Scripture for the First Monday in Advent

Ephesians 6:11-12

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Our Heavenly Father, the Bible tells us that our struggles are against the enemy of our soul and spiritual forces of evil. We come to You today asking that You bind, dismiss, and contend with the enemy who contends with us. The enemy takes our focus from You. He fills us with doubts and discouragement. He tells us that we deserve to enjoy ourselves and to experience the pleasures of this world rather than serving You. Turn the enemy from us, O Lord, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture for the First Sunday in Advent

I’ll be posting a Scripture and short prayer for every day of Advent. These are from Advent prayers I posted several years ago to a prayer chain in my parish.  I hope you’ll join me in these short devotions.

1 John 2:15-16

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world —the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—­comes not from the Father but from the world.

Lord, we come to you on this first day of Advent admitting that we often become apathetic in our spiritual lives. Instead of making You our top priority, we succumb to the busy-ness of the world. Yet You have told us in your Holy Word that if we love the world, the love of You is not in us. Renew our hearts through the Holy Spirit during this holy season, Lord. Focus our minds on serving You in that part of Your Kingdom where we live and serve. This we ask in the name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Advent

Today is the First Sunday in Advent, the first day in the liturgical season of Advent, which is the beginning of the Christian year.

As Father Chip Harper writes in his liturgy lesson for this Sunday:

Our Fathers in the Faith have chosen Scriptures accenting three Advents: the Advent of Christ’s physical birth in Bethlehem, the Advent of Christ coming into our own lives, and the Advent of his Second Coming at the history’s end.

We will begin the service today with blessing and lighting the first candle on the Advent wreath. Each Sunday in Advent, another candle will be lit, and on Christmas Eve, the Christ candle, the large white candle in the center will be lit. Everything about the Advent wreath has meaning, just as the entire season is filled with meaning.

In all the rush of the season, it’s easy for the real meaning of Christmas to be overpowered by shopping, partying, eating, and having fun. Observing Advent with extra daily Bible readings, an Advent wreath, attending additional worship services, and spending more time in prayer can help us draw closer to God and remember the real reason for “the holiday season.”

ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen. (Collect for the First Sunday in Advent, 1928 Book of Common Prayer)

I’ve created Scripture/prayer cards that have a Bible verse on one side and a prayer on the other. You can download a PDF file and print the cards on your own computer printer. Reading one of the cards can create a brief moment of devotion in a busy day.

The download of the cards is my gift to you with the prayer that we both focus on the meaning of the season this Advent … and prepare for the coming of the Lord.

photo credit: KitAy

Thanksgiving Blessings

I have many blessings to thank God for this Thanksgiving. You, my readers, are among those blessings.

May you be blessed with much to be thankful for and gratitude for even the smallest blessings.

 

 

 

MOST gracious God, by whose knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew; We yield thee unfeigned thanks and praise for the return of seed- time and harvest, for the increase of the ground and the gathering in of the fruits thereof, and for all the other blessings of thy merciful providence bestowed upon this nation and people. And, we beseech thee, give us a just sense of these great mercies; such as may appear in our lives by an humble, holy, and obedient walking before thee all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all glory and honour, world without end. Amen.

Interview with Author Renae Brumbaugh

My guest today is Renae Brumbaugh, who is promoting her new devotional book, Morning Coffee with James. It’s fitting that we talk about this Bible study and devotional book during National Bible Week.

I reviewed Morning Coffee with James in an earlier post.

I don’t remember how I found Renae’s blog, but I’ve been an avid reader for her devotions for some time.

Lillie: Welcome to A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye, Renae. Your road to publication sounds almost like a fairy tale, but you and I know it’s a God thing. Tell us how you went from being a beginning writer to published and multi-contracted author in a couple of years.

Renae: In 2007, I attended a writers’ conference. There I was told that every writer should have a blog. I didn’t even know what a blog was! So I went home and typed, “What is a blog?” into my search engine. Blogger.com came up, and before I knew it, I had my very own blog. I named it Morning Coffee.

