A New Season: Growth that Demands Change

It’s been quiet for a while out there, but it’s been very busy over here! Growth always demands necessary change, and that is what this post is about. Appointed Time Ministries has Seven Points of Ministry. God is doing great things here at Appointed Time Ministries and I’m very excited. I’d like to take a moment to share with you some of the upcoming changes that growth has stimulated and necessitated.

Scheduled Blog Posts

Instead of twice a week, I’ll be posting twice a month.  That’s a huge decrease in published material to my blog – 75% to be exact. However, that decrease is necessary to produce the quality published material God is requiring me to write for the public. This schedule ensures that I’ll have adequate time to seek God, research, write, edit, and review a quality post prior to publishing. It also greatly increases the likelihood that my audience will have time to read it.

Regarding content, some of the topics God has assigned me to write are spiritually tough. Let it be known that I’m the recipient of that message and material before anyone else. God deals with me first. As I’ve said before, the same sword we wield (as teachers in the Body of Christ) pierces us as well. We are subject to the same Word we put forth from Him. I have no intention of being a hypocrite, and I do not venture where God does not lead. I want my audience to know that I tread very carefully. There is a great fear of God upon me as I present His Word.

I am very much aware that these messages are difficult. Yet they are necessary to hear — vital, in fact. They’re deep and intense, requiring much more time to prepare than what a bi-weekly post schedule allows. God has not called me to write spiritual fluff. I’m not called to tickle ears, stroke spiritual egos, or pacify hearts that seek compromise. I’m not called to recycle messages that keep the Church in spiritual diapers. He’s called me to prepare the Body of Christ for the return of His Son. That is the hour in which we are living. That means messages of “meat” that require maturity, stimulating individuals toward a deeper and more intimate walk with Him through His Holy Spirit, a genuine thirst for His Word, and a personal transformation and sanctification without which no one will inherit the Kingdom of God. We are not called to follow man. We are called to follow Christ. If that’s the kind of material you’re seeking as a Christian, that’s what I endeavor to deliver.

Beginning this April 2016 I’ll be posting on the first and third Saturday of each month. After much prayer it has become clear that the priority is the quality of material and not the quantity. It is my hope that you will agree, and that you’ll find the posts much more enjoyable, having ample time to read and spiritually digest them. For those of you who subscribe, your inbox won’t be hit so hard. In a world that is full of life’s obligations and diverse pressures, my desire is that you’ll be able to look forward to a post, having ample time to read it — and apply it.

This blog schedule will also allow for more time to write and edit the many books and studies yet to be published, and minister with the people I love, and to whom I am called in doing Native American advocacy in the US and Canada.

Guest Posts

I am passionate about giving others an opportunity to share their stories or message, provided they are biblically sound. However, not everyone has a viable platform for doing so despite social media use, and some messages simply need an opportunity to reach a greater audience requiring a professional platform. This is where I am opening my portals to those who truly have something valuable to share. If that is you, I invite you to contact me. My plan at this time is to host one guest per month.

Prior to any guest post, there are several requirements that must be met. Screening an individual and their message is vital. Your identity must be verified, and there needs to be an established rapport which can be proven through various references. A preliminary private interview will be necessary to discuss your story with possible options for sharing. Your story or message must be in agreement with the Core fundamentals of Appointed Time Ministries, and also be biblically sound. Guest posts may come either by invitation or request. If you’re interested, please contact me. I’d be happy to help you and guide you through the process of being a published guest.

Interviews & Networking

We are known by the company we keep. Just as this is true for individuals, it is also true for a ministry entity.

Networking is powerful when it is done properly — and I’m passionate about it. I’m a social person by nature, and I’m a true believer in encouraging others and lifting them up to raise awareness and generate legitimate support. The Body of Christ is incredibly beautiful and powerful when we support each other. This is a key part of facilitating Yachad, the unity Christ prays for in John 17, which is a core principle of this ministry. Each member, although unique, has a distinct purpose and part to play in the Body of Christ. Paul the Apostle says the less honorable members should be given special honor (see 1 Corinthians 12:23). How many times have we stubbed a pinky toe only to find that it cripples us? Whether small or great; seemly or unseemly, we all have a vital role to play in the Body of Christ worldwide (see 1 Corinthians 12:14-27).

