Publishing Secrets

In this episode, you'll hear: MEET YOUR HOST: TAMARA M. JACKSON Tamara "Tam" Jackson is a dynamic figure in the publishing world and a highly sought-after expert on authentic online visibility. Her journey from struggling to promote her work to establishing the thriving Christian Authors Network and dynamic Beaconship community showcases her tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit. More than personal success, Tam is driven by helping others succeed and now mentors authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs to foster a collective rise in thought leadership, influence, and success. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Tam balances her commitment to serving others with her love for reading, traveling, hiking, kayaking, and spending time with her beloved labradoodle, Spencer. Her story is of perseverance, passion, and dedication to empowering others to transform the world through their work. Her vision for The Beacon Show stems from her unwavering belief that every Christian leader has the potential to become a beacon of guidance, hope, and inspiration. Through this new podcast, Tamara aims to bridge the gap between spiritual goals and the practical realities of leadership, equipping leaders with the wisdom and strategies to navigate their paths with integrity, purpose, and a heart aligned with Christ's teachings. Join Tamara on this transformative journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and spiritual growth as she nurtures wise, compassionate, and resilient beacons of faith who inspire, transform, and illuminate the world with their God-given purpose. ACCELERATE YOUR SUCCESS Ready to embrace the journey of transformation? Download Tamara's exclusive new ebook at https://beaconship.co/book/ and empower yourself to lead with purpose and passion. JOIN THE BEACONSHIP COMMUNITY Beaconship is dedicated to empowering and uniting Christian leaders through mentorship and collaboration, enhancing their influence and potential. We are committed to molding visionary leaders equipped to redefine what it means to be a change agent in today’s digital landscape. To learn more, visit https://beaconship.co/ CONNECT WITH TAMARA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebeaconship Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeaconship LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachtam/

In this episode, you’ll also hear: The True Measure of Leadership “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou These powerful words remind us that the true measure of our leadership lies not in our individual accomplishments, but in the lasting impact we have on the lives we touch. As Christian thought leaders and authors, we have the incredible opportunity to shape the hearts and minds of those who encounter our work. But we must ask ourselves: What kind of legacy do we want to leave behind? And how can we ensure that our influence extends beyond the fleeting moments of our own lives? The answer lies in crafting a legacy of transformation — one that ignites lasting change and empowers others to reach their God-given potential. This brings us to the heart of our discussion today. You see, a true beacon’s legacy is measured not by the momentary brightness of their light, but by the lasting change they ignite in the hearts and minds of others. Our goal as servant leaders is not merely to shine brightly for a season, but to kindle a flame in others that continues to burn long after we’ve passed the torch. It’s about using our platform, our wisdom, and our compassion to empower others to become transformative leaders in their own right. Our ultimate goal is to create a legacy of transformation to inspire and empower others to live out their God-given purpose and potential. Thus, to achieve this goal, the impact of our leadership should extend far beyond our own lives and accomplishments. A Biblical Leader with Transformative Impact Let’s turn to the pages of Scripture for today’s example of a leader who was and is known for his transformative impact: the Apostle Paul. Paul was a dedicated persecutor of the early church, but his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus radically changed the course of his life — and the history of Christianity. Through his writings, which form a significant portion of the New Testament, Paul’s legacy continues to shape the hearts and minds of believers worldwide. His letters to various churches and individuals — such as the books of Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians — contain timeless wisdom and guidance for living a life of faith and purpose. Standout aspects of Paul’s legacy are his unwavering commitment to the Gospel and his willingness to endure hardship for the sake of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, Paul recounts the many trials he faced, including imprisonment, beatings, and shipwrecks. Yet, through it all, he remained steadfast in his mission to spread the Good News and nurtured the spiritual growth of those he led. Multiplying Your Impact As we reflect on Paul’s legacy, it is important to consider the lasting impact we hope to have through our own leadership and work. Ask yourself: One practical way to craft a legacy of transformation is to focus on mentoring and developing others. Invest your time and resources in nurturing the next generation of leaders, just as Paul did with individuals like Timothy and Titus. By pouring into others and helping them grow in their faith and abilities, you multiply your impact and ensure that your legacy extends beyond your own lifetime. The Ripple Effect As you reflect on the legacy you’re building through your leadership and work, let Paul’s example inspire you to remain steadfast in your commitment to Christ, and to crafting a lasting change in the lives you touch. Remember, your legacy is not measured by the accolades you receive or the momentary successes you achieve — it’s measured by the lives you transform, the hearts you inspire, and the ripple effect of your faithfulness to God’s call. So keep leading with grace and purpose, knowing that your legacy has the power to shape eternity. BIO: My name is Tamara "Coach Tam" Jackson and I am a published author, Facebook© Certified Digital Marketer, host of the Top...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: The True Essence of Leadership “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” -Ronald Reagan As Christian thought leaders and authors, we have been entrusted with a unique platform by which to influence and guide others. And, as highlighted by the above words from Ronald Reagan, we understand that the true essence of leadership is the ability to inspire and empower others to reach their highest potential. But to exhibit this kind of leadership, we must continually ask ourselves: Finding that balance can create a powerful ripple effect, not just within our immediate circles, but in the lives and communities we impact through our work. See, leadership is not just about guiding others — it’s about empowering them to guide themselves with wisdom and truth. Our authority as Christian leaders should be rooted in our faith and wisdom, while nurturing those we lead so they can grow and flourish under our guidance. An Example of Balanced Leadership For an example of a Christian leader who strikes that vital balance, look no further than a member of our own Christian Authors Network: JR Spear. JR is the author of The Success Guide To Building Your Coaching Empire, a strategic battle plan for motivated coaches and entrepreneurs. His journey from serving in Iraq to becoming a successful entrepreneur and consultant exemplifies the balance of authority and nurturing in leadership. In his book, JR provides a step-by-step guide to building a coaching business, emphasizing the importance of discovering your true purpose, creating an irresistible offer, and building a powerful team. These elements require a leader to exercise authority in setting the vision and direction, while nurturing team members to reach their full potential. JR’s leadership style is further evident in the Business Leaders Network, a community he founded for emotionally intelligent servant leaders. By creating a platform for entrepreneurs to educate, connect, and collaborate, JR demonstrates the nurturing aspect of leadership. He provides the resources and guidance necessary for members to grow and succeed, while also fostering an environment of mutual support and empowerment. Thank you, JR, for setting such an inspirational example of leading with strength and compassion! The First Step JR’s approach to leadership as seen in his book and the Business Leaders Network showcases the delicate balance between authority and nurturing. As established leaders, we must set clear goals and expectations, and doing so requires us to exercise authority. However, we must also invest in the growth and well-being of those we lead, which demonstrates a nurturing spirit. One practical way to achieve this balance is by regularly checking in with your team members as JR does with his network. Ask about their aspirations, challenges, and how you can support them. By providing guidance, resources, and opportunities for development, you can show how your authority is rooted in a genuine desire to see others succeed. Remember, your authority should be grounded in wisdom and exercised with compassion, always striving to empower and uplift those you lead. How can you apply these principles of authority and nurturing in your own leadership today? JR’S BIO: From Getting Blown Up In Iraq To Leading Entrepreneurs On How To Start And Scale Their Business… Hi, my name is JR Spear and I'm the founder of CREED Consulting and Business Leaders Network... Since my return from the hot desert of Iraq in 2007 I've built several successful businesses ranging from the fitness and martial arts industry, marketing and advertising, to consulting... My mission is to arm small business owners with the right tools and resources needed to grow their business, giving them the direct path to bypass the struggles I had to endure so they can achieve the life and business...