CrossRiver Media

benefit package

2011-12-27T10:59:00.001-06:00

We are excited about a new project here at CrossRiver Media Group! We are compiling a devotional based upon God’s benefits listed in Psalm 103. Set for release in Summer 2012, the devotions will remind believers of our Heavenly Father’s promises and faithfulness. We’d love to have you join us! As a contributor you would receive a contributor credit along with one free copy of the book. You would also be eligible to order additional copies at a significantly discounted rate.

Please don’t keep this news to yourself. If you know other writers who may be interested in joining this project, please forward this email. And if you have any questions, let me know.

GOD'S BENEFIT PACKAGE

Based on Psalm 103, God’s BenefitPackage devotions remind readers of all the amazing things our Heavenly Father does for his people - from his compassion and mercy to his unfailing love and healing power.

We are looking for first-person, true stories of times in your life when God has proved faithful to his divine nature as described in Psalm 103 - whether it be forgiveness, healing, compassion, patience, or any of the other ‘benefits’ listed in the chapter.

Benefit Package is a compilation project contracted with CrossRiver Publishing and has a tentative release date in early Summer 2012.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Deadline for submissions is February 17, 2012.
Devotions must include a verse (other than Ps. 103) along with the true story, practical application commentary and suggested prayer topic. Please indicate which benefit (including verse) in Psalm 103 you feel your story most closely fits.
Please include a brief bio to be included with the devotional.
Word count should be between 500 and 1000 words.
Topics include but are not limited to God’s forgiveness, healing, life-saving power, justice, compassion, mercy, patience and father-like nature. (Please see list of benefits in Ps. 103.
You may submit original or reprinted work, however if it is a reprint, please tell us where it was published and assure us you own the reprint rights.
We will edit selected stories for clarity, consistency and style. We will not change factual information. If you are unwilling to allow edits, please do not submit.
If your story is selected, we will notify you by email by February or March 2012.
Contributors will receive a contributor credit along with one free copy of Benefit Package (working title). Author will also be able to order additional copies at a significantly discounted rate.
Please send submissions to submissions@crossrivermedia.com.

wednesday's call

2011-11-30T08:00:00.032-06:00

Looking for more writing opportunities? So are we! Every week we scour the internet, searching for posts that will help you expand your writing footprint. Then on Wednesday, we share some of what we've stumbled upon. Here's what we found this week.

MIRACLES AND MOMENTS OF GRACE

Nancy B. Kennedy

Author Nancy B. Kennedy is looking for stories told by mothers about motherhood for the third book in her "Miracles and Moments of Grace" series, to be published by Leafwood Publishers. The stories can be inspiring, thoughtful, heart-breaking or even funny. Stories with messages of faith are welcome. For more information, contact Nancy at kennedy5961@aol.com.

REAL PEOPLE, REAL STORIES

Ashley Fumia

They are looking for stories from people that have been affected by abortion. It could be from women that have had one themselves, the father, grandparents, friends...anyone. Contributors are encouraged to talk about how God has restored, redeemed and freed them from the trauma of abortion. The book will be written in a non-condemning way, instead full of grace and love.

Please email submissions to: speakup3189@yahoo.com

COMFORTING STORIES

Candace Pope

Author Candace Pope is accepting submissions for a compilation of true stories from people who have been blessed and comforted by God through animals and nature, especially after loss (death of a loved one, divorce, health, earthly possessions).

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Story length 900 to 1500 words.
First-person narrative.
If your story is selected, you will receive a free book upon publication.
If your story is of a sensitive nature, such as related to divorce or financial loss, and you wish to remain anonymous, we can discuss that option as well as the changing of names.
Author Candace Pope will edit every story for consistency and style, but will not change factual information. You must be willing to allow edits.
The stories should be more unusual than simply how our pets provide companionship and comfort (although they certainly do). For example, one story is about a red-tailed hawk that paid several visits to a mom who had lost her 31-year-old son. That particular kind of bird was his favorite, and she sensed God assuring her that her son was with Him and doing fine.
While no specific deadline has been set, Ms. Pope suggests submissions be sent by mid January.

Please send submissions and any questions to cpope2@sc.rr.com.

GOD'S BENEFIT PACKAGE

CrossRiver Media Group

Deadline for submissions is December 30, 2011.
Devotions must include a verse (other than Ps. 103) along with the true story, practical application commentary and suggested prayer topic. Please indicate which benefit (including verse) in Psalm 103 you feel your story most closely fits.
Please include a brief bio to be included with the devotional.
Word count should be between 500 and 1000 words.
Topics include but are not limited to God’s forgiveness, healing, life-saving power, justice, compassion, mercy, patience and father-like nature. (Please see list of benefits in Ps. 103.
You may submit original or reprinted work, however if it is a reprint, please tell us where it was published and assure us you own the reprint rights.
We will edit selected stories for clarity, consistency and style. We will not change factual information. If you are unwilling to allow edits, please do not submit.
If your story is selected, we will notify you by email by February or March 2012.
Contributors will receive a contributor credit along with one free copy of Benefit Package (working title). Author will also be able to order additional copies at a significantly discounted rate.

Please send submissions to submissions@crossrivermedia.com.

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To have a call for submission item considered for publication on CrossRiver's 'Wednesday's Call,' please submit to submissions@crossrivermedia.com with the information at least a week in advance. The submission will need to include a description of the opportunity, submission guidelines, deadlines and contact information.

wednesday's call

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

COMFORTING STORIES

Candace Pope

Story length 900 to 1500 words.
First-person narrative.
If your story is selected, you will receive a free book upon publication.
If your story is of a sensitive nature, such as related to divorce or financial loss, and you wish to remain anonymous, we can discuss that option as well as the changing of names.
Author Candace Pope will edit every story for consistency and style, but will not change factual information. You must be willing to allow edits.
The stories should be more unusual than simply how our pets provide companionship and comfort (although they certainly do). For example, one story is about a red-tailed hawk that paid several visits to a mom who had lost her 31-year-old son. That particular kind of bird was his favorite, and she sensed God assuring her that her son was with Him and doing fine.
While no specific deadline has been set, Ms. Pope suggests submissions be sent by mid January.

Please send submissions and any questions to cpope2@sc.rr.com.

GOD'S BENEFIT PACKAGE

Deadline for submissions is December 30, 2011.
Devotions must include a verse (other than Ps. 103) along with the true story, practical application commentary and suggested prayer topic. Please indicate which benefit (including verse) in Psalm 103 you feel your story most closely fits.
Please include a brief bio to be included with the devotional.
Word count should be between 500 and 1000 words.
Topics include but are not limited to God’s forgiveness, healing, life-saving power, justice, compassion, mercy, patience and father-like nature. (Please see list of benefits in Ps. 103.
You may submit original or reprinted work, however if it is a reprint, please tell us where it was published and assure us you own the reprint rights.
We will edit selected stories for clarity, consistency and style. We will not change factual information. If you are unwilling to allow edits, please do not submit.
If your story is selected, we will notify you by email by February or March 2012.
Contributors will receive a contributor credit along with one free copy of Benefit Package (working title). Author will also be able to order additional copies at a significantly discounted rate.

Please send submissions to submissions@crossrivermedia.com.

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL

Chicken Soup has several calls out for stories. Check out their list of subjects HERE.

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To have a call for submission item considered for publication on CrossRiver's 'Wednesday's Call,' please submit to submissions@crossrivermedia.com with the information at least a week in advance. The submission will need to include a description of the opportunity, submission guidelines, deadlines and contact information.

Time Saver

2011-10-31T08:00:00.001-05:00

We're all looking for ways to cram more hours into our day. While Henry's tip may not give you more hours, it will certainly help you become more organized and FEEL like you have more time in your day.

Give it a try...and let us know how it worked for you?

the call

2011-10-24T08:00:00.004-05:00

Looking for more writing opportunities? So are we! Every week we scour the internet, searching for posts that will help us expand your writing footprint. Then we share some of what we've stumbled upon. Here are a couple of this week's more interesting discoveries.

GOD'S BENEFIT PACKAGE

Tamara Clymer

We are looking for first-person, true stories of times in your life when God has proved faithful to his divine nature as described in Psalm 103 - whether it be forgiveness, healing, compassion, patience, or any of the other ‘benefits’ listed in the chapter.

Benefit Package is a compilation project contracted with CrossRiver Publishing and has a tentative release date in early Summer 2012.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Deadline for submissions is December 23, 2011.
Devotions must include a verse (other than Ps. 103) along with the true story, practical application commentary and suggested prayer topic. Please indicate which benefit (including verse) in Psalm 103 you feel your story most closely fits.
Please include a brief bio to be included with the devotional.
Word count should be between 500 and 1000 words.
Topics include but are not limited to God’s forgiveness, healing, life-saving power, justice, compassion, mercy, patience and father-like nature. (Please see list of benefits in Ps. 103.
You may submit original or reprinted work, however if it is a reprint, please tell us where it was published and assure us you own the reprint rights.
We will edit selected stories for clarity, consistency and style. We will not change factual information. If you are unwilling to allow edits, please do not submit.
If your story is selected, we will notify you by email by February or March 2012.
Contributors will receive a contributor credit along with one free copy of Benefit Package (working title). Author will also be able to order additional copies at a significantly discounted rate.
Please send submissions to submissions@crossrivermedia.com.

GOD MAKES LEMONADE

Don Jacobson

Don Jacobson is on a mission to collect "lemonade" stories, a play on the old saying "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade" -- or, as Don puts it, "Lemonade happens!" By his definition, lemonade stories are real-life stories about when life takes a sour twist but is followed with a sweet surprise.

This project was born out of his realization that everyone has a lemonade story. Some are more dramatic than others, but each has the power to transform lives. You can visit www.GodMakesLemonade.com to submit your account of a difficult circumstance and the lemonade that came from it. While the first issue of "God Makes Lemonade(tm)" is due for release September 2011, Jacobson is still gathering stories with plans to publish more books.

According to their website the process is...

Submit your lemonade story.
Our team will decide if we can use your story, and we'll let you know by email.
If we can use it, we'll determine the right place for it in the series and then send you a contract that gives us permission to share your lemonade story with others.
When you sign the contract, we'll send you $50 and then prepare your story according to our lemonade recipe. When it's finished, we'll send you a copy for final review.
When you approve the story for publication, we'll send you a check for $200.
When the book is published, you'll receive ten free copies so that you can share your lemonade story with whoever needs it.

