DESIGNED FOR DEVOTION - Dianne Neal Matthews - One Free Book

Dianne Neal Matthews is a freelance writer and the author of four daily devotional books. She also writes regularly for websites and blogs (such as CBN.com and FindingGodDaily.com), contributes to compilations (including Guideposts’ 2013 Mornings with Jesus), and enjoys speaking and teaching at writers' conferences. Dianne is a 2006 CLASS graduate and a member of Advanced Writers & Speakers, Christian Authors Network, and Toastmasters International. She and her husband, Richard, currently live in Salt Lake City, which is too far away from their three grown children and two adorable grandchildren.

How long have you been writing professionally and how did you get started?

I have been writing professionally since 1999, when I attended my first writers’ conference (Write-to-Publish, Chicago area). As a little girl, I loved to make up stories and share them with the rest of the class. Writing assignments were always my favorite part of school. But as an adult, I didn’t have the confidence or courage to pursue creative writing. It was just something I fantasized about—a lot.

In my mid-forties I began writing occasional articles for my church’s newsletter. My pastor urged me to attend a writers’ conference and think about pursuing publication. So I set off, asking God to show me if writing was His will for me or my own self-centered dream. At that time, I knew absolutely nothing about the publishing world and had no idea what to expect.

I didn’t have any articles or book proposals to show editors, but I did bring along a short piece about a spiritual lesson I’d learned from my cat. When I showed it to an editor from Warner Press, she told me, “I think you might be a natural devotion writer”—something I’d never thought of. So I got my start writing devotions for the backs of church bulletins, occasionally a Sunday School take-home paper, and the quarterly magazine The Quiet Hour. Now, my fourth one-year devotional book has just released. And I’m so glad I showed that story about my cat to that particular editor!

What was the first book you wrote?

The One Year On This Day was published by Tyndale House in 2005. (Currently, it’s available only in eBook format.) The daily devotions are based on origins of holidays—including some you’ve likely never heard of before, anniversaries of historical events, pop culture trivia, or anything related to a specific day of the year. These are used to illustrate spiritual principles and biblical truths. Each devotion includes a practical application and a related Bible verse.

 Since then, you’ve published three more daily devotional books. What do you find most rewarding about writing devotions?

I absolutely love finding creative ways to illustrate a Bible verse or spiritual principle, whether using elements of nature, historical events, pop culture trivia, news events, my own personal experiences, or any other source. I love drawing out practical application that demonstrates how relevant the Bible is to our lives today. I also enjoy trying to find a way to end with a statement that helps the content stick in the reader’s mind (especially when I come up with a pun). And feedback from readers motivates me to keep writing devotionals. It's such a blessing when someone tells me that a devotional has spoken to their specific situation, or says that one of my books is a part of their regular quiet time.  

 Is it hard to come up with 365 different topics or ideas for illustrations?

It’s definitely a challenge. For my first book, I wouldn’t want to know how many hours I spent on research trying to find something interesting related to every day of the year. When I wrote The One Year Women of the Bible, I had to get creative since there aren’t nearly as many women as men in the Bible. My third devotional, Drawing Closer to God: 365Meditations on Questions from Scripture, was easier because there are way more questions than that in the Bible. But many of them are similar so that project took a lot of digging, too. As for opening illustrations, once I settle on a particular verse or spiritual truth, it’s usually not long before a related personal experience or some other idea pops in my head. Then there are times when the illustration comes first, and the rest follows through study and research.

Tell us a little about your newest devotional book.

Designed for Devotion: A 365 Day Journey from Genesis to Revelation provides an overview of the entire Bible. It explains the background and factual information for each book, including the author, theme, purpose for writing, and historical setting. The book highlights the key stories and characters in the OT and gospels, and explores the basic teachings of the NT writers. In the part of the book that covers the Old Testament, I sprinkled occasional “Jesus Sightings” (in keeping with the theme of a trip or journey). These devotions focus on how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. I also included devotions about the 400-year period between the Testaments, the concept of “theophany”, the distinction between the Major and Minor Prophets, and other topics. Throughout the book, each day’s devotion ends with a practical application that encourages readers to apply that day’s spiritual lesson to their own journey with God.

What can readers hope to gain from reading Designed for Devotion?

This book presented my biggest challenge ever! I don’t make any pretense of being a Bible scholar; I often felt burdened by the weight of such a serious responsibility. But I think that will be a plus for most readers since the book is not “academic”. Readers will gain the factual and historical information needed to understand the context of each book and how it fits in with the rest of the Bible. At the same time, they will be able to see how each story and teaching relates to their everyday lives. Designed for Devotion will help those new to Bible study grow in their understanding of God and His Word; long-time Bible students will enjoy the review. Hopefully, anyone who reads the book will go deeper in their relationship with God and in their devotion to Him. A trip through the Bible can be a life-changing journey!

What is God teaching you right now?

