On August 1, Generation Hex was released by Harvest House Publishers. Wicca has become America's most popular form of witchcraft and our country's fastest-growing religion. Yet most Christians don't even know what Wicca is!
Generation Hex reveals some of the reasons for the skyrocketing interest in Wicca, New Age and pagan spirituality in our nation. Through our research and personal interviews with Wiccans and pagans, Dillon Burroughs and I provide intriguing insights into these belief systems and the people who follow them. In the book, we also dispel stereotypes about Wiccans and equip you to create open dialogue with pagans in order to effectively share your faith with them.
To help kick things off, Dillon and I will be holding a blog tour for Generation Hex from September 2-12. We're asking YOU, our faithful readers, to participate!
Harvest House Publishers has graciously agreed to send out a FREE copy to you if you will participate in the tour. Our blog tour coordinator, Tina Howard, will be setting up a centralized website which will contain all the information you need for posting: bios, photos, media releases, and some canned interviews. You can simply copy and paste information and blurbs from this site into your own blog or website as needed. Dillon and I would be happy to conduct personal interviews for you, as well.
If you are interested in participating in our blog tour, please e-mail our blog tour coordinator, Tina Howard, at toddntinahoward@gmail.com with your mailing address and your blog or website address. Tina will be sending out more detailed instructions to make posting as streamlined as possible. If you've never participated in a blog tour, don't worry! Tina will answer all of your questions. She helped me with the first blog tour I participated in, and it was very simple and fun!
Also, please pass on this info to any other bloggers or friends who might be interested. We're hoping for a great response! We appreciate your help and the incredible support you've shown for us and our writing ministries. Thanks so much!
Blessings-
Marla Alupoaicei
miércoles, 30 de julio de 2008
domingo, 27 de julio de 2008
Get Real!
Cec Murphey, the writer extraordinaire who has written and co-authored several runaway bestsellers, including 90 Minutes in Heaven, shared these excellent thoughts recently on The Writer's View. We were discussing the issue of how to be more authentic and vulnerable in our writing. Cec says:
"Of course it's difficult to be real (another word for vulnerable). And let's not make this a gender issue. It may be more difficult for males, but that's not a reason to hold back...
What would have happened if Moses had used the same argument and not told about killing the Egyptian? Maybe David shouldn't have written Psalm 51. Don't overlook Elijah's dark, depressive experience.
For me, being real is the most difficult aspect of writing; it's also the most rewarding. When I'm real (vulnerable, naked, honest, transparent, open), that's when I connect with people who hurt. And yes, I get blasted by a few people. And yes, that hurts, but it doesn't stop me.
When other writers open themselves and show their real selves, they give me permission to keep trying, despite my failures. I'm bored with those writers whose illustrations teach us to believe they rush from victory to victory and never fail.
One final curmudgeonly comment: Reader identification is the mark of good writing in fiction or nonfiction. I can identify with reality; I'm turned off by perfected saints."
Great points by Cec, who calls himself a "Curmudgeon of the First Order"! For more information on Cec's ministry or to sign up for his great newsletter, please visit his site at themanbehindthewords.com.
"Of course it's difficult to be real (another word for vulnerable). And let's not make this a gender issue. It may be more difficult for males, but that's not a reason to hold back...
What would have happened if Moses had used the same argument and not told about killing the Egyptian? Maybe David shouldn't have written Psalm 51. Don't overlook Elijah's dark, depressive experience.
For me, being real is the most difficult aspect of writing; it's also the most rewarding. When I'm real (vulnerable, naked, honest, transparent, open), that's when I connect with people who hurt. And yes, I get blasted by a few people. And yes, that hurts, but it doesn't stop me.
When other writers open themselves and show their real selves, they give me permission to keep trying, despite my failures. I'm bored with those writers whose illustrations teach us to believe they rush from victory to victory and never fail.
One final curmudgeonly comment: Reader identification is the mark of good writing in fiction or nonfiction. I can identify with reality; I'm turned off by perfected saints."
Great points by Cec, who calls himself a "Curmudgeon of the First Order"! For more information on Cec's ministry or to sign up for his great newsletter, please visit his site at themanbehindthewords.com.
What Marks a Real Writer
I enjoyed this snippet from an interview with Anthony Snider, the winner of the 2006 Bridport Prize Competition:
“To steal a great line from Czeslaw Milosz: ‘I am a poet because I am always thinking
of something else,’” Snider says with a smile. “There is a back burner that is going all
the time, and if someone says something in a conversation that is an interesting turn
of phrase, or I hear somebody put something together that is interesting, I’ll write it
down and put it away in a little journal of snippets... Sometimes poems are
just begging to be written... Everything flows through.”
“To steal a great line from Czeslaw Milosz: ‘I am a poet because I am always thinking
of something else,’” Snider says with a smile. “There is a back burner that is going all
the time, and if someone says something in a conversation that is an interesting turn
of phrase, or I hear somebody put something together that is interesting, I’ll write it
down and put it away in a little journal of snippets... Sometimes poems are
just begging to be written... Everything flows through.”
viernes, 25 de julio de 2008
Great Work Advice-Don't Do These 5 Things!