For more information see their website at www.godmakeslemonade.com, facebook.com/godmakeslemonade or twitter.com/lemonadehappens.

HEAVENLY COMPANY
Cecil Murphey and Twila Belk

Heavenly Company: Entertaining Angels and Other Strangers is a book project contracted with Summerside/Guideposts for an August 2012 release. They want true stories of angelic appearances that resulted in changed lives.

Do you have an angel story to tell but can't write it yourself? Email them with the details. If they believe your story has potential for this book, they will contact you for more information and will write the story for you. They will edit every selected story for consistency and style but will not change factual information. If you are unwilling to allow edits, please do not submit.

Submission Guidelines:

Deadline for stories is November 12, 2011.

All entries must be double-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman, ragged right margin, in a Word document.

Story length should be 900 to 1,400 words. We will not consider longer pieces.

We prefer first-person narratives.

We’ll include your name with your story. If you want to use someone else’s story, get written permission, write it in first person, and we’ll credit both of you. We’ll include a brief bio of all writers.

Every story must have a positive impact from the angelic encounter.

You may send an original or a reprint. (If a reprint, tell us where it was published and assure us that you own the reprint rights.)

If your story is selected, you’ll receive a $50 honorarium and retain reprint rights. You’ll also receive a free copy of the book.

If your story makes the preliminary cut, we’ll notify you by February or March 2012. The senior editor at Summerside/Guideposts will make final decisions for inclusion in the book.

For more information see their website www.heavenlycompanybook.com.

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To have a call for submission item considered for publication on CrossRiver's 'Wednesday's Call,' please email Tamara at tamara@crossrivermedia.com with the information at least a week in advance. The submission will need to include a description of the opportunity, submission guidelines, deadlines and contact information.

benefit package

2011-10-21T13:43:00.000-05:00

We are beyond excited about a new project here at CrossRiver Media Group! We are compiling a devotional based upon God’s benefits listed in Psalm 103. Set for release in Summer 2012, the devotions will remind believers of our Heavenly Father’s promises and faithfulness. We’d love to have you join us! As a contributor you would receive a contributor credit along with one free copy of the book. You would also be eligible to order additional copies at a significantly discounted rate.

Please don’t keep this news to yourself. If you know other writers who may be interested in joining this project, please forward this email. And if you have any questions, let me know.

GOD'S BENEFIT PACKAGE

Deadline for submissions is December 23, 2011.
Devotions must include a verse (other than Ps. 103) along with the true story, practical application commentary and suggested prayer topic. Please indicate which benefit (including verse) in Psalm 103 you feel your story most closely fits.
Please include a brief bio to be included with the devotional.
Word count should be between 500 and 1000 words.
Topics include but are not limited to God’s forgiveness, healing, life-saving power, justice, compassion, mercy, patience and father-like nature. (Please see list of benefits in Ps. 103.
You may submit original or reprinted work, however if it is a reprint, please tell us where it was published and assure us you own the reprint rights.
We will edit selected stories for clarity, consistency and style. We will not change factual information. If you are unwilling to allow edits, please do not submit.
If your story is selected, we will notify you by email by February or March 2012.
Contributors will receive a contributor credit along with one free copy of Benefit Package (working title). Author will also be able to order additional copies at a significantly discounted rate.
Please send submissions to submissions@crossrivermedia.com.

the price of peace

2011-06-20T13:12:00.000-05:00

Why are Sundays mornings always like this?
It seems as if with each one I argue with the kids from the time they wake up, all the way through breakfast, while they're getting dressed, brushing their teeth, combing their hair and walking out the door. Actually, truth be told, we usually keep it up the blazer and up until the point where we open the doors to walk into church.
Thank goodness it stops there! Godly attitude, I know.
'But God,' I argued recently with the Almighty (like you have a CHANCE of EVER winning one of those!) 'I'm supposed to raise them to be responsible adults. I'm supposed to teach them to go to church every Sunday no matter what...and with the right attitude.'
'Uhhhh-hmmmm....,' He seemed to say.
Aaaaaahhhh...that's it, right there, isn't it? How could I teach them to love the LORD and hope that they'll WANT to go to church every Sunday, if every experience they remember from their childhood is a nagging, yelling, angry mom?
As if He hadn't pricked my conscious enough about it, God had Pastor smack me upside the head with this set of verses...

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. - Ephesians 4:1-3

Peace. Hmmmm...that was certainly lacking, wasn't it? And who's fault was it?
Mine.
Its not that I don't have a responsibility to bring my children to church, place in them in a position to learn about God and teach them about the attitude we need to approach it with...but I also need to teach them about humility, gentleness and patience. Lessons I sure wasn't teaching by example.
When he mentioned the point about patience my husband nudged me in the ribs.
Alright, already! I get it. I don't have any patience. Its not like you're telling me anything new. But indeed He was.
God is not only looking for patience. He's looking for long-suffering. ..the kind of patience mentioned in I Corinthians 13:4

"Love is patient, love is kind...."

The word patient here is a Greek word derived from Makrothumos which means 'not to lose heart; to be long-suffering, slow to anger, slow to punish. The same word used in Ephesians 4.
While Ephesians 4 is directed at Christians and how we deal with each other. I think the same can be applied to me as a mom. I have a tendency to get irritated and angered easily and I can't always pinpoint why. Taking a deeper look I realize it mostly caused by my desire for perfection.
On Sunday mornings I would love to have perfect looking children, arriving in a perfect looking vehicle, with the perfect countenance upon our faces ready to come face to face with God.
Instead my need for perfection just leaves me frustrated when kids aren't doing much more than messing around on Sundays and coming to me ready for church in a dirty pair of jeans and crumpled up shirt from the bottom of their closet!
The truth is, God's not worried about how they look.
What concerns Him is my attitude. He has chosen me to be Christ's representative on earth...a representative to the world...but more importantly, an 'ambassador' to these four precious children.
In Ephesians, Paul is challenging me to live a life worthy of what God has called me to do...the awesome privilege of being called a child of God...and mom to four of his most beautiful creations.
And that job description needs to include being humble, gentle patient, understanding and peaceful.
My kids are watching me. The question is can they see Christ in me?
No one is ever going to be perfect here on earth...least of all me. But the Father's patience with me is long-suffering...never-ending. Don't I owe my kids that same kind of patience?
I'm not saying I need to back off and become buddies with my kids. My job is still to parent. They will have all kinds of friends in their lives, but they will only have one set of parents. Well, two, if you count their birth parents, but what I'm saying is, I don't have to fight them tooth and nail. Do I really need to nag Nick about slipping on his shoes instead of tying them? Is it really worth the battle to try and convince Anya that her winter dress isn't appropriate for the heat of summer...especially when natural consequences will teach her soon enough? What about rushing the kids around so that they can eat breakfast? If they don't eat, they starve until lunch, I bet they won't do it twice.
And isn't it more important that we get to church in the right frame of mind so we can ALL be spiritually fed?
I imagine the Father thinks so.
So here's what He's taught me this week. I need to remember...

Perfection exists only in God. We need to love him and each other, not the visions we have for perfection here on earth.
Anger doesn't bring about the righteous life God desires.
Paul says 'make every effort' because its going to take some work.
Rather than dwelling on my children's weaknesses, I need to pray for them.
Relationship building is one of Holy Spirit's jobs. He leads, but we have to be willing to follow and to do our part. To do that, I need to focus on God, not myself.

Whew!

Tip of the day - book it

2011-06-14T07:59:00.000-05:00

Are you scheduling a book signing in the coming weeks? Consider this tip...send the store bookmarks to drop in the bags of their customers who buy books before your event. It will help get the word out about your event and your ministry.

in the right direction

2011-06-10T07:59:00.007-05:00

Ever wish God would just hand you a super-natural compass? No more asking for directions - it would point you in the right direction every time! Or what about a gently spoken word straight from the Father's lips WAY before you need it? No more waiting for God's plan to be revealed.

Personally? I'm all in favor of a giant neon sign God could just drop down in front of me every now and then. We could hook it up to Twitter and God could just tweet me some instructions to take the guess-work out of figuring out His will for my life. That would be amazing!

While we don't have super-duper compasses, neon signs or supernatural Twitter - we do have something even better - God's Word.

One of my favorite stories of the Old Testament is the story of Abraham and Sarah - probably because I can relate so well with Sarah's battle with infertility, but I also have another connection to Sarah. I've moved around so much its hard at times to really know what my hometown is.

Sarah knew all about moving. Her wealthy husband, Abraham, seemed to have lost his marbles. I can just imagine him coming in the tent flap one morning proclaiming God has told him to pick up their family, livestock, servants and other paraphernalia and move.

Can you imagine? Moving is never fun but having to pack up the tents, the servants, the animals and all of the household stuff and make the 350 mile trip from Haran to Canaan would have been insane. Especially when you had to walk the whole way, keep track of the caravan and maintain some semblance of 'household' order.

To top it off, she had to also leave everything she'd known. Her friends, her family, her life...she had to abandon everything she held dear and take a huge step into the unknown.

Personally I doubt I would have handled it well. I prefer security...stability...staying in the same place. Unfortunately, living for God and doing what He wants us to do rarely requires us to stay in the proverbial same place. It usually forces us to get up and move out of our comfort zone.

Authors Gene and Elaine Getz' Bible study "Redeeming our Regrets: The entangled lives of Sarah and Hagar" explains our dilemma this way...

"Many of us, like Sarai, have found ourselves standing at the crossroads between fear and faith. God is calling us to a new way of life, a new identity, and a new challenge. We often desperately desire God's guidance, while at the same time refusing to give God control over our futures. The end result is a nagging sense of fear, confusion and ultimately, regret as we look back over our lives and realize that we have literally fought against God's ways."

The truth is, we have a choice to make. Are we going to sit at the crossroads, paralyzed by fear, or are we going to take that first step? It can be an awful scary step - and really easy to give in to fear, but that anxiety during the times of change in our lives doesn't come from God. The apostle Paul reminds us in I Cor. 14:33 that 'God is not the author of confusion but of peace...'

Hmm...wonder who IS the author of confusion then? ;)

Its also important to remember decisions made in fear almost always are full of regret. Fear blinds us to the opportunities God has for us...and what an opportunity it is!

It's a chance to follow God's lead.

An opportunity to watch Him work.

A shot at being used by God to do something big!

If you're in God's will, you can KNOW you're in a good place - even without that fancy-schmancy compass.

