Hello, hello, hello!!

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th!

I had the privilege of being on vacation with family for the week. And I confess: I didn’t write anything new! However, I was busily editing my book proposal for this weekend’s Christian writer’s conference.

I feel like I’m back in school, and I have a term paper due!

However, I’m not ready to turn it in yet and my time is evaporating faster than raindrops on hot pavement. Don’t worry, I’ll have it done. And then, I’ll be back at it as soon as this weekend is over.

I have a stack of outlines for blog posts, pictures, and–squirrel…sorry. I was getting excited. Focus, Cheyenne.

This weekend.

The Writer’s Conference.

I have been looking forward to this weekend all year. I have been working toward this weekend all year. And I am ready.

There’s no way I can express my thankfulness to have this amazing resource in my backyard. Thank you, Jesus!

I’m extremely excited to go and learn. To make new connections and new friends. Last year was an amazing experience. It opened my eyes, gave me direction, and helped me refine my goals. This year, I have a better idea of what to expect. I have specific goals to meet and things I want to learn and refine.

Would you be willing to commit to praying for me this week and through this weekend?

(If so, please like and/or comment on this post so I can thank God for you.)

Goals:

• Connect with an agent.
  • I am meeting 1-on-1 with the VP of my dream agency on Saturday morning at 10:00 CST.
    • Pray she loves and wants my Bible study idea and requests a proposal (Almost done with that)
  • I get to meet another agent on Friday during the Jump Start training
    • Same prayer as above
• Connect with editor and publisher–those who like my idea and are willing to work with me
• I would love a writing mentor
  • Pray God will bring one that would be a perfect fit for me
• I would be sensitive to what God needs me to hear while I’m there
  • Last year it was: You’re out of your comfort zone! But I’ve got your back–Let’s do this!
    • I was so far out of my comfort zone I thought I would never see it again. And I really haven’t, at least not the way it was before I left it.
  • This year I want to submit to whatever He has in store for me. His agenda, not mine.

I want to learn:

• Jump Start Workshop (Friday afternoon)
  • This small group workshop is designed to walk us through the publication process: from concept to publication to marketing your book and everything in-between
    • There is a lot to learn and I can’t lie, I’m excited and a little nervous, I hope I catch it all
  • Thankful for a more intimate group to learn with and an opportuinity to ask questions of porfessionals at each level of the field.
  • Thankful for the authors (Liz Curtis Higgs and Shelia Walsh), editors, agents, and publishers that will be there to guide and teach us (and connect with)
• How to build a platform publishers will love by investing 30 minutes a day to its growth
  • This includes
    • adding subscribers to my blog/website
    • enhancing my writing
    • booking speaking engagements
    • better utilizng social media
• How to better use social media to grow my audience
  • We will look at attitudes, priorities, and tools for reaching and collecting an audience with the intent to grow a platform
  • This is the sentence that caught my attention and hooked me: We’ll design our social media presence by defining our target audience, we’ll identify the social media channels where those audiences show up, with practical recommendations on tools, editorial calendars and how to stay sane as a writer. lol
  • I try, but I definitely need improvement.
• How to better grab my readers attnetions and keep it
  • This is self expalnatory. lol
  • Are you still there?

Thank you in advance for your prayers. I know this is what has called me to do. I know I am following His lead. And I don’t think it an accident that He has me in Matthew right now. Particularly Matthew 8

Jesus heals the man with leprosy (8:1-4): Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. vs 1-3, NLT

My prayer has changed from “Lord will you” to, “If you are willing, you can.” I know He has the ability, but is He willing or do I need to wait longer? I am praying also His response will be, “I am willing” and instantly…

The Roman Officer Demonstrates Faith (8:5-13): When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed...Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. vs 5-8,13, NLT

I’m praying for that profound faith. Not letting my doubt, fear, insecurity, uncertainty, etc be an obstacle for me. I am asking Jesus to just say the Word and it will happen. I am praying my belief is as strong as this man’s–stronger.

Thank you in advance for your prayers!

Blessings xoxo minutes