The Happy Hammock

The Jewel of Christian Literature: 4 Promising Christian Book Authors

Literature has a lot of branches. One of the biggest branches of literature is Christian literature. The said branch contains literary works that are fictional, nonfictional, devotional, and the likes. Most of the themes of Christian literature are about the omnipotent and merciful God, His words, and other things that are related to Him and Christianity. It also includes a very diverse writing style and a wide array of output.

Since the world is currently advancing, literature also gets along with it. There have been a lot of books, poems, narratives, and other works that emerge and conquering the world of literature. Christian literature also competes with the advancement. A lot of Christian books are reining the bestselling lists and have moved plenty of lives even up to this moment. Many authors of promising Christian books also exist. That said, here are five of the most notable Christian book authors that you should check out:

Stormie Omartian

Born in Spetember 16, 1942 on Nebraska, Stormie Omartian has become one of the most successful authors in the world. When Stormie turned 8 years old, she moved to Compton, California; but, before moving she grew up on a little ranch in the eastern part of Wyoming. In 1973, she married Michael Omartian, and now they already have three beautiful offspring. Stomie has more than 50 books and has sold over $28,000,000 copies all over the world. Her book titled The Power of a Praying Wife ranked first on the Christian Booksellers Association bestselling list for more than two years, which broke a 21-year-old record. Apart from being an author, she is also an actress and a singer.

Abraham Joseph Ajenifuja

Abraham Joseph Ajenifuja is not just a Christian book author but also a loving husband and father to his lovely wife and six kids. He was born in Jos, Nigeria and migrated to the United States during 1984. He attended the University of the District of Columbia and earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting. In the year 1990, successfully became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). As of the present, he is studying counselling in the Liberty University. Abraham is an earnest follower of Christ and has discovered his desire and devotedness to wellness. His passion encompasses the searching for the health of people’s body, spirit, and soul regardless of their culture, language, race, religion, social status, and other important aspects that make a person whole. Moreover, he is also an accomplished author. He is currently writing a series and has published the first book called The VIP Christian: God’s VIP (Vision, Intent and Purpose).

Elizabeth George

During November 11, 1944 in Granite, Oklahoma, author Elizabeth Ann George was born. She is the daughter of Richard Henry White and Ruth Harrison White. She attended College High School in Bartlesville, Oklahoma where she successfully graduated. Afterward, she took Bachelor of Science in Education in the University of Oklahoma and earned her degree in 1966. Elizabeth published her first book in 1994 and it was titled Loving God with All Your Mind. She also released another book titled A Woman After God’s Own Heart in 1997, which paved the way for her because it provided her with credibility. George has written more than 80 books and has sold more than 9 million copies all over the world. Her and her books also received multiple awards from different literary organizations. Examples of the said receptions are the 2002 Harvest House Gold Award, 2010 ECPA Young Adult Top 20, and 2004 Harvest House Platinum Award. Her books also remained on different bestseller lists for quite some time breaking records and selling copies.

T.D Jakes

T.D. Jakes or Thomas Dexter Jakes Sr. was born in South Charleston, West Virginia in June 09, 1957. He serves as the bishop of The Potter’s House, which is a huge church in America that is nondenominational. He stars in a broadcasting program called The Potter’s Touch. He is also a host and a filmmaker. He has created and produced a bunch of films from 1004 to 2018, examples of which are Woman Thou Art Loosed (2004), Heaven is for Real (2014), Winnie Mandela (2014), Faith Under Fire (2018). Jakes also won plenty of awards, such as the Best Gospel or Chorus Album from the 46^th Grammy Awards in 2003, Grammy nomination for the gospel album “Live at The Potter’s House,” and Dove Award nomination for the same gospel album. In the world of literature, he is a renowned author. George has written more than 30 literary works, including Intimacy with God, Promises From God For Single Women, Jesus Walks (with me), God’s Leading Lady, and more. He is truly a jewel in his chosen path and an inspiration a lot of people.

4 Reasons Why Returning to God is Crucial

The world is constantly revolving. As a result, change is also currently reigning. There have been a lot of changes that happened and are currently happening in the planet. The modernized world is also creating modern alterations and modifications that seem to be inevitable. Some may have embraced these changes with arms open wide while others may have accepted these new things without them knowing it. Belief, principles, and ways of living are some of the most important aspects in people’s life that have already been altered as time goes by.

