Writing for magazines

As a freelance writer, I write for several publications, including Discipleship Journal and Today’s Christian Woman. Knowing this, reader Dianne had this question: ”How do you do research for ‘practical Christian living’ type articles? If you are not an ‘expert’ how do you put that ‘expert voice’ into your articles?”

This is a great question. A lot of people want to write. But in order to write, you need to have something to say. So often, the idea of being a writer is so appealing, until you have to actually gather your thoughts into something coherent, and then sit down and actually write, which is so much dang work.
Perhaps you do write, and you have lots of ideas. If you want to write for magazines, the first step is to read the magazines you’re like to write for. Study several back issues to determine the magazine’s style, format, topics. Figure out which magazines line up with the topics you want to write about. A magazine such as, oh, say, Practical Horseman, is not going to buy an article on resolving conflict in your marriage, no matter how well researched and written. An article that is perfect for People Magazine would likely be rejected by the Journal of the American Medical Association, no matter how intriguing or well-written. Research the magazines you are targeting.
An invaluable resource, if you are trying to write for the Christian market, is The Christian Writers Market Guide by Sally Stuart. Published annually, this book lists magazines, publishers, etc., and gives details ranging from whether they work with freelancers, how much they typically pay, what type of articles they are looking for, editors names, etc. There are tips on writing queries and articles. this year's edition also includes a CD-ROM which makes it easy to search.
Each magazine also will have its editorial guidelines, and an editorial calendar. (Often posted on their website or available by request). The guidelines give you rules for format and style and content. The calendar tells the topics or themes for each issue.
Magazine articles are not about you—they are about the reader. Your musings on a topic are not interesting, frankly, to anyone besides you (and perhaps readers of your blog, which is where that type of thing belongs—or in your own private journal—but that’s another topic). However, some articles begins with a story about you, and how you solved a problem in your own life. But they must move on to offer help to the reader to improve their life or solve a problem.

There are links on this blog to several other great sites that have more tips on writing. Or feel free to post a comment or questions by clicking on the word "comments" below.

Experience Africa

Just got back from a visit to Africa.

Well, actually, Naperville, IL, an affluent suburb about as different from Africa as you can imagine. But World Vision's traveling exhibit about Africa and AIDS was at a church there. What an amazing experience.

You can read more about it at www.boomerbabesrock.com/blog so click over and check it out.

then, visit World Vision's website and find out when this amazing interactive exhibit will be in your town. Make plans to go--you will not regret it.

book review

My book Listen was reviewed on a great blog, Unfinished Work, today. Click over and read the review, then leave a comment.

Postmodern parenting

Perhaps one of the most misunderstood words of our day is "postmodern." There are plenty of explanations of this term, and you can google it to your heart's content and find all kinds of different ideas.

But at the surface, break it down. "Post" as a prefix means "after."

The "modern" era was the machine age, an age of rationalism, when people basically believed that our knowlege and powers of rational thought would take us to, as that icon of modernity, Buzz Lightyear, proclaimed, "to infinity and beyond."

So postmodern means "after the modern era." Well, and a whole lot more.

Many conservative people tend to wring their hands a lot about postmodernism, as if it were a religion people sign up for, or a force of evil, like terrorism or oh, say, legalism.

Anyway, the fact is, because we live in the 21st Century, we live in the postmodern era. It is simply an observation about where we find ourselves on the timeline of human history. We live after the modern era, so it is now the post-modern era. Now, the term also encompasses the prevailing thinking of our day. And we can agree or disagree with some of the tenets of post-modernism, or not.

All to say, we have to live in this culture, where people around us often unwittingly ascribe to postmodern ideas. It is still very fluid and changing, which is indeed part of post-modernism--our desire to define things before they have even fully happened.

If we don't want our kids to simply absorb post-modern values by osmosis, we need to understand what those ideas are, and even to discuss them. To be informed and intentional as parents and as people.

As a parent, I want to be relevant and authentic. Writer Mary Demuth has provided a guide to help me achieve both with her new book Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture. I'm honored to be a part of her blog tour this week.

