Great Expectations
By Kelley Benson
Every Sunday we meet together to worship God, and part of that
worship contains a ceremony designed to connect us emotionally and
symbolically to what makes having a genuine relationship with God
possible – we call it The Lord’s Supper. Instituted by Christ on the
night He was arrested (Matthew 26:26-28), during the Feast of
Passover, Jesus took time to make a connection for them with something
that had been planned since the beginning of time. He said to them,
“This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me… this
cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in
remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25).
Read more...
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Monday, July 9, 2018
Featured Blog: Heath Stallcup Author
Unfinished Business
By Heath Stallcup
I think I’m nuts.
I mean, I know I am. Or maybe just a tad ADHD? Either way, I’ve got all of these stories bouncing around in my head and some of them just SCREAM to be released. Others just repeat on a loop until I either use it somewhere or find a way to burn it out of my grey matter. Like a lot of writers, I have more ideas than I have time to actually write them. I could probably fill a library if I could write them as fast as I think them up.
Some ideas, I start…then lose interest. They’ll sit on my hard drive and wait…sometimes patiently, sometimes not so patiently. Hence the Hunter trilogy. That was an idea that refused to go away until I started it. Then it took on a life of its own and went a completely different direction than I intended. The three people who read it really seem to have enjoyed it.
Read more...
By Heath Stallcup
I think I’m nuts.
I mean, I know I am. Or maybe just a tad ADHD? Either way, I’ve got all of these stories bouncing around in my head and some of them just SCREAM to be released. Others just repeat on a loop until I either use it somewhere or find a way to burn it out of my grey matter. Like a lot of writers, I have more ideas than I have time to actually write them. I could probably fill a library if I could write them as fast as I think them up.
Some ideas, I start…then lose interest. They’ll sit on my hard drive and wait…sometimes patiently, sometimes not so patiently. Hence the Hunter trilogy. That was an idea that refused to go away until I started it. Then it took on a life of its own and went a completely different direction than I intended. The three people who read it really seem to have enjoyed it.
Read more...
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
Are You Fighting The Good Fight?
By Kelley Benson
Ecclesiastes 7:8, “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”
As a guy who has trouble finishing projects that I start, I completely connect with this statement. Finishing a project, and finishing it well, is a wonderful feeling and can be a huge relief. So, when I think about the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith,” I can’t help but think about how satisfying life can be at the end of it all – IF you’ve ran well.
Read more...
By Kelley Benson
Ecclesiastes 7:8, “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”
As a guy who has trouble finishing projects that I start, I completely connect with this statement. Finishing a project, and finishing it well, is a wonderful feeling and can be a huge relief. So, when I think about the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith,” I can’t help but think about how satisfying life can be at the end of it all – IF you’ve ran well.
Read more...
Friday, June 29, 2018
Sunday, June 10, 2018
"What Are You Reading?"
Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!
Saturday, June 9, 2018
"Country Life"
Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!
Friday, June 8, 2018
"Unexpected"
Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!
Thursday, June 7, 2018
"Random Act of Kindness"
Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
"Autumn Sonnet"
Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
"Naked Scalloped Potatoes"
Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!
Monday, June 4, 2018
"Incident on Orwell Street"
Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!
Sunday, June 3, 2018
"Melting Away"
Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!
Saturday, June 2, 2018
"The Thanksgiving Tree"
Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!
Friday, June 1, 2018
New Anthology Released!
OKLAHOMA—The writing group Prosateurs announces the
publication of the judged anthology Prosateurs:
Tales & Truth. The anthology features short stories, recipes, humor, memoirs,
poetry, devotionals, articles, and other works from the group’s members. It’s
now available from Prosateurs members and online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
BooksAMillion, and other retailers.
Author Kathy Akins won Best of the Book with a memoir of her
mother’s battle with dementia. “It was honest, sincere, and well-written,” said
Submissions Judge Gail Henderson. “A reader both sympathizes and learns from
it.”
Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!
Purchase on BooksAMillion here!
Purchase on Lulu here!