Blessings!

tip of the day - blog formatting

2011-06-10T07:57:00.003-05:00

When it comes to blog development, consistency is king. You need to develop a blog format - and stick to it. Nothing screams amateur like a ton of different colors, sizes and styles of fonts - all within the same blog post.

That doesn't mean you can't get creative, but you need to set standards. Use the same font styles...the same sizes of print...the same weights (bold or normal) - every time. If you are going to skip lines...skip them - every time. If you're going to use a different font and color for your pull quotes, use them - every time. If you want to emphasize words in your post by making them larger and italicizing them, then do so, but be consistent. Use the same style, weight and color each and every time you emphasize.

The consistency makes your blog look professional and lets your reader know you are paying attention to the details.

new today

2011-06-07T15:03:00.008-05:00

wake up sunshine!

by Alycia Holston

Working in a nice career, becoming a mother, getting my kids to school...all events that I kept hoping would magically transform me into a morning person. You know, one of those people that actually enjoys waking at the crack of dawn and has never had the need for an alarm clock because they couldn't possibly sleep past 6 a.m., no matter how hard they tried. For more click HERE.

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interview techniques

by Tamara Clymer

As a journalist I have seen many a normally intelligent, well-spoken, talkative expert melt into a big puddle of goo...all because they weren't prepared. But when it comes to being interviewed, there's nothing to be nervous about - especially if you've done your homework. For more click HERE.

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bio (hazard)

by Tamara Clymer

It may be one of the toughest things to write for your marketing materials...but its also one of the most important - the bio. It's hard to write really nice things about myself without feeling boastful. But the truth is the bio is a critical part of any speaker's marketing materials. It tells event coordinators all about you and can be a make-or-break for getting that next speaking gig. For more click HERE.

wake up sunshine!

2011-05-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

Yeah, one of those people.

I admire them so much but after 40 years, I've had to reconcile something within myself - I am a night owl trapped in a morning person's body.

My preference is to stay up late, finish my cleaning chores, catch up on what needs done and wind down with a movie. On the other hand, I am required to get up each morning, care for my zoo animals, get them to their designated educational outlets and fulfill any household responsibilites. For the most part, I'd like to think that I wake up with a nice attitude and cheerful disposition, although, other members of the family could dispute this I'm sure.

My wonderful cup of hot, brown liquid fills the house with the smell of the start of another day. I so desire to mix my cup of coffee with a morning Bible reading, quiet time with God and a peaceful beginning to my day. It's a goal I have to work on...not one I've actually begun working on mind you, but you know, it's out there. Just as the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, I envision that blissful morning time to be the ideal setting in a perfect little world.

Well, as anything in my life that I resist doing, my hand has been forced and a new morning routine is becoming a requirement. I feel so overwhelmed with happenings in my life right now. Friends that are suffering, family members in pain and I'm tired of putting it off until tomorrow. Our pastor told us recently about when he ran cross country in high school. The coach told him that the training happened in the off- season. Train when you don't have to and you'll be ready when it's time to step up. My training began at the crack of dawn this morning. I can't guarantee I'll have the same 'get up and go' as I am used to but I pray that my mind and spirit are calmer, better prayed up and ready for the surprises that come with the unknown hours ahead.

A new routine is not welcomed but eagerly desired and hopefully, starting the day with the Son before I see the sun will bring about a new sense of peace that is overdue. The coffee will be a bit stronger than usual, the house will be a bit darker than normal and hopefully, my monkeys will be shocked when they awake to a refreshed and prayed up zookeeper.

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Alycia Holston lives in Helena, MT with her husband and three children. Her heart has always been in women's ministry and has spent the last ten years loving and supporting her fellow mothers. Now she's reaching out in ministry. Alycia is new on the writing scene as Cross River's first children's author. The combination of her love of children, geography and God's amazing creation is what led to 'While The Giant Is Sleeping,' coming May 2011. To learn more about Alycia, her three beautiful and energetic kids, life in Montana and her growing ministry, check out her blog at alysnewchapter.blogspot.com.

doing a spiritual bench press

2011-05-02T08:00:00.005-05:00

Huff ‘n puff ‘n huff ‘n puff.

I'm not doing my best big, bad wolf impression. I'm just walking up the hill.

My workouts these days are a cinch compared to the grueling physical exercise I had in Marine Corps boot camp.

Without a drill instructor yelling in my ear, it’s hard to motivate myself to get out there and do it. I don’t like to exercise, but I know if I don’t, my muscles will lose their strength and ability to do what God designed them to do.

(FOR MORE CLICK ON TITLE))

making social media...well, social

2011-04-27T08:00:00.004-05:00

We're all busy - and busy people need ways to save time. I get that.

The problem is, time-savers usually come with a price, which begs the question - is it really worth it?

In this case it maybe not. When it comes to updating social media sites many people have turned to websites like Ping and Sendible that allow users to automate their content. Simply post a status update and the sites push it out to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn...anywhere you want it to go with just a click of the mouse.

Better yet...you can set your content to publish weeks and even months in advance, so you don't have to worry about logging in, unless you want to.

Seems like a good idea, right? Ummm...no!

The automation bypasses the 'social' part of social media. The cookie-cutter entries run the risk of annoying followers and rob you of the ability to tailor your message to the specific platform. In the end, to your follower it become painfully obvious...you're pushing out identical content over and over - just using different platforms.

What you need to realize is...there are some serious benefits of manually updating your social media status.

While you may want to market the same blog entry on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter...the different platforms scream for different teasers. Facebook is personal. LinkedIn is professional. In my Twitter feed or Facebook profile, I can share personal tidbits that have no business on LinkedIn.

I can also pull followers from one site to another. I can post a remainder on LinkedIn about special tips for solving marketing problems that they can find on my blog. Or I can use Twitter to announce a drawing I'm offering on my Facebook page. The possibilities are endless.

Just remember...your followers on these sites are completely different groups of people...and you need to interact with each of them differently.

I have to admit. I was guilty of linking everything together, thinking I could cover all my platforms. The problem is, I want my clients, prospective customers and blog visitors to be linked into ALL of my platforms whether it is Facebook, Twitter, the blog or the website. If I'm putting the exact same content on all of them, they'll quickly become bored and tune out.

If I've automated everything, I lose out on the opportunity to truly connect with my audience.

So I'm challenging you join me...to unplug. Take the few extra minutes it takes each day to manually update your Facebook, Twitter, Blog and LinkedIn status'.

I promise. It really IS worth it.

a quest for coconut flakes

2011-04-25T08:00:00.005-05:00

For several weeks my wife had been plannin' to attend a church function, but our weekly shoppin' trip was interferin'.

Since both activities were scheduled for the same day, I thought I'd help her out and even saw my good deed as layin' a little ground work for an extended fishin' trip.

Off to the the grocery store I went, armed with her list of necessities, thinkin' all the time,...'this shoppin' thing can't be that hard.'

Little did I know I was about to find myself walkin' through the "valley of the shadow of death".

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living in bold faith

2011-04-18T08:00:00.007-05:00

Last week, I waited in line at a Christian book store and overheard a young woman ask for a job application.

There was nothing remarkable or noteworthy about her appearance or the request. What was remarkable and noteworthy was the interaction between this young woman and the sales clerk with whom she spoke.

The young woman was told that applications were available online, but the clerk knew for a fact that that store was not currently hiring.

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don't just sit there

2011-04-12T08:00:00.011-05:00

One of the most common complaints I get from new bloggers is that they don't get any comments.

They're spending all kinds of time working on their blog entries and then aren't getting any response in return.

I get it. It's hard to stay motivated to write, if you're not getting a 'you go girl' or 'Amen brother' once in awhile.

So how do you fix it?

YOU start commenting.

The truth is...it's hard to get comments if you don't have anyone reading your blog. And its hard to get readers, if you don't comment on other blogs.

Sure. You have a great set of friends, all of which promise they'll read your blog. But chances are they're not true blog readers...at least not die-in-the-wool blog readers. They're not the kind to stalk your blog every day waiting for your next masterpiece.

You need readers that take time to read blogs everyday. The ones that peruse the online blogosphere for someone who gets them and reaches them right where they are.

Whether your blog is side-splitting funny, down-to-earth serious or somewhere in between, there are readers for you. It just takes work to find them and to keep them.

A good blog is more than good writing, it has interaction. Your blogs shouldn't be a monologue. It needs to be a dialogue - a conversation between friends.

And getting that conversation started is going to involve you not only reading other blogs, but using your fingers to type up some pithy, meaningful comments...ones that will intrigue the blogger and their readers to come over and check yours out.

I have to admit. I'm guilty of it. I have a plethora of blogs I subscribe to. At times I'll find myself doing more reading than commenting. But I've found, the ones I comment on regularly, in turn visit my ministry blog regularly (Sunflower Seeds) and comment on it too. In fact, many of them have become friends on my personal Facebook page and are people I'd love to meet in person.

The funny thing is...all those blogs I read, but never comment on? I never hear from them. Hmmm....could that be because THEY DON'T KNOW I EXIST?! ;)

I need to change that. And if you want readers and comments, you do too. So here are some tips to get you started.

Take small steps - Start out by setting some time aside each morning to visit 10 blogs and then comment on every. single. one. Each day visit a different set. Pretty soon you'll start getting emails and return comments and before you know it you'll have some new, true followers.
Make those comment count - Don't just say 'nice blog.' Leave a comment that is engaging, interesting and witty. Can't think of something to say? Look at the comments other people have left and play off of something they've said.
Return the favor - When you do get comments, especially when its from someone you've never heard from before, visit their blog and leave them a comment. It's a sure way to strike up a conversation and for them to start looking for your next updates.
Become a follower - Make sure to add those new readers/bloggers to your reading list. You've found a new 'friend,' cultivate that relationship.
Google It - Don't have a lot of time to waste visiting 10 blogs each and every day? Set up an account with Google Reader. You can set it up to have those blog feeds to come into a folder every day. It will all be right there for you. No more remembering web addresses or fumbling through your browser 'favorites.' I have mine set up with folders for each day of the week. In each one is a bunch of blogs I visit on that particular day. It's a big time saver!
Make it relevant - If your ministry is geared toward teens, visiting and commenting on blogs written by AARP members may not be the best use of your time. If you do comment on blogs outside of your genre, make sure your comment is not only encouraging, but relevant. Grandmas may have a hard time relating to their grandkids, or their kids may need to gain insight into their teens' lives...visiting your blog could help them do that. Saying something like, 'We've been talking about that on my blog,' is an invitation to have them join you.
Link it! - You've left an amazing comment, but don't stop there. You need to give them a way to find you. Some blog platforms like blogger provide a link to your profile, but if you have more than one blog listed it can be more trouble than it's worth to find you. Instead, make it easy for them. Provide a link at the bottom of your comment simply by including your blog address. A simple... crossrivermedia.blogspot.com is good.

