I've been way too long in posting. I had a slow recovery from the hernia surgery in January and it didn't succeed. Then, I took a bad fall. But I'm still here to cause trouble until Jesus calls me home.
This past weekend, I was blessed to be able to go to the ACFW 2011 Retreat in Colorado. The place was beautiful and only two exits from my home.
Cecil Murphy taught and we had a great time with some very serious thoughts and some "fun" things to do as well. He is author or more than 150 books. One of them being 90 DAYS IN HEAVEN and we studied out of KNOWING GOD KNOWING MYSELF.
Cecil challenged us to dig deeper with the Lord and allow ourselves to become more transparent.
He made some good points that I'd like to share with you. Come and sit under a pine tree with me, feel the light spring breeze and ponder these thoughts. Take what is yours, throw what doesn't apply into the breeze, and send it forward and upward. I'm praying for/with you.
1-What we do doesn't determine our value. What we are determines our value.
2-To find your author's voice you need to discover who you are.
3-Writing gives readers access to your private world. (That's a scary truth.)
4-There's nothing wrong with being who you are. (How refreshing is that?) :)
5-God uses both our strengths and weaknesses.
6-You are more important than what you do or don't do. (We all really need to hear this at times.)
Now, take up your cross, dust yourself and walk on the path that Jesus has called you as a unique individual for His purposes. He's with you every step of the way.
Help me Lord during those time when it's dark, take my hand and guide my steps in Jesus Name.
Amen.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Blessings and Happy New Year!
Isn't this an awesome cross? Jim and I stopped in Groom,Texas which is near Amarillo,Texas to take pictures of the Stations of the Cross. They are life size and so realistic. That tiny speck at the foot of the cross is me. Jim had trouble getting the whole length of it in a picture. If you are ever near the place, it's worth every moment. You can see if from the freeway it's so huge. We found ourselves humbled with how the spirit spoke to our hearts. When you stand next to them, well it breaks your heart, the suffering that went on for each of us.
I wanted to wish each and every person who comes to this site many Blessings and Happiness in the New Year.
Work and write for the Lord, never give up. Jim thinks that I should keep a word that I've clung to in the past. I usually choose a new word to live during the New Year. That word again will be persevere in prayer, action and deed.
I will be facing surgery for a hernia the 11th of Jan. and I'm feeling that I need a lot of refreshment under the running water and prayer power. This will be the third time for this one place on my body and I'm frustrated to say the least! Prayer power is much appreciated by each of you.
I will post again soon.
Praying for each of you in the Lovely Name of Jesus Christ.
Love, Jim and Paulette Harris
Monday, November 15, 2010
What are You Thankful For??
I'm thankful for all of you writers today. I've laughed with you and cried with some of you. I'm thankful for all your help and insights about what it takes to be a good writer for our King. It's nice to have support along the way.
I read something somewhere that hit home, if we were all completed in Christ then we wouldn't need to be here, but home in heaven with the Father.
I received a wonderful note from someone that thanked me for writing about Jennifer's Angel and that was published four years ago. There is a second print out for Faith Deployed which is awesome. Imagine that! God's timing is not ours so we must keep on going because we don't know who we will touch and encourage.
The one thing I learned from Tiffany Stuart, my blogging expert sister in Christ is to keep them short, so I'll sign off wishing each and every person who comes here.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones! :)
I read something somewhere that hit home, if we were all completed in Christ then we wouldn't need to be here, but home in heaven with the Father.
I received a wonderful note from someone that thanked me for writing about Jennifer's Angel and that was published four years ago. There is a second print out for Faith Deployed which is awesome. Imagine that! God's timing is not ours so we must keep on going because we don't know who we will touch and encourage.
The one thing I learned from Tiffany Stuart, my blogging expert sister in Christ is to keep them short, so I'll sign off wishing each and every person who comes here.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones! :)
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Promise given, promise kept on Finding Your Voice.
Good Morning fellow writers, I have finally returned. I couldn't leave this subject behind of finding your writing voice.
In a huge word, PASSION! Yep! That's it. Write what you are passionate about and what you know, write in your voice, (the way you talk).
Your writing is a mirror of you. How you were raised, where you were raised, your beliefs and values? Write what you know about. What are your personal experiences in life? What is your life about? In other words, upbringing, experiences, languages, work, education, beliefs, family, social, economical, emotional, physical. Another good question for you to reflect upon. What part of the world were you born in? Are your parents missionaries,farmers, lawyers, doctors, etc? There are a multitude of facets about each unique life.
