True fellowship, after all, should mimic the tolerance, acceptance, and forgiveness that Jesus so lovingly displays to each of us all the time.

Favorite Quote #2 - Maya Angelou

2010-03-04T04:43:00.000-08:00

"Some critics will write 'Maya Angelou is a natural writer'--which is right after being a natural heart surgeon." -- Maya Angelou

One of the most brilliant writers of our time, Maya Angelou speaks volumes in this quote about the craft of writing. When was the last time you curled up with a book that so captivated you, you "couldn't put it down?" Did you consider how many times that book had been written, edited, and re-written to create the one you enjoyed so much? Like any creative effort, writing exacts a toll on the writer. Not unlike an inspiring athletic performance, a well-written document requires vigorous preparation and accurate execution.

I remember watching the gold medal-winning performance of ice skater Dorothy Hamill in the 1976 Olympics. From an interview with her skating coach, I learned that Dorothy once ripped apart a videotape of her practice session and ran from the skating rink in tears. She was that despondent about the flaws in her performance. Weeks later, she skated her routine to perfection to win her gold medal.

You may not get to the point where you are so dissatisfied with a draft of your writing that you rip it up and toss it away (although it's been known to happen!); but, take comfort in knowing that writing is a craft to be mastered, like sculpture or computer animation. ALL writers struggle from time to time.

The response to critiques and revisions separates writers who seek to evolve and grow from those who primarily seek an ego boost. Writers who are open and accepting of criticism and guidance write better. It's not just their technical skill that improves. A positive attitude helps generate the creative energy that writing requires. I can say from personal experience that a grouchy, irritated attitude, brought on by a writing critique, is a sure recipe for writer's block. Like Dorothy Hamill, I have shed some tears after a piece of writing I thought was "just fine" received an unfavorable response from a reviewer.

If anyone has the right to acknowledge herself as a natural writer, it's Maya Angelou. Yet, even she respects the demands of the writing craft--and that respect (and the hard work it inspires) is clearly evident in Ms. Angelou's award-winning work.

P.S. Please feel free to critique my writing for this or any of my posts!

Favorite Quote #1 - Mary McLeod Bethune

2010-03-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

An African American woman of unshakable faith, Mary McLeod Bethune was a former slave, the founder of Bethune-Cookman University, and an advisor to President Franklin Roosevelt. One of my favorite quotes comes from a commencement speech given by Dr. Bethune. In her speech, she inspired her students by saying: "Walk bravely in the light. Faith ought not to be a puny thing. If you believe, have faith like a giant, and may God grant you not peace but glory."

In this marvelous quote, Dr. Bethune makes three key points about our spirituality. First, she urges us to be courageous by allowing God's light to illuminate all the dark crevices of our lives. Next, she admonishes us that a "puny faith" is not faith at all. To walk bravely, we need a giant-sized faith. Finally, Dr. Bethune challenges us to consider that God's greatest blessing may be "not peace but glory."

I first heard this quote read at a funeral service for a person who was eulogized as one who had lived her life seeking to glorify God. The quote had a lasting impact on my faith perspective. Many times, I have blocked God's light from shining where I most needed it to brighten my life. Despite all my efforts, my faith has sometimes shrunk to puny dimensions; and, I often long for peace instead of taking the risks I know will glorify God.

We all need to heed Mary McLeod Bethune's call to a courageous faith. Allow God to nudge you out of whatever cozy corner of complacency you've established, and "walk bravely in the light."

Copyright 2010 Sharon King

Favorite Christian Writers' Sites

2010-03-02T16:56:00.000-08:00

The internet is saturated with sites for writers. Many target Christian writers, and some are particularly helpful for Christian women writers. These are great arenas to network, cultivate ideas, learn about publishing opportunities, and even sharpen your writing skills. Here are a few of my favorites:

Fictionpress.com - The Challenge of Christian Writing Forum

This site primarily serves fiction writers, particularly Christian romance writers--Yes, Christian romance. It's a very popular genre, and this forum addresses practical topics about writing romance for a Christian audience.

Faithwriters.com

If you haven't joined Faithwriters, now is the time. It's a wonderful site for Christian writers of all genres. One great feature is the Writing Challenge. Members are invited to write brief articles on a topic which changes each month. You can choose from three levels of writing skill, so you only compete with writers of similar experience. It's a great opportunity to compare your writing ability with others in a supportive, pleasant atmosphere.

Glorygirlsread.net

This website features a reading group of African American Christian women. The group selects a new book each month and posts reviews on the website.

Christianbook.com

This is an online book store which includes a section for women's issues, listing books by women authors.

Christian Writers Fellowship International

Another great membership site for Christian writers, CWFI is a multi-service ministry to Christian writers and other Christians in publishing.

The Christian Pen

This is a professional support group for Christians who perform proofreading and editing services for writers.

Black Women Connect

This social networking site for black women includes a forum for Black Women Christian Authors.

Sally Stuart's Christian Writers' Market Guide

If you're a Christian writer, you should own this book. It contains more information about Christian writing than any other source. If you're looking for a writer's conference this year, see the 2010 list of Christian Writers' Conferences at http://www.stuartmarket.com/Conferences.html.

. . . and so many more! I'll add more sites in future posts.