Beat The Crunch !
What one Christian author learned from the NFL.
When one sees this headline, I’ll bet many of you groan and put on a disgusted look. “Oh no, another article about how the players kneel down during the national anthem, and etc…, on and on until you look for the puke bucket or simply walk away as you shake your head. Hey, after years of watching as an NFL fan, I’m at week seven dry. So that is two family groups, three young ones, who are tuned out to all of that expensive advertising, the noise of the games, and the disgusting parts too. I’m happy to say that I don’t miss it. But, that isn’t it…
While waiting in the dentist office with my wife for her next treatment, my eyes caught on an NFL article. Nope, it wasn’t a cry my eyes out failure story or even a negative sounding playback of a season long gone due to injuries, another common discussion. This next article contained a forward thinking team, a team which made the transition from loser to winner by implementing a four step winning philosophy and the players to move it forward. That team is the Rams and the part is called the flywheel.
- Learn from disappointments.
- Learn to throw.
- Build a better scheme.
- Momentum energized by results.
The entire idea is based on these four points as a circle which keeps going as you grow and learn. But… Hey, these are pro athletes and football. How does it fit for a Christian author?
The Rams changed the way they approached the game, how they played the game, and what they expected from the game. How about you, Christian author? Are you lost in a losing season without much hope of developing, playing, or winning, in the big marketing game that we all have to play?
Here is the next key question. Do you think spiritual warfare is real? Whew, I have a business group of some warrior ladies, who, before the Lord, can testify to the real threat of darkness to hinder our plans, our writing, our walk with the Lord; all as a means to kill, maim, or destroy our testimony, our writing, and our lives.
Perhaps you are already so wounded in your spirit, that the season is lost for you, and you doubt that you’ll ever get published and marketed? That wound is well known among us and it has another side which ends at the feet of Jesus. You see, we know the tears, the pain, the gut wrenching sob of rejection and defeat – and we know where it leads. Your despair, as a Christian, flows along a well traveled course of other authors. That road, so well traveled, takes you to the safest spot in the universe – right on your hands and knees before the Savior and creator of the world, who loves and cares so much for you, that He died for the sin which so easily wants to kill, maim, and destroy. But that isn’t the end of the story. Right behind the scene, away from the tears and sadness, Jesus has a showroom for you to walk through with Him as a guide, sort of like the hall of fame for Christians – way better than an NFL hall of fame.
Right at the door to His hall of fame is a plaque with verses from Hebrews 12: 1-2
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus nods at your tear stained face and points forward. “Your tears are your pass. I have a few things to show you. Here is one who is very dear to me. Recognize it?”
As you lean forward, you stop in awe. “Yes, little one, this is the spiritual armor that Moses wore as he stood in the courts of Egypt, just as it was back then when I brought him home to me.” The dented and stained armor stands now in a place of honor.
Jesus nods as you can’t move from the spot. “See this and that dent? “Hard blows from darkness, the witchcraft of his day. Oh, the battle raged as the evil reach of darkness wanted to keep my people locked away in slavery to the rulers of the world and to the darkness of sin.”
He points ahead. “Might be few more to see. Both ladies and men of faith.
See these, all lined up in a row? You’ve read about them and here they are. The spiritual armor of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Ruth, Naomi, and so on.” The line stretched down the hall as a testament of His faithfulness to those gone before. Every piece of armor bore the stain and dent of battle. Some barely hung together, so great the battle, yet here they stood, proof of the mighty victory of Jesus.
Jesus pointed to a cluster of armor, still a bit shiny and something else. I had to step closer to see, and what is this? Water slowly dripped from the edge of each piece, gathered into a spot on the marble floor, and seeped away. “Yes, that is Noah and his family. Still the most laughed at pieces in the history of the world. I let them drip here for all these years as a memory of those days. I know that you feel a bit laughed at too.”
He pointed at another with a soft smile. “My dear friend, King David. A man with a big heart for the things of my kingdom. A few dents here too.” You gasp again, for the armor is a shamble of dent after dent upon dent. “See? David fought for more than his country. He fought bigger giants than Goliath. He fought darkness, just like you are doing.”
He pointed to the next rows. “Ah, my prophets. Each of these thought that they stood alone against the darkness of their day, each one battered and torn, yet see how the armor held together in spite of the hard press of darkness?”
You gasp again as Truth dawns in your spirit. “Now I get it. I think that no one else understands my battle, that I fight alone, and yet…”
Jesus points ahead. “Just like my disciples here, and Paul too. Yes, they’re worn a bit too. What else do you see?”
You catch a glimmer of what? What is it? You step closer as a faint trail flows from ancient armor to ancient armor. Like a smoky vapor, you see how the trace isn’t faint at all, but widely flows from piece to piece. “What? What is this wonder?”
Jesus nods. “It flows through you too. It’s the river of faith.” He nods forward. “A few more that I sent out in my name.”
Now you step ahead as the spiritual armor of missionaries and pastors line the great hall. “See? They too are battered and torn by the fight with darkness. Darkness that wanted to stop their message of love, joy, hope, and peace.”
You stop and stare. “Whew. Those are my four key words. How did yo…”
His loving eyes looked ahead. “Would you like to see your armor?”
You look ahead, looking for another pedestal of armor. “Look again.”
