“When a soldier serves, so does the family.”

Donna Mull saw that statement on the shirts some military wives were wearing at a Fourth of July parade as they marched with their husbands. Suddenly, that statement had become personal. She had heard stories about mothers whose faithful prayers had changed lives. When her son received his orders for deployment to Iraq, she wanted to be one of those mothers. Equally motivated by love and pain, Ms. Mull embarked on a year-long journey of prayer, writing weekly devotionals that focused on the specific needs of soldiers and their families. She then forwarded them to friends and family, who used them as springboards for their own prayer times.



Due to the enormously positive response to her devotionals, Donna took a step to help others; in 2010 she published, A Prayer Journey Through Deployment, a compilation of these emails to bless other soldiers and their families outside of her circle. Since published in 2010, Donna’s book has been greatly praised by fellow military and their families. A review was printed in the March 2011 edition of Military Spouse magazine, Family Magazine (distributed to military commissaries) featured it, and several bloggers weighed in to praise her uplifting work. The most recent compliment comes from Jim Greenwald, the Lead Book Reviewer at Military Writers Society of America, otherwise known as MWSA.

Donna Mull is a brilliant writer; but, that alone would not have made A Prayer Journey Through Deployment, the gem that it is.

What makes this collection of prayers, commentaries and trenchant insights so special is that it flows from a powerful force of inspiration, faith, passion and pain that cause it to soar. Written primarily for the soldier deployed during war and his or her loved ones, it achieves, perhaps even unwittingly by Ms. Mull, a universality that makes it a valued guide to life for young and old, soldier and civilian, believer and non-believer, alike. This intricate interweave of biblical passages with thematic prayer, poetry and prose is a work of art.

You can order Prayer Journey Through Deployment by calling 1-877-421-7323 or visit our website at www.winepressbooks.com.

An estimated 20% of high school students reported being bullied on school property in 2009, according to research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On a worldwide scale, the CDC conducted a study in 27 countries and discovered the majority of school-aged children had encountered bullying at least some of the time.

Practicing lawyer, Wendy Starr, discusses the power behind words from a biblical and practical position. Bullying, she says, begins with our words.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, is a lie. Just look at the rate of suicides from bullying in our society. How-to-stop-bullying.com reports that 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, and physically. In 2008, Dr. Judy Fisher-Blando’s research determined that 75% of employees have experienced or witnessed workplace bullying. Whether we like it or not, words affect others.”

Starr’s book, Your Words, emphasizes the impact our words can have on our lives. As evidenced by bullying statistics, words can and do hurt. Starr teaches the counter impact of words, the possibility of words used to build, encourage, and empower.

“Words can destroy you or they can transform you because they are your words or the words of another, produce either faith or fear. Your words come from your heart. What is in your heart is what you have sowed and what you have allowed others to sow there.”

The atmosphere in his truck was so thick that December day in 1980 that Dallas/Ft. Worth homebuilder Alan Youngblood could barely breathe. Then he heard these words: “Ask God to reveal Himself unto you.”

In Voice of Many Waters: Irrefutable Evidence of Life after Death, Youngblood describes his amazement. He obeyed the directive, but asked himself, am I going to see God? Is there going to be a big sign in the sky, ‘I’m God’?” Exactly how would God reveal himself?

Soon after, Youngblood had an out-of-body experience. He was carried to heaven, He didn’t see God, but he heard Him as “the voice of many waters.” He talked with a friend who had died in a plane crash, noting with surprise that the man wore not a white robe but a suit his mother-in-law had made for him years ago. These clothes became irrefutable evidence of life after death.

The compilation of true stories in Hurray God! Hope, Pray, Believe, detail answers that ordinary folks have received to their desperate prayers. Jeanette Sharp, who compiled the stories, desires to let readers know that God is concerned about them, whether they seek quiet direction in their daily life, or something more urgent such as needing rescue from fire, drowning, attack, injury, freezing weather, or other desperate situations.

The author’s interest in prayer began when she was ten years old and her father had just died. All alone on a dark street in freezing weather, she whispered a desperate prayer, unsure if God even heard it. However, the answer came just moments later. Awestruck, the little girl ran home to tell her family. “That experience convinced me that God saw me, knew me, and loved me,” says Sharp. “I compiled this book to encourage people to discover the power of prayer and to inspire them to journal their prayers and watch what happens.”

