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A Blessed Christmas to You All

By Karen Ballon December 25, 2013

Cat and Dog devouring Santa's cookies and milk

As you may have noticed, my day to blog here on the agency blog is Wednesday. I was utterly delighted when I realized that my blog fell on Christmas! If there is any one day of the year that is my absolute favorite, it’s Christmas. I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas…not just the day, but the whole season. My mom was the absolute queen of celebrations, and she knew how to do Christmas right. How to share the joy and wonder of the season, how to let Christ’s light and love shine through her smile and her tender touch. And my dad filled our holidays with the most wondrous advent devotions, music, and laughter. So yes, I love Christmas. My prayer for each of you this year is that you feel Christmas as never before. That the purest blessing of what we’re celebrating—the advent of our Savior!—will overflow every moment of today for you and your family.

A Merry, merry Christmas to you, my friends.

And here’s a video for you to share. May it delight and move you as it did me.

The Quiet Miracle

By Dan Balowon December 24, 2013

Jesus Christ being born of a virgin in a stable in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago was one of greatest miracles by God. Ranking miracles is a silly pursuit, so I will avoid that, but consider this…

The Creator of the entire physical universe, who existed before time itself, with infinite power, majesty and holiness, restrained all that glory and squeezed himself into a tiny, humble, human baby, …

Category: Christian, Dan, Faith, PersonalTag: Christian, Christmas, Faith

The Anti-Christ-mas Redeemed

By Steve Laubeon December 23, 2013

by Steve Laube

Ebenezer Scrooge shouted, “What is Christmas to you but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer….Every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.”

Not the most merry of sentiments but is illustrative of the …

Category: Christian, Faith, Personal, SteveTag: Christian, Christmas, Faith

Staying Healthy Over the Holidays

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 19, 2013

Now that we are in the midst of the holidays, it’s easy to lose sight of keeping our bodies in top form. Since we in publishing have sedentary jobs, we must be vigilant about our health. Even though many of us work at home, we still have parties at church, our outside jobs, our spouse’s work, clubs, and other food-laden events. I’ve already been challenged by two events: …

Category: Career, Personal, TamelaTag: Career, Health, Holidays

Staying Sane Over the Holidays

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 12, 2013

Just because you're a writer doesn't mean you get a pass over the holidays. Many writers are contract-bound by December and early January deadlines, while other writers have self-imposed deadlines to keep their careers moving. The late arrival of Thanksgiving has also put a monkey wrench into many of our plans. I don't know about you, but I just can't get in the mood -- or find the time -- for …

Category: Career, Personal, TamelaTag: Career, Holidays, Personal

Thankful for You!

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 28, 2013

I have many people and circumstances to be thankful for but on this Thanksgiving Day, I am going to focus on you, our blog readers.

Thank you for being faithful to stop by every weekday, not only to see my posts, but the posts by Steve, Dan, and Karen. I can safely say all of us hope we edify and inform you -- and even entertain you once in awhile.

Thank you for having the courage to make …

Category: Personal, TamelaTag: thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Karen Ballon November 27, 2013

One more day and many of us will be seated around a table, mouths watering as we watch Dad or Grampa or Hubby carve a steaming, golden turkey. As I thought about the many Thanksgiving celebrations we’ve shared in my family--days of fellowship and laughter, gratitude and blessing--I remembered singing that wonderful old hymn, “We Gather Together.”

So join me, you lovers of words, you craftsman …

Category: Karen, PersonalTag: thanksgiving

Thankful for the Pioneers in Our Industry

By Dan Balowon November 26, 2013

Yesterday, Steve Laube asked you to thank those who have the most direct connection with readers of books...the retail bookseller. Steve has Christian retailing in his DNA. He worked for Berean Christian stores, managing their Phoenix, Arizona locations and was named the Christian Booksellers Association Store of the year in 1989. You win that award because you balance the business and ministry …

Category: Book Business, Dan, Personal, The Publishing LifeTag: publishing

Thank a Bookseller

By Steve Laubeon November 25, 2013

by Steve Laube

With this being Thanksgiving week I thought it appropriate to urge you to take a moment, visit your local bookseller, and say, "Thank you for supporting books!"

As I wrote elsewhere, it is tough to be in the retail side of the business. Online sales, rising rent and utilities, rising salaries, etc. are competition enough. I know many booksellers who are in the business for …

Category: Book Business, Book Sales, Personal, SteveTag: Bookselling

A Weekend with C.S. Lewis and Friends

By Steve Laubeon November 11, 2013

by Steve Laube

This past weekend I had the privilege, once again, to attend and participate in the C.S. Lewis Foundation’s Fall retreat in Houston.

Not a typical writers conference it focuses on the extraordinary contribution of Lewis and his fellow Inklings and ultimately a celebration of the Arts in light of the incarnation of Christ. The speakers were extraordinary. They included:
Devin …

Category: Conferences, Get Published, Personal, SteveTag: C.S. Lewis, Conferences, Get Published