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: The Journey of Faith-Driven Leadership “The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it.” C.C. Scott Today, we’re diving into a theme that resonates with every leader’s journey: rising with resilience and vision. You see, it’s in the crucible of trials that authentic leadership is refined. Resilience, then, is what allows us to emerge from those trials with a vision that transcends the immediate to embrace God’s greater purpose. Before we further explore the concepts of resilience and vision, however, let’s ground ourselves in Scripture. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in various forms.” This means that whatever gift you have received is not just for you — it’s for others around you. We must stay focused on using our gifts for others each day. When we do that — when we focus on the people we are called to serve instead of on ourselves — we arrive at a place of resilience and are inspired to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This is the journey of faith-driven leadership. The Meaning of Resilience & Vision So, as Christian leaders, what does it mean to have resilience and vision? Let’s break down each of those terms. Resilience Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back. It’s about growing, learning, and thriving, and often, that happens in the midst of adversity. Honestly, I haven’t learned much from my successes. Instead, the things that could be perceived as failures have caused me to learn and grow the most. I wouldn’t be who I am today, or where I am today, without those setbacks. Remember, setbacks can simply be setups for comebacks. So as you reflect on your own leadership journey, consider how pressure and challenges shape your ability to lead gracefully with conviction and fortitude. Vision A leader’s vision acts as a guiding star. It illuminates the path not just for the leader, but also for those they lead. Thus, a clear, compelling vision inspires action, provides direction through stormy seas, and mobilizes people toward a shared goal. An Example of Perseverance To illustrate the importance of resilience and vision, let’s take a look at the example of a remarkable member of our Christian Authors Network community: Aleta Allen. In just four years, Aleta has published two books and is working on her third. Her mission is to encourage everyday people to open their Bibles and let the Holy Spirit guide them, and she constantly shares on social media to support that goal. Despite her dedicated effort, however, Aleta has faced challenges in reaching her intended audience. Yet her resilient spirit stands out. She joined us for our 2-day workshop in February, then for a 90-minute social media workshop in March, and now she’s taking her commitment a step further by joining the Christian Author Success School so she can learn how to connect with her audience online. Aleta’s spirit of perseverance is a vivid example of James 1:12: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” Resilience is about staying committed to the vision even when the path is unclear. As Proverbs 29:18 reminds us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Aleta’s clarity of purpose and faith guides and inspires us to consider the power of vision in our leadership. Thank you, Aleta, for being such a powerful example of perseverance and commitment to your God-given vision! The Power of Vision Take a moment now to reflect on your own vision for leadership and the challenges you have faced. Then, inspired by Aleta’s journey and perseverance, take some time to identify your vision and consider one step you can take this week, despite any challenges you’re currently facing, to move closer to that vision. Remember, resilience is embracing...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Introducing the “Leading with Grace” Series! Welcome to “Leading with Grace,” a series where the light of faith intersects with the art of leadership, designed for Christian authors and thought leaders! This series is an expedition to the core of servant leadership as exemplified by our Lord Jesus Christ. In this series, we’ll uncover the seven leadership principles that can transform lives and the world, so you can be inspired to lead with a servant’s heart, uplift others through your words, and create ripples of positive change. Each of the seven principles will shine a light on the pathway to a servant leader approach, helping you not only walk in Jesus’ steps, but also stand on His shoulders and view the higher horizon of your calling. Whether you're scribbling your first draft or putting the finishing touches on your latest manuscript, these principles have the power to deepen your influence and elevate your impact. So if you're ready to step into your role as a change maker — to pen not only stories, but legacies — then “Leading with Grace” is where your next chapter begins! Get ready for an awakening, a rebirth into leadership that serves, heals, and harbors the greatest purpose. A Spirit of Service & Empathy “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 What if the true essence of our potential is not measured by our individual achievements, but by our dedication to uplifting others? What if our greatest legacy is the kindness and understanding we spread through our acts of service? To kick off the “Leading with Grace” series, let’s examine the example set by a member of our own community: John Alexander, whose life exemplifies a spirit of service and empathy. John is a Texas resident, an author, and a cherished member of the Christian Authors Network, and he embodies the spirit of service through his passion for poetry and storytelling. After a successful career in high tech, John turned his full attention to writing, crafting stories and poems that have captured the imaginations and hearts of children and adults alike. But it's at the Frisco Senior Center where John's impact truly shines. He regularly shares his poems there, offering words of hope, encouragement, and joy to everyone present. John’s book of poetry, Timeless Tales: Rhymes from the Heart, and his Quiet Time Rhymes series are more than collections of verses — they are his gifts of empathy and understanding to the world. And his dedication reminds us of an essential truth: Your spark of potential is God’s gift to you; how you nurture it and serve others is your gift back to Him and to the world. Through his poetry readings, John transforms moments into memories, proving that service and empathy can amplify our impact, touching lives in ways we might never fully know. Thank you, John, for being such a luminous example of kindness and creativity in our community! How Will You Nurture & Channel Your Spark? Now it’s your turn. How can you channel your unique gifts into service? How can you allow empathy to deepen your connection to those around you and enhance your journey as an author? Here’s a simple step you can take today: Share your talent with someone who could use a moment of joy. This could be reading, writing, singing, or simply listening. Remember, the essence of service lies in sincerity and love. JOHN'S BIO: John Alexander lives in Texas with his beautiful wife and his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He spent his childhood in a small town in east Texas. He attended college at the University of Texas earning degrees in Physics and Math, then spent many years developing innovative communications systems. While still working, he began writing fiction in his spare time and published The Enclave, a mystery/suspense novel, in 2010. Since leaving high tech in 2014, he now spends full time pursuing his...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Don’t Settle for Less In her book When You Meet Your Match: My Match.com Marriage, Dee Dee Patterson shares what she’s learned from ten years of marriage after meeting her husband online. Prior to that online meeting, however, Dee Dee explains that she was actually in a relationship with someone else — someone she was planning to marry. But though Dee Dee loved the idea of getting married, she realized that she was settling for less than God’s best. “I was in my late 20s and I wasn’t married yet, and so I was excited about the idea that someone wanted to marry me,” she explains. “But deep down inside, I felt like he did not have the qualities that I always dreamed of when I pictured my future husband.” Trusting that God had a different plan, Dee Dee broke things off and spent some time enjoying being single. That was when she saw an advertisement for an online dating site. Although Dee Dee didn’t believe in online dating at the time, she decided to give it a try. But this time, she wasn’t going to settle. “I did a search for my perfect guy,” she recalls. “And it was almost just to prove that it wouldn’t work.” To her surprise, however, one man on the site met all of her “perfect guy” criteria. At first, Dee Dee hesitated, not wanting to make the first move, but finally she reached out — and the rest is history. Now, Dee Dee says she’s thankful she didn’t settle for someone who wasn’t exactly right for her. If she hadn’t listened to God’s prompting, she wouldn’t