Heed Instruction

Text: Proverbs 16:20

“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” – Proverbs 16:20 New International Version of the Bible

As Christian writers, our witness is as important as the stories or poems we write. If our private lives don’t match our public lives, our writing suffers. More importantly, we have people who tune out the message of Jesus Christ because of our witness. They label us as just another religious hypocrite.

One of the most significant and miraculous things in life is to heed the direction of God’s voice to us. It is when we fully trust and follow in His ways.

I know what you are thinking, how can you know the ways and instruction of God? First, you ask God through prayer. Second, you spend time in His word, the Bible, by reading and memorizing Scripture. Third, you listen to God’s herald … this would be listening to sermons as you attend church.

You might be thinking, but you don’t know me. I have really failed. I have broken so many of God’s teachings … how can He ever use me. God is a forgiving God. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV teaches, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

God has a plan for your life. Never forget that God knows your heart. He even knows your most secret thoughts and feelings. God knows the number of hairs on your head. God knows everything!

Maybe you think you have everything under control. If you think that, you are wrong. Only God has everything under control.

Maybe you are feeling confused and just need direction in your life. Maybe the struggles of daily living and just meeting life’s expenses have you down. One thing we can do in times of brokenness and confusion is look and pray for our needs … and don’t forget to thank and praise God when He meets your needs!

An example of provision from my life was recently finding a large package with twenty rolls of toilet paper in the middle of the highway. I stopped, picked it up, and took it home. My wife shared she hadn’t purchased any when she bought groceries, but had been looking for some on sale. God met this everyday need in our life. Another example could be a friend who calls and speaks words of reassurance or encouragement when you were depressed or feeling hopelessness.

As Christian writers, we are God’s provision for others. We are the ones who meet the need in someone’s life. We need to heed God’s instructions where other will listen to what God is saying through us. When we fail to walk with God, our witness doesn’t point others to Christ, but can actually lead them astray.

Read Full Post »

“Trust God and Write”

Title: Trust God and Write!
Text: 2 Samuel 9:13

“Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.” — Crossway Bibles (2011-02-09). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (p. 261). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

“Why can’t I be a writer or author?” Those were words I spoke as I mustered all the manhood I had as an eleventh grader to keep from crying as my high school guidance counselor told me that becoming a writer or author wasn’t an acceptable vocational option for a man.

The school counselor answers, “Jimmie, you’re a guy. You’ll need a trade or college degree in engineering, accounting, or teaching to support your future wife and children. You need to forget that silly notion that a man could ever support a family writing. It’s okay to have writing as a hobby, but you’ll never earn a living doing it. You’ll need a real job.”

The words broke my heart. My parents had raised me to believe I could do anything. My Sunday school teacher and youth pastor had taught me God had an amazing plan for my life. Up to this point, I believed it. After the counselor’s words, I wasn’t so sure.

Several years later, I was a seminary student. One day in chapel, I heard a sermon about a man with an unusual name, Mephibosheth. He was lame in both feet. He had a disability, an affliction. I learned he faced many challenges, sorrows, and problems. In spite of this, he didn’t know the king of Israel was about to bless his life. The most powerful man in all of Israel, King David went out of his way to bless someone others viewed as unworthy. Our King of kings, our great Lord Almighty desires to do the same for us.

Have you been told your dream of writing is just that a dream? Maybe you’ve been told you haven’t experienced life enough to write, that you’re too young to write, or that the competition is too great? You may be dealing with feelings of doubt, think if only you had a MFA or if your family or spouse supported you more, or maybe you think it’s too late – you’re just too old. If only … Let’s face it, at times we all face challenges and difficulties in our lives that make us feel unworthy to serve the Lord. As Christian writers, we serve the Lord with our writing.

We may feel there is no way God could use us. We dwell on negative thoughts. We focus on why we can’t. We feel it’s too hard or the chances of getting published are stacked against us. I want you to stop those I cannot do it thoughts. Think about the things you and God can do.

Remember, God doesn’t look at our exteriors, our limitations, or our failures. He looks at His flawless creation – that’s you! God says, “I can use you; I want to use you.”
We should live in this truth. Don’t let anyone or anything including self-doubt stand in your way of serving our great King of Kings and Lord of Lords! If he has called you to write, He will provide the platform, publisher and audience/readers. He’s also a big enough God to take care of your financial and emotional needs.

