Are you battling the "Deadly D's"?

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?(1) 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. And I've spent hours, sometimes at dawn, in Rocky Mountain National Park. I've observed the elk (still haven't seen a moose!), and Father has spoken to me through them.

I've seen the elk charging across the land, head 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 potatos. Well, sadly, I'm 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, that I'm no longer ashamed that I'm not educated. As someone said to me years ago, "You've been homeschooled by the Father. And only special kids are homeschooled."

But doubts can be grounded in FEAR that causes us to look down at the obstacles we expect to face. Obstacles like building that "platform."(2) Or, especially for nonfiction authors, the fear of public speaking. 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's the tech challenges that cause most writers to feel OVERWHELMED. (After the August 7-10 conference, I think I need to offer an online webinar to help writers overcome some of these challenges.)

What can we learn from the elk? They don't question whether they can carry the weight on their head. 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 head 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 the obstacles. As my dear friend Tabatha, the tech in charge of getting more than 20 computers ready to run the August 7 virtual 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 it is the strongest who 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 5-6 years I received 42 rejections of the first book I ever wrote, How My Family Coped with Incest. 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. At that time only Tyndale House had published Carol's Story. I was ahead of the market! Back then indie publishing wasn't an option. 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.(3)

More than any of the 67 conferences I've directed, I believe God has called me to push on through the obstacles I've encountered (and still am) with this year's August 7-10 VIRTUAL Write His Answer Conference. Why? Because more than ever our nation, our world, needs His answer. God is calling an army of writers to present His truth, His answer, through fiction, *nonfiction, screenplays, poetry ...

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. I've extended the July 31 price of $250 through August 5. I know for my husband and I that would seem like a real stretch with all the medical bills we're facing.(4) But I promised the Lord over 40 years ago that I wouldn't turn anyone away who can't afford to come. Partial scholarships and/or time payments of whatever you can afford are available. Seniors, pastors, full-time students, and alumni from any Colorado or Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference get 10% off. We'd love to have teens come at 65% off.

I know this is short notice, but you don't need to figure out travel or lodging. And you can come and go during the three and a half days we're online from 10 am to 10 pm Eastern Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. (Wednesday we begin at 1:45 pm.) You don't need to worry that you'll miss a continuing session (there are 9), learnig lab (there are 8), workshop (there are 63), keynote (there are 7), and panel (there are 4) or wonder how you can be two or three places at the same time because everything is live but being recorded. You'll have access to the video replayss through the end of this year.

I guarantee our online dashboard is easy to follow and that you WILL connect with others through small group breakouts, round tables, critique groups, and the online chat.

Appointments with some of our 10 agents, 22 book editors, and 14 periodical editors are still available, but do NOT delay getting registered. To get the most out of your appointments (you get 3) with a book editor or agent, you need to email Barb Haley a one sheet and first page of your book. To meet with a periodical editor, you need to submit a 50-100 word summaray and first page by THIS MONDAY, AUGUST 5. All the info you need is at https://colorado.writehisanswer.com/appointments. But first you need to register and then submit your appointment request form that you'll find when you click the link in the acknowledgment email you'll receive.

Friends, we are living in critical days. Our nation is divided and the Middle East is on the edge of a larger war that could grow into a world war. There is no time to waste (or guarantee that the doors will always be open) in completing what Father is calling you to write. Come August 7-10 and get your marching orders each day from Beatrice Bruno, a former drill sergeant in the U.S. Army. And then put on the armor Laura Shaffer will focus on each day. Now is the time to:

Write His answer on a billboard,

large and clear, so that anyone can see it at a glance

and rush to tell the others.

Habakkuk 2:2 TLB

1. Indie publishing is an option and does not need to cost thousands of dollars. We'll give you the tools you need in a continuing session at the August 7-10 VIRTUAL Write His Answer Conference.
2. We have two tracks, six workshops each, on marketing.
3. Back in print (indie published) as #MyFamilyToo. I've used the "I'm too busy" and "I hate marketing" excuses to justify the pathetic job I've done marketing it.
4. Pleae pray for my husband. We learned two days ago that he has an ulcer in his right eye. It's very serious and could cause him to lose his eye. I have the timer set on my phone for every hour to put in an eyedrop. And then I need to remember every second hour to use the ointment.