be in the amazing marriage she has today. Writing a Book: Not So Complicated After All? Dee Dee says she always wanted to share her story. But after writing an outline for the book that is now My Match.com Marriage, she put it aside for several years. Then Covid-19 hit, and Dee Dee found herself at home, out of work for four months. Wanting to use the time for something productive, Dee Dee pulled out her outline, made a few changes, and started writing. When she was finished, she found an editor, who helped her improve the content and provided instructions for selling the book on Amazon. “I was surprised at how easy it was,” Dee Dee says. “Because when you think of [writing and publishing a book], it's such a big task. But it didn't seem complicated once I did it.” One reason the writing flowed so easily for Dee Dee was because she had that outline to work from. Pulling from her journalism background, she had chosen ten main points to write about, and structured the book so that each chapter focused on one of those points. Not only does this kind of outline make the writing process easier (and often faster), but it also helps keep the book’s content organized so readers can navigate it easily and find the information they need. Finally, Dee Dee made sure to get reliable feedback. In addition to hiring an editor and getting her husband’s perspective on the personal stories she was writing about, she also asked a trusted family member to read it and give constructive criticism. Dee Dee knew this person would be honest with her even if the book was terrible, which made their positive response even more encouraging. Life Is Short Maybe you, like Dee Dee, have a story to share, but you’re hesitating to take that first step and get it out into the world. If that’s you, Dee Dee cautions you to remember that “life is short, and you might as well chase your dreams now, because now is the best time to do it.” None of us is promised a future. But writing a book is a great way to leave a legacy that will remain long after you are gone. It may seem daunting, but as you move forward, you may just find, as Dee Dee did, that it’s not as complicated as it seems. BIO: Dee Dee Patterson is a wife and mother with three children who are all under 6 years old. Before she met her husband, she was frustrated, disappointed, and scared that her dream of being a wife and mother would never come to fruition. One day she did a very specific...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Obeying the Call to Leave In her book Lessons from the Writing Wilderness, Jeaninne Stokes shares the story of leaving her full-time job to pursue a ministry in writing — or, as she puts it, “leaving the ‘Egypt,’ if you will, of my career, journeying through the wilderness of preparation, and then finally entering my promised land to become an author.” Jeaninne says she truly loved her job at the time. So when she first heard God calling her to leave, she ignored the prompting for about a year. But God kept trying to get her attention. From an audible voice telling her it was time to go to the words “never be afraid to give up the good to go for the great” mysteriously appearing on her computer screen, the nudges from God became too obvious for her to continue ignoring them. Despite not knowing why God wanted her to leave her job — or what she was supposed to do once she left — Jeaninne obeyed. Now, she encourages others to be obedient to God’s call, even if it doesn’t seem to make sense. “God will not reveal anything else to you as to what He wants you to do until you take that first step of obedience,” she explains. “And that's what I had to do.” Preparing in the Wilderness After taking that first step of obedience, Jeaninne found herself at home alone, uncertain of what to do next. But that alone time allowed her to ask God for guidance and to listen for His answer. “When you make yourself an available instrument,” she says now, “God will start speaking and making His plans known.” The first answer Jeaninne received was to get up at 4:00 AM every morning, go to her office, read the story of Moses and the Israelites, and write down the lessons she learned from it. Only after she obeyed this call did Jeaninne begin to understand the purpose for it. “God started speaking to me and saying, ‘I'm having you read this because you're going to be going on a similar journey. I've called you out of your Egypt and put you into the wilderness to prepare for a writing ministry,’” Jeaninne recalls. Although she didn’t necessarily want to undergo this “wilderness” period of preparation, Jeaninne came to understand over time that it was necessary. “Before you can do anything great, you’ve got to prepare for that great,” she explains. For Jeaninne, preparation meant not only becoming a better writer, but also growing in her faith and learning to trust in God’s provision and guidance. She didn’t consider herself qualified for ministry, but as she continued to follow God’s leading, He continued to provide exactly what she needed for each day — just as He provided food and water for the Israelites in the wilderness. Learning to Be Vulnerable Although Jeaninne had written numerous devotionals, Lessons from the Writing Wilderness was especially challenging to write, because it required her to be more vulnerable and transparent in her writing than ever before. Sharing her personal struggles and hardships with the world was difficult — but it was also important. “I came to realize that people need to hear your story,” she says. “People connect with your story.” Through transparently sharing the story of her writing journey, Jeaninne has been able to help others who are going through similar “wilderness” experiences by offering them hope and encouragement. It was a difficult journey, but Jeaninne says that once her book was finished, she felt a strong sense of closure and relief. “I felt like I had given birth, and that I was now able to really go out and help other aspiring Christian writers,” she adds. Understanding the Ministry of Writing For many people, ministry is something that happens from the pulpit of a church or out on the streets. But, as Jeaninne has learned, writing can be a powerful ministry as well. What’s more, Jeaninne argues that writing is an essential ministry. “The world needs good writers,” she says. “The world needs people who are willing to write from God's perspective...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Finding Inspiration to Write Candy Arrington says she has always enjoyed writing. As a child, she constantly made up stories for herself, and she chose English as her college major. But it wasn’t until much more recently — while on a church retreat with her husband — that she decided to write a book. “The Lord woke me up early, one morning, and I just had words swirling in my head,” Candy recalls. “I got up and grabbed my journal and began to write.” Later, Candy shared some of what she had written with others at the retreat. To her surprise, multiple people asked for a copy of her words to take home. “That was my first indication that perhaps writing was something that could minister to others, not just a personal way of processing emotions and thinking about things,” she says. Candy’s first book, Aftershock: Help, Hope and Healing in the Wake of Suicide, deals with a heavy but important topic, and it was born from personal experience. After a traumatic experience involving an acquaintance, Candy collaborated with a Christian counselor to write the book — and, in the process, learn to better understand why this kind of tragedy happens and how to deal with it. Through Aftershock, Candy endeavors to dispel common misconceptions about suicide and to offer hope and healing to those who have lost loved ones in this manner. Trusting God to Bring it All Together When it was time to find a publisher for Aftershock, Candy explains that God opened all the right doors at just the right times. While attending a Christian writers' conference, she knew she would have to act fast to secure a meeting with the specific editor she felt drawn to. There were hundreds of fellow writers at the conference, and that particular editor only had three meeting slots available. It seemed impossible that Candy could make her way through the crowd in time, but God had other ideas. “As I walked across the room, it was like the parting of the Red Sea,” Candy says. “Everybody just moved aside, and I could see this editor's name on the table. And I just stepped right through that opening and put my name on the last appointment on that list.” Although the editor turned Candy’s book down, she pointed Candy to another agent, who invited her to share her book idea at breakfast the next day. Candy was disappointed to see that she wasn’t the only person he’d invited, but she gave her pitch anyway and handed over her book proposal. Then something amazing happened. Each person at the table shared how their lives had been impacted by suicide. Even though the agent had intended to reject her idea, the stories that the other people shared convinced him that there was not just an audience for Candy’s book, but a need for it to exist. “If I had tried to orchestrate that breakfast table, it would never have happened,” Candy says in retrospect. But because she trusted God enough to keep going when things didn’t turn out the way she expected, God rewarded her by pulling it all together in even better ways than she had planned. Learning to Wait Well Candy’s latest book, Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well, also deals with an important topic: having patience and trusting God when life isn’t going the way one wants it to. Periods of infertility and financial insecurity tested Candy’s patience over the years, and she admits that during many of these times she did not “wait well.” But one morning, while reading the Bible, she came across the words “Thus far, the Lord has helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12). “I started thinking about all the thus fars in our lives,” she says. “And in doing that, I realized that this waiting season didn't have to be a negative thing, that it could be a time when we benefited from just watching for the Lord at work. Not feeling like we had to make something happen, but just trusting and waiting.” In our fast-paced society, we’re often taught that if we don’t act quickly and make things happen, we’ll miss...