Ministry Spotlight : Down Under With Deb

This week's interview is with Deborah Porter from FaithWriters.com. She lives Down Under... in Australia!

Shirley : Deb, tell us a little about yourself and your family.

Deb : Well, I just turned 48 (the countdown to 50 is well and truly underway), and I've been married to Steve for 26 years. We have two adult children and a dear little miniature Fox Terrier. We live on the western outskirts of the Sydney metropolitan area, right at the base of the beautiful Blue Mountains.

I do the admin for our garden maintenance business as well as the work I do for FaithWriters and my own business, Finesse Writing and Editing Service. I'm about to start a publishing service as well, Breath of Fresh Air Press, which is a perfect fit with FaithWriters and Finesse. I also have a one hour program each week on a Western Sydney radio station, so it all keeps me very busy. I've been incredibly blessed by the way God has opened doors at just the right time.

Most important of all, I've been a Christian for 25 years and truly do live each day knowing that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength - and through His strength alone. He is my rock and my reason for everything.

Shirley : That's so awesome. Tell us about what it's like to live Down Under!

Deb : They call Australia "The Lucky Country," but I prefer to think of it as incredibly blessed. It's a country rich in resources and opportunities for anyone willing to have a go. Aussies are, by nature, very laid back and easy going about most things. When we're asked to do something, the most common response is "No worries." This laid back attitude is not always so great though,

particularly when it comes to matters of faith. Although Australia is perceived as a Christian country, the reality is that the number of actively professing Christians is very small. We're yet to see a real awakening in the hearts of the people of this nation, but we hold on to the name given to Australia about one hundred years before it was discovered, Terra Australis del Espiritu Sants, which translated means, The Great South Land of the Holy Spirit." One day...

Overall, though, what can I say? Great climate, abundance of food, unique animals, gorgeous scenery, and the freedom to enjoy it all. It was a great place to grow up, and it's been a great home for our family.

Shirley : It sounds absolutely wondrous! I would love to visit one day. You've visited the US before... what are some differences?

Deb : You know, it's the strangest of things... although there are some differences, I felt so at home. I love the US and the people. For the most part the differences were delightful. I was like a little girl getting all excited over the simple things like lightning bugs, fire hydrants (we don't have ones above the ground over here), and flags hanging from clapboard houses in small towns. That everyday sense of pride is something I'm only just starting to see develop in Australia now. It's precious and should be treasured.

For all the differences, I've discovered that no matter where you are, people are people - particularly brothers and sisters in Christ. The connection is instant and transcends culture, accents, and skin color. It's something you really don't comprehend until you spend time out of your comfort zone. For me, I was blessed to discover my comfort zone actually traveled with me.

Shirley : I love this thought... our "comfort zone" travels with us. I can see that is true with God being our comfort zone as well! Very cool. By the way... I hear rumors about you coming for another visit soon?

Deb : Those rumors are very true, and I can't wait! In fact, I'm making two trips to the US in 2009 and, once again, they're a mixture of business and pleasure. My husband and I are traveling to New York in May to attend a conference for publishers, and then I'll be back in August for the FaithWriters US conference in Detroit.

Shirley : Tell us what you envision for FaithWriters and what changes are coming.

Deb : One of the not-too-distant future plans regarding the Weekly Challenge is to start a ratings feedback service for members so they can see the specific strengths and weaknesses of their entries based on the judges ratings. Although the weekly Writing Challenge has developed into a type of contest, the heart of the Challenge is not a contest at all. It's a personal challenge for each member to write to topic, word-count, and deadline each week. It's an excellent discipline, but the difference it can make to a writer's confidence is quite amazing.

As I mentioned earlier. another main goal is to get Breath of Fresh Air Press up and running this year.- the sooner the better. This will really turn FaithWriters into a full service writers site.

Shirley : Wow... that's so exciting! I can't wait to see how it all pans out. You said you are indeed coming to the US for the FaithWriters conference... tell us more about that.

