Being Black, Living Christian: Clearly Obama

Two article regarding Bishop Jeremiah Wright and Obama's response to the controversy cause me pause.

Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he's been my pastor. -Senator Obama.

I appreciated his response, but as I read comments and have listened to my white Sunday School friends(who are all Republican mind you), I'm sad to say that without Jesus I don't think black people will ever be treated equal anywhere, especially in an American church. Thank God for Christ.

He doesn't judge us, require us to disavow our heritage, ask us to leave the black church, to act as if the way we have been treated daily doesn't matter, nor does he chide us for venting about it sometime. He listens, he corrects, he comforts.

I need comfort this morning, because as a black progressive there are some issues I want answer to instead of more nice nasty politicking. I want to talk about:

1. Why so many of my cousins(mainly Marines) are still in Afghanistan, when clearly we aren't trying to find Bin Laden, when clearly when they return they can't get a job, because of their skin color?
2. Clayton County school system in Atlanta, and whether there troubles is another way to disenfranchise urban schools?
3. Christian publishing and why we don't have an African-American imprint yet, clearly this genre makes money, so what's the problem?
4. Why after seven years did Legs Mason(formerly Smith Barney) return my Coverdell account holdings for my daughter's college fund? Middle class people can't save for college anymore?
5. Why is Grady Hospital becoming privatized?
6. Why is everything American made in China?
7. And why do eggs, gas and milk cost so dadgum much?
8. Why aren't the media(or Clinton pr people) not jumping on the McCain/John Hagee issue? Unless they, too believe that God brought Hurricane Katrina to New Orleans, because the town was mostly black--I mean mostly bad?
9. Why are so many people undergoing foreclosure and living in campgrounds?
   
10. And here can I get that teacake? I love teacakes!!

Photo courtesy of Mary Wells.

CF News: Chocolate Starbucks Motivation

Christian Fiction News for week ending March 16, 2008

Inciting Incidents

OT, but could be a great inciting incident for my next novel, this tornado in Atlanta. I was out on a date fifteen minutes from there at a sports bar. Two police officers came inside and spoke to the operations manager. They changed the channels(we were watching the SEC game at the Dome.) Question: Why weren't we informed? Then got home and no news. No local meteorologists wanted to say it was a tornado. Come on now...story of a meteorologist who's lost his focus, faith, and.... I say. Yes

Caffeine Addiction in Christian Fiction
After wading through many book proposals Bethany House editor, Dave Long noticed authors fascination with coffee had meandered into their submissions. As I continue in my covert book review project and complete a line edit for a friend's upcoming book release I confirm Long's discovery. So I wasn't too surprised when Christianity Today Magazine featured Jo Kadlecek and her caffeine addicted reporter protagonist.

An Inspired Easter Story
Last week I asked CFB readers to recommend me a great easter story to share with Selah. Zondervan answered my call. Zondervan is giving e-mail newsletter subscribers the opportunity to download free the Easter story from Matthew 26-28 as featured in its best-selling Inspired By ... The Bible Experience audio edition. Listen here.



Atlanta St. Patties
Yeah. I didn't forget. Atlanta is 10% Irish(30% if you add 4th generation southern African Americans,) and we've been celebrating St. Patrick's day since Friday's tornado. So who is St. Patrick and why do Catholics and straddling Christians become lushes on this day? Click here, then pray for your laddies.


Photocredits:
Strange Bird's Sneaking Up on a Leprechaun.
Shane Durrance: Photographer. According to the AJC, he has the only photo of the tornado. Beautifully Feared.

Weekend Chatterbox: Easter Stories

What children books would you recommend to parents to share Easter with their kids?

Guestblog: The Power of Christian Fiction

The Power of Christian Fiction

By Guestblogger, Wanza Leftwich

Christian Fiction has the ability to reach millions of people for an unlimited number of years. Words in print do not die, but continue to live each time it is read.Jesus, the man himself, spoke in parables and illustrated pertinent principles of living through stories. Christian Fiction is our modern day parable. Authors conjured up stories that are real, honest and filled with God’s grace. It is in these stories where the author has the power to effect change in the lives of the readers.Who would have thought that I would find my answer in a novel? Reading Christian Fiction gives you the opportunity to know Jesus in a way you’ve never seen him before.