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Emotional Intelligence for Christians Ann Lenaers packs a ton of valuable information into her first book, Perfect Love: A Hero's Journey, but two words stand out from the rest: emotional intelligence. Or, as she puts it, “a smart heart.” Ann explains that throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites are described as having hardened hearts. As a result, God communicated with them through rigid rules and structure. But when Jesus came, He taught discipleship that focuses on what’s happening inside of our hearts instead of outward actions alone. “In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus took it out of your head and put it in your heart,” Ann says. “It’s not ‘an eye for an eye,’ it’s ‘turn the other cheek,’ because there’s more to it.” In other words, to have emotionally intelligent “smart hearts,” we must “know the word in our heads and teach it to our hearts.” While the work of the Holy Spirit is essential to the process of growing in Christ, Ann believes the church has an important role to play in discipling new Christians so they can learn to let Christ reign over their hearts and live emotionally intelligent lives. Faith & the Hero’s Journey Although Ann grew up in the church, there was a time when she temporarily walked away from Christianity. “I got to this point where I knew I needed something in the spiritual understanding of my life,” she recalls, “and I’d grown up feeling like the church didn’t give me answers. So I started looking everywhere else.” After getting involved with the New Age movement for a few years, however, Ann found her beliefs being challenged to the point that she realized she needed to know who Jesus was. So she cried out to God, and after fasting for three days, she encountered the glory of God. Ann compares her experience to the biblical accounts of Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus and the transfiguration of Jesus: “It was just this brief moment standing in the light and presence of God… There are not enough words in eternity to try and explain it. But I tell people that the feeling it gave me was like if I could shove my hand in my chest and rip my heart out, I'd be looking at what love is. Because that's how it made me feel.” That was the beginning of Ann’s born-again journey, and she says it really was like starting life over. As God guided her in growing spiritually, He also guided her in writing Perfect Love to share her journey with others. In the book, Ann also compares the journey of being born again to the classic “Hero’s Journey” structure found in many works of fiction. “It's not like God was trying to give us this list of hundreds and hundreds of rules we had to follow,” she explains. “He was trying to help our minds be pointed in the direction of love, which is Him.” Although Ann admits that writing this book was an ambitious undertaking, she also says that once God had placed the idea in her heart, there was no way she could keep it to herself — she had to share the fullness of God’s amazing love with everyone, however she could. Four Identity Questions A huge part of Ann’s born-again journey was reshaping her identity to build on her new foundation of faith. To find this identity, she says it’s crucial to understand the importance of our relationship with God, others around us, and even ourselves — and to understand who we are in relation to all three. So in Perfect Love, Ann asks readers to answer four key questions: That last question is especially important, because we as humans are always going to make mistakes and have lessons to learn. “What I thought I was is not the same as what I actually am,” Ann says. The more we learn to conform to the image of Christ — and to shape our identities according to who He made us to be — the more assuredly we’ll be able to stand on the foundation of our faith. A Month of Editing… Lost Even after deciding to write her book, Ann wrestled with doubts about whether she was qualified or if...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Understanding Jesus as the Standard As an entrepreneur, Josh Khachadourian has a lot of experience with leadership in the business sphere. Several years ago, this experience helped inspire his book, The Standard: Discovering Jesus as the Standard for Masculinity, as it gave him a fresh perspective on the person of Jesus. “I was looking at the life of Jesus, but this time I was looking with a new lens,” he recalls. “I was looking through the lens of not just the miracles, not just seeing Jesus as the Son of God, but I was really examining His life, His methods, His operating principles, His EQ. And I was looking at him through the lens of leadership that I've been privileged to walk down.” Through conversations with fellow Christian men, Josh realized that many struggled to see Jesus as relevant and accessible in their daily lives. So he wrote The Standard as a resource to help people — especially men — understand and experience Jesus as a real man who modeled how we as humans should live, without separating Him from His divinity. One major issue Josh addresses in the book is the fear of failure. “We’re created for dominion,” he says. “It’s in our DNA.” According to Josh, this spiritual need to accomplish great things is what drives people to build, create, and conquer mountains. “They’re searching for God,” he explains. “They’re searching to be reunited with the way they were created.” Unfortunately, many people end up suppressing this desire because they’re afraid. They worry about what others will think if they go after their dreams and fail to achieve them. As a result, they end up frustrated, because they know they aren’t living up to their God-given potential. Going after our dreams and being vulnerable about our struggles can be incredibly scary, but it’s necessary if we’re going to live the life God created us for. Following Jesus’ Example Another important theme of Josh’s book is exploring the different attributes of Jesus as the standard for masculinity. Although Josh believes anyone, regardless of gender, can and should learn from Jesus’ example, he writes especially to encourage and inspire Christian men to become leaders according to the model set by Jesus. In Josh’s experience, the church often emphasizes Jesus’ softer, nurturing side, while placing less importance on His more traditionally masculine traits. “We’ve highlighted Him so much as the Lamb that we’ve lost sight of the Lion,” Josh says. Josh’s book covers six characteristics of Jesus that set an example for Christian men: In each section, Josh includes not only examples from Jesus’ life, but also practical applications for those lessons. For example, referencing 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, he argues that everyone is building something spiritually — the question is, what are you building and why, and is it what God wants you to build? “I don't necessarily believe that wood, hay, and stubble is necessarily bad,” he adds. “You can build really good things with wood. You can build structures, you can build things that can last. But the scariest part for me is, was I called to do that?” As we learn to follow the example of Jesus, we must also learn to examine our motivations and discern whether our actions align with God’s plan for our lives. Overcoming Perfectionism & the Fear of Failure Most authors experience some level of fear and hesitation when it comes to putting their work out into the world. Even sharing your writing with a family member or friend requires you to be vulnerable and can feel like you’re taking a huge step outside your comfort zone. For Josh, much of that fear manifested as perfectionism. “I do love to do things with excellence, so if I'm going to do it, I want to do it the right way,” he says. “But when it crosses over into perfectionism, that's really the fear of failure. That’s what I was scared of: ‘What are people going to think? What are they going to say? I’ll tweak some more.’ And...