I thought this was a fantastically helpful article from Robert Half International. It appeared on MSN Careers:
5 Ways to Tarnish Your Professional Rep
Without a doubt, getting ahead in your career has much to do with your skills and on-the-job contributions. But a lot also depends on how you are perceived by your colleagues and managers. The impressions you make with others can greatly affect your advancement potential. Are you taking the right steps, or are you inadvertently sabotaging yourself?
Here are five ways to jeopardize your professional reputation -- and career prospects:
1. Not raising your hand.
A colleague needs someone to take on a few of his duties while he's out of the office next week, and the boss asks everyone on the team for volunteers. You sit quietly until a co-worker offers to help out. Bad move. Taking on projects that fall outside your normal responsibilities can help you expand your skill set and explore new avenues for professional growth. While you may not always have the time to volunteer for an extra assignment, passing on every opportunity also will prevent you from being viewed by your manager as a go-to person in the deparment.
2. Overpromising.
You may be the hardest worker in the company, but if your boss and co-workers cannot rely on you to deliver results you've committed to, you may be passed over for plum assignments. Avoid the urge to promise more than you can realistically deliver, and let people know when you hit a snag that could prevent you from meeting your deadlines. You won't acquire more responsibility if people can't depend on you.
3. Being a know-it-all.
It's smart to offer feedback during brainstorming sessions and to colleagues who are stuck on challenging projects. But keep in mind that there can be too much of a good thing. If you are blunt or forceful with your opinions, it can seem like you are giving orders and not offering suggestions, and consequently lead to resentment among your colleagues. This attitude can be especially harmful during group projects, when effective collaboration is key. Be tactful when presenting your thoughts and respect others' right to disagree, no matter how strongly you feel about your ideas. Co-workers will appreciate your feedback and desire to help, even if they don't follow your guidance.
4. Never admitting your mistakes.
Creating an excuse to justify poor performance is dishonest and unprofessional. Plus, chances are your ploy won't stand the test of time. If you make a mistake, step up to the plate; then go further by devising a plan for both correcting and avoiding similar incidents in the future. Employees who accept ownership demonstrate professional maturity and confidence.
5. Being part of the rumor mill.
When there's bad news to share or complaints to be made about situations at work, you don't want to be the person leading the talk at the water cooler. There's nothing wrong with bonding with co-workers, but being associated with negative discussions makes you seem negative -- which won't please managers and can harm relationships at work. It's best to remain above the fray as much as possible.
A major snafu at work isn't the only thing that can harm a promising career. Sometimes it takes just one minor misstep. Make sure your own actions aren't derailing new opportunities from coming your way.*
*Featured on MSN Careers, July 24, 2008 See msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/careeradvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1563&SiteId=cbmsnhp41563>1=23000
5 Ways to Tarnish Your Professional Rep
Without a doubt, getting ahead in your career has much to do with your skills and on-the-job contributions. But a lot also depends on how you are perceived by your colleagues and managers. The impressions you make with others can greatly affect your advancement potential. Are you taking the right steps, or are you inadvertently sabotaging yourself?
Here are five ways to jeopardize your professional reputation -- and career prospects:
1. Not raising your hand.
A colleague needs someone to take on a few of his duties while he's out of the office next week, and the boss asks everyone on the team for volunteers. You sit quietly until a co-worker offers to help out. Bad move. Taking on projects that fall outside your normal responsibilities can help you expand your skill set and explore new avenues for professional growth. While you may not always have the time to volunteer for an extra assignment, passing on every opportunity also will prevent you from being viewed by your manager as a go-to person in the deparment.
2. Overpromising.
You may be the hardest worker in the company, but if your boss and co-workers cannot rely on you to deliver results you've committed to, you may be passed over for plum assignments. Avoid the urge to promise more than you can realistically deliver, and let people know when you hit a snag that could prevent you from meeting your deadlines. You won't acquire more responsibility if people can't depend on you.
3. Being a know-it-all.
It's smart to offer feedback during brainstorming sessions and to colleagues who are stuck on challenging projects. But keep in mind that there can be too much of a good thing. If you are blunt or forceful with your opinions, it can seem like you are giving orders and not offering suggestions, and consequently lead to resentment among your colleagues. This attitude can be especially harmful during group projects, when effective collaboration is key. Be tactful when presenting your thoughts and respect others' right to disagree, no matter how strongly you feel about your ideas. Co-workers will appreciate your feedback and desire to help, even if they don't follow your guidance.
4. Never admitting your mistakes.
Creating an excuse to justify poor performance is dishonest and unprofessional. Plus, chances are your ploy won't stand the test of time. If you make a mistake, step up to the plate; then go further by devising a plan for both correcting and avoiding similar incidents in the future. Employees who accept ownership demonstrate professional maturity and confidence.
5. Being part of the rumor mill.
When there's bad news to share or complaints to be made about situations at work, you don't want to be the person leading the talk at the water cooler. There's nothing wrong with bonding with co-workers, but being associated with negative discussions makes you seem negative -- which won't please managers and can harm relationships at work. It's best to remain above the fray as much as possible.