Deb : A FaithWriters conference isn't your average writers' conference. It's like a huge family reunion that's all about encouragement, information, and inspiration from fellow FaithWriters sharing wisdom and knowledge from various fields of writing.

I'll be taking a session or two, as well as providing some special critiquing sessions for interested members. We'll also be providing book table once again for conference attendees to sell their books. That was a great success last time.

The US conference will be held on August 7th and 8th at the Radisson Hotel in Livonia, Michigan, and I am really looking forward to seeing old friends and new.

Shirley : I HOPE I can make it! I would love to meet you and all of the Faithwriters. I love the idea of buying my friends' books at the Conference. In the meantime... how do I get to read some of the FaithWriters short stories?

Deb : One thing FaithWriters isn't short on and that's reading material.

For offline reading there are the FaithWriters' anthologies. These books are absolute gems, comprising all the winning entries from our weekly Writing Challenge every quarter. They make wonderful reading and excellent gifts. There's something for everyone in every book.

For on-line reading there are the General Articles, full to overflowing with stories, poems, reviews, devotions, etc. You could start reading today and never finish everything in the FaithWriters' archives (well over 135,00 articles!) Click here to see the 200 most recent submissions. With over 41,000 members, the list of articles on this page is constantly changing.

In addition, there are all the entries in the Weekly Challenge.

We also have the Free Reprint Section for people looking for materials for church newsletters, ezines, magazines, sermons, etc.

Last of all FaithWriters has two sister sites, FaithReaders and FaithWriters for Kids.

Shirley : What are the benefits of being a Faithwriters 500 member instead of just entering the Weekly Challenge and visiting the message boards?

Deb : We love blessing people and that's why we love giving back to the people who give to FaithWriters. There are so many benefits of being a 500 member. For starters, all of the add-on services at FaithWriters (for example... Private Messenger Service, FaithWriters.net email account, and EZ Site Portfolio Builder) are free to 500 members.

Then there's a 17% discount for all editing and manuscript assessment from my editing service, Finesse. There is also a 5% discount from a Christian self-publishing company. These savings alone make 500 membership worth the price.

All that together with the brilliant weekly articles for writers by Glenn Hascall, free listing of e-books in the FaithWriters E-book store, opportunities to have your work showcased at FaithWriters, free advertising in the FaithWriters Writers' Marketplace, and generous discounts on subscriptions to the Writer's Digest. Being a 500 member really is an excellent investment.

But that's not all. I mentioned our Page Turner contest earlier and that really is the icing on the cake for 500 members. We alternate between fiction and non-fiction each year and it is the perfect opportunity for members to finally start working on that book they've been thinking about. The prize for our Page Turner Champion is definitely worth winning.

Honestly... the FaithWriters 500 members are the backbone of FaithWriters. Without their support we would not be able to provide the service we do to out members. The 500 keep FaithWriters alive and their financial commitment is greatly appreciated. But that really is the heart of FaithWriters - people helping one another to become everything God created them to be.

Shirley : You are so passionate about FaithWriters! Why is it such a part of your heart?

Deb : There are so many thing that make working with FaithWriters special. Scott Lindsay has always had a great heart for the members and for God and that attitude has made FaithWriters what it is today. I share that same heart and I believe our attitudes flow down through the members.

I love seeing the transformation of writers during their time at FaithWriters. Over the years I've seen the rawest of talent take that first very tentative step by sharing their writing publicly, and then watched them grow into very accomplished writers. Seeing people step into the call God has on their lives and start to believe in their God-given potential is incredibly satisfying for me. If I've been able to help them in even the smallest way, then it's all worthwhile.

Shirley : Thank you, Deb, for taking the time to share your heart with us. I know that you are deeply cherished by all of us at FaithWriters and you have our gratefulness. I have grown so much through FaithWriters and I hope to see all of our readers come by and see what it's all about.