Let's get a jump start on your new commenting skills. Leave me a comment and let me know how your blogging is going and if you think these tips will help. And don't forget the link! I'd love to drop by and say hi! :)

Blessings,

keeping score

2011-04-11T08:11:00.002-05:00

Some sure signs of spring are the warm breezes blowing through the trees, flowers poking through the ground and lawnmowers humming over the greening grass.

One of my favorites is watching the practice fields begin to fill with kids warming up with their new teams, preparing for a new season of baseball and soccer. After a long winter of rest, they venture back out to stretch their legs and begin a new year of running and scoring.

The coaches brush off their rulebooks, parents mortgage their homes to pay for the uniform and equipment and those youngin's ready themselves for a new season of competition.

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falling prey

2011-03-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

This morning was a first — a sharp-shinned hawk perched on a large, low branch of the locust bean tree that grows barely 15 feet from my patio. The weather was cool and cloudy and I found it odd to see such a predator in the middle of the city.

The usual backyard birds were conspicuously absent. Maybe they knew enough to stay away from this ruffian, but one tiny finch fluttered nearby. The hawk showed no apparent interest. Soon the finch came within a few inches of the hawk and in a strike as quick as lightening the hawk captured that poor tiny finch in its claws.

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caught in a trap

2011-03-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

I got a speeding ticket the other day.
Yes me, the one people pass all the time because I won't drive faster than the posted speed limit, unless I am driving on a freeway in some parts of California where it would be life threatening to drive the posted speed...but in general...I don't.
I was on a road I don't travel often, and I missed the sign that told me the speed went from 55 to 45.
I was only a few feet into the new speed zone when the Highway Patrolman turned his car around and turned his lights on. I pulled over, unsure of what I had done, and half expecting him to go flying by me.
He didn't.
Read more »

goin' outside with a growl

2011-03-14T11:29:00.001-05:00

My wife and I don't have children in the home anymore, just a dog. A seventy pound English Bulldog, affectionately named BAMA, who eats more groceries than all of our kids and grand kids put together. A critter definitely spoiled by my better half. He slobbers, sheds, snores, barks relentlessly at our neighbors and runs through our tiny house like a Mississippi wild hog on steroids. Worst, of all his traits, is the ability to emit the foulest of odors, when least expected, and usually in the company of others. Often the victims are first time guests; often the crime is committed in confined quarters. Being accustomed to BAMA's unique timing for such a dirty trick, as well as our developing a numbness to it's impact, we seldom notice his accomplishment anymore. However, when others are present, Linda and I spend many agonizing moments trying to defend ourselves! Yep, he's nasty, but we love him.
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virtual lessons

2011-03-10T08:00:00.007-06:00

One of the most common questions we get is, "I'm on Facebook...now what?"

The truth is, the possibilities are endless. Facebook, Twitter, your blog, LinkedIn and other social media sites offer ministries marketing opportunities they've never had before. And figuring out where to start can be a little overwhelming.

With that in mind, I'm proud to announce the start of the CrossRiver Webinar Series. Over the course of the next few months we will offer our clients the opportunity to brush up on their marketing skills and learn how to spread the word about their business in non-traditional ways. In other words, we'll teach you how to think outside of your marketing box.

putting together the promo

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

One of the most powerful tools a speaker has in their arsenal is their spoken word. So it should come as no surprise that a video montage of speaking clips is a great way to introduce yourself to prospective audiences.
Don't know where to begin? Start with getting your speaking engagements recorded. Then sit down with our media specialist to come up with a custom-made video that captures your personality and speaking style.
It's really not as hard as it sounds. All it takes is that first step.

the gift of neighboring

2011-03-07T08:00:00.002-06:00

Who are the people in your neighborhood? These days it seems we're so wrapped up in our own daily lives that we tend to forget those around us. I searched the term 'neighbor' in the NIV on BibleGateway.com and there are 141 verses instructing us on how to treat our neighbors. Over half of them are teaching us how to love them, just as we love ourselves.

Now, I wasn't born a hundred years ago, so know that when I say, "It wasn't like this when I was a kid", I don't mean it from the 1800s. I grew up in an extremely small town in the 70s and staying indoors just wasn't an option. In fact, most of the time it was considered a form of punishment.
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faith climb

2011-02-28T08:00:00.010-06:00

Branson was blanketed with snow three days ago. Roads slick with ice but cabin fever setting in, people were venturing out. I hadn’t checked my mailbox since Monday and was expecting a package. I decided to trek down the steep mountain-like hill.
I chose my steps carefully, so as not to slide or tumble down the mountain. I noticed a fresh set of footprints in the snow. As I placed my shoe in the carved out area, I thought of the "Footsteps" poem. Jesus was with me. He’d help me walk down safely.
I flipped through the envelopes and flyers, glancing up the steep hill—knowing the walk back up would be harder. As I muttered under my breath about taking this walk on ice, for a package that didn’t arrive, I huffed and puffed, my breathing a bit more shallow with each step. I stopped to consider the height of the hill and how I’d make it back up - one step at a time.
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Read more »

what'd you say?

2011-02-21T14:06:00.000-06:00

I’ll admit I’ve often told my children you can’t talk and listen at the same time.

I was wrong. Good listening skills include listening even while you are speaking.

Think back to the last conversation you had with a friend. Did you nod your head in agreement as she spoke? Was she smiling or frowning? Did she sound delighted or distressed as she spoke? Whether she realizes it or not, your friend is also taking in and processing your body language. All these cues are what communication experts call feedback.

love is...

2011-02-14T08:00:00.001-06:00

For centuries there have been poems about love, stories about love, romantic books and in recent centuries, movies portraying views of love from the most carnal, to the most spiritual and everything in between. It’s no wonder that God, in his infinite wisdom, would give us many verses of scripture that would tell us what love really is, and what it is not. Even with the information at our fingertips, we still seem confused about what a loving relationship looks like. If we look at most modern-day marriages, we might believe that love includes changing someone to fit a mold we have assigned to them. We could discover that in a loving relationship we should set out to one-up our spouse to keep the balance of power in place.

If that is love in today’s world, that could explain the extreme divorce rate, casual attitudes toward sexual relationships and the root cause for so many people to say, “bah, humbug!” about the holiday dedicated to love.

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stay in touch

2011-02-08T08:00:00.003-06:00

Christian authors and speakers are always looking for ways to build their platform - expand their ministry's footprint.

The best way to do that is to stay in touch with each and every person you meet.

Sounds intimidating, doesn't it? But it doesn't have to be. It's as easy as picking up a piece of paper.

Every time you are asked to speak offer your audience a way to stay in touch with you - let them sign up for a newsletter, hand out business cards, friend them on Facebook and plaster your website and blog on every page of your handout.

If they like you, they’ll recommend you!

Make it easy for them to generate word of mouth!

a sense of entitlement

2011-02-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

Are you familiar with the story of the prodigal son? I'm sure you are. If, like me, you were raised going to Sunday School, you've been familiar with this parable for decades. Most sermons focus on the son's repentance and the father's forgiveness. How many sermons focus on the elder brother?
I know it is true that we can hear the same story repeated over and over again and then suddenly - a new insight surprises us. Details that have always been part of the story take on new meaning, probably because circumstances in our life have altered our understanding.
In Luke 15, a father divides his estate between two sons. The elder son is hard-working and respectful. The younger son is impetuous and disrespectful. Disrespectful? How?
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Read more »

heart of a child

2011-01-31T08:00:00.002-06:00

Oh, to have the heart of a child!

My two little monkeys spent my two hour shopping trip entertaining the Wal-Mart customers. They sang at the top of their lungs, made up songs, giggled and laughed the whole time.

Perhaps, I should mention that the majority of their days are usually filled with bickering and fighting so for me, this was a welcome change.
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a modern day joshua

2011-01-24T08:00:00.002-06:00

Have you ever decided you wanted to be just like Moses, Ruth, Paul or Esther---or any other bible character? I did. I confess that when I boldly declared to God that I wanted to be a Joshua, I had no idea what I was signing up for.
Shortly after I made that announcement, all hell broke loose in my life. One of my friends summed it up this way; “You just got a glimpse of the size of your giant.”
Can I tell you truthfully friend, this faith business is not for sissies?
Read more »

resolution schmezolution

2011-01-21T08:00:00.001-06:00

I've never cared for resolutions.

Don't get me wrong...I'm impressed by people who are able to make a plan and stick to it all year long. Me? I would love to be able to make a resolution and stick to it, but I have found that my inner rebel just takes the turn of the calendar as another opportunity to blow it.
Instead I have to get creative.
Read more »

wednesday's call

2011-01-19T08:00:00.001-06:00

In the Sand Trap

2011-01-17T09:02:00.002-06:00

“She’s a tough old bird,” my father often said about my mother.

He was right. Not even seven surgeries sidelined this octogenarian. With her first knee replacement the doctor told her she’d never golf again. She was 74 and still determined to be a player, not a spectator. Five months later she stepped onto the tee and drove her first ball of the season at the local golf course. At 81, she won a ladies golf championship for women 35 and older just six months after having a mastectomy.

blogging with a purpose

2011-01-11T08:00:00.011-06:00

It's uncanny. Some bloggers have hundreds or even thousands of visitors a day, while others can only manage to gain a handful. The truth is, there is a trick to blogging and its not just an awesome blog design and a commitment to writing everyday - although those things do help.
The truth is blogging works best when you have a clear reason for writing. If your readers can't figure out why you're there, if they can't discover the point/genre is of your blog, then you'll leave them confused, and they'll leave you.
Read more »

Yielding to the call

2011-01-10T13:05:00.002-06:00

I was driving down the highway the other day, and approached a Y in the road. I knew I had to take the fork to the right, but there were others turning from the left. A yields sign stood there, warning me to wait for other traffic to clear before I proceeded on my journey. As I waited for a semi with a double trailer to complete his slow left turn through the narrow, rather odd, intersection, I started to get impatient.
“Come on.” I could hear the irritation in my voice as he tried to turn as safely as possible.
Read more »

selfless disappointment

2011-01-03T08:00:00.018-06:00

Debra Fuhrman

I usually wait until the last few shopping days to start looking for Christmas presents. This year was an exception. With two grandchildren who have every imaginable toy, I wanted to get a gift for each of them that would be special - something they really, really wanted.
For Emily it was a motorized Barbie Glitterizer - I still don't know what it is or does! For Michael it was the Zip Zoom Logging Adventure for his Thomas the Train collection.
Michael told me numerous times this was a gift he really, really wanted. I knew other family members were getting train cars to complete his set. I also knew Michael's daddy, my oldest son, Ross, enjoyed the train collection almost as much as his little boy.
Since Ross and his wife, Jennie will be moving soon, I thought a gift card to a home improvement store was more appropriate for Ross than a piece of the Thomas train set.
I may have made a mistake...
Read more »

wednesday's call - amended

2010-12-29T08:00:00.004-06:00

I'm on vacation this week - hence, the quiet blog and facebook page.