The aforementioned factors are some of the significant things in a person’s life for they have different roles yet almost the same purpose — which is molding an individual’s character and persona. One of the pointed factors that have been hugely impacted by the constant change is belief. The term may refer to different things, such as the admission that a certain thing is real or existing or the credence or reliance into something or someone. Thus, faith in God is also under the win g of belief.

Because of the constant modification and progress that take place, the trust and faith in the Lord of some has become shaky and weaken over the years. People may be either aware or not about it, but the damage has been already done. The question is: is it already too late to return to God or not? The answer is not. It is not yet late to turn back and submit oneself to Him. In fact, here are the 4 reasons why it is important that everybody must find their way to God:

He will help your mend your pain

Everyone has experience or is experiencing different kinds of suffering. These pains can either make or break your lives. Sometimes the burdens can push you to the edge of the cliff whispering for you to jump but if you return to God, he will be the cushion that will take your fall or the miracle that will prevent you from jumping. The longer you suffer the bigger the pain becomes and that is what’s scary. It is because the more you are hurting, the more you long for mending. But with God, He will cure your all your worries, fears, and anxieties. All you need to do is to seek for Him and come to Him in any way that you can.

He will serve as your light

John 8:12 states, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of the life.” It means that if you start to follow Jesus and surrender everything in Him, you will never have to walk alone and in darkness ever again. Life is a complex thing to comprehend; some spend their lifetime figuring it out while others opt to live in the moment regardless of its ups and downs. That is why it is not impossible that while venturing through life, you can go astray or walk into a completely deceiving path. But if only you look for Him before you start your journey or seek for Him every stop over, He will bless you with His light so that you can reach the end safe and sound.

He will shower you with guidance

It is possible to conquer life on your own but it can be a little too challenging without guidance. There are a lot of lessons to learn and a bunch of things to comprehend. It is not as easy as eating your favorite food that has been serve in the table. There are methods to follow and steps to take slowly for you to be able to conquer life as it is. You have to start in a slow pace before you can get go and get used to the faster one. If you are lucky enough there will be no accidents waiting for you to happen but most of the times there are bumps that you will encounter. But with God, you little step is a blessing for He will bless you with His guidance. You can walk your way through life and learn all things that you need with a smile on your face knowing that He is guiding you all throughout the process.

He will open your eyes

There are plenty of deceiving and tempting things existing in the world. Most of the times they trick and trip people. A lot are blinded by these shiny on the outside but rotten on the inside things. The result of these deceptions may lead into greed, abuse of power, unfaithfulness, betrayal, and the likes. If people just try to go the other way and submit themselves to God, there will be no more evil, bad, and ugly things that will infiltrate their lives. God will open their eyes to see the truth of everything that everyone thought was real and beautiful. He will help them witness what is the true essence of reality, beauty, and goodness. He will also save them from all the fakeries and temptations in the world.

The Beauty of Christian Literature: 4 Inspiring Authors of Books about Faith and God

Christian literature is an important and rich portion of literature. It also has many sub-corners that showcase heartwarming and well-written masterpieces, just like literature in general. The said sub-corners are called non-fiction, fiction, allegory, and poetry. These little avenues display and offer different types of Christian literary works, such as novel, poetry, and more, that creates a great impact on the lives of the readers. Most of the themes of Christian literature are about God, faith, Christianity, and such.

Furthermore, each genre has different purposes and meaning. That is why these sub-avenues contain different products. As Christian literature progresses, its literary works also get along with its development. There are a lot of books that have been published with wondrous content that aim to inspire, touch, and move the readers. So, if you are into nonfiction, fiction, devotional, and other types of Christian literature, then you are on the right page! Listed below are the inspiring authors of Christian literature that you might want to check out.

Gregory Fetherson

Gregory Fetherson was born and grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. When he turned 17, he entered the United States Army but retired after sixteen years of service. Fetherson started devoting his life to God a year after his retirement. He reads the bible every day for more than 20 years, and has learned a lot of things not just by reading the word of God but also by surrendering his life to the Almighty Father. In March 1996, Gregory was blessed and authorized by the Almighty Father to be a Reverend while in 2008, he was ordained to be an Apostle and was directed to directly tell the truth and only the truth. After a couple of years, he came back to college and attended several classes — such as English and Speech, in order to harness both his communication and writing abilities. He began writing his debut book one or two years after he attended college and it was called Deep Within: The Wonderful World of God. His career in writing continued and he is currently writing a series consisting of twenty-one books.