Author Kathy Akins won Best of the Book with a memoir of her
mother’s battle with dementia. “It was honest, sincere, and well-written,” said
Submissions Judge Gail Henderson. “A reader both sympathizes and learns from
it.”
Henderson co-wrote the poetry collection Undying. She collaborated with noted
Oklahoma photographer Michael Duncan to produce Bare, a book of poetry and photography that explores the enigma of
womanhood in the world. She wrote Red
Bird Woman, a collection of her poetry under the name Gail Wood. Her work
has appeared in Blackbirds First Flight,
Blackbirds Second Flight, Blackbirds Third Flight, Creations 2012-2014 and ByLine Magazine. She holds a Masters of
Education in English and Social Studies from East Central University. Currently
she serves on the Board of Directors for Lake Superior Writers, Duluth,
Minnesota.
For more information, visit Prosateurs.blogspot.com.
Purchase on Amazon here!Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!
Purchase on BooksAMillion here!
Purchase on Lulu here!
The anthology authors include:
Kathy Akins has won several awards with her poetry,
devotionals, and short fiction. Her works were published in Blackbirds Third Flight and the Creations
anthologies 2014-2015. A love for history, family, and animals inspires her
stories. She lives in Oklahoma and shares her home with miniature long-haired
dachshunds and a rescued Catahoula. Her dachshunds assist her when she presents
educational programs for children in her capacity as an American Kennel Club
(AKC) Canine Ambassador. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc.,
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and American Christian
Fiction Writers. Visit kathyakins.blogspot.com.
Debbie Anderson wrote the novel Friend or Foe in 2018. A longtime storyteller, she has written
stories since she was a child. The oldest of eight children she used these
stories to entertain her siblings. She spent eighteen years in the travel
industry. As a result she has been to nearly every state and six countries. She
left the travel business after 9/11. Since then she has written business
documents such as manuals and procedures for the electronic and oil industries.
She writes short stories, memoirs, novels, children’s stories, and how-to
books. She has been published in Creations
2017.
Stephen B. Bagley co-wrote the poetry collection Undying. He wrote Murder by Dewey Decimal, Murder by the Acre, Tales from Bethlehem, Floozy
and Other Stories, and EndlesS.
He wrote the plays Murder at the Witch’s
Cottage and Two Writers in the Hands
of an Angry God and co-wrote Turnabout,
Hogwild, and There’s A Body in the Closet. His writings have appeared in Writer’s Digest, Blackbirds First Flight,
Blackbirds Second Flight, Blackbirds Third Flight, ByLine Magazine, Nautilus
Magazine, Tulsa World OKMagazine, and other publications. He graduated from
Oklahoma State University. He is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc.
Visit StephenBBagley.blogspot.com.
Kelley Benson is a pastor who has a passion for using
everyday opportunities to help people recognize how God works in their lives.
He and his wife Jade are raising their
children to see how God should be part of everything people do. Since
1997, he has participated in a wide range of ministries and been involved with
the investment industry, the insurance industry, teaching, and carpentry. He
published On Target, a book of
devotionals, and writes a weekly newsletter. His articles were published in
Creations 2013-2015. He is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. Visit kelleybenson.blogspot.com.
Nita Beshear began writing as a young child. If her family
wasn't moving from one state to another, they were moving across town. Stories
gave her continuity. Her friends in her stories went with her to every new home.
Beshear writes nonfiction, historical novels, and short stories. Her books
include Devoted to Quilting and Beyond the Grief: A Widow's Survival Guide.
Her fiction appeared in Romance-The Spice
of Life. She is a member of the Material Girls (the Allen Oklahoma
Quilters), McAlester McSherry Writers, Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., and Duncan
and Okmulgee Toastmasters. Visit nitabeshear.wordpress.com.
Wendy Blanton published the novels, The Dragon’s Lady, Rogue Pawn, and Sword and Scabbard, under the name Elizabeth Joy. Her short stories
appeared in Blackbirds First Flight,
Blackbirds Second Flight, and Blackbirds
Third Flight. She writes novels and short stories in several genres. She graduated
from the University of Mount Olive, North Carolina, and served in the United
States Air Force. An apprentice bard, she tells Celtic folk tales at Scottish
Highland Games and other venues. She and her husband are members of the Clan
Campbell Society. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. Visit wendyblanton.wordpress.com.
