Update and New Columns!

Hello! My husband and I are back and refreshed from our trip to Branson, Missouri. We saw Yakov Smirnoff and laughed a lot, heard great singing, and ate way too much good food.

The highlight of our trip was a visit to the headquarters of the Assemblies of God in Springfield, Missouri. We met with Thomas Trask, the General Superintendent of the A/G. What an honor it was to pray with him, and then have him pray for us. We also stopped by Global University, and I got to see where I'm attending school. And I got my grade back in New Testament Lit - a 90%. So these past few days have been full of activity and wonderful blessings.

I have a new column up on The Dabbling Mum - Good for Something.

"There are few things worse than hearing a parent tell a child, “You’re good for nothing.” Now I have to admit when children laze around the house offering up excuses for not doing homework or a chore, holding back the tongue does present a challenge."

Click HERE to continue reading. Pass the link on to all the Moms and Dads you know!

If you're a Boomer, click HERE to read this month's devotional on NABBW.

Donna J. Shepherd 2006 All rights reserved. No portion of this Website may be reproduced without permission. For more information, contact Donna.

Interview with Mom2Mom Connection

Heather at Mom2Mom Connection interviewed me on two different subjects - writing for grownups and writing for children.


Click here to read about writing for children.

Click here to read about writing devotionals. Thanks!

The Da Vinci Code

Are you having a difficult time explaining to your family and friends why The Da Vinci Code should be viewed as fiction? As a Christian, what should your response be? CBN has put together an excellent, easy-to-navigate site called The Da Vinci Code - a Biblical Response.

Click HERE to view only a few of the errors represented as fact in Dan Brown's novel, The Da Vinci Code, an opportunity to download a CBN Exclusive Ministry Booklet: Beyond the Code, and many other resources!

I have a new column up on NABBW - National Association of Baby Boomer Women - but it's not strictly for women!

Excerpt: "I don't really want to go back to the days of no electricity or running water, but I do want to slow down long enough to establish godly priorities. Whether young or old, we live in a busy, fast-paced, and stressful world. We need God's help....."

Click HERE to read "Busy As Bees."

And if you have feedback, click 'comments' right below this post. Thanks! - Donna

Donna J. Shepherd 2006 All rights reserved. No portion of this Website may be reproduced without permission. For more information, contact Donna.

Writing by Numbers

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

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. - Psalm 19:14

I attended a writers’ conference this past week. During our evening meal, several of us discussed website design. One woman, who has a site for her children’s writing, mentioned she has no idea how many visitors she draws. Another person sitting with us with us said, “You’re kidding! You don’t have a stat counter?!” As someone with stat counters on every site, I could hardly believe it either.

When we watch that number tick over to another hundred visitors, we may be tempted to analyze the stats to cater to readers’ tastes, writing ‘to the numbers.’ Every writers’ group discusses what’s hot, what’s not. Who will write the next megaseller that touches off a trend with dozens of authors following? I know I’ve gone into the bookstore, trolled the aisles, and tried to figure out the theme for a book for which the market will hunger – the one a publisher will gasp over, “Yes! Exactly what we’ve been looking for!”

Dan Robbins, an Oak Brook free-lance designer, created Craft Master paint-by-number kits. In 1954, he re-created the “Last Supper” – the most popular paint by number kit ever. For every person who picked up one of his kits, and millions did, he or she sacrificed artistic originality for conformity. Maybe that’s what I’m doing when I study the titles, making note of what’s in abundance, what’s selling.

I’ve written for hire, and have no problem doing so. I wrote according to stringent guidelines, capturing the voice of the project. And the publisher, no doubt, had analyzed the numbers before embarking on the project. Back in the seventies, I purchased one of those paint by number kits. I painted a lovely stained glass window through which rays of light shone down on a pair of praying hands. Even though I started painting by number, I embellished, adding my own flair to the painting. In the end, it was my creation, or so I imagined. I take the same pride in my work for hire projects. Even though I start with someone else’s idea, I add my own flair, and in the end, it’s a part of me in the creation.

But on my own, I wonder if I have what it takes to write without the burden of marketing trends and profitability swirling about in my head. In one of the sessions I attended during the conference, our instructor informed us a publisher invests tens of thousands of dollars into every book.

