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International Christian Writers Report
1.
A Personal Request from Stan Baldwin: Your response is requested. I am in the process of organizing the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to People (SPCP), and I hope you will give me the benefit of your insights and ideas for this venture, and, if God leads, your participation. Why I am coming to you: You are my ICW family. We have known each other, in most cases, for years. I hope and believe that I enjoy your confidence. I need your help and encouragement in this undertaking. I believe that, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain” Psalm127:1. Therefore, I will not attempt to accomplish this work by sheer force of will. I am relying on the Lord to move things forward—at this point largely through you. One of the few people I told about this plan thought it so audacious that he asked if I was serious. When assured that I was, he simply commented that it was “ambitious.” Yes, it is, but with God nothing is impossible. (That person has now contributed his graphic artistry skills, which you can see on the website at www.preventcrueltytopeople.org) Why me? Why now? In the interest of full disclosure, I tell you this idea grew out of a book I am writing entitled A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to Save Civilization. It illustrates the case for human kindness with events from my personal journey to become a decent human being. As with every book, the big question is how to get it into broad distribution. I was at first reluctant to pursue the SPCP idea since it could be viewed as simply a book promotion. However, in prayer I realized that both the book and the society would serve the same purpose. Indeed, writing the book may be God’s way of prompting me to begin a society that will ultimately far exceed the book in its significance. Where
the venture stands: I have secured the following Internet domain
names: I am in the process of constructing websites (though I’d certainly be pleased if someone better suited to the task came forward). You can see the work in progress at preventcrueltytopeople.org. Joining me to form a de facto Board of Directors are Kathy Desilets, Julie Johnson, and Pat Roberts. We are working to set up a non-profit corporation. For our permanent Board we need a secretary and treasurer. (Incidentally, we will also need a grant writer and a Director for each Division.) What’s the operational plan? It’s under development and I solicit your input but some early thoughts are indicated below. Please look it over and tell me what you think. Services: Facilitate
simple actions individuals can undertake to make a difference Non-Profit Corporation Funding: tax deductible contributions from individuals and foundations. Dues from Dolphin Club membership: Picture a dolphin holding a sign: “Save The Humans.” This graphic will grace all SPCP materials, and lends its identity to people who want to participate in this ministry. See it now on www.preventcrueltytopeople.org. NOTE:
Either enter www.preventcrueltytopeople.org (on the url line OR)
or, preventcrueltytopeople (on a google search.) If you use a Yahoo
search, as some have done, you will simply get the ICW site. Projected membership cost: $10 including copy of Manifesto: A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to Save Civilization. Promotion: Word
of mouth Offer
Resources Operating
structure Philosophy
ACTION
IDEAS “I’m Sorry” Give to anyone you see being shamefully treated. Card has a message saying you regret that you (or another human being) has treated them unkindly. (This and the following cards have the SPCP logo and website address.) “Thank you” Give to anyone demonstrating noticeable kindness or consideration to you or to another. “Good job!” Give to anyone you perceive as excelling in effort or performance, especially those who may seem unwanted, unappreciated, or unnoticed.
This
Is What I Ask of You Now 2. Suggest individuals (yourself or others) who might take a leading role in the work of one of the aforementioned Divisions of SPCP. If some other needed SPCP Division comes to mind, let me know. SPCP can expand almost infinitely to address different needs through our semi-autonomous divisions. 3. Contribute to start-up expenses. Once we are incorporated, I fully expect SPCP will be granted IRS exemption. Then all gifts will be tax deductible. Your gift now is NOT deductible from your taxable income. For this reason, I am asking for many small gifts—in amounts that will make little if any difference in your tax situation. Send checks to: SPCP
Expectantly, Stan Baldwin Pamela Rosales is a wife, mother of two grown sons, and a grandmother who spent over 30 years raising kids, working inside and outside the home, and serving in ministry. In 2003 she joined a writing group, began writing freelance and has had several articles, poems and devotions published. Pamela and her husband live in Aloha, Oregon. Coincidence or Purpose? That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the historical records of his kingdom so they could be read to him. (Esther 6:1) NLT One icy night our wheels spun as we inched around the corner, slowing our progress by a few seconds. As we proceeded up the street, a car whizzed across our path, never stopping, landing in a field. Had we been a few seconds sooner, that speeding car would have obliterated us. Coincidence or purpose? Since before Adam and Eve’s first disobedience, God planned for His Son to be born into the world, through Jewish lineage, as the way for people to come to God. It was necessary for the Jewish ancestry to continue for God’s perfect plan of Jesus’ birth to take place. If King Xerxes had slept comfortably that night, all Jews, young and old, including women and children would have been slaughtered. God disturbed the king’s sleep, thereby protecting the entire Jewish nation. Through a chain of events God placed Esther and her cousin Mordecai where they could stop the annihilation of the Jews. The story of Esther is a tribute not only to God’s loving care, but His supreme control which achieves His purposes.
Challenge for today: Remember, your circumstances are no accident. My Critique: Your choice of Esther to make your point is excellent, and especially so because God is never mentioned in Esther. Your point is clouded, however, by too much data and too little development. Brevity with clarity is a great challenge in any writing as short as a devotional. As is, your treatment requires too much advance knowledge by the reader to put all this together, to see how one paragraph of your article relates to another. After your opening paragraph, go directly to the king’s sleepless night, at the end of which, repeat the “coincidence or purpose” question, thus making the first two paragraphs parallel. Then in about one sentence explain the purpose of the king’s sleeplessness. Do not go into anything about Adam and Eve. Just say why the Jewish nation had to survive. Conclude that we often lack the perspective to see God’s purposes in our own lives, but God is no less involved. 3. Jenkins’ Movie Wins Award Congratulations to Jerry Jenkins on his new feature film: Midnight Clear Midnight Clear, Jenkins Entertainment's latest full-length movie, recently won Best First Feature at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose. It
is also a selection of the USA Film Festival and will screen there
Friday, April 20 at 7 p.m. in Dallas, TX. Details at http:///www.usafilmfestival.com/#schedule, as well as at www.Jenkins-Entertainment.com, where you can also view a preview. Until
next time, keep writing. For
email address changes, reply to Jane Foard Thompson at this email
address. For more information or questions contact us by email.
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