INTERVIEW WITH MARY
Welcome to Deep Breathing for the Soul, Mary. Let's start with an important question: How would you define the term "postmodern"?

Postmodernism is the waiting room between what used to be a modern worldview and what will be. According to several postmodern scholars, we’re in a shift right now, leaving modern ideas behind, but what we are shifting to is not yet fully defined. Postmoderns believe that rationalism and/or more education doesn’t necessarily create a better society. They typically don’t embrace the notion of absolute truth, though they reach for the transcendent. They are skeptical, and often question whether science is something to be embraced or feared.

Okay, how does this intersect with my parenting?

The question for parents is how will we mine the current worldview, even as it shifts? What in it can we embrace as biblical? What is not biblical? What I’ve seen in the church is a fearful adherence to what is familiar. So we cling to modern ideas, even though they may not be biblical and shun postmodern ideas even when they might be biblical. Our children will meet this shifting worldview no matter what our opinion of it is.

So as a mom, what can I do to help my kids?

Become a conversational parent. Talk to your kids. Listen. Share your story.Dare to believe that God has much to teach you through your kids. Be humble enough to learn from them.Create a haven for your kids, an oasis in your home that protects, supports, and gives kids space to be themselves. Take seriously the mandate that you are responsible for the soul-nurturing of your children.Teach your children to joyfully engage their world, while holding tightly to Jesus’ hand. Teaching this comes primarily from modeling it in your own life. Do you engage your neighbors? Are you more interested in God’s kingdom than your own? Admit your failures openly with your children, showing how much you need Jesus to live your daily life. You are the first to admit that being authentic might require a parent to apologize after an angry outburst.

So, authentic parents are real--they don’t always have it all together? We're allowed to make mistakes?

Yep! We are all frail, needy humans. If we present ourselves as perfect parents, never failing, always doing this correctly, we show our children we have no need of Jesus. We also set up a standard of perfection—that to be a Christian, one has to be perfect. This can lead to our children creating elaborate facades or hiding behind masks. I’d rather have my children see that even mommies make mistakes, and we all need Jesus every single day.You talk about the twin values of engagement and purity.

Well, that makes me feel good because my kids are highly aware that their mom is anything but perfect! But tell me more about these ideas of engagement and purity.

Many parents subconsciously believe that true parenting means protection at any cost. when we lived in France, we received a lot of flak for putting our children in French schools because the atmosphere there wasn’t exactly nurturing. Believe me, the decision was excruciating. But through it all, I realized that Jesus calls us all to be engaged in the culture we live in, yet not to be stained by it. That’s the beauty of engagement and purity. Abraham understood this. After God told him to leave everything and venture to a new place, he obeyed: “From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD” (Genesis 12:8). Oswald Chambers elaborates: “Bethel is the symbol of communion with God; Ai is the symbol of the world. Abraham pitched his tent between the two.” As parents journeying alongside our children through a postmodern world, this concept of pitching our tent between communion with God and engagement in the world should encourage us.

The book we've been discussing, Authentic Parenting in a Post-Modern Culture, by Mary DeMuth is available now. You can purchase your autographed copy directly from Mary at the link above. I highly recommend that you order it today!

speaking podcast

Back in May, on Mother's Day weekend, I had the privilege of traveling to Utica, NY, where I was the guest speaker at all three weekend services of Mount Zion Ministries chuch.
What a great community of people who love God.
My talk was about what moms need. I won't give it away, but validation and a sense of purpose were among the things I talked about.
Mount Zion podcasts most of their sermons, so mine is on their site. here's the link.
http://www.podshow.com/shows/index.php?mode=ext_detail&episode_hash=5a064391d865a30dfd80b8853718784a


If you're considering me as a speaker and want to hear a sample, listen in for a bit.

Reader questions

Thanks to MOPS International mailing out 110,000 copies of my book Breathe in May, lots of folks are reading it over the summer. And many of them have written to me with questions, observations, critiques. I really do appreciate hearing from everyone.