I'm hanging out with the hubby and kids, visiting family and reading some awesome books on my new e-reader.

As you can probably guess, I can't get away completely, though. I have been checking in every so often just to make sure the world hasn't come crashing down around me.

In my inbox this morning was an email from Craig Von Buseck with a more specific deadline on the 'wednesday's call' from a couple of weeks ago. If you're interested in the 'Praying the News' call, make sure you turn in your copy by Jan. 10th!

Blessings!

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Praying the News

By Craig Von Buseck

Mr. Von Buseck is co-writing a book with CBN News anchor, Wendy Griffith, titled "Praying the News" for Regal Publishers. The book will encourage Christians to become motivated to pray when watching the news -- instead of being frustrated, angry, or fearful.

The goal is to inspire passion and excitement in people to believe their prayers can change the world by laying a Biblical foundation and showing practical examples. The book will be released in September 2011, just in time for the tenth anniversary of 9/11.

Do you have any personal examples of where you partnered with God to see "the news" change? Or perhaps you were motivated to gather believers to pray by watching or reading the news? Does something come to mind that you could share for this book? It could be a full story, or just a paragraph or two. It could be a story of how God told you to go somewhere and pray for a certain thing and then you saw the headlines change as a result. Also you may have an incident in your life where you saw in a tangible way why it is important for believers to understand their authority when it comes to prayer and the impact Christians can have on current events.

Please send any questions or submissions to Mr. Von Buseck's personal e-mail account: craig@vonbuseck.com by January 10, 2011.

a conference resolution

2010-12-27T08:00:00.007-06:00

It's the Monday after Christmas.
My family has sung Jesus the Happy Birthday song, opened our gifts and are basking in the blessing of too much food. My husband has gone back to work and my three kids are already starting their 'What do we do now,’ mantra.
It's the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day - the week of remembering what has been and looking forward to what will be.
It's the week of the resolutions.
It stands to reason that each January 1st would come with the promise of making things things different in the new year. I see no reason why we couldn’t have Labor Day resolution’s each year but I won’t try to change the calender just yet. That isn’t my goal for the coming year.
Webster’s defines resolution as firm determination, a course of action determined or decided upon. Inevitably, some time during this week, you will probably sit down and say in a strong and demanding voice that during the New Year, you will absolutely, without a doubt lose 50lbs, run a marathon, achieve parent of the year, become a Biblical scholar and so on.
My personal favorite has been to be 'I'll be less grumpy with the children,'...but that'll be broken my January 2nd, so I’ll skip that one.
A recent study shows while 52% of people are confident they'll meet their goals, only 12% actually do it.
I’ve been thinking about some of my own past resolutions. The ones that were set on a whim, the ones that I just thought to myself how nice it would be if it actually happened - those are the ones I’ve usually forgotten about by the end of the first week.
But there are three I remember specifically. They were big ones. Big enough that when I sat down and prayerfully considered them, I also turned them over to God. His answered prayers helped see not only the goal achieved for that year, but deepened my love and faith for his mighty hand at work in my life.
"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him and he will help you." - Psalm 37:4-5
I love that our instructions are to trust him and he will help us. It means we still have the responsibility on this end to work to towards the goal. Knowing the stands are filled with Heavenly cheerleaders, what’s stopping us?!
I want to encourage you this New Year to commit everything to Him - even your New Year's resolutions. The big AND the small. Sit down this week and seek the Lord with all your heart and consider your heart’s desire. Here are some hints to get you started:

1. Seek the Lord and prayerfully consider His will for you.
2. Set goals that are easy to manage and plan to look them over every couple of days, months, weeks, etc.
3. Find an accountability partner that will help you in a kind but honest manner.
4. Celebrate the small victories along your journey. God cares for even the slightest detail and rejoices with you, so enjoy the process and remember the end is in bigger hands than yours.

I'll be praying for you as you start this journey. May God bless you abundantly in 2011, and may you live the year in joy and peace! Happy New Year!
_____________________________________________________________
Alycia Holston lives in Helena, MT with her husband and three children. Her heart has always been in women's ministry and has spent the last ten years loving and supporting her fellow mothers. Now she's reaching out in ministry. Alycia is new on the writing scene as Cross River's first children's author. The combination of her love of children, geography and God's amazing creation is what led to 'While The Giant Is Sleeping,' coming Spring 2011. To learn more about Alycia, her three beautiful and energetic kids, life in Montana and her growing ministry, check out her blog at alysnewchapter.blogspot.com

wednesday's call

2010-12-23T07:58:00.017-06:00

Alright, so I'm a little late. It's two days before Christmas, people...I'm hoping you'll all cut me a little slack! :) I've just finished up an insanely time-consuming freelance writing project and haven't had much time lately to pull myself away from the computer to join in the family holiday festivities much less get this list put together. But the writing is now complete, at least until after Christmas, and I have a few minutes this morning to work on it. And its a good thing. If you're looking for more writing opportunities this week, you're in luck! I found some real gems. As always, just because they're on this list doesn't mean I endorse them, but they sure are interesting.

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Adoption.com

Adoption.com is currently building a database of interested Freelance writers that would like to learn more about upcoming writing projects for the various sites throughout the Adoption.com network. If you are a writer with a passion for adoption and you are interested in learning more upcoming writing projects, please send an email with the following information to the editor@adoptionmedia.com.

PLEASE INCLUDE:

Full Legal Name
Email Address where you can be reached
Area of Knowledge
Sample of Previous Work (URL to published work is fine)

Topics include - Unplanned pregnancy, pregnancy, adopting, adoptive parenting, international adoption, domestic adoption, search and reunion, being adopted, open adoption, special needs adoption, foster parenting, attachment issues and other areas as need dictates.

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Confessions of a Recovering Preacher’s Wife

by Robin Bryce

Author Robin Bryce says being a pastor’s wife ought to be the easiest job around, with lots of love and friends built right in. But those married into the ministry often find the opposite is true. Confessions of a Recovering Preacher’s Wife is a book of humorous stories about the life of a minister’s wife written to encourage laity and minister’s families.

We are now accepting humorous stories related to minister’s wives and the lives they lead. The true-life experiences will be used to illustrate the truths related to the special position and activities of minister’s wives. The writer will get credit for his or her story. We are looking for stories with redeeming qualities and a variety of experiences including stories from children, missionaries, spouses and close friends as well as those from minister’s wives. The wife of a pastor often feels isolated and this book promises encouragement and laughter.

INSTRUCTIONS

Stories will be accepted until March 10, 2011
Email submissions as an attached MS Word Document.
Email to Robin (at) RobinBryce (dot) com
Label the subject line: Recovering PW Submission

GUIDELINES

Stories must be true-life experiences. Slight embellishment and exaggeration can be added for humor.
We prefer a word count of 1200 to 2000 words, but we will consider all stories.
Editors reserve the right to edit content for clarity, purpose and additional humor if needed.
Include your contact information: name, email and phone number.
Include byline information: name, place of service (if minister’s wife) and location. Such as: Rose Mary, The Jesus House, Bethlehem, Texas. (If anonymity is required, suggest fictitious names, pen name and such, but please send the your real contact information for permission to publish forms needed upon acceptance.)

UPON ACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION

Author will receive a byline credit
Author will receive one free copy of the book, Confessions of a Recovering Pastor’s Wife
Author will be able to order additional copies at the author’s discounted rate

This book is not under contract. Accepted stories may be used in the proposal to gain a contract. We welcome you to this opportunity to encourage minister’s wives. Your story can make a difference in the life on another. Please share your story. If it is chosen, we will send a permission form for you to sign and release the story for publication.
For more information on topics, chapter synopsis and other pertinent information check out Robin's website.

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Glory & Strength E-Zine

Debra L. Butterfield

Glory and Strength, a e-zine, will now be publishing on a monthly basis starting in January and are needing to expand their freelance writers list. The monthly publication tackles some serious issues including abuse, adultery and chronic diseases and offering encouragement and hope to its readers. They are looking for inspiring, educational or motivating articles and that will empower their readers.

While this is not a paying market, it is a good opportunity for new writers. They include a 75-word bio, two links and a photo of the author attached to every article. For more information contact editor Debra Butterfield at admin@gloryandstrength.com or visit their website at gloryandstrength.com.

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Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup has several calls out for stories. Check out their list of subjects HERE.

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Bumples.com

This interactive online magazine for children 4 to 10 years of age specializes in illustrated fiction about children and animals. The serialized adventures include mysteries, sports, poems and fantasies in each issue. Stories are supplemented with puzzles, question games, and activities. Publishers accept freelance submissions by both published and unpublished writers. Pay: fiction: $0.20 per word; poetry: $3.00/line. For more information see their writer's guidelines.
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To have a call for submission item considered for publication on CrossRiver's 'Wednesday's Call,' please email Tamara at info@crossrivermedia.com with the information at least a week in advance. The submission will need to include a description of the opportunity, submission guidelines, deadlines and contact information.

its all about me...well, sorta

2010-12-21T11:41:00.002-06:00

It may seem narcissistic, but if you want to be successful in the ministry you have to put information about yourself out there...everywhere. Whether its a Facebook page, website, blog, twitter...whatever the medium, you have to be present.
One of the newest ways I've discovered to get your message out there and to improve your search engine results is to set up a page on about.me. The site gives you the opportunity to set up a page with all of your contact information. You can have a link to your email, blog, website, twitter, facebook...all of it.
And you can personalize it. It can be as simple or complex as you want. For a couple of examples check these out...and then get started!
about.me/dianecunningham
about.me/pamelasonnenmoser

Blessings,

A Season of Miracles - Coleen Johnson

2010-12-20T08:00:00.044-06:00

I talked to a dear friend today and learned that BOTH of her children are miraculously expecting. Each child born is a miracle on its own —considering how God orchestrates the conception and birth process. But for those who have been told they can never have children or that it would be best to consider alternatives, such as adoption, because according to 'medical expertise' it appears impossible—this makes it a TRUE MIRACLE!

