[Janellebelovedpig]

@stephie Congratulations! Also, I can’t remember if we’ve met yet. Hi! I liked your post a lot.

 

During covid, I really wanted to be a voice of hope and a light for the Lord’s Gospel on the internet and I enjoyed writing and my first thought was “blog.” But it wasn’t until two years later that I actually pursued it. I didn’t have social media yet (just email and a very very small contacts circle), so I didn’t know how I could get my stuff out there. I kept a journal of things I’d put out there if I could. One day I showed my writer dad the journal and he loved my content and writing style. That encouraged me that it was possible. And people would read it.

Actually, the day I started my “platform” was when I was in quarantine myself and wanted to comment on a YouTube video, but I had to create a channel first. So I made up a name and profile picture and commented. Then was like, “Well, now I have a channel. Let’s make a video.” So I made one of a little 1950s doll and a poem I’d made off of her. Then a life/testimony video/slap poetry, that I still give out to people to share the gospel. Then I was like, “Let’s make a blog too. All the social medias!” So, no research, I found Strikingly blog maker and boom! I liked my sister’s blog and Joni Erickson’s blog and the Rebelution, so similarly copied some things. Poems, rambles, devotionals, and stories.

A year-ish later I joined in with Crazy Writing Week and was exhorted to start young and stick with it, seeing people, like Jaquelle Crowe and Brett Harris, who started where I’m at and have gone on to amazing places. They also exhorted that faithful writing that people can expect when they’ll find new content and growing that reader base are key.

I implemented what they said for several months, posting on Mondays. Some weeks I’d feel inspired, some weeks I’d put it up just to post for the week and then take it down because it wasn’t very good. And I saw heightened interest in my writing. we

I messaged Jaquelle personally, asking her how she grew an audience of readers. Because sometimes it feels weird to me when I try to self-promote my writing by sharing my blog with my friends and family. Like, maybe I just need to have more practice and confidence that what I write is worth reading for them. I also want to stay humble and useful and not have the number of views and likes give me a sense of worth apart from Christ.

 

She replied, “A blog is wonderful for starting to grow a small community of readers and teach yourself motivation and accountability. It’s not actually the #1 fastest way to grow your platform, though. Using tools like social media and email lists are actually even more effective…. My blog was so helpful in teaching me consistency and learning the writing craft, but there are other ways to build an audience more effectively. In terms of sharing your writing with others, I think it comes down to your heart. Why do you write? Is it not to bless and serve others? Well, then don’t you want people to read your writing so they’ll be blessed and served? 😄 Sharing your writing from a heart of love is a powerful thing. ❤️”

 

So the good posts I would often forward to my church ladies’ group. And the really good ones I would spam ALL my contacts with. It felt a little odd to self-promote, but I became confident that I had something worthwhile to say that would bless others. My readership grew. My writing improved. I started working full-time at my job and had to cut back a lot. I got Facebook and would share the link to my new posts on there and doubled my readership. And shared the links at writing conferences and here in KP which make up a good third of my subscribers.

My dad often says, “If it doesn’t work at home, don’t export it.” One writing speaker said something similar, that if you can’t get your family to read your writing, how can you expect others to. So in the subscription box I entered my siblings email addresses to see if they would confirm it on their side. I think I got 3 or so from that, but one was my entrepreneur oldest brother, so that felt like a big win.

 

That’s what I’ve learned from experience. Hopefully it helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

[Janellebelovedpig]

Got another story for you! This is borrowed off my blog:

 

I was excited to meet who I’d been writing for for months, not just the editor-in-chief of the magazine, but also the readers. What I met was a dear sweet community of homeschooled teen girls who both read my work and were excited to write their own, were excited to be wives and moms to God’s glory one day, and were just excited for life.

When a woman from my church connected me to the Daughters of the King magazine, four of my submissions to two young reader sites had just been rejected. I felt stuck with unshareable inspirations and what people around me called a talent for words. Also, the aging out of my online young writers’ groups loomed ever nearer. Expecting rejection, I submitted a piece of my writing to this new magazine. Then to my praise-filled delight, I received back a bubbly email accepting my piece and welcoming more.

