ICRS 2013: Authors, Musicians and CBA Publishing

 

By Jackie Johnson

 

In a few weeks, thousands of Christian retailers, authors, musicians, agents and others will descend upon America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis for the 2013 International Christian Retail Show.

 

It is “the world’s largest trade show for Christian resources” and we plan to bring you all the news and happenings from the show. From author book signings to emerging voices in the New Voices Showcase, we’ll cover ICRS 2013 and let you know what to look for—and what to buy in the coming months. As an insider, you’ll know before books and CDs hit the stores and you’ll be ready! 

 

In addition to a gigantic exhibit floor with all the major Christian book publishers, small publishers, distributors, gift suppliers and more, attendees will learn about the latest trends, products and best practices for Christian bookstores or church stores. 

 

Here are just some of the Christian book publishers who will be exhibiting at the show:

 

B & H

Baker Publishing

David C Cook

Gospel Light/Regal

Group Publishing

Guideposts

Harvest House

IVP

Kregel

Lifeway

Moody Publishers

New Hope

Tyndale House

and many more!

 

ICRS is a place to connect, to network, to see what’s new and to find new resources. It all happens in St. Louis—and it’s coming soon.  

 

So stay tuned, and we will bring you all the latest updates—the news you need to know—from ICRS 2013.

From Fear to Faith: How to Overcome

 

 

Fear says, “I cannot handle this situation.”

Faith says, “God can.”

Years ago, when I was learning how to mountain bike I was afraid to go down super big hills with rocky terrain. I was afraid of falling. I wanted to go slowly down the hill—to maintain control and feel more in control. However, my friend (who was an experienced mountain biker) said, “Speed is your friend,” and urged me to go faster.  

Faster? It sounded counterintuitive. Perched at the top or a hill strewn with rocks of all sizes, I paused. I prayed and I decided to trust him.  

As I went down the hill on my bike, the speed actually helped me to glide across the rocky path in a whole new way. I was scared and excited. It was exhilarating! 

Fear comes into our lives in many ways. Perhaps your fears are holding you back from what you truly want. Or, they are keeping you in bondage—not free.  

Fear says, “I cannot handle this situation.” Faith says, “God can.”  

When you release your grasp and let go of how you think things should be, they begin to change. Surrender is a powerful thing. Giving your fears to God, and allowing him to transform them into faith—faith that He will come through for you even though you can’t see now how it’s all going to work out. 

He is your strong protector, wise helper and total healer. He is stronger than any force that tries to come against you. God whispers, “Will you trust me?” Will you believe I will take care of all your needs and calm your fears?   

It starts by remembering what God has done in the past—for you and for others. Recall how He has seen you through before, and believe that He will again. Ask the Him to help you do what you cannot. 

Remember you are not alone. The Lord is with you always and He will fight for you.

 

 

When You Feel Like Giving Up: 5 Helpful Ways to Get Through Hard Times

 

 

Life can be hard. How do you press on when you’re emotionally or physically drained? When times are tough, and when you feel like giving up, here are five vital things to help you persevere with God’s strength:  

1) Cast your cares. Don't take on burdens you were never meant to bear—like worry, fear and doubt. They’ll weigh you down and hinder you from being effective. Instead, give God your fears; surrender trying to do it all on your own to Him. Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”  

2) Believe that God will help you. Did you know that God not only loves you—and He LIKES you? But some people find it hard to believe God will actually help them, and the weight of the world on their shoulders is crushing. They think He doesn’t care, or He’s too busy being CEO of the entire universe to be concerned about their unhappy life. Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

In fact, God loves you. And he likes you. Despite your feelings of insecurity, inadequacy or other emotion you’re ashamed of, God is all about loving you. You are not alone; help is available and it’s a prayer away.  

3) Press on in prayer. Prayer is the foundation upon which everything else is built in your life. It the most important thing you can do. Talk to God about your situation, because He is the one who has the power to change it.

 

4) Send in reinforcements. Sometimes you need backup. It’s amazing what happens when you receive support in prayer from friends and family members who are willing to pray for you and with you. When you don’t know what to pray, when you’re spent emotionally or physically, or, like Moses, when you need someone to “hold up your arms” (to support you), the prayers of others on your behalf can give you a boost to keep going.  

