Welcome and thank you for sharing your time with me. Those of you who signed up for my newsletter since last month, thank you for subscribing.
Thank you to all who sent me Christmas greetings last month!
 This month in Guest Gab I have an article by Cindy Sproles about the growing ministry of ChristianDevotions.us. Our Writing Wisdom tips come from Brian Jud about marketing planning. In What Am I Reading? I annouce the winner of last month's book and I have another book you could win. In Book Buzzings I highlight two new novels, one by Diane Ashley and Aaron McCarver and another by Missy Tippens. Check Inspirational Insights to read my thoughts on the new year.
Share this newsletter with your friends and if you have any comments or suggestions about this newsletter, please email me.
You can take a look at earlier newsletters by clicking the Archive button on my website. Always remember: I value your presence here and the time you share with me.
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| Quality Quote |
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"Take
a few minutes to toast a brand-new year. The best thing about January? A clean
slate. What happened in 2009 stays in 2009!" -Woman's Day, January 2010 |
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 Book Buzzings |
| Yours and Mine |
Did the list of your five favorite books change over the course of 2009? Share your five favorite books and their authors and I'll list them here. Use your first name or full name; whatever you prefer.
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Update on my novel, Caney Creek: I've heard that many folks in publishing don't work much between Thanksgiving and New Year's, so no news this month.
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Forward this newsletter to anyone you think might be interested in all things books.
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This month I highlight A Bouquet for Iris by Diane Ashley and Aaron McCarver and also A Forever Christmas by Missy Tippens. Below is information about these books.
 Title: A Bouquet for Iris
Authors: Diane Ashley
& Aaron McCarver
Genre: Historical fiction
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Release Date: November 2009 Available here
Unfulfilled by her life in
Nashville, Iris Landon moves to east Tennessee to care for two
Cherokee orphans. Attorney Adam Stuart knows better than to trust women or the government, but when he and Iris
join forces to protect the rights of Indians, he finds his heart in peril
again.
 Title: A Forever Christmas
Author: Missy Tippens
Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance
Publisher: Steeple Hill Love Inspired
Release Date: November 2009 Available here
Sarah Radcliffe is directing the
Christmas pageant when she meets the sons of her former love, Gregory
Jones. He's working overtime to provide the perfect Christmas, when all the
boys want is his attention...and a mommy. If Sarah can open her heart, they may
all receive the best gift of all.
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Guest Gab |
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News from ChristianDevotions.us by Cindy Sproles
This
month we have an article from Cindy Sproles, co-founder with Eddie Jones, of
ChristianDevotions.us. I interviewed Cindy last year in the early days of ChristianDevotions.us ministry. Now Cindy tells us about the leaps and bounds it has
made and continues to make.
 We walk the mountain at Ridgecrest,
NC twice or three times a year. The first time we walked it, God literally
rained down on us. But we walked anyway, scaling the side of the mountain to
perch on a beautiful summit overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. That's where
He spoke to us.
We'd have never imagined what God
had in store for two acquaintances. That was in 2008. Two years later, the
acquaintances have become best friends, co-writers and ministry partners,
dragging along with them the few others God has appointed to serve.
Christian Devotions Ministries (www.christiandevotions.us)
began with 25 email readers and over the last two years God has expanded our
subscriber list to just over 2000 and emailing over 15,000 daily
devotions a week.
We stopped looking at the numbers
after the first year because we wanted the glory to remain focused on God.
Looking at the numbers only focused the ministry to an earthly goal and it
wasn't about us...it was about the work we do for God. But on our ministry
anniversary we peeked, guessing God wouldn't mind since we avoided the other
364 days of the year. We were astounded at the growth.
ChristianDevotions.us is now home to
over 200 Christian writers and authors. In the last year God has led us to
begin a children's ministry (www.devokids.com) and also a Spanish site (http://www.devocionescristiano.com/) which mirrors the US website but is translated into
Spanish. God has opened the doors of Cuba for us to bring His word into a
medical school in a communist country--how cool is that? We've begun a writers
training site (http://www.writerscoach.us/) with the help of Tilt360 Leadership that allows us
to offer writing courses at a very small fee. Currently Eddie is teaching a 4
week segment and we have hopes of expanding that to our more seasoned authors
such as Ann Tatlock and Loree Lough, who can teach webinars as well. We knew
everyone couldn't come to conferences and we wanted to give back a small
something to the writers who give to us. There is a small fee, but nothing
these days is free (as hard as we've tried), it's very affordable and it's
one-on-one teaching and training.
We now have two radio shows,
Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! with host Marianne Jordan and also The He Said,
She Said Radio Show. Marianne recently interviewed Nicholas Sparks one-on-one
and we played that interview on our anniversary show.
And this past year, we launched out
as a publisher when publishing companies were sinking. Folks said we were
crazy, but we were brave enough to call God crazy so we did what He asked.
Christian Devotions Ministries has published four books to date. Spirit and
HEART: A Devotional Journey hit the stands on April Fool's Day (how ironic is
that) and is nearly to the best seller list. We've published Emerson the
Magnificent; Faith and Finances: In God We Trust will release in November. Our
fourth book is The First Responders Devotionals that will be on the scene soon.
And we're slated to release Spirit and Mind and Spirit and Soul sometime this
year as well as He Said, She Said.
The goal of ChristianDevotions.us is
to bring the word of God through the internet to those who may not have an
opportunity to see or hear it. Now we're reaching the children as
well. God has taken this small effort and blessed it to BIG places.
