Remembering October 7. See Email linkhttps://conta.cc/4yc6LBU

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is so good! For his loving-kindness is forever. Psalm 118:18 TLB

God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. Matthew 5:14 MSG

It's not too late to register for the June 17-20 Write His Answer Conference. We accept registrations even after the 3.5 day conference has started. Everything is live. No pre-records. Incredibly interactive through 50 round tables, 27 critique groups, the chat, open mic ... conference.writehisanswer.co… #christianwriter #christianwriters #christianwritersconference

Write His Answer VIRTUAL Conference - It's in 2 days, June 17-20, not August. Here's what William A. Gray, PHD says about it: “The 2025 Write His Answer Conference is the most inspiring conference I’ve ever participated in. Presenters described how their writing honors the Father, glorifies Jesus, and involves the Holy Spirit’s guidance. This created a Family of Writers that freely shared their writing tips – no one-upmanship occurred, only collaboration, dialogue and support. The Christian literary agents, editors, and publishers suggested others to contact – as a better fit than themselves. I gained ‘head knowledge’ that I’ve converted into ‘practical know-how’ to improve my writing work/passion. I volunteered to provide after-conference ‘Critiques” and ended up reciprocally mentoring and coaching one another for almost a year! I’ve contacted Conferees to exchange ideas and resource materials. I’ve benefited from Marlene’s weekly Critique Groups – learning how to improve my own writing. In sum: I experienced the Two Great Commandments actually occurring: Love the Lord with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength – and, Love your neighbor as yourself. Because this conference was virtual, I often saw those further along sharing how they got there – to inspire others on their journey. This is why I’m participating the 2026 WHA Conference.” #christianwriter #christianwriters #christianauthors #christianwritersconference

Christian writer, if God has called you to "Write His Answer," dig deep into His Word to share His truth. Virginia Grounds teaching workshop, "Writing Bible Studies for Transformation," at June 17-20 virtual Write His Answer Conference. She says, "Jesus changes lives. When Bible study is taken seriously to learn more about God and His Word, true transformation takes place. Writing Bible studies is an important mission for leading others to experience changed lives. What needs to be included? How many questions? How much commentary?" It's not too late to register for this conference. Scholarship help available. conference.writehisanswer.co… #christianwriter #christianwriters #christianauthor #christianwritersconference

This is not me, but about 7 years ago I did ride a dolphin. It was an exhilarating experience I will never forget. Still, it can't begin to compare with the exciting and wild ride the Lord has had me on for over 40 years of directing Christian writers' conferences. The joy of clinging to Him and trusting in His strength is worth the obstacles I encounter. Our God is amazing and able to do exceedingly beyond all we would ever dare to ask or even dream of. It's not too late to register for the June 17-20 virtual Write His Answer Conference. The price increases June 13 and you will no longer be able to request appointments with 3 agents and editors. Don't miss out. Scholarship help is available. #christianwriter #christianwriters #christianwritersconferences

Thank You, Father, that today the opportunities are greater than ever before for writers to reach "everyone" with the Good News that You love the world so much that You sent Your Son. Teach us how to use the technology that so often overwhelms us to boldly share our faith in You through social media, blogs, email, podcasts, and more . . . Don't miss the June 17-20 virtual Write His Answer Conference. #christianwriter #christianwriters #christianwritersconference #christianwriterscommunity #christianwritingcommunity

Trusting His promise in the countdown to the June 17-20 virtual Write His Answer Conference. #christianwriters #christianwriter #christianwritersconference

Christian writers, do you need encouragement? Join us tonight on Zoom for a powerful message from Beatrice Bruno. conta.cc/49FryEI

Writing fiction is less like following a map and more like sailing the high seas—full of unexpected currents, hidden reefs, and the occasional buried treasure. In this continuing session, you’ll learn the craft that keeps a story afloat: creative characters, pivotal plots, sensational settings, and dynamic dialogue that carry readers from the first page to the last. PeggySue Wells is the award-winning USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than 100 books: 60 titles written for clients, and nearly 50 titles of her own, including the mystery suspense title of the year, Unnatural Cause. There is still time to register for the June 17-20 virtual Write His Answer Conference before the price increases June 13 and appointments with 3 agents and/or editors can no longer be requested. Scholarship help is available. #christianwriter #christianwriters #christianwritersconference #christiansuspensewriters See less