Here's one question that a reader posed, and since it's one that others have asked about as well, I thought I'd answer it here.

She asks: "I have a question about chapter 8... I am confused by the story of the Jewish girl named Naomi. I understand the beauty and focus of Shabbat however, I don't understand the piece about her getting a divorce. Why was this included in the book? The Jewish faith is rich in tradition but lacks the focus of Christ and divorce is the last resort in the Christian faith. I felt like I was missing something. I had to reread 3 times to see that I had not. I was left with confusion on why a Christian author and Christian organization (MOPS) would include something like this. We are doing a bible study on this book and are not sure how to explain this."

If you haven't yet read Breathe, it's about simplicity, slowing and Sabbath. It includes the true stories of real women. the chapter that includes Naomi's story is about Sabbath. Since Sabbath is a practice of both Jews and Christians (and frankly, a much richer tradition in the Jewish faith), and because Naomi has a compelling story, she agreed to be interviewed.

As a journalist, I don't get to decide the facts of people's lives. So Naomi's story is her story, not mine. I'm just conveying it, asking questions about the parts that interest me. I wanted to give a glimpse of her spiritual journey, which is in large part a Sabbath journey.

Other readers have asked why I'd include the story of a Jewish person in a Christian book. Well, the Bible is a Christian book and the overwhelming majority of its stories are about Jewish people. I'm not trying to be flippant, but it sometimes seems like we forget that the roots of the Christian faith are in Judiasm. And that Jesus was in fact Jewish. I'm not suggesting we convert to Judiasm, but only to be aware of and appreciate our faith heritage. To not be afraid of it.

I wrote back to this reader to remind her of that, and also, to try to address her question about divorce. Christians divorce at about the same rate as the general population. Perhaps we feel more guilt about it, but it does happen. And the reasons are never simple. But I included that fact in the book because it affected Naomi's life, especially her practice of Sabbath, which was the focus of the chapter. And God used that painful situation to draw her toward himself, and toward loving others. That's a step of growth in her journey.

Also, here's the thing about how I write--because I know myself to be stunningly imperfect, I prefer to tell stories of people who are real, people who don't have every little aspect of their life neatly boxed and shelved. Group leaders who've written to ask about Naomi and why she's in the book only made me question the other stories--were those people too perfect? While we need role models, we also need to know that no one, even role models, is perfect. Ife we think we can't learn from people who are in a different place spiritually, then the fact is we simply can't learn from people at all.

If you lead a group, don't worry so much about "how to explain" everything. Spiritual growth is less about figuring out the answers as figuring out which questions are even worth asking.

Think about Jesus. Did he typically "explain" things? Or did he answer people's questions with more questions?

I love Naomi, she's a friend and a treasure. She's on a spiritual journey just like the rest of us. She's asking questions, and I hope those questions resonate with readers.

Supper Swapping

Trish Berg, whose book The Great American Supper Swap I reviewed previously on this blog, will be talking about her book on TV today.
Catch her on The Harvest Show on Direct TV Channel 321 THIS TUESDAY August 7th at 9:00 am (replays 2 other times as well).

If you don’t have DirectTV, you can also watch online at www.harvest-tv.com if you wish.
Tune in if you can. Then visit Trish's website for some great tips on simplifying motherhood!

Urban adventures

I'm blogging on the Boomer Babes blog today about my urban adventures with our family this summer--rather than take a vacation, we visited Chicago numerous times.

Most recently, we were there for Venetian night, a free parade of decorated boats through Burnham Harbor, which draws about a half million spectators to Chicago's gorgeous lakefront. As we sat on the lakefront near the Shedd Aquarium that night, the moon rose, reddish in the evening sky. You can see the moon and the Shedd in the background of this photo of Scot and I. It was a night of family, friends and fun that we'll remember a long time.

Click on over to my post to see photos and read about other adventures we've enjoyed this summer--without having to travel more than an hour from our home.