I had no idea what to write on my blog. I mean, my life just isn’t that interesting! I couldn’t see writing about my piles of laundry or my less-than-thrilling weekly menu. After giving it a little thought, I decided to write devotionals.

But that was too hard. There are simply too many great passages to choose from! Every day I spent more time deciding which passage to write about than I spent actually writing. Finally I said, “Enough. I’m going to make this easy.”

I opened my Bible to my favorite book: James. I started with chapter one, verse one, and began blogging my way through the book.

Lillie: How did you learn to write devotionals and Bible studies? Have you had theological training or does this come from your own spiritual journey?

Renae: Pretty much from my own journey. But I’ve been married to a pastor for nearly 20 years, and he lets me use his commentaries if I flutter my eyelashes and say please.

Lillie: Obviously what you did worked. Your blog led to a book deal. How did that come about?

Renae: Before long, I started getting encouraging comments and e-mails. “This is great! You should turn this into a book!”

Yeah, right, I thought. But little did I know, God had plans for my little blog.

I wrote up a query and sent it to every publisher that accepted devotional books. Every single one. Within a few weeks, I had interest from three publishers. I sent them each a full proposal. It was rejected by two of them. It was accepted by one: Chalice Press. And it only takes one!

Lillie: That’s really amazing, Renae. I know excellent writers who have been trying to get published in the Christian market for years without success. To what do you attribute your quick success?

Renae: Well, I’ve actually been writing – and teaching writing – for decades. In the early 90’s, I sent a couple of things off for publication, but they were rejected. Publication wasn’t really a driving desire of mine at that time, so I just kept writing and stored it all in a box in my garage. I figured my kids and grandkids might get a kick out of reading it all someday.

The first article I sold, at that first writer’s conference in ‘07, came from that box. I’d written it more than a dozen years earlier. So even though I wasn’t actively trying to get published during those years, I will still writing and honing my skills.

Lillie: That’s usually the case with overnight successes. They’ve been working hard for years before their sudden success. Your first published book, Morning Coffee with James, is a combination devotional and Bible study. I guess that debunks the conventional wisdom that you need to write books like those that have already been published to find a traditional publisher.  Tell us about your book and what makes it different.

Renae:  Well, each devotional study is set around a coffee theme. There’s the First Cup – a verse and a short commentary. Then there’s the Cream and Sugar – a thoughtful question and a prayer. Next comes the Second Cup – study through cross-reference. Finally, there’s the Last Drop – a related quote from literature or scripture. Fun coffee facts and recipes are scattered throughout the book.

But I guess what makes this study unique is that it is a verse-by-verse study; most devotionals are topical in nature, but Morning Coffee with James is expository. If you want to see what the book is all about, you can check the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon.com.

Lillie: How did you decide to write about James?

Renae: I’m fascinated with James’ relationship with Jesus. As His younger brother, He was too close to Jesus to see Him as special. After all, this was they guy he shared a room with, the guy he had played brotherly pranks on! It wasn’t until after Jesus’ death and resurrection that James accepted Jesus as God’s Son. He spent the remainder of his life building the church.

Lillie: I have been inspired and educated by the devotionals on your blog. You’ve done several studies since James. What other books of the Bible have you written about?

Renae: After I completed James, I wanted to keep going! The Word of God really is addictive. The more time you spend in it, the more time you want to spend. Next, I blogged through 1 – 3 John, then Ruth, Ephesians, Esther, Philippians . . . and then, with some help from some fellow bloggers, I tackled the life of Christ! That one is called Morning Coffee with Jesus. I’m currently having coffee with Jonah.

Lillie: As if being a talented devotional writer isn’t enough, you’re also a successful children’s book author.

Renae: Yes! I wrote four books for Barbour’s upcoming Camp Club Girls’ series. It’s a fun, exciting series for girls, ages 8 – 12. The first book, Mystery at Discovery Lake, will be released on January 1, 2010.