A major snafu at work isn't the only thing that can harm a promising career. Sometimes it takes just one minor misstep. Make sure your own actions aren't derailing new opportunities from coming your way.*
*Featured on MSN Careers, July 24, 2008 See msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/careeradvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1563&SiteId=cbmsnhp41563>1=23000
jueves, 24 de julio de 2008
Wildfire Marketing
If you need help with marketing your book or expanding your speaking ministry, I highly recommend that you e-mail Rob Eagar. Even better, meet with him in person! His ministry, Wildfire Marketing, will be instrumental in helping you shape and hone your message and focus your ministry for maximum impact. For more info and AWESOME free resources, including great articles and free e-newsletters, visit Wildfire Marketing's website at startawildfire.com. You'll love it! And please tell Rob I sent ya.
Blessings!
Blessings!
lunes, 21 de julio de 2008
Belonging...
Here's an intriguing quote:
You must learn one thing.
The world was made to be free in.
Give up all the other worlds
Except the one to which you belong.
-David Whyte
You must learn one thing.
The world was made to be free in.
Give up all the other worlds
Except the one to which you belong.
-David Whyte
domingo, 20 de julio de 2008
The Smallest in Christ
If I had to choose one Bible verse to characterize the cry of my heart and the attitude I want to have toward the Lord, I would pick Psalm 19:14:
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
When everything is stripped away and I'm hunkered down at my desk with a messy stack of papers, books, a tall cup of Starbucks and a cat wedged between my monitor and my keyboard in a blissful state of "desk sprawl," I just want to be obedient, available, and willing to express the message that the Lord wants me to share with the world.
Recently, I was reading a missions report from a Russian pastor. This humble, godly man risks his life to drive his car hundreds of miles over frozen lakes with NO ROADS and NO SIGNS to visit Christians in isolated villages in Siberia. Often, his car breaks through the ice and almost falls into the freezing water. It's a true miracle that he makes it across that frozen taiga. Every few miles, he faces a life-threatening situation, and God rescues him. Over and over. At any moment, his life could end. And sometimes he does all of this to reach JUST ONE PERSON for the sake of Jesus Christ. Most amazing of all, at the bottom of the page, after describing these truly harrowing adventures, this man signed his name "The Smallest in Christ."
Wow. Ouch. God, is my desire to be THE SMALLEST IN CHRIST? Do I consider it a privilege to be last so others can be first? As an author, (yes, even as a Christian author) I see that there's a lot of positioning and placement done, lots of fuss and seeking after fame, lots of buzz about "who's the next big name," "who's the next rising star."
I'm pretty sure that God is calling us to eliminate all of that and instead, to call on the Name that is above every name.
Like Christ, we have to be willing to give up any vestige of glory and allow ourselves to be THE SMALLEST IN CHRIST. Let's make His name large. He must increase. We must decrease.
Comments? Please share them here. Thank you!
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
When everything is stripped away and I'm hunkered down at my desk with a messy stack of papers, books, a tall cup of Starbucks and a cat wedged between my monitor and my keyboard in a blissful state of "desk sprawl," I just want to be obedient, available, and willing to express the message that the Lord wants me to share with the world.
Recently, I was reading a missions report from a Russian pastor. This humble, godly man risks his life to drive his car hundreds of miles over frozen lakes with NO ROADS and NO SIGNS to visit Christians in isolated villages in Siberia. Often, his car breaks through the ice and almost falls into the freezing water. It's a true miracle that he makes it across that frozen taiga. Every few miles, he faces a life-threatening situation, and God rescues him. Over and over. At any moment, his life could end. And sometimes he does all of this to reach JUST ONE PERSON for the sake of Jesus Christ. Most amazing of all, at the bottom of the page, after describing these truly harrowing adventures, this man signed his name "The Smallest in Christ."
Wow. Ouch. God, is my desire to be THE SMALLEST IN CHRIST? Do I consider it a privilege to be last so others can be first? As an author, (yes, even as a Christian author) I see that there's a lot of positioning and placement done, lots of fuss and seeking after fame, lots of buzz about "who's the next big name," "who's the next rising star."
I'm pretty sure that God is calling us to eliminate all of that and instead, to call on the Name that is above every name.
Like Christ, we have to be willing to give up any vestige of glory and allow ourselves to be THE SMALLEST IN CHRIST. Let's make His name large. He must increase. We must decrease.
Comments? Please share them here. Thank you!
Relevant quote for Generation Hex
“You don’t always have to chop with the sword of truth. You can point with it, too.”
– Anne Lamott
I love Anne Lamott's quote, especially in light of our call to always be ready to provide a reason for the incredible hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Comments? Please post them below.
– Anne Lamott
I love Anne Lamott's quote, especially in light of our call to always be ready to provide a reason for the incredible hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Comments? Please post them below.
jueves, 17 de julio de 2008
My "Book Baby" Has Finally Arrived!
Other authors have told me that holding that first copy of your new book makes a writer feel a bit like a new mom holding a newborn in her arms - a fitting analogy. I don't have any kids yet, but today, I received the FIRST copy of my latest book, Generation Hex. Wow! It's amazing to have a year's worth of research, blood, sweat and tears pay off and hold that slick, shiny tome in hand. Definitely a joyous, surreal moment!
