July Prayer Time
by
Lynn Hare
Prayer Team Member
Lord, thank You for seeing the beginning from the end and bringing our writing projects to completion in Your time. Time is in Your hands (Psalm 31:15). Show us how to be good time managers, keeping wise our priorities: You, family, work, writing, ministry, and community. Introduce fresh ways to manage our writing time so distractions are minimized and we’re more productive. How can we be more focused and intentional?
God, what does Your divine timing look like for our writing projects? How do no’s represent divinely closed doors? What open doors lie beyond them? How are You growing us when our work is rejected? What opportunity is found when we rework, revise, and reshape our words? Holy Spirit, what kinds of new questions do we need to ask to go from good to brilliant?
Lord, thank You for critique group members, editors, publishers, agents, and mentors with invaluable insights and feedback. Activate our writing excellence with the willingness to use the tips and inside scoops they provide. Accelerate the growth of our content, voice, style, word choices, metaphors, and fluency. Bring our best future writing into today.
Prepare readers’ hearts for Holy Spirit impact. Give them an insatiable hunger for Your Word. For every story they read, awaken their minds to HD-clear pictures. Thank You for using our adventures to inspire theirs. Imprint readers’ hearts with hope.
As we read this summer, we’re grateful for the many great books to curl up with on our porch swings and linger over. Remind us that Your Word is the best read of all.
MEMBER NEWS
Heidi Gaul, of Albany, has devotionals included in Guideposts’ Every Day with Jesus, the 2018 edition. They have also contracted her for another devotional book, due out in 2019, Mornings with Jesus—2019. One of her stories will be in Chicken Soup: My Kind of America, due out next month.
Lynn Hare, of Portland, had an interview, “The Secret of Guilt-Free Living,” with Maxine Marsolini on The River Blog Talk Radio. Lynn’s book, The Quest for Self-Forgiveness, first released as a printed book, has released as an e-book. Lynn is a prayer team member in Joshua Shaw’s new documentary about street evangelism called Heaven to Earth. “Loving Hands,” “A Just, Righteous River,” “Flames of Opportunity,” and “Timely Encouragement” are devotions in the summer issue of Pathways to God. Recent issues of The Gem include these pieces by Lynn: “Writing: The Heart of God,” “Stand Firm,” “Rhyme Time,” and “The Heart of God.”
Donna Hues, of Mt. Angel, has published her first novel, Without a Doubt: Accident or Murder, Book 1 of her MNM Mystery Series. The story is set in Scotland in 1898 and challenges the protagonist to be willing to seek the truth no matter the outcome. It is available on Amazon.
Marty Magee, of Mill City, had an article, “The Day I Skipped Sunday School,” in the June issue of The Gem, a monthly church take-home paper for adults.
Christina Suzann Nelson, of Corvallis, just signed a contract for another book with Kregel.
Nora Peacock, of Newberg, is releasing her debut novel, Promises, winner of the 2014 OCW Cascade Contest for Unpublished Contemporary Fiction, on July 17. In her book, she wrestles with the question: where is God when life spins out of control?
Kendy Pearson, of Dundee, is a double finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Genesis Contest in the historical fiction category.
Kathleen Wilcox, of Tillamook, had her story “Finders . . . Keepers?” published in the June edition of Clubhouse Jr.
The following members had articles in both the June and July issues of The Christian Journal: Eleanor Cowles, of Independence; Jon Drury, of Vancouver, Washington; Annika Klanderud, of Dundee; Maxine Marsolini, of Happy Valley; and Jan Sheerin, of Bend.
And Sonia Duraturo, from England, also has an article in the June edition of The Christian Journal. Sonia and her husband attended a summer conference six or seven years ago. (An update for those who remember them: they now have two children.)
There are several members and friends of OCW (bolded in the list) who are finalists for the Carol Award (from American Christian Fiction Writers) or who published or edited the book:
Contemporary
One More Song to Sing by Lindsay Harrel, Ashberry Lane Publishing, editors Christina Tarabochia and Rachel Lulich
The Broken Trail (Sweet River Redemption) by Christa MacDonald, Mountain Brook Ink, editor Rachel Lulich
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
When Death Draws Near by Carrie Stuart Parks
Novella
The Warrior’s Seal by Ronie Kendig
Romantic Suspense
The Dragon Roars by Sara Davison, Ashberry Lane Publishing, editors Rachel Lulich and Christina Tarabochia
You’re the One that I Want by Susan May Warren
Short Novel
Restoring Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti
Burnin’ for You by Susan May Warren
Speculative
The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by James L. Rubart