Seeing Jesus

You have got to read my friend Connie's post on the Boomer Babes blog today.
Here's how it starts:

Today I saw Jesus…
While coming out of the Giant Supermarket ...
click here to read the rest of this moving story.

Authentic Parenting

Our culture is shifting so rapidly. Our values may not match up with those of the world around us. How do we parent our children in this ever-changing, postmodern culture?

Mary Demuth's newest book, Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, addresses that very question. Writer Trish Berg is featuring an interview with Mary today on her Simplifying Motherhood Blog.

Another bonus: if you leave a comment on Trish's blog you have a chance of winning a copy of the book! Plus, check out the archives on her site--she really does have a ton of great ideas to help busy moms simplify their lives.

Just keep swimming

Perserverance is an oft-overlooked spiritual practice.

I write about the example of my hero, Dory the Fish, on the Boomer Babes blog today. Click here to check out what I wrote.

Encouraging Words

My monthly e-news went out today. For those that don't yet subscribe, here's what I wrote. You can subscribe by clicking the link I just added at the right.

In the front of the file drawer to the right of my desk, two red file folders sit, bold yet understated.
They hold precious cargo, as evidenced by the label hand written on each: Encouragement. In those folders (one was getting too full so I added a second) I have things like speaking evaluations from retreats that went well, letters from friends, and notes from readers I don’t even know.
In my life, I have sometimes had a tendency to hold onto the discouraging words, the criticism. Or, I make stupid mistakes and then make things worse by beating myself up for doing so. I let the compliments, sincere as they may be, slide like water over my skin. Refuse to drink them in, to taste and see the goodness of a kind word. Or think, if people knew what I was really like, they wouldn’t say nice stuff like that.
God has called me to write—and sometimes that’s a difficult calling. I wonder why I’m doing it, whether my words are just out there, rotting on bookstore shelves (or worse, publishers’ warehouse shelves). The income is sporadic and not great even when it’s there.
I’m called to write about the spiritual life, but I also happen to be someone who is stunningly imperfect—I am a sinner, saved by grace, and lately, I’ve been very aware of my need for grace. Like the apostle Paul, I keep doing things I don’t want to do, and forgetting to do the things that would be wise and kind.So those two folders are not just there to stroke my ego. They are to remind me of my purpose. They are to remind me of God’s love, which is in spite of my mistakes, not because of my accomplishments.
The folders hold, like a reservoir, enough to prime the pump of creative purpose.
When I sit here and try to write, and the words won’t come, and I think—that’s it, I’ve got no more books in me, nothing else relevant to say. When I think, what’s the point, no one cares about this stuff, it’s not helping anyone anyway—I dip into them. And let their contents remind me that God has a purpose for my life, and he’s blessed me with encouraging friends.
Lately I’ve been getting a lot more reader mail than usual, thanks to the fact that MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) sent out 110,000 copies of my book Breathe to their members.
Letters from moms who say things like “this book was divinely sent” and even “You saved my life.”
I’ve always thought of my books as letters of encouragement to people who just want to connect their faith with their actual day to day life. And so I am just so surprised and amazed and grateful for the encouragement that comes back to me.
And in a huge step of believing in myself, I’ve printed out those e-mails and put them in the red folder. Because I’ve had more than a few critics, and people arguing with me about what I write as well.
I don’t print out their e-mails.
I do consider their critiques, but I don’t dwell on them. And if I make a mistake (which I do on a fairly regular basis, unfortunately) I apologize to anyone I’ve wronged.
Do you have an “encouragement” folder? You may not get letters from strangers, but I hope you get drawings from your children, notes from friends, birthday cards, whatever.
Even if you don’t have written words to save in a folder, think about the words you save in your memory. Do you hang on to and replay harsh words of criticism? Do you have a folder in your heart for the words that say “You’re not good enough”? Or do you throw those away and hang onto words like “I’m so glad we’re friends” or “I love you.”
The good news is, God has written you letters of love and strength. So many words in Scripture can be filed in our “encouragement” folder. Here are just a few. Write them on note cards, and put them in a box or folder. When you’re feeling discouraged, pull them out and read them, knowing that they come straight from the heart of a God who loves you outrageously and unconditionally.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with loving-kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).
“How great is the love that the Father has lavished upon us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)
“I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from the Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:15,16).
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned” (Isaiah 43:1,2).