Marianna Albritton

Marianna Albritton is a Christian book author. She studied in Junior College, which is located in Laurel, Mississippi, right after she graduated high school. Her college is not a regular college that offers only a 4-year degree; it also offers a two-year Bible Study program alongside the usual college degrees. That two-year program strongly influenced Albritton to surrender her life to the Lord and to continue studying and evaluating the Holy Scripture. A burning desire and passion to learn a lot about the Almighty Father has been living inside her up until now. Moreover, she also had experience teaching at her local church for a total of 5 years. She educated the young minds through the Sunday Class School program. Later on, another journey came to Marianna’s life where she became an editor of a church magazine. Her duties revolve around writing a piece monthly, editing outputs wrote by the staff of the church, and more. Furthermore, Marianna also started her writing career and has published an inspiring book called Come Climb Toward God: Are You Hungry for God?.

Leelia Cornell

Leelia Carolyn Cornell is born and raised in Marion, Indiana. Although she resided in Indiana all her life, it doesn’t mean that she has not been to any other places apart from it. Cornell, in fact, has travelled to fifty countries, five Canadian foresights, Yukon Territory, 4 out of 7 continents, and multiple mission journeys in Asia. She just fell in love with the act of spreading the Word of the Lord to everyone using their local languages and showing support to the believers of God in states where they are distressed and wronged. Moreover, Cornell is also a historian and has presented multiple musical historical activities pertaining to Lincoln. Leelia also loves writing. She already authored a book titled In the Shadow of God’s Love that was published last March of 2018 by Faith Publishing.

Philipp Wittig

Philipp Wittig is the author of the book Apostasy Can Lead a Nation to Self-destruct: Will America Find Its Ways and Return to God? that centers on how can the leading state in the optimistically answer to God’s plea and get back into His arms when there is an incoming destruction waiting to happen to it. Wittig has spent some time studying the Old Testament and has identified circumstances that directed the Lord to render His fair sentence against the old Israel. He also witnessed some happenings that are occurring in the US that was the same events in the Old Testament. As a result, a question was formed in his mind — which is according to Wittig, “Will these events also lead God to declare His righteous judgment against the United States?”

4 Best Christian Books That Will Help You Boost Your Faith

Faith and literature are two different things. The former is an abstract noun that refers to the strong trust in God or in the teachings of a particular religion in accordance with the spiritual perception rather than evidence. The latter, on the other hand, pertains to written and oral masterpieces that express the thoughts, emotions, and even experiences of the writer or his or her chosen subject.

Although these two are completely in contrast, there is one or a couple of things that bind them together, such as the will to write and the important matters to express through writing. Moreover, Christianity has already become a part of the literary world for literature has given birth to a genre referring and honoring Christianity, which is Christian literature. The product of Christian literature centers on God — such as his words, miracles, and greatness.

Furthermore, faith and literature is definitely one of the best combinations that ever existed for they are promoting not just reading but also being close to God. If you want to build, rebuild, or strengthen your faith, you can stop looking for other complicated ways now for all you need to do is read. Here are some of the best Christian books that might want to check out and delve in:

The Problem of Pain

The Problem of Pain is a Christian book written by renowned author C.S. Lewis. It was published by The Centenary Press in the year 1940. The book focuses on the question of the methods of appeasing the presence of evil and pain with an all-powerful, kind, and all-knowing God, also known as the problem of evil. The Problem of Pain also contains arguments raised by Lewis. These arguments include the human suffering, animal suffering, and hell are not enough reasons to dismiss the belief and trust in a mighty and good God. It also contains a summary about the problems of evils. Example of this summary is the statement that Lewis wrote, which is: If He is good then all creatures created by Him must be kept fully happy, and if He is powerful then He can do whatever He desire. However, the creations are unhappy. Hence, He either has insufficient kindness, powers, or both.

The Bible was not Written in English

Published by WingSpan Press last November 25, 2015, The Bilble was not Written in English by David Murdoch is a book that provides answers to different kinds of questions. It is a literary work full of simplicity and substance. Since it is written by a former counselor and pastor, it will definitely help the readers to realize that memorizing and citing verses from the Bible based on its English translations are is not enough. That said, the book centers on how the Holy Scripture will turn out to be a living thing to every reader. To get a better grasp on the full plan of the Lord, people must examine the original text of the Holy Scripture, such as the word of God based on the ancient Hebrew and Greek written manuscripts and more. Furthermore, this literary work is split into three parts in which each part tackles different aspects about the Bible and other things related into the word of God.