Dillon Burroughs, my co-author, and I are planning an exciting "8/8/08 Book Launch" on, that's right, AUGUST 8, 2008. We hope you will be willing to go online and buy a copy of the book on that date! It's also the date when the Olympics starts, so please let that remind you. :) Gen Hex should be in stores by then, and the book is also available on christianbook.com, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and more.
Of course, we also encourage you to support your local Christian bookstore, so stop by and pick up one or two copies for yourself, friends, your pastor and youth pastor, teens or family members. In Generation Hex, we take a unique approach by creating open dialogue with Wiccans and New-Agers and interviewing many actual pagans in order to present a true and balanced perspective on Wicca, New Age and pagan spirituality. However, we also approach the book with solid theology and a conservative biblical foundation, rooted in Scripture. For the book, Dillon and I interviewed numerous practitioners of Wicca and other pagan faiths to discover what they really believe and how Christians can most effectively reach out to them with the gospel.
Publishers Weekly offers some fantastic reviews of newly released books. Here's a cool one related to Generation Hex: publishersweekly.com/article/CA6577725.html?industryid=47139
We're asking YOU - our friends, family members, author pals, fabulous and wise intercultural couples, fun colleagues and website cohorts - to participate in a blog tour for Generation Hex, and we hope you'll help us out!!! If you would like to be on the blog tour and receive a FREE copy of the book from Harvest House, please e-mail Marla at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com. Thanks! We appreciate you.
Dillon Burroughs, my co-author, and I are planning an exciting "8/8/08 Book Launch" on, that's right, AUGUST 8, 2008. We hope you will be willing to go online and buy a copy of the book on that date! It's also the date when the Olympics starts, so please let that remind you. :) Gen Hex should be in stores by then, and the book is also available on christianbook.com, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and more.
Of course, we also encourage you to support your local Christian bookstore, so stop by and pick up one or two copies for yourself, friends, your pastor and youth pastor, teens or family members. In Generation Hex, we take a unique approach by creating open dialogue with Wiccans and New-Agers and interviewing many actual pagans in order to present a true and balanced perspective on Wicca, New Age and pagan spirituality. However, we also approach the book with solid theology and a conservative biblical foundation, rooted in Scripture. For the book, Dillon and I interviewed numerous practitioners of Wicca and other pagan faiths to discover what they really believe and how Christians can most effectively reach out to them with the gospel.
Publishers Weekly offers some fantastic reviews of newly released books. Here's a cool one related to Generation Hex: publishersweekly.com/article/CA6577725.html?industryid=47139
We're asking YOU - our friends, family members, author pals, fabulous and wise intercultural couples, fun colleagues and website cohorts - to participate in a blog tour for Generation Hex, and we hope you'll help us out!!! If you would like to be on the blog tour and receive a FREE copy of the book from Harvest House, please e-mail Marla at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com. Thanks! We appreciate you.
martes, 15 de julio de 2008
Write Award-Winning Poems-Great Tips!
R U A Poet? Me, too. Here are some tips for those of you who are just starting out... and those who are already experts in your craft. One of the greatest things about being a writer - and one of the most freeing - is the fact that you'll never be perfect, but you'll always be getting better! Hope gets us through the day. Hope and hard work, and the ability to look at what we wrote today and realize that it may be just a little bit better than what we wrote yesterday.
Anyway, back to POETRY. These tips are guaranteed to improve your work significantly!
1. First of all, remember that in poetry, the NOUNS carry the weight. They convey the semantic force of your sentences. Nouns are the wheelbarrows that carry the blossoming flowers of your verbs. Use active verbs, but focus even more on using surprising and relevant nouns. (All of you prose writers know that in prose, the VERBS carry the weight.) To be a successful poet, you have to change your thinking about the way words work.
2. Get a thesaurus or synonym finder and use it. As Mark Twain said, "The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."
3. Read as much contemporary poetry as you can. Some of my fave modern poets are Louise Gluck, Li-Young Lee, Marianne Boruch, Kathleen Peirce, Linda Pastan, Mary Oliver, John Hodgen, and Robert Bly.
4. Don't rhyme. If you must rhyme, write the poem in free verse first, and then go back and rhyme it. Make the sense of the poem serve the rhyme, not the other way around. Use a rhyming dictionary to help you come up with good rhymes that aren't forced.
5. Avoid connecting words. In a poem, you aren't telling a story. Leave some elements to the imagination. Don't explain why someone did something or qualify their acts, and don't use time modifiers. For example, instead of saying (and I know this is totally random):
Freedom is its own harvest
because it knows what it wants.
You would say:
Freedom is its own harvest.
It knows what it wants.
See the difference?
7. Take associative leaps. Don't censor yourself too much. Once you know your subject, try putting together new combinations of words. Say, my subject is my desk, and on my desk are the following objects:
-paper with clouds printed on it
-speakers
-paper clips and binder clips
-a razor knife
-a cross carved of faux stone
-a can of dust remover
-a flashlight
-a book called "Wild Mind"
So, from the objects on my desk, I could use free association to come up with something like this:
My desk is a clean sheet of paper. The wild mind speaks
like a razor in the clouds. A cross carved from dust.
A stone, a flash, unbound.