I told one editor I pray over my writing daily. I ask God to direct my steps, and to burden my heart with His message. Even though he didn’t ‘tsk, tsk,’ I did feel, even as I said the words, that I probably appeared quite naïve. And maybe I am. I’m a lot less naïve than I was three years ago. Now I understand that for every book, there’s a budget. I’m just hoping, and praying…and praying, I will be so blessed to write a book that merits the budget, and more importantly, ministers in the manner God ordains.

Now I’m off to check my stats. Some habits are hard to break.

Prayer: Lord, may I always be in tune to Your will, writing as You lead, and being inspired by the Holy Spirit. Please direct my steps, giving me wisdom as I write for You. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Gift for Mother's Day

I'd like to suggest a copy of Daily Grace for Women. I'm blessed to have written thirty devotionals included in this book.

If you live near the Cincinnati-Dayton area, signed copies are here:

Barnes and Noble
9455 Civic Centre Blvd
West Chester, OH 45069
513-755-2258

If you're not in the area, the book is in stock at any Family Christian Bookstore, and available at many other bookstores, too. Here's a link with information: Bookfinder4U

If you do buy the book, and would like a list of my devotionals, send me an email, and I'll send a list of titles in a word document. Happy Mother's Day!

Coming Soon! "Dotty's Topsy Tale"

A brand new tale in the Topsy Turvy Land series will be released soon - Dotty's Topsy Tale, written by myself and illustrated by the multi-talented Kevin Scott Collier. Watch for details, and here's a sneak peek at the cover!

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Eveline Maedel! If you'll email me with your snail mail address, I'll get your copy in the mail. I know you'll enjoy it.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and keep watching. I'll post details of a new contest soon! - Donna



I have one copy, courtesy of Glass Road Public Relations, of Tamara Leigh’s new release, Stealing Adda, to give away. I'll collect names now through Tuesday, April 25th. If you are interested, post a comment under this post telling me what your thoughts are on Christian Romance novels. Do you read or write in this genre? How about 'Chicklit'? You might even list a couple of your favorites for those not familiar with the genre.

On April 25th, I'll put all the names in a basket, and draw one person's name! If Christian Romance isn't your cup of tea, keep stopping by. More surprises in store!

Burst Forth!

Jesus said to his disciples: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. – John 15:1 cev

After I adopted my puppy, Angel, from my sister, I spent quite a bit of time in our back yard. When I first stood outside with her, the woods in our back yard looked dead. I had a rose bush by the deck that looked as if it would never bloom again.

But after a couple of weeks, I noticed the base of the rose bush began to turn green. The trees that looked lifeless budded and covered over with tiny leaves. The complexity of God’s creation amazed me.

When Jesus walked the earth, he used practical applications to teach, sometimes using the things of nature as examples. In John 15:4-5 Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

Are you connected to the true vine? We receive life from the Vine. Angel runs through the yard picking up dead branches. Without God, we are like those branches. I want to be alive and blooming in the Lord. I want to grow and develop the fruit of the Spirit.

In Jeremiah 20, Jeremiah said that God’s Word was like a burning fire that was shut up in his bones. It literally burst forth from him like a fire out of control. I don’t want to be a dead, dried up Christian, but a Christian who bursts forth with the message of Christ.

As you look around and see all the beautiful flowers and trees budding with new life, purpose in your heart that the Good News of God’s grace should burst forth from you!

Prayer: Lord, I praise you, and long to be connected to you in a deeper way. Thank you for sustaining me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Out of Order

A new devotional called Out of Order is featured in Blessed Lady. Click HERE to read!

Good news! Topsy Turvy Land can now be ordered through this website. You can either pay by PayPal or with a credit card. If you'll look in the right hand column, you'll see a button that says "Visa, Master Card, Buy Now." Click on that. It's that easy!

Dont' forget to stop by the "Prayers for the President" blog occasionally.

I've also added a "Make a Donation" button. I noticed some of the blogs have 'tip jars,' and I've had a couple people ask why I don't have one. Since I look at this site as a ministry, I decided to put a button on the site, but I can't justify keeping money for my efforts. Any donations made to my ministry will be automatically given to charity. God bless you!