Disappointments, doubts, discouragement - I don't think any writer is immune. Sadly, too many succumb to this widespread pandemic and give up. Manuscripts are left unfinished. Even manuscripts that have gone through multiple rewrites may be abandoned. I've found the attack of the Deadly D's is especially intense on those who are truly called and gifted to impact lives through their words. Why? I have no doubt it's because the evil one sees them as a threat. What can we learn from the elk when it all just seems too hard? When the words don't flow? When editors aren't interested? When family and friends may question why we are "wasting our time"? When we read what we've written and are tempted to throw it in the trash or delete it from our computer? (Do NOT do this!) For 24 years before the pandemic, I've watched the elk on the campus of the YMCA of the Rockies where the Colorado Christian Writers Conference was held. I've spent hours, sometimes at dawn, in Rocky Mountain National Park. I've observed the elk (never saw a moose!), and Father has spoken to me through them. I've seen the elk charging across the land, heads held high. Seems amazing to me. A mature bull elk's antlers can weigh 20 to 40 pounds. That would be like me carrying around one or two 20-pound sacks of potatoes. Well, sadly, I am carrying even more in pounds I need to lose. But it's the DOUBTS that I allow to weigh me down. And the lies of the evil one that I'm not smart enough. He reminds me I'm just a high school graduate. But thank You, Father, I'm no longer ashamed I'm not educated. As someone said to me years ago, "You've been homeschooled by the Father. And only special kids are homeschooled." DOUBTS are often fueled by FEAR when we focus on the obstacles we expect to face. Obstacles like building that "platform."(1) Or, especially for nonfiction authors, the fear of public speaking. (2) Many have heard me say that if anyone had told me when I was growing up that God would call me to a full-time writing and speaking ministry, I would have said, "A loving God would NEVER do that to me." And then there are the tech challenges that cause most writers to feel OVERWHELMED and to DOUBT they can manage the growing complexity of the software we need to use. What can we learn from the elk? They don't question whether they can carry the weight on their heads. Perhaps they look forward to the time when they will be free of those antlers in a process known as "casting" that happens after the breeding season when testosterone levels drop Can we trust Father to give us rest after the push to meet a deadline and to finish a manuscript? Not only do I find the weight a bull elk carries on his head amazing, but even more I'm impressed that they hold their heads high rather than look down. I mean, it's called ROCKY Mountain National Park for a reason There are rocks everywhere! But I've never seen an elk fall even though they don't look down. Seems to me, I need to learn from the elk to not spend so much time and energy in thinking and worrying about possible obstacles. As my dear friend Tabatha, the tech in charge of getting more than 20 computers ready to run the June 17-20 virtual Write His Answer Conference, always says, "God's got this." What about the other Deadly D's? The DISAPPOINTMENTS that can quickly lead to DISCOURAGEMENT? I've been in Rocky Mountain National Park during the fall rutting season. I've seen bull elk charging one another head on. Ouch! They must get horrific headaches. But they know they've got to fight if they are to win a harem of females. God planned it this way so that the strongest are the ones who win the harem in order to insure strong and healthy calves. Friends, I KNOW God allowed my faith muscles to be tested and strengthened through the 6 years the first book I wrote, How Our Family Coped with Incest, was rejected 42 times. Editors I met in person at conferences where, by then, I was serving on faculty told me I was a good writer and it was an important topic, but they didn't want to publish a book about incest. Only Tyndale House had tackled the topic with the publication of Carol's Story. I was ahead of the market! And back then, indie publishing wasn't an option.(3) Not only did we not have the money to invest, I would have been branded as a writer who was not "good enough" to find a "real" publisher. The book was finally accepted through an appointment with an editor at the St. Davids Christian Writers Conference in 1987. But then I knew the DISAPPOINTMENT of it selling less than the 1,000 copies print run and seeing it go out of print.(4) I still struggle with DISAPPOINTMENT. I know how to market and even teach a workshop on "Effective Marketing," but sales of the new edition of my first book are pathetic. Even more disappointing are the sales of my latest book, Write and Live His Answer NOW - Encouragement to Impact Our Culture. I got covid when it came off press. The truth is, I spend much more time marketing the June 17-20 virtual Write His Answer Conference than marketing my books. (I really don't like the word marketing.) my books. Even though this year's registrations are DISAPPOINTING (moving the conference from late July/early August and serious tech issues haven't helped), I know the conference impacts more lives. Especially if you are DISCOURAGED, I'm praying you'll ask Father to help you learn from the elk and that you'll seriously consider registering NOW for a conference that I know will be life-changing. You'll save the cost of travel and lodging. If the price of gas and groceries has you on the edge financially, scholarship help is available. We are living in critical days. Our nation is divided, and there are wars and rumors of war. There is no time to waste (or guarantee that the doors will always be open) to complete and publish what Father is calling you to write. 1. Today indie publishing is an option and does not need to cost thousands of dollars. Dianne Butts will give you the info you need in her continuing session 2. Jason Karpf, marketing director at Elk Lake Publishing Inc. is teaching a continuing session on "Content Marketing." Amy Deardon's two-hour Learning Lab, "Marketing Magic," and a track of six marketing workshops will make a huge difference in your marketing efforts. 3. Linda Evans Shepherd, founder of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA), is teaching a five-hour "Speaking Masterclass." 4. Back in print (indie published) as #MyFamilyToo - How Our Family Coped with Childhood Sexual Abuse. (My half sister lived with us for five years because her father, my step-father, sexually abused her.)

