Devotional for the Graduate

Click HERE to visit Worthfinding.com and read Who Do You Know?
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The Privilege of Writing - Books a Latte

Check out Books a Latte and read "The Privilege of Writing." Click HERE!

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Join Me for the Captivating Women Mini-Conference

Captivating Women Quarterly Mini-Conference Jun 14, 2008 - 8:30 AM

9286 Schulze Drive
West Chester, OH

If you're ready to be encouraged and equipped to fulfill your God-given potential, we look forward to seeing you at the Captivating Women Summer 2008 Mini-Conference!

You will be encouraged and equipped to fulfill your God-given potential as a woman at the Captivating Women Summer 2008 Mini-Conference! This special 1-day event will offer you practical and inspiring workshops, with some of the nation's best speakers helping you develop your skills - all for just $49!

-Plus - you'll be refreshed and renewed with special music from Connie Ryan during our welcome session.

-And ... for only an additional $49, you can request an interview session with life coach and radio hostess Emily Roach - and then receive a professionally edited audio track of your interview for your media kit or to share your testimony with others!

-Finally, you can also request a photo shoot for a professional headshot with photographer Collin Rowland - for just an additional $99!

Workshop 1 - "From Podium to Paper and Back: Writing to Communicate and Captivate" with Donna Shepherd: 9:30 - 10:45am

Identify and meet the needs of your audience - and get on the pathway to publication! Learn how to develop your message, where to submit your writing, and how to incorporate your pieces into your speaking ministry.

For more information and to register:
http://www.captivatingwomen.org/index.html

I hope to see you there! - Donna
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Interview on Book Bites for Kids

I was interviewed on Book Bites for Kids. Host Suzanne Lieurance talks with authors about their books and writing for children.

Book Bites for Kids

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A new review just went up on Reviews by Heidi for No More Gunk! & OUCH! Sunburn. Thanks, Heidi!

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ReviewsbyHeidi/524158/

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Fun Find! "Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms"

For Mother's Day, I'd like to toot the horn for a devotional book I contributed to called "Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms." My devotional prayers are the first 30 in the book. It turned out really nice - a hardback with a cute cover of a mom with a little boy.



Product Details:
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Faith Words
Language: English
ISBN: 0446579351

Do My Children Need to Put On Armor?

A new column's up on The Dabbling Mum. Click here to read! Feel free to comment here on the blog. Thanks!

Donna J. Shepherd © 2008
All rights reserved.

No portion of this Website may be reproduced by Crossmap or any other website without dated written permission from Donna. - Thanks!
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One Thing Is Needful

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. – Luke 10:42

It snowed this evening. An entirely unexpected snow, at least for me. I have a DVR now, so I rarely watch live television. This means I miss important announcements - like the fact that a storm is headed for my town.

But in other ways, this little electronic box has been a great blessing. I no longer channel surf, looking for something worth watching. I have more time to be productive.

Tonight before I let my dogs out, I looked out at my back deck, covered with a thick layer of snow. When I flipped on the light, the stark white carpet caught me by surprise, the light catching individual snowflakes shimmering like diamond dust. It reminded me of how 2008 stretches before me, untouched by failure or unmet goals or harsh words.

Then again – I write this on January 1.

I haven’t written resolutions this year. For some reason, if I do and fail to keep them, the guilt overwhelms me. Instead, I have one goal, and that is to set my mind on God. Period. The apostle Paul advised the Colossians, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). If I do that, will the rest of my life fall into place? Am I committed to write? I depend on God, my creative God and Creator of all, to inspire me as I write, and give Him glory for it. Do I need to lose weight? Um, yes. So, I remember that my body is God’s temple. I should take care of it. That means a better diet and exercise are in my future. Do I get snippy with people? I won’t forget that Jesus served others, and expects me to do the same. How can I be like Jesus without loving as He did?

Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? I know and you know life is not simple, but instead of making a list of ten, or even five, resolutions, maybe the one goal, to set my mind on God and things above, will be attainable.

I suppose if I wanted to add some more to my list, I could strive to keep the additional list Paul gave to the church at Colossae in 3:12-14. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” Whew! I think that should about cover it!

When Jesus had dinner at Martha’s house, she got so caught up in being the perfect host, she forgot to focus on her guest, Jesus. When she complained to Jesus about all she had to do, He told her only ‘one thing’ was needful. What was that one thing? She had set her mind on earthly things while her sister, Mary, focused on Jesus, as He no doubt spoke of things above.