Donna J. Shepherd © 2005 All rights reserved. No portion of this Website may be reproduced without permission. For more information, contact Donna.

The Beauty of Contentment

(This week's Carnival of Beauty is hosted by Bethany. To read the other posts highlighting the topic of contentment, go to A Picturesque Life)

Being content is a foreign concept in our market driven culture. I know. I struggle myself. A few years ago, I ordered my first item from one of the home shopping networks. When I saw how easily I could spend my money, I soon ordered more. Before long, I had brown packages piled up on my porch and spilling out of my mailbox nearly every day. I bought jewelry, clothing, and items for the house, my husband and children. My husband made the comment, “It’s like Christmas every day around here!”

After each jewelry order, I’d promise myself I wouldn’t order any more. I had enough – more than enough. Then the next sparkly bauble would dance across my television screen, and before I knew it, I’d placed another order.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul shares his attitude concerning material things. He says, in verses 11-13, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

When he wrote to the Philippians, Paul declared he was in chains for Christ. Even the palace guard had been witnessed to because of Paul’s bonds. He had spoken “courageously and fearlessly.” Paul experienced trials like nothing we have ever experienced - beatings, stoning, shipwreck, hunger, misunderstanding, and on top of it all, desertion, yet he had learned to be content.

Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21.)

Ouch! Oh, me! Contentment comes from establishing biblical priorities – and materialism is not even on the list!

I can hear the protests. “But I need to strive for a better job. I can’t rest on my laurels. I must get ahead in my profession.” “Doesn’t God want me to have a bigger house? Better clothes?”

Being ambitious can be a good trait. Paul certainly exhibited an undeterred desire to tell others of Jesus Christ, but he was willing to submit to God's will, and even if God took away every material good, I must learn to be like Paul – content in all circumstances, knowing God’s will is best.

Contentment is not being joyful with what we own, but Who owns us. I’m not my own, I’m His. God is my Father, and He says He will never leave nor forsake me. I rest in that promise, and I am content.

Since that first order from a shopping channel, my cable system has added two more, but I only get a brown package every now and then these days. I’m learning.

Prayer: Lord, I trust you to provide for me all my needs. My life is in Your strong hands. Thank You for Your love. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Blog Tour with Alyice Edrich

Since I have an ebooks available now, The Lonely Lightning Bug (Guardian Angel Publishing), I had questions for eBook author, Alyice Edrich, when she made a stop here on her blog tour.

Alyice Edrich is the author of several work-from-home e-books, including Tid-Bits For Making Money With E-books - where parents earn hundreds of dollars selling information they already possess.

Donna: How long should an e-book be?

Alyice: An e-book should be as long as it needs to be to get the point across. Often, people come up with a great title, a great theme, but then leave the readers hanging because they don’t put in the time necessary to write a thorough book.

If you are writing a book on how to build a tree house, for instance, your book will need to be comprised of things such as: do you need a building permit, how to get a building permit, how to draw up a blue print, how many people will be needed for the project, how to tell if a specific tree is sturdy enough, what types of woods are there and which are best, should you use nails or screws, shingles or cement, etc. Then of course, you’ll need to decide if pictures should be included and if you use pictures will they be sketches or actual photos, in which case you’ll need to build a tree house from scratch. Such a book could run 200 pages.

If you are going to write a book about building a tree house, it does no good to just give a list of rules in 20 pages. People could end up buying too soft of a wood, untreated wood that warps once put together causing a safety issue in the structure, and nails that rust or loosen over time.

By taking the time to go into detail, providing more than surface answers, your readers will tell others about your book and you’ll gain more sales through word of mouth advertising.

Donna: Do non-fiction e-books do better than fiction?

Alyice: Yes! While you can do well with fiction books, many people buy fiction to read at leisure and often prefer bound copies. It’s a little hard to read a computer printed book while soaking in the bathtub, or traveling on a bus, for instance.

Donna: How do you decide the price of an e-book?

Alyice: It depends on what the market will bear. If you have written a book that can be found in traditional bookstores for $10, then you’ll have a very hard time selling your e-book for $50 unless you do some sort of package deal where you include bonus e-books or a bonus training session via email or the phone.

Donna: How long are chapters in an e-book?