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Planting a Church When Pastor Jim Wickham heard God calling him to leave the church he was already serving in and move out of state, he had no idea why or what God was calling him to do in the new city. But he obeyed anyway, and as he prayed for God’s continued guidance, a thought came to him: “Wherever Paul went, he planted a church.” Then something strange happened. People from the community began to visit Pastor Jim and his wife, and without being prompted, many of them asked the same thing: “Are you going to plant a church?” One of those visitors offered the use of his renovated garage for a meeting place, and soon the congregation now known as Living Word Community Church was born. To others who feel a similar call to church planting, Pastor Jim says it’s important to first be assured that you are really being called directly by God, and then to be faithful to that calling — because there will be challenges. For Pastor Jim and his new congregation, one of the biggest challenges was finding a space to move into once they outgrew the garage. Many in the local community were hostile to churches that weren’t Catholic and refused to rent a storefront to them or allow them to meet on school property. Although Pastor Jim could have pushed back with accusations of discrimination, he chose to be patient and trust God to open doors instead. “I’m here to plant a church that will exemplify the love of God,” he explains. “And those people, they're not resisting me. They're resisting someone else, and that's the one I represent. And I want to make sure that the way I represent Him [communicates] that, ‘Okay, that’s okay. The God I serve — and we serve — opens doors, and no one can stop that.’” Ultimately, not only did God provide a building, but He led Pastor Jim’s congregation to rent that building from a man who had stepped away from the church at large and needed to find his way back. Persevering Through Insecurity & Hardship God’s provision for Pastor Jim’s life wasn’t limited to finding a building for his new church. He also opened doors for Pastor Jim to get much higher degrees of education than he would have done on his own. It all started with Pastor Jim finishing his bachelor’s degree on the side while pastoring vocationally. Then his university opened up a new program that allowed students to earn a master’s degree in just one year. This was an intense program, and Pastor Jim admits he sometimes wondered why he had decided to do it. But he earned the degree, and enjoyed the feeling of freedom and accomplishment at having finished higher education for good — or so he thought. A few years later, someone from the seminary reached out to ask if Pastor Jim had ever considered getting a doctorate as well. Pastor Jim believed there were many reasons he couldn’t — he hadn’t taken certain prerequisite courses, he thought he wouldn’t be accepted — but, again, God opened those doors and made it possible. Throughout his higher education journey, Pastor Jim says there were many times he thought about quitting. But now he sees that God was using the experience to help him grow and conquer his insecurities. “When I have my personal time with the Lord,” he recalls, “I hear another voice that affirms me and speaks life and says, ‘You can do this. Not because of you — you can do this because of Me.’” Reacting to Culture Shifts Pastor Jim’s book, Facilitating Change to Reach All Generations, actually started as his doctoral thesis. When his family urged him to turn it into a book, he listened, even though he says he had no clue how to go about it. Again, God opened a door to make it possible, and again, Pastor Jim walked through the door. The book’s topic came from Pastor Jim’s experience leading Living Word Church. Turmoil involving some of the church’s former leaders made it necessary for Pastor Jim and his team to turn their focus inward and prioritize strengthening their own leadership...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Writing Authentically Like many people, Marlena Banks says that growing up often involved not feeling like herself. As a result, she had a strong desire to express herself creatively and to leave her mark on the world. That’s why it was important to her that her book, Big Idea Food: A Weekly Devotional for Entrepreneurs, Side Hustlers & Dreamers, be written in her unique, authentic voice. While Marlena clarifies that she didn’t necessarily make a conscious choice to “be her most authentic self,” she did take inspiration from her journals while writing, and she made an effort to write in a way that was true to the message she knew God was calling her to share. “There was no other way to write,” she explains. “I didn't hear it any other way except to share what was truthfully shared with me in the way it was shared with me. But, in hindsight, it was very important to me that, if I put this out there, it expresses me. I didn’t want to open this book five years later and be like, ‘That is not who I was!’ So it really brings me joy to know that this is like a snippet in time of my most ‘selfiest’ of selves.” Marlena’s authentic voice speaks well to her target audience, in part because she wrote it for people like herself: millennial entrepreneurs. But, although she felt that Big Idea Food was the perfect way to express her faith and share her God-given message, she started by scoping out the market first to see if someone had already done something similar. To her surprise, there were no other books on the market like the one she intended to write. This made her even more excited to write it herself, and it confirmed that she had truly found her niche. Finding the “Big Idea” Before Big Idea Food and the start of her entrepreneurial journey, Marlena worked as a freelancer for almost ten years. “I did a lot of work for up-and-coming startups, mom-and-pop shops — people who have visions and dreams — and I helped create identities for them,” she says. “I just spent so much time with people who were just like me, who felt like, ‘I know I have so much to do in this world. God has shown me a vision.’” Eventually, working with all of these “big ideas” and visions inspired the name of her devotional book, because she wanted to encourage people to view God’s Word as fuel for their ideas and endeavors. She describes the book and its bite-sized devotionals as “Red Bull for your faith” or an energy bar to give entrepreneurs a quick boost when they’re feeling discouraged or in low spirits. “God's word really fuels all of the seeds that He planted inside of you,” she adds. “The activation that occurs when God's word hits the calling and the seeds that He has planted in you, it really brings the fruit.” For an extra spiritual energy boost, Marlena titled each chapter with an affirmation to help readers immediately ground themselves in God’s truth and to deliver maximum value in a relatively short word count. Assembling the Team Even though Marlena’s background is in marketing, she realized early in the self-publishing process that she needed expert help to launch her book successfully. She started by researching and hiring an editor and then branched out to add more members to her little self-publishing team. As a graphic designer, Marlena planned to design the book cover herself — but she quickly realized she was out of her depth and needed help with that, too. “I was too close to the project,” she says in retrospect. “This was a lesson for me that sometimes when God is calling you into those higher levels of your purpose, or to the next season, even, sometimes you’ve got to let go of those old talents and the old season.” Marlena’s experience is an important reminder that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. It’s tempting to try to do everything yourself, but it really takes a team of talented individuals working together to publish a high-quality book. That said, Marlena has also...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Time for God with a Busy Schedule Between writing, blogging, speaking engagements, family, ministry, and more, Courtnaye Richard is a woman who wears many hats — or, as she describes it, “My life is on wheels.” But Courtnaye also understands the importance of prioritizing her relationship with God. That was the inspiration for writing her 52-week devotional Inside Out with Courtnaye: to help other women like herself who needed a reminder — and perhaps even a little guidance — to set aside time to study God’s word. “When we're sitting with Jesus, we're sitting with Him and allowing Him to teach us,” Courtnaye explains, “but we have to be still. We have to pause.” With that in mind, Courtnaye designed her devotional to include both Scripture and reflection questions in each section, inviting her readers to pause, reflect, and learn from what they read. However, since she wrote the book for women who lead busy lives, she kept each section short enough to be completed on a single day out of the week. “I didn't want them to have any excuse not to get into the Word of God — including myself,” she says. A Blog that Opens Doors Although Courtnaye has been writing since she was a child, it was blogging that opened doors for her professionally. In fact, her very first speaking engagement came about because someone read a blog post she’d written and asked her to speak about it at an upcoming women’s conference. But Courtanye admits that when she first decided to start a blogging, she had no idea what it was or how to do it. She only knew that she wanted to reach women far beyond her circle of acquaintance — and blogging was a great way to do that. Over the course of ten years, Courtnaye has grown her blog and audience through: As Courtnaye’s experience shows, a blog can be an incredible platform and a gateway for many opportunities. But it takes hard work, dedication, and intentionality to do it successfully. A Biblical Perspective on Promotion & Sales Courtnaye self-published her devotional book, and she did so on a very tight schedule. With only three months to edit, proofread, take photos, design the cover, and more, she reached a point where she was afraid she couldn’t get it all done in time. But with encouragement from God and her husband, she kept at it and ultimately succeeded. Despite juggling so many other tasks, however, Courtnaye knew that marketing and promoting her book couldn’t wait until after it was finished. “If you have a product or service, you need to let people know about it,” she explains. “How are you going to make a sale if nobody knows about it?” Even though many aspiring authors understand that marketing is an essential part of publishing, many still hesitate to promote themselves or to focus on making sales. But Courtnaye believes we shouldn’t be afraid of putting ourselves out there. “It’s not about you; it’s about the message” she says. You are the messenger. You’re the vessel that God is going to use.” Think about it this way: God has equipped you to impact others. But that won’t be possible if you don’t allow Him to make your name — and your book — known to the people who need your help. Likewise, instead of thinking of sales as “doing it for the money,” consider it an exchange of value. People are simply paying for the valuable information and services you have to offer. And, by selling those books and services, you just might be able to support a ministry that goes far beyond what you would be able to accomplish on your own. Opportunities: How & Where to Find Them Even though we as Christian authors are on a mission to spread our God-honoring message, to be successful we also need to make sure we are grounded in good business principles. That means being good stewards of our resources, but it also means being adaptable and seizing opportunities to grow and develop new skills. According to Courtnaye, sometimes all we have to do to gain new...