Crystal Miller has been married 22 years to an ER physician, Chris, and is mother to their four teenaged boys. As a former P.E. teacher, elementary classroom teacher, preschool teacher, Christian school board vice chairman and education curriculum chairman, Bible study leader, basketball and track coach, her background serves her well in reviewing books on health, diet, exercise, fitness, curriculum, Bible studies, Christian living, parenting and Christian fiction for Church Libraries magazine. She's editor of the Fort & Field Christian Writers' Newsletter, and op/ed community columnist for The Marion Chronicle Tribune newspaper, and has written articles for various magazines. With co-author, Teena M. Stewart, she writes a monthly column on parenting teens located at http://www.parentsandteens.com/stayingalive.htm, titled "Stayin' Alive While Parenting Teens."  She and Teena Stewart are collaborating on a new book of the same title, Stayin' Alive While Parenting Teens, using the content of the column. This devotional is from the May/ June, 2001 issue of Cross & Quill.

Writing Rainbows! 

Crystal Miller, Fairmount, Indiana

. . . but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper, 1 Kings 19:12, NIV.

Remember when Elijah had the big showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel? It was a satisfying and eventful job. Then he took off for the Brook of Cherith with a big letdown.

I could relate to Elijah. I had just moved away from a very satisfying and eventful ministry. I felt useless, very alone and didn’t have a clue as to what to do with my time.

Mt. Carmel was gone. I started to look for signs from God, signs which would tell me what He wanted me to do now. I looked for them everywhere, like on a billboard next to the interstate. I knew it would say in big, bold letters, “Crystal, you are to be doing this for Me now.”

He didn’t drop a note to me from the tornado, which skipped through the cornfields one afternoon. His voice wasn’t in the sonic boom from the local Air Force Base’s jets. He didn’t even speak to me from the interstate billboard.

God came to me in a gentle whisper. It happened one night while cruising on the Internet highway as I browsed for Christian writer organizations. There is where I found Christian Writers Fellowship International and Sandy Brooks. I joined. Soon I also joined the CWFI Family Email Conference.

God whispers to me everyday by way of this conference list. Here are some of the whispered blessings and answers to prayer I’ve received in this forum:

  • A prayer topic line inspired me early in my subscription. I soon had my first sale with a personal experience article on prayer.

  • I met my emails critique group through members of this list.

  • Many on this list have privately emailed me with encouragement and advice.

  • I was alerted to Dr. Dennis Hensley's writing class at Taylor University, Fort Wayne, Indiana, not far from me.  I now have two of his college level courses completed. I also was informed of correspondence courses available.

  • I haven't attended a writers conference, but when I do, I'll feel like I'm at a reunion. This list keeps track of who in our group is attending writers conferences, prays for those who attend, and look one another up when they get there. Some have offered their homes near conferences! We've been given so much information by those who return from conferences, we feel like we've been there.

  • Knowledge and advice from editors, and experienced writers are dispensed daily. Sandy Brooks reads each post and responds as she is able.

A real community of Christian writers exists by the quiet act of turning on my computer. God’s gentle whisper sounds much like the hum of that computer.

Certainly in the CWFI Family Email of believers I have found this good.

Lord, help me to be aware of your opportunities to do good for the family of Christian writers. Allow me to listen for your gentle whispers everyday. Amen.

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