That’s easy to answer: To trust Him implicitly and totally submit to His plans even when I don’t understand or like what is happening in my life.

What life experience, education, or training helped you become an author?

I have a Liberal Arts degree in psychology and English, and a Master’s in guidance and counseling. But I consider my greatest training to be growing up out in the country with three brothers and no neighbor kids close by. In the summers, I learned to use my imagination to entertain myself while working in the cotton fields or while playing in the woods at the edge of our little family farm.

 What do you do when you’re not writing?

Spend time with family and friends, participate in church-related activities and Bible studies, get out and enjoy nature, read for pleasure, and of course, think about writing.

What projects are you working on now?

Although I’ve focused on nonfiction so far, I’m looking into trying my hand at fiction. I would love to research and write a historical novel. In the meantime, I write devotionals and articles for periodicals and websites, and sometimes contribute to compilation books. For example, this year I was honored to be one of ten writers who contributed to Mornings with Jesus 2013: Daily Encouragement for Your Soul published by Guideposts.

Thank you, Dianne, for sharing this book with us. I'm sure many of my readers are looking for a new devotional book to use in 2013. This one would be excellent.

You can connect with Dianne through her website, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Designed for Devotion: A 365-Day Journey from Genesis to Revelation - print copy
Designed for Devotion: A 365-Day Journey from Genesis to Revelation - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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DRAWING CLOSER TO GOD - Dianne Neal Matthews - Free Book

Bio: Dianne Neal Matthews has written numerous devotionals, magazine articles, and newspaper features. Her work has appeared in Focus on the Family, The Quiet Hour, LIVE, The Christian Communicator, and on websites including CBN.com. She is the author of three one-year devotionals and has also contributed stories to several compilation books. Dianne is a 2006 CLASS graduate and a member of Advanced Writers & Speakers, Christian Authors Network, and Toastmasters International. She and her husband, Richard, have three grown children and two adorable grandchildren.

When did you decide to be a writer?

As a little girl, I loved to make up stories and share them. Writing assignments were always my favorite part of school. But as an adult, I didn’t have the confidence or courage to pursue creative writing. It was just something I fantasized about until my mid-forties when I began writing occasional articles for my church’s newsletter. Urged by a friend, I attended a writers’ conference asking God to show me if writing was His will for me or my own self-centered dream. He answered clearly that week, and I’ve never doubted my calling since then.

What was your first published piece?

When I attended that first conference in 1999, I’d never thought of writing devotionals. But I set up an appointment with the editor from Warner Press after she spoke on a panel. I showed her a one-page piece I’d written about a lesson from my cat and she said I might be a natural devotional writer. I applied and was accepted as a Master Writer for the company and got to submit ten devotionals each year for use on the back of church bulletins.

Since then, you’ve published three daily devotional books. What do you find most rewarding about writing devotions?

Writing devotionals keeps me excited about how fresh and relevant God's Word is. I love finding ways to illustrate Scriptures and draw out practical applications. And feedback from readers motivates me to keep writing. It's such a blessing when someone tells me that a devotional has spoken to their specific situation, or says that one of my books is a part of their regular quiet time. A woman in Australia emailed to say how amazed she is that the pages of The One Year Women of the Bible often mirrored what was going on in her own life. An older couple sent me several notes as they read The One Year On This Day together. One young mom wrote that she was feeling spiritually dry and unable to serve God, but now she’s going through one of my devotionals and keeping a journal which she plans to pass on to her two daughters some day. Comments like that remind me what a privilege this is.

Tell us a little about your latest devotional book.

This month Baker Books released my new one-year devotional book, Drawing Closer to God: 365 Daily Meditations on Questions from Scripture. Each devotional is based on a question asked by someone in the Bible—God, Jesus, Satan, an Old Testament character, or a New Testament writer. The meditation explores the setting, ties it into a spiritual principle or practical application, and includes a verse that relates back to the question or its answer. The day’s entry closes with either a question for readers to ask God (prayer focus) or a question to ask themselves (reflection).

How did you get the idea for Drawing Closer to God?

I began noticing how much of Scripture is in the form of questions and how relevant these still are today. Old Testament characters voiced honest questions that we’ve all probably felt at some point. But we may have been reluctant to pray as David did, “Why are you so distant, Lord? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1) New Testament writers used questions to explain spiritual principles, especially Paul. Jesus asked questions as a powerful teaching tool, sometimes gently: “Can any of you add an hour to your life by worrying?” (Luke 12:25), and sometimes with a stronger tone: "Why do you see the piece of sawdust in another believer’s eye and not notice the wooden beam in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)

Many questions in the Bible can be matched with a verse that answers it. Before Pilate asked the universal question, “What is truth?” (John 18:38), Jesus had already answered it as he prayed: “Your words are truth.” (John 17:17) As we go through trials and hardships, we may wonder as Gideon did, “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13) Then we read in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble.”

The more I studied these questions, the more I was struck by how much God communicates to us through them. It intrigued me to think that sometimes we can find answers by looking at the questions.