Alyice: Again, chapters should be as long as they need to be to get the point across. But I will tell you this: readers feel ripped off if they receive an e-book with twenty chapters and those chapters are only one page long or consist of graphics that take up over half the page and then three pages in each chapter.

Donna: How do you market an e-book?

Alyice: Marketing e-books is just like marketing any other product. You have to develop a business plan. You have to discover your target audience and then you have to pitch your e-book to that target audience.

Market your e-book through word of mouth, speaking engagements, published articles, advertisements, press releases, radio interviews, etc.

You can visit Alyice Edrich at The Dabbling Mum Press to order a copy of her e-book, Tid-Bits For Making Money With E-books today! To make more stops on the blog tour, click HERE.

New Columns and Poetry, too!

• Click here to read the February column for BUSY Parents on The Dabbling Mum called Agape Love.
• I started a new poetry blog. I've already had one poem I've posted published in a church newsletter. What a blessing! Here's the link if you'd like to read. Feel free to post comments there just like you do here: Poetry by Donna
• I also have a column up on NABBW for February called From This Moment. Click here.
• My column on Crossmap.com called Smelly Saints is now one of the All Time Most Popular! Thank you for reading it or click here if you haven't yet.
  
  I'm pleased to announce my inclusion in the book, Itty Bits of Bliss. Compiled by Christine Tricarico, the book contains 38 fully illustrated fun, whimsical poems to inspire children ages 4-ll. $2.00 per book is being donated to Love Our Children USA in honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
  
  Here a link to purchase information:
  
  Itty Bits of Bliss
  
• 
  Donna J. Shepherd © 2005 All rights reserved.
  No portion of this Website may be reproduced without permission.
  For more information, contact Donna.

That Lovin' Feeling

Aren't you humming the Righteous Brothers song after reading that title? A new devotional is published in Blessed Lady. Since it's February, I wrote on love, or should I say, the sometimes lack of it - even in Christians. Oh, dear!

Click here to read!

Donna J. Shepherd © 2005 All rights reserved. No portion of this Website may be reproduced without permission. For more information, contact Donna.

Author Chat

Twice each season on his website, Kevin Scott Collier, the illustrator of Topsy Turvy Land, features an interview with a writer or author with whom he has worked. For the end of winter 2006, he chatted with me! We discuss our joint creation of Turvy Turvy Land, Chizzy's Topsy Tale, and The Lonely Lightning Bug, and a few other topics. To read, click here!

The Beauty of Gentleness

(*Thank you to Iris for hosting this week's Carnival of Beauty. Click HERE to find links to nine blogs focusing on Gentleness.)

Have you ever been around someone you’d describe as gentle? Kindness and consideration ooze from her pores. Things that would cause you to snap or rebuke someone harshly only slightly ruffle her feathers. Gentleness is in her nature.

When I attended the Girls Auxiliary program as a young girl, I had a teacher I could count on to be tenderhearted, never raising her voice. With about fifteen chatty and sometimes catty young girls in her care, she epitomized a gentle lady. Even when we ‘acted up’ and tried her patience, she never lost control.

Being a gentle person does not mean you’re a doormat. It only means having strength under control. The original Greek word Prautes is used of domestic animals whose great strength has been reined in and brought under control.

Since gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), it should be an element of our new nature. God will lovingly help us along our path as Christians and help us develop this fruit, either by His example or through difficult trials. We learn to lean on God’s goodness and depend on His gracious ways to bring us through.

Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30)."

We find our perfect example in Jesus Christ. A gentle Christian submits his strength to God. Jesus submitted Himself to God. Think of the time Jesus went into the Temple and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. Or how about when He commanded demons to leave. Jesus was under control.

Peter wrote a woman’s beauty should not be the outer beauty of hairstyles or fine clothing. We should concentrate instead on our “inner beauty with the imperishability of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very valuable in God's eyes (I Peter 3:4).” In our culture of plastic surgery and designer clothes, it can be difficult to concentrate on the inner beauty, but think of the value in God’s eyes!

I hope to be like Jesus and my teacher – someone who maintains a gentle spirit – no matter what life throws at me. I have my own class every Sunday, but I teach adults. Now I wouldn’t think they’d ever act up. Or would they?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Your kindness toward humankind, and for providing an example of gentleness for me to follow. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

Extreme Makeover

It seems every magazine for women I see has at least one article promising a total makeover. "If you’ll follow these ten steps, you can change your body!”