Jeanette Sharp’s writing has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Answered Prayers, Cup of Comfort Book of Bible Promises, and A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. She is president of Hurray God! LLC, and lives in Texas with her husband, Jim.

Clark Burbidge’s A Piece of Silver presents the Christmas story in a new way, taking readers beyond the typical Nativity scenes. This new children’s book from WinePress Publishing features a homeless boy named Daniel, who takes refuge in a Bethlehem stable and witnesses the birth of the Savior. Wanting to present the child with something, Daniel offers his only possession—a tiny silver ring. The story follows Daniel as he grows up on the fringes of society, to his darkest, loneliest hour when he meets Christ again face-to-face.

“Daniel's experiences speak to the heart of every person who has struggled, felt alone, wondered how they got on such a rocky road, asked themselves ‘Why me?’ and questioned if God and others even knew they were alive, let alone cared,” Burbidge says. He believes that there is something in the story for all ages, including teens and adults, and hopes that it will bring all ages closer to the Savior as they make it part of their Christmas, or even Easter, traditions.

A Piece of Silver is illustrated by Annie Henrie, a gifted artist who started selling her paintings in galleries at age 16 and graduated from BYU with a degree in Illustrations in 2010. When a friend referred Burbidge to Henrie, he immediately saw the faces of Daniel and Mary in her work. There is no question in his mind that A Piece of Silver was meant to be illustrated by Annie Henrie.

“My message is to take heart during life's greatest struggles,” Burbidge says. “You are never alone. God knows you; He loves you with a perfect love and is always there.”

Gladys Billups, author of Chosen (WinePress, 2011) shares her personal experience with abortion, and the emotional devastation that ensued. She also details other painful moments and sins in her past and how God was able to redeem those and restore peace in her life. Billups’ message to readers:

“You can find forgiveness and healing in Christ after the most life-altering sins. The mistakes we make in life can lead us back to God. You are not the first person to love God and sin against him - look at the lives of people in the Bible, look at me. Stop running from God - He wants you to get to know him. God, the creator of everything, has chosen you to be in relationship with Him.”

Chosen emphasizes God’s grace in the face of our darkest moments and ugliest sins. Billups dedicated her book “to those who have made mistakes in life and wondered if they were worthy of God’s favor, forgiveness, and restoration.”

Gladys Billups is a Missionary at Oak Grove Baptist Restoration Ministries (OGRM), a volunteer counselor at Comfort Care Women's Health, and she also leads Bible Study groups both at her church and other churches in the community. Gladys graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology and Clark Atlanta University in Georgia. She has been married for 15 years and has two children. She is a member of the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Shenandoah Valley Emmaus community, and the American Society of Safety Engineers. Gladys and her family make their home in Shenandoah Valley.

Post Cards from Another Gospel takes a insightful, humorous, and thought provoking look at post modernism and the church. By examining church trends going back 30 years, Post Cards identifies how post modernism has been introduced through culture and through steady, subtle compromise. Babb’s intent is to draw lines of clear distinction by re-establishing the Word of God as the standard of truth to a culture who far-too-often blurs the difference.


James Barry Babb is founder of TruthCulture Ministries, dedicated to proclaiming biblical truth to a post modern church and culture. He has over 25 years in ministry service, with the last 19 years as a pastor heading the counseling and worship ministry at New Covenant Fellowship, in Knoxville, Tennessee and as Pastor of Ministries for Shepherd's Gate, a ministry to homeless and addicted women and their children in the Bay area of California. Educated at Memphis State University and Liberty University, Babb holds a Bachelor of Science in Education degree and a Master of Arts in Counseling. Babb recently moved back to the Nashville area with Camille, his wife of 27 years, and his two children, Lori and Brian, who are in college.

Steve Schaefer, the author of Living in the Overlap was recently showcased on Overflow Today, an online podcast outreach ministry site. Steve joined us in 2010 for the National Outreach conference where he had an opportunity to share the message of his book and conduct this interview. Watch the video below.

By Carla Williams

How many times have you felt pressured by a local author into putting his or her book on your shelf? Dozens of times, right? An author comes into your store holding his or her baby up for you to kiss and admire. “It’s going to be a bestseller.” Okay, admit it. Often authors can create a real dilemma, especially those without name recognition. What’s a retailer to do?