Did you make resolutions? Tell me how in this world you manage to keep them? And if not, how about writing down one goal? Surely you and I can focus on one thing. Even with my tendency toward procrastination and scattered thinking, I think I can hone in on one task for 2008. If you had to pick just one goal, what would it be?

Prayer: God, help me to never take my eyes off the one thing that’s needful – to love and serve you unreservedly, wholeheartedly, and joyfully. I glorify and thank You for Your love. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
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No part of the materials available in this Web site may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without specific permission (to request permission to use materials, e-mail Donna J. Shepherd). Distribution for commercial purposes is prohibited.
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It's Too Difficult (I Whine...)

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. – 1 John 4:9-10

Yesterday was one of those days. It seemed as if everything I touched either quit working or fell apart. All day long, I struggled, trying to get things done. Last night my husband started to put the lights on the tree. Of course, half of the lights that worked when we put them in the box last year did not work when they came out of the box. What happened in there?

I muttered more than once, “Why is everything so difficult? Why can’t anything be a piece of cake?”

Sunday night we watched “The Nativity Story.” Afterwards a friend commented that it seemed as if the movie portrayed one struggle after another.

I recalled her comment yesterday, and realized that the difficulties I faced were nothing in comparison to the obstacles overcome in order for Jesus to come as our Savior. There was nothing easy about Jesus’ birth. Mary had to endure people looking down at her because she was having a baby, even though she had never been with a man. Joseph was ridiculed because Mary was pregnant. Mary’s family felt the brunt of judgment by friends and family. To worship the Savior, the shepherds left their flocks, their only means of income. The Magi packed up and traveled for many months to see the King.

When I have a bad day, it’s only a bad day. If I whine because a book hasn’t been published or an article wasn’t accepted, I should remember that life isn’t always easy, and I will enjoy the best things in life more if I have had to work for them. If I type my fingers to the bone, burn the midnight oil, and suffer countless rejections, these small hardships never compare to the sacrifice God made so that I can spend eternity with Him.

When I complain I hope to remind myself of the great sacrifice Jesus made for me, and for you. Nothing I do, say, or write will ever be enough to express my gratitude for His love, my salvation, and I must admit, compared to the lives of some people, I do have a life that’s a piece of cake.

And I’m so thankful God thought we were worth the struggle.

Prayer: God, thank You for Your sacrificial love. I pray that I make every day of my life a sacrifice of praise and service to You. In Jesus' wonderful, mighty, precious, sweet name I pray. Amen.

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Snowman Hidden Picture Puzzle for Christmas!

A special treat! A hidden picture puzzle by Liz Ball. To order books with her hidden picture puzzles and Topsy Turvy Land, click HERE. Enjoy!

*Click on the picture, then print! It will print out full size ready to be colored. If that doesn't work with your printer, right click on the picture, and then 'save picture as...' and then you can print it out using your photo program.

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Look for hidden pictures in my books. Hearts in the Topsy Tales, bones in Poodle and Doodle, and all kinds of hidden animals and items in Where is Salami? There are chocolate chip cookies and teacups in every picture in Ava's Secret Tea Party. Have fun!

Is Fear Your Master?

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' – Matthew 25:21 NIV



As a little girl, I daydreamed a lot and tended to dawdle. In first grade, my teacher saw some artistic talent in me, and gave me an assignment to paint a poster-sized picture. Every day I spent part of my recess time staying inside and working on it.

I’m also a bit of a perfectionist, so the progress became painstakingly slow. One day my teacher came in to see how much I’d accomplished and exclaimed, “This is how much you’ve got done?”

I can still remember how hot my face felt. I can see the disappointment in her eyes. I thought I’d done well, but realized at that moment how slowly I had worked. She wanted to cultivate my talent for drawing, and agreed to let me continue, but begged me to “pick up the pace.”

Fear played a part in my perfectionism. I wanted to do it right so badly, I agonized over every stroke of the paintbrush. That wise teacher helped me to see the bigger picture – both realistically and figuratively.

In Matthew 25, we read a parable Jesus told of a man going on a journey. He entrusted his property to his servants. The man who received five talents gained five. The one with two doubled them to four talents. But the man with one talent dug a hole and hid the master’s money.

When the master returned, he praised the first two servants. But the third man received harsh punishment because he didn’t do as his master wished.

