Six Degrees of Separation...

I love this story that Chip MacGregor tells on his blog:


"In 1919, a young man who had been injured in the war in Europe moved to Chicago, picking one particular neighborhood in order to be close to the noted author Sherwood Anderson. The young writer, impressed with the critical praise heaped on Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio, had heard the novelist was willing to assist beginning writers. The two men became close. They met every day to read together, exploring the writing of newspapers and magazines, and eventually tearing apart the inner workings of novels. The young man brought his own work to Anderson, who helped him see how he could improve his craft. Anderson even introduced the young writer to his network of publishing associates, and helped him publish his first novel, which was met with critical acclaim. Its title was The Sun Also Rises. The young man’s name was Ernest Hemingway.
Sherwood Anderson then moved to New Orleans, where he took another young author through those same paces, even putting up $300 of his own money to help that beginning writer’s first novel get published. The novel was entitled Soldier Pay. The author’s name was William Faulkner.
Anderson would then move to California, where he worked with a young writer by the name of John Steinbeck. Sherwood Anderson shaped modern American writing more profoundly than any author except Mark Twain. Most of the writing instructors of the late 20th century were, in one way or another, disciples of Anderson. 
And the reason Sherwood Anderson was so committed to mentoring beginning writers? Because when he was young, a more experienced author by the name of Theodore Dreiser had invested in his own life and craft. It's why I'm a fan of beginning writers finding a Sherwood Anderson to help them develop."
What a cool and intriguing testimony to the power of helping others succeed! And Theodore Dreiser just happens to be from my hometown of Terre Haute, IN, which makes this story even more fascinating to me! Thanks for sharing, Chip.

Pointers for Parents

My blog friend Courtney posted these notes from a talk by Sally Clarkson, a Christian author and speaker who homeschools her children. I loved some of her insightful comments about parenting:


1. Read great books to your children and introduce them to the best minds in the world.

2. Satan hates children. They are the next generation and he'll do anything to distract them with television, video games etc. Remember to continually prepare your children to serve God.
3. Create a foundation of love in your home. Teach them to obey the greatest commands, to love God and love others. Just as Jesus spent time with the disciples eating, laughing and doing life with them, as parents we must build bridges of love to our children's hearts. Live, laugh and do life together.
4. Establish a foundation of grace in your home. From Genesis to Revelation we see the grace of God revealed. Teach your children to offer God's grace to others - many times this is displayed through good manners.
5. Inspire your children. They were created to do good works. Find their talents and let them be who they are. Fill their hearts and minds with heroes and those who made a mark on this world for Jesus. Stand with your children through trials knowing that this is making them a stronger man or woman of God. Don't always protect them; let God build their character and grow them through their trials.
6. Teach your children scripture and live out a faithful story before them. They will have to be warriors for God one day and they are watching us. What are we role modeling? They need to see our passion for the Lord which gives them a foundation for their faith.
7. Train your children to be self-controlled, to work hard and long hours, to be creative and grow them into maturity. Be intentional about your training. This is a long process. Proverbs 22:6 says "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." "When he is old" means when he grows a beard. This is a process. And remember - at what age did we become perfect? We are working towards maturity not perfection. Filter television. Be sure to fill their minds with truth.
8. Teach your children to serve others. Train them to take initiative in relationships. If you want to see them as a servant of God, you must incorporate it into their lives. Show them the needs of the world through missions, homeless shelters, serving your neighbors and opening your home. Do not let your children become the future Pharisees of America; teach them to serve.

God is in the Details

Writing allows us the opportunity and privilege to record the minute details of our lives, to explore and redeem tragedy as well as reflect glory, and to express what we love, who we are and why our experiences are important. I love this quote by Natalie Goldberg:
 
“Our lives are at once ordinary and mythical. We live and die, age beautifully or full of wrinkles… At the same instant we have these magnificent hearts that pump through all sorrow and all winters we are alive on the earth. We are important and our lives are important, magnificent really, and their details are worthy to be recorded. This is how writers must think, this is how we must sit down with pen in hand. We were here; we are human beings; this is how we lived. Let it be known, the earth passed before us. Our details are important.”
Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones, p. 43

What Makes a Successful Writer... or Spouse... or Parent...?

How do you define success in life? On his website, Christian literary agent Chip MacGregor has a thought-provoking blog on this topic. chipmacgregor.typepad.com/main/ He explains that from a market standpoint, most people define an author's success in two simple words: book sales. If you sell a ton of books, you're successful. But he goes on to expand that definition and explain how the real measure of success is SIGNIFICANCE.

It's true that, even in Christian publishing, the bottom line (money) is the bottom line. Publishers are in it to make money, and the more books you can sell, the more money they make. And the more they love you.  

But I think that the downturn in the economy has changed Americans' values a lot. I know it's affected me. Yes, my goal as a writer, editor and speaker is to be as successful as possible. But significance is more important. If I can help people, if I can influence and inspire them to live a better life, then I have succeeded. God has given my husband and me a dynamic and unique platform for ministry. We feel that it's our call to share the message that the Lord has laid on our hearts in order to inspire, encourage, and uplift others in their spiritual walk and their marriage journey.

In my travels as an author and speaker, I've met many other authors who may never reach #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, yet they are warm, inspiring, godly and fun-loving people with fascinating stories to share. They have loved me and provided me with great encouragement as a young author. They have given me practical advice and helped me expand my ministry and build my platform. I'm forever grateful to them. And to me, they are all successes, whether they ever sell another book or not. Best of all, they are SIGNIFICANT.

In the spiritual life, not all success is measurable in dollars and cents. It's not measurable in inches, pounds, or any type of numerical system. For example, Jesus said, "Follow Me." This SEEMS to be one of the simplest commands in the Bible, but HOW PROFOUND. Man, to follow Him every day is not easy, is it? "Follow Me" means "imitate Me, love Me, sacrifice your needs and wants for Me, show Me to others, obey all of My commands."

To me, success means following Jesus, no matter what.