Did writing Drawing Closer to God impact your own spiritual life?

Yes, the fact that biblical characters expressed their questions and doubts so honestly reminded me of how God wants me to approach my relationship with him. Now when I see a question in the Bible, I think of it as a springboard to look for what God wants me to discuss with Him or what He wants to teach me. I’m in the process of pulling out a core list of questions from the book to use in my quiet time. I want to periodically go through them as a sort of spiritual check-up to assess my spiritual walk and keep my focus where it should be.

Are there certain Scriptural questions that proved especially meaningful for you?

Yes, I often need to remind myself of Genesis 18:14: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Even though I know the answer, sometimes I forget it in the face of daunting circumstances. And Jesus’ question about worrying (Luke 12:25) is something I should meditate on every day. Maybe I won’t waste so much time doing it if I remember His point about how futile worrying is.

What is the main thing you hope readers take away from this book?

My prayer is that the book will renew readers’ appreciation for the relevance of Scripture to everyday life. If we approach the Bible with a teachable spirit, then God’s Spirit will use the questions written so long ago to comfort us, convict us, and transform us. I also hope that the devotionals will encourage readers to feel comfortable examining their own questions through meditation and prayer.

Are you working on a new project?

I’m currently writing another daily devotional for Baker. This one is still untitled but it has a theme of a one-year “journey” through the Bible. I’m going through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation combining basic information on each book, the major stories and events, and the core teachings with practical application. The book will release in October 2012.

Thank you, Dianne, for sharing this new devotional with us.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

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WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - Dianne Neal Matthews - Free Book

Welcome, Dianne. You are writing nonfiction. Do you also write fiction?


The closest that I’ve come to writing fiction is when I write opening scenarios as illustrations for devotionals. I usually base them on real stories and real people that I know about, but sometimes I create something from my imagination. I always enjoy that and stop to ask, “God, are you preparing me to write fiction?” Right now I’m dreaming—and praying, about writing a novel. Maybe someday…

What would you like for our readers to know about you personally?

I would like to assure readers of my books that I most definitely do not have it all together. Sometimes after writing a devotional, I feel like a hypocrite. I never want to give the impression that I don’t struggle with the issues I write about. Truth is—I’m a mess. My writing isn’t a reflection of my spiritual maturity; it’s an extension of God’s grace and the wisdom found in His Word. Every day I thank Him for using me in spite of my many flaws and my hardheadedness in learning spiritual lessons.
Tell us about your family.

My husband (Richard) and I met in college and have been married 36 years. We have two sons (Eric, Kevin), a daughter (Holly), and a son-in-law (Brandon Rose). We’ve been blessed with a 5-year-old granddaughter (Lacey), and a new grandchild due in early June.
Have you written other nonfiction books?

Tyndale published my first book in 2005. The One Year On This Day uses origins of holidays, historical anniversaries, current events, and pop culture trivia to illustrate biblical truths. I’ve also contributed stories to a few compilation books including : True Stories of Holiday Cheer and Goodwill, Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace and Classic Christmas.

Do you have any other books in the works right now?

Yes, in October 2010 Baker Books will publish Drawing Closer to God: 365 Meditations on Questions Asked in Scripture. I based the devotionals in this book on questions asked by God, Jesus, different people in the Old Testament, the writers in the New Testament, and even Balaam’s donkey. Each meditation ends with either a reflection question for readers to ask themselves or a question to ask God in prayer.

I’m in the process of writing another one-year devotional book for Baker (still untitled) that moves through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. After it releases October 2011, I will have written more than 1500 devotionals for publication.

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?

I love hiking and nature-related activities, hanging out with my children and granddaughter, cooking, needlework and knitting, and of course reading, especially classic literature. But when I’m under contract to come up with 365 different ideas for devotionals, I can’t fit much else in my brain or my schedule.
Why did you write the featured book?

The editors at Tyndale House asked if I wanted to write a devotional based on women in the Bible. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the project. I was struck by the fact that biblical women struggled with the same basic problems, temptations, and needs that contemporary women do. The project also gave me a new appreciation for how highly God values women and how He shapes us in unique ways to carry out His purposes.

What do you want the reader to take away from the book?

I would like the devotionals to renew readers’ appreciation for how relevant the Bible is to their lives. Also, the overall message I hope to convey is found in the very last devotional of the book. I open with a story of an anxious bride starting down the aisle. When she looks at her groom, she sees a reflection of her beauty in his eyes and his intense longing to claim her as his own.

That scene gives us a little taste of how God looks at us. He loves us just the way we are, even though we don’t see ourselves as desirable, and even when our culture thinks we don’t measure up. And He can’t wait to claim us as His own for all eternity.
Where on the Internet can the readers find you?

My website is http://www.diannenealmatthews.com/ . Please drop by and say “hi.”

Thank you, Dianne, for spending this time with us.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using this link when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)


Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/