Radical

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream is a Christian book authored by Dr. David Platt. It was published last May 4, 2010 by Multnomah. The book revolves around the transformation and discipleship. Since the author is a pastor of a huge and rich congress, he started to witness the faults that lie between the authenticity of his church and the method Jesus stated on how His disciples lived. The author evaluates the ways American Christianity has controlled and managed the word of God in order to suit their preferences. Through Radical, the author is able to display the statement of Jesus pertaining to his followers and encourage you to believe and follow the things that you have listened.

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

Timothy J. Keller is a founding pastor of a church in New York City called the Redeemer Presbyterian. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism is a Christian apologetic book written by Keller. The book was published by Dutton in 2008. This literary work also has a DVD adaptation. Moreover, this book centers on the challenges and oppositions on the Christian faith. It also contains appeals on critical rationality at intermission as a way of saying debates and disputes for the Almighty Father and faith. It has a lot of citations, including J.L Mackie, Daniel Dennet, Sam Harris, and more. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism has been recognized by the World magazine, a renowned magazine, and Christianity Today, a popular periodical. In March 2008, the book managed to rank 7^th into the New York Times nonfictionbestseller list.

Understanding the Ups and Downs of Life: 4 Must-read Spiritual Books

There are many complexities in life for it is one of the biggest puzzles that people are trying to solve. Some may already have known every bits and pieces of it while others are still figuring it out. As a person grows, life also becomes harder. This means that the complex will become more complicated and the puzzle will become bigger. A lot of lemons and rocks will be thrown at every individual’s life that may either make or break them.

Although life can be a little too challenging, it does not mean that there are no other ways or means that will help everyone on how to overcome and conquer life. It is just a matter of preferences for there are many ways on how one can walk into the right path, overcome every obstacle, and develop oneself. Literature is amongst the best means to understand life and become a better person. In fact, the literary has a genre that promotes spiritual healing that can help everyone who’s struggling to figure out life. With that being said, here are some of the spiritual books that everyone must read:

The Apathetical Man

The Apathetical Man was recently published by Readersmagnet LLC last February 23, 2019. This spiritual book focuses on the humankind who obviously needs hope. This mentioned hope must be something bigger than what our government and essential workers can offer. It showcases the personal tale of the author about his downfalls in life and how he overcame those hardships — from being drown to alcohol and drugs into having recovered from these demons and straighten his path. However, the book do not only focuses on how he was almost beaten by the monsters that lives inside him but it also highlights how he was able to win one of the toughest battles that he faced and how he got his life and build his faith back. Mcleod’s ride through life is indeed a rocky one. He had attended rehab back and forth, was detained, went through depression, and had suicide thoughts. However, he did not give up and his yearning for God became stronger. That is when he started to turn his life around and start getting closer to God.

The Power of Now

Originally published by Namaste Publishing in 1997 and was republished in 1999 by New World Library, The Power of Now is a spiritual book authored by Eckhart Tolle. One of the purposes of this book is to become a handbook for daily living and highlights the significance of living in the moment and surpassing ideas of the past and future. The book is sending an important message to the readers — to everyone rather, that emotional struggles are deep-rooted in their identification with their brains. Tolle also stated that a person must be conscious of the current moment in his or her life rather than losing his or herself in troubles and anxieties about of his or her past or future. Moreover, the book also implies that the only moment that is real and existing is the present and that is what truly matters most instead of occupying oneself with the ideas of the recent and upcoming happenings in his or her life.

Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book 1

Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue is the first book of the CwG series written by Neale Donald Walsch. The first edition of this 1^st book was published last October 29, 1996 by the G. P. Putnam’s Sons. It was written in the form of conversation where the author is asking multiple questions to God. Since it was in the form of dialogue, the author also received the answers of his questions. It was first published in 1995 and suddenly turned out to be a publishing sensation. The book conquered The New York Times bestseller list for more than 30 months. It also features the author’s roller coaster ride — form being a homeless and jobless man into an unexpected spiritual messenger. Because of the book’s greatness, it was adapted into film in the year 2006 with the same title and was converted into an audiobook narrated by Ed Asner. Also, it has changed moved millions of people and has changed their lives for over a decade.

You Can Heal Your Life

This second book of Louise L. Hay that belongs to the self-help and spirituality categories was published Hay House last January 1, 1984. It was preceded by Heal Your Body and was followed by A Garden of Thoughts: My Affirmation Journal. This book was written by Hay when she is already in her sixties. Moreover, it got on the bestseller list of The New York Times and has sold more than 35 million copies all across the globe in the year 2008. The core postulate of this literary work is that diseases of the body have, some way, sprouted from the spiritual and emotional factors of the brain and its ideas and how it processes them because of the bond of one’s mind and body. It was adapted into a documentary last 2007 with the same title as the book.

