Having worked in the publishing industry for close to two decades, I can tell you that book projects are often conceived and scheduled years in advance of when they become actual books. This is especially true of Christian publishing, where prayer and planning often intersect. We trust God that books will be completed in his perfect timing and meet the current needs of readers. Recently, I worked on a project that started out as a simple addition to a children’s activity book, but quickly ... [keep reading]

Stress is inevitable, but God has given us tools in the Bible to help us deal with daily pressures. Consider these three prayerful antidotes to anxiety from author and evangelist Clayton King.    STRESS SOLUTION #1: FOCUS ON WHAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU When you’re stressed out with busyness and to-do lists, it’s so easy to miss something God may be trying to teach you. One small spiritual discipline that has a big positive impact on your life is learning to ... [keep reading]

You know that saying “bloom where you’re planted?” I like it, but what about the times you feel like you’re just the dormant seed in a hole covered with dirt? Last year, just as I was about to start working on illustrating my next book, I went through a brief season of depression during which I was incapacitated to engage in daily life. Once the Lord brought me out of it and I began to work, He really spoke to me through the imagery of a garden, specifically the image of a seed. A seed ... [keep reading]

Some words that we use as a matter of course carry much more weight than we imagine. Place is such a word. In a purely geographical sense, a place is nothing more than a location that can be pinned on your phone’s GPS. In this case you might say, “This is where I am.” In a vocational sense, place can refer to a culture, a role, or a position. When you get a new job in a new company you might find yourself saying things like, “I fit in here,” or “This new opportunity is a good fit for ... [keep reading]