D. E. Chandler wrote the thriller Bone Sliver. In 2013, her poem, “Oppenheimer” and her short story
“One Way Window” won honorable mention and publication in Outside the Lines. In
2015, her poem “Carroll After Dark” won first place and publication in the
Tulsa Review’s 2015 Spring contest issue. Her works were also published in Blackbirds Third Flight, The Green Country
Guardian, The Sapulpa Herald, and Sapulpa
News and Views. She graduated from Rogers State University. She lives with
her husband Tom in Oklahoma. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation,
Inc. and Oklahoma Women Bloggers. Visit dechandlerwrites.com.
Barbara Shepherd has received more than 300 writing awards.
She is the Oklahoma 2017 Voice of the Fair Poet, a Lone Stars Poet, a Woody
Guthrie Poet, and a former Nominee for Poet Laureate of the State of Oklahoma.
Shepherd served as a field editor for Taste of Home and contributed to other
magazines, including: Outlook, Oklahoma
D.O., Oklahoma Woman, Edmond Life and Leisure, Bella, and ArtBeat. Her books include: The Potbelly Pig Promise, River Bend,
Vittles and Vignettes, and Patchwork
Skin. Her writing appeared in: Women’s
War Memoirs, Heavenly Patchwork, Voices In Time, and numerous other publications.
Visit barbarashepherd.com.
Joanne Verbridge was born in Oakland, California, spending
her early life experiences in Northern California. Family brought her to Oklahoma
where she enjoys writing memoirs and crafting. She works to inspire her young
nieces to take an interest in story telling and writing. Her memoirs, short
stories, and articles have been published in Oklahoma newspapers and in the Creations
anthologies 2012-2015.
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
His Authority Helps Our Belief!
By Kelley Benson
If you take the time to stop and think about what makes the Good News so good, I think most of us would admit that it’s because God has the ability to offer eternal life. God has the authority to give life, and He has the authority to take life.
Jesus acknowledged that what He spoke, and ultimately what He came to do on earth, was directed by God in John 12:49-50, “I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me to say all that I have spoken. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say.”
Read More...
By Kelley Benson
If you take the time to stop and think about what makes the Good News so good, I think most of us would admit that it’s because God has the ability to offer eternal life. God has the authority to give life, and He has the authority to take life.
Jesus acknowledged that what He spoke, and ultimately what He came to do on earth, was directed by God in John 12:49-50, “I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me to say all that I have spoken. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say.”
Read More...
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
The Prayer of a Mother
By Kelley Benson
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.…” These are the opening lines of God’s word to us; a history of how He created an infrastructure, the perfect environment for His most beloved creation – mankind. Once everything was in place and man had been made, God said in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” So, God performed surgery on Adam while he was sleeping; taking a rib from Adam's side, He created a helper for Adam. Eve would bless Adam by giving him descendants to carry on his name, to watch them grow into adulthood, and make a difference in the world.
Read More...
By Kelley Benson
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.…” These are the opening lines of God’s word to us; a history of how He created an infrastructure, the perfect environment for His most beloved creation – mankind. Once everything was in place and man had been made, God said in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” So, God performed surgery on Adam while he was sleeping; taking a rib from Adam's side, He created a helper for Adam. Eve would bless Adam by giving him descendants to carry on his name, to watch them grow into adulthood, and make a difference in the world.
Read More...
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Say it
How do you pronounce "Prosateurs?"
It's "Pros uh tours." Like "amateurs" but with "pros" instead "am."
It simply means "a writer of prose."
It's "Pros uh tours." Like "amateurs" but with "pros" instead "am."
It simply means "a writer of prose."
Monday, April 30, 2018
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
Take Time to be Lonely
By Kelley Benson
Do you know the feeling of being isolated from others? It can feel scary and challenging. At times like this, we can often feel sorry for ourselves, thinking that everyone else has it better than we do. However, when it comes to dealing with the problems in our lives, the fact that everyone struggles with some kind of sin, and that everyone experiences their own “challenging” event in life, should help us realize we’re not really alone.