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Receive God’s Grace & Take Action When Kirstyn Mayden was putting together her devotional Merciful Moments: A Devotional Journal for Moving Forward With Grace Each Day, she decided to take a different approach to the table of contents than many authors use for their devotional books. Instead of labeling the sections as “days,” she labeled them according to their action-based topics. “I wanted the reader to have freedom to look at the topics and scan whatever topics they may be going through in that season, and whatever resonated with them,” she explains. “And I didn't want anybody to feel like, ‘Oh my gosh, I missed day one! I'm gonna freak out!’ Because that's the purpose of receiving God's mercy: to give yourself that grace. So I wanted that to start while reading the book.” It was also important to Kirstyn that each of these sections have a clear action step for readers to follow so they can move forward in faith after receiving God’s mercy and being encouraged by His word. Of course, we can trust that God will take care of our needs, but Kirstyn argues that we also have a responsibility to fulfill the role God has empowered and equipped us to play. Focus on the Present According to Kirstyn, part of that responsibility is to understand that we can’t always control our circumstances — but we can choose to keep ourselves encouraged and moving forward even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Often, this means focusing on the present day instead of letting ourselves get distracted by worries about the future. “When we take the time to focus on today, it's a way to relieve the pressure off ourselves of having to carry all that weight of wanting to know the outcome,” Kirstyn says. “Then we'll be able to focus more on giving gratitude and focus more on, ‘What needs are being met for me this day?’ As opposed to what needs I may not have tomorrow.” Choosing to focus on one day at a time like this allows us to be present and appreciate the small moments of beauty God gives us each day. Scripture tells us that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), but if we’re always thinking about what’s happening tomorrow or next week, we may miss the mercies of today. Let Go of Perfection When it came to actually writing and publishing her book, Kirstyn says it was not a quick process by any means. Although she knew for years that she wanted to write a book — and kept telling herself she would do it — she kept putting it off. Even after she’d started writing, she hesitated to share it with others, because she wanted it to be “perfect.” “I just gave myself a list of all these reasons why it wasn’t ready to move forward,” she recalls. “And in that moment, God was like, ‘You know what? You’re just going to have to step out and move forward. It’s never going to be perfect.” Once Kirstyn accepted that it was time to share her work and hired an editor, she found herself getting frustrated by how long it took to undergo multiple rounds of editing — and then to get it all finished up and ready for publication. “It's been a journey,” she says now. “But I'm glad that at the top of the year, I didn't tell myself again the list of reasons why this wasn't ready to move forward. So it's been about a two year process, but I'm glad that I stayed the course. And I'm glad that I didn't let my pursuit of perfection and my fears totally deter me from moving forward.” Stay the Course Maybe you, like Kirstyn, are afraid to share your manuscript with others. Or maybe something else is holding you back from moving forward with writing and publishing the message God has given you. Whatever the case may be, Kirstyn urges you not to give up. Pray for God’s guidance, and make use of the resources you have to work on your book and your craft just a little each day. When you need help (and you will!), don’t be afraid to invest in professional assistance so you can present your God-given message as...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: A Book Born from Tragedy Many aspiring authors have had a dream of writing a book from the time they were young children. But for Anita Morris, becoming an author wasn’t something she dreamed about or aspired to –- it was something that happened as a result of a tragic experience in her life. Six months after Anita’s husband retired from his career as a firefighter, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Eight months after that diagnosis, he passed away. “That was the most devastating thing I’ve ever experienced,” Anita says, “and I didn’t know how I was going to move forward with my life.” That’s when Anita was reminded of four words that had come to her while caring for her husband: Stand: Trust:Endure:Proceed:Throughout the entire journey of caring for her husband through his cancer and then dealing with his death, Anita had shared her story with her online communities so they could pray with her. To her surprise, many people urged her to write a book about the experience, because her words had helped them deal with trials in their own lives. “That was the beginning of the promptings on my heart to write a book,” she says. “I heard them, but I kind of brushed it off.” But God has ways of getting our attention. While browsing the internet, Anita kept seeing little nudges – a YouTube video about self-publishing that the algorithm just happened to recommend, for example, and a podcast interview she listened to that featured a book coach. “I was like, that is way too strange to be a coincidence,” she says. So she took the hint and signed up for a writer’s conference with that book coach – and the rest, as they say, is history. Writing Challenges After setting out on her author journey, Anita had to overcome some challenges to ensure she was putting out the best possible book. First, she had to learn not to limit herself by constantly editing while writing. Her writing coach challenged her to write an entire book in 30 days, without editing a single word. Although Anita admits it was difficult to resist the temptation to edit, she sees now that getting all the words on paper first and editing afterwards helped her finish much faster and kept her from getting stuck along the way. Another challenge Anita faced had to do with the content of her book itself. She knew God wanted her to share a very difficult, painful story about discovering her husband’s affair and how they ultimately reconciled, but she was afraid of how others would respond when they read it. Though Anita says she argued with God over whether to include the story in her book, she finally did – and once it was out, she felt a surge of relief. “I don't even think about that anymore – what people are going to think,” she says now. “I have so much freedom, because I told my own story on my own terms, and nobody will ever be able to weaponize it and use it against me. Because I told it first.” As Anita has learned, sharing the parts of our stories that we are afraid to share often completely frees us from that fear. What’s more, it helps other people who are going through similar trials to see that there is hope and a way out. Following Where God Leads In addition to being an author, Anita is also a transformational speaker, bringing “a message of hope, resilience, and triumph for those who are living in the midst and aftermath of devastating life trials.” This path actually began before her book was finished, and Anita shares that her first speaking engagement after losing her husband was extremely difficult to prepare for. She knew what she wanted to speak about, but there was so much material to cover that she couldn’t even get through half of it in the allotted time frame. “I remember sitting down in the chair in my bedroom crying, and then I started praying,” she recalls. “And then I heard a sweet, still voice say, “The rest of the content is for the book.’” God may not always speak to us in such a direct,...