Christmas is often referred to as 'A Season of Miracles.' The miracles began in Bethlehem, 2043 years ago when God became flesh. The Creator Himself, worthy of the finest, stepped down from His heavenly estate to lay in a manger. He offered Himself to the world as a teacher and servant—and even unto death, so we could partake of a relationship and eternal life with Him—simply because He loves us.

Many today are hurting and their hopes seem to have faded. We hear one story after another of families losing their home, addictions, death and what could be overwhelming circumstances. There is hope! We can lay our problems at the altar of God and believe for Him to work mightily on our behalf—because of His great love for us.

I was feeling the holiday blues myself the other day as I passed the endless row of Hallmark cards and pondered one relationship in my life after another where there has been loss due to death, separation, incarceration or discord. As I drove home, tears streaming down my face from hearing sentimental Christmas songs, I realized I had a choice. I could continue to be depressed focusing on myself and my situation OR I could try to bring Christmas joy 'a miracle' to someone else.

I decided on the latter and have been tremendously blessed. If you are facing difficult circumstances this season, you have an opportunity to share hope with someone less fortunate. Perhaps you can simply be a voice of encouragement and share with them 'The One' we place our hope in—a God of resurrection power—who specializes in miracles!

I pray each of you will let your light shine in someone else’s darkness this year. Share your faith, share your hope. Be a miracle! Be blessed.

If you are waiting on a personal miracle, take heart and simply BELIEVE! God honors the simple child-like faith of those who place their trust and faith in Him! He wants to show Himself strong in this and every season to all who will believe He still performs miracles.

_________________________________________

Coleen Johnson's work as a Christian author and speaker speaks of the depth that can only come as a result of one's personal journey of loss, healing and hope. Having endured many losses and trials, beginning with her mother's suicide, death of her spouse, her son's battle with substance abuse and incarceration, Coleen clings to the hope promised to God's children and shares with others how they too can experience joy amidst difficult circumstances. This wife, mother and child of God is a member of Ozark Christian Writers Group, Heart of American Christian Writers Network and Toastmasters International. Coleen makes her home in Branson, Mo., and is a member of Stonebridge Community Church. You can discover more of her heart-felt articles on her blog “Sharing My Heart.”

bio (hazard)

2010-12-17T08:00:00.002-06:00

It may be one of the toughest things to write for your marketing materials...but its also one of the most important - the bio.

Frankly, the words just sent chills up my spine.

It's hard to write really nice things about myself without feeling boastful. But the truth is the bio is a critical part of any speaker's marketing materials. It tells event coordinators all about you and can be a make-or-break for getting that next speaking gig.

So with that in mind, let's take a look at a few tips that can help take the 'ick' out of writing about yourself...

Rule of thirds - Write your bio in third-person. It isn't as tough when it feels like you're writing about someone else. Besides, that's how your bio should read. It's just as uncomfortable for the reader as it is the writer to peruse something that sounds like a 'aren't I so great' ad.

Ask around - Ask for feedback from friends and colleagues. Ask the ones who know you best and can give you honest feedback. It will not only help you write an honest bio, it will give you some ideas on how you can improve your presentations.

Look around - Take a look at other speaker/author bios to get a feel for how it should sound. Chances are you'll find a style of bio that works for you.

Get help - If you're really stuck and just don't like the idea of writing your own bio, enlist some help. Ask a friend/colleague to help you out, or better yet, give CrossRiver a call. We'll be happy to lend a hand.

Blessings,

wednesday's call

2010-12-15T12:50:00.001-06:00

Looking for more writing opportunities? So am I! Every week I scour the internet, searching for posts that will help me expand my writing footprint. Then on Wednesday, I share some of what I've stumbled upon. This week is a little sparse on the opportunities. It must be the holidays. I've searched and scoured and scoured and searched and haven't found much. But have discovered one intriguing opportunity you may be interested in.

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Writing Mentor

By Lonni Collins Pratt

Author Lonni Collins Pratt is offering a free one-year mentoring program to one aspiring writer in the spirituality/religion genre. Five other winners will receive a free book and advice on one short project of their choice.

Requirements

All submitted work must have a spiritual focus.
You must be at least 21 years old.
You must have a minimum of three completed or partially completed projects (books, proposals, articles, essays, short stories, etc.) that are unpublished.
You may not be previously published.
You must write a 300 word response to : “How I Write” for publication on Lonni Collins Pratt’s blog. You must become a member of the blog allowing you to interact with your readers. You must grant written permission for your submission to be published on the blog. Writers will not receive monetary compensation for their entries.
You must have access to a computer and internet connection.
You must be able to communicate in a timely basis concerning your work and the mentoring process.

To enter...

Submit your 300 word entry to lonnicollinspratt@hughes.net and sign up as a member at www.theparsonage.webs.com. Your entry isn't complete until both of those items are finished. Winners will be announced January 31, 2011. Winners will be contacted prior to announcement.
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To have a call for submission item considered for publication on CrossRiver's 'Wednesday's Call,' please email Tamara at info@crossrivermedia.com with the information at least a week in advance. The submission will need to include a description of the opportunity, submission guidelines, deadlines and contact information.

the big paycheck...NOT

2010-12-14T08:00:00.002-06:00

We've spent the last few Tuesdays talking about some of the most common traps that derail new speakers on the road to building their ministry. We've encouraged you to get some training and the tendency of new speakers to throw a wide net when delivering their message. This weeks its the imaginary big paycheck.

Christian author and speaker, Pamela Sonnenmoser says new speakers often think they'll immediately start earning the big bucks as soon as they get started.

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it will probably take a bit of time to build your ministry into something that can pay more than a few bills.

"It takes years of spending time in the PIT (putting in time) before people will actually "pay much to hear you speak," she says. Asking for expenses and a love offering, or setting fees low to start with is better than pricing yourself out of the market as an unknown."

If you need some guidance on how much to charge for your speaking engagements, please give us a call. We'll be happy to walk you through that decision making process.

That's what we're here for.

Blessings,

less is more

2010-12-13T08:00:00.003-06:00

No one likes a big gray block of text.

Nobody. Not even nerdy white-haired, wire-rim wearing professors hunched over ancient laptops in university ivory towers.

Even they will grab a red pen and start slashing copy if they get even a whif of unnecessary filler copy.

And so should you.

When it comes to your blog, less is more. Concise, pithy writing is best. If you drone one and on about the injustice of having to pick up your toddler's toys, what is wrong with them anyway, you keep telling them they need to do as you tell them, but they just won't listen - I mean who do they think they are? And if you step on another lego you may just lose your mind, or your foot. Speaking of feet, did you see those shoes on sale at Kohls..I mean they are adorable. If you wore them you wouldn't EVER have to worry about those legos again...because you would have lost every reader you HAVE!

See what I mean?

Keep it short. Meaningful...but short. Paragraphs shouldn't be more than 100 words. If you need to go longer than that, the writing had better be incredible and the story absolutely worth it.

Stellar, I'm telling you. Stellar.

And if you have to push the 'page down' button more than once to reach the end of your post, it really is too long.

So go on! Head over to your blog and start writing...just keep it pithy...and short.

Blessings,

wednesday's call

2010-12-08T08:00:00.020-06:00

Looking for more writing opportunities? So am I! Every week I scour the internet, searching for opportunities that will help me expand my writing footprint. Then on Wednesday, I share some of what I've stumbled upon. Here is a smattering of this week's more interesting discoveries.

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Fighting Fear, Winning the War at Home

When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle

By Edie Melson

"Saying goodbye to a loved one leaving for war is a gut-wrenching proposition. But for those of us left behind it’s also the start of our own battle. This collection of devotions and stories is written to help those at home find God’s peace and conquer the fear that ambushes us when we least expect it."
This book is under contract with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.
Ms. Melson is accepting submissions of your true life experience of how you coped while a loved one was at war. The stories will be used to illustrate the truths of these devotions. The writer will receive full credit for his or her story. She is looking for a variety of experiences, such as those of a wife, husband, parent, grandparent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, fiancé and close friend of a soldier.

Submission Guidelines

Stories will be accepted until January 31, 2011
Only email submissions will be accepted
Attach your document to an email in an MS WORD.doc file
Label the subject line of the email: Fighting Fear, submission
Stories must be a true life experience
Word count should not exceed 1000 words and we prefer the word count to be under 800
These stories can encompass a real life experience during any war and are not limited to recent events
Editors reserve the right to edit content for clarity and purpose
We will consider stories “as told by” for those who do not consider themselves to be writers, please contact Ms. Melson for further instructions.

Upon Acceptance

Author will receive a byline credit
Author will receive one free copy of the book, Fighting Fear, Winning the War at Home
Author will be able to order additional copies at a discount rate

Topics covered in this book will include:

Called to Action: The Shock of Deployment – stories/devotions about feelings and fears when the actual date was set for deployment
Finding the “Good” in Goodbye – stories/devotions of the actual leave-taking
Night Fright – fears are always worse at night, these are stories/devotions of how those left behind coped during these intense times
Protecting Your Home Front From the Humdrum – sometimes the worst times are just routine, these are stories/devotions of how to get through these struggles
Dreading the Call – often families afraid to voice their fears about their soldier, this is encouragement for doing just that
Putting on God’s Armor – these are stories/devotions that soldiers shared with family and helped the families realize that God had His hand protecting their loved one
Busting the Bunker Mentality – during times of intense stress everyone tends to withdraw, these are stories/devotions of how reaching out helped
Fearful Reunions – for most family members, fear for their soldier intensifies right before homecoming, these are stories/devotions of how to cope
Home… For Now – stories of victorious homecoming, these can be on base or shortly after returning home

For more information check out Edie's website.

