Newsletters

Week 3 - Assignment 3
Here we are - week three of seven. AND IF YOU COULD SEE MY OFFICE! There are boxes everywhere. Despite the mess, I am pleased with how well things have come together. Usually, I'm sweating little things right now, but honestly, everything is caught up. I give this success to God and those who have lifted me before Him through this past year of surgery and recovery. Things have just gotten done and done EARLY! Woot, woot.

This week your assignment is from Andrea Merrell. It's all about the "I".  I love to write in first person. My voice is strongest there, but first person isn't as easy as some would think. There is this "I" factor and it can be tricky and it's overuse can wear a reader out. This is one of the fun things about the craft of writing . . . learning to stretch our writing wings. I hope you will take time to read Andrea's post, apply it to your own work, and learn. You can find this lesson on our blog at http://www.ashevillechristianwritersconference.com/acwcwritersblog


FACULTY BOOKS IN OUR BOOKSTORE AND ON-LINE

At the conference we offer our faculty books for sale.  Each faculty member with published works will have them available for you to look through and purchase. As you make plans for the conference, I encourage to come prepared - you may want to purchase a book.We also have a bookstore on www.ashevillechristianwritersconference.com/bookstore
These books are linked to Amazon and you can purchase through that page as well. 

Also available in our bookstore will be the MP3s. These will be the entire conference MINUS the worship. We cannot record the worship due to copyright laws. The MP3s will be available for download about a month after the conference. It takes our dear Scott McCausey some time to edit, add intros, and convert the MP3s. We will send you the passcode for a secure page on www.ashevillechristianwritersconference.com and give you a certain amount of time to download those to your own computer. So you'll make a file on your desktop and save them into that file. You'll have them for as long as you choose to keep them. AND you'll be taking home the ACWC Manual with all your handouts and class notes for the ENTIRE conference. Isn't that awesome?  Trust me...well worth the investment.

We will also allow you to reserve a spot ON CAMPUS at the Cove for the 2019 conference if you'd like. Rooms on campus sell out quickly and we recommend for $25, that you reserve a room. This $25 is refundable until September, after that, the money is applied toward scholarships. If you even THINK you want to attend the 2019 conference, and we hope you will, then during the conference ONLY you can hold that room for $25. After the conference the deposit becomes 1/2 the cost. You'll purchase the MP3s and conference deposits from Renee McCausey at the bookstore. She'll ask you to type in your email address so we are sure we have the right information to contact you.

TECHNOLOGY IS TECHNOLOGY
I shared this with you last week but it bears a reminder. We do test all our technology before the conference starts, but it's important you remember we cannot control bandwidth and the number of individuals using the internet at the Cove. Sometimes thing slow down. We ask your patience should we hit a slow moment. The bookstore will be open Friday evening after supper, all day Saturday and Saturday night, and early Sunday. We will close the store during the main session on Sunday so our bookstore can tally and balance. 

WHO'S YOUR GO TO?  THEY ARE. . .

I'd like to introduce you to our Conference Care Representatives. Cathy Baker, Beth Fortune, and Dee Dee Parker.

Despite how I try to inform you of everything, I cannot force you to open these letters and read or go to the Conference Updates and read. I send an email to let you know these letters are available, you should be getting the email letter, and they are on the site. But because I know we are all human - I have brought on board the superhuman! These ladies have been praying for you for months. Not randomly, but they have your names. They are praying for your preparation, your safe travel, your health, good weather. Trust me, they got your back. Still, there are always questions. Beth Fortune and Dee Dee Parker will welcome you at the hotel. They'll get you signed in, give you the conference materials and direct you to the main building. Our conference takes up the entire 3rd floor of the Cove. So you'll come into the Training Center and walk to the elevators directly across from the MASSIVE FIREPLACE. Push 3 and up you go. Once off the elevator, you'll meet Cathy Baker. She'll be your question and answer person. Cathy will be able to direct you to your classes, sign-up sheets  for appointments, and she'll even know what page your schedule is on in the manual. (Which by the way - tells you the where and when of the classes, meals, keynotes - everything.) 