Lillie: Writing for children seems incredibly difficult to me. Did that come easy for you or did you have to learn a completely different set of skills?

Renae: Oh, it’s fun for me! I’m a public school teacher, so I work with kids all the time. I guess I’m familiar with their language, and the way they think. Having two kids at home probably helps, too.

Lillie: Tell us about your family and what they think of your writing.

Renae: My parents are as proud as peacocks! Of course, I’m blessed to have parents who have always made me feel loved and special. My husband just kind of grins. My daughter thinks it’s cool that her name is listed in the bio. As for my seven-year-old son, he’s not that impressed. I’m just “Mom” to him.

Lillie: You’re a real inspiration to aspiring writers because you were published in much less time than most. What advice would you give those trying to accomplish what you have done?

Renae: Be humble. Take advice from the pros. They really do know what they’re talking about. Attend writers’ conferences, read books about writing and publishing, join a writer’s group. Follow the advice you’re given.

And write a lot! The more you write, the better writer you will become. If it is in your heart to write, then write! God will bless your efforts. You never know who will benefit from the words God lays on your heart. It may be published, or it may stay in a box in your garage for decades, only to give a blessing to your grandchildren. Either way, wow! What a legacy.

Lillie: Where can readers learn more about you and your books?

Renae: They can visit my Web site RenaeBrumbaugh.com, join me for Morning Coffee at MorningCoffeewithRenae.com, and read my weekly humor column at FunnyCoffeeGirl.com.

Lillie: Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your encouraging story and your advice with readers, who probably have more questions for you. Will you check in during the day to respond to comments and answer questions?

Renae: Absolutely! Thanks so much for inviting me. I’ve been a faithful reader of your blog, if not always a faithful commenter. I feel honored to be a guest here.

Lillie: Renae is giving away an autographed copy of Morning Coffee with James to a lucky commenter. Be sure to leave a comment before the end of the week to be included in the drawing for the book.

UPDATED 12/3/09: The winner of a copy of Renae’s book is Cath Lawson. Congratulations, Cath.

 ===================

Renae Brumbaugh is an author, syndicated columnist, and freelance writer, with more than two hundred articles in print. She lives in Texas, where she juggles being a mom to Charis and Foster, and teaching seventh grade Language Arts at the local junior high. Check out her latest article in November’s In Touch Magazine, or learn more about her at RenaeBrumbaugh.com.

Disclosure: I received an electronic advance reading copy of the manuscript from the author, and I will be receiving a copy of the published book. I have not accepted any compensation for my review or interview and made no commitment to give a favorable review. The links to Amazon.com are affiliate links.

National Bible Week

National Bible Week has been celebrated during Thanksgiving Week every year since 1941.

If we want to have strong faith, we need to know God’s Word, and the Holy Bible is His Word.

The Bible says

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)

We can get to know God’s Word in a variety of ways:

• Daily Bible reading and devotions. I follow a guide available from my church: How to Have a Meaningful Time with God. I’ve also written before about studying the Bible.
• Attend Bible study classes offered by your church, as I attend a Bible study at All Saints Anglican.
• Take an online Bible study course. I’ve taken a number of excellent classes from JesusWalk Bible Study Series. Advent, which starts next Sunday, is a good time to start a Bible study, such as Christmas Incarnation, a four-week Advent study.
• Use the Bible study tools available online at Bible Gateway, Christianity.com, and many other Bible study resources.   
• Read Bible study books such as Morning Coffee with James.

National Bible Week reminds us that we should reading and study God’s Word every day. Share your thoughts and suggest resources in comments.

One of my favorite prayers in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer is the one for the Second Sunday in Advent:

BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Freelance Rates Survey Results

 A few weeks ago, I discovered that freelance editing rates is the most popular search term people use to find this blog and the most popular post is How Much Will It Cost? Average Freelance Editing Rates. I decided to update the information in a new series and created an online survey to gather information.

