What am I writing? I finished the draft of Contingency and submitted the summary and first chapter to a contest. The prize is having an agent look at it. I’d be happy with some positive feedback. I’ve also begun working with Amanda on plotting the next book. I’m not going to start the actual writing until next month at the earliest.

What have I learned? No online geek stuff, but I’m learning MediaShout. Our computer master at church upgraded us, so if I have hopes of getting VBS on the big screen, I need to get a handle on the software. So far it’s fairly intuitive, but I’ll be building my cues this week.

What am I reading? Captured by Grace by David Jeremiah. He intertwines the story of John Newton and his tremendous hymn with Paul’s life and writings especially from Romans. He covers what grace means for us past, present and future. I think we have a decent grasp of grace’s role in our salvation, and how it results in our eternal life, but we’re less clear on what it means for us to walk in grace each day. I never cease to be impressed/amused by Dr. Jeremiah’s knack for alliteration. His chapter titles- The Captivating Presence of Grace, The Converting Power of Grace, The Comforting Provision… The Confident Promise… The Continual Praise… and five more! The book fits well with Max Lucado’s In the Grip of Grace. Both of these make me want to go back and read The Grace Awakening by Chuck Swindoll.That may be my favorite book.

On a side note- we got a pool pass this year, so I envisioned reading by the pool for an hour or two a day… Thanks to a mild, wet summer, it ain’t happened. So like the addict I am, for every book I’ve read, I’ve bought 2 or 3 more and have made NO headway on my stack. Oh well, maybe next week.

What has God taught me? In 2 Chronicles 29:11 Hezekiah encourages the priests and Levites “…do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him…” The Lord has chosen me… me… chosen by God. Okay, this was not new information, but a refresher never hurts. God doesn’t just save us because it’s a nice thing to do. He saves us for a purpose, for some kingdom work of eternal significance. Nothing I do (for Him) is wasted, no matter how small it may seem to me. God says to me, “Now, do not be negligent… Don’t sit on this grace, on this calling. Fulfill all that I have for you.”