So, you want to be an author.

      It has been said that the life of an author is a lonely one.  I didn't quite know what that meant until I became one.  Two things that happen drives an author into solitude: the writing of his book and the marketing of the book.  No one knows what it is like to manufacture something from your heart and try to sell it unless he has been there. 
      I find that the marketing end of it is perhaps the most difficult thing I have ever done.  I enjoy what I do, but it is very hard getting the word out about your writings, let alone convince people you don't know they should get your book(s).  It is astronomical the number of books currently on the market.  Depending on your source, there are over 8 million titles to chose from.  One out of 8 million books is not very many.  Unless you have a public name that is recognizable, it is a very grueling process. 
       It takes money to get good books published these days and most authors are not able to just publish their works out of their pockets without great sacrifice. 
       I share this to just encourage you to not just think about buying a good book that catches your interest, buy it and help support the author so that he/she can continue to offer great books for the enjoyment and edifcation of others.

Look and Live

    

Num. 21:8-9 Then the LORD told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to the top of a pole. Those who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to the top of a pole. Whenever those who were bitten looked at the bronze snake, they recovered!

Whatever God provided for his people, it was never enough. They complained to Moses about what God had given them, as if it was Moses’ problem. God had enough of their ingratitude and had sent a plague amongst them. The people were terrified by God’s discipline and pled with Moses for help. When Moses took the matter to the Lord, he gave him the instructions in today’s verses. I am struck at how quickly Moses had to act. People were already being afflicted and were dying. There was no time to do anything but obey God. When God tells us to do something, the time to act is now not later. We don’t know what will happen if we delay. We don’t who’s life will be affected by our messing around. It is sin for us to put off until tomorrow what the Lord tells us to do today.

The Lord sent a plague of poisonous snakes to roam among the Israelites. They had sinned in their hearts against God and now they were paying the price. They were powerless to stop the discipline of the Lord. There was a price to pay for their sin and the day of accountability had come. Be careful so that sin does not bite you! There always is a day of accountability for sin.

The Lord is merciful to those whom he loves. When the Israelites humbled themselves before God, he heard their cries for help. He told Moses how to stop the plague from killing them. They still had to obey the Lord. They still had to act by faith and not by sight. If they looked at the bronze snake God had provided through Moses, they would live. If they looked elsewhere for help, they would die. They had to choose between God’s way or some other way. We too must choose.

Why I Write

     There are many different reasons why someone writes a book, many different audiences for a book, and many different ways to make one's books known.  In today's world, it is very easy to write a book and very hard to sell it.  With a current inventory of over 8 million books, it is very difficult to try and make one's book stand out from the rest.  There are many marketing tools that are used and more being tried every day.  The industry is very competitive and unless you have a ready made audience, it becomes a real struggle for survival.
      Most of my time is spent on trying to market my book.  I am online a lot, contacting those whom I think might be interested in it.  I am connected to various groups on facebook, tweet, and write on this blog.  The work is endless, and oftentimes become wearisome.  So, why do I do it?  Because I know that this is the ministry the Lord has given to me to do at this point of my life.  I persevere because I am determined to do as much good for Him as I can before he calls me home to heaven. 
       I do not ever expect wealth or fame from my efforts, nor do I want them.  My goal is to serve the Lord, to seize the opportunites he gives me to do good. 
       I do not expect to sell enough books to pay off the money borrowed to get it published.  If it happens it will be a blessing I certainly don't deserve.  I do want to get my other works published, but that is certainly in the Lord's hands. 
       It is my daily prayer that someone will be blessed through my writing ministry.

Blessed

     I am so blessed!  Several of my fellow Christian authors volunteerd to donate some of their books to a local Christian school where my son attends.  They have an annual auction to help defray the costs of tuition for the school.  I did not expect to get much more than a response or two and instead the offers have just been overwhelming.  The Lord is amazing in how he works amongst his people!  I don't know what He is up to, but I know it's good.  To God be the glory!l
      I am so privileged to be a part of what God is doing!  I give Him all the praise and glory.

Calamity

     In my book, C Through Marriage, I discuss the subject of calamity.  Calamity is the tragic times of life.  It can be natural disasters, physical, financial, emotional, mental, and even spiritual in nature.  Calamity is no respector of persons.  Sometimes it is personal in nature, and sometimes its not. 
      Every couple goes through times of calamity in their marriage.  I believe that marriage is a buffer zone for us when calamity strikes.  It is much easier to deal with it when you are connected with the heart of your soul mate. 
      For a deeper look at calamity and how marriage is affected by it, be sure to pick up your copy of C Through Marriage. 

Update

     I am going to write more about the two things that matter most to me in life, my faith and marriage.  Sometimes I will speak from my book or future books, and other times I will speak exclusively about things the Lord lays on my heart.  I will try to be more diligent in posting that I have been in the past.  Much of my time is spent marketing my book online, so I have to discipline myself to do this.  Please be patient with me.
      I post a daily devotion called Gems on my site at www.cthroughmarriage.com.  I would love to have you check it out and tell others about it.
      If you have read my book, C Through Marriage, I wouldbe very interested in what you think about it.  You can comment here or post a review online at Amazon books, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, etc.  I also tweet at 4248 on blogger dashboard.
      C Through Marriage is one of those books which should be in every church library and pastor's library.  It contains a lot of common sense advice from a Christian's perspective.  It is not the best book you will ever find on marriage, but it is a good one.