Have you ever had a great idea, acted on it, and failed big time – because you missed an important step?
I did – AGAIN!
This is what happened. I learned in my writing course that I should blog portions of my book and let you, my subscribers, respond. That way I would learn if I am meeting your needs and being relevant. I was so excited when you “joined the conversation.” This is what we talked about:
- Count It All Joy – February 17, 2020
- Where to Acquire True Wisdom – February 24, 2020
- When Trouble Comes – March 2, 2020
- Why God Won’t Answer – March 10, 2020
Then one day I asked a subscriber,
“How are you enjoying our study of the Book of James?”
“Huh?” she asked, “what are you talking about?”
“You have been responding to my weekly blogs. We have been studying the Book of James.”
“I didn’t know that. I just like the blogs. They cause me to think about my walk with God.”
I did not know how to feel. I asked another subscriber, and then a third. None of them knew we were working our way through the Book of James. I had made a major mistake as a writer. I assumed because most of my subscribers are Christians, they would realize what we were doing because they knew the Bible. Wrong!
A good writer/ teacher/preacher knows that she must specify what will be taught, why it will be taught, and what the reader/student will receive from the teaching. With your permission let me rectify the situation.
Dear Subscriber,
Please join me as I share how the Book of James is as relevant today as it was when it was written over 2,000 year ago. James, the brother of Jesus, addressed the needs of God’s people while they were under extreme stress and duress, just as today. The Book of James is the perfect victorious living instruction book for such a time as this. If you want infallible action plans for overcoming the cares of this world, will you join me in a study of the Book of James. Leave your comment at the end of this blog. Thank you.
Dr. Dorothy J. Haire
Bridging Bible and Real Life
Stick with me, Dear Subscriber. With your input (reading and responding to the weekly blogs), I am writing better week by week. Together we will produce a book that will train people to reign over the cares of this old world, no matter how bad things get. As always, I ask if you will join the conversation. Much Love.
Dr. Haire, thank you for your transparency! Even though I fail to respond to each blog I am a consistent reader. I have been blessed and challenged to self evaluation from the previous blogs and I am looking forward to the future.
Thank you for sharing that you do read them. I am excited that you are willing to move forward with me.
Thank you for the reminder, looking for more of your writing, The Coronavisus allow me the time to read and reflecting.
Amber, the Coronavirus has slowed me down also. My children have forbidden me to leave home. It is a blessing to be home. I am reading, writing, cooking, and catching up on my things-to-do-in-the-house list. All things are working together for my good. Glad you have more time to read and reflect.
Dr. Haire,
This truly shows that you are not just writing a blog but your concern for your subscribers is amazing. Most want numbers but you are concerned if we get an understanding/ newfound knowledge from your writings. I will do better in commenting because your transparency is invaluable.
Angel C, I am excited that you are one of my subscribers. You are the epitome of “caring”, so I receive your assessment with a smile in my heart.
Dr. Haire,
I’m looking forward to continuing reading and responding to your blog. Learning to live a victorious life thru these testing times we need to stay in God’s word.
Dr. Haire, keep on getting better and better, the reward is great!
Thank you, Judy.
It would be most helpful if you would include the weekly topic (Scripture at least) in the subject line of your email. When I see a message that has (no subject), it does not invite, nor excite me about opening the document. I get over 100 messages a day and 80% of them are unwanted. Without a subject, your message gives the appearance of one of those unwanted SPAM messages. That simple addition will help your readers keep up with the lessons. Even if they are not able to read it immediately, they may start a file and with a subject, they can easily select the one they want to read or one they may have missed.
Thank you for caring enough to give me this valuable advice. I will be sure to add the topic to the subject bar in the future.
Dr. Haire! God is so good! I started reading James yesterday and finished it early this AM. I did not know it was on the Study List! I thank The Holy Spirit for direction and I also thank you for your continuous efforts to help me!
Many blessings to you, Ann. The Holy Spirit is awesome, isn’t He!
Dr. Haire thank you for your transparency. Your blogs are always inspiring, informative, challenging and a blessing to read. I have been negligent in responding to the ones that I have read, but my intent is to do better with the Book of James.
Ola Harris, we have studied the Book of James several times over the years. Now that we are older, we will appreciate its value even the more. Thank you for taking the journey with me again, my friend.
