Ooops. I got so busy with my job working on the Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference last week that I forgot all about Five Things Friday. The first time I remembered it was sitting in the morning session listen to the great Mike Brewer speak.
To make up for forgetting, this week I think we need at least two lists this week. And as I'm writing I'm also learning more about how the things we love are truly gifts from God given to reveal to each of us how very much He loves us. I'm just finishing up Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, and going deeper and deeper into the idea of thanks for the gifts God so freely bestows.
What blessings come from counting our blessings! I challenge you to join me and Ann and so many others. Open your eyes, begin counting the gifts that God is giving to you.
Five Gifts
26. Serving the QCCWC, amazingly talented, giving people, getting to spend time and serve God's Scribes, Apostles of Ink, and other servants of The Most High. I’m overwhelmed that God would use me to be a part of this wonderful blessing. ( I think I just had the spirit of my new friend, Gail, overtake me!)
27. A new sister and friend in Dr. Gail Hayes, Lioness for the Lord & Daughter of the King.
28. The delicious smell of Amaretto coffee wafting through the house—yum.
29. The tree budding outside my bedroom window. We moved it last fall and didn’t kill it! Hooray!
30. The power of written words to move the heart and change lives.
And Five More Gifts
31. Bright orange tulips in my yard 32. Papa Goose fasting while guarding Mama Goose noshing.
33. Mama Goose sitting on her nest.
34. Glowing green buds bring life to dead red sticks.
The 8th annual Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference will be held the weekend of April 8-9 at Cornerstone Church, 775 E. LeClaire Road in Eldridge, IA. The 2011 conference features a faculty of twelve writing professionals with a broad background of experience, and includes two full days of breakout sessions, continuing classes, keynote talks, one-on-one appointments, a panel on the writing life, and a bookstore stocked with writing resources. The Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference has been called "a hidden jewel in the Midwest." The conference began in 2004 with the goal of helping established and aspiring writers hone their skills and learn the craft. Faculty members are chosen because of their heart, their skill set, and their experience. Some of the top writing instructors in the nation have come to the Quad Cities to offer their expertise and encouragement. The excellent teaching and God-centered tone of the conference create what one visitor called “something magic.” Conferees may choose from over twenty-five break-out sessions and six continuing classes covering a wide variety of topics, such as beginner basics, writing for online magazines, beginning and advanced blogging, writing for children, and poetry. A detailed list of classes and descriptions is on the conference Web site (http://www.qccwc.com).
Inspirational keynote speakers include Dr. Gail Hayes, a motivational speaker known nationwide for her empowering and inspiring messages, and Mike Brewer, pastor, professor, and author of four books, as well as hundreds of short pieces. Russ and Kathy Willis round out the keynotes speaking about Reinventing Life in the Middle--You Can Survive a "Do Over" and Live to Tell about It.
Additional faculty for the conference includes RITA award-winning author of over thirty novels, Susan May Warren; Cynthia Ruchti, Frank Ball, Patricia Durgin, Ginger Kolbaba, Jon Nappa, Michelle Rayburn, and Larry Leech. Twila Belk, the conference director, is a radio personality, writer, speaker, and writer’s coach, as well as personal assistant to NY Times best-selling author Cecil Murphey. She will be available throughout the conference for one-on-one appointments and to offer guidance.
For registrations received by April 2, the conference rate is $269 for both days and $159 for one day. The fee covers all sessions and meals. Registrations can be made online using PayPal, or by calling 563-332-1622 with your VISA, MasterCard, or Discover numbers, or by mail with a check. The conference rate goes up to $279 for two days and $169 for one day after April 2 and at the door.
For registration information and more details about the conference, visit http://www.qccwc.com or call Twila Belk, conference director, at 563-332-1622.