What you see is an ornate full length mirror. Two angels stand around it in full armor of battle. Each nods. “We’re with you all the way.” They pivot the mirror as you gasp. What you see isn’t very pretty. What you see is your reflection inside of a worn and torn suit of armor.
He points to a recent dent in the side of the suit. “Here is the recent crush of darkness which prompted you to take your eyes from me to only see the lost world of darkness and despair. But, um…”
You turn from side to side. I’m all in one piece, just like the others. The crush didn’t pierce through my soul and spirit like I felt it did?” Both angels reached around and handed me shiny objects. “Here, we polished these up for you.” They handed me my renewed shield of faith and my sharp sword of the spirit.
Jesus put his hand on my shoulder. “I’m sending you back into the fight. Some desperate people need to read what I placed in your heart to write. Will you go and fight for me? Finish the course? Waver not until your book is written, edited, and published as a fervent, effective tool for me to use to gather people out of darkness?”
The two angels rise up into the full glow of readiness for battle. “Just like every one in this great hall of witnesses. You’ll never be alone. Though darkness might seem to be too big, or the fight too strong, know that I AM, with you every step of the way.”
~~~~
So now you’re back in front of your worn keyboard, wondering how to put it all together for yourself and your readers. Remember the four parts of the wheel?
- Learn from disappointments.
- Learn to throw.
- Build a better scheme.
8) Momentum energized by results.
You’re the quarterback. You call the play.
Learn from your disappointments. So, you found out what doesn’t work. Join the team of all of the great inventors like Bell and Einstein, who had to first discover what didn’t work, before they found out what did work. Learn from that. Don’t try those routes again. Lean on Jesus to give you the insights to new and greater things. As He created the world and universe, he can certainly give you the creativity to find the way that works for you. Reach down around your waist and feel the tug? That’s the river of faith that you witnessed in the hall of faith. See how strong it is. Experience and hard times have made it strong, ready to hold you up in the wind of deceit.
Learn to throw. What? It’s called giving your pitch, you know, like what is your book about? Not the pitch that didn’t work, but a new style, with passion and creativity. I’ll give you an idea that worked for me. On a recent visit to our dentist office with my wife, I struck up a conversation with the two receptionists about grandchildren. Oh, how they perked up with a smile and quick funny story. You see, as I listened, I found the key. It wasn’t so much what I wanted to say, but instead what came out as their greatest interest – children. As an author of a Christmas children’ book, that became my cue. “Really? That’s cute. I write children’ books. Even have a new one for Christmas.” That resulted in two on-the-spot impulse sales. See… I had to learn to throw in a way that the audience could catch.
Listen.
Understand.
Respond in their voice.
Sell.
We did the same thing for a Cyber Monday throw. Instead of the old numbers of two or three, we threw and caught 267 times.
Build a better scheme. In order to accomplish a better scheme, take a good look at what didn’t work. Take that stinker and give it a good shake. Some parts held up and others fell away. Now, build a better scheme. Write a new playbook. Surround yourself with players who also wear worn armor for Jesus. They’ll not just understand the play, but will help you knock down darkness and make the right throw for the score! In this manner, when one of you scores and wins, you all do. It takes hours of research, hours of reading, hours of prayer, hours of dedicated communication. As part of that plan, this ol’ author had to gather a team of marketing professionals who were experienced, passionate, and creative. Now, we bounce plays off of each other, step up to the line together, and away to battle we go in the name and team of Jesus!
Momentum energized by results. We called the signal. Darkness hurried to defeat us. We snapped and threw the ball – and scored big! You can do it too. The score didn’t happen on first down. No way. On first down, we were thrown for a loss. Loss of yards, loss of equipment, loss of funds, loss of connections, loss of cohesion.
So we got up, scraped off the grit and sod, for second down. We called the play and ran around the end for some good hard fought yards. It’s possible to move your writing ball against darkness. Resist the devil and he must flee from you.
So we faced third down and long. Sound familiar? The situation called for a new play. A play we rehearsed and planned for but hadn’t actually played in a real game. The results are on the scoreboard. 267 to 0. That is the number of books that are in the hands of our new customers from a single afternoon of a sales promotion.
Do you think we have momentum now? Yes we do and so can you! Now we’re back in the huddle. Not with frowns of defeat, but with a smile and determined look of understanding. We are energized by results. The entire team is. As we approach the kick off and new series, we know how to play and score. We know how to defeat darkness in Jesus name.
But wait. There is room on our team for more players. We’re looking for a few more authors who wear dented armor and know what it takes to win against darkness. We have a few trick plays to teach you and expect the same from you. Contact Terry at Fictionbypalmer@gmail.com. Call with your helmet on, shield up and ready, sword ready to strike, and a good book to sell in Jesus name.
Take a look at my play book at this link. You’ll see the book that made the play work. If you have little ones at home or know someone who does, please buy a copy and share with them. Sure, it looks like a Christmas book, but it’s actually a new generation gospel track, complete with three pages of ‘how to’ accept Jesus Christ. In this manner, you can ‘throw’ the text to the children and see if they’ll run with it. When they do accept Christ, it will be for all of eternity. That’s a game well played for Christ. Here is the link. GET IT HERE >>> https://goo.gl/7JkxMK
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