The Wonders of Children’s Literature Featuring Author Janet H. Councilman

Are the perceptions and beliefs of a child are influenced by his or her reading? In the same way, one might ask, can the character of a child be shaped by careful selection of the books that he is reading? Educators have been concerned with these issues since the end of the First World War, when it became apparent that there was a need for interracial, international and interreligious understanding to prevent future wars. It goes without saying that, in our own time, the questions are just as challenging, and probably more so. Never before have there been so many books of high quality for children dealing with varied races, nationalities, and religions, having as their theme the importance of sympathy, kindness, and understanding between people all over the world.

On your average, modern day pre-reader’s bookshelf, one may find storybooks that introduce kids to mystical realms with amazing heroes, to exotic lands with unusual creatures and traditions, or hold them near to home with stories of playground bullies or dentist visits. For comparison, factual books on outer space, marine animals, or pre-historic dinosaurs can also be included. In a variety of their characteristics, these books that vary from each other including their type, the inclusion of wonderful elements, pictorial realism, and the usage of realistic words. Children are expected to learn and adapt the facts, principles, and values into everyday life.

Renown children’s book author Janet H. Councilman is well versed in the art of colorfully adventurous storytelling for young readers.

This retiree and previous writer of numerous children’s books has completed her new book, “Sammie the Shark and the Return of the Lost Gift”: a lovely fable that shares the adventures of Sammie the Shark. Sammy finds a very special lost gift– he sees a reflective object on the seafloor that is a unique present for a special someone. He and his friends live in the colorful Coral Bay. He finds a treasure, which he is not sure at first what this reflective object could be. It all turns out to be a very special gift for a special someone he loves very much.

“My name is Janet H. Councilman and I am from Burlington, N.C. I graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design. My love of art and the beach is why I wrote Sammie the Shark and the Return of the Lost Gift. I was influenced by the guidance counselor at the elementary school I worked. The autistic students love me reading to them when I mainstreamed them into the first grade. I have been drawing portraits of people, children and pets since 2000. I also design and make cards,” Janet tells us.

Photo from: https://www.janetcouncilmanbooks.com/

Published by Covenant Books of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, Janet H. Councilman’s vividly immersive and child-friendly new book shares admirable virtues of thoughtfulness, fellowship, and helpfulness for children to learn from and internalize. This book also imparts an appreciation for the beauty of Mother Nature through the wonders of animals in their natural habitat.

Another one of her successful children’s books is titled “Rocky Raccoon and His Raiders vs. the Prowlers”. Parents and kids alike love sports, and it’s easy to get caught up in a game and become focused on winning. Yet there is much more to be gained from the sports experience than a winning record. When children and teens are involved in sports, they are able to learn and put into practice values that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Good sportsmanship is one of the life lessons that children can learn from sports.

In this exciting tale, Rocky and his team of Raiders are playing their last basketball game of the spring season against the Prowlers. This story deals with the character trait ‘Fairness’. Even though the Prowlers are bigger than the Raiders, the Raiders coach instills in his players, playing by the rules and playing fair. A good lesson is learned during the game, which is intended to teach young children about the value of good sportsmanship and playing fair.

Janet Harden Councilman grew up in Graham, North Carolina. She and her husband, R.F., are now living in Burlington, N.C. She attended and graduated from Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. When she is not writing, she is busy drawing detailed portraits from a photograph of children, adults and pets.

5 Reasons Why Healing is a Necessity

The method of reshaping the health of an individual that have had an unhealthy, ill, injured, inactive well-being — this is the common definition of healing. The outcome of this process can be to mend the broken or solve the health struggle of a particular person. If not cured, one can continue living his or her life while carrying the consequences of it. Moreover, healing do not only pertain to one’s physically health for the scope of it includes his or her overall health, such as mental, spiritual, emotional, environmental, and social.

In the branch of psychology, on the other hand, healing pertains to the process that gives solution to neuroses and psychoses at the extent of which the person becomes capable to live a normal life or fulfill his or her goals without being vanquished by any psychopathological events. With that being said, a person that needs healing can opt to go for psychotherapy, medical treatment, or traditional healing process. He or she may also choose to conduct any recreational activity that will help him or her refreshed.