Dr Haire,
I love reading your blogs. I often find myself so busy running like crazy. Reading your blog is part of my morning prep or evening wind down time. The message is always timely. You inspire me to study the word and to take time
for me.
Jennifer, I am excited to hear that the blogs are timely and inspiring. I am glad you are studying the Book of James with me.
Thank you, i look forward to reading, being insired and challenge in a good way, i am forever learning, James is an excellent biok. Continued blessings.
Continued blessings to you also.
I gotta do better
LOL. Me too.
Heyyyy Dr Haire we all miss major points in this thing called life and have to go back and start over but it’s ok. We are hear to learn and grow. You’re doing amazing…. keep pushing! Love you
Love you too, Toby. And yes, I am going to keep pushing. Thank you for the encouragement.
I love your blogs as well as your teaching. They are always so relatives. You are doing amazing! I glean from you. Love you!!!
Deborah, the Book of James is so relevant for today. I am glad you are being blessed by it. I love you too.
Whenever I read your blogs I’m always blessed. You are an excellent teacher and these bless my soul. I would like to do better in different areas of my life as well.
I am so glad you are blessed. You being a subscriber blesses me.
I read the blog on today thanks for sharing and uplifting.
I thank you for being a subscriber.
Hello Dorothy. I don’t always see my response on your blog but I have responded to everyone I read and I don’t think I missed any. Let me know if you are getting them. Regarding James, I look forward to journeying with you to get your perspective.
Stephanie, for protection, my amazing webmaster makes sure no comment appears on my website until approved. Go back after a day or so and you will see your comment and my response to it. Thank you for joining the conversation.
Dr. Haire, I enjoyed the reading, It was a good reminder of the what and why principles of writing. You’re right, assumption can be made of our audience. I will remember to be specify.
Vivian, my subscribers are making me a better writer. I appreciate it.
James it is. The blogs I have read are good. Did not know James was being studied. With the shelter at home order, I have more time to catch up on Emails. I have a bunch. Will try to do better.❤
Thanks, Peggy Monroe for being a subscriber. I am excited that you are going to study James with me.
Dr. Haire, thank you for putting such valuable time and study towards helping us become better Christians through the study of His Word.
Thank you, my Sister, for joining the conversation. I appreciate it.
Dr. Haire, thank you so much for this blog. I would like to comment on missing steps. Often times we tend to major on minor details of life and fail to pay close attention to the big ones. For example, a mother (father) (tries) makes sure that everything is done for her family from cooking to cleaning and everything in between. However, what she may fail to do the most important thing which is praying for or with her family. I feel that we all have to be careful about our OOPS because we all miss-steps. Just as you apologize to us as your readers, at this moment, I feel like I need to apologize to God and others for my daily miss-steps. I am getting better at my steps-but it is a part of the learning process.
Furthermore, this blog is a great reminder to us who teach or preach the Gospel. I seldom hear speakers mention what they are going to talk about or even how to apply the word in which they are speaking. May this be a lesson for us all.
Thank you, Lady Kinney for your reminding us that we ALL are learning daily.
Thank you, Dr. Haire, for your transparency and willingness to model humility. After going back and looking at the previous blogs, it’s obvious that you were walking us through James. For people like me, who haven’t always been consistent in reading them, it sometimes takes a statement like “As we continue in James” for me to get it. I think your statement above does a really good job of getting ALL of us on the same page. Thank you for the insight you bring with each blog. I appreciate you and will be better about reading AND responding during this quarantine.
DJ Sterling. I am so excited that you are going to study James with me. It is an excellent book for daily living. You will not be disappointed. I am looking forward to reading your comments.
I also thank you for your transparency in the subject matters regarding the blogs. I was not reading them in conjunction with one another but as each one independently. I will now proceed in the future with the Book of James in mind. Much success as you move forward with you book.
Thank you, Linda.
Thank you Dr. Haire for the invitation and reminder to read your blog. I can’t count the times I thought all my ducks were in a row only to find out they were not. Thank God He helps with that too. Thank you for being inspiring and transparent. I’m looking forward to being apart of the conversation.
Veletta, I am looking forward to you being a part of the conversation also.