On Friday afternoon, Bennie Jones, Kevin Spencer, and Renee McCausey, will be setting up the bookstore. PLEASE DO NOT ASK THEM QUESTIONS...THAT'S WHY CATHY WILL BE STATIONED AT THE ELEVATOR. Ask Cathy your questions. If she doesn't have the answer, she has a direct line to me. Between the both of us - your questions will be answered. At anytime during the conference these three ladies will be available to chat with you, pray with you, or answer your questions. They are excited to hug on you, welcome you and make you feel at home. Closer to the conference you will see the finer details of check in at the Cove. They have not assigned our hotel to us at this time, but when I have that information I'll pass it along. There will be special instructions for those who are OFF-CAMPUS conferees. What you need to know, is YOU CANNOT CHECK INTO YOUR ROOM ON CAMPUS until 3 p.m. You'll pick up your name tag at our assigned hotel, go straight to the Training Center and attend the early bird classes. There will be plenty of time after early bird classes for you to check into your hotel on campus before supper. Again, off campus folks, you will different instructions so trust me...I'll get that to you as soon as it is available to me. Again, as soon as I know all the final details, you will know.

CONTEST DEADLINES ARE TOMORROW NIGHT AT MIDNIGHT
If you wish to participate in a contest the deadlines are tomorrow. Pay your fees and turn in your work. We're excited to see your efforts.

ONCE MORE - PRAY
I cannot stress enough to you, the value we place on prayer. Christian Devotions Ministries is lovingly supported by hundreds of prayer warriors. We never have to worry because we know our prayer warriors are lifting this work fully before the throne. Please pray for good weather. God has blessed us over the years with good weather. We might get a flurry, but by the time the conference ends, the day is beautiful and travel is safe. Pray for safe travel, good weather, and for God to show up, be active, and that you will feel His presence with us. This is first and foremost our desire for you. 

CHECK THE SITE FOR UPDATES!

And here is what God is speaking to my heart . . .
 

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” - John 21:15 NIV

I said, "Yes, Lord." Never guessed in a million years where that YES would take me, but I said yes. I didn't say yes for the glory or so I could tell others, "Guess what? I said yes to God." Honestly, when Eddie and I said yes to God, we weren't sure where it would take our families. There were lots of times neither of us knew how to perform a task, but when we said, "Okay, God, we'll do it, but You gotta show us how, cuz' we got no clue." He didn't let us down. He always provided the way for us to learn.

It's the same for you too. You have been gifted with this amazing talent to write. It's unpolished and incomplete because it's probably not ready yet. We have to learn the craft. You don't just snap your fingers and have award winning, publishable work. And I know you've heard the expression, "Anything worth having, requires work." It's true. But it starts by saying yes.

I learned that God never just throws me to the wolves. He takes me to the places and the people I need to know to learn from. But I have to spend the time to study. I have to have a willing heart and a teachable spirit. I have to have determination to see the project through. It may take years - it may take days. But unless I stop denying the call and start feeding the sheep, how will I ever know? How will God ever work through me?

Last week, I shared my personal trial. Fear. I've worked hard to be obedient and when surgeries and slow healing stopped my production of work, fear sneaked in. I felt, for lack of better words, unusable. This week, I've heard Jesus speaking to my heart again, "Cindy, do you love me?" 

"Yes, Lord, You know I love You."

"Then feed my sheep."  Do the work. Let go of the fear. I'm working in and through you. How do you think you ended up ahead of the game in this conference planning? How do you think, the work has been completed? Your job is to feed my sheep.

I'm far from perfect. In fact, you won't find a better example of imperfect. But, I know I have been called to write. I also know, that until I place my fingers on the keys, take a deep breath, and start to type, I will never overcome and be obedient to the YES LORD that I said some ten years ago.

The truth is, we all have things that put us into a tailspin, but God's plan never waivers. Whether it's writing, family, work, or any other task, listen when God calls. Trust that He will bring you fully into His will. Obey. Say yes. Love Him with all your heart, soul, and mind. And finally, feed His sheep.

You can do this. I have great faith. (You know the levels of faith, right?  There's faith: believing that God will do what He says He will.  Strong faith: Knowing that God will do what He says He will do.  Great Faith: Knowing God has ALREADY done what He said He would do!)  I have great faith in you. 

Strap on those boots and wade in. God is preparing you for a special task in your writing. 

Yes Lord, You know I love you. - Then feed my sheep.

Much love,

Cin