Helping you write, publish, and profit in a way that honors God.

Christian Authors Network News

February 2024 Edition

Friend,

Welcome to the Christian Authors newsletter! Our goal is to bless you with inspiration, tips, and opportunities for the next steps in your author journey.

Be sure to read all the way to the end so that you can make the most of the resources that were hand-picked to help you reach your goals.

Our February Theme: Love God, Love Others

This month, we are focusing on the topic of love, specifically what it looks like to love God and love others. Scripture tells us that we ought to love God with all of our “heart, soul, and mind” and that it is “the greatest commandment” given to us (Matthew 22:37-38). A very close second is to love our neighbor as ourselves (v. 39).

Throughout the next 29 days, we’ll be meditating on the true meaning of the word “love” and how God fulfills the very definition of it through His character. We’ll also spend some time looking at how we can actively and practically love our neighbors so we are reflecting God’s love at all times.

Your Challenge: For this month's challenge, we are asking you to write three love letters throughout the month of February. As we focus on our theme of loving God and others, spend some time in reflection about what that looks like to you, and then write the three letters—one to God, one to yourself, and one to someone special in your life.

There is no obligation to share the contents of these letters publicly, but we encourage you to share how the writing experience helps you to better understand or express God’s love.

February Success Guide

As we navigate the theme of loving God and loving others, we hope you’ll not only come to understand the Biblical definition of the word, and how God encompasses that definition through His very nature, but also that you will be able to pour out that love on others so that God’s love remains alive and active within you and is reflected to all of His creation.

In the February Success Guide, you’ll find an abundance of inspirational text and Scripture, a practical guide of how to love in action, a 3-day prayer focus to keep you saturated in His love, the monthly challenge, and journaling prompts for further reflection on this theme.

Discover “Unlocking Christian Leadership: Proven Strategies from the Faithful Elite to Accelerate Your Success”

In our ongoing commitment to equip you with tools for success, we're thrilled to highlight our new guide, “Unlocking Christian Leadership: Proven Strategies from the Faithful Elite to Accelerate Your Success.” This resource is an invitation for visionary Christian authors like you to delve deeper into leadership that's anchored in faith and vision.

This guide offers practical wisdom and guidelines backed by scripture-proven methods to articulate a vision and implement the mission God has called you to. It also focuses on things a leader must get right before leading others.

Are you ready to accelerate your success and redefine leadership?

Click here to get started on this leadership journey today.

One-Minute Devotional

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

-1 John 4:9-12

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

-1 John 4:16-21

How God loves you is how you are meant to love others. How you love others is meant to be a reflection of how God loves them and is evidence of how you love God.

Love, according to 1 Corinthians 13, is patient and kind, not self-seeking nor easily angered. It always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. It does not dishonor; it keeps no record of wrongdoing. It does not envy or boast or rejoice in evil. Scripture also tells us that God is love. God is patient. He is kind. He protects and perseveres. He does not dishonor. He does not rejoice in evil. He keeps no record of wrong. God doesn’t just exhibit these admirable qualities toward us; He is those very things by nature. When we say that God is love, it’s not just a pretty phrase. It’s actually an invitation—an invitation for us to experience a profound, everlasting, and life-altering kind of love.

Love is at the core of who God is and what He does. The extent of His love for us is so great that He sacrificially gave His own Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so we could be reconciled with God and spend eternity with Him. It serves as a powerful reminder that our connection with God is not rooted in fear but in the transformative power of His love. This kind of love demands a response, and the natural response is gratitude; heartfelt gratitude that is more than just a feeling but an acknowledgment of the profound truth that we are loved beyond anything that we deserve and in a way we cannot ever fully comprehend. Our gratitude is meant to be a continuous response that shapes our identity and actions. It creates a ripple effect—when we truly grasp the depth of God's love for us, it changes who we are from within. We become people who understand the value of true love and genuine forgiveness, and that understanding starts to influence how we treat others. 

And, this is exactly how God intended it to be. Because our response to God’s love goes beyond gratitude. God's love isn't meant to be hoarded; it's meant to be shared. As recipients of this incredible love, we become conduits of that love to those we encounter. Like a mirror, we are to reflect God’s love toward our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, and strangers alike. In doing so, we not only share God’s love with them but we also outwardly show the evidence of God’s love toward us. If we say that God’s love has changed us, then we are love incarnate to those around us. If God’s love is real and present in our lives, then it is naturally evident in our words and actions so that others can be attracted to and desire that same love for themselves.

This Month’s Productivity Tip: The Power Hour!

Instead of drowning in an overwhelming to-do list, channel your energy into a single, crucial task for a dedicated sixty minutes. This technique thrives on intensity and focus, requiring you to eliminate all distractions, set a timer, and immerse yourself wholly in the task at hand.

It's not just about managing time; it's about making time work for you in the most impactful way possible. Take the challenge, set the timer, and unlock the transformative potential of focused, concentrated effort.

Join Us for Monthly Prayer Time!

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20

Join us for our monthly Prayer Time. These are dedicated times to bring our concerns, worries, praise, and celebrations together to the Lord. Join us as we come together and spend time together in the presence of Jesus. We hope to explore together various types of prayer and devotion, such as contemplative prayer, lectio divina, listening prayer, immanuel moments, and more.

The February Prayer Time will be hosted on Facebook Live in the Christian Authors Network Facebook community at 8:30 AM EST on Friday, February 23rd. We hope to see you there!

Publishing Secrets: You’re Not There by Accident with Pastor Jim Wickham (Re-Air)

Guest Pastor Jim Wickham shares his story of following God’s call even when he didn’t understand the reason for it and persevering even when he felt like giving up. If you feel like you’re in over your head, all the doors are closing on you, or you aren’t “good enough” to pursue the calling God has placed on your life, Pastor Jim has a special word of encouragement just for you.

In the Publishing Secrets podcast, Coach Tam brings you behind-the-scenes insights and interviews with mission-driven authors and writers who were once paralyzed by fear. Each episode will leave you empowered, equipped, and excited to write, write, write! Before you know it, your book will be published and you’ll be well on your way to launching a career as a motivational speaker, teacher, and coach like you’ve always wanted. Tune in to Publishing Secrets and finally get moving in the direction of your dreams!

Publisher Spotlight: Xulon Press

Discover the gateway to bringing your literary aspirations to life with Xulon Press. As a premier Christian self-publishing company, Xulon Press empowers authors to share their unique stories, messages, and insights with the world. With a commitment to excellence and a passion for Christian literature, Xulon Press provides professional publishing services, guiding authors through every step of the self-publishing journey. Whether you're a seasoned writer or a first-time author, explore the possibilities at Xulon Press and turn your manuscript into a professionally published masterpiece that resonates with readers worldwide.

ChristianAuthors.net Member Spotlight

Want to be featured here? Sign up for a free profile on ChristianAuthors.net, and you could be chosen for the monthly author spotlight!

Israel Duran

Israel Duran is a business growth partner, TEDx speaker, and trainer who has empowered thousands of entrepreneurs all over the world to break through revenue ceilings and create 5, 6, and 7-figure launches.

After a life-threatening car crash nearly took his life in 2018, Israel pivoted his life’s mission to serve others by helping his students, clients, and partners experience transformation in their lives and businesses. He is passionate about helping those stuck between $10-50K a month leverage their expertise and knowledge to create and scale profitable businesses that impact individuals, groups, and the world. Duran is the creator of the Leads & Sales Challenge - a Full-immersion 5-day Virtual Challenge to Supercharge Your Marketing, Sales, Advertising & Funnels

Based in Danbury, CT, Israel loves missions and evangelism; he spends his downtime fishing.