My name is not a household name as a writer. I do not support myself writing. Thirty years ago last month my first magazine article was published. I was paid 2½ cents a word. Since I sold the first article in 1981, I have had 47 articles and poems published. I have had hundreds rejected. I have had a nonfiction book initially accepted and then killed when an editor changed. I have a historical fiction book that’s been rejected a couple of times and yet I am rewriting to changed the point of view at an editor’s request without any promise they’ll buy the work. I am a regular contributing book reviewer for a national magazine.

What can I say? I love to write and read. I writing is your thing, ignore the negative thinkers, and trust God and write!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Read Full Post »

“How Christian Love Works”

I read the book of Philemon during my quiet time. It shows “How Christian Love Works”. I wrote this little devotional based on the book of Philemon.

1.   Christian love is thankful for the best in others.

“I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers” – Philemon verse 4 King James Version of the Bible (KJV)

Do you pray for your friends?

Are you more concerned about what you can get from your friends than what you can do for them?

Are you thankful for your Christian friends?

2.  Christian love seeks the welfare of others.

“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: ” – Philemon verse 4 KJV

Onesimus is a slave.

He had run away.

Paul lead him to Christ.

He is concerned about Onesimus’ safety and welfare.

Do you seek the welfare others?

3.  Christian love deals fairly with other.

“Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:” – Philemon verse 12

Paul sent Onesimus back to his owner.

He interceded on Onesimus’ behalf.

He is concerned about following the law and Onesimus’ welfare.

Do you deal fairly with others?

 4. Christian love bears the problems of others.

“If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;” – Philemon verse 18

Paul pleads for forgiveness of the offense.

Paul is willing to takes responsibility for whatever Onesimus may owe his master.

Do you bear others burdens?

 5. Christian love believes the best in others

“Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.” – Philemon verse 21

Paul tells Onesimus that he believes in him.

He tells him he knows he will do his best.

He encourages Onesimus.

Do you encourage and really believe in your friends?

 This is an original devotion written by Jimmie A. Kepler on March 19, 2012.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License by Jimmie Kepler.

Read Full Post »

Colorado Christian Writer’s Conference – Day One Reflections

Few places I have visited are as pretty as the YMCA of the Rockies Conference Center. It is at Estes Park, Colorado. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains near the entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park the scenery, wildlife and weather are spectacular.

Over the next four days I will work on my writing craft, spending time in prayer and worship as well as resting and relaxing. I hope to write a short daily weblog on my adventure.

The conference center was easy to find. Having never been here and not having any instructions on the registration process I looked for a building that said registration or administration. I found registration was divided into two parts. The easy part was checking into my room. The staff of the YMCA of the Rockies Conference Center has their act together. Boom, I was in and out in under five minutes. I am in room 3407 in Mt. Ypisoln Hall. I am one of the few attendees that has a private room – thank you God for presentation mode  my day job that allows me to earn enough income to afford such a luxury – several men I talked with are staying four people to a room.

Next it was time to unload my car and get setup in my accommodations. I found get email and can surf the web. my cell phone has poor reception. I have WiFi in my room and all over the campus so I get Facebook, Twitter, and email without issue.

Conference registration check-in was next. I’ll be nice. It is staffed by volunteers. They were running late in getting things setup. The conference registration materials with my paid critiques, appointments with agents and publishers/editors were not off the press. They were still being printed. I was able to get my conference badge.

I went to the first time attendee orientation. Many people arrived late, some very late. The teacher did a lot of small talk for the first half of the scheduled time. The man beside me got up and left as he felt it was a waste of his time. He should have stayed. The teacher was Liz Cowman Furman. When the last of  the stragglers arrived she shifted into presentation mode. She was wonderful. She explained how things worked, where things are, and what to expect. We had a big warning about altitude sickness and were given advice on avoiding it.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 was the scripture for the session. We were reminded God is in control. We were reminded to be in right fellowship with God. We were also reminded that if we are going to write about God, don’t write or bring the focus to yourself.