There are various benefits that one can receive, such as transformation. That said, healing and transformation are definitely directly proportional to each other. There are also plenty of reasons why healing is necessary to every person, if you want to know why, check out the listed reasons below:

It transforms you into the best version of yourself

Transformation, as what has been mentioned above, is one of the perks of healing. However, it can also be a reason as to why it is important to be cured as early as now. A person that is continuing his or her life without having the chance to be healed will never discover how much greatness he or she have within. That is why it is important for you to be cured from all the things that are giving issues to your health so that you can uncover your full capabilities. There are a lot of things that you are yet to discover, so start the quest by uncovering your full potential, abilities, and skills. That is why healing is a need.

It makes you live a happier life

It seems that there have been plenty of difficulties and ugliness that life tries to give to people. These hardships are amongst the reasons why everybody is following a bumpy path. Some stumbles on their way but others found a way to skip through these bumps. The said obstacles can hurt any component of one’s health. For example, you are trying your best to work things out with your partner but you end up breaking up. This hard situation can make you too sad that it starts to affect your mental health. Thus, there are really things that would hinder your achievement of a happy life. This is where healing is needed for it will soothe and mend all the broken things in your life, making you live a happier and healthier one. Having not to worry about anything in your life is definitely one of the best things that a person can experience.

It helps unload your burdens

Nobody knows the amount of burdens and baggage ever person is carrying except for his or herself. These struggles will gradually get into your skin and suddenly turn your life upside down. The more problems you carry the bigger the possibility of you breaking down because everything has its limit. However, if healing comes into the picture, these hardships will slowly disappear and will be exchanged with happiness. The heavy weight that you carry in your heart will become lighter and lighter until the day that your heart will become burden-free. This can be done if you would try to do some recreational and therapeutic activities that promotes both curing and transformation.

It clears your mind

Every now and then, there are things that would bother your mind for different reasons. These tiny thoughts will slowly turn into a big cloud of loneliness and would constantly fog your mind. This may lead into poor decision-making, overthinking, lack of sleep, and constant worrying. Thus, it is evident that these ideas are starting to make your life harder than it already is. In order for you to conquer this situation, you must allocate your attention and effort to healing. If you are already done restoring your health, then that is the time when you can free your mind from the monsters that are consuming it.

It changes your perspectives

Every person has different views and principles on life. These perspectives can shift at any time and at any situation. For instance, you think that the world is constantly throwing rocks at you that is why you are not living happily. These pessimistic mindset will begin to eat you up resulting to an unhealthy mental, social, spiritual, and emotional health. The more time you allocate for negative thinking, the more chance you are giving to these thoughts to devour your happiness. However, if you ignore them and direct your attention into the activities that will remove the stress and toxic in your life, you will start to become healthy and happy again. Also, you will see the other side of life that you missed looking for a very long time.

Five Tips on How to Write an Inspiring Christian Book

There are many books in literature that are products of the authors’ strong faith and love of God. These novels belong to the Christian or religious book section and either belong in fiction or non-fiction category. The content of these works varies for some talks about their personal relationship with the Father Almighty while others used the word of God in order to touch the lives of others. Regardless of the themes and genres of these literary masterpieces, they all meet at one common ground — which is to let everyone know about the greatness and power of the Lord.

Writing this type of novel can be a tough work for it demands one’s effort, time, and sincerity. Fiction or non-fiction, the writer must put his or her effort into making this masterpiece a perfect representation of the works and glory of the Lord. Examples of the prominent Christian book writers of today are Marianna Albritton with her book Come Climb Toward God: Are you hungry for God?, Leelia Carolyn Cornell author of In the Shadow of God’s Love, C.S. Lewis writer of Mere Christianity, and J.I. Packer with his book Knowing God. Thus, if you are one of those individuals who aspire to write a touching Christian book, listed below are some essential tips to help you produce a fine and inspiring piece:

Pick a Genre

Genre refers to the category you want your book to be classified to, this is important for it will help the readers locate your book from the millions of Christian books produced all over the world. It will help you, as a writer, to follow a straight path and know what kind of literature you are going to produce. Also, it will also make sure that all composition of your piece — from the content to the writing style, will be perfect inside out. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, fantasy, adventure, memoir, and autobiography are some examples of literary genres that you might want to choose from. Ensure that you are familiar or have studied the elements or components of your selected category before you begin the writing phase. It is to make sure that your work will be relevant and appropriate.