If you enjoy writing but are afraid you might be"not good enough", this is the conference for you. If you’d like to know how to improve and promote your writing, this is the conference for you. If you need encouragement in your Christian walk as you learn how to better share your story of what God has done in your life, this is the conference for you. If you enjoy a bit of zany-ness and laughter alongside solid classes, seminars and messages, this is the conference for you. If you can stand to eat delicious meals alongside accessible professionals in the world of writing who are anxious to discover and encourage tomorrow's top writers, then this IS the conference for you. If you're looking for a conference with lots of big, snooty "names", blow-hards who only want to tell how great they are, mentors ready to tear you and your work apart, and impersonal, impractical teaching, where the games go on, this is NOT the conference for you.
The 8th annual Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference April 8-9 Eldridge, Iowa
Join us for two full days of continuing classes, breakout sessions, friendly faculty, hands-on learning and an experience you’ll never forget. In fact, it might change your life.
For more information or to register please visit our web site at http://www.qccwc.com ~
We're waiting to meet you and help you on your journey to writing success.
I did not write my post today. It is used by permission and is the amazing true story of how God used a page from a novel to reach the heart of a man broken over the murder of his family. Even more heart wrenching is the fact that it is the true story of a man, Terry Caffey, who lost his wife, 2 sons, and his house - all at the hands of his teenage daughter.
The story of this horrific crime and the struggle of a father to forgive the unthinkable is available in the new book Terror By Night by Terry Caffey (the father) and James Pence.
James Pence, the author of the novel and of this article, is one of the keynote speakers for the 2010 Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference, April 9-10 in Eldridge, Iowa. For more information about the conference, check out our website http://www.qccwc.com
How One Ripped Page Changed a Life By James Pence
Recently, I heard an amazing story of how God used my novel, Blind Sight, to turn someone's life around. After hearing this story, even if I never sell another book, I'll feel fulfilled as a writer.
At about 3 a.m. on March 1st of last year, two young men broke into Terry Caffey's home in Emory, Texas. They shot Terry and killed his wife, Penney, and then went upstairs and murdered the Caffey's two young sons, Bubba and Tyler. They then set fire to the house and left the family for dead. Although he had been shot twelve times, Terry escaped through the bathroom window and crawled three hundred yards to a neighbor's house. To make matters worse, Terry's daughter Erin was implicated in the crime. Overnight, Terry Caffey lost his entire family.
A month or so later, Terry went back to his property. The remains of the house had been bulldozed and little was left. Torn with grief, Terry was contemplating suicide. Unable to understand why God had taken his family and allowed him to survive, Terry cried out to God, "Why did you take my family? Why didn't you take me, too? I don't understand."
As he stood there, Terry noticed a burned scrap of paper standing up against the trunk of a nearby tree. He went over and picked it up. The paper was part of a page from my novel, Blind Sight. The edges of the page were scorched and it was difficult to read. But the words were like a direct message to Terry from God.
Here's the portion of text that Terry found:
[The viewpoint character in these paragraphs is Thomas Kent, a man who lost his wife and children in an automobile accident that he survived. In this scene, Thomas is praying.]
"I couldn't understand why You would take my family and leave me behind to struggle along without them. And I guess I still don't totally understand that part of it. But I do believe that You're sovereign; You're in control."
Justine's voice reverberated through his thoughts: Maybe God knew we needed you. "And I know that You've brought Justine and those children into my life. And they need me. Lord, You could have taken my life that day, but You spared it. And You've gone on sparing it. It doesn't matter what happens to me now, but if I can help them, please let me do it."
Thomas closed the drapes and stood alone in the dark room. For the first time in two years, he was at peace with God and with himself. He knew what he had to do. Justine and her children would be safe, even if he had to die to make sure of it.
Those paragraphs turned Terry's life around. He found the strength to go on, and is now sharing his testimony in churches around the country. When he speaks, he brings the page from my novel, now preserved in a frame, and shows it to the congregation.