The results of the survey are available as a PDF download. Only 45 people responded, and most of them were writers rather than editors. I’m not sure how statistically significant the results are, but political polls make headlines with only a thousand or two responses representing millions of voters.

The report includes the following:

• The data as compiled by Survey Monkey: each question with the number of responses and the corresponding percentage for each multiple choice answer
• Comments submitted on each question
• A summary of the results by the length of time the respondents have freelanced—the time frames were compressed in the report because of the small number of respondents
• Charts showing the breakdown for the length of time (5 or fewer years, 5 to 15 years, and more than 15 years) and for the kind of freelancer (writer, editor, writer-editor)

Highlights of the results:

• There is a wide range in freelance prices, from less than $5/hour to more than $150/hour.
• The results are skewed toward less experienced freelancers. Nearly 1/4 of the respondents have freelanced 1 to 5 years part-time; more than 15% have freelanced less than 1 year part-time.
• More than half are primarily Web writers; only 1 is an editor only; 7 are writer-editors.
• Regular clients and referrals are the primary ways the respondents find work, but other sources are also important.
• About 22% charge an hourly rate; an equal number charge by the project.
• Three respondents charge less than $5/hour. Two charge $100 to $125/hour, and one charges more than $150/hour. The most popular rate is $20 to $30/hour.
• Rates seemed more closely correlated to length of time freelancing than whether the freelancer is part-time or full-time. All those charging less than $5/hour are part-timers who have freelanced less than 5 years. The writer who charges more than $150/hour is also a part-timer (10 to 15 years as a freelancer).
• Nearly 2/3 require clients to request a quote and do not post their rates.

I’m not a statistician; in fact, I’m not even good at math. Let me know if you find an error in the report.

Look over the survey results. Do you think the numbers have any statistical validity? Did anything either surprise you or validate your current ideas about freelance rates? Is there anything in the results useful to you, either as a freelancer setting your own prices or as a client wondering how much work will cost? Please leave your thoughts in a comment.

In the next installment in this series (in a week or two), I’ll discuss how to go about setting prices.

Updated 12/3/09 with two points:

• I have become extremely busy and don’t have time to devote to the research and writing needed to continue this series right away. The series will resume  in January.
• One question I did not ask that I should have was where the freelancer was located. Someone suggested that I can look up the IP addresses of the respondents and correlate them to a country. I will attempt to do that when I have more time. Perhaps that will give a better picture—$5/hour is less than minimum wage in the US but is respectable pay in some parts of the world.

photo credit: pinguino

Review: Morning Coffee with James

Morning Coffee with James
Renae Brumbaugh
Chalice Press
September 15, 2009
ISBN: 978-0827223363
Paperback, 113 pages, $12.99
Nonfiction: Christian

I have been a big fan of Renae Brumgbaugh’s blog Morning Coffee with Renae for a long time. Morning Coffee with James started life as a series of blog posts, so I knew the book would be wonderful. As soon as I heard about the coming publication, I invited Renae to visit here.

She will be here on Tuesday, November 24, and you’ll learn more about her and her book. Please come back to meet Renae if you aren’t already a fan or say hello if you follow her blog. Renae will be giving away an autographed copy of Morning Coffee with James to a commenter, so be sure to leave a comment.

In the meantime, I wanted to share my thoughts on Morning Coffee with James. The book is a combination devotional and Bible study. Each devotional covers a few verses of the Book of James with comments about what James was saying to the receipients of his letter and what he is saying to us today. Then comes a thought-provoking question, a prayer, cross-references, and a concluding quote.

I loved everything about the book except the random coffee facts and recipes scattered through the book. It may be because I’m not a coffee aficionado. Perhaps it was because I read the book in a few sittings rather than reading each devotional separately. Or maybe it was because I was reading a Word document rather than the actual book—the formatting of the book might have made a difference. However, the bits about coffee only distracted me. Coffee lovers will probably find them fascinating, and if you read the devotionals individually from the book, the effect might be totally different.

