“FORGET THE FORMER THINGS; DO NOT DWELL ON THE PAST. SEE, I AM DOING A NEW THING! NOW IT SPRINGS UP; DO YOU NOT PERCEIVE IT? I AM MAKING A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS AND STREAMS IN THE WASTELAND." ISAIAH 43:18-19

In my life, God has made new things out of the old many times. Great new things, including my life after "normal body" when polio hit. Including my life back in the U.S. after those wonderful years in Papua. I sense another new thing won't be far away.

MEMOIR - READY FOR THE NEXT STEPS

Last newsletter I said that the winners of the 2020 Oregon Christian Writers Cascade Writing Contest wouldn't be known until Aug. 19. I was stunned -- I won! I won in the Unpublished Memoir category. That's a jaw-dropper.

That does not mean, though, that my book will immediately be published. I am aiming to be traditionally published rather then to self-publish.

The award gives my memoir extra credibility with literary agents and publishers. They are the ones who make the decisions. An agent must agree to "shop" your book to publishers, and hopefully one of those will agree to publish it. Printing is months after that.

BUT first comes the agent query letter, book proposal, and endorsements. Lots to do!

GREAT COMMISSION KIDS

This little publication is such a joy to do. For one thing, I have a passion for it's aim: "To plant and grow a life-long vision for mission in children's hearts." It looks like today's kids will grow up into a darker world than we live in now. May they take the Light of the Gospel into all the dark corners of their future.

I also love finding and learning the stories. It is wonderful to see what God is doing now to spread His fame to the world.

Subscriptions for the professionally printed quarterly issues are FREE! Send your child's name and address to GCkids@worldteam.org and I'll put them on the list.

If you prefer to download and print them yourself, go to us.worldteam.org/gc-kids. You will find all 60 issues there: missionary biographies, stories about people around the world, other stories and fun puzzle, coloring, and Great Commission quizzes.

A SPECIAL BLOG

At the end of 2019, one of the author/editors of the book, Disability in Missions: The Church's Greatest treasure, asked me to write a guest blog for a new blog section on the Joni and Friends website. The new blog category is "Disability and Mission." What fun and a joy to write a blog for it.

My blog posted July 20, 2020 (joniandfriends.org/bad-legs). In August, the editor of "Mission Catalyst," (an online newsletter for world mission news, ideas, and resources,) saw my JAF guest blog and posted an excerpt. (missionscatalyst.net/?p=9509)

Me, oh my! It is thrilling to be able to add my little pinkie to all the hands trying to encourage ALL of God's people to be involved in mission.

BIBLE VISUALS INTERNATIONAL

The Bible Visuals International story they are calling "Beautiful Feet Upon the Mountains" is coming along. COVID slowed things down for awhile, but work on it is going again. If you are homeschooling, teaching Sunday School, reading to grandchildren, want something character-building for your kids to read that they will love, Go to BibleVisuals.org You'll find child-level Bible stories, missionary stories, stand-out Christian biography stories, and more, beautifully illustrated.

AND FINALLY...

YOUR PART: If you are inclined to pray for some of what is in this letter, PLEASE DO!

and remember.....

"AND THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM WILL BE PREACHED IN THE WHOLE WORLD AS A TESTIMONY TO ALL NATIONS, AND THEN THE END WILL COME." MATTHEW 24:14

THINK ABOUT IT!!

Elinor's Autumn 2020 Newsletter