Cheesy example, but you get the idea! And it really works. I hope these tips are useful to all you poets out there.
Anyway, back to POETRY. These tips are guaranteed to improve your work significantly!
1. First of all, remember that in poetry, the NOUNS carry the weight. They convey the semantic force of your sentences. Nouns are the wheelbarrows that carry the blossoming flowers of your verbs. Use active verbs, but focus even more on using surprising and relevant nouns. (All of you prose writers know that in prose, the VERBS carry the weight.) To be a successful poet, you have to change your thinking about the way words work.
2. Get a thesaurus or synonym finder and use it. As Mark Twain said, "The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."
3. Read as much contemporary poetry as you can. Some of my fave modern poets are Louise Gluck, Li-Young Lee, Marianne Boruch, Kathleen Peirce, Linda Pastan, Mary Oliver, John Hodgen, and Robert Bly.
4. Don't rhyme. If you must rhyme, write the poem in free verse first, and then go back and rhyme it. Make the sense of the poem serve the rhyme, not the other way around. Use a rhyming dictionary to help you come up with good rhymes that aren't forced.
5. Avoid connecting words. In a poem, you aren't telling a story. Leave some elements to the imagination. Don't explain why someone did something or qualify their acts, and don't use time modifiers. For example, instead of saying (and I know this is totally random):
Freedom is its own harvest
because it knows what it wants.
You would say:
Freedom is its own harvest.
It knows what it wants.
See the difference?
7. Take associative leaps. Don't censor yourself too much. Once you know your subject, try putting together new combinations of words. Say, my subject is my desk, and on my desk are the following objects:
-paper with clouds printed on it
-speakers
-paper clips and binder clips
-a razor knife
-a cross carved of faux stone
-a can of dust remover
-a flashlight
-a book called "Wild Mind"
So, from the objects on my desk, I could use free association to come up with something like this:
My desk is a clean sheet of paper. The wild mind speaks
like a razor in the clouds. A cross carved from dust.
A stone, a flash, unbound.
Cheesy example, but you get the idea! And it really works. I hope these tips are useful to all you poets out there.
sábado, 12 de julio de 2008
Generation Hex
Our culture is obsessed with power. Not convinced? Just turn on the TV. Go to the movies. Pick up a magazine. Grab any book on the bestseller list. Check out a popular blog. Every industry is capitalizing on people's desire for more power, wealth and influence.
Over the past few years, witchcraft, New Age and pagan religions have seeped into our culture. TV personalities, talk show hosts, and bestselling authors like Eckhart Tolle are taking people down the New Age path, yet most of their fans don't even know that this is what's happening.
Yet, as Christians, we also don't want to overreact or panic. We shouldn't attack those who are misled or those who are holding to other belief systems. Our goal is to create open dialogue, share the truth, and draw people in so they can discover the reason for our hope: our faith in Jesus Christ. Only He can offer us "the hope that does not disappoint."
For our new book Generation Hex (See christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?isbn=9780736924016), Dillon Burroughs and I interviewed a wide variety of people involved in Wicca, witchcraft and the pagan movement in America. We discuss this disturbing, yet fascinating trend and share the causes for the recent spike of interest in pagan spirituality. Through intriguing and sometimes shocking first-person accounts and interviews, we answer questions like:
What is Wicca, anyway?
What do Wiccans, New Agers and Pagans really believe?
Are books and shows like Harry Potter, Charmed, Buffy, Sabrina, and others truly harmless for kids and teens?
What kinds of stereotypes do Christians normally have about Wiccans?
What types of spells do witches perform?
What does the Bible say about witchcraft?
Can a person be both a Christian and a Wiccan or a witch?
What is a good way to bring up spiritual matters when I am talking with a person of a pagan faith?
How can I share the gospel with a Wiccan?
Do Wiccans worship Satan?
How can I tell if a person is a witch?
What are the warning signs that one of my children or students may be involved in witchcraft?
Who was Jesus? Was He the Son of God, or was He a sorcerer or a witch?
...and more! If you're a parent, a student, a pastor, a teacher or anyone who cares about trends in contemporary spirituality, please visit your local Christian bookstore and snap up a copy of Generation Hex. We appreciate your support! We pray that you will be blessed and educated by the book.
Over the past few years, witchcraft, New Age and pagan religions have seeped into our culture. TV personalities, talk show hosts, and bestselling authors like Eckhart Tolle are taking people down the New Age path, yet most of their fans don't even know that this is what's happening.
Yet, as Christians, we also don't want to overreact or panic. We shouldn't attack those who are misled or those who are holding to other belief systems. Our goal is to create open dialogue, share the truth, and draw people in so they can discover the reason for our hope: our faith in Jesus Christ. Only He can offer us "the hope that does not disappoint."
For our new book Generation Hex (See christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?isbn=9780736924016), Dillon Burroughs and I interviewed a wide variety of people involved in Wicca, witchcraft and the pagan movement in America. We discuss this disturbing, yet fascinating trend and share the causes for the recent spike of interest in pagan spirituality. Through intriguing and sometimes shocking first-person accounts and interviews, we answer questions like:
What is Wicca, anyway?
What do Wiccans, New Agers and Pagans really believe?