Thus began a writing comradery and pieces I was excited to write with a purpose and an outlet. (She is actually a KPer too!)

I found out the editor-in-chief was involved in a walk-through nativity that my family had been involved with years ago. The closing shifts needed me at work that weekend, but the last night of it, I was free, so I decided to join the editor-in-chief in the bustling Bethlehem market. Good thing I have retail experience!

 

I’m a quiet shy person who loves people, but, before my customer service job, avoided strangers as much as I could. Now I was volunteering to talk loudly to strangers asking for sales of things that didn’t belong to me…. I smile at the work of maturing me that the Lord has done. This added confidence helped: I would probably never see these guests again, so I only had one chance to go all out to impact their lives for Christ and enliven the Christmas story for them.

As the days grew closer, I became excited. I was finally going to meet the editor-in-chief I had shared many delightful emails with. And I was going to meet some of the other writers. And meet the readers! Would I be awkward in conversation? Could I give them hugs? Would I still be on the outside of the cool kids like usual or would they welcome me into their friends group?

I was finally going to meet the editor-in-chief! I was about to meet someone I’d only heard of and wrote for and talked to briefly by email, but somehow I felt like I was going to finally see a dear friend of mine.

 

That got me thinking. One day I’m going to pass away and, solely because of Jesus’ work on the cross, I will be welcomed into heaven. I’ll finally meet face to face the One I’ve heard about and believed in. The One whose glory I write for. The One whom I’ve prayed to and listened for His answers and read His Book. I will finally see this dear Friend, dear King of kings and Lord of lords.

There’s a line from a book quoted many times at my church, though the name and author escapes my recollect: “If you were to find yourself in all the splendor and comforts of heaven, would you be content if Christ wasn’t there?”

Not just the right answer, but the truth of my heart, is, “No.” The thought of family reunion, no more pain, no more sad stories of people caught up in greed, hatred, and other sins, no more tears of grief, no more anxieties and stresses…. but without the very One I’ve run the race for? Without this dear Companion who has been ever with me, built me up in strength, wisdom, and ways no friend ever has, whom I long to deeply embrace? Without the King of kings whom I long to stay bowed in the pleased prescence of?

Then keep your Christless heavens! I will journey on to my Master. My Hope and my Life.

The glorious truth us, though, Jesus is in heaven! He is who believers will get to see, to hug, to thank, to worship. When we’ve run the race and finished the course, we’re going home!

As these days grow closer, I’m getting excited for the final dawn.

 

“and though you have not seen Him, you love Him,and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”

1 Peter 1:8-9

 

[Janellebelovedpig]

*shakes off dust*

Howdy! So many new names in this chat! Fun, fun, fun!

I’ll be “Janelle Walter” on CWW, team spies (sorry, Ellette🫡). I might write an introduction post tomorrow.

 I’m 23 and the age limit is 25… 😅

 

Happy Writing!

[Janellebelovedpig]

Life upon the Darkness

Once again wrapped in cloth strips
And laid down on hewn out stone
But now soldiers guard the entrance
And Christ lay there all alone

A sword had pierced her own heart
Where Mary kept her treasury
She knew God’s Son had come to save us
Yet they’d killed the King of kings

A Great Light upon the darkness
Beaming tender God’s mercy
Come to give to us salvation
And to guide our feet in peace

And to grant that we might serve Him
Without fear of wrath of death
Yet the Sabbath comes and all is quiet
In the tomb is not a breath

Hear now, shepherds, angel’s praises?
Come run, fishermen, behold
“Glory to God in the highest!
Jesus rose as He foretold!!”

Let’s go tell it on the mountains
Good news, great joy for all the lands
Christ’s the only way to heaven
Immanuel is “God with man”

A Great Light upon the darkness
Beaming tender God’s mercy
Come to give to us salvation
And to guide our feet in peace

Merry Christmas!

