What are you reading?

At our recent chapter meeting, I brought the devotional and shared some thoughts about how God has chosen us to go forth and bear fruit. (John 15:16)

Then I gave each person at the meeting a Bible marker from a lady in Texas who makes these as a ministry. The point was that the most important fruit of our writing ministry is going to be the Word of God that comes through in our writing.

And the most important reference book we can own is our Bible.

Of course, like most reference books, it doesn't do us any good if it sits on the shelf gathering dust. We need to open our reference books, read them, and then apply the information, if we want to get anything out of them.

Our Bible is the same way. If we don't read it, then apply the information found within the covers, we might as well not own one at all.

Reading our Bible should be natural for Christians. And for Christian writers, where for most of us our number one pass-time besides writing is probably reading, the Bible should be our primary source.

However, I am going to confess right now, it's not always where I go for a good read.

As a writer of mysteries and romantic suspense, that's what I like to read.

But, when I consider the Bible, it is full of mysteries and romantic suspense. I mean, the first verse says, "In the beginning God" -- this has been voted one of the Best Opening Lines of any book ever written. I wish I could come up with something that good for one of my mysteries.

And what about all those unanswered questions? Where did God come from? Where did Melchizadekk come from? Where did he go? How about the virgin birth? Not to mention the resurrection. Talk about great plot lines.

And then romantic suspense -- Adam and Eve. What if they hadn't liked each other? Would God find another woman for Adam? Then there was Rahab the harlot. Did she ever get married? How about Solomon. How did he manage all those wives? And Leah -- what was her life really like as the unloved one? The woman at the well -- did she ever get it right.

For those of you who write romances, science fiction, young adult, fantasy, military, westerns -- whatever you write, you can be sure the plot is in the Bible. The characters you wish you'd created are in the Bible.

I encourage you to pick up your Bible this week, just for the love of reading, and ask the Lord to show you a passage you've missed before, or to open your eyes to a new understanding of an old passage.

And then, go forth and bear fruit for our Kind.

Reading AND Writing

I recently held a year-long reading contest on my website inspired by my daughter's insatiable love of reading. Over 3,500 participants tried to match or beat Kayla's number of pages read. It was an amazing thing.

Sometimes as writers, we spend so much time brainstorming, plotting, writing, or thinking about writing, that we don't take the time to read. (Yes, yes, I know. Didn't I write a post about writing?) Yes. But, any good author will tell you that you also must read to become a better writer. And I'm not just talking about handbooks on the craft of writing. Take the time to read, enjoy, and even study other author's works.

I'm a fast reader, so I read a LOT of books. But I am amazed each time I shut the cover of a new read and think about all the things I learned, just from reading. Even if the book wasn't my favorite, I can learn a lot from it and my own writing can grow in new ways.

This coming week is the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) which I am excited to attend. My non-fiction book, Welcome Home, is launching and I am honored to have the opportunity to speak at the Heart of the Author Luncheon, sign my books, do radio and TV interviews, and attend the wonderful Christy Awards. But another wonderful part of the week will be seeing amazing writer friends, checking out all the incredible new books, and learning as much as I can. We should never stop learning.

So my advice to you today is: Read and Write. Even if you are on a deadline, you should take some time to read. You'll be a better writer for it.

Maybe I'll see some of you at ICRS - I'll be signing at 9:30 on Tuesday morning at the Tyndale House Publishers booth. We can talk about what we've recently read ;)


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Kimberley Woodhouse is a wife, mother, author, and musician with a quick wit and positive outlook despite difficult circumstances. A popular speaker, she’s shared at more than 600 venues across the country. Kimberley and her family's story have garnered national media attention for many years, but most recently her family was chosen for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Montel Williams Show, and Discovery Health channel’s Mystery ER which premiered in 2008. Her story, Welcome Home: Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy, releases SOON from Focus on the Family/Tyndale Publishers and is available now for pre-order. Kimberley lives, writes, and homeschools in Colorado with her husband of seventeen years and their two children in their truly “extreme” home. Pre-order Welcome Home
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