After the session I went back to registration and my packet was ready. I walked back to my room and had one of the woman editors catch up with me. She initiated the conversation. We walked up the big hill to her car which was on the pathway to my room. We small talked and got to know each other. She thanked me for not trying to pitch something to her and I thanked her for being here. She will remember me in two days when I have an appointment and in the proper setting pitch my book to her.

I am going to rest and relax now. It is 45 minutes until the evening meal. After it we have a time of worship where the focus is on the ministry of writing. After that I will attend a half hour prayer session before retiring to my room.

Read Full Post »

May 1, 2013

A week has passed since my last update. That is one week, seven days, 168 hours… well you get the picture. It has been a while.

For me a week is an eternity. What have I been doing in the last week? I’ve been busy. I am writing and editing like crazy as I prepare to attend the Colorado Christian Writer’s Conference.

I have learned so much about writing a book once I got to the edit and rewrite phase. No, I’m not taken a manuscript to stick in an editor’s face. You don’t do it that way. I want to be ready when they say yes to my pitch where I can email them the book. I have appointments with five editors/publishers. That is right – five!

I took a vacation day last Friday. I was going to attend the Round-top Poetry Festival near Austin, Texas. Instead I edited and rewrote for two days.

I had a break of a few hours in the middle on Friday. I went to the dentist at my wife’s insistence.

She said, “You are off work so make good use of your time by calling the dentist to see if they can work you in today.” They could. I wasted 3 hours, but kept the wife happy. It also kept me from missing any work.

I’ve been writing hundreds of words a day, or rewriting, and I’ve been having fun. I haven’t disappeared. Yes, I’ll get back to The Martian Chronicles chapter summaries. The draft is written on each.

Well, it is my bed time.

Read Full Post »

The Martian Chronicles – Chapter Five – The Taxpayer (March 2000/2031) by Ray Bradbury

Chapter five, The Taxpayer, first appeared in The Martian Chronicles. A man insists that he has a right to get on the next rocket to Mars, because he is a taxpayer. He insists on being let on the ship so strongly because the Earth will be having a great atomic war soon, and no one wants to be around when it happens. He is not allowed on the ship and eventually gets taken away by the police.

Characters:

Pritchard – An American taxpayer.

Conflict:

The protagonist is Pritchard. He wishes to go to Mars to avoid atomic war on Earth. The antagonist is the United States government, who ignores him. The climax is when his demand to join the third expedition falls on deaf ears. The outcome is he remains on Earth.

Themes:

There are two themes. The first is escape from a horrible situation. The second is a false sense of entitlement. The phrase “I’m a taxpayer” is often used to protest perceived poor treatment at the hands of the government.

Summary:

Pritchard demands to go to Mars to avoid atomic war on Earth. His request is refused.

Notes:

The foreshadowing of an atomic war is brought to the forefront in this brief vignette. Pritchard’s desperation seems unwarranted: he may be considered a crank, someone whose dissatisfactions are out of proportion from the reality of the situation. And yet, there are subtle hints in other stories that indicate the extent of the problem: that only Americans make the voyage to Mars, indicating a strong rift in international relations; the disillusionment about humanity that Spender expresses quite fatally on the fourth expedition. In a way, Pritchard is a prophet unheeded by his people.

Read Full Post »

The Martian Chronicles – Chapter Four, The Earth Men (August 1999/2030) by Ray Bradbury

Chapter Four, The Earth Men (August 1999/2030) was first published in Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1948.

This story tells of the “Second Expedition” to Mars. The astronauts arrive to find the Martians to be strangely unresponsive to their presence. The one exception to this is a group of Martians in a building who greet them with a parade. Several of the Martians in the building claim to be from Earth or from other planets of the solar system, and the captain slowly realizes that the Martian gift for telepathy allows others to view the hallucinations of the insane, and that they have been placed in an insane asylum.

The Martians they have met all believed that their unusual appearance was a projected hallucination. Because the “hallucinations” are so detailed and the captain refuses to admit he is not from Earth, Mr. Xxx, a psychiatrist, declares him incurable and kills him. When the “imaginary” crew does not disappear as well, Mr. Xxx shoots and kills them. Finally, as the “imaginary” rocket remains in existence, Mr. Xxx concludes that he too must be crazy and shoots himself. The ship of the Second Expedition is sold as scrap at a junkyard.

