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The Steve Laube Agency

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Home » Faith » Page 2

Faith

Writing Thoughtful Books

By Dan Balowon August 15, 2017
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There has always been a hierarchy in fiction distinguishing “literary” from “popular” books, with lines drawn between both topics and reading levels.  Authors of each are different, somewhat like actors who work on stage versus those who work on screen.

Comparisons of literary vs. popular and stage vs. screen are often done in a derogatory manner.

Christian authors describing non-fiction might use the words “thoughtful” or “reflective” and “popular” to distinguish types of writing, but the purpose is the same, to distinguish topics and reading levels. These are valid descriptions and help focus the work to an audience and their preferences.

However, if the Christian author believes one type of writing is of greater importance than the other, they risk being snared into a worldly trap, which asserts it is only the highly educated who can truly grasp something of depth.

If spiritual maturity were related to education level, there would be no hope for the majority of the world’s Christians to grow in their faith.

After all, there is only one cross of Jesus Christ, not a “PhD Cross” and a “GED Cross.”

Everyone is confused by something, regardless of education. It’s what unifies humans!

The Gospel makes no sense to a lot of people. In fact, to many, it is pure foolishness. This is no surprise as God actually intended the Gospel to confuse them.

In the end, people still come to Christ by grace through faith and are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. And there is only one Holy Spirit, not one for the Ivy League college professor and another for the less-schooled person trying to keep their children alive.

The disciple Thomas needed to see first, and then believe. Others just believed.

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”  John 20:29 NLT

God is big enough to easily absorb the doubts of the greatest thinkers and brilliant skeptics, who often swim in the deep end because their intellects desire to ponder difficult things. But it wasn’t their intelligence, which finally saves them. It is grace through faith, the same for everyone.

God is also personal enough for the humble grade school child in a village anywhere in the world, who upon hearing about his Grace, forgiveness and immense love, nods their head in prayerful acceptance of the greatest gift.

God is high enough, wide enough, big enough, and small enough to handle the thought process of any follower or seeker, regardless of IQ. This fact should unite believers, not divide.

So what should this mean for a Christian author?

Write whatever you are led to write, to whatever audience you want, but never, ever believe there is a hierarchy of importance, giving greater weight to books for the more educated and less to books written for the simple-faith folks.

 That’s how the world thinks, not the Creator who made the world.

Growing in the Christian faith is about issues of the heart, not only the head. In the Sermon on the Mount, there was no educational requirement to receive blessing.

One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.  (Matthew 5:1-12 – New Living Translation)

People from all walks of life need Christian books, meeting them where they live and think.

Every person is important and so are the books intended for each.

 

 

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Category: Art, Faith, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Faith, fiction, Nonfiction, Theology

Is Your Glass Half Empty?

By Steve Laubeon June 12, 2017
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Over the decades it has been interesting to listen to and read the various pundits regarding the publishing industry. Typically those who spell out doom and gloom get the attention (fortifying the idea that “if it bleeds, it leads”). At the same time there is the optimist position which is often derided for being unrealistic. After awhile I’ve learned to smile and simply get back …

Read moreIs Your Glass Half Empty?
Category: Christian, Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, Personal, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Encouragement, Faith, The Publishing Life

Show Me the Money!

By Karen Ballon June 7, 2017
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I’ll never forget the Sunday I was getting ready to leave church, and the pastor’s wife came up to me and touched my arm. “Karen, my son can’t find a job, so he’s decided to make some fast money by writing a book and having it published. Do you have any counsel for him?” I’m so proud of myself that I didn’t guffaw in her face. Not so proud that I fixed her with a hard look and replied, “Do me a …

Read moreShow Me the Money!
Category: Economics, Money, The Writing LifeTag: Economics, Faith, Money, The Writing Life

The Lies That Bind

By Karen Ballon May 10, 2017
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 Years ago at a writer’s conference I was confronted by a pastor who demanded to know why I promoted lies to God’s family. As you can imagine, I was somewhat taken aback at this accusation and asked the irate man to explain what he meant. “Those books you write. Those novels. They’re lies!” I pointed out that if I was lying by telling stories, then so was Christ seeing as He did the same with the …

Read moreThe Lies That Bind
Category: Career, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Career, Faith, The Writing Life

When You’re Too Tired to Be Creative

By Karen Ballon March 29, 2017
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Sleep deprivation is at an all-time high in our nation. So many of us feel tired and drained from the time we crawl out of bed at dawn until we fall back into it late at night. If it’s not a lack of sleep, it’s just being weary or fatigued. Sometimes because of illness, sometimes because of stress, sometimes because of just dealing with an angry and vitriolic nation. I mean, have you EVER seen …

Read moreWhen You’re Too Tired to Be Creative
Category: The Writing LifeTag: exhaustion, Faith, fatigue, Rest, The Writing Life

How To Decide What You Will and Won’t Do with Your Time

By Karen Ballon March 22, 2017
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I hear it all the time: “So many things are vying for my time. How do I decide, and how do I do it all and still write??” Many of us struggle to know what we should be doing with our time. And there are so many things we can do, most of which seem right and noble and even godly, and many of which take time away from being able to do this task of writing. Before you decide where to spend your time, …

Read moreHow To Decide What You Will and Won’t Do with Your Time
Category: The Writing LifeTag: Faith, The Writing Life, Time Management

A Book Loved By Everyone Hasn’t Been Written

By Dan Balowon January 31, 2017
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There is no such thing as a book everyone likes and this problem is only magnified if it covers religion, politics, sports or anything else where people are deeply divided. If you think you are going to write a book, which unites all Christian believers worldwide, you better take a deep breath and realize no matter what you write, you will have detractors. While the Bible is the Holy …

Read moreA Book Loved By Everyone Hasn’t Been Written
Category: Book Review, Reviews, The Publishing Life, The Writing LifeTag: Faith, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

Are Deadlines Killing Your Christmas?

By Karen Ballon December 14, 2016
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Remember the days when all we had to do at Christmas time was sip hot chocolate, trim the tree, and wrap gifts, all while listening to Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole croon out those wonderful old carols? Yeah, me neither. For so many of us, Christmas has become another item on our To-Do list. One that we keep moving as deadlines grow ever more dire. It’s crazy. This time of year, the time when we …

Read moreAre Deadlines Killing Your Christmas?
Category: Faith, The Writing LifeTag: Christmas, Deadlines, Faith, The Writing Life

The Writer’s STEP

By Karen Ballon November 30, 2016
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As some of you know, I have asthma. As does one of my very best friends. And you know what these two…ahem…”seasoned” asthmatics love to do? Hike! Yup. We plod along, coughing and wheezing and laughing (or, to be more accurate, gasping) about how they’ll find our poor deceased selves on the path, but that’s okay, because at least we went out doing what we love. I realize that people who don’t know …

Read moreThe Writer’s STEP
Category: Career, Encouragement, Faith, Get Published, Inspiration, The Writing LifeTag: Encouragement, Faith, The Writing Life

Getting Ready to Give Thanks

By Karen Ballon November 23, 2016
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No doubt about it, it’s been a tough year. In publishing. In politics. In our nation. In our world. There are so many things to worry about, to be frustrated about, even to fear. And yet… God is. Whoever runs the country…God is. Whatever personal or professional trials you face…God is. However discouraging circumstances may be…God is. Whatever is happening… GOD. IS. As we prepare to celebrate …

Read moreGetting Ready to Give Thanks
Category: Personal, TheologyTag: Faith, Personal, Theology
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