Old friends

I'm blogging today at the Boomer Babes site, so click on over and see more about my trip to Atlanta, where I not only went to the International Christian Retailers Show, but also visited with my lifelong friend Jeanine.

It was great to see her and rekindle the bond we've had since we were babies!

Christian Retail

I've just returned from a few days in Atlanta, where I visited an old friend, and also attended the International Christian Retailers Show, (ICRS). This annual trade show run by the christian Booksellers Association is getting to be an old friend, too: this was my seventh year attending the show. It's a gathering of publishers, authors, retailers and distributors of not only books but an excessive amount of figurines, framed art and knick-knacks you'd typically find in a Christian gift shop.

I was there to talk to a few editors about my work, to learn about what's new in the industry (and see what books are selling these days) and also just to connect with other writers and publishing industry friends.

I got to see face-to-face a number of writers and editors that I typically only keep in touch with via e-mail. This was wonderful. I got to see Suzie Eller, Allison Bottke and Eva Marie Everson, wonderful women that I blog with on www.boomerbabesrock.com/blog. I got to have coffee and dinner with some of the members of The Writers View, an on-line writers group founded and run by Suzie Eller. I'm glad to be home, though--I love people but I lean toward being an introvert--so I'm needing some solitude to sort of recover from the four days of being around people.

I shared a room with my friend and fellow MOPS author Lorilee Craker. I feel as though we have added another layer of depth to our friendship, since we usually only e-mail (or IM when we are both procrastinating on writing projects). It's nice to have a friend who, like me, doesn't get tired of talking about books or writing. She's a talented woman who loves Jesus and I'm blessed to know her.

Bringing yourself flowers

I'm blogging today at www.boomerbabesrock.com/blog
here's a taste of my column on being kind to yourself:

I’ve always been one to bring flowers from my garden when I go visit someone. I recycle the little bottles that Starbucks Frappacino comes in (they look like mini old-fashioned milk bottles) to use as vases.
This summer, I feel like I spend more time at the computer than in the garden. But I have taken an important step of growth. I don’t just bring flowers to other people. I have had fresh flowers on my desk all summer. Right now, baby pink roses.
So often, I think, we don’t bother to offer ourselves the same kindness we bestow on others. So I’ve made it a discipline, really, to pick a small bouquet and put it on my desk. For me—to take care of myself, instead of only others. (Read the whole column here)

Also, for those interested in the Sabbath topic, I've put up another post on Today's Children's Ministry. Click here to read it.

MOPS International sponsors chat about Breathe

Some 110,000 moms around the country received a free copy of my book Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life last month, courtesy of my co-publisher, MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers). MOPS sent it, along with MomSense magazine, to all of their members. Since that mailing went out, I've been getting e-mails almost daily from women who tell me how much they enjoy the book. Like this one from Tonya in Byron, IL:

"I just started reading Breathe for a book study with my MOPS group. So far, I LOVE IT!!!!! I think it is just what most of the women in my group need right now. I can't tell you how many times I talk to my fellow mothers and the whole time we just compain about how busy we all are. Most of our children are still young enough that we can set our boundaries now and try to hold onto them. My husband and I have just started attending church after a LONG absense. Strangely, we didn't think we had time to commit to joining a church... however, that should have been one of our top priorities. I have felt God's work in my life a lot lately and bringing this book into my life is just another blessing. Just wanted to share with you that your book has reached out and touched my life. Thank you. Sincerely, Tonya"

Now that people have had a chance to start reading the book, MOPS is sponsoring an on-line discussion group at their website this week.