[Janellebelovedpig]

Joseph or Jesus?

 

Arrested in the garden

Working for the King

My brother has sold me

The rest are sleeping

Abandoned in this cell

God’s will be done

He can take evil

And turn it to good

While dreams

Keep me awake

I was meant to rule

Is this the way?

Dreams

to be restored

to the glory I laid aside

Favorable dream

In Three days restored

The wine, like Christ’s blood,

lives on for the world

But death once sufficient

as last supper bread,

Will no more be broken

But gloried instead.

While dreams

Keep me awake

I was meant to rule

This is the way

Dreams

to be restored

to the glory at my Father’s side

I’ll take the cup given to me

I’ll bring my family thru to safety

I’ll endure this for the joy

To serve as God’s own boy

While dreams

Are coming true

I was meant to rule

This is God’s way

Dreams

Now I’m restored

to the glory at my Father’s side

[Janellebelovedpig]

Eve

 

I’m an outcast

By the choices I’ve made

I thought it’d be cool

I thought I’d be great

Yeah, I’m an outcast

Guarded away

From the garden where I spent my best days

 

Now I’m living in pain

Giving birth in the rain

To Cain

And Able

Cursed is the ground

Changing all that’s around

Thorns and sharp teeth on animals

I thought it’d be great

But there’s such pain –oh

 

I once knew good

But now I know evil

 

At the Creation Museum in Kentucky, we walked through the story of history. The beauty of the Garden of Eden. The now dangerous animals you could play with like dogs. It’s cool that all the verses they used to describe how it was were actually prophecies of what Jesus is going to restore it to.

Then the Fall, mankind chose to disobey God and evil entered the world. Thorns. Killer dinosaurs. Pain. Murder. War. Destruction.

Yet by Jesus living a sinless life and dying in our place, we can be restored. The God that had to drive Adam and Eve out of paradise and set a guard is the same God who sent His Son to bring us back to Him, cleansed by Jesus’ blood through faith.

One day Jesus will return and will lead the believers back to His new eternal Kingdom.

[Janellebelovedpig]

@livingwoodchronicles

Kylie, I LOVE it!! 🤗

[Janellebelovedpig]

Awh, thanks @ava-blue! The Lord is my inspiration. He gives so much and then still gives that I can praise Him!

I wrote the following poem for selling to a publisher and had to give over the copyright and agree to not post it on anything of mine. Since they declined my submission, y’all get to enjoy the poem now for free! It’s based off of a fall Bible Study in Romans, John 3:16, and Philippians 2 that I memorized in middle school.

Paid In Full

Our sins have earned the wage of death—

A debt ‘tween us and God.

No deed of ours, our debt can pay

Owed to our God we’ve fought.

Praise be! God did not stay,

But laid His honor by.

Christ came emptied as a man,

And humble, Christ did die.

The Creator killed by creatures’ hand.

The sun grew dark and grim.

But true to keep His third day word,

Christ came alive again.

For God so loved this world so much

To save our lives, He died.

Faith alone receives His gift.

He rose to give us life.

[Janellebelovedpig]

Here we go!! Chapter TWO

sorry if the formatting turned out goofy

 

It was a good day. Little One cheerily stepped along the path out to her garden. She hadn’t been in several weeks, not since getting Undiscerned’s letter. But a thrill beat in her heart to be back.

She had been to the Sanctuary everyday. The most wonderful place.

“…Psalmic sanctuaries I find rest, Psalmic sanctuaries I am restored…” She made up a melody as she skipped along. She spun around in a happy jig and planted her feet at the gate of her garden. Fumbling with the latch, she stepped in with the familiar squeak of the hinge. She looked around and took in the taller thicker green weeds, her imagination morphing them into the pure lush emeralds of the Sanctuary.

With a giggle she unshouldered her pack and set about her mission.