Renae’s faith and personality come through strongly in her writing voice. You feel like you’re sitting down with her over a cup of coffee discussing the words of the brother of Jesus. Yet her warm friendliness doesn’t stop her from challenging us by pointing out how James’ words apply to us personally. How does she know about my selfishness and jealousy and other sins? She makes the reader feel that she knows because she’s been there. She doesn’t set herself her as the teacher telling us sinners what we’re doing wrong. She writes as a sinner herself saved by grace and struggling to live out her beliefs in her daily life.

Other Christians who are following the same path will find Morning Coffee with James a worthwhile addition to their devotions.

Be sure to come back for Renae’s interview on November 24th.

Disclosure: I received an electronic advance reading copy of the manuscript from the author, and I will be receiving a copy of the published book. I have not accepted any compensation for this review and made no commitment to give a favorable review. The links to Amazon.com are affiliate links.

I Love to Write Day

Today is the 8th Annual I Love to Write Day.

If this year is like previous years, libraries and schools will have events focused on writing.

Writers will encourage others and teach them how to improve their writing.

I think the best way to celebrate is to start with a blank sheet of paper … and write!

photo credit: koalazymonkey

Thanks to October Commenters

Thank you to the 168 commenters who left 263 comments in October. Your comments extended the conversation and added value and interest, and I enjoyed replying to every one of them.
Top Contributor (20 comments)
Girish	Drive NZ
Major Contributor (12 comments)
Mack	Vegas 4 Sale
Outstanding Contributor (5-7 comments)
Alan	San Diego Real Estate and Homes
Nick-Spain	Spanish Hot Properties
Andrew	Good Honest Dollar
C McCoffee	The Coffee Bump
Helen Ginger	Straight from Hel
Significant Contributors (2-3 comments)
Alex	Taskie
Bluestocking	The Bluestocking Guide
Dawn Colclasure	Dawn Colclasure’s Blog
Jeff	Las Vegas Short Sales
Mark	The Coffee Bump
Matt Keegan	Word Journey
Monika	MCH Multimedia
Pat	United Health One
Lucky	Dog Halloween Costumes
Aditya	1800 Security Camera
Al	Re/MAX Tulsa
Amy	Penny Stocks
Billy	InfoPrimes
Cath Lawson	Cath Lawson
Christian	Quality Christian Market
Geoff	Schiering/ReMax
James	Orcpad
Jeanne Dininni	Writers’ Notes
Jenn Mattern	All Freelance Writing
Jeremy Craven	Block Shopper
Karen Swim	Words for Hire
Lisa	Meshbesher & Spence
Louise	Uprinting
Manu	Healthy Signs
Manu	Ticket Printing
Matt Keegan	Matt’s Musings
Michael	Christian Healing
Michael	Amortization Tools
Mike	Choco Studio
Patricia	Detnox Registry Cleaner
Roger	Lan Penger til det du trenger
Sarah	Fitness Exercise
Zurich	InfoPrimes
Important Contributors
abby	Dirt Devil Filters
Aditya	Bingo at Its Best
Aditya	Done for You Income
Aditya	Net Heights LTD
Aditya	Salespreneur
Aditya	SNV Infotech
Aditya	Wozzon Events in London
Akim	Media Fire Library
Alex	Domestic Violence and Abuse
alex	Your Pet
alex khada	Best Home Marketing
ally	8mm Projector