Read More...
By Kelley Benson
Do you know the feeling of being isolated from others? It can feel scary and challenging. At times like this, we can often feel sorry for ourselves, thinking that everyone else has it better than we do. However, when it comes to dealing with the problems in our lives, the fact that everyone struggles with some kind of sin, and that everyone experiences their own “challenging” event in life, should help us realize we’re not really alone.
Read More...
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
Do You Believe the Story?
By Kelley Benson
Storytelling is an art that is truly captivating when it’s done well. It’s also one of the best ways to share facts about an event. People constantly tell stories to share feelings, in part instructions, even to warn of dangers. So, it shouldn’t surprise us that our Heavenly Father, the one in whom we are created in His image, chose to share the story of salvation primarily through a narrative story.
Read More...
By Kelley Benson
Storytelling is an art that is truly captivating when it’s done well. It’s also one of the best ways to share facts about an event. People constantly tell stories to share feelings, in part instructions, even to warn of dangers. So, it shouldn’t surprise us that our Heavenly Father, the one in whom we are created in His image, chose to share the story of salvation primarily through a narrative story.
Read More...
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Writer Quotes: Neil Gaiman
"I had to reread a few stories I wrote aged 18-21 a few years ago. They were (to my mild surprise) terrible. I'm glad I didn't know, and kept going anyway. But the keeping going was the important bit."
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
Rejection
By Kelley Benson
One of the greatest tests of our character is dealing with rejection and suffering. No one likes it! But rejection is inevitable. Sooner or later, all of us will experience it. And when it happens, we can’t help but ask ourselves some questions: Why me? What did I do wrong? Then come the thoughts we rehearse over and over, replaying that moment of rejection…wishing we’d seen it coming so we could avoid it.
Read More...
By Kelley Benson
One of the greatest tests of our character is dealing with rejection and suffering. No one likes it! But rejection is inevitable. Sooner or later, all of us will experience it. And when it happens, we can’t help but ask ourselves some questions: Why me? What did I do wrong? Then come the thoughts we rehearse over and over, replaying that moment of rejection…wishing we’d seen it coming so we could avoid it.
Read More...
Sunday, April 1, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
Proving Who You Are!
By Kelley Benson
How would you prove who you really are? We have to do it all the time at stores, or on applications, even among our friends at times. Whether it’s proving our name and address, or our ability to do what we claim, it’s a regular part of life.
What if you claimed to be the son of God? How would you prove that? Obviously, that might get us checked into some kind of hospital if we went around claiming that, but think about what Jesus had to go through to get people to believe that He really was the son of God who came to earth to redeem all of mankind from their sins that separates them from the creator of the universe. It may sound like a daunting task—unless it's true.
Read More...
By Kelley Benson
How would you prove who you really are? We have to do it all the time at stores, or on applications, even among our friends at times. Whether it’s proving our name and address, or our ability to do what we claim, it’s a regular part of life.
What if you claimed to be the son of God? How would you prove that? Obviously, that might get us checked into some kind of hospital if we went around claiming that, but think about what Jesus had to go through to get people to believe that He really was the son of God who came to earth to redeem all of mankind from their sins that separates them from the creator of the universe. It may sound like a daunting task—unless it's true.
Read More...
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
Hearing the Good News!
By Kelley Benson
How would life be different if you couldn’t hear? For some people, that is a reality. Think about how many opportunities you’d never hear about, or how many warnings you’d miss, or how many other beautiful and wonderful sounds you wouldn’t get to experience.
Just consider that Jesus came to earth so that we could hear, “Well done good and faithful servant, welcome to the joys of heaven!” (Matthew 25:21, 23). This is the good news that every living person would love to hear. But before you hear “Well done,” you have to hear about how He made that possible and what that requires of you.
Read more...
