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Home » Archives for Dan Balow » Page 6

Dan Balow

Voices of Hope: Why Young Writers Are Important

By Dan Balowon March 22, 2023
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In the last month, I suggested some writers who might be worthwhile for the Christian publishing world to give attention. Those with a military or missionary season in their lives could be helpful to the Church today since they both lived a good piece of their lives in positions where personal preference, comfort, and fulfillment were far down on their priority lists.

Submission, courage, faithfulness, a clear idea of the real enemy, and a sense of mission might be helpful perspectives for believers now, and both military people and missionaries have these things down cold.

And these days, Christians everywhere are being placed in untenable positions.

Life has never been perfect since Genesis 3–in fact, far from it, even in the best of times. But now, the gloves are off, and it is time for some new perspectives for believers.

Today, a third group that could be helpful for all believers, is young Christian writers.

Why?

They remember the joy of their salvation: As David wrote, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:10-12, NIV).

They have no blind loyalty to human traditions: Jesus warned the Pharisees, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions”  (Mark 7:6-8, NIV).

They have not lost hope: Older believers who have experienced much discouragement might shift their focus out of this earth to heaven, often giving up on this life. Young writers may do a better job of balancing the present and future as they have a fresh view of their good Father who is active today and into eternity. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10, NIV).

They are open to being discipled: Allowing God to change your mind and heart is good for everyone, but younger believers are more like “wet cement” and open to being led properly. “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12, NIV).

Young writers are not exempt from the requirement to write well and have a platform, or at least a good start to one. But certainly using technology is second nature to them, which is helpful.

We know Jesus desires his followers to have a childlike faith, meaning we trust him entirely, love him unconditionally, and obey him willingly. Maybe young writers have a better idea of how these things work together in real life. They haven’t lived long enough to develop many bad habits.

(On March 6, Steve featured Brett Harris and his Young Writers Workshop and Author Conservatory. Be sure to check out that post.)

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Category: The Writing Life, Trends

Book Birthdays: 2023 Edition

By Dan Balowon March 9, 2023
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Significant books are published every year. Here’s a personally curated list that I hope sparks some good memories and honors the works of the past. Crazy Love, by Francis Chan (2008) – 15 years Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller (2003) – 20 years The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel (1998) – 25 years A Voice in the Wind, by Francine Rivers (1993) – 30 years Trusting God, by Jerry Bridges (1988) – 35 …

Read moreBook Birthdays: 2023 Edition
Category: Historical, The Publishing Life

Voices of Faithfulness: Why Missionary Writers Are Important

By Dan Balowon March 1, 2023
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I’ve been pondering the types of people, professions, and perspectives that might best write to the Christian church in the coming years. No Christ-follower can look at the world around us without seeing it unraveling at an astounding pace. Thinking back to the 1990s when Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye created the first books of the fictional Left Behind series, they would have been roundly mocked …

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Category: Career, Encouragement, Inspiration, Trends

Writing to Bible Deniers

By Dan Balowon February 16, 2023
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My guess a sketch from Monty Python’s Flying Circus from 50 years ago is unexpected for this space today. A man enters an “Argument Clinic”: Man: Is this the right room for an argument? Other Man: I’ve told you once. Man: No you haven’t! Other Man: Yes I have. M: When? O: Just now. M: No you didn’t! O: Yes I did! M: You didn’t! O: I did! M: You didn’t! O: I’m …

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Category: Career, Communication, Encouragement, Inspiration

Voices of Courage: Why Military Writers are Important

By Dan Balowon February 8, 2023
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Successful books always come from a writer’s inspired, creative mind and heart. Every time we attempt to make publishing a science, making it more about business nuts and bolts, rather than art, serendipitous creativity seems to find a way around the science, nuts, and bolts. Effective and wise business planning is important, but Christian publishing’s guiding principle should be Proverbs …

Read moreVoices of Courage: Why Military Writers are Important
Category: Agents, Book Business, Branding, Career, Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration

Bestselling Christian Books in 1977

By Dan Balowon January 26, 2023
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Forty-five years ago this spring (March 12, 1978), The New York Times ran a story giving the best-selling books of 1977. They created the list by sampling 2,500 Christian bookstores affiliated with the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA). While bestseller lists of Christian books are derived differently now, this list is interesting and shows how the Christian publishing market has …

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Category: Publishing History

365 Days to Sing God’s Praise

By Dan Balowon January 1, 2023
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Happy New Year! Today marks the 250th anniversary of the first performance of “Amazing Grace,” written by pastor John Newton to accompany his sermon. It was originally written as poetry. The familiar melody was added in 1835, though the words were sung to various traditional tunes before that. At the time, Newton was parish priest of the Anglican church in Olney, Buckinghamshire, England. (If you …

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Category: Inspiration, Personal, Theology

Christmas Questions

By Dan Balowon December 22, 2022
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When Christian singer/songwriters Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene collaborated on the modern Christmas classic “Mary Did You Know?” they hit on some meaningful themes that inspire millions each year. Honestly, I think they were a little presumptuous asking a pregnant lady or mother of a young child so many questions, but at least the song doesn’t wait for her responses! She had enough on her mind. I …

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Category: Creativity, Theology

Repetition Is Talent

By Dan Balowon December 14, 2022
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Early in my career, I attended a business conference that had a profound effect on my view of work ever since. First, I recall the presenter talking about the use of statistics and data in business. Data can support any position, depending on how you use it. It is like having an opinion and finding Scripture to back it up. Almost always the text is taken out of context. The same thing happens with …

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Category: Career, The Writing Life

Pet Peeves

By Dan Balowon December 1, 2022
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Pet peeves. We all have them, and we all do things that are pet peeves for others. How about starting a blog post with a two-word sentence, which isn’t a sentence? Anyone? Bueller? My Pet Peeves On one hand, I am like everyone else. I don’t like repetitive tapping or spam phone calls late at night. Those are the easy ones. I am also incredibly annoyed by bicyclists who never, ever observe any kind …

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Category: Agents, Humor
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