If you have a question or comment about the book, or you're just thinking about picking up a copy and want to see what the book is about and listen in on a discussion of it, just go to www.mops.org/breathe and you'll see the instructions for how to participate.

If you're a MOPS member and going to the annual convention this September, I hope you'll sign up for the workshop I'm leading there. It's based on my book Oxygen.

Burger King and fair wages

"Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts." (James 5:4)

Our fast-moving society allows us to be blind to the injustices all around us. We don't realize that the workers who pick the coffee beans for our morning brew, or a the tomatoes for our fast-food burgers, are toiling in near slavery. Who knew that pulling through the drive-through to grab a burger could be such a significant decision?

I received an e-mail from Sojourners today, about Burger King and the wages paid to workers who pick tomatoes for this company. Here are some of the highlights of what they said:

Farm workers who pick tomatoes for Burger King's sandwiches earn 40 to 50 cents for every 32-pound bucket of tomatoes they pick, a rate that has not risen significantly in nearly 30 years. Workers who toil from dawn to dusk must pick two tons of tomatoes to earn $50 in one day.

Worse yet, modern-day slavery has reemerged in Florida's fields; since 1997, the U.S. Department of Justice has prosecuted five slavery rings, freeing more than 1,000 workers. As a major buyer of Florida tomatoes, Burger King's purchasing practices place downward pressure on farm worker wages and put corporate profits before human dignity.

Read more at http://go.sojo.net/campaign/burgerking/iu373ibrodnd6i8?

I hope you'll forward the info to others. Ignorance of how our buying habits affect others is no excuse. We have an obligation to be intelligent. And to not eat at Burger King.

Helicopter Parenting

I'm blogging today at www.boomerbabesrock.com/blog, so click on over and check out my post on parents who hover over their children's lives, not just when they're young but even as those children enter the workforce!
Wanting the best for your child doesn't mean we ought to be accompanying them to job fairs, or worse, calling to follow up on their job interviews. But it's happening and causing headaches for human resource professionals everywhere. Read more here.

World Vision made me cry

I sat at in my kitchen this morning, crying in my coffee. And for once, it wasn’t about me. Well, not directly about me.

As Frederick Buechner wrote, "When you find yourself with tears in your eyes, especially unexpected tears, it is well to pay the closest attention."

Before me I spread out a handful of pictures of little girls from Third World countries: Loveness in Zambia, Kidest in Ethiopia, Machilu in Malawi.
The photos of their sweet faces were included in a request from World Vision to sponsor girls. Because in many cultures, especially people living in poverty, girls get a lot less medicine, food and education than boys.
We’ve sponsored children through World Vision for several years now. For a while, we sponsored Edna Blanc in Haiti. Then, as often happens, her family moved away from the area where World Vision provides services. When I got the letter saying she’d no longer be my sponsored child, I cried. We’d only exchanged a few letters and birthday cards but I had her photo on my fridge and I prayed for her all the time.
The same thing has happened with a boy that I’ve sponsored this year. Yothin Sarinon and his family are moving away from the area in Thailand where they could receive sponsorship.
I read the appeal letter to my thirteen year old daughter. And we had a great talk about how women and girls are often mistreated. “Compared to boys, they’re less likely to receive adequate medical care or food,” the letter said. That means if there is a brother and a sister who are sick, the family will give medicine to the boy but not the girl, I explained. I looked at the precious children’s faces on my table, and I longed to gather them all into my arms and bring them home.
Sponorship is costs about $30 per month—about one dollar per day. I spend that on coffee, easily. You could even downsize your coffee from a Venti to a Grande or Tall, and use the difference to change a child’s life. I decided to sponsor two girls. But there are still more girls—on my kitchen table and around the world. Won’t you join me in sponsoring a little girl? Go to www.worldvision.org/sponsorGirls In changing a life, you just might change your own.

Sabbath column

Correction: the following more clearly states the nature of my column, which I write for www.Todayschildrensministry.com . It's a part of www.christianitytoday.com, but I am not a columnist for the magazine of the same name. Just to clarify.