Amanda Armstrong	Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning
amit	Chiro-Write
Angela	Best Moving Companies Reviews
Angelo	InfoPrimes
Anna	Mineral Make-up
Anna	Nails Glasgow
Anne Cabibel	Plaisir du lux
Anne Fox	Angular Cheilitis
ANSH	Costa Rica Real Estate Service
ANSH	SkyLasers
ANSH	Wigs Online Store
Antoinnette Taus	Great Ripped Abs
Arlene	My SoBe
ashley	Superfoods/Green Super Food
Barbara Ling	Virtual Coach
Bernard Marti	AntiVirus Express
Billie Houston	Barri Bryan, Poet and Romance Author
Billy	Assurance Hypothecaire
bralynn	Hi Rolling Media
Carin	Cheap Car Insurance
Carry	99Bytes
Charles	Jacqulyn Richey/Realty One Group
Chico	Oz Christianspace
Chris	Nova Vision
Chris Barry	Saving Money and More
Claire	Scribble Joint
Dan Hauser	Crystal Pacific Insurance
Daniel	Kostenloses Browserspiel suchen…
Daniel	Onsupplements
Daniel	Ontranslations
Dave	TBO  Media
Dave Sappers	Nine Limes Design
David	Gas4Free
Deb	Punctuality Rules
Dexter Boyle	Quizilla
Dharma	Bale Bali
Diane	n/a
Diaz	Buy Electric Guitar
dominique audibert	Banqueet Credit
Eden	Master Cleanse Recipe
Eji	Air Compressors for Sale
Elvenrunelord	Augmented Living
Frank	All Candle Supplies
Frank Lynch	Web Page FX
Fred H. Schlegel	Frog Blog
Greg	AirSoft Guns Lover
Howard	France Facts About
James	Full Tilt Rakeback
James Murdoch	Principal Computers
Jamie	Complete Homeschool Guide
Jamie	Home Business Reader
Jan	Primary Work at Home
Jay	FinSofts
Jeff	Salty Cajun
Jennifer L	Professional Moving Specialists
Jim	Free Healthy Diet Recipes
Joe	A Better Stay
John	Dale Tech
John	Institute for Coaching
John McKnight	DIY Home Improvement
Johnny	IM Headlines
Jon McDowell	Overcoming Panic Attacks
K L Karrington	Cosmetic Surgery Today
Karen Conroy	Fundraising for a Cause
Kelly	Software Business Partners
Kevin	Job Spokane
Kyla	Fear of Flying Medication
Kyle	Conquer Fear of Flying
Kyle	Fresh Web Design
Laura Spencer	Writing Thoughts
Leeanne	The Academic Editor’s Desk
lgrimsley	Contain-a-Pet Business Opportunity
Lilly Leeds	LinkedIn: Lilly Leeds
Lindsay	Goblin Brothers
Lori Widmer	Words on the Page
Maik	Hypnosis-Sleep
Manu	Australian Backpackers
Mark	Need Bad Credit Loan
Martha	Best Help Tips
Matt Keegan	The Auto Writer
Melissa	Cat Toy Wand
Michael	Searchmasters
Mo	Cute Bingo
Monika	Coupon US
Moshe Lavi	Zayka Store
Mr. Williams	Signal Driving School
oumar	Media Fire Library
Patrice Kelly	The Samadhi Group
Patrick Oden	Patrick Oden
Paui	Cocoon
Paw Hellegaard	Lån uden sikkerhed
Peter	Forex Robot Reviews
Rachel	Percussion Instruments
Randall	Siberian Husky Training
Renae Brumbaugh	Morning Coffee with Renae
Ricky	Value TV Brackets
Robert Hruzek	Middle Zone Musings
Rocky	Country Music Blog
Roel	InfoPrimes
Ross	Custom Lapel Pins
Sally Ferguson	Sally’s Words
sammy	Cure Remedies
Sandrine Beauclerc	Thalasso Plaisir
Shanna	Cat Halloween Costumes
Shawn	Payday All Day
Shayne	Negative Calorie Foods Diet
Spot	Spot Cool Stuff
Steve	Pinnacle Displays
sumit	Primo Home Search
Susan	Visit Queensland
Terry	Pulse Uniforms
Thomas Nicholson	Your Back Pain Cure
Tina	n/a
Tracy	Espacio de Medifast
Tracy	Netlog/Medifast Blog
wilson	Will You Mind

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