Writer

07 May 2015

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Devotionals, Writer With No Comments Permalink

Let the Light In

Sticky Post By christinafaith On May 7, 2015 With No Comments

This week has been an amazing experience of grace and knowing that God’s heart is to fix broken people and things. I am broken and everyone knows it. You are as well. That’s the crazy thing about life is that we are all broken but those that realize they are broken and open up to being fixed by the Holy Spirit in fellowship are the ones that win at life.

I want to win at life. The times that I have not won at life are the times that I crawl into this little space and run from my faith. I’ve started to pray some crazy prayers.

Jesus expose my darkness
Holy Spirit talk to me
Jesus fix me

I am very aware that I’m dirty. That’s never been the issue but I don’t understand the magnitude of my filth and I want to. I won’t condemn myself but I will praise Him that He loves me enough to send honest people into my life that aren’t moved by my talents or anything else to tell me the truth about me.

I want to know the truth. I want to know where I fall short so that I can stand back up. This process won’t be easy but it will be worth it. I ask a lot of guest on the show what their biggest struggles are often. Today I asked myself that question. My biggest struggle is me. I have lived a life full of trials and those trials often create walls and I need those walls to fall down. The great thing about Jesus is that He looks at your issues and says, “I knew all of that and I still love you”. He sent this amazing person called the Holy Spirit to dwell inside of me to help me with these issues.

Daily we are all being made to look like Him if we yield to the process. Open Up and let the light in.

08 Apr 2015

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Episode, Podcast, Writer With No Comments Permalink

EP 15: How to Write 7 Books while Homeschooling with Kim Cash Tate

Sticky Post By christinafaith On April 8, 2015 With No Comments

Kim Cash Tate is an amazing wife, mother, author and teacher. She has spent the last 15+ years home schooling her children through high school and authoring 7 published books.

We spoke about:

Why she left law to write
Why she choose law school in college
How she published her first book
Her relationship with Thomas Nelson
How she remains authentic
Her writing pattern
Why she still uses hard back books for research
Balancing being a wife, homeschooling and writing
What books of her’s that she would recommend you to purchase

Subscribe and Listen on iTunes

Set List:

J. Givens- The Pledge

Josh Garrels- White Owls

Je’Kob- Letting Go Ft. Josh Lane

Hunter G.K. Thompson- Swan Song

Jason Nelson- Thirsty

19 Feb 2015

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Authenticity, Devotionals, Writer Permalink

She Loved Much

Sticky Post By christinafaith On February 19, 2015

My heart is exposed by your love. Continually remind me of what you have forgiven. My sins have been and are many. The more I am aware of my sin the more I am aware of how much you love me. Remembering my sin doesn’t mean I walk in condemnation, guilt or shame. Remembering my sin reminds me that I am loved and forgiven by Jesus. Everyone of my sins are cast into His sea of forgetfulness never to be charged to my account again. I know what I was and who I am. The woman with the alabaster box reminded me to be greatful for my salvation and to love much. Let our sins continually remind us to love much. If this spoke to you read it as if you wrote these words. #pagesfrommymoleskine

Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.“You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.“You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” -Luke 7 :44-50

03 Feb 2015

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Authenticity, From Start to Finish, Writer Permalink

Why Hustle Is Important

Sticky Post By christinafaith On February 3, 2015

Recently, I’ve had a lot of doors open. I have been able to have conversations with some major influencers in our tech and social media world. People that I never thought I had a reach on. I realized through speaking notification each of them that my dreams and your dreams are possible. Yesterday, I interviewed Carlos Whittaker and the major take away that I got from him is CONSISTENCY.

We all struggle with consistency! Things attempt to take the place of what we know we should be doing. In our busy world EVERYTHING is important! Even the fact that I just placed a “!” made it feel like that was important. Our emotions run a mile a minute and we are moved by every tweet, news bulletin and notification that dings us. I have been battling this immensely huge boulder of consistency and distraction myself.

There are days that I WIN the consistency and distraction free game. But there are also days that I do not win. Our job is to build prayer and hustle into our lives! I’ve recently began to think about why I hustle so hard. It’s really ingrained in me. Anyone who knows me knows I hustle. In prayer, at Bible Study, at work, at dreams, at home life at EVERYTHING. I believe that I can exert myself in what I am doing. When I do things with love and grind in my heart my hustle is authentic.