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: The Path to Book Publishing Today, Julie Broad helps business leaders publish books that help grow their impact and influence – but that’s not the career path she intended to take at first. Instead, Julie started out as a real estate investor. And yet, even that business venture began with a book: Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki. “It’s funny how books have such a powerful impact on our lives,” Julie says now. After reading Kiyosaki’s book, Julie bought her first investment property. Eventually, that purchase led to a full-time career in real estate. It wasn’t an easy job, but as she gained more properties and people expressed interest in her story, Julie started building a platform on YouTube and through an email newsletter. Before she knew it, not only did she have a real estate training and education business, but she was also being approached by publishers about the possibility of writing a book. There was just one problem: the publisher Julie spoke to wasn’t interested in Julie’s book idea. They offered an idea of their own instead, and helped her develop a proposal, only to shut the whole project down months later because their marketing department decided her platform wasn’t strong enough to sell books. Julie was disappointed. But, after taking some time to process the rejection and with encouragement from her husband, Julie decided to write and self-publish the original book she’d suggested. “In many ways, I felt like self-publishing was giving up or that it wouldn’t be a real book,” she admits. “But in the end, I think it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.” Julie’s self-published real estate book made it to #1 on Amazon. On top of that, she kept full rights and all of her royalties, allowing her to make much more money from it that she would have under that traditional publishing house. Best of all, her book’s success led to an entirely new business venture, because other aspiring authors started coming to her for advice. “My love was in the books, not the real estate,” Julie realized. “Finally, I started Book Launchers, and I feel like everything I have done in my life has prepared me for this company and for what I'm doing right now.” Furthermore, the experience taught Julie that writing a successful book can actually be a greater form of credentials even than earning a degree. Although Julie has an MBA in Real Estate and Finance, her efforts to raise capital for her investment business didn’t really take off until her book came out. “The MBA didn't raise money – the book did,” she says. Julie’s story is an important reminder for aspiring business owners. Simply having a degree doesn’t guarantee that you actually know what you are talking about, and that you are able to apply the information you were taught in school. Books, on the other hand, allow you to demonstrate what you know and prove your expertise – with minimal investment from your audience. The Value of Assistance Another important thing for aspiring authors to keep in mind is that your book is a representation of you and your business. And that means sometimes you need assistance in making it the best representation that it can be. As Julie says, “Just because you can do something all by yourself doesn’t mean you should.” In Julie’s experience, far too many authors end up feeling embarrassed about how their first book turned out. Now that they’ve grown and improved, they wish they could erase every trace of it and make sure no one ever sees the typos, sub-par cover design, and so on. But here’s the thing – once your book is out there, it’s out there for good! So you want to make sure you get all the help you need to get it right the first time. Another reason getting assistance is vital is because new authors often underestimate how many different skills are required to put together and sell a successful book. It’s not just about writing, editing, and cover design – there’s also a...

In this episode, you'll also hear: Experience as a Training Ground From pastor and church planter to author to podcaster, John Stange wears many creative, ministry-related hats. Many of those pursuits, however, didn’t start out as branches of his ministry. Instead, they trace back to his childhood dream of becoming a radio announcer. His first full-time pastoring position was located near a Christian radio station, so when John learned that the station was hiring, he applied despite not being experienced in the field. He was hired, and even received on-the-job training to develop skills in speaking, broadcasting, and editing digital content – all things he could later use as a podcaster, speaker, and more. “I really didn't see the long thread of how the Lord was going to use that,” John says in retrospect. “But it definitely factored into some of the things that I’m doing now.” John’s story is an important reminder of how God can use our present experiences as a training ground for things to come. We can only see what’s right in front of us, so we must learn to trust that God is a good Father, and that His ultimate plans and purposes for us are good – even when we don’t understand them. Like his dream of becoming a radio announcer, John’s desire to write a book had been around for a while by the time he actually put one together and self-published it. Even then, it was several more years before he started self-publishing more content and building an audience. Between self-publishing and voiceover work – something else he learned at the radio station – John was able to support his family through financially difficult seasons of church planting. As John’s online platform and audience continued to grow, he eventually started up a website to house his various creative endeavors. “That’s what ultimately caught the attention of a major publisher, when they saw that this was multifaceted,” he explains. “But this developed over the course of many years, and I had no idea that this would result in a traditional publishing deal. As I felt led to work on one particular thing, I worked on it. And then I added the next piece as I felt led to do it. And then, before I knew it, I could step back and look, and there's a whole kind of system here in place, almost like its own media channel.” Marketing = Relationships As John has learned, cultivating a relationship with your audience is crucial. In fact, marketing is more similar to everyday relationships than you might think! It doesn’t happen overnight, but when you put in the work to build relationships and consistently put out valuable content, eventually all those pieces come together. “A lot of times people think that the work of an author is just to write a good book,” John says. “And that's the first half. And then the second half is actually letting people know that the book exists. Because you could write good content, but if no one knows about it, no one's going to read it.” Like many aspiring authors, John says he used to hate the idea of marketing. He didn’t want to annoy people or push them away. But over time he learned that marketing – when done well – isn’t annoying. It’s an opportunity to share the message you’re passionate about. When you truly care about your message and the difference it can make in people’s lives, and when you’ve taken the time to cultivate relationships with the audience who needs to hear that message, marketing becomes less of a chore and more of simply being excited to tell people about the message God has given you. Preach to Your Own Heart One message John is passionate about can be found in his book Dwell on These Things, which is all about managing one’s mindset to line up with what God says instead of the negative things we tend to tell ourselves. John says the inspiration for this book came from his own experience in ministry. As a pastor, he noticed a gap between what he was preaching to his congregation and what he was preaching...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: No Need to Wait As a coach’s wife, Beth Walker says she has seen many fellow coach’s wives shrink back out of the limelight as though waiting for their turn to shine – only to realize when they finally get the chance that they could have been working on their own careers all along. That’s why, with her book, Lessons from the Sidelines, her mission is to let women know they don’t have to wait. They can go ahead and work on the “building blocks” of their own calling, even while supporting their husband’s endeavors. “There seems to be this need for a cheerleader of sorts,” Beth says, “or someone to just point these women to resources. So I felt like Lessons from the Sidelines could be that space to say, ‘You've got a calling. God created you with a voice and skills and talents before you married this amazing man. And none of that went away!’” Nothing Is Wasted As is the case for many people, Beth’s journey to discovering her calling was a long one. “Figuring out exactly that sweet spot of where God is calling you is not always going to be this light bulb moment,” she admits. But through the seven-step action plan outlined in her book, she hopes to help give people a shortcut to discovering what God may be calling them to do. Beth’s own journey carried her from one job to another. Eventually, she realized that although these jobs were all very different – from swim coach to administrative assistant to stay-at-home mom – there were some common elements among them, and each job gave her some skill or experience she could add to her resume. ‘Nothing is wasted,” Beth says. “Even if it feels like we’re taking a step back, we can always take that opportunity to say, how can we better ourselves? There are some moments where we have to take what we would consider a space where we’re settling… but sometimes we need people to shake us out of those.” Beth’s story is a powerful reminder of the intentionality of God in preparing us for our unique purpose. No matter where you are right now, He can use this circumstance to develop and refine the skills you’ll need later on – even if you can’t see a connection right now. And throughout her