Because the page was only partially preserved, Terry didn't know what book it had come from until a few weeks ago. He spoke one Sunday morning at Greenville Bible Church, and my daughter, Charlene, was present in the congregation. [She and Terry's daughter, Erin, are good friends.] Charlene and Terry both had lunch at pastor Jim Corbet's house, and Terry told them that he'd love to find out which book the page had come from. The pastor and his wife had both read Blind Sight and they thought they recognized the passage. Charlene agreed that it sounded like it had come from my novel. Pastor Corbet took his copy of Blind Sight down and they eventually found the page.
That same afternoon, Terry called and shared the story with me. Tears streamed down my face as I listened to a story that is nothing short of a miracle of God's providence. Not only had the house burned, but the site had been long since cleaned up and the debris bulldozed and hauled off. What little material was left had been exposed to the weather for at least a month. And out of a nearly 400-page book, the only scrap that remained was a brief passage where a man who had lost a wife and two children came to grips with the sovereign goodness of God, submitted to His will, and decided to move forward.
That scrap of paper lay there against a tree trunk as if waiting for Terry Caffey: a man who had lost his wife and two sons, a man who was in deep despair and who was contemplating suicide, a man who desperately needed to come to grips with the sovereign goodness and mercy of God.
Needless to say, I am deeply humbled to have been the one who wrote the words that God chose to use. What an incredible, awesome God we serve!
--Is that amazing or what?
James H. Pence is the founder of Tuppence Creative Ministries, an outreach that encourages excellence in the arts for the glory of God. In addition to being the author of six books, James is a performance chalk artist and vocalist.
James H. Pence is a full-time professional writer and editor living near Dallas, Texas. James is a multi-talented writer who has been published in both fiction and nonfiction. His publishers include Tyndale House, Kregel, and Osborne/McGraw-Hill. James holds a master’s degree in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in creative writing and journalism from Dallas Theological Seminary. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from Dallas Bible College. James is also a vocalist and gospel chalk artist, and he regularly uses his talents to share the gospel in prisons.
James is the author of Blind Sight, a gripping novel about mind-control cults and coauthor (along with Terry Caffey) of the new book: Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder that Destroyed a Family, Restored One Man’s Faith, and Shocked a Nation.
“I wrote, she wrote, we all wrote”. We also learned and laughed, talked and listened to great authors (some bestsellers), took notes and got critiqued. And then we ate and “coffee talked” and made some great life-long friends, all at the Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference.
It's been a lot of fun writing about wonderful books this year, but it's a lot more fun to see positive comments about your own writing. Just imagine a big cardboard box arriving at the door. You open it up and see the cover of your very first published book. If that is a dream of yours, then read on, my friend.
If you’re looking for insight into the publishing industry, have questions about getting published or marketing your finished work, or just need some plain old-fashioned encouragement on your writing journey, QCCWC is the conference for you. From all over the country authors and participants gather to share ideas, to spend time together finding and giving help and encouragement in a conference unique because of its heart. Over and over again we've received feedback from people sharing comments like: "There's a different Spirit at this conference". "I didn't know the authors and teachers would be so accessible." "I can't wait to try out what I've learned." "Thank you for such a wonderful conference!" We hope you'll take time to come and see for yourself the difference two short days can make in your writing and in your life.
From the website: "The Quad-Cities Christian Writers' Conference is pleased to announce that some of the best writing instructors in the nation will join us in 2010 for two full days of breakout sessions, continuing sessions, keynote talks, one-on-one appointments, and inspiration.
In order to make an impact with your writing, it's important to LEARN THE CRAFT. That's what the Quad-Cities Christian Writers' Conference is all about. You won't find publishers, agents, and editors in attendance, but you will experience the care and coaching of a professional, knowledgeable staff. Our faculty will answer your questions, guide you, teach you, and show you how you can use your writing to change the world one word at a time."
Join us April 9-10 in Eldridge, Iowa. It could be your first step toward the thrill of seeing your work in print. For more information or to register go to http://www.qccwc.com/
I'll be looking for you!
The special early-bird rate for registrations postmarked or electronically submitted on or before Saturday, February 20!
32. Papa Goose fasting while guarding Mama Goose noshing. 
n buds bring life to dead red sticks. 