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Praying the News

By Craig Von Buseck

Mr. Von Buseck is co-writing a book with CBN News anchor, Wendy Griffith, titled "Praying the News" for Regal Publishers. The book will encourage Christians to become motivated to pray when watching the news -- instead of being frustrated, angry, or fearful.
The goal is to inspire passion and excitement in people to believe their prayers can change the world by laying a Biblical foundation and showing practical examples. The book will be released in September 2011, just in time for the tenth anniversary of 9/11.
Do you have any personal examples of where you partnered with God to see "the news" change? Or perhaps you were motivated to gather believers to pray by watching or reading the news? Does something come to mind that you could share for this book? It could be a full story, or just a paragraph or two. It could be a story of how God told you to go somewhere and pray for a certain thing and then you saw the headlines change as a result. Also you may have an incident in your life where you saw in a tangible way why it is important for believers to understand their authority when it comes to prayer and the impact Christians can have on current events.
Please send any submissions to Mr. Von Buseck's personal e-mail account: craig@vonbuseck.com. They are writing under a tight deadline, so please send any stories as soon as possible (in the next two weeks if possible). Feel free to email with any
questions.

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The Love is a Verb Devotional:

Stories of God’s Love in Our Lives

By Gary Chapman

Edited by James Stuart Bell

Would you like to be part of an exciting writing venture with Dr. Gary Chapman, best-selling author of The Five Love Languages? Dr. Chapman and Mr. Bell are pulling together a new book and they’d like to invite you to be a part of it.
A number of Dr. Chapman’s books have dealt with the theme of love in relationships – not only how to effectively communicate love but also learning to become a loving person. Previously, they've put together a volume of stories entitled Love is a Verb: Stories of What Happens When Love Comes Alive. Now Dr. Chapman would like to give others an opportunity to share how God’s love has transformed their life and the lives of others.
They are compiling a collection of these pieces in a volume entitled, The Love is a Verb Devotional: Stories of God’s Love in Our Lives, which Bethany House will publish in autumn 2011. It will contain 365 daily one-page stories, each with a title and one Scripture verse and a one-sentence concluding thought. The main body of the story must be between 150 and 175 words. The Scripture verse can be between 10 and 30 words. The title would ideally be four words but may be up to six. The concluding thought would ideally be 10 words but no more than twenty.
The devotionals should demonstrate how God’s love for you, and in you, has empowered you to love authentically and transformed you and your relationships. Those relationships include: spouses, family members, friends, and fellow workers. But they may also relate to a neighbor, acquaintance, or even someone like a homeless person. They will also accept stories that reveal how God’s love brought positive change in you.
They prefer the style of devotional that primarily revolves around one story or illustration; devotionals that are more story-driven than teaching or focusing on scripture in an expository manner. They should focus on illustrations that depict the intriguing work of God’s love. They prefer stories to be in first person, based on your personal experience of growth. But “as-told-to” stories will be considered.
If your piece is selected, you will receive a one-time fee of $10 upon publication per piece, author copies, and author discounts of 50%. They do not accept reprints, but after the book is published, authors may resell their devotions to other markets. You may submit as many devotions as you like.
They would like to receive all submissions by February 1, 2011, but hope most will be submitted by the end of the year. They will announce those selected for the book around April 15. If your story is selected, they will send a permission agreement for you to sign.
Please include all contact information (name, address, e-mail address, phone, brief bio) on your manuscript (not just in the e-mail), and attach your submission as a Word file. Please send all submissions and address all queries to Mr. Bell's associate, Jeanette Gardner Littleton, at livseries@earthlink.net.
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To have a call for submission item considered for publication on CrossRiver's 'Wednesday's Call,' please email Tamara at info@crossrivermedia.com with the information at least a week in advance. The submission will need to include a description of the opportunity, submission guidelines, deadlines and contact information.

back to school

2010-12-07T08:00:00.009-06:00

It's tough getting a ministry up and running.

There's the marketing to figure out, appearances to schedule and websites to maintain. It's a lot to keep track of, which is why its so easy for new speakers to find themselves derailed by the simple things. Over the next few weeks we'll take a look at some of them.

Christian author and speaker Pamela Sonnenmoser says one of the easiest pits to fall into is the trap of thinking you don't need formal training. You may have been told you're a great speaker, that you have a message and that God is calling you into ministry, but have you done anything to fine tune the gift He has given you?

"A lot of speakers believe that since God called them to speak, they don't need any training and are already wonderful," Pamela says.

The truth is everyone can use a quick brush up on their skills, no matter how much experience or talent they have. Whether its developing a more effect delivery, finding new outlining techniques or just sitting back and reconnecting with that tug on your spirit by the Spirit...confirming you're doing exactly what He wants you to.

Blessings,

finding a favorite favicon

2010-12-06T08:00:00.015-06:00

CrossRiver's Favicon

Now that your new blog is up and running, its time to start personalizing your site...bringing it online with the rest of your ministry's look and feel.

When you start a blog, the blog host will provide you with a default favicon (the image next to the web address on the address bar.) But it's hard to brand your ministry when you have their favicon on your link. Besides, if people bookmark your site they won’t easily see your favicon and might overlook your site.

To fix that let's personalize your favicon. Don't worry - it's not difficult. Just follow these simple instructions and soon you will be sporting a whole new look.

Blessings,

out of control

2010-12-04T08:00:00.003-06:00

"Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.

Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom

he gives..." - Colossians 3:16A NLT

My mom is a bit of a Bible collector. Her library shelves are full of copies of the scriptures in nearly every translation and several languages. She is a sincere student of God's Word and in the days before the internet, you could often find her curled up in a chair with several Bibles open, comparing the different translations, looking at the original language, scouring them for nuggets of truth.

By comparison, the early Christians had it pretty rough. Not only were they persecuted for their faith...they didn't have scores of Bibles sitting on their bookshelves. They didn't have a single one. While they had access to the Old Testament scriptures, most of their stories about Christ were memorized and passed on from person to person, many times in song.

Which makes Paul's call to the first century Colosse church even more compelling. He encouraged them to let the Word of God permeate every part of them. Even though they had the stories, teaching and parables memorized, he wanted to make sure they were consumed by the truth. He didn't want it to simply be a part of their lives...he wanted it became a part of who they were.

The Matthew Henry Commentary describes it this way...

"Many have the word of Christ dwelling in them, but it dwells in them but poorly; it has no mighty force and influence upon them. The soul prospers when the word of God dwells in us richly, when we have abundance of it in us, and are full of the scriptures and of the grace of Christ...The word of Christ must dwell in us, not in all notion and speculation, to make us doctors, but in all wisdom, to make us good Christians, and enable us to conduct ourselves in every thing as becomes Wisdom’s children."

The question then becomes 'are you letting the word of Christ dwell in you?' Are you letting it control you? Are you allowing it to be a mighty force?

For the scripture to be a part of who we are, we need do more than just read scripture. We need to memorize it...to meditate on the words...drink them in...let them fill us.

Then we will be able to follow Paul's instruction to 'teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives.'

Blessings,

Blogs, Facebook, Twitter...oh my!

2010-12-03T08:00:00.002-06:00

As an author and speaker you NEED to have an online presence. I can't stress it enough. And social networking is critical...especially for reaching your younger fans. Twenty-somethings use these sites almost exclusively...and see email as an archaic form of communication. Whether you're a social networking novice or veteran, here are a few things to keep in mind as you enter the web as a speaking/writing professional.

Think first - Only post what you're comfortable sharing with anyone and everyone. Every item you tweet, share on your website or Facebook page is available to the public. As a public figure, you will need to be aware of how your message is portrayed. Even an innocuous comment can lead to embarrassment or misunderstanding. If something is personal or a result of a highly charged emotion, step back, take a breath, and ask yourself whether it is something you really want to share with the world.

Keep up - Keep your sites as current as possible. Event coordinators will be looking you up and the information you have on your sites can affect their decision on whether to bring you in to speak. Keep book lists current, speaking calendars up to date and pictures and copy as fresh as possible. It can make all the difference.

Be professional - Remember your online presence is part of your ministry's image and sends a big message to potential audiences. Consider whether the material on your site is cohesive with your ministry's mission. Ask yourself, "Would I want to listen to what this person has to say."

Find the balance - One of the dangers of social networking is the risk of over-exposure. If you continually comment on the mundane, your fans will tire of you quickly. Sharing your dinner choices, what color socks you're wearing and your inner angst over your teen's clothing choices may be fun in moderation, but too much of it gets boring fast. And if you bombard your friends with every spiritual thought that crosses your mind, you also run the risk of sounding preachy. It's a fine line between sharing what's on your heart and being annoying. Be sure to find that line and stick to it.

Don't get sucked in - Speaking of balance, don't let social networking take too much of your time. It's easy to get sucked in by all of your friends' updates and latest pictures. Stay productive. There are several websites that will help you update several networking sites at once...with just the click of a button. We'll talk more about those in weeks to come.

wide is the road...

2010-11-29T08:00:00.011-06:00

The enemy is always looking for ways to trip us up...and new authors and speakers are a perfect target. What better way to stop the spreading of the Word by confusing and discouraging the Father's newest ambassadors.

In the coming weeks we'll take a look at some of the most common ways we can get snared with Christian author and speaker, Pamela Sonnenmoser. The California native turned Midwest farmer's wife has spent the last 20 years writing and speaking and knows all about the traps...from experience.

One of the most common, she says, is new speakers try to be too broad in their topics. She suggests picking one or two and honing those until their really good before adding more to your repertoire.

"For most people it is better to start with a niche topic,' she says. "The marketing is much easier and you don't have to worry about memorizing too many different things to start with."

dealing with writer's block - blogger style

2010-11-08T13:59:00.008-06:00

A college professor once told me there is no such thing as writer's block - only a writer who has failed to find their inspiration.

I guess that makes me a colossal failure. I have a really hard time finding blogging fodder, especially when I've taken a break for awhile and am trying to get back into a groove.

Thankfully, over the years I have come up with a few tried and true techniques for developing blog writing ideas. Some work better than others, but all of them should give you a kick-start if you're looking for the ever illusive inspiration.

Ask Around - Go on Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites and find out what people are talking about. Ask your friends what they'd like to read about and heck out the trending topics at Twitter and Google to see if anything sparks your creative juices.

Go back - Take a look through your archives and see if there is anything that needs updated, a change of perspective or reiterated. There's usually something there that will get you started.

Pray – Okay, this really should be the first place we turn. Ask for God’s guidance...I'm sure He's got some ideas He'd love to share.

Visit your neighbors - Head out into the blogiverse and see what other Christian blogs are talking about.