5) Take action. Taking one small step can lead to another and another and it builds momentum, and things begin to change. You will not be in this hard place forever. God will help you through. Unlike others who may have let you down, God keeps His promises. When you take action in prayer, He moves on your behalf.  

There are still purposes to be fulfilled—lives to touch, things to accomplish, and character to be formed on the inside. Press on, pray on, with holy tenacity, holding on to hope that one day—maybe soon—the check will come, the job will be yours, or the house will be filled with a child’s laughter. 

Whatever it is you long for, tell God your heart’s desires and He will answer.

 

Whether it’s a “yes,” “no,” or “wait,” know that the One who loves you most is working all things together for His good purposes. We may not always understand or like it, but we can know with certainty that one day everything will be made right.

Today, we pray and trust Him.

 

 

 

When Change is Difficult: Seven Helpful Ways to Transform Your Life

    

So you want to lose weight, clean your house, write a book, start a business, get out of debt or something else. You want to make some life changes or get rid of a bad habit, but like an unwelcome guest, it never quite leaves.  

Why is change so hard?

Whether you feel stuck in a job that no longer suits you, getting over a relationship that’s ended, adjusting to a new baby or something else, change is not always easy. In fact, it can seem downright impossible. 

Sure, we want things to be different, we really do. But whether you use the word change, alter, modify, vary, transform or revolutionize, we often resist the very things that could help us, heal us or make our life better.  

Why? 

We resist change for myriad reasons:

·       because we like things the way they are,

·       because it takes effort,

·       because we have no motivation or incentive,

·       because we don’t think it’s in our best interest—or even if we do, we feel selfish, lazy, or we lack willpower.  

Sometimes we simply don’t want to attempt to change because we think we may fail, or we don’t have the energy, time, money, resources or ____ (fill in the blank with your excuse of choice).

Bottom line? Nothing changes if nothings changes. Yep, we've all heard that before. Here are seven helpful things I’ve learned about altering my life:  

1) Do something, even if it's a small thing. Change often comes in baby steps. Just do ONE THING differently today, and then build on that momentum. Like eat a green vegetable with your French fries. Add healthy food to your diet, then takeaway the bad stuff. One thing.  

2) Get motivated. I’ve heard that the two main motivations in life are FEAR and DESIRE. What motivates you to make changes? Who can you ask—a trusted friend or family member—to help you stay accountable to making the step-by-step changes in your life? 

3) Get inspired. Chuck Swindoll once said that self discipline is “doing what you don’t want to do, to get what you’ve always wanted.” Hmm. I may not want to walk, go to the gym or eat a lot of green stuff, but I really want to be healthy and have more energy. It’s like the old saying “short term pain for long term gain.” 

4) Choose wisely. Actions have consequences. If you don’t send out resumes or make phone calls, you’ll never get another job. If you don’t move your body and get some exercise, the shape stays the same. Someone I know once told me, “Everything is a choice, so choose wisely.”  

5) Pray! Give your struggles to God and ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to help you. He is the only one who can make real and lasting changes in your life. When we are weak, He is strong in us. Prayer is the most important thing you can ever do to change your life.  

6) Take a risk.  Behold the turtle who only makes progress when he sticks his neck out. 

7) Get perspective. Take a long view. The growing pains of change may seem hard, but they won’t last forever. It’s like being “under construction” in your life. When a road is being repaired, workers put up signs and orange safety cones. It looks like a total mess for a few weeks or months. But eventually, the work is done; and when it’s over, things run a lot more smoothly.  

Moment by moment and choice by choice change happens.  

And then you start seeing positive results, and you feel really good. Success! Victory! Things really can be different. Even for you. I can almost see it now…just stay connected to the One who never changes and see what He can do.

 

When Life is Hard: Pray On!

A prayer-filled life is a powerful life. It will help you to stand strong in tough times.

When you pray, your life—and the lives of those around you—will be forever changed. You will be inspired to live with greater peace, restored hope, and more freedom.

You will discover wild hope through Jesus Christ, a hope so unexpected yet so wonderfully good, that when you begin to grasp it your life just may be transformed into one of startling kindness, lavish love, and limitless possibilities.

The economy may fluctuate, your bank balance may rise and fall, and your emotions may ebb and flow like the ocean tide, but one thing is true: the word of the Lord stands forever.