Yes, the protagonist may be experiencing some level of difficulty, but don’t we all. Did your latest CF novel give you a solution you never thought of before? Perhaps your favorite heroine spoke to God on a level that you didn’t know existed. And let us not forget, our Urban Christian Fiction novels that give you all the drama and laughs, but vividly show you how Christians may mess up, but God is always there for us.Whether you’re the author or the reader of Christian Fiction, know that this genre has more power than you assumed or even imagined. As pages turn, lives are changed, people are set free and hearts are drawn closer to our loving God.

Wanza Leftwich, The Gospel Writer is a missionary, freelance writer, speaker and author of Sunday Morning. She is married to the love of her life and best friend, Arthur, III. Log on and visit her inspiring blog, The Gospel Writer.

Gospel Dream Auditions

The Event Could you be the 2008 Gospel singing sensation? Gospel Music Channel wants to know! Auditions will be held in five cities across the U.S. where contestants will sing a capella from an approved song list in front of music industry talent scouts. Contestants from each city will advance to the semi-finals in Nashville for a chance to win an exclusive record and music video deal and a Royal Caribbean Cruise! 2008 Audition Cities Chicago – Sat. March 8 – Embassy Suites, Downtown Chicago, 600 North State Street, 866.451.3191 Los Angeles – Sat. March 29 – Radisson at LAX – 6225 W. Century Blvd., 310.670.9000 Phoenix – Sat. April 5 – Embassy Suites-Airport, 1515 N. 44th Street, 602.244.8800 Miami – Sat. April 12 – Hyatt Regency, 400 S.E. Second Ave., 305.358.1234 Atlanta – Sat. April 19 – Marriott Marquis, 265 Peachtree Center Ave., 404.586.6044Nashville – Gospel Dream Finals – May 2008 Eligibility Requirements You must sing from our approved song list without accompaniment (a capella).Ages 18–40 only. You must be age 18 by the day of your audition.Soloists only. No groups or duets.RegistrationRegister free online at www. gospelmusicchannel. com. Click on shows and the Gospel Dream. The deadline to register online is 5 PM ET on the day before the audition. If you do not register online, you may register on-site for a $25 fee from 9–11 a.m. local time on the day of the audition. You must register on-site by 11 a.m. local time to secure your audition slot. Event Details Doors open at 9 a.m.Registration is from 9–11 a.m. on the day of the audition. All contestants must register first by either registering online at gospelmusicchannel. com, printing and bringing all forms filled out and signed, or registering on-site.All contestants will receive a Gospel Dream 2008 t-shirt and audition pass.Auditions are private. Contestants will have :30 to sing a capella from the approved song list.Contestants may leave the audition area after they try out, but should return to the hotel at the end of the day (time TBA) to hear the announcement of the semi-finalists. Gospel Dream 2008 will air on Gospel Music Channel every Sunday at 9 PM ET beginning June 1st. Catch the 2005 and 2006 seasons of Gospel Dream on Sunday nights at 9 beginning February 17th

Why are there so many historical Christian Fiction releases?

Little Blythe on the Prairie,
originally uploaded by chromatography.

At my feet are stacks of historical Christian fiction romance novels. So far the reads are easy, but I wonder where are the other books? Are Christian readers gravitating back to more prairie romances and regencies or are Christian writers who write outside of those genres moving to ABA publishers?

Your thoughts.

Laughing thru Cancer

March is woman's history month, so CFB will be featuring not just novels , but more real stories by and for women this month. Inspirational speaker and breast cancer survivor, Yvonne Ortega's new book, Hope for the Journey through Cancer: Inspiration for Each Day is this week's spotlight. Her book offers 60 short inspirational readings, each containing a part of Ortega's own story from diagnosis to recovery. She stops by today to participate in our 1question interview series.

Is there ever a time when you can laugh about cancer?

I asked God to help me keep my sense of humor. The day my hair started to fall out, I went to work with wet hair. My colleagues thought I had a power outage. I told them I was afraid to blow dry my hair because I might blow it all off and arrive looking like a Buddhist monk. I laugh now about how angry I was with God. I thought he had made a mistake. Now I understand he used the cancer for good in my life and the lives of others. I laugh every time I reminisce about George, my radiation therapist. He entertained me with stories about his childhood adventures.