Get challenged - One way to get into the habit of writing everyday is to take part in blogging challenges. One site that helps bloggers come up with daily blog ideas and helps you remain accountable is NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month. The thing is, its not just once a month anymore. They blog year round...and offer their members blogging topic ideas. Now, one word of caution. This site is not a faith-based site. You may find some posts by other bloggers a bit questionable, but if you're looking for inspiration you'll find it.

blogging with passion

2010-11-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

One of the most common questions new bloggers ask is..."How often do I need to post?"
The truth is, there really is no magic number. Whether your write daily or weekly isn't nearly as important as the impact your post has on your readers.
When you write, you need to do so with passion...whenever that strikes.
Blogging out of a sense of obligation will just lead to boring, mediocre posts- chances are you're just doing it to get it done. You didn't start your ministry out of a sense of obligation, you did it because you love the Lord and want to serve him.
Do your readers a favor - and blog for the same reason. Blog as often as you can...with passion.

its all about the reader

2010-11-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

Every choice you make when setting up your ministry's blog matters.
Every font.
Every color.
Every photo.

Everything.
Each choice either moves you closer toward your goal of reaching your audience, or father away from it. And a blog is all about its readers.
If the fancy font you like is hard to read, your readers will move on...and miss your message.
If your pink and green color scheme makes them feel out of place, they'll sprint for the virtual door...without looking back.
If your site is hard to navigate you'll lose them before you know it.
The idea in design is to make it fit not only your style but your blog's personality. It sets the tone for your message and leaves an impression...good or bad.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
- Simple fonts are the easiest to read. Stick with the standards like Times, Arial, Trebuchet and Helvetica - especially when it comes to the actual blog copy. For some of the artwork, like the header, you can get more fancy.
- Subtle color schemes are easiest on the eyes. Grab the colors from your header. If it has a nice blue in it, pull that color out and use shades of it and complementary colors around your site in borders, backgrounds and datelines.
- Make your site easy to navigate by keeping your sidebars clean of extra clutter and clearly labeling links.
With all of this being said, don't be paralyzed by the decisions you need to make in designing your blog. Play with it, have fun with it, but be willing to take a step back and take a critical look at your own blog.
And don't be afraid to ask for help - that's what we're here for. ;)
Blessings!

keep it separate

2010-10-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Have a Facebook page?
Good.
Have another one? No? Well, you need to.
When it comes to social networking, Facebook is king. And when you have a ministry, you need to have two separate Facebook pages. One for your personal life...the other for your ministry.
Think about it...do you really want your fans/readers/listeners to see the latest pictures of you with your brand new baby...or know you're headed out to eat at your favorite restaurant in Lubbock at 7 p.m. for supper?
While it may seem like a lot of work to maintain two pages, the truth is it's not that hard...especially with some of the websites that help you maintain your presence on not only Facebook, but LinkedIn and ZoomInfo. We'll talk more about those later.
So...go on! Start your other page. Put your personal stuff on your personal page - maybe under a nickname or alias that you can share with your friends and family...and your professional stuff on a professional fan page that you can share with your readers/fans/listeners.
We'll work on what to put on that page next week. ;)
Blessings!

interview techniques

2010-10-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

As a journalist I have seen many a normally intelligent, well-spoken, talkative expert melt into a big puddle of goo...all because they weren't prepared.
Honestly, when it comes to being interviewed, there's nothing to be nervous about - especially if you've done your homework. But just in case you are facing an interview and you're finding yourself with a few butterflies, I have some tips that may help you get over your case of the nerves and help you present yourself as the expert you are.

1. Know your stuff - Nothing works better to beat nervousness than really knowing your topic. The reporter has chosen you because you're an expert, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do a little homework before the appointment. When you establish a time for the sit-down, make sure you know what they're going to be asking you about. That doesn't mean you should have their list of questions ahead of time - in fact, most journalists will be offended if you ask for a list of specific questions.
Instead, ask for what the general topic is...and then read up.

2. Find your comfort zone - One of the easiest ways to remain calm and collected during an interview is to conduct it in a familiar environment. Whether its your favorite coffee shop or your living room, choosing the right setting for the interview can make all the difference. If you're comfortable, chances are you'll come across more relaxed and in command of your answers.

3. Rest up - Make sure you are rested and ready for the interview. While it seems obvious, if you're aren't rested you run the risk of not being able to concentrate as much as you need to in order to stay on top of your game.

4. Don't sweat it - The reporter sitting across from you is not the enemy. They are not an alien...they won't bite your head off. They are human, just like you...and chances are they are just a bit nervous as well. After all...they don't want to come across as an idiot to the person who is an expert on the topic. Just relax...you'll be fine. Most interviews done by the media are done on tape - very rarely are you asked to do one 'live'. That means you don't have to be perfect. They're going to do a lot of editing anyway. So if you are NOT doing a live interview and you do happen to mess up the answer a bit, don't be afraid to restate your answer in a more concise ,witty way.

5. No notes - Whatever you do don't have notes in front of you. It will make you not only look ill-prepared...it will make your responses to their questions more stilted, making it less likely the reporter will want to use your answers. The reporter is looking for a concise, well-spoken, witty answer to their question. If you're reading off a piece of paper it won't do you any favors in the publicity department.

Blessings!

plugged in

2010-10-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

We've talked before about how incredibly important your website is to the success of your ministry. It gives your readers, listeners and fans an opportunity to get to know you better and keep up to date on what is going on in your ministry.
One of the best ways to do that is to include a media page. The page can include all of your latest newspaper interviews, radio blurbs and TV appearances. It can also include audio or video exerpts from your most recent speaking appearances.
Most of these types of files can be hosted on an external website like photobucket, youtube and mediafire so they don't take up a lot of room on your own server and often those sites offer imbedding code so they can be easily added to your website.
For more information on how to create a media page on your website, contact us at CrossRiver Media Group. We'll be happy to help!
Blessings!

zeroing in

2010-10-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

The whole nine yards...
The whole kit and kaboodle...
The more the merrier...at least that's the common thinking. But when it comes to your ministry you may want to reconsider the approach. While it may seem a little counter-intuitive, brushing your ministry with too broad of a brush actually puts your ministry at risk of being too watered down.
As you build your ministry's identity, you are establishing yourself as an expert - someone other people should listen to...glean information from....turn to for advice.
But what's that saying? Jack of all trades...master of none?
When it comes to your ministry you definitely don't want to be a master of none.
If your ministry includes truck driver's Bible studies, cookbooks for moms with big families and presentations on the joy of the single life...you run the risk of your message becoming too watered down.
Nope. You definitely need to be an expert.

For instance...If you determine you are a 'faithful family' expert your adoption story will still obviously fit into your focus. The truck driver's Bible studies may have to go, but a children's devotional series will definitely work. And you can keep that cookbook but may replace the joys of single life message with a piece on building a Godly marriage.

With your new focus in place, we can then start scheduling you for TV interviews to talk about the sudden rise in teenage pregnancy, arrange engagements at women's retreats as a specialist in God-centered marriages and market the book on your adoption story as a source for pre-adoptive parents.
All because you have a focus.

To figure out what your ministry's target vision should be, sit down and carefully go over your list of articles, books, presentations and interests. Then whittle it down into a one or two word phrase. Tell us what your main subject is...the more narrow the focus, the better.
It may seem difficult at first, but its a good exercise in learning what presentations need to remain in your repertoire...and what new topics might be good to add in the future.
Then as you add new programs to your list ask yourself this - How is this going to connect and add value to my main focus?
Blessings!

get personal

2010-10-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

One of the first thing you'll be asked to do when you set up your blog is to decide on a blog name.
It is one of the most important things you will do in making your blog a success.
If at all possible, choose a name that includes a hint of what your blog and ministry is all about. For instance...when setting up this blog for CrossRiver Media Group, we gave it the name crossrivermedia.blogspot.com so it not only reflected back onto crossrivermedia.com and our ministry, but also included the word 'media' so anyone searching for the term 'media' should find this blog popping up in their search results.

I can't stress the importance of this enough. In fact...it is so important that even if you don't completely personalize your blog domain right away (i.e. blog.crossrivermedia.com), you should stay away from services that do not at least allow you to customize your own domain name! (i.e. crossrivermedia.blogspot.com)

As always, if you have any questions about setting up your blog or choosing your blog's name, please give us a call. We'd love to help!
Blessings!

its time to blog

2010-10-18T12:42:00.001-05:00

One of the simplest ways to keep in touch with your readers/fans is to blog.

Thankfully, it's also one of the cheapest...it's FREE. All it takes is a little time and a commitment to write something on a regular basis.

There are a countless number of blogging services available to the novice blogger. Wordpress.com, weebly.com and livejournal.com, just to name a few. But perhaps the simplest to learn and the easiest to eventually personalize is blogger.com

The site allows you to set up a blog all your own in a matter of minutes and their new blog designs let you personalize your site quickly and easily.

For more information on how to set up a blog, give CrossRiver Media Group a call. We'd be happy to help.

how does your website grade

2010-10-15T06:49:00.005-05:00

One of the most effective marketing tools for any author and speaker is their website and blog. But how can you get your message out if no one can find you?

Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing quick and easy tips for increasing the traffic to your website and blog (and let's be honest...you need both). But first, let's set the benchmark.

With a simple click of the mouse, you can check the effectiveness of your website and blog and the ability of the great world wide web to find you. Websitegrader.com offers web site owners the chance to get a grade on their site and specific tips for improving their site traffic.

Websitegrader's sister site, blog.grader.com offers the same service for blogs.

This simple step will give you a head start in improving your site's traffic...and give you that extra push you need to get your ministry moving.

Blessings,

About us

2010-10-13T19:11:00.007-05:00

CrossRiver is a full service marketing, publicity and speaker's bureau service. We offer our clients a unique blend of practical media experience while sharing the desire to share our Christian faith with others. We will work both as your marketing advisor but also as your partner in building your ministry's outreach.
As a former television and newspaper journalist, CrossRiver's founder, Tamara Clymer has more than 15 years of experience in writing, editing and design. After conducting hundreds of interviews and compiling countless articles, she knows what journalists look for in a story and what it takes to grab their attention. She brings this experience to play in helping her clients market themselves and their message by not only presenting their services to the faith-based community but bridging the gap with the secular media as well.
We will be using this blog to post the latest news, opportunities, trends and news in the Christian ministry community. For more information on how CrossRiver Media Group can help you, check out our website - www.crossrivermedia.com