Come, see the glorious things God has done. What marvelous miracles happen to his people! Psalm 66:5 TLB

Part 2 - Christian Writers - Look to Jesus Have a vision. Jesus knew why he had come and what he was called to do. Every word he spoke and everything he did was aimed at bringing glory to the Father (John 17:4). He chose to become “obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:8, NIV). “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov. 29:18, KJV)—and so do we as writers. We need to wait before the Lord for him to give us direction for our lives and writing ministries. “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for” (Eph. 1:12, MSG). Don’t cut yourself off from people and their needs. Jesus willingly “laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men” (Phil. 2:7, TLB). Once here, he did not cloister himself in the Holy of Holies. Instead, he walked and talked, laughed, ate, and wept with those around him. He knew their needs because he was one with them. There is always a danger that the very nature of our work as writers will cause us to become hermits. It takes time to write, but sometimes we spend too much time writing. Our lives may get out of balance. We need to remember that our words will become glib and empty if we lose touch with people and their needs. Know your audience and find ways to communicate effectively. Jesus used down-to-earth illustrations from everyday life—a man sowing in his field, a woman baking bread, a widow giving two small coins. He used these examples to bring home his points. Parables, or stories, became Jesus’ vehicle for teaching truth on many levels. Even the youngest child could understand the story of the prodigal son or the good Samaritan, yet the depth of these stories and their application to our lives continue to be discovered. We, too, must know our audience. Are our potential readers young or old? Male or female? Single or married? High school or college graduates? Will the illustrations we use have meaning for them? Are we training ourselves to observe what is happening around us and using these observations to make our points effectively? Are we learning to show instead of tell—in other words, to effectively use stories to present our message? Jesus used everyday language. His listeners didn’t have to be scholars to understand what he was saying. Are we addressing our readers at their level of understanding, being careful not to write down to them but neither to write above their heads? Is our language clear and easy to understand? Most important of all, are we trusting in the mighty power that is present “in the simple message of the cross of Christ” (1 Cor. 1:17. TLB); or have we been cluttering it up to impress our readers with our theological prowess and exegetical expertise? Learn to persist. Some of our work, like that of the most gifted authors, will be rejected. Yet again, we need to look to the Lord and his example. Jesus’ very life’s work was rejected by the people he came to save (John 1:10-11). Because it was no easier for Jesus than it is for us, he understands and “is wonderfully able to help us” (Heb. 2:18; cf. Heb. 2:17; 4:15). Beyond that, he has given us his promise that in and through him we will do even greater things than he did (John 14:12). As we ask him for help and seek to follow his example, our writing and our lives will be an inspiration to others. RESPONDING TO GOD’S CALL TO WRITE What priority do I give to prayer? (See Psalm 5:3; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17.) What priority do I give to God’s Word? (See Psalm 1:2; James 1:22-25.) Have I sought the Lord for a vision for my writing? If so, am I walking in obedience to that vision? (See Psalm 25:4-5.) How much am I in touch with people and their needs? (See Philippians 2:4.) How often do I rewrite each manuscript until it is my very best work with no wasted words or weak phrases? (See 2 Timothy 2:15.) Am I willing to persist, or do I expect the Lord to somehow make it easy? (See Hebrews 10:36.) From Chapter 2, Write His Answer - A Bible Study for Christian Writers by Marlene Bagnull. Ampelos Press, third edition, 2014. In print 36 years.

