Inland NW Christian Writer's Conference--Reflections

Conference director Jan Cline and me

This weekend was an amazing time at my first writer's conference!  I am now hooked on learning all I can to hone my skills as a writer and as a follower of the Lord.  Dr. Dennis "Doc" Hensley was the keynote speaker, and I am so blessed to have been able to attend and glean from him.  Doc passed along many points for us to follow in our writing, but it was the information he presented to us as Christian writers that I believe encouraged me the most and will empower me in my writing.




His five points were:

1. To do more you have to become more.
2. Some people know when they've been blessed by the Lord while others fear gifts of God.
3. Some people think they can tread water and others know they can only stay afloat if they move forward.
4. You need to realize that staying on top is a team effort, not a solo act.
5. Be vigilant about expecting enemy attacks: know your enemy better than he knows you! 

These five points can be applied to any Christian in their faith walk.  

• We need to become more, become what the Lord fully intended us to be.
• We need to not fear the Lord and His gifts and blessings.
• We need to more forward in our walks with the Lord, in fulfilling our passions and goals.
• We need to realize that we need other Christians in our lives to build us up, polish our armor, and hold us accountable.
• We need to be vigilant:  in pursuing our passions, in the expectations of the Lord, and in the attacks of the enemy.

Finally, I was encouraged by the many people I met at this conference.  Many of the women I was privileged to sit and visit with were encouraging and so supportive to me as an independently published author.  I didn't know exactly what I expected them to say, but I felt nothing less than encouragement, support, and wonderful advice from everyone I talked with.

Author Vicki V. Lucas, me, and author Virginia Ann Work

When God puts a passion in your heart, you have the duty to follow that passion, carrying out to the best of your ability, and to allow Him to fully direct your path to pursue that passion and see it through to completion as the Father planned for you.