By Kelley Benson
How would life be different if you couldn’t hear? For some people, that is a reality. Think about how many opportunities you’d never hear about, or how many warnings you’d miss, or how many other beautiful and wonderful sounds you wouldn’t get to experience.
Just consider that Jesus came to earth so that we could hear, “Well done good and faithful servant, welcome to the joys of heaven!” (Matthew 25:21, 23). This is the good news that every living person would love to hear. But before you hear “Well done,” you have to hear about how He made that possible and what that requires of you.
Read more...
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Featured Blog: Paws and Reflect
Perspective
By Kathy Akins
“19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20
The tongue contains no bones. However, it is the most powerful muscle in the body. It's used for tasting, licking, and swallowing. And in humans, it’s used in articulating speech. Words – once said, cannot be unsaid. They can build a person’s confidence or destroy self-esteem. So powerful is the tongue.
Read More...
By Kathy Akins
“19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20
The tongue contains no bones. However, it is the most powerful muscle in the body. It's used for tasting, licking, and swallowing. And in humans, it’s used in articulating speech. Words – once said, cannot be unsaid. They can build a person’s confidence or destroy self-esteem. So powerful is the tongue.
Read More...
Monday, March 12, 2018
Meet Our Members: Kathy Akins
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
Are You Experiencing Chaos or Blessings?
By Kelley Benson
If you’ve ever been in sales for longer than a week, then you’ve probably realize it takes a lot of falls before you gain any height in the wild world of business. Failure is part of success. That’s true in business, and really, that’s true in our walk with God.
The gospels are filled with people that experienced all kinds of failures, set-backs, disappointments, and fears. That’s where Jesus comes in; He begins His ministry by healing people of their diseases (aka problems). From evil spirits (Mark 1:21-28), to sickness (1:29-31) and leprosy (1:40) and paralysis (2:1-5) Jesus began making a positive difference in the lives of hundreds of people.
Read More...
By Kelley Benson
If you’ve ever been in sales for longer than a week, then you’ve probably realize it takes a lot of falls before you gain any height in the wild world of business. Failure is part of success. That’s true in business, and really, that’s true in our walk with God.
The gospels are filled with people that experienced all kinds of failures, set-backs, disappointments, and fears. That’s where Jesus comes in; He begins His ministry by healing people of their diseases (aka problems). From evil spirits (Mark 1:21-28), to sickness (1:29-31) and leprosy (1:40) and paralysis (2:1-5) Jesus began making a positive difference in the lives of hundreds of people.
Read More...
Monday, March 5, 2018
Meet Our Members: Debbie Anderson
Debbie Anderson wrote the novel Friend Or Foe, in 2018. A long time story teller, she has written and shared stories since she was a child. The oldest of eight children she used these stories to entertain her siblings as well for her own enjoyment. She learned the love of travel going on family vacations and spent eighteen years in the travel industry. As a result she has been to nearly every state and six countries. She left the travel business after 9/11. Since then she has written business documents such as manuals and procedures for the electronic and oil industries. In addition to writing she enjoys sewing, quilting, crafts, painting and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She finds humor in everyday people and events and incorporates them into her writing. She writes short stories, memoirs, novels, children’s stories, and how-to books. She has been published in Creations 2017.
Sunday, March 4, 2018
Featured Blog: Kelley Benson's Books
Are You Following Christ?
By Kelley Benson
What defines the church? Perhaps we’d turn to passages like Colossians 1:18, “He [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.” Or verses like: Matthew 16:16-18, or Ephesians 1:22-23 and 5:23-24, or Hebrews 12:23.
There are many references that help us realize the church isn’t a building, but people who are faithfully committed to following God’s word, which was lived out in Jesus, the Word of God (John 1:1-3).
Read More...
By Kelley Benson
What defines the church? Perhaps we’d turn to passages like Colossians 1:18, “He [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.” Or verses like: Matthew 16:16-18, or Ephesians 1:22-23 and 5:23-24, or Hebrews 12:23.
There are many references that help us realize the church isn’t a building, but people who are faithfully committed to following God’s word, which was lived out in Jesus, the Word of God (John 1:1-3).
Read More...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)