“Oh, hello, robin,” Little One greeted the songbird that had flitted down to watch her take out her spade from the pack. “If I can make the soil here ready, I can bring over some plants from the Sanctuary to grow here. Oh, robin, have you flown there? Have you seen the Sanctuary?” Little One threw her head back in joyous song, “In Psalmic Sanctu– Oh!”

She cut off quickly at the sight of a strange man outside the garden fence watching her. Little One’s face glowed deep pink as she cleared her throat, “Hello, uhm, can I help you?”

The man looked up from watching the robin. A cloak of the King’s colors hung off of his painfully thin frame and was clasped with an emerald crest. He had dark blonde hair and a thin beard and stooped his shoulders a bit. The most striking thing about the man was his expression. Shivers scurried down Little One’s spine as soon as she saw it. A look of panged hunger, void, desperate, longing, a stranger to all that is good, and without hope. Had it been days or weeks since he had eaten anything? It was a look Little One had never seen before. But as soon as she had that thought, another thought snuck in and prevaded: Hadn’t she seen it before? Was it not this same expression that had been on her face before the King had come to free her from her slavery?

“I was just passing by and I–.” The man trailed off. After an awkward pause, the man continued, “I wondered, you see, I haven’t eaten in a long while. May I see if you would have anything ripe today?” The stranger gestured to the garden. Little One nodded quickly, gulping, still staring at the stranger’s face, and the stranger opened the gate, rocking it back and forth on its hinges. “Ah, squeaky, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Little One sheepishly nodded, her eyes hurriedly darting over to her garden plants. She couldn’t see any fruit among the green foliage. She moved in closer and dug among the leaves. Nothing. Oh, Little One wanted to help. She knew she had to. The look on the man’s face had struck her deeply. Her heart beat fast.

“I don’t see anything here, but I’m from the village Little Faith. It has the Sanctuary. It’s the most wonderful place in the world! The King built it. We go there,” Little One breathed in, at once peaceful at the memory, as she thought back to the first day she’d gone there and now repeated her mother’s words, “ ‘for comfort, for encouragement, to pray our deepest sorrow, to give our highest praises. To cleanse.’ You can also be fed there. Here,” Little One dug in her Bag of Entertained Thoughts and pulled out a napkin wrapped hunk of bread. “This is from my parents. Oh, I wish I had something of my own to give. Take this.”

The stranger bashfully accepted the parcel, and caressed it gratefully before devouring a chunk and tucking the rest in his jacket while savoring his chewing. Presently, he spoke, “Sancuary, aye? We have sanctuaries too in my village. But they must be different; I’ve never been fed there. I’m from Other Faith. It’s outside of the Kingdom.”

“Do you have the same King?” Little One asked, remembering that the citizens outside the Kingdom were often of a different allegiance.

The man adjusted his cloak and snapped, “Well, I’m wearing the King’s colors, aren’t I?”

Little One was taken aback. She hadn’t meant to offend the man. “Yes, I uh–” She stammered.

The man shrugged it off and nodded, “Thank you, ma’am.” The stranger turned and walked slowly towards the gate. Before going all the way through, he turned back, with the same desperate expression returning, too deep for describing and Little One shivered again, “It’s a shame.”

“What is?” Little One leaned forward attentively, still hoping she could help and redeem herself for offending him.

“That the King can’t count on your garden. I know a lot of hungry people.”

 

 

With a squeak of the gate, he was gone.

Little One stayed where she was. Interactions out of the ordinary always stick with you in your mind, but this one, fully out of the ordinary, had suddenly seemed to suck everything out of her. She blinked. She sank to her knees in the weeds.

Something about the man’s face. Something familiar about… the lostness. It panged the same expression onto Little One’s face. And she hadn’t been able to help. She had nothing to give of herself. All that she had gained in the Sanctuary, gained in encouragement and life seemed to lose foothold and slide away. She felt even everything she had gained as a reunited daughter slip away.