As an author, publicist, and the mother of a bookstore manager, (The Salt Shaker Christian Bookstore) I’ve experienced all sides of this issue. It’s not that retailers don’t like authors; they simply don’t want to give them false hopes. No one likes to make promises they may have to break. Yet, as a Christian retailer you know authors are important to your success. You know that without authors, there are no books, and no “bookstores.” You need authors, and they need you. Therefore establishing a strong partnership is vital.

A Partnership

Many large communities of authors work hard at supporting bookstores and retailers would do well to take advantage of such groups. Think of every positive contact with an author as free promotion for your store. Here are a few suggestions for building strong author/retailer relationships:

• Invite authors to teach short writing workshops in exchange for a special display of their books.
• Designate a “Local Authors” shelf. Local authors have local friends who want to buy their books—and other products.
• Consider social networking. Many authors have designated author pages on Facebook and Linkedin, making this a great opportunity to connect with authors.
• Join a local Christian writers group. Or if you have the space, open a corner or a room of your store for critique groups.
• Recruit local authors for support. Ask them to help with inventory, moving boxes, and working sales in exchange for shelf space. 
• Suggest authors provide flyers or bookmarks that you will stuff in bags announcing their book or upcoming events in the store. 
• Offer to share the expense of a small ad in the local paper for book signings.
• Ask several local authors to have a co-op signing event. 

Remember the goal is to build community and lasting relationships. Authors understand these are hard financial times and are willing to partner with retailers. In these difficult times, retailers would do well to open their doors to authors. So welcome authors into your store and pick up their new babies. Retailers play an important role in helping authors grow their ministries, and they look forward to becoming part of your family as well.

Author Groups

The following organizations actively partner with retailers:

• Christian Authors Network 
• Advance Writers and Speakers Association
• American Christian Fiction Writers Association
• WinePress Publishing

All of these groups work hard at supporting their local bookstores through events, specials, book signings, and service. Contact them to make your store a designation place.

Carla Williams is a freelance writer and author and has been active in Christian Publishing for over 25 years.

For retailers, it may seem strange to mention a website as a necessity. For most stores, inventory is comprised of tangible items customers flip through or explore, and advertising comes mostly through foot traffic or word-of-mouth referrals.



But a website truly is a necessity. Here are five ways a website can boost your business:

1. Widen Your Sphere of Influence

Unlike word-of-mouth referrals or your store’s signage, information on the web is instant. Share your store's latest events online and the news can spread to hundreds—or even thousands—of individuals within minutes.

Along the same lines, a website allows you to reach customers who may not discover your store otherwise.

Let’s say a vacationing family arrives in your city. They hop on Google to find the best restaurants, hotels, and stores. With good Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices implemented into your website, the door opens for these people to find you.

2. Connect with Your Customers

With a website, you can connect with your customers multiple ways. Integrating blogs, contact forms, or forums are just a few avenues which provide customers the means to get in touch with you.

Integrated within your website, customer management modules are an excellent way to track your customers’ activity and optimize your marketing efforts.

3. Create Repeat Interest in Your Store

These days, customers want information fast. Your website efficiently meets that need.

Plus, a website draws attention to your establishment time and time again. Integrate a news feed, for example, and customers who browse your site can keep up-to-date with your latest sales, events, promotions, and information.

When you add an e-newsletter subscription form to your website and customers sign up, they are giving you permission to send them regular specials, coupons, and information. This serves as an additional reminder for them to keep coming back to your store.

4. Stand Out from Other Retailers

Many retailers still do not have their own website. Having a website developed for your establishment will help you compete and grow during this trying time for retailers.

A website also enables your store to establish a strong brand recognition. When you advertise in newspapers or local directories, referring to your website address strengthens that brand recognition.

5. Bring Your Store to the Web

When you integrate an online store into your website, you take your potential customer base from local to worldwide. Combine your online shop with specials, promotions, and sales; and merchandise can move faster than ever before.

Conclusion

Even if the bulk of your business previously has taken place face-to-face, now is the time to accommodate the needs of today’s technologically-savvy customer. A website will help you do that.

What Do You Think?

How vital do you think a website is for a retailer? Is it necessary for a thriving retail business? Feel free to comment on this article to let us know your thoughts or experiences.

Additional Resources

• Websites are Dead: 10 Reasons Why You Need an Online Business
  
• Take Your Exposure to the Next Level with E-mail Marketing