God keeps His promises. He will take care of you. He is totally reliable, willing and able to meet your needs more than you can ever imagine—wildly more, extravagantly more.

When life is hard, pray on.
 

Excerpt from PowerfulPrayers for Challenging Times by Jackie M. Johnson. Available in paperback and Kindle edition.

 

 

Coming Out of the Dark: Dare to HOPE

 

Where I live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, sunrise can be spectacular.

The first light of day crawls across the eastern plains, increasing in brightness to reveal—like footlights on a stage—the splendor of the majestic snow-capped Pikes Peak.

The sun bids the darkness farewell, and the earth awakens. It is a fresh start; a new day.
 
Perhaps you feel like you’ve been living in the dark for some time. Or emotionally sleepwalking, going through the motions of life, but you’re not fully aware or awake on the inside. You may be physically present but not engaging conversationally with people or with life.

You don’t really want to wake up on the inside because you don’t want to feel the pain and it’s just easier to numb out. Your circumstances still seem dark so maybe you think it’s only natural to sleep on the inside.

But now, it’s time to get up. 

Choosing to have hope is a “one prayer at a time; one choice at a time” path that leads to a more whole and healthier attitude and life. You start out by taking your first steps.

As you walk on, roadblocks may come your way, but you navigate obstacles with God’s help. As you choose to follow and keep following, you learn to listen and obey God’s words, and take action.
 
You also have a sense of destination that you’re on your way to a better place—the abundant life—the rich, full life Jesus promised us in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  

The abundant life is not about accumulating stuff, it’s learning to walk in victory, not being a victim to circumstances, and finding satisfaction and joyful confidence because you know who you are and Whose you are.

By taking one step, and then another and another, you leave the old place of brokenness and rubble and walk with FAITH not fear into the future.

Fresh hope delivered daily

Every morning the sun rises; every day the Lord delivers fresh hope. Despite the discouragement and difficulties, you can look back at all God has done in the past in other areas of your life—how He’s kept His promises and has been faithful to keep his word—and you can look forward with hope for good things to come in the future.

A new sunrise, and bright hope.

“Yet this I call to mind
     and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
     for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
     great is your faithfulness.”             

       Lamentations 3:21-23

 

 

 

The WAITING is the Hardest Part - 5 Things You Need to Know about Waiting Well

 

 

The next step in getting over a life loss or breakup has to do with a four-letter word many people don’t like to talk about: wait. Waiting—and learning to wait well.

 

Most of us don’t like to wait. In fact, we live in a world that promotes an instant-minded culture through commercials, radio spots and online ads. Act now! Get what you want when you want it! We are saturated with that message every day. We can fill our cupboards with instant oatmeal or instant soup, but when we try to get instant heart healing from a breakup or loss, we wind up unfulfilled and still hungry.

 

During seasons of waiting in our lives we learn that:

 

1. Waiting is active. Waiting is more than just passing time; and it is not doing nothing. It’s trusting and having faith that the One who delights us in giving will provide what is best for each of us.
2. We wait on God, not man. Waiting on God, not on a man, or yourself makes all the difference. God had good purposes, so your waiting is not in vain. You don’t have to be afraid that God will forget. He knows.
3. Waiting draws us closer to God. Enduring delay builds intimacy and a closer relationship with Him. Jerome Daley in When God Waits says, “God’s greatest purpose in seasons of waiting is to draw you close to himself, to reveal the depth of his commitment to you, and to equip you for your destiny.”
4. Waiting is for a purpose. God uses the seemingly dead times in our lives to heal, replenish and prepare our hearts for the next season in our lives.
5. God keeps perfect time. Things unfold “in the fullness of time,” when He is ready, when circumstances are ready, or when we are ready. You can’t tell a newborn baby to run a marathon and then be disappointed when he does not. It’s not time yet. He has to grow up first, and gain strength and muscle.

Even though we don’t like to wait, we can trust that God has good reasons for delays. We may not always understand what He is doing and why, but God wants us to obey his commands—not because He is a tough taskmaster, but to protect us and guide us. In learning obedience, we also learn wisdom.

The truth is God is God, and we will never fully know His reasons. But we can take comfort in the fact that He is good, loving and faithful—and he is always at work, even in the dark, putting together the pieces of our lives for His good purposes.