Connecting through Words: Edie Melson, Keynote Speaker

We are excited to announce the keynote speaker for the 2016 MidSouth Christian WritersConference.

Edie Melson has become known as one of the go-to experts on Twitter, Facebook, and social media for writers wanting to learn how to plug in. Her bestselling eBook on this subject is Connections: Social Media and Networking Techniques for Writers.

Join Edie and another great lineup of writing professionals for our third annual conference on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at Collierville First Baptist Church, Memphis, Tennessee.

Stay tuned for additional details.

Host organization: Byhalia Christian Writers.

2015 MidSouth Christian Writers Conference Welcomes Vonda Skelton

Theme: Writing for the Ages

Vonda Skelton, nationally recognized speaker and author, is this year’s keynote speaker. She is founder and co-director of Christian Communicators, a conference and community dedicated to educating, validating, and launching women in their speaking ministries. She is an occasional actress in film, theater, and commercials, and she is currently working on a screenplay. You can find out more about Vonda and her ministry at VondaSkelton.com.

 

In addition to delivering two keynote messages, Vonda will be presenting a workshop titled: Writing for Children: One Size Does NOT Fit All.

 

For more information about this year's workshops and speakers, please visit to the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference website.

 

Registration information available here.

 

Be sure to check back often for posts from our speakers and additional information.

 

 

 

A Meditation for Christian Writers

(Register for the Mid-South Christian Writers conference at

 www.midsouthchristianwriters.com

by Emily M. Akin

Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets. Luke 5:5 (NIV).

Some of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen. When He called them, He didn’t offer a lot of explanation on what they would be doing or how they would do it. Jesus simply said, “Come, follow me. I will make you fishers of men.” 

They were professional fishermen, so they already had the knowledge and skill to catch fish. Jesus wanted them to use their skills to bring people to Him. Sometimes, they were discouraged because they were not getting results.

As Christian writers we are also disciples of Jesus, we are called to go fishing for people in different ways. We have gifts, talents, and skills that God has given us. Like the disciples, we want to learn how to use them to spread the gospel. And we get discouraged, too.

Fishing in Bible times was tough, physical work. They didn’t use powerboats, rods, and reels. They rowed or sailed to the fishing spot. Then they cast heavy nets out to haul in lots of fish at one time. No snoozing on the pier for these fishermen. They worked hard, yet sometimes they wondered if they were getting results.

We writers often wonder if writing is what we're supposed to do with our gifts. We sometimes doubt whether we should continue. That’s OK. Even Jesus’ disciples had doubts. We can do what they did—keep fishing. We can cast our nets for new ideas. We can talk to other writers or non-writer friends about faith, mission, or just about writing in general. We can attend conferences to keep our skills up-to-date and share our experience with other writers.

Prayer: Lord, show us how You want us to use our gifts and talents. Give us a fisherman's net full of inspiration to jumpstart our writing ministries. Amen.

Emily M. Akin is a writer, editor, and blogger who blogs at http://blog4writers.com. She will be presenting a workshop, Write What You Know: Finding Stories in Everyday Life, at MSCWC on March 8.