long, sometimes difficult journey, Beth says God has always brought people into her life to help cheer her on. One of these people was a fellow coach’s wife who Beth describes as a mentor and a voice of wisdom. This woman had already written a book of her own to help coach’s wives, but she encouraged Beth to become a new voice in the space, and she also supported Beth with prayer, advice, and much more. Ultimately, she wrote the forward for Lessons from the Sidelines. Other important “cheerleaders” in Beth’s author journey were her editor and her mastermind group, all of whom helped her develop and refine her work. “There were certainly chapters that were more difficult to write than others,” she says in retrospect. “But I had a good structure in place, and I had people holding me accountable… I don’t think it could have gone any better.” Editing Matters When it came to the editing process itself, Beth says she learned that you have to be humble if you’re going to have someone else edit your book – but it’s well worth the difficult conversations and the discomfort of letting another person critique what you’ve written. “I know that it is the best book possible because of my editor’s input and her willingness to pull more out of me,” Beth says. “She had edited for me for a couple of years prior, so she knew my voice and I trusted her.” Because of that trust, Beth’s editor was able to point out sections of the book that didn’t reflect Beth’s authentic voice or that weren’t getting Beth’s point across in the way she intended for them to. At the same time, she was able to push Beth to open up and share more than she would have done on her own. For many aspiring authors, letting another person read – let alone edit – their manuscript can be uncomfortable or even...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Carol’s “Come to Jesus” Moment Carol McCracken says her life has been anything but “traditional.” Raising a son with four mental health disorders was incredibly challenging, especially since there weren’t many resources available to help her and her husband navigate those challenges. Over time, they both turned to alcohol to cope — until one day, Carol was pulled over for driving under the influence. Now, she calls it a “come to Jesus meeting,” because “He loved me enough to get my attention.” As a Bible study teacher, Carol was terrified and ashamed. “I’m a rule follower,” she explains. “And I knew I had broken so many rules.” But when she appeared in court, instead of being punished, her slate was wiped clean. The judge warned her not to repeat the mistake, returned her bail money, and no record was left on her insurance. “I did not deserve one bit of that,” she says. “But I was like, ‘Lord, I will not mess up again. You literally scared the hell out of me!” Until this experience, Carol hadn’t realized how badly her judgment was being impaired. But now she knew she needed to make some significant changes in her life. One of those changes was making the difficult decision to divorce. Though Carol hadn’t believed in divorce up to this point, it was becoming clear that the marriage was not healthy for either of them. Carol’s story is a powerful reminder that you don’t have to be perfect to be used by God and to serve in ministry — in fact, no one is! But God loves us enough to pursue us, to get our attention, and to set us back on the right track so He can perfect us for His purposes. Carol admits that she would have chosen a much more “dignified” path if she could have. “But alas, this is my story, and I’m meant to share it,” she says. Journey to Publishing Non-Traditionally Though Carol considers herself a speaker rather than a writer, God soon started calling her to write. Almost on a whim, she found herself attending a Christian writers conference and meeting agents, one of whom listened to her idea and asked her to submit a book proposal. Instead of accepting the proposal, however, the agent advised her to publish independently or through a small press — because that agent believed the book needed to be written to support Carol’s speaking ministry. Ultimately, Carol published her book, Wisdom: Where To Find It If You've Lost, Forgotten, Or Never Had It, independently. This was a different publishing path than she’d anticipated — after all, for many people, even getting to talk to an agent and submit a proposal is a dream come true! But Carol’s story is a valuable reminder to us that just because the traditional publishing route doesn’t work out, doesn’t mean your story doesn’t have value. It may just mean that God has another plan for you and your book. Additionally, Carol’s publishing experience highlights that your book is only a piece of the story. For many people, the real income opportunity — and ministry — comes not through the book itself, but by leveraging your book to give credibility and visibility to the other gifts God has given you. Analysis Paralysis When it came to actually getting her book published, however, Carol says she wrestled with indecision for a while. “I did a lot of research, and I had a lot of analysis paralysis,” she explains. “If you have paralysis, you cannot do anything. You’re in one spot, and you must move forward. And I’ve got to be honest, I learned just as much by trying things that didn’t work as I did with things that did work.” One of the things that did work was joining an international writing critique association. This organization helped her find her unique voice, develop a 15-minute presentation of her message, and connect with people to edit, design, and format her book for publishing. “I have learned, do not ever put anything out there unless somebody has read it first,” Carol says. You want your book to represent you and...

In this episode, you’ll also hear: Reflecting on a Life-Changing Basketball Game Between youth ministry, sports writing, and high school basketball coaching, Tyler lives what he calls a seasonal life: his focus tends to change depending on the time of year. Many people would find it extremely challenging to make time for more writing alongside all of those other commitments, but Tyler says writing — and in particular, telling and engaging with stories — is something he’s always enjoyed. “We as humans connect the most with stories,” Tyler says. Pointing to Jesus as the greatest Storyteller of all time, Tyler adds that, no matter the setting — be it listening to a sermon or watching a sports match — he’s always drawn into other people’s stories and always looking for a story to tell. That’s why he begins his book, Searching for Seven, with the story of a high school basketball game that ultimately changed the direction of his life. During this game, Tyler was not playing well and had been arguing with his coach. “I remember sitting at the end of the bench thinking, ‘This is not looking good for my career in basketball. I’m not where I wanted to be.’” But then, just when Tyler thought he was finished playing for the night, his coach put him back in the game — and he played better than he ever had before. Thanks to his performance that day, his basketball career took off, and a few years later, Tyler was recruited to play basketball at a Bible college. Although Tyler thought he was only attending that college to play basketball, God had other plans. The opportunity to work in youth ministry one summer turned into a long-term calling. But without that one high school game where Tyler found renewed confidence and his basketball career changed, it’s possible he might never have ended up at the Bible college that led him to youth ministry. Finding Confidence in God Tyler’s story is a valuable reminder for us all. In the moment, we don’t always see or understand what God is doing. But sometimes God is working behind the scenes to put the pieces together and bring about a greater good than we could possibly imagine. Additionally, Tyler’s story reminds us of an important distinction between confidence and arrogance. While we should always keep in mind that our gifts and talents come from God, it’s also important to believe that we are capable of accomplishing great things with God as our strength. What matters is that “we are putting our confidence in God, recognizing where the abilities come from,” Tyler says. “That's a game-changer: when I can face every day and every challenge knowing He's got my back, He's put me in this position. And it's not really my ability, it's what He's given. And I'm going to use that ability through Him.” Making Time & Space to Write Tyler says he had the idea to write his book several years before he actually started working on it in earnest. “I knew at some point it was going to happen,” he explains, “but life is busy. There's a lot going on. And so for many years, I did not make the time to start writing.” Instead, Tyler would write down notes and ideas here and there. He had a general idea of what he wanted to write about and which stories from his life he wanted to include, but it wasn’t until later that he made a conscious decision to set aside time to write. When he decided it was time to focus on his book, Tyler took weeks off from work and used the time he would normally have spent at his job working on his book instead. Sometimes he would work at coffee shops, while other times he would go outside to be inspired by nature. Tyler explains that when doing something important — be it praying, writing a book, or spending time with family — removing distractions is key. While some people may be able to multitask effectively, Tyler has found that trying to juggle multiple things at once only divides his focus and prevents him from giving any of those things the attention they...