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Christian Authors Network News

June 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 June Theme: Servant Leadership

This month, we will be exploring the theme of “Servant Leadership.” Through our Success Guide and our monthly challenge, we will define what this word means, comparing it to other forms of leadership (as found in our current culture and society), and will explore the various attributes of servant leadership as outlined by Scripture and by looking at the greatest example of a servant leader, Jesus Himself.

Our Key Scripture for this month is from Mark 10:43-45: “... Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Your Challenge: For this month's challenge, we're inviting you to work on your servant leadership qualities and traits with a guided worksheet.

Using an acrostic for “LEADERSHIP,” we will identify 10 different characteristics of a servant leader and give you daily prompts and Scripture to help you reflect and meditate on each attribute and work on improving the ones you struggle with. 

By participating in this guided worksheet, we hope that you will have engaged with each aspect of servant leadership over the course of these 30 days and will have deepened your understanding and application of these principles in your life so you are able to lead others just like Jesus!

June Success Guide

Throughout this month, we're looking at what it means to lead like Jesus through principles of servant leadership.

Our June Success Guide focuses on what servant leadership means and what distinguishes this style of leadership from that of mainstream culture while taking a look at our ultimate example of a servant leader—Jesus. It’s filled with Scripture and supportive text that will teach, guide, and offer support on the principles and attributes of servant leadership. Also included is the monthly challenge, prayer focus, and journaling prompts for further reflection on this theme.

One-Minute Devotional

“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

-Philippians 2:1-8

Servant leadership isn't just some trendy management theory—it's a timeless approach to leadership deeply rooted in the teachings of Jesus. Philippians 2:3-8 sums it up beautifully, urging us to think like Christ, who showed us what true humility and selflessness look like. It's about shifting our focus from climbing the ladder of success to serving others, just like Jesus did—He didn't hesitate to serve, even when it meant sacrificing His own life on the cross.

At the core of servant leadership is humility and putting others first. Jesus Himself set the example, saying, "I came not to be served but to serve" (Mark 10:45). That means we're called to follow His lead, considering others more important than ourselves and putting their needs ahead of our own ambitions.

Jesus didn't just talk the talk; He walked the walk. Throughout His ministry, He showed us what servant leadership looks like in action. One memorable moment was when He washed His disciples' feet (John 13:3-5). Can you imagine? The King of Kings getting down on His knees to serve His followers. It was a powerful lesson in humility and servanthood.

And Jesus didn't stop there. He had a heart for the hurting and marginalized, showing compassion and empathy at every turn. When He saw people in need, He didn't just feel sorry for them; He did something about it. Whether it was healing the sick, feeding the hungry, or comforting the brokenhearted, Jesus lived out servant leadership every day (Matthew 9:36).

But servant leadership isn't just about doing nice things for others—it's about sacrificial love. Jesus gave everything He had, even His own life, for the sake of others. He showed us that true love means laying down our lives for one another (Romans 12:10). And as we strive to love and serve others in the same way, we become living examples of Christ's transformative love and grace.

So, as we reflect on the life and teachings of Jesus, let's commit to following His example of servant leadership. Let's humble ourselves, put others first, and love sacrificially. Take a moment to think about how you can embody servant leadership in your own life. Maybe it's serving in your community, lending a helping hand to a friend in need, or simply listening with empathy to someone who's hurting. 

Whatever it is, let's strive to live out the heart of Jesus, showing His love and grace to everyone we meet. Because when we do, we not only honor Christ's legacy but also become agents of His kingdom here on earth.

This Month’s Productivity Tip: Manage Your Energy, Not Just Your Time

Effective productivity is about more than just scheduling every minute of your day; it’s about harnessing your energy to maximize your output. Pay attention to your natural rhythms and work during your peak energy periods. For many, this might be early in the morning or late at night. Prioritize rest, nutrition, and spiritual practices to keep your energy levels high and maintain a balanced life. 