Writing is Rewriting.
At this point you may ask yourself...How do I know when I have found my writing voice?
The answer is: Your voice begins when you expect to be different.
Talking is writing. Elmore Leonard says it well. If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
You actually don't get it, you've got it. Don't lose the talk when you write it down.
I've found several quotes that I'll share on this blog but for now I would recommend an older book. You can still find it on Amazon. It is one of the best books I have ever read on the subject. It is called If You Can Talk, You Can Write by Joel Saltzman. His website is http://www.shakethatbrain.com
The other thing I did to find more information on writing was on the internet on the subject of "voice in your writing". There are many many references there. I have found that some authors on this subject will speak to your needs more than others in explaining this complicated yet way simple subject.
I promised that I would include a couple of ah ha moments from fellow writers.
One writer mentions that she thought that she wrote women's fiction but kept second guessing herself. A facilitator of a group she belonged to listened for about a year, gave her a wry smile and said, "YOU write women's fiction." She has never doubted where she belongs since that comment. She wrote that in her case, she knew all along. It took someone to speak it out back to her!
Another writer wrote that it just seemed natural that each character's voice in her work flowed. However, her critique partners knew when she was using another voice and would nail her every time. They would tell her that the work wasn't her usual voice and then she knew it would be extreme edit time!
I think by these comments we can conclude that God will use several ways to show us our voice in the writing world. We can pray and ask Him to help us find it, which He will and it will be in a creative way in which we can best understand. Yea! He is faithful.
Keep practicing and researching my friends and write about what you research. If you want more information or clarification just ask.
May you be refreshed by this information and move forward on your unique path created for you by a Savior who loves you so much.
May you each find your unique voice and please let me know when you have found it! and what happened! I'm sure it will help others. I'm praying for you all. Now take a deep drink of fresh water and get er done! :)
In a huge word, PASSION! Yep! That's it. Write what you are passionate about and what you know, write in your voice, (the way you talk).
Your writing is a mirror of you. How you were raised, where you were raised, your beliefs and values? Write what you know about. What are your personal experiences in life? What is your life about? In other words, upbringing, experiences, languages, work, education, beliefs, family, social, economical, emotional, physical. Another good question for you to reflect upon. What part of the world were you born in? Are your parents missionaries,farmers, lawyers, doctors, etc? There are a multitude of facets about each unique life.
Writing is Rewriting.
At this point you may ask yourself...How do I know when I have found my writing voice?
The answer is: Your voice begins when you expect to be different.
Talking is writing. Elmore Leonard says it well. If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
You actually don't get it, you've got it. Don't lose the talk when you write it down.
I've found several quotes that I'll share on this blog but for now I would recommend an older book. You can still find it on Amazon. It is one of the best books I have ever read on the subject. It is called If You Can Talk, You Can Write by Joel Saltzman. His website is http://www.shakethatbrain.com
The other thing I did to find more information on writing was on the internet on the subject of "voice in your writing". There are many many references there. I have found that some authors on this subject will speak to your needs more than others in explaining this complicated yet way simple subject.
I promised that I would include a couple of ah ha moments from fellow writers.
One writer mentions that she thought that she wrote women's fiction but kept second guessing herself. A facilitator of a group she belonged to listened for about a year, gave her a wry smile and said, "YOU write women's fiction." She has never doubted where she belongs since that comment. She wrote that in her case, she knew all along. It took someone to speak it out back to her!
Another writer wrote that it just seemed natural that each character's voice in her work flowed. However, her critique partners knew when she was using another voice and would nail her every time. They would tell her that the work wasn't her usual voice and then she knew it would be extreme edit time!
I think by these comments we can conclude that God will use several ways to show us our voice in the writing world. We can pray and ask Him to help us find it, which He will and it will be in a creative way in which we can best understand. Yea! He is faithful.
Keep practicing and researching my friends and write about what you research. If you want more information or clarification just ask.
May you be refreshed by this information and move forward on your unique path created for you by a Savior who loves you so much.
May you each find your unique voice and please let me know when you have found it! and what happened! I'm sure it will help others. I'm praying for you all. Now take a deep drink of fresh water and get er done! :)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
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