 

 

Little One ran back down the path, not caring about the gate shutting behind her. She tore through the little treeline. Tears ran sideways across her temples and dripped onto her ears. She tore through the village streets to the dearly familiar wall. Panting, fumbling with the key from the Book in her bag, she opened the door and stepped in. She wanted to rush in, but the sudden calm of that place that welcomed her knocked her breath away. She reverently trotted to the fountain. Her hands were filthy from the soil she had been digging in. Yes, that’s how she felt. Filthy. The servant heart in her couldn’t help the man. The garden had failed its purpose.

She plunged her hands in the waters and rubbed away the dirt. It swirled brown for a second, but the churning forgiveness didn’t leave that stain.

Why did that affect her so much? Little One’s thoughts raced faster than her heart from the run.

Wiping her dripping hands on her tunic, Little One opened the Book. It had helped her before. Maybe this filthy feeling would go away like her sadness did last time, like the dirt did this time. She opened and read,

“‭‭ ‘Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, for they will eat the fruit of their actions.’ ” Little One shut the book. She had never had a harvest. And today she needed one. If she was supposed to eat the fruit of her actions, she would be very, very hungry. Just like the stranger from Other Faith. The stranger she hadn’t been able to help.

She had to make this right! But how? The answer evaded her, so she tried to brush it out of her mind.

 

 

That night, Little One tossed and turned, trying to be quiet for her sisters also in the room. She gently turned up the wick on the night lantern by her bed and slipped open the Book. Flipping through it, her eyes couldn’t concentrate on the dim flickering words.

Tap, tap, tap! Coming from the window made her jump. What was that? Little One rolled over, pushed her covers off, and strode to the window.

Tap, tap, tap! The noise came again and Little One hurried forward so she could stop it before it woke up her sisters. A small shadowed figure was outside on the windowsill.

Little One slid up the sash, the cool of night pouring into the room with clouds parting to permit the moon to identify the figure in its beams. Twas a little parrot.

“Hullo?” Little One was puzzled.

“Braaawk! Come with me!” It squawked, pecking at the sill.

“Shh!” Little One looked hurriedly at her sisters still in their beds.

“Come with me!” The nuscance squawked again.

“Alright, alright. Shoo! I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Braaawk! In a minute!”

Little One slid the sash back down to the sill and quietly tugged on some day clothes over her nightgown. Boots on hand and afghan over her shoulder, she stole quietly out of the room.

As she gently released the knob so that it didn’t click, the thought crossed her mind, what was she doing?! Sneaking out to meet a parrot in the dead of night? She brushed the thought aside, as with many thoughts of late. She wasn’t interested in thinking right now. Too many memories.

She tightened the afghan around her as she stepped toward where the little parrot was on the yard fence.

“What do you want?” She whispered with a temper, ready to turn around and go back in.

“Braawk! Hungry! Hungry! Come with me!” The parrot answered, dipping his head to motion her outside the front gate.

Her mind flashed to the man from that morning. Hoping the parrot was oblivious and talking about something else, she offered, “Who?”

“Braawk! Other Faith.” The parrot looked unblinkingly at Little One with it’s big black pupils and green eyes illuminated by the moon. Then it flapped its wings on its perch. “Hungry! Hungry! Come with me!”

Guiltiness ran shivers down Little One’s spine. She drew the afghan closer around her shoulders, but knew that wasn’t the reason she felt cold. The little bird repeated its prompting and fluttered to the gate.

Little One hesitated a moment, the filthy feeling she had numbed sneaking back. “Doubtless you’ll give me no rest.” She sighed, eying the bird. “Alright, give me a moment.”

“Bra-awk-awk-awk!” The parrot honked, and Little One hurried inside to prepare.

[Janellebelovedpig]

@esther-c @freedomwriter76 @acancello @kyronthearcanin @felicity @starshiness @whoever-else-is-welcome-to-chime-in-welcome-to-chime-in @do-you-even-remember-this-2-year-old-WIP? 🤭

 

Howdy! Little by little I’ve gotten the 2nd “chapter” done. Please let me know if it changes tone too much. I’m afraid that this second one doesn’t have the same tone as the first. It’s kinda still my rough draft and I’m not in love with all the words yet, so please tell me honestly what you think.