Here at Appointed Time Ministries, our perspective is global – not denominational. There are awesome members in the Body of Christ that I am all too eager to introduce to you. These are genuine individuals and ministries who are making a difference, doing the real work of laborers in the field. They need exposure, support, and an opportunity to expand their reach!

I will aspire to do one interview per month. With that said, it’s important to understand that interviews are serious business. When we conduct interviews we become responsible for an accurate representation of that individual’s identity, reputation, message, and ministry to the general public. Essentially, that equates to excellent journalism. That means all matters will be conducted with the utmost integrity, adhering to the strictest standard of ethics in journalism according to the SPJ Code of Ethics. Interviews are by invitation only, and will only be conducted with reputable individuals and ministries. Those who mirror the core fundamentals of this ministry, and with whom we can co-labor are of particular interest to us.

Interviews can be done in a number of ways. If you’ve received an invitation from us, please see our SERVICES page for more information! We are honored to be of service!

Published Works

Get ready — more is coming! Last year I published two bible studies, but there is so much more! This year you’ll see my first non-fiction work, titled STAND: The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail. In the future (2017-2020) you’ll see more non-fiction works, bible studies, and even children’s stories, which as an artist I also plan to illustrate. And last but not least, you’ll also see a gripping trilogy of fiction. It will be an adventure! There will be something for everyone!

All of my work will always hold true to scripture and glorify God, leading people to Christ and ultimately preparing them for His triumphant return.

For more on published material, please follow me via my Amazon author page. Also, I invite you to visit the STORE to see what is coming next! I will do my best to provide sneak previews of all my work as it unfolds. Please note that release dates are always subject to change.

Social Media, Sharing & Subscriptions

Your sharing and subscribing is a vital part to this ministry. It’s very literally what keeps us going. It’s no secret: we are largely dependent upon our audience to forward, share, and circulate our work. We kindly ask that when you find something of interest to you, that you help us by sharing it.

With that said, the manner in which we use social media is about to drastically change, and those changes will be implemented gradually. You’ll begin to see more material more frequently, material of various presentation types, yet within a narrower social media platform. The only exception to this will be LinkedIn, and here’s why:

Although our content is presented on LinkedIn, we are reserving this network for professional use only, and will therefore restrict access to the general public. As such, public viewing will be very limited, and we will be accepting “network connections” specific to the following industries: Christian ministry, writing/publishing, art/design, marketing, and digital media. All profiles desiring a connection will be reviewed prior to any engagement or acceptance. If you are in the industry and desire to connect, please do us the courtesy of introducing yourself, explaining why you desire a connection and your objective. We will also use LinkedIn to both seek and establish professional connections and relationships in the said industries. When we do, we will likewise offer the same courtesy. In summation, we desire to keep our activity on LinkedIn strictly professional.

For those of you who don’t do social media, we understand and respect that choice. If that’s you, we encourage you to subscribe to our blog. There’s no need to be left out of the loop. In this way you’re guaranteed to receive our material, including any updates, and you’ll never miss another post. Every time a post goes live it will hit your email inbox. You can forward and share that email with others so they can read as well. If social media just isn’t your thing, this is an excellent alternative. Read at your leisure. If you should ever wish to cancel your subscription, you may do so at any time — no questions asked — and you’ll be permanently removed from our mailing list. You can review our full posting schedule on our blog page along with our privacy policy and terms and conditions.

This year we will also explore the use of video media, which we have yet to implement. This will be a new avenue for us. We recognize that video media is one of the most powerful — opening up an enormous potential for an expanded reach. In due time, we anticipate using this media on a consistent basis via Vimeo. With that said, please do not anticipate finding us on YouTube. Any video we publish, we desire that it be quality. That requires individuals of expertise, software that enables a production of excellence, and a reliable professional platform that protects our rights and gives us flexibility.  

We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support, and encourage you to keep sharing. Regardless of how you choose to interact with us, we want to kindly remind you that it’s not about us. It’s about Jesus Christ. He is the One we seek to exalt and promote.

