Posts

Showing posts from May, 2023

How Much More? Praying with Persistence

Image
by Bart Denny Have you ever noticed how persistence changes outcomes? Parents know this all too well. A child wants a cookie before dinner, or a toy at the store, and the answer is “no.” But the request doesn’t stop there. They ask again. And again. Eventually—sometimes just for the sake of peace—we give in. Persistence works. But here’s the question: if persistence can move us—imperfect parents and imperfect people—what happens when persistence is brought before our perfect, loving, just heavenly Father? That’s the point Jesus drives home in Luke 18:1–8. He tells a parable “to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” The story contrasts two characters: a corrupt judge with no fear of God, and a powerless widow who had no advocate but one weapon—persistence. And persistence won. If a widow could win justice from an unjust judge simply by refusing to quit, how much more can God’s children expect from the most just Judge of all when we persist in prayer? Let’s expl...

Dear Self-Published Christian Author

by Bart L. Denny, Ph.D., Th.M.  Dear Self-Published Christian Author, I’m rooting for you. Truly, I admire your courage and commitment. You believe God has given you a message worth sharing, and you’ve put in the work to get it into book form. That’s no small feat. I want to see your book succeed—and if I’m buying inventory for a Christian bookstore, then your win can be our win, too. So allow me, with both candor and care, to echo the words of Jerry Maguire: “Help me help you!” But I want to share with you what I learned working as a buyer for a Christian bookstore. I hope it will help clear up a few common misconceptions I’ve encountered from self-published authors over the years—and that it will help you have realistic expectations. 1. Being Local Isn’t Enough I often hear, “My book should sell well—it’s by a local author.” I never saw that happen. I understand the sentiment, but unfortunately, that alone won’t move books. There's too much competition by high-quality, profession...