All Creatures Devotional Book
Donation protected
Hello, friends! I am pleased to announce that I have recently been awarded a contract with Morgan James Publishing in New York to write a book. :)
Through a series of very well-orchestrated events, my idea for a devotional book was reviewed and rather quickly accepted for print by the publisher.
Through a series of very well-orchestrated events, my idea for a devotional book was reviewed and rather quickly accepted for print by the publisher.
Most, if not all, of you know I am an avid dog-lover. My dogs are treated as family members and basically live in the lap of canine luxury! The stories in "All Creatures" are inspired by the actions of the dogs who are a part of my life - past and present.
The book will be made available mostly in paperback, but some hard covers will be printed; e-book and audio book versions will also be put into circulation. Distribution will be throughout the US and Canada, and can be printed in foreign languages, as the need arises. Once the manuscript is complete and has been submitted to the publisher, "All Creatures" will be available for purchase at major retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Lifeway, Family Christian and through Amazon.
While Morgan James will handle the costs associated with publishing, printing and distributing the book through the major retail channels, I am raising money to purchase books for personal marketing and distribution. These books will be sold through my website/blog, family, friends, smaller local markets, churches, etc.
This is where I am asking for your support. In order to meet the financial obligation for the purchase of these books, I need to raise a total of $5000*. (We can get the ball rolling on these books when we reach the $2500 level, leaving the balance to be raised at a later date.)
I believe $5000 is a reasonable goal. After all, if only twenty-five people donated $20, and then shared this with 10 friends who also donated $20...the goal would be surpassed in no time!
*In the event the $5000 goal is exceeded, the extra money will be used to purchase additional books to be donated to libraries, churches, animal rescue groups and other organizations to distribute as they see fit.
Now that I have provided you with an overview of why I'm asking for your support, I will leave you with a sample of what I need the support for. I am putting together at least one month's worth of devotionals (though I am finding more examples daily, so my list is growing) and photos of the dogs will be included. And let's be honest, who doesn't want to see pictures of my dogs! :)
I hope you not only enjoy the sample devotional below, but that you will also decide to support my fundraising efforts so "All Creatures" can becpme a reality!
Thank you all so very much for your support. It is much appreciated!
Beth
For even more information, click the video link below:
http://youtu.be/p0MjtdWyt-U
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Give Me Ears to Hear
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 1 Kings 19:11-13 (New International Version)
I am always amazed at the superior hearing our dogs have been gifted with. They can decipher the sound of Ken’s truck when he comes home in the evenings before I can even see it approaching. And there is no chance of the kids sneaking in past curfew because the dogs alert us long before they get a hand on the front door knob. I do notice, however, that sometimes their hearing seems to fail them. Take Bexar, for instance. He loves to be outside, lying in the cool grass, taking in the fresh air, chasing squirrels and grasshoppers. When it’s time to come in, we go to the door and call him, but sometimes those super keen ears don’t seem to be working properly. He usually gets a couple of chances to make things right before we have to get down to business and grab the whistle. One long blast on the whistle and here he comes a-running. It seems like he may suffer from a condition many of us humans refer to as “selective hearing”.
On the other hand, Dixie doesn’t seem to be afflicted with a hearing deficiency. Generally speaking, you just have to get the “D” out and she is at your side in a flash. But it’s not just our voices that she responds to instantly. Contrary to some of the opinions within our home, Dixie is a very intelligent dog. She learns quickly and remembers assigned cues well. For instance, when I am shutting down the computer for the evening, as soon as she hears the beep signaling that Windows is closing, she gets up and stands at the door to wait for me. She associates that sound with my leaving the room.
Let me give you a little insight into the mind of Dixie Anne Simmons. First, she is my dog. No one else in the house will have her. She is a 2 year old Weimaraner and is true to her breed – in every way. Hyperactive, high strung, territorial, loyal to a fault, seemingly constructed of Velcro, the whole nine yards. She is also a canine vacuum when it comes to food. (I’m sure this is genetic since I, too, love to eat!) Here’s where her supersonic hearing comes into play.
Let’s assume we’ve enjoyed a fun-filled day of activity at the lake and have returned home with dogs that are completely worn out. They come in the house, quench their thirst, and hit the tile floor to crash for hours. Dixie curls up like a delicate little fawn on her bed by the bay window. She’s out cold in seconds flat. How do we know this? Because she snores like a grizzly bear! An hour or so into her nap, my husband makes his way to the kitchen for a snack. He opens the pantry, rummages through the assortment of items up for grabs, selects a honey bun or something of equal nutritional value and opens the wrapper. In a flash, Dixie is wide awake, racing into the kitchen to convince her daddy to share his goodies with her. Mind you, she was in a coma just thirty seconds ago and the kitchen pantry is a good ten yards from the dog bed. Yet she heard that faint rustling of paper…and responded. Instantly. This is the sound Dixie longs to hear each and every day. It beckons her to come, and come she does because she associates the sound with something good.