By aligning your writing with your natural energy rhythms and staying spiritually and physically nourished, you can maintain high levels of creativity and focus, ensuring your writing remains inspired and impactful. Remember, it’s not just about how much time you spend, but how you use the energy you have. This approach helps prevent burnout and keeps you motivated, allowing you to sustain long-term productivity.

Don’t Miss the CAN Members Activation Workshop!

Are you ready to take your writing to the next level and connect with like-minded Christian authors? Join us for our exciting new Monthly Members Activation Workshop on Tuesday, June 11th at 7:00 PM ET! This interactive workshop is designed to help you practice your craft, collaborate with others, and make meaningful progress on your writing journey.

What to Expect:

• Dedicated time to work on the monthly member challenge

• Collaborate and connect with fellow Christian authors

• Share ideas and receive valuable feedback

• Engage in timed individual writing sessions

• Opportunity to share your work and receive support from the community

• Workshops will run for approximately 60-90 minutes

• Replays will be available for those unable to attend live

Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to grow as a Christian author and connect with your peers. Add the Monthly Members Activation Workshop to your calendar now, and make it a priority to attend. We encourage you to join us live, but if you can't make it, be sure to catch the replay and stay engaged with the community.

One participant from each month’s workshop will be selected to record a motivational message for our members, inspired by the monthly challenge. This is an incredible opportunity to gain exposure, showcase your work, and promote your book to a wider audience of engaged Christian readers and authors!

How to Participate:

Joining the Monthly Members Activation Workshop is easy – simply show up! We encourage you to attend live to get the most out of the experience, but if you can't make it, the replay will be available for you to catch up and stay connected with the community. Registration is preferred, but not required.

We can't wait to see you there and witness the incredible work God will do through this community!

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 June Prayer Time will be hosted on Facebook Live in the Christian Authors Network Facebook community at 8:30 AM ET on Friday, June 29th. We hope to see you there!

The Beacon Show

On The Beacon Show, host Tamara "Tam" Jackson empowers you to unite your faith and influence for transformative impact. Each week, Tamara brings you powerful conversations with True Beacons—Christian leaders illuminating the world on a global scale.

Through biblical wisdom and practical strategies, you'll learn how to boldly pursue your purpose, navigate the complexities of your role, and become a beacon of light in your sphere of influence. Join Tamara on this transformative journey, where wisdom meets faith and success finds its voice. Subscribe now and join the Beaconship movement, illuminating the world one leader at a time.

Publisher Spotlight: CKN Christian Publishing

CKN Christian Publishing began as a key player in the indie author scene, offering news and special deals on Christian eBooks for the Kindle platform. Today, CKN has grown into a respected Christian publisher, committed to bringing fresh, inspiring Christian works to readers.

CKN Christian Publishing welcomes unsolicited manuscripts. They are especially interested in hearing from authors with a back catalog and publication rights, but first-time authors are also encouraged to submit their work.

As an imprint of Wolfpack Publishing, CKN Christian Publishing is dedicated to delivering wholesome Christian novels that often cross denominational lines, ensuring there is something for everyone. For more information, visit their website below.

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!

Alane Haynes

Alane Haynes was radically saved in 1981, when the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to her; she immediately received salvation, deliverance and a supernatural healing of her body and mind. An apostolic and prophetic teacher and speaker, Alane has authored four books. The first, "Moses – Shocked in the Desert," was birthed from a prophetic dream and many nights of the Holy Spirit waking her to, "Write what I tell you." She podcasts through Charisma Podcast Network; “Stirring of the Waters” is her show. Alane and her husband Kerry are co-founders of "Eternal Truth Now Ministry," and are broadcasters on Holy Spirit Broadcasting Network (hsbn.tv). They are passionate about the power of God’s word and desire to see people fulfill their God-given destiny and bring His Kingdom to the earth. When they are not ministering, Alane and Kerry enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren, and outdoors enjoying the beauty of God's creation.