Closer, the book Closer: Spiritual Reflections for Writers and Thinkers helps people of faith grow closer to God through the acts of writing and thinking, so that they can live full, authentic lives as the person who they are made to be.Purchase your signed copy here. The process all started more than ten years before the book was released into the wild.Listen to pre-launch day reflections here. I had graduated from college during a recession. I’d started my university education at a time when organizations simply wanted their employees to have a degree in something and I ended with a degree when organizations preferred their new employees to start with at least five years of professional, working experience in the field they were hiring. So. I sat at home in my pajamas applying for teaching jobs every day of the summer. I worked for a family member, too, so at least I had a summer income. While I worked I had a lot of time to think about fun things, like actually becoming the writer I dreamed of being. Like actually writing a book. Like continuing to write regularly as I’d been doing while I was a student. (By the way…I also have signed copied of Closer: Companion Journal for Writers & Thinkers available to purchase here.) My summer job with family was an assembly line and I was quicker than the machine (yay, me!) and this meant I could write my thoughts and book ideas in a notebook between assembly. Thankfully my boss was a supportive family member (because I got the work done efficiently and quickly — my writing along the way didn’t slow me down). When 4:30pm hit, I’d clock out and hop into my car, clutching my notes from the day. I’d charge through the door of my mom’s house, still wearing my greasy clothes from the machine shop and I’d plop down at the dining room table with my notebook. I’d spend the next 30 to 60 minutes furiously scribbling all of the thoughts I’d had about the notes I’d jotted that day. Grab your signed copy of Closer: Spiritual Reflections for Writers & Thinkers here.. . . . . . . By the way…I also have signed copied of Closer: Companion Journal for Writers & Thinkers available to purchase here. Now you can get your words out from brain to page and into the hands of readers who will devour them, too. I wanted everything that had been swirling around all day to get on the page. And, I was curious about what might come out. I had a practice of capturing ideas all day in a scrap of notebook paper. I had a practice of expanding the ideas every day when I got home from work. I had a practice of showing up every day as the writer I wanted to be. Listen to pre-launch day reflections here. This practice meant that I was available daily for the muse to come and inspire me. In this book’s case, my muse was the Holy Spirit. And, I developed a practice of listening for the Holy Spirit, noticing where God is in my daily life, and looking for what I could learn from God to get closer to Him. đź“šYou can find a signed copy of my book Closer: Spiritual Reflections for Writers & Thinkers here. (By the way…I also have signed copied of Closer: Companion Journal for Writers & Thinkers available to purchase here.) đź“šYou can find my book on pretty much wherever books are sold. If you enjoy reading my book, please leave an honest review on Amazon: 📚You can order the Kindle or print version on Amazon. The print version is available at the following (& more!) locations, regionally: 🇺🇸US readers order print copies here. 🇦🇺Australian readers order print copies here. 🇬🇧UK readers order print copies here. Closer is a collection of essays about every day events where I experienced the presence of God and learned to grow closer in my relationship with Him. The format is simple:a) Here’s my story.b) Here’s how you and I, dear reader, are in it together.c) Here are some questions to think about where you might notice God.d) Here’s a prompt for you to write YOUR story. e) Read. Write. Think. Repeat. Intrigued? Sign up here to get all of the details about this book and how you can get your hands on it. đź“šYou can find my book on Amazon or wherever books are sold. If you enjoy reading my book, please leave an honest review on Amazon: đź“šYou can order the Kindle or print version on Amazon. The print version is available at the following (& more!) locations, regionally: 🇺🇸US readers order print copies here. 🇦🇺Australian readers order print copies here. 🇬🇧UK readers order print copies here. Listen to pre-launch day reflections here.
Would you rather day dream or take action? On Dreaming Most of my life, day and night, I have spent dreaming. One time when I was on a school trip, driving through Paris I saw a nude statue of a man sitting pensively with elbow on knee, chin on fist. Often I fancy myself to be quite the intellectual ponderer like him—sat in contemplative silence, continually wondering, watching the world go by and processing it all. The thing with this possibly brilliant man is that he only watches the world go by—I mean, he’s a statue, so I’m pretty sure his eyes don’t really work, but stick with me. He only watches. He doesn’t do anything. He has bicycles leant against his naked body and is pooped on by the over-flying bird. Deep in thought. So focused. I admire his continued thinking. So passive, he does nothing in response. But here’s my trouble with him: he is unmoved. He is undisturbed by the life passing him by. How often have you found yourself being unmoved by your surroundings? Simply daydreaming like me? Are you living a passive life? Photo by Pixabay from Pexels As much as I love a good day dreaming session, I don’t want to stay stuck in my thoughts. I don’t want to be passive, or even passive-aggressively grumbling with irritation toward others, while unwilling to first change my own behavior, simply thinking about changing. First, I want to allow God to transform my heart, so my behaviour can change. If I’m going to spend my life thinking about the world around me, and dreaming about how it could be, I’d like to actually do something about it—not just think. However scary it is to make the first move, I want to actually do something, to stand upright to face the world, to wake it up with ripples of action! I want to share my story of what God’s done in my life and I want to point people to Jesus. Afterall, when Jesus sent us out on the Great Commission, he called us to action. He didn’t call us to think about taking action. Sticky Verse: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 A Few Moments for Reflection: Photo by olia danilevich from Pexels What consumes your thoughts, what do you dream about? Ask God, is this from him? And does it please him for you to think about it? What would you like to do? Ask God to show you the hopes and dreams in your heart. How would you like to respond or take action? Sit with God for a moment and ask, “What is one step I could take today?” One for this week? One for this month? One for this year? Actually Prayer: LORD, you have put it on my heart to care about certain things and this is good. Show me practical ways that I can actually do something, to point people to you and to do something that means I can have an impact to glorify your name in this world today right where I am. Help me to be bold and stand up for your name, for justice, for love, for truth, for life. LORD, put people in my life who are like-minded so that we can encourage each other to stand up and move as you call us to do. Thank you that you hear my prayer. In Jesus’ name. AMEN. Leave me a comment. What is God stirring up in your heart and thoughts today? What might be preventing you from taking action?