Christian writers - Look to Jesus! How to keep on keeping on Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. Hebrews 12:2 TLB We are literature missionaries! While we may never go more than a few hundred miles from our homes, our written words can go around the world and make a difference for all eternity. The opportunities are great. The importance of looking to Jesus, “our leader and instructor” (Heb. 12:2 TLB), is even greater. It is his life and death and resurrection that inspires us to keep on keeping on. He provides the pattern we need to follow if we are to be effective communicators of his truth. Spend time in prayer. While the Gospels give us only glimpses into Jesus’ prayer life, it is obvious his ministry was bathed in prayer. Prior to his first preaching tour, he got up long before daybreak in order to go alone into the wilderness and pray (Mark 1:35). In the midst of a demanding ministry, he “often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (Luke 5:16 TLB). He even spent an entire night in prayer before choosing his twelve disciples (Luke 6:12). Jesus’ example shows us that the place to begin all our writing is on our knees. It is essential that we seek the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16 TLB) if we hope to bring his answer to our hurting world. If we’re too busy to pray, we’re too busy. If we think we can shirk this necessary first step, we’ll find that our words and paragraphs, no matter how well composed, will lack power. Prayer was an essential part of Jesus’ preparation for ministry. So, too, it must be for us. Know what God’s Word says and means. The Bible is silent about Jesus’ childhood except for the story of his trip to Jerusalem and how he amazed the teachers of the Law with his understanding of the Scriptures (Luke 2:41-47). After his baptism, Jesus used the Scriptures to defeat Satan (Luke 4:1-12). Throughout his ministry, Jesus often referred to the Law and the Prophets. Unlike the religious people of that day, Jesus “spoke as one who knew the truth, instead of merely quoting the opinions of others as his authority” (Luke 4:32). Unless we daily spend time in God’s Word, our understanding of it will be shallow. Our manuscripts will be filled only with our opinions instead of God’s truth. It is the Word of God that convicts and changes people as well as prepares them to face the problems and challenges of daily living (Heb. 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). Unless we are hungry for God’s Word and partake of it daily, we cannot hope to inspire our readers to take it seriously. From Chapter 2, Write His Answer - A Bible Study for Christian Writers. Tomorrow I’ll post four more ways to follow Jesus’ example. Meanwhile, I want to encourage you to visit the website for the June 17-20 virtual Write His Answer Conference. Not only does the conference offer incredible learning and networking opportunities, it is also a spiritual retreat in the comfort of your own home. Save the cost of travel and lodging as you take advantage of all the features of an in-person conference, and more, at a fraction of the cost. Scholarship help is available. Our goal for our past 61 in-person Colorado and Greater Philly Christian Writers Conferences and 6 virtual conferences is: To encourage and equip you to write about our God who is real, who is reachable, and who changes lives. #christianwriter #christianwriters #christianwritersconference #christianwritersconferences

Writing a novel? I encourage you to register now for the June 17-20 virtual Write His Answer Conference. This Thursday, DiAnn Mills is doing a Practice Your Pitch session on Zoom to help prepare conferees to meet with editors and agents. DiAnn will also teach this Learning Lab and a workshop on How to Attract Book Clubs.

"We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit" (2 Cor. 4:8 TLB). Thank You, Father, for the apostle Paul's testimony in 2 Cor. 4:7-18. Despite all the opposition he encountered, he did not give up. As I've so often said, we do not have a testimony without the tests that You allow to strengthen our faith muscles. You never promised it would be easy to follow You, but You have promised always to be with us. Friends, keep your eyes on Jesus if you are going through a season of testing. Choose to trust Him and to praise Him in advance for how He will use your testimony to encourage others.