We are in the process of receiving
our 501C tax exempt status and we, like any ministry, need the financial
support of readers. The Spanish site is a reality because of the goodness of
those who were touched by the cry from Cuba. What can you do to help us?
We can always use your
financial support, but invite us to your church, present us to your missions'
board, and let us become a part of your local congregations. We are always in
search of new writers, so check out www.christiandevotions.us
and click on our tab "WRITE FOR US" to get the guidelines.
And of course, never stop praying for us. Please don't stop praying. God has a
hand in this ministry and He is taking us into uncharted territory.
Visit www.christiandevotions.us
and www.devokids.com. Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are excited to share the ministry of Christian
Devotions. Our newest motto: Little Faith is hoping God will do what He Says;
Big Faith is believing He will do what He says; but GREAT FAITH is knowing that
He has already done what He said He'd do.
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| What Am I Reading? |
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In each issue of A GOOD READ I will tell you about what I'm reading or have just read. Let me know what you've read that really impressed you, tell why in about 100 words and I'll include it here. Giving your name is optional. ----------It's easy to forward this newsletter to your friends: at the end of this email click "Forward Email." ----------
 The winner of last month's copy of When Someone You Love Has Cancer by Cecil Murphey is tedcthomp...@... Congratulations! Please email me your mailing address and I'll get the book to you right away. If you didn't win this month, see below for news about another giveaway.
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This month, on January 25th, I'll draw a winner from all current subscribers for a copy of Postcards From Heaven by Claire Cloninger, which I review below. ----------
 I've
just read Postcards from Heaven: Messages of Hope, Courage, and Comfort from God's
Heart to Yours by Claire Cloninger, Word Publishing, 1992 (later
editions in 1997 and 2004). Many books of prayers are on bookstore shelves; folks
talking to God. In this book, the author pens short conversations initiated by God
and directed to the reader, each including pertinent Scripture. Some of these "postcards"
are on topics such as: "I Made You for a Reason," "Do Not Fall in Love with the
World," "Your Thoughts Are Valuable," "Someone Understands" and others
that are timeless and relevant to everyday life. Reading these selections with a reverent frame of mind, it's easy to feel they are written especially
for you. This is a book you can open and reread whenever you need God's encouragement.
A good read.
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| Writing Wisdom |
Marketing Planning
by Brian Judd
This month's writing wisdom comes from Brian Jud, Book Marketing Newsletter, Book Marketing Works
 Expect the unexpected. Even the best plans cannot anticipate everything that might happen, so you have to improvise as you go forward. Your marketing plan can help you if you use it as a working tool. Do not think of the word plan as a document. Instead, think of it as a verb--a process that helps you recognize and deal with problems as they occur. That same process could also point out potentially profitable opportunities as they present themselves.
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Clean Chuckle |
 Billy Graham was
returning to Charlotte after a speaking engagement. When his plane arrived there was a limousine there to transport him to his home in Montreat.
As he prepared to get into the limo, he stopped and spoke to the driver. "You know" he said, "I am 87 years old and I have never driven a
limousine. Would you mind if I drove it for a while?"
The driver said, "No problem. Have at it."
Billy gets into the
driver's seat and they head off down the highway. A short distance away sat a
rookie State Trooper operating his first speed trap. The long black limo went
by him doing 70 in a 55 mph zone.
The trooper pulled out and easily caught the limo and got out of his patrol car
to begin the procedure. The young trooper walked up to the driver's door and when
the glass was rolled down he was surprised to see who was driving.
He immediately excused himself and went back to his car and called his
supervisor. He told the supervisor, "I know we are supposed to enforce the law but I
also know that important people are sometimes given certain courtesies. I need to know
what I should do because I have stopped a very important person."
The supervisor asked, "Is it the governor?"
The young trooper said, "No, he's more important than that."
The supervisor said, "Oh, so it's the president."
The young trooper said, "No, he's even more important than that."
The supervisor finally asked, "Well then, who is it?"
The young trooper said, "I think it's Jesus because he's got Billy Graham for
a chauffeur!!!!!"
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| Inspirational Insight |
New Year Thoughts
by Jo Huddleston
It
seems only last week when everyone had anxiety about the arrival of the
year 2000. Many expressed concern about moving into a new millennium, some even
wary that 2000 would bring apocalyptic catastrophes. A major concern was that
our computers and anything governed by computers would be unable to cope with
such a drastic change. Well, none of our fears came about. So much for
worrying; and you know how unproductive I think worrying is.
Now,
ten years later, I don't hear the same kinds of concerns. Concerns, yes, but of
a different kind. Concerns have always abounded and, sad to say, many of our
concerns are things that we can do nothing about. And akin to worry is regret.
That, too, is unproductive.
So,
as the apostle Paul wrote: "One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead." (Philippians 3:13, NKJ) I
think his words probably mean that our future can be healthier if we leave the heavy
thoughts of the past behind. That might not be easy for some, but try it. Make
that one of your resolutions for 2010--think forward, not backward. Like the
quote at the beginning of this newsletter reads, the new year gives us a clean
slate. Do you remember in school how refreshing it was to be the first to write
on a just-cleaned chalkboard (or whatever kinds of boards schools have now)?
Try
looking at this new year of 2010 as a just-cleaned chalkboard. Then decide
what you'll write on it; what footprints you will leave behind on a daily
basis. We may not have control over much in our lives but we can control our
decisions. Decide to look forward.
Not
often do "celebrities" say wise things that impact our lives but this one is a
keeper from Brooke Shields: "I need to start every day fresh and I need to
count my blessings." A good pattern to help us get started on 2010.
©
2009 Jo Huddleston. All rights reserved.
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