Dixie is my reminder to have ears to hear when God is calling me, and to respond to His call instantly. His still, small voice speaks to me daily but if I don’t listen for it I will miss it. And in missing God’s call, I also miss the “something good” that is associated with it.
The book will be made available mostly in paperback, but some hard covers will be printed; e-book and audio book versions will also be put into circulation. Distribution will be throughout the US and Canada, and can be printed in foreign languages, as the need arises. Once the manuscript is complete and has been submitted to the publisher, "All Creatures" will be available for purchase at major retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Lifeway, Family Christian and through Amazon.
While Morgan James will handle the costs associated with publishing, printing and distributing the book through the major retail channels, I am raising money to purchase books for personal marketing and distribution. These books will be sold through my website/blog, family, friends, smaller local markets, churches, etc.
This is where I am asking for your support. In order to meet the financial obligation for the purchase of these books, I need to raise a total of $5000*. (We can get the ball rolling on these books when we reach the $2500 level, leaving the balance to be raised at a later date.)
I believe $5000 is a reasonable goal. After all, if only twenty-five people donated $20, and then shared this with 10 friends who also donated $20...the goal would be surpassed in no time!
*In the event the $5000 goal is exceeded, the extra money will be used to purchase additional books to be donated to libraries, churches, animal rescue groups and other organizations to distribute as they see fit.
Now that I have provided you with an overview of why I'm asking for your support, I will leave you with a sample of what I need the support for. I am putting together at least one month's worth of devotionals (though I am finding more examples daily, so my list is growing) and photos of the dogs will be included. And let's be honest, who doesn't want to see pictures of my dogs! :)
I hope you not only enjoy the sample devotional below, but that you will also decide to support my fundraising efforts so "All Creatures" can becpme a reality!
Thank you all so very much for your support. It is much appreciated!
Beth
For even more information, click the video link below:
http://youtu.be/p0MjtdWyt-U
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Give Me Ears to Hear
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 1 Kings 19:11-13 (New International Version)
I am always amazed at the superior hearing our dogs have been gifted with. They can decipher the sound of Ken’s truck when he comes home in the evenings before I can even see it approaching. And there is no chance of the kids sneaking in past curfew because the dogs alert us long before they get a hand on the front door knob. I do notice, however, that sometimes their hearing seems to fail them. Take Bexar, for instance. He loves to be outside, lying in the cool grass, taking in the fresh air, chasing squirrels and grasshoppers. When it’s time to come in, we go to the door and call him, but sometimes those super keen ears don’t seem to be working properly. He usually gets a couple of chances to make things right before we have to get down to business and grab the whistle. One long blast on the whistle and here he comes a-running. It seems like he may suffer from a condition many of us humans refer to as “selective hearing”.
On the other hand, Dixie doesn’t seem to be afflicted with a hearing deficiency. Generally speaking, you just have to get the “D” out and she is at your side in a flash. But it’s not just our voices that she responds to instantly. Contrary to some of the opinions within our home, Dixie is a very intelligent dog. She learns quickly and remembers assigned cues well. For instance, when I am shutting down the computer for the evening, as soon as she hears the beep signaling that Windows is closing, she gets up and stands at the door to wait for me. She associates that sound with my leaving the room.
Let me give you a little insight into the mind of Dixie Anne Simmons. First, she is my dog. No one else in the house will have her. She is a 2 year old Weimaraner and is true to her breed – in every way. Hyperactive, high strung, territorial, loyal to a fault, seemingly constructed of Velcro, the whole nine yards. She is also a canine vacuum when it comes to food. (I’m sure this is genetic since I, too, love to eat!) Here’s where her supersonic hearing comes into play.
Let’s assume we’ve enjoyed a fun-filled day of activity at the lake and have returned home with dogs that are completely worn out. They come in the house, quench their thirst, and hit the tile floor to crash for hours. Dixie curls up like a delicate little fawn on her bed by the bay window. She’s out cold in seconds flat. How do we know this? Because she snores like a grizzly bear! An hour or so into her nap, my husband makes his way to the kitchen for a snack. He opens the pantry, rummages through the assortment of items up for grabs, selects a honey bun or something of equal nutritional value and opens the wrapper. In a flash, Dixie is wide awake, racing into the kitchen to convince her daddy to share his goodies with her. Mind you, she was in a coma just thirty seconds ago and the kitchen pantry is a good ten yards from the dog bed. Yet she heard that faint rustling of paper…and responded. Instantly. This is the sound Dixie longs to hear each and every day. It beckons her to come, and come she does because she associates the sound with something good.
Dixie is my reminder to have ears to hear when God is calling me, and to respond to His call instantly. His still, small voice speaks to me daily but if I don’t listen for it I will miss it. And in missing God’s call, I also miss the “something good” that is associated with it.
Give $30 to help this fundraiser reach its target.
Organiser
Elizabeth Call Simmons
Organiser
Valley View, TX
