February 2012 Vol II
Evolving as a Writer
By Sheila L Jackson
No writer was born with a magical pad and pen in his or her hand that guaranteed them a bestseller. For most, it has taken years to hone their craft on the road towards becoming an award winning novelist. Evolving as a writer takes dedication, hard work, and an eagerness to learn all there is to know about the art of writing.
Several ways to evolve as a writer:
1.      Conferences
2.      Writers Workshops
3.      Joining a Local/National writers’ group
4.      Reading/Researching: will help determine the type of books you would like to write.
5.      Rejection: it doesn’t mean failure, but a teaching tool to help fine tune your writing skills and get you on the road to professionalism.
Most writers become disappointed and ready to pull the plug from their computers when they are unable to keep up with the times. If pursuing writing as a career─ change is a must─ it’s part of a writer’s growth. To get your created juices flowing again and that burning passion you once had:
1.    Learn what type of books people are reading and writing.
2.    Read! Read! Read! Books in and out of your genre. You’ll be amazed at how they spark new ideas and creativity within your own writing.
We all have been there, starting off strong only to run out of gas before completing our manuscripts, due to negative feedback. Don’t despair! Regroup and start over.
Don’t fret, if the critique group doesn’t fall in love with parts of your story. Be ready to make the necessary changes to get your manuscript polished and ready for submission.
Change is a dreaded word for most, but if you’re planning to make writing a career choice─ it’s inevitable. Your readers are evolving and so should your writing. Advancing as a novelist is a good thing. Without the bumps and bruises along the way, you will never reach your full potential. Writers are constantly transforming as a caterpillar does when turning into a butterfly. Embrace the metamorphosis process, because in time, your writing will fly off the pages and develop into something beautiful.

January 2012 Vol. 1

Standing Firm in the Midst of the Fight

By: Sheila L. Jackson

Be careful¾watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too (I Peter 5:8-9 TLB).

Church is not a safe haven against Satan’s attacks, but a place where he hides and waits on his unsuspecting victims. Peter warned Christians to be careful, even in God’s house; everyone is not there for the right reason.

Satan attends Sunday morning worship, bible study, and Sunday school, waiting on the opportunity to strike. He desires to cause war against the body of Christ.

He mimics the saints and knows when to raise his hands in praise, when to shout hallelujah and say thank you Jesus─ all in pretense─ waiting on us to let down our guard. And when he has us where he wants us, he takes off his disguise of holiness and rips us to shreds with discord in the church.

Satan prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, waiting/listening for his next victims to cry out to God and tell Him:

Yes, I’ll do what you want me to do.

Yes, Lord, I’ll say what you want me to say.

Yes, I’ll go where you want me to go.

And when you do, Satan will cause:

Friends to turn against you

Family to disown you

And church members to set traps for you

But God wants the believers to know, when those fiery darts are aimed at us, to stand firm in the midst of the fight. There is a BIGGER picture behind the scene that Satan doesn’t want us to see: our spiritual breakthrough is right around the corner.

In the Roman Coliseum, in which lions mauled and devoured Christians. Satan desires to do the same spiritually, to destroy the believers’ testimonies.

1 Peter 4:12, KJV- Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.

But Rejoice. Expect to be thrown in the lion’s den. God chose you for this appointed battle. You were called out by God to be picked on. For those who have accepted their calling, get ready for the fight of your life. Satan desires to sift you like wheat, but Jesus prays that your faith fails not.

The more you grow spiritually, the harder the fight becomes. (WHY) your Christian walk influences others (AND) Satan isn’t having that. He wants to steal, kill, and destroy your testimony. It doesn’t matter how anointed you are, Satan will use his toughest empts to try and defeat you. But what determines the victor, is how well a Christian stands─ not fight.

Your fist can’t help you

You smart mouth & cursing Satan out can’t help

Only standing on the Word of God can win this spiritual fight.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12, KJV)

You can’t pick and choose your battles. If so, we’ll all opt out

Psalms 105:15, KJV: Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

Remember, the battle is the Lord and you belong to Him. God always comes to take back what is his. Take no thought of what your enemy is plotting, God created X-ray vision and can see through and around any dark corner.

A Christians fighting gear consist of (Ephesians 6:10-20)

1. The belt of truth- the believers’ integrity.

2. The breastplate of righteousness- guards a believer heart against the assaults of the devil.

3. The gospel of peace- is a believers’ stability (winds may blow, storms may rise, but a Christian must stand flatfooted).

4. The Shield of Faith- quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked.

5. The Helmet of Salvation- protects the mind

6. Sword of the spirit- The Word of God.

7. Pray and Watching- not just for your safety, but for others saints as well.

8. Stand-With urgency (God never told us to fight. He wants Christians to put on the whole armor and watch Him fight on our behalf).

When the dust has settled from your spiritual battle; you can stand like the Apostle Paul in the end and say: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith (II Timothy 4:7, KJV).