World Blog Tour by Martin Wiles

What am I working on?

As part-time Minister of Education at the church my wife and I attend, I write the curriculum for two Sunday evening children’s classes. When I’m not working on this, I’m daily posting to my blog. Currently, I’m writing a series entitled: “Hey God…I Have a Question.” Additionally, I edit articles for Common Ground Herald newspaper in Kingsport, Tennessee. I also post weekly to the following blogs: Faith Writers, Christian Writers, and Christian.org.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

As a lifelong Southerner, the devotions in my three books—Morning by Morning, Morning Serenity, and Grits & Grace & God, are written with a Southern twist. They are down to earth, practical, and packed with practical application and personal stories. 

My blog is filled with devotions that follow the above format. They aren’t heavy, but they can easily lead the reader into a deeper study of God’s Word if they desire. All devotions follow a 400 or less word count, so they can easily be read in a short time frame. 

Why do I write what I do?

My first and foremost desire is to see all my readers enter a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. But I don’t want them to stop there. I write trusting the devotions will lead the reader on a spiritual pilgrimage that will enable them to grow and mature in their faith. Many of my devotions touch on the tough areas of life. Through my personal stories, I hope that readers can be inspired to lean on God in the good and in the tough times.

How does my writing process work?

I write in the early morning hours as soon as I finish my breakfast of champions: Chocolate Pop Tarts. The seeds from which my devotions grow have germinated in my mind for days…perhaps weeks. When I sit to write, I merely put down what has been circulating in my mind. After writing from the heart, I edit, edit, and edit some more. I pen five devotions per week, taking the weekends off for reflection and to let my mind rest.

CONNECT WITH INSIGHTFUL CHRISTIAN BLOGGERS 

Thanks to  Denise Loock for inviting me to participate in this World Blog Tour. Denise is a freelance writer, editor, and speaker. She’s the author of two devotional books, Open Your Hymnal and Open Your Hymnal Again, and the founder of Dig Deeper Devotions, a website dedicated to encouraging and enabling Christians to dig deeper into God’s Word. She's also the editor of The Journey Christian Newspaper, which has an online and print readership of 60,000+ and a book editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She loves all things Tolkien and Lewis, the endless antics of her cats, and long walks around Lake Junaluska.