Are books and shows like Harry Potter, Charmed, Buffy, Sabrina, and others truly harmless for kids and teens?
What kinds of stereotypes do Christians normally have about Wiccans?
What types of spells do witches perform?
What does the Bible say about witchcraft?
Can a person be both a Christian and a Wiccan or a witch?
What is a good way to bring up spiritual matters when I am talking with a person of a pagan faith?
How can I share the gospel with a Wiccan?
Do Wiccans worship Satan?
How can I tell if a person is a witch?
What are the warning signs that one of my children or students may be involved in witchcraft?
Who was Jesus? Was He the Son of God, or was He a sorcerer or a witch?
...and more! If you're a parent, a student, a pastor, a teacher or anyone who cares about trends in contemporary spirituality, please visit your local Christian bookstore and snap up a copy of Generation Hex. We appreciate your support! We pray that you will be blessed and educated by the book.
viernes, 11 de julio de 2008
Notes on the Writing Life
Natalie Goldberg's writing uplifts me, inspires me, makes me laugh, and makes me think. In her book Wild Mind, she writes:
I said to my friend, "Writing is so lonely."
He lifted his eyebrows. "Is there anything wrong with loneliness?" he asked.
"No, I guess not," I said.
"Anything you do deeply is very lonely."
"Are you lonely?" I asked him.
"Of course," he answered. "But I do not let it toss me away. It is just loneliness."
So there you have it. There are days I think, how did I get into this writing? But here I am. And the truth is, I wanted it.*
Solitude and serenity are vital to the writer's life... and to the spiritual life. Yet there are ways in which we can be alone without being lonely. We have the Holy Spirit guiding us, teaching us, accompanying us everywhere. I'm often alone, but I'm rarely lonely. In fact, I cherish my quiet time and use it to fuel up for the fun times I spend with my husband, family and friends.
How do alone time and solitude figure into your spiritual equation?
*From Natalie Goldberg, Wild Mind, 129-130.
I said to my friend, "Writing is so lonely."
He lifted his eyebrows. "Is there anything wrong with loneliness?" he asked.
"No, I guess not," I said.
"Anything you do deeply is very lonely."
"Are you lonely?" I asked him.
"Of course," he answered. "But I do not let it toss me away. It is just loneliness."
So there you have it. There are days I think, how did I get into this writing? But here I am. And the truth is, I wanted it.*
Solitude and serenity are vital to the writer's life... and to the spiritual life. Yet there are ways in which we can be alone without being lonely. We have the Holy Spirit guiding us, teaching us, accompanying us everywhere. I'm often alone, but I'm rarely lonely. In fact, I cherish my quiet time and use it to fuel up for the fun times I spend with my husband, family and friends.
How do alone time and solitude figure into your spiritual equation?
*From Natalie Goldberg, Wild Mind, 129-130.
jueves, 10 de julio de 2008
A Royal Dose of Perspective
There I was, frantically scurrying to get my writing done, plus wash the dishes, do laundry, cook dinner, work out, and post on my website. I had just started a new job when I got called, of all things, for JURY DUTY. Now, for me, jury duty ranks right up there with getting a root canal or having my fingernails extracted one by one with pliers. NOT my idea of fun times.
But I went, thinking, "Oh, this will only take 1-2 hours, tops." That's what everyone had told me. Then I walked into a huge room at the Denton County Courthouse and I saw... about 300 people sitting there. Immediately, I thought, "Okay, maybe that's going to be 3 hours..." PLUS the hour drive there and the hour drive back home.
So... they called my name. I was in a smaller group of 45 people who had been - yes, specially hand-selected by either the prosecution or the defense to be interviewed for possible selection for a felony trial. Yowza. And, you guessed it - I got picked. Yep, only twelve people out of 300, and it was yours truly up there for three days. I ended up missing one of my writing-from-home days, plus two full days of work at my brand new job.
Now, I had a choice here. I could either have a human perspective, which, to be perfectly honest said, "This sucks." Or I could try to see this situation from God's perspective. I knew absolutely that God wanted me there. But it was a bit tough to let go of my schedule. I was planning for an important conference and had so much to do.
Suddenly, this question reverberated through my mind: "CAN I MULTIPLY YOUR TIME?"
Totally foreign concept. I knew that this had to be from God.
"What, Lord?"
"CAN I MULTIPLY YOUR TIME?"
Gulp. "Yes, I guess you can. You're God, after all."
So I chilled out after that. There's a great Yiddish proverb that says, "Mann traoch, Gott lŠuch" (We plan, God laughs). So true.
I gave it my all. And being a juror ended up being serious business. As soon as I was picked, I saw why. It was a domestic violence case, and I ended up feeling so strongly about it. It felt shocking to be in a place where I was partly responsible for justice being served in the life of a battered wife and her children. Yet, as a follower of Christ, I also wanted to be balanced and gracious toward the defendant in hopes that God would change his life and help him to walk a better path.
The trial turned out to be extremely eye-opening, rewarding, heartbreaking and touching, all at the same time. I met several amazing people and, in fact, I ended up being selected as the presiding juror. The Lord put words in my mouth and strength in my heart that I honestly did not know were there. It was truly Him speaking through me. I felt very pleased and relieved when we reached a unanimous decision after deliberating for only two hours. God multiplied my time, just as He had said He would. But I had to let Him.