Characters:

Jonathan Williams – Captain of the second expedition from Earth to Mars.

Three unnamed Earthians – Williams’ crew.

Mrs. Ttt – Martian annoyed by arrival of Williams and his crew.

Mr. Ttt – Sends the Earthmen to Mr. Aaa.

Mr. Aaa – Sends the Earthmen to Mr. Iii.

Martian girl – Listens to the Earthmen describe their journey.

Mr. Iii – Locks the Earthmen in an insane asylum.

Mr. Xxx – “Cures” the Earthmen and himself of insanity by killing them and himself.

Mr. Uuu – Martian who claims to be from Earth.

Miss Rrr – Martian who claims to be from Earth.

Mr. Www – Martian who claims to be from Earth.

Mr. Qqq – Martian who claims to be from Earth.

Mr. Vvv – Martian who claims to be from Earth.

Conflict:

The protagonist is Jonathan Williams. He tries to make the Martians believe he and his crew are from Earth. The antagonist is The Martians. They all believe Williams is insane and his crewmen are external delusions borne of this insanity. The climax is when Jonathan Williams and his men are placed in an asylum. The outcome is when trying to cure Williams, Mr. Xxx kills Williams and his men, then kills himself when the delusion persists.

Themes:

There are two themes that create tension when they interact in this story: the ego of achievement and the limits of credibility.

The ego of achievement is embodied by the astronauts from Earth, who are not content to have completed their feat, but to be universally recognized for what they did.

The limits of credibility are embodied by the Martians, who find it preposterous and unbelievable that someone would travel from another planet to Mars. Of course, this is the same attitude Earthians have about people they encounter who make similar claims.

Summary:

Captain Jonathan Williams and his crew of three men have arrived from Earth to Mars. They arrive at the home of Mrs. Ttt and wait to meet her husband for several hours, only to then be sent to Mr. Aaa and then Mr. Iii. Along the way to Mr. Iii, they speak to a little girl who seems unimpressed by the story she hears of their travels. Finally, Mr. Iii takes them to a room where they are feted by a group of Martians – only to discover they also claim to be Earth and are actually insane asylum inmates. Williams realizes he has been declared insane: seeing the insane Martians manifest their thoughts while sleeping, he understands that his strange Earthian appearance is being dismissed as yet another insane Martian using his everyday mental abilities to do the same.

The next morning, Mr. Xxx meets with Williams to cure him of this illness: Williams takes the doctor to the Earthian spaceship but Mr. Xxx deems him incurable thanks to the extent of the delusion – three seemingly solid crewmen and a seemingly solid spacecraft. Thus, Mr. Xxx decides to kill Williams, but the delusions persist; he then shoots the other three crewmen “delusions” but the craft is still there. Deciding he himself is incurably insane, Mr. Xxx does the merciful thing and kills himself. Later, Martians find the spacecraft and, not knowing what to do with it, pass it along to a junk dealer.

Notes:

Obliquely, this story shows the hazards – and advantages – of thinking too logically, of not trusting imagination. A hazard, since the truth of the situation is never quite figured out by the Martians; but also an advantage along the lines of “ignorance is bliss” since they unwittingly fended off yet another invader from Earth. This story paves the way for both “The Third Expedition” and “The Martian”, stories that build on the abilities of Martians.

Read Full Post »

The Martian Chronicles – Chapter Three: The Summer Night (August 1999/2030) by Ray Bradbury

Chapter Three was first published as “The Spring Night” in The Arkham Sampler, Winter 1948.

This short vignette tells of Martians throughout Mars who, like Ylla in chapter two, begin subconsciously picking up stray thoughts from the humans aboard the Second Expedition’s ship. As the ship approaches their planet, the Martians begin to adopt aspects of human culture such as playing and singing American songs, without any idea where the inspirations are coming from.

Characters:

The Martians, but no specific ones.

The Earthmen.

Conflict:

The protagonist is the Martians who are receiving telepathic signals from Earthmen. The antagonist is the Earthmen who are unwittingly sending their thoughts ahead of them as they travel towards Mars. The climax of the chapter is the Martians grow disturbed by the sudden influx of alien information. Th chapter’s outcome is the Martians become uneasy and restless.