 

Thank you for reading!

ing!

[Janellebelovedpig]

The Eternal Wedding Feast

 

The Creator of our great world

Who made Paradise in 7,

Takes 9 months to knit His image

And takes centuries on heaven.

 

He’s prepared a place before us

While we remain with all our foes.

He’s coming back to reign victoriously

Coming back to take us home.

 

Can you imagine all the grandeur?

It’s far beyond our human scope–

All that’s prepared for those that love Him

Who’ve made Him their saving hope.

 

We will kneel inside the presence

Of the Lamb that’s overcome;

Solely by His blood we’ve come there

To the splendor of the One.

 

A party without us parting.

An eternal wedding feast.

Lions play with lambs like dogs;

No fear ‘tween man and beast.

 

Angelic creatures unimaginable

Fill holy wonder in that place.

The wee sun is uselessly dark

In the Lord’s brilliant grace!

 

Selah.

 

Now we live on in this lowland,

Knowing tears and death and pain.

Our joys remind us often

That we groan for restored things.

 

We long for heavens’ clothing,

Hating our sin and mortal way.

Yet the Lord who perfects our missions

Decrees how long we stay;

 

‘Cause if the King tarry ere His conquest

It’s since His patience longs to save

Those still drinking from broken cisterns

In sure wrath and fear of grave.

 

He has sent us to the highways

With a great commission call;

Let us go give the invitation

Until breaks the final dawn.

[Janellebelovedpig]

@stephie

Even if that is the only fruit the Lord ever brings from my poems, all my rhymes are worthwhile for the rest of my life. 🥰 You’re the reason I write and your comment made my day!🥲

 

Beloved by God 

O the lonely hill
The slow hard trudge up
To the top of Calvary
Where Jesus bled,
His heart stopped,
Where my Lord died for me.

 

He took on my death–
The punishment for my sin.
He gave me His life.
To earn it I couldn’t begin.
O the great grace of God.
O the wondrous lovingkindness.
I don’t deserve all of this.
Yet I am beloved by God.

 

O the weary day,
Alone body stiff in sheets
Lying in the grave.
The cold stone,
The hard place,
All so the world’d be saved.

 

O the lonely grave…

 

EMPTY BY ITSELF!

 

The opening letting the sun pour in
Revealing the truth
That God has raised
His Son
Up to life again!!

 

He won over death!
The punishment for my sin.
He gave me His life!
To earn it I couldn’t begin.
O the great grace of God.
O the wondrous lovingkindness!
I don’t deserve all of this.
Yet I am redeemed by God!
O~
I am redeemed by God!
🤍
I am beloved by God.

[Janellebelovedpig]

This isn’t a huge thing, and God has certainly done huge things for me, but this happened recently.

A while ago I asked God to see something powerful. David praises God for the mighty breakers that God is above, Miriam breaks forth in song as the horse and rider are no match for the control of the Lord, and Mary extols in the magnificat of being a virgin with the Christ conceived within her. All these and more see something powerful and vivid in their life and it brings out praise for the glorious Lord. I wanted something vivid and powerful to do that to me too.

 

Then I just realized. He has shown me something powerful.

 

He’s shown me His love.

[Janellebelovedpig]

@walkbyfaith @trailblazer

That’s inspiring! Awh, God is so good. Good seems like such a little common word for His grandeur and kindness.

Stories coming soon!

[Janellebelovedpig]

@trailblazer Yes!! On Sunday my pastor was talking about Peter being of little faith and said one way how we grow to greater faith is hearing of God’s work in others’ lives. God faithfulness bolsters our faith. “God did that for you? Well, I figure He will work through this thing He’s calling me to.”

And if you make that topic, please tag me over there! I’d love to hear about God working in folks. 🤗

[Author]

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