And why didn’t he? Fear. “'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' – Matthew 25:24-25 NIV.

Perhaps fear is keeping you from ministering in some way. Maybe you’re like me, always reaching for perfectionism. There is only One Who is perfect, and God uses plain, ordinary, flawed people like you and me. As our Master, God loves us and uses us by the power of the Holy Spirit to do His work on earth. My desire is to hear Him say at the end of my life’s journey, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

The following is a prayer I penned concerning writing, but whatever your ministry is, I pray it will be blessed abundantly. Step out in faith today. What do you want to do as a ministry for the Lord? What's stopping you?


Writer’s Prayer

As I sit down with pen and paper today
I pray, O Lord, for the words to say.
Bless my thoughts. May they be directed by You.
Whatever I write, may it be uplifting and true
To Your Word, to Your Character, to Your Spirit, I pray.

May the words I write challenge the reader to praise
Your Name above all Names - my hands I raise.
Whether it’s a poem, prose, or a worship song
Or a love story like the Song of Solomon,
Help me tell of Your love in glorious ways.

May the story of your grace and mercy cause reflection.
I pray as I write your Spirit gives direction.
No matter the story
I’ll give You the glory
For You alone are the Author of perfection.

© Donna Shepherd 2003

Sewn Together - a Testimony

I posted a short testimony on The Master's Artists blog today. Here's a link:

Sewn Together

When God Steps In: Stories of Everyday Grace

I'm delighted to say I have a story, "Refreshed by Peace," in a new book. When God Steps In: Stories of Everyday Grace (Standard Publishing) offers a close-up look at what can happen when we slow the pace and allow God to speak peace to our hearts. Borrowed from the pages of real lives, these fifty true stories will encourage you to recognize sacred interruptions and to grow not in spite of, but because of them.

Bonnie has a blog with a sample chapter and a photo buffet. Click HERE.

Tips on Writing for Children from Chautauqua

I've posted more insights from Chautauqua 2007. Click HERE.

I Can’t Be Inspired in Dirty Clothes

*For something different, I'm including a few posts on writing. I have a lot of readers who write, too!

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” – Matthew 5:14-15 niv

I attended the Chautauqua 2007 Writers’ Workshops in July. I had always heard if you ever went to anything the Highlights Foundation sponsored, you would never be the same. And it’s true.

At the opening banquet, I spotted Kim Griswell. Kim edits poetry for Highlights Magazine, and is one of my dream editors. We talked about life and kids and got to know each other. Before the week was over, she critiqued some of my poetry and commented that, while I have a good sense of humor and it comes through in my writing, I’m not letting go and having fun with it. She advised me to re-write several poems, and submit.

During the last morning session, Kim shared a piece she wrote highlighting the events of the prior week. Writers, and according to the good folks at Highlights, that’s what we ‘officially’ became that week, all over the auditorium brought out tissues to wipe away tears.

As she summarized her comments on that final day, she said, “If you go home, and on Monday, do laundry, you’ve missed the point.”

I understood what she meant. If we cannot be inspired by an entire week of focusing on nothing but writing, and hearing some of the best in children’s literature share their journey, we have chosen the wrong endeavor.

But then again, as I talked to those around me, I discovered that very few enjoyed the luxury of full-time writing. One very talented writer I met, Ruth, is a psychologist, another - Artie, a professor at Ohio State. I met teachers, a real estate developer, a newspaper photographer, and a ranch owner.

So while it would have been nice to sit at the computer all day on Monday, you can guess what I found myself doing – laundry. As I worked around the house, catching up on chores (hadn’t anyone done dishes while I was gone??), something interesting occurred. After such a hectic, jam-packed week, it felt good to let my mind rest. But not for long. As any writer knows, it worked its way back to writing. I carried my recorder around, making notes and figuring out ways to make my children’s poetry sparkle.

Most of you reading this write, too. Most of you have another job, or two or three. Yet, we still manage to get words down on paper or into files on our computers. While we wipe noses or sort whites from colors, our minds work the same as those blessed few privileged to be full-time writers. If you’re like me, you take a recorder with you in the car, blurting out phrases and ideas at red lights. Or you scribble notes and hope you can read your own writing when you get home.

I thank God for my time at Chautauqua. The entire week seems rather like a dream now. For seven full days, I was a full-time writer, and it was heavenly. Kim’s closing prose was so beautiful that I now realize how much more I need to improve. Kim, you inspired me. Perhaps one day, I’ll be blessed to give up my other jobs to write full-time. But for now, I’m writing and writing – but in my nice, clean clothes.