How are you going to hustle differently? Will you even hustle? Will you be consistent? Ben Arment tweeted, “Hustle without purpose is hassle”. Everything we do should be done with purpose. Everyday that I wake up I make it my job to pray, read the Word and listen to the Lord. I am looking for purpose. I am looking for direction. I am looking for courage and motivation.

Define everyday as a day you hustle with purpose. When you hustle with purpose you will develop consistency because it will matter to you. 20 years ago today Eileen Collins became the first female astronaut to pilot a space shuttle mission. I would image that Eileen hustled to become the first of many! My dreams are big in my mind but the closer I get the more I realize how attainable they are. Don’t be distracted by the days you don’t win at consistency. Daily renew your mind to become consistent in what you were purposed to hustle towards. Your hustle is important!

13 Jan 2015

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Authenticity, Devotionals, Single and Anxious, Writer Permalink

Delight In God Today

Sticky Post By christinafaith On January 13, 2015

Writing a book is not an easy task. Writing a 50,000 word book in two months is even harder. It would be incredibly challenging for me to write this book in my own strength. Yesterday, I had the most amazing time with Jesus writing Single and Anxious. From 8am-5pm I wrote (with food and admin breaks). I had a new album by Brittney Wright on repeat and I poured out my heart to the single community. 5000 words spilled out of me. The difference between writing my first book and the second is the intentional delighting in the Lord. When I wrote Nickey’s Flesh I had a lot going on. I worked full time, directed plays, attended seminary and served at my local church. This time around I have time due to healing from my foot surgery. It is the most amazing experience to write, cry, pray and repeat. I realized yesterday that God desires for us to experience this on a daily bases not just with projects. He desires to be our delight all the time.

Delight- be refreshed; take pleasure in

Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. (Psalm 37:3-5)

When we seek Abba, Father we are refreshed. We are Christians because Jesus wanted to delight in us as His children. Jesus delights in us. Did you know that He takes pleasure in you? He desires for us to be delighted in Him as well. As an entreprenuer, writer, director I am always challenged by the implication of my faith in my work. I know that I serve a niche audience but at the same time I serve at the pleasure of Jesus. I don’t serve at the pleasure of the global audience. The freedom of delighting in God is trusting in Him. As we delight in Him he gives us the desires of our hearts. We don’t have to push and try to make things happen. We can rest in His will and He will do it. Today delight in the Lord and trust that He will do that which He has placed in your heart.

06 Jan 2015

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Entrepreneurship, Writer Permalink

5 Things To Consider Before Quitting Your Job for A Start Up

Sticky Post By christinafaith On January 6, 2015

In 2008 I left my job. It was the greatest step of faith that I ever took. I knew in my heart that the Lord was calling me to leave. I didn’t trust the Lord but I told Him I would learn to trust Him. When I quit my job I had an idea of the arena He was preparing for me in the realm of media and writing but I didn’t really understand what was happening. But that was the point. Leaving my job with the state of New Jersey was big for me. I was comfortable. I got payed extremely well. Besides student loans I was debt free. I had just finished fixing my credit. I had just produced a successful play and was in the process of launching my first book. I was optimistic about everything. I was on a faith journey. However; I had a few major flaws that I have learned from. After 4 years of being self employed I had to go back to work. Obviously, the Lord had another plan for me and more for me to learn. I had been so broke during those times that I was excited to have a new pay check. It didn’t hurt that I got hired by Apple. I filled out hundreds of applications and Apple was the only company that hired. God definitely had a plan of action for me. We will get to that later in this blog series.

When I left the state of New Jersey I had a car payment and a house. By July of that year I could no longer pay the rent. By August I could no longer pay the car payment. Before I got deep into self employment I had lost it all. But I knew God called me down this road. I didn’t know all the bumps in the road but I was sure He was doing something. As a start up my partner and I went in head first. We took every design, film and photography job that came our way. Years later we discovered this was the wrong thing to do. Here are a few things I would have done different before quitting my job in 2008.