What's got you in a tizzy today? God may be asking you, "CAN I MULTIPLY YOUR TIME?" You should let Him. He's good at that.
Comments? Please post them below. Thanks!
But I went, thinking, "Oh, this will only take 1-2 hours, tops." That's what everyone had told me. Then I walked into a huge room at the Denton County Courthouse and I saw... about 300 people sitting there. Immediately, I thought, "Okay, maybe that's going to be 3 hours..." PLUS the hour drive there and the hour drive back home.
So... they called my name. I was in a smaller group of 45 people who had been - yes, specially hand-selected by either the prosecution or the defense to be interviewed for possible selection for a felony trial. Yowza. And, you guessed it - I got picked. Yep, only twelve people out of 300, and it was yours truly up there for three days. I ended up missing one of my writing-from-home days, plus two full days of work at my brand new job.
Now, I had a choice here. I could either have a human perspective, which, to be perfectly honest said, "This sucks." Or I could try to see this situation from God's perspective. I knew absolutely that God wanted me there. But it was a bit tough to let go of my schedule. I was planning for an important conference and had so much to do.
Suddenly, this question reverberated through my mind: "CAN I MULTIPLY YOUR TIME?"
Totally foreign concept. I knew that this had to be from God.
"What, Lord?"
"CAN I MULTIPLY YOUR TIME?"
Gulp. "Yes, I guess you can. You're God, after all."
So I chilled out after that. There's a great Yiddish proverb that says, "Mann traoch, Gott lŠuch" (We plan, God laughs). So true.
I gave it my all. And being a juror ended up being serious business. As soon as I was picked, I saw why. It was a domestic violence case, and I ended up feeling so strongly about it. It felt shocking to be in a place where I was partly responsible for justice being served in the life of a battered wife and her children. Yet, as a follower of Christ, I also wanted to be balanced and gracious toward the defendant in hopes that God would change his life and help him to walk a better path.
The trial turned out to be extremely eye-opening, rewarding, heartbreaking and touching, all at the same time. I met several amazing people and, in fact, I ended up being selected as the presiding juror. The Lord put words in my mouth and strength in my heart that I honestly did not know were there. It was truly Him speaking through me. I felt very pleased and relieved when we reached a unanimous decision after deliberating for only two hours. God multiplied my time, just as He had said He would. But I had to let Him.
What's got you in a tizzy today? God may be asking you, "CAN I MULTIPLY YOUR TIME?" You should let Him. He's good at that.
Comments? Please post them below. Thanks!
sábado, 5 de julio de 2008
WIN A FREE NEW BOOK from Leap of Faith!
Hi, friends! Good news: the Fab Leap of Faith FREE Book Drawing is back! And for each new friend you refer to Leap of Faith to enter the contest, you will receive one (1) additional entry to the FREE book drawing. You can't beat that! At midnight on July 31, I will draw names for the winners of the following three books:
Life After Birth: What Even Your Friends Won't Tell You about Motherhood by Kate Figes and Jean Zimmerman
The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper
If you want to enter the drawing for one of these books, please post a comment below or e-mail me at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com and let me know your full name and which book you want to win. Also, please forward my site link to your family and friends and let them know that they can sign up to win a FREE book from Leap of Faith. Thanks!
Life After Birth: What Even Your Friends Won't Tell You about Motherhood by Kate Figes and Jean Zimmerman
The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper
If you want to enter the drawing for one of these books, please post a comment below or e-mail me at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com and let me know your full name and which book you want to win. Also, please forward my site link to your family and friends and let them know that they can sign up to win a FREE book from Leap of Faith. Thanks!
How to Get Happy
Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote, “It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action, that man finds his supreme joys.” Mobilizing our giftedness and reaching a state of flow involves a unique combination of adventure, victory, and creative action.
The definitions of flow and joy are closely related. The authors of The Power of Flow write, “Flow is the natural, effortless unfolding of our lives in a way that moves us toward wholeness and harmony. When we are in flow, occurrences line up, events fall into place, and obstacles melt away. Rather than life being a meaningless struggle, it is permeated with a deep sense of purposefulness and order. Flow has a tremendous power to transform our lives, for it is dynamic and moves us unerringly toward joy and aliveness.
Most of us have had experiences of being in flow. In those times, we know we’re in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. We feel both exhilarated and at peace, somehow connected to something larger and greater than ourselves. Life is rich with meaning, magic, and purpose. We feel vital, alive, joyful. But for most of us, it doesn’t happen often enough or for long enough. We feel glimmerings of flow, and then they fade away.”
Now, what is joy? I’ve always thought of joy as a more “watered down” or “spiritualized” version of happiness, so I was surprised to find that joy is actually a feeling of greater intensity than mere happiness itself. One source defines joy as “intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness; the expression or manifestation of such feeling.”
What makes people experience this type of joy? I believe that having a fulfilling relationship with God plays a vital role. Knowing and loving the Lord offers us a kind of deep joy that transcends circumstances. It goes hand-in-hand with what the Bible calls “the peace that passes all understanding.”
