I was so surprised this past Friday night while attending the San Diego Christian Writer's Guild annual conference. I really believe in the poet of our Writing Critique Group - Barbara McBride. Her poems are so deep, so warm and truthful. They make you pause and think. How incredible. So my wife and I paid for her to enter her poems in the annual contest. Barbara and I drove to the event, socialized and waited for them to call her name.
I had entered for my book, "SELF-PUBLISHING AND MARKETING FROM THE TRENCHES," but I didn't think it stood a chance. It was a non-fiction book that explains the process of self-publishing and has some of my testimony in it. So for a Christian writers conference, I didn't think it was worthy of an award. Don't get me wrong, its well written, but I didn't think it was a match for this conference.
So Barbara and I sat down with Byron Mettler and her wife and waited for Barbara's award. After a prayer and the opening remarks, they got to the awards.
When they called my name first, I almost fell out of my chair. I never thought I stood any chance of winning anything, but they gave me a Certificate of Merit for excellence in writing for Self-Publishing and Marketing from the Trenches. Then they called Byron Mettler's name out for his award for "OUT OF DARKNESS." Two of us from Ramona had won awards.
I look back and I see the hand of God in all this. I helped another writer be able compete and I believe God honored that. Unfortunately Barbara didn't win because they're weren't any other entrants in the poetic category.
Next year, her book of poetry will qualify in the non-fiction category and I know she will win. Her poems are that good.
As spirit warriors we have to keep on fighting for others and let God reward us in His time. More and more I see the hand of God operate when we lift our hands for others. It's His way, His nature. As spirit warriors we have to quietly help others and God will reward us openly.
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