Themes:

The psychological toll of invasion and colonization.

Summary:

On a pleasant summer night, the Martians are surprised by alien thoughts from Earth, giving them insights of a culture they had never encountered before.

Notes:

In a literal foreshadowing of events to come, the psychological impact of the Earthmen’s invasion of Mars takes place before the invasion actually becomes effective.

Read Full Post »

The Martian Chronicles – Chapter Two: Ylla (February 1999/2030) by Ray Bradbury

Chapter Two: Ylla, was first published as “I’ll Not Ask for Wine” in Maclean’s, January 1, 1950.

The following chapter, “Ylla”, moves the story to Mars. Ylla, a Martian woman trapped in an unromantic marriage, dreams of the coming astronauts through telepathy. Her husband, though he pretends to deny the reality of the dreams, becomes bitterly jealous, sensing his wife’s inchoate romantic feelings for one of the astronauts. He kills the two-man expedition, astronauts Nathaniel York and one simply called Bert, as soon as they arrive.

Characters: 

Ylla K – A Martian wife.

Yll K – Ylla’s husband.

Nathaniel York – The Earthman who contacts Ylla through dreams.

Bert – The second Earthman.

Pao – A friend of Ylla’s who lives in the Green Valley.

Doctor Nlle – A friend of Yll and Ylla.

Conflict:

The protagonist  is Ylla. She wishes to meet the Earthman from her dreams. The antagonist is her husband Yll. He is jealous of Ylla’s attention towards this seeming imaginary figure named Nathaniel York. The climax is when Yll deceives Ylla by forcing her to stay home at the time the Earthman is supposed to arrive. The outcome is Yll kills the Earthman, causing a rift between himself and his wife.

Theme:

Marriage and jealousy are the two main themes of this story. What makes a marriage work? How much trust is necessary? And what happens when someone or something threatens the marriage?

Summary:

Ylla K has dreams about a man from Earth arriving on Mars. She shares with Yll details of this Nathaniel York’s exotically strange appearance, the music of his culture, and the belief that he will and in the Green Valley. Yll K suppresses his jealousy as best he can and tries to be more attentive to his wife, but realizes she intends to meet York when he lands. Using the ruse of a supposed visit by Doctor Nlle, Yll convinces Ylla not to go to Green Valley – she herself tried the ruse of visiting Pao to go to the area. She stays home and Yll goes out hunting, killing York. Though nothing is said of this, Ylla is aware of what happened.

Notes

The wife’s name is an extension of the husband’s, subtly indicating her subservience to him. The married couple never admit to each other that Ylla’s dreams of York are based in reality, instead speaking of it as a kind of imaginative fancy. However, both of them behave as if York’s arrival is real, making him Yll’s rival for Ylla’s affection. The marriage is kept together tenuously by this refusal to speak of things that could tear their bond apart.

Read Full Post »

The Martian Chronicles – Chapter One “Rocket Summer” – Ray Bradbury

Rocket Summer (January 1999/2030)

Rocket Summer was first published in Planet Stories in the Spring 1947 edition. It is the first story in “The Martian Chronicles”. The stories of the book are arranged in chronological order, starting in January 1999, with the blasting off of the first rocket. Each story forms a separate chapter of the book.

Conflict:

Let’s look at the conflict in chapter one. The protagonist is the rocket. The antagonist is winter, metaphorically set aside by the rocket’s heat. The climax of the chapter is when the rocket ascends and melts winter away. The outcome is the town is temporarily in summertime again.

Themes:

The theme in the story is the seasonal shift. It emphasizes the changes brought by technology on human life, and in turn foreshadows the theme of human life (with their technology) changing Mars and the Martians when they colonize the planet.

Summary:

“Rocket Summer” is a short vignette which describes Ohio’s winter turning briefly into summer due to the extreme heat of the rocket’s take-off, as well as the reaction of the citizens nearby.

Notes:

This vignette is very brief and intends to convey a sense of awe and wonder at what technology is capable of. Summer is symbolic of youthfulness and energy, which space travel and colonization is supposed to inspire.

Read Full Post »