The gifted composer Richard Wagner wrote, “Joy is not in things; it is in us.”
Dr. Dan Baker lists the following ten qualities of happy people. They:
1. Believe in themselves.
2. Know their true North. (In our case, that’s God!)
3. Take personal responsibility.
4. Have courage.
5. Are altruistic.
6. Embrace optimism.
7. Are proactive.
8. Appreciate life.
9. Are wise and share their wisdom.
10. Persevere.
Joy is not contingent on “what happens to you”; you can choose to be a happy, positive person. When you do, your art, as well as your spiritual life, will benefit.
The definitions of flow and joy are closely related. The authors of The Power of Flow write, “Flow is the natural, effortless unfolding of our lives in a way that moves us toward wholeness and harmony. When we are in flow, occurrences line up, events fall into place, and obstacles melt away. Rather than life being a meaningless struggle, it is permeated with a deep sense of purposefulness and order. Flow has a tremendous power to transform our lives, for it is dynamic and moves us unerringly toward joy and aliveness.
Most of us have had experiences of being in flow. In those times, we know we’re in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. We feel both exhilarated and at peace, somehow connected to something larger and greater than ourselves. Life is rich with meaning, magic, and purpose. We feel vital, alive, joyful. But for most of us, it doesn’t happen often enough or for long enough. We feel glimmerings of flow, and then they fade away.”
Now, what is joy? I’ve always thought of joy as a more “watered down” or “spiritualized” version of happiness, so I was surprised to find that joy is actually a feeling of greater intensity than mere happiness itself. One source defines joy as “intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness; the expression or manifestation of such feeling.”
What makes people experience this type of joy? I believe that having a fulfilling relationship with God plays a vital role. Knowing and loving the Lord offers us a kind of deep joy that transcends circumstances. It goes hand-in-hand with what the Bible calls “the peace that passes all understanding.”
The gifted composer Richard Wagner wrote, “Joy is not in things; it is in us.”
Dr. Dan Baker lists the following ten qualities of happy people. They:
1. Believe in themselves.
2. Know their true North. (In our case, that’s God!)
3. Take personal responsibility.
4. Have courage.
5. Are altruistic.
6. Embrace optimism.
7. Are proactive.
8. Appreciate life.
9. Are wise and share their wisdom.
10. Persevere.
Joy is not contingent on “what happens to you”; you can choose to be a happy, positive person. When you do, your art, as well as your spiritual life, will benefit.
Want to Get Published?
When I (Marla) have the chance to meet new people and share with them what I do, they often tell me, "I have an idea for a book. How do I go about getting it published?"
Mentoring new authors is vital part of our ministry here at Leap of Faith. As a published author and editor with a number of years of experience in the industry, I'd love to provide you with encouragement and professional advice to help you begin a career as a writer. I can help you develop your book idea, edit your work if necessary and help you create a winning proposal to submit to publishers. For more information and pricing, please contact me at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com. Thank you!
Also, Mary DeMuth, an experienced author and speaker, has a fantastic blog called So You Want to Be Published? On her blog and website, she offers excellent model query letters, a REAL book proposal you can download, and loads of helpful articles for new writers just starting out. Check out Mary's site at wannabepublished.blogspot.com/ and sign up for her informative newsletters.
I would also suggest that you subscribe to magazines like Writer's Digest, Poets & Writers, and Christianity Today. You'll gain invaluable inspiration, writing tips, and markets from these magazines. Also, you may want to buy the following books: The 2008 Writer's Market, The 2008 Christian Writer's Market, and the 2008 Guide to Agents, Publishers, etc. by Jeff Herman. You will turn to these books time and time again! All the best to you and I look forward to seeing your books in print!
Mentoring new authors is vital part of our ministry here at Leap of Faith. As a published author and editor with a number of years of experience in the industry, I'd love to provide you with encouragement and professional advice to help you begin a career as a writer. I can help you develop your book idea, edit your work if necessary and help you create a winning proposal to submit to publishers. For more information and pricing, please contact me at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com. Thank you!
Also, Mary DeMuth, an experienced author and speaker, has a fantastic blog called So You Want to Be Published? On her blog and website, she offers excellent model query letters, a REAL book proposal you can download, and loads of helpful articles for new writers just starting out. Check out Mary's site at wannabepublished.blogspot.com/ and sign up for her informative newsletters.
I would also suggest that you subscribe to magazines like Writer's Digest, Poets & Writers, and Christianity Today. You'll gain invaluable inspiration, writing tips, and markets from these magazines. Also, you may want to buy the following books: The 2008 Writer's Market, The 2008 Christian Writer's Market, and the 2008 Guide to Agents, Publishers, etc. by Jeff Herman. You will turn to these books time and time again! All the best to you and I look forward to seeing your books in print!
New Networks
Welcome to Leap of Faith! I've recently joined some new networks, including FaceBook and LinkedIn. Please click on this link to access my FaceBook profile and become a friend: facebook.com/profile.php?id=719307509
If you are a member of these networks, please let me know, and I'll be happy to add you as a friend! Thanks!
If you are a member of these networks, please let me know, and I'll be happy to add you as a friend! Thanks!
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