Or the tips might target the home or finances. The makeovers for the body usually have the reader changing her diet, initiating or changing her exercise plan, and to the extreme, undergoing plastic surgery.

I’m all for taking care of our bodies. The temporal dwelling in which we live is the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19 (New International Version), “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” As Christians, I believe we should do our best to take care of the temple. Don’t you?

But I don’t want to get so caught up in the temporal that I forget the eternal. One day I’ll trade in this body. God has a makeover in mind that’s totally extreme!

The Contemporary English Version of the Bible puts it this way, “Our dead and decaying bodies will be changed into bodies that won't die or decay. The bodies we now have are weak and can die. But they will be changed into bodies that are eternal. Then the Scriptures will come true, "Death has lost the battle!” (1 Corinthians 15:53-54 cev)

And then my made over body will go to a home that needs no makeover, Heaven. Are you ready to go?

Prayer: Lord, thank You for this body I dwell in. May I be faithful to honor You and serve You with this body until I’m transformed to live in Your presence and in my heavenly home. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Temporal Currents

I'm pleased to announce my inclusion in a new book.

Press Release:

Temporal Currents is an inspirational poetry collection edited and compiled by Christine Tricarico, widely published poet and editor. This collection features 45 poems by Donna J. Shepherd, Hope Galvan, Victor Jasti, and other wonderful poets from around the globe. This collection is intended to reach out, inspire people of all ages, and evoke a sense of peace, wonderment and spirituality in each of us. Temporal Currents is the perfect gift for all ages!

Click here for order information.

Prayer Request

It's not coincidental that I posted the devotional, Each Moment I Live. The same day, we received a call that my nephew has been in an accident, and was taken to the nearest hospital with the facilities to address his injuries. He's a married father of two young children, and a strong Christian. Please pray. I'll update when I know more. Thank you. - Donna

Update! Click 'comments.'

Seven Sevens Meme

Carmen Rockett tagged me for the Seven Sevens Meme.

Seven Things to Do Before I Die.
1. See my children marry their true loves, live for the Lord, and hopefully have children.
2. Publish a book of devotionals.
3. Publish a book of children’s poetry.
4. Take art classes.
5. Organize my house – I think I can get more on my list done if I’m not dragged down with disorganization.
6. Develop my speaking and singing ministry.
7. Walk and eat right so I can be healthy enough to do all these things before I die.

Seven Things I Cannot Do
1. Nothing – I’m always doing something.
2. Quit piling. (I heard that pilers are smart. Ha!)
3. Eat too many sweets.
4. Go a day without singing.
5. Go a day without writing.
6. Get caught up on my to-do list.
7. Find anything in my closet. (See #5 above. I’ve got to get a system.)

Seven Things that I Admire in my husband or wife (or for singles, dad or mom).
1. His thoughtfulness.
2. His faithfulness to God.
3. His tenacity.
4. His work ethic.
5. His energy! (Anyone ever see him at ease?)
6. His love for the Word.
7. His love for the Church.

Seven Things I Say Most Often
1. I love you.
2. Ouch! (when Sadie, our Labradoodle runs over me.)
3. Well, that’s gonna leave a bruise. (follows #2 statement)
4. Are you kidding me?
5. Be careful. (every time someone leaves, usually followed by #1)
6. Ya think?
7. If I say I will, I will.

Seven Books (or series) I Love (right now)
1. The Bible
2. The Boundaries Series
3. The Church Ladies
4. Any book of Shel Silverstein poetry
5. Any Calvin and Hobbes books
6. Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God
7. Landon Snow and the Auctor’s Riddle

Seven Movies I Would Watch Over and Over Again
1. Hope Floats
2. Tootsie
3. 9 to 5
4. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
5. The Preacher’s Wife
6. The Family Man
7. Remember the Titans

Seven People I Want to Join In, Too:
1. Just As I Am
2. The Upward Call
3. Hill Country Thoughts
4. Between Sundays
5. Windows to My Soul
6. Walking Circumspectly
7. You!
(Just copy and paste the questions and replace my answers with yours. Have fun!)