SAVE MORE- I would have saved a lot more money than I did. I took all my excess and paid off my debts, purchased equipment and gave abundantly prior to leaving. I would not have changed the giving and equipment piece. The equipment was great collateral, it was how we made a living and the giving was God’s heart. Now the debt on the other hand could have waited and been managed more effectively. I would have saved at least 3-6 months worth of my earnings to give myself a better cushion.
LEARN ABOUT BUSINESS – I would have learned more about business and people management. The greatest thing I have learned from working at Apple and running my company is people matter and they pay for what they value. We made way too many deals. We charged too low. We didn’t value our own work. It takes money to run a business and produce great content. Business is business. It seems harsh but you can’t go into McDonald’s and ask for a deal unless they provided the coupon. Learn more about business before you leave. It will help you in the long run.
NETWORK – We did a lot of networking. But we did it with people we were similar too. Network with clients and people that are where you are going not just where you are. Advertise to the niche audience you have and desire to have.
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING – We should have documented everything from Start to Finish. One day I will go back to my journals and read of my spiritual journey but the first 4 years of my business journey are missing. I am currently using Day One to document my days. We learned so much during those 4 years. We had a lot of failures and accomplishments. If we would have documented those things we could have added value to people on our blog daily and helped them not make the same mistakes we did.
MONETIZE PRODUCTS – We were launching a completely service based business. The problem with providing services is you are always waiting for your next check. If we would have had products to offer we would have been receiving passive residual income. We should have had a plan of action to create products along the way that would have benefitted our audience and clients.

These were just some of the things I thought about. Thank you for reading this post. I recently had a conversation with John Saddington over at the Desk App about my entrepreneurial goals as a writer. Through our conversation I was able to better define how I wanted to add value to people. From Start to Finish I desire to add value to people’s lives and help them achieve their goals. All of our post from here on out will surround how to fulfill your God given dreams. We were designed to Start and Finish everything we put our hands to. By finishing we grow (spirit, soul and body). I look forward to growing with you.

02 Jan 2015

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Foodie, Writer With No Comments Permalink

7 Ways to Save at Whole Foods

Sticky Post By christinafaith On January 2, 2015 With No Comments

A few years ago I decided that I wanted to shop at Wholefoods for the bulk of my families food. The more I discovered the truth of GMO’s and grades of food I realized that we only get one body. So many issues are arising with food that I’d rather put the best into our bodies.

We have been slowly transitioning away from meat. We aren’t anti-meat. We believe that you should eat meat less. We have been bred to eat meat with every meal. Meat isn’t good for your system and the meat companies are pumping the meat full of hormones and other junk unless it’s grass fed.

In addition I purchase organic products when possible; especially for the dirty dozens. Organic doesn’t mean you can eat all you want. It means that the USDA certifies that the food isn’t pumped with materials that aren’t real. For example: no high fructose corn syrup, hormones and other artificial products.

Now that you have some background you understand why we choose to shop at Whole Foods. Whole Foods isn’t cheap. The food is priced far for the quality you receive. Throughout the years I’ve learned how to shop at Whole Foods and save money. Here are some quick tips to get you started.

COUPONS – When you walk in the door there are circulars; pick them up and see what is on sale. You can continue to use these coupons until the sale ends. They don’t keep the coupons.
SALES – Whole Foods is great for sales. The sales normally average two weeks. If you see something you like or that your family continually buys purchase a lot of it. We absolutely love Califa Almond Milk, Zevia, and Kettle Chips when they are on sale we purchase A LOT of them. If these items are not on sale we won’t buy them. Whole Foods puts there items on sale in 3 month rotations from what I have noticed.
FRIDAY – Friday’s are your best friend. Whole Foods has a mega sale on one item every week. The item is normally 30-50% discounted. If you like it. BUY A LOT! It will never be cheaper.
BULK – Buy in bulk. Whole Foods offers a 10% discount off on all bulk items. When an item is on sale the discount still applies.
365 BRAND – If an item is availble in the 365 Brand purchase that over the other brand. 365 is Whole Foods brand. They offer Organic products as well. In general the 365 brand is $1 cheaper than the item next to it.
SAMPLE – Whole foods let’s you sample items in the store to see if you like them for FREE. If you don’t want to sample an item in the store you can buy the product and return it if you don’t like it.
BAGS – BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) You save $.05 for every bag you bring. If you purchase Whole Foods bags you can always exchange them if they are worn. No questions asked.

These are some of the tips I use to save money and eat high grade foods. For my family health is a premium.