Donations

This year we’ll be exploring options for receiving possible donations, which may or may not include obtaining a 501-c3 status. If you’re wondering about why we may need donations, Appointed Time Ministries does much more than writing and publishing quality Christian reading material, which you can discover under our Ministry tab. Our involvement with other ministries requires a worthy investment of time, travel, and expenses. Aside from writing, the demands of ministry have nearly reached a full-time status. Such investments require necessary income through donations.

Unfortunately, the 501-c3 status is not what it used to be. Due to our “politically correct” government, there are now limitations placed upon ministries and non-profits that did not exist before. Many ministries suffer heavy scrutiny, and there are limitations imposed. As many of you may well be aware, the IRS has targeted 501-c3 organizations unjustly, causing financial distress. After diligent research, it has been found that more and more ministries are shying away from government influence or control that is being imposed because of a 501-c3 status. It is our duty to inform you that should we proceed to receive donations apart from obtaining a 501-c3, this means donations would not be tax-deductible and would therefore be reported to the IRS as taxed income.

We have not yet reached a conclusion in this matter. There is a lot to consider in going forward with this decision, which is yet to be determined. I will keep you posted as things progress. Regardless of the decision and its outcome, we desire to remain accountable to the public for our financial stewardship in a biblical manner of excellence.

With regard to income, it’s important to know that published works are paid for by the public, in which they receive a product as a consumer. As a published author, this equates to wages earned which are not tax deductible.

Advocacy Work and Ministry

There is a lot happening this year in the Body of Christ among the Native people and Israel, which is very exciting! 2016 (the Jubilee year) is proving to be a very strategic year! A lot of ministry happens behind the scenes in assisting other ministries, doing advocacy work, networking, and helping them achieve their God-given goals.

My goal is to keep you informed of what God is doing among Native Americans and Israel by sharing events and giving you opportunity to participate and donate. You will find updates on my Newsreel, which can now be conveniently viewed on the sidebar of my blog. Each newsreel page is linked and live. Click on the respective photo/slide and you’ll be linked accordingly.

Events will be posted via my blog on Fridays approximately one month in advance whenever possible. If you have an event you’d like sponsored, it would be my pleasure to help you spread the word and generate support. Just drop me a line.

Stop Texting While Driving — 2016 Campaign

This year Appointed Time Ministries has launched a passionate campaign against texting while driving, which has the potential to save countless innocent lives. When texting while driving you are TWENTY-THREE times more likely to have an accident. You are SIX times more likely to have an accident than while driving drunk. For this reason, some states have illegalized the activity with stiff penalties rivaling those of intoxication. No one would ever condone drinking and driving, yet sober individuals consistently choose to text while driving, endangering and killing themselves as well as others on the road. This senseless activity MUST CEASE. We are posting weekly stories on our campaign page with the hope that people will awaken to the potential dangers this activity causes, and take a pledge to STOP TEXTING WHILE DRIVING.

As an RN I have both seen and treated victims of this trauma firsthand — and still continue to do so today. It’s effects are permanent and devastating, robbing parents of their children, and children of their parents. It’s victims (if not killed) are maimed, paralyzed, or bereft. It’s never just one individual who suffers, but many. I’ve even watched children be awarded to state when parents were killed or unable to care for them. Texting while driving is merciless. It kills. Help us take a stand against it by sharing this message via our campaign page. Every Monday we will upload a new story to this page and post it via social media.

PLEASE, regardless of how rehearsed the message may seem to you, there is someone out there who needs to see it and hear it. We urge you to take the pledge, share the page, and help stop texting while driving. STOP TEXTING, SHARE THE MESSAGE, AND SAVE A LIFE!

For those of you who do not practice texting while driving, we thank you and applaud you. You’ve saved a life. Please save countless more by sharing this message.

In closing, I again want to thank you all for your support, prayers, and involvement. You’re the reason I’m here, and God is doing great things! Contact me anytime. We always welcome your feedback. I’d love to hear from you, and God bless you all!

Cheers & Shalom,

For more information on interviews, networking, and guest posts, please see our SERVICES page. To share your story for our 2016 campaign against texting while driving, please contact me directly. Thank you!