When I resigned as a pastor to invest more deeply in my writing ministry, people seemed surprised. Some thought I would have stayed longer with my church. Some wondered why I would leave a full-time position to take up freelancing as part of the gig economy. Others assumed I was retiring, since I had served … Continue reading Work, Ministry, and Jubilee
When I was a child, I loved books and dreamed of becoming a writer someday. In high school, I journaled and wrote poetry, but only for myself. In university, I interned with a city magazine, and soon after started freelancing short articles in various publications. In graduate school, I put off writing my master’s thesis … Continue reading Are You Living Your Dream?
For me the new year is always a time to clean things up. In January I put away my Christmas decorations. For the Lunar New Year, I do a winter cleaning that includes vacuuming the floors---and no, this isn't the only time I vacuum, but at the Lunar New Year, it's a traditional and practical … Continue reading How to Pray When Prayer Seems Impossible
Thank you, dear readers, for your help with my next book. You've weighed in on possible titles. You've cheered me on, and cheered me up with your interest, prayers, notes of encouragement, and just being there as a silent witness. I took a week off from blogging because of Thanksgiving last week, but then and … Continue reading My Movable Writing Deadline
In my last post, I shared a few possible titles for my next book and asked, "If this were the title of a sermon series, which one would engage you the most?" Some readers replied directly in the comments on that post, others responded on Facebook, Twitter, via email, or in personal conversation. I'm grateful … Continue reading Readers Respond: Which Title Engages You the Most?
"Are you available for another writing project?" asked David Runk, president and publisher of CSS Publishing. I've worked with David and his company on three previous collections of lectionary-based sermons: On the Way With Jesus, Ordinary Time With Jesus, and Led by the Spirit. I like his company's focus on practical, field-tested sermons with pastors … Continue reading Could This Be a Nudging of the Spirit?
April Yamasaki 