Write Genuinely

Honor the Lord by writing your story with utmost sincerity and genuineness. Make sure that all the details in your piece are thoroughly studied and screened. Strong reference are needed, especially if it is non-fiction, in order for your readers to feel the emotions that you want them to feel. It is also significant that you write all parts of your book by heart for it is the message and emotions that people feel inspired and moved; thus, creating a big impact and life-changing event in the readers’ lives. Readers will also see through the realness you and your work. Thus, they will not doubt your words, experiences, and teachings but believe and learn from them instead.

Add other Elements

There are many additional elements that you can mix to your work to make it more engaging. Figures of speech for aesthetics, foreshadowing to build tension, in media res for a fresh type of narrative, or flashbacks for a more comprehensible story — these are just some examples of the various literary devices that you can utilize. Thus, this is where your writing style will be tested for you have to either stick with it or add some twist for the benefit of you book. The most important thing is that readers will still recognize your words and will still be captivated with your story.

Include Testimonies if Possible

Adding testimonials in your work can help to make it more believable and moving, like how the Bible contain the testimonies of the greatness of the Lord. The readers will begin to realize, especially if your work is non-fiction, that both struggles and miracles are being experienced by others and can happen in real life. These statements from the Holy Scripture, fellow men, and yourself can help strengthen your claims and the effectiveness of your work; therefore, helping your readers improve their faith to the Almighty Father and break free from worries and temptations.

Do not Drag the Ending

Always remember that a good story is composed of a good plot. If you want to make the readers in awe of your work and make them thirst for more, ensure that the components of your plot is complete regardless if you are following the traditional structure or not. Do not get excited to put an end to your work because it might result to a dragging or forced ending, which will disappoint the readers. Create a better and more refine conclusion instead, the ones that can leave a mark on people’s hearts and inspire them to be a better disciple of God.

Seeking God in Every Moment: 5 Ways on How to Get Closer to God

God — the Almighty Father that cannot be seen but has showered plenty of miracles and blessings to His people called the Christians. The primary weapon that His disciples have is faith, which is the belief that there is a God who is merciful and loving. However, there are a lot of people who have come astray from their paths for different reasons. The said temptations can include but are not limited to sadness, problems, peer pressure, addiction, and more.

Regardless of how many disciples of the Lord that took the wrong path because of temptations, He already ensures that everyone will come back to Him in time. According to Jeremiah 29:13-14, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.[a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

From the time that Christianity has emerged until today, there are countless of Christians that are still struggling to straighten their paths and find their ways back to the Lord. Some, on the other hand, are looking for methods to strengthen their faith and keep themselves away from temptations. Either way, seeking for God’s guidance and mercy will always come to their lives in times that they least expected it. Thus, listed below are five simple methods that one can do in order to get back to his feet and get closer to the Almighty Father.

Begin and end your day with a prayer

Prayer is one of best weapons against all evils. The power of prayer is nothing compared to the strength of every temptations that may come your way. It is important to kneel and pray the moment you open your eyes in the morning and the time you close your eyes at night. It is because you can thank the Lord for the gift of life and protection every day that you wake up and sleep. You can also sincerely apologize for the things that you need to say sorry for, as well as send to Him your personal intentions. This will make you more confident and courageous to deal with the days ahead of you.

Submit your worries and fears to Him

Dealing with your own problems can become a little too stressful. A person with too much issues on his or her plate has a tendency to make wrong decisions or think of irrational solutions. Thus, this is when seeking for His wisdom and trusting His ways comes into view. Surrendering all your problems, fears, and concerns to God will gradually unload the burden in your heart and clear the fog in your mind. Believing that everything will come into place in time because He is in control is the best way to face these challenges in your way and go on with your day.

Read a verse or two from the Holy Scripture

The Lord is powerful and mighty even if He is not physically present for His greatness is being felt and sent to His every disciple in different parts of the world. Aside from His existence and abilities, His words are also good agents of healing. People who need peace of mind and spiritual development may open their Bibles or attend masses so that they can achieve the tranquility that they need for their souls. The Holy Scriptures are not just words for their impact to the lives of Christians are far greater than what is expected. However, in today’s time where technology is makes everything convenient, you may download various Bible applications in your phone in order for you to read the word of God daily and without hassle.