My monthly web column for kids ministry leaders, For Your Soul, was featured front and center on the ChristianityToday.com website today. Usually it's tucked away on the Today's Children's Ministry page. That's the good news.

The bad news is that said column contained an error--a glaring one. I wrote about Sabbath, and said it was the sixth commandment. Nope. It's the fourth. And I knew that. I really did. But I was hurrying to write my column (which was about slowing down and taking a day of rest, ironically) and somehow that got in there. Ugg.

As my kids would say, "my bad!"

Since it was featured so prominently, I've been getting e-mails today (mostly from pastors) helpfully pointing out my error.

Not to put to fine a point on it, these readers have not been kind.

Here's one comment that someone left anonymously on my website:


"I am astounded that you would write an article about Sabbath keeping, have it published online in Christianity Today, and not bother to get the number of the commandment right. Remember the Sabbath is the fourth commandment.


The sixth commandment is Do not Kill."


Ouch. I feel like such a fool.


Ok, Mr. Anonymous Bible Expert, speaking of the SIXTH commandment, here's a verse for you: Matthew 5:21-22. Where Jesus says that anyone who says "You fool!" will be in danger of the fire of hell. In other words, that unkind words can wound like a knife.


Now, I admit, I got the number wrong. And I hate any kind of inaccuracy in my writing. And again, to clarify, it wasn't in Christianity Today (the magazine) but on a website run by the same company. But the number of the commandment wasn't the point of the article--it was about how to practice Sabbath, to take a rest, and how we often don't do that. Still, the majority of the e-mails have been about my mistake, and only a few have asked for help with actually practicing Sabbath, or offered insights about it. And if we know the number, or the letter of the law, but don't live by the Spirit of the law, what good is that?


I wrote about Sabbath in my book Breathe. And I'm currently working on another book on this topic. Because Sabbath is more than commandment number, and even more than just a day. And I do know it is the fourth commandment. but, as the response to my article shows, we tend to focus on the wrong things when it comes to Sabbath.

The Sabbath and Jubilee commandments of the Bible reflect God's heart for justice, generosity. they are commands to trust, to rest, to share. You can learn more about this side of the Sabbath from my friends at Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries.

I'll post more later about some more thoughtful responses to my column. A few people asked me about further details on how to actually practice Sabbath, and I'd love to hear from some of you about that!

Presidential candidates to discuss faith, poverty

I'm on the e-mail list for Sojourners Magazine, so I received this notice from Jim Wallis today--he's going to be on CNN tonight with the Democratic presidential candidates talking about faith and politics.
No matter where you stand politically, I think people of faith need to be concerned about poverty--and for too long, many Christians have done too little (myself included). The problems of poverty seem so overwhelming--but I for one am wanting to learn how I can make a difference. Poverty is not a private, individual problem--it hurts us corporately.

Here's the info from Sojourners:

"Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Barack Obama join us for a conversation about faith, values, and poverty broadcast live on CNN (7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific).
And in hundreds of churches and homes across the country, people of faith like you will be gathering to watch the candidates and help us issue a prophetic challenge to put poverty at the top of the political agenda.
It's not too late to join them -- click here to find a watch party in your area.
We're calling the event "Faith Guiding Our Votes," because it will be a unique forum to ask questions not just about issues, but about values. Not just what policies the candidates propose, but why. Not just whether they believe privately, but about how they live out their faith in public life.
Be sure to stay tuned immediately after the forum (8 p.m. Eastern / 5 p.m. Pacific), as I'll be interviewed live on CNN by Paula Zahn to offer my own reaction to the evening's events.
Tonight also marks the launch of our efforts leading up to the 2008 election -- including a similar forum with the Republican candidates we're planning for the fall -- and the launch of our campaign to Vote Out Poverty, challenging candidates from both political parties to go on the record with specific plans for overcoming poverty at home and abroad.
I'm looking forward to it, and I hope you'll tune in."

So, I'd be interested in hearing from those of you who watch. Or those of you who decide not to--tell me why.