Next Week – Tips on Writing for Children from my Chautauqua notes.

Visit Donna on the web at: http://www.donnajshepherd.com

If you want to comment on this post over on the Master's Artists Blog, click HERE.

Highlights 2007 Fall Founders Workshops

Are you interested in writing for children? Here's a link to a .pdf with information about the Highlights 2007 Fall Founders Workshops. Jane Yolen will be doing picture books in December. Debbie Dadey is scheduled for a new offering entitled Reluctant Readers. Special guests at the popular Crash Course in Publishing run by Clay Winters will include Lindsay Barrett George and Susan Campbell Bartoletti.

I attended the 2007 Writers Workshop at Chautauqua and had a wonderful experience. Click HERE for more information on the Fall Founders Workshops.

Can You Hear Me Now?

I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. - Psalm 17:6 NIV

Have you told anyone recently how you can be reached? If you’re like most Americans, you have a landline, fax line, and cell phone. Then there’s email, IM’s, and texting. When a friend and I went to a movie and McDonald’s, she couldn't get through a hot fudge sundae without texting several people.

Yet even with all this technology, occasionally we can’t be reached. The phone lines are down. Cable is out. We forget to recharge the cell phone battery.

Aren’t you relieved we don’t rely on any of these things to talk to God? He’s as close as your next breath. With the phones jangling and emails piling up, take a moment to whisper, "Jesus.” You’ll be amazed at the calming effect of His name. Call on Him today.

And if you need to further recharge your spirit, get into His ‘text’ – the Bible!

Prayer: Oh, God, I praise You today. May I be keenly aware of Your presence in my life. Thank you for your faithfulness. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

The Best Grandma in the World

I'm pleased to say I have a story in a book just released by Howard Publishing (A Division of Simon & Schuster), The Best Grandma in the World. My piece is "The Singing Mamaw." I hope you enjoy it.

Prayer for the President

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. - 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NKJV)

Do you feel led to pray for our leaders? Here's a blog, NOT a political blog, but one dedicated to prayer for the leaders of the United States. I've heard from people all over the world who pray for the President of the United States, and as an American, I'm grateful for their prayers. If you'd like to add your prayer to the ones already posted, click on the link, and join us in prayer.

Prayer for the President

BUSY Parents Devotional - Dabbling Mum - What's In a Name?

A new column's up on The Dabbling Mum.

"I skipped into my first classroom and the teacher directed me to sit down at a big, round wooden table with a half dozen other children. My eyes scanned the table, and I spoke up. “Why don’t we all say our names?”..."

Click here to read What's In a Name?

Donna J. Shepherd © 2007
All rights reserved.

No portion of this Website may be reproduced by Crossmap or any other website without dated written permission from Donna. - Thanks!

For the Graduates: Who You Know

“For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”- Proverbs 2:6 NIV

“It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that expression. Each year in Spring, we celebrate many graduations from kindergarten to college. Many of these graduates head to the job market only to be disillusioned by the difficulty finding employment. Sooner or later, almost everyone I know has muttered the above expression followed by a long sigh.

I have to say my first job came as a result of knowing a district manager of a company. But I’m friends with many people who’ve managed to get great jobs without having any connections at all. I got my second job by being ambitious and a go-getter – or at least that’s what my boss told me.

You may get a job by knowing someone, but you can’t keep a job unless you have the knowledge to do the work.

We read in the Bible the Lord blessed Solomon with great wisdom and understanding. "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.” (1 Kings 4:29 NIV) Can you imagine being that smart?

But there is one position where it only matters Who you know – your place in the kingdom of God. Solomon, with all his wisdom, recognized his need for God. In Proverbs 9:10 he wrote, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

And most importantly, it matters Who knows you! In I Corinthians 8:3, Paul wrote, “But the man who loves God is known by God.”

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27 NIV) Are you following Jesus? Do you know Him, and does He know YOU?

I’ve gone back to college. When I’m studying for exams after such a long hiatus from school, I sure wish I had a bit of Solomon’s wisdom and understanding!

Prayer: Lord, I pray I listen to Your voice. My desire is to know You more, and to follow You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

*I first posted this devotional on 5-18-2005. This devotional also appears on Crossmap and Narrow Is the Path, where you can stop by to read and rate.