31 Dec 2014

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Blogging, seo, Social Media, Technology, Writer With 2 Comments Permalink

5 Ways to Gain More Blog Traffic

Sticky Post By christinafaith On December 31, 2014 With 2 Comments

Photo Credit: Global X via Compfight cc

Over the last few months I have been doing a lot of experimentation with my blog, other’s blogs, social media and over all engagement. Through a fair amount of research I’ve discovered personally that the following daily practices help you gain more blog traffic

Consistency – blogging weekly matters. It’s not about long posts. It’s about connecting with your audience and being authentic. Writing a daily post of 300-500 characters helps increase blog traffic.
Bullet point Post – In order to properly show up in news feeds/search engines you should write posts with numbered bullet points. For some strange reason people love numbered post. For example: while checking out John Saddington’s top viewed post I noticed a trend; the majority of the post that people like are those that include “improvement” or “numbered bullets” to help people improve in some area of life.
Facebook Treats Pages Differently – I switched over my Facebook to a page this month. It has been a major transformation for me. I no longer engage with a feed like everyone else. I am considered a business and that has some advantages and disadvantages.
Email Subscriptions are KING – while developing your following it is important to send out weekly emails of the popular posts. If you would like to gain more subscriptions offer something for free. This coming month I will be publishing a free ebook of some sort that adds value to my audience.
SEO and Keyword Searches are IMPORTANT – You can write all day and post but if you don’t have good SEO and keywords then it’s a shot in the dark for people to find your brand. Check out this article from Adam Smith about SEO.

I will continue to write on entrepreneurship, blogging, podcasting, filmmaking, writing and publishing a book and Jesus! I realize that much of my audience desires to uses these tools to live out their best lives. Pray for me as I pray for you. There is much work to be done. Don’t allow discouragement in this new season of life to deter you. You have something the world, your community and I need. It’s time to produce!

30 Dec 2014

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Entrepreneurship, Writer With No Comments Permalink

The New Year Is Here

Sticky Post By christinafaith On December 30, 2014 With No Comments

The new year is rounding the corner and for some it’s a time of reflection. While on the phone with Deer Park I had a brief moment of reflection. As I am listening to the guy take my request I wondered if he is content or designed to work at Deer Park. I know when I was working as a 9-1-1 operator and child abuse social worker the phones drove me crazy at times. While sitting stagnant taking inbound calls every moment in bettwen was filled with considering what I would be doing if I wasn’t at work.

I am sure that many of you reading this post aren’t content with your jobs or the use of your talents. I am sure when you look in the mirror you think of all the things you would like improve about your physical frame (say no to plastic surgery). Can I ask you this question? What is stopping you? I am sure it’s either procrastination, fear, doubt, or both. This year I have been afforded the opportunity to do with my time as I desired without worrying about where my next check was coming from however; before that time I was plotting my escape. I have never been content at any job that I have worked. Everyday I woke up with the mindset that I am one day closer to working for myself. One day closer to being a full time writer and director. One day closer to being finanically free. One day closer to allowing the Lord to form and shape my day. One day closer to losing the next inch off my body (I am 4 inches down from last year this time). One day closer to spending more time in the Word and prayer. One day closer to being made in His image.

How do you wake up? In 2015 make it your daily responsibility to complete what you started and fulfill your God given purpose. Don’t allow yourself to sabatoge the plans of God in this new season. It’s time to be productive and consistent. What are your plans for 2015?

24 Dec 2014

Sticky Post By christinafaith Posted in Authenticity, Writer With 2 Comments Permalink

Inclined to Write

Sticky Post By christinafaith On December 24, 2014 With 2 Comments

When I see that others have written I am more inclined to write. There is something about words on a page whether typed or written that calls my name. I stumbled across a page of notes from the women’s conference in August. In the corner of this page I wrote a prayer, “Awaken the writer in me. Let me be Your oracle”. As I think back over the last several months I am reminded that I am becoming an oracle of God. I don’t want to simply write because I have the ability. I don’t desire to write so that people will follow my blog. I want to write because God desires to speak to and through me.

This week after speaking with my editor and getting the outline of Single and Anxious cleared I agreed to write 1000 words a day towards the book. The first two days I was in a zone. I woke up early on Saturday and Sunday. I spent 20-40 minutes after my devotional time writing. I learned a few things about myself during those two days.

Waking up early is the best time for me write
When I have an outline I flow better
Writing helps me memorizes Scriptures and disgust them better
Having a workspace increases my productivity

People have been asking about my writing and that keeps me on point. I write because I love it. I write because I am called. I write because I want to be a voice for our generation. It’s important that we all have clarity on why we do what we do. It’s important that we point people to Jesus. I am sure some get tired of me writing about Jesus but He’s been that good to me that He deserves the praise for everything I do. Why do you do what you?