Pick-up some Christian books along the way

There are plenty of Christian books that promote both healing and learning. Some of these books are written based on the author’s experience while others are more objective. Examples of well-written Christian books that you may consume in your journey are the In the Shadow of God’s Love by Leelia Carolyn Cornell, The Bible Was Not Written in English by David Murdoch, Come Climb Toward God: Are You Hungry for God? by Marianna Albritton, and more. Literature truly has a way on bringing people to be closer to God for they serve as a constant reminder that God is present and has moved lives of many.

Have faith in the Lord

The most important thing in your quest of being closer to God is to have faith in Him. Your faith will be challenged all the time by a bunch of temptations and evils that surround you. However, if you believe in God and you trust His ways, then all the struggles that you are dealing will slowly vanish for He is mighty and merciful. Believe in Him and all you worries will disappear. Also, He will give you the answers to your prayers, as well as grant the wishes that you have been longing to receive for so long, in the right time.

Four Caregiving Tips Every Aspiring Caregiver Should Know

Caregiving is not an easy job for it requires time, effort, and attention. The complexity of caregiving lies behind the idea that the caregiver should sacrifice his or her personal time in order to provide enough care to the one that badly needs it. Everyone can be a caregiver but not all can survive it for it requires a lot. Also, there are no established rules in caregiving. One must be physically and mentally prepared before everything else because this is one tough job.

Caregivers can be hired or not, depending on the decision of the patient’s family if they will be hiring a caregiver form renowned caregiving agency or if one member of the family would volunteer. Regardless if the caregiver is hired or not, given the nature of the job, one should not have a faint heart. Thus, the art of caregiving is definitely intricate and not for everyone. The most beautiful thing about this job, however, is the bond that it creates between the caregiver and the patient.

For those who are about to or are currently taking the caregiving path, here are some substantial tips that can help you get through your caregiving journey:

Extend your patience

Dealing with an aging, disabled, or ill person can be a little too exhausting. The two of you can get into a lot of argument and misunderstanding for you have different beliefs, principles, mindsets, and way of life. Also, the age gap between you two can also be a trigger. The patient already had his or her life figured out while you are still have the rest of your life to figure out. This is where it gets too dreary. In order to carry on with your job, you should extend your patience and deepen your understanding. That is the only way for you to be able to fully take care of your patient without bearing a heavy heart or developing a hate towards the person that you are attending.

Work with love, compassion, and respect

Love, compassion, and respect — these are three values which you can earn if you learn to give. Taking care of someone that no longer has the capacity to look out for his or himself due to health issues or natural aging is difficult, especially for those who does not have a solid experience in caregiving. The job can become a burden and can come to the point that you cannot take care of your own self because of being too focus on work. However, if you mix an ounce of love, compassion, and respect in your work, these burdens, tiredness, and other issues will slowly vanish. A lot of realizations and pros will appear in return, such as understanding the condition and needs of the patient will come into view, generating more courage to continue the work that has been started will spark to your mind, and creating a little space in your heart for the one you are nurturing will happen all of a sudden.

Give them a little ounce of freedom

Freedom is not something that is earned nor bought, it is automatically given to people from their moment they went out from their mothers’ wombs. It is a person’s right, technically speaking. That is why in caregiving, you should not put too much pressure and tighten your grip on your patient in order for them to enjoy the little things in life or the things that they want to do while they still can. Your duty is to ensure their safety and focus on their well-being; thus, do not exert too much effort in denying them the things that they want if those are still possible to make. Let them be who they are and do the activities that they want for they have the right of doing it. It is comprehensible if both of you can get into little arguments for one party do not permit the request of the other. However, take some time to understand the situation of the patient, as well as the pros and cons of his or her request, before you decide for the betterment of both parties.

Do not be so hard on yourself

There are many ways to provide care for someone. These methods can be the simple ones, like constantly allocating your time and attention, or the demanding ones, like feeding or bathing him or her. Furthermore, it has been already stated that caregiving is an intricate art. For starters, it could get into your skin while for tenured, it can be as easy as one-two-three. The intricacy of caregiving can become too much to handle, but with the right measures and stress relievers the difficulties can be overcome in no time. Thus, as a caregiver, do not put too much pressure on yourself. Also, avoid getting drowned to the thoughts of having to give proper care to someone based from the fundamentals of caregiving. There are no right or wrong in nurturing people for it only needs three things — which is love, effort, and attention, and the rest will naturally come fall into place. That said, take a moment to learn more about caregiving by reading books about the subject. There are various caregiving books you can find in the avenue of literature, example is One Caregiver’s Journey by Eleanor Gaccetta. You can also relax and breathe in order to let all the negative energies that are bothering your mind.