Lots of Emails

There are 7 emails in the GGFG inbox. Last week there were 97. That's a lot of emails to take care of!
My goal is to keep it at 10 or under for the rest of the year - at least until my big move in December.

But keep sending the articles, GGFG writers!
Keep sending the Hard Q's, GGFG readers!
Keep joining the forums, guests!
Keep sending in Star of the Month requests, Kidtalk blurbs, and links via the forms!

My tote bag and t-shirt

I've really enjoyed using my GGFG tote bag for the last year! I got it off of our Cafe Press store, along with a t-shirt, which I wear almost every week at least once! Currently we have a contest to give everyone who helps us spread the word about the site and book a chance to win a shirt - www.godlygirlsforgod.com/mediakit.html

Or you can purchase directly from the store!

http://www.cafepress.com/godlygirlsforgod?utm_medium=cp_social

Did I hear a rumor?

There's a rumor that a book # 2 project has begun. Just a rumor... if it happens, it might contain more devotionals, poems, and real life stories. It might involve girls 11-25 years old. It might be very encouraging, and we hope it will glorify God! It might take 2 years, though, just get a draft... so don't get too anxious... :)

Tell us what you'd like to see in a potential second book, below!

Livy Jarmusch Interview coming soon!

Coming soon - an interview of Livy Jarmusch!
Livy has her own site, and has written a guest article for our site before, and now she's written an e-book, as well! We thought it was time to see what she was up to in a more in-depth manner.

So be on the lookout for her interview!

Current Writers / GGBios

Currently we are working on remodeling the GGBios page(s). We're separating the current writer bios and adding them to the page where the current writers have been listed.

This is a great time for this... because we have around 33 current writers! We appreciate your patience and feedback!

www.godlygirlsforgod.com/ggbios.html
www.godlygirlsforgod.com/currentwriters.html

Virtual Book Tour starts Monday! Write for Him: The Story of GGFG

Write for Him: The Story of GGFG Virtual Book Tour Dates - www.amzn.com/1300504730

We will add more as they are scheduled!

July 29th
Doorkeeper
Renee Ann Smith
http://reneeannsmith.com/

July 30th
Booklovers1
Johanna Schlag
http://booklovers1.wordpress.com/

August 1st
Blessed Beyond Measure
Jana Vos
http://blessedbeyondmeasure3.wordpress.com/

NEW! August 6th
Tiffany Dawn
http://tiffanydawn.wordpress.com/
www.tiffany-dawn.net

August 7th
My Freshly Brewed Life
Barbie Swihart
http://myfreshlybrewedlife.com/

NEW! Aug 13th
Heart Reflected
http://www.heartreflected.com/ 
Salina

The Different Aspects of Editing

My first read-through is always about "the obvious stuff."

• Spelling
• Grammar 
• Punctuation
• Usage of they're/their/there, it's/its, etc.
• Capitalization
• Overall flow

Then, there's the not so obvious issues.

• Biblical accuracy (Both in referencing and in context)
  
• Citations and credits ("A famous person once said," should be, "Martin Luther once said.")
• Audience appropriateness (We don't go into details about graphic accidents, for example.)

The first issues are sometimes corrected and not sent back to the author before we post. It depends on how many changes are made. The second issues are always addressed - even if it delays the article for a week. That's how we edit GGFG's writer's articles!

Continuing Stories and Short Stories

The Continuing Stories page and the Short Stories page are both up now! After almost 8 months of "Coming Soon," I'm so glad I got to hand that off to Megan and she (to my embarrassment) got them up in just a day. One more step is complete toward making our site feeling more like it did for the past nine years!

Do you write stories? Please feel free to submit yours today! godlygirls@yahoo.com

Continuing Stories:
http://www.godlygirlsforgod.com/continuingstories.html

Short Stories:
http://www.godlygirlsforgod.com/shortstories.html

New Staff Member!

There are 3 people I consider to be "on staff" with GGFG.
Most of you know, I've been managing this site since I was 15. So who are the other two?

A few months back, I made Rebecca U. of Canada admin over the forums. She has as much access as I do, and I have never had to worry about the safety of the forums since I have had her in charge. There are some great moderators, and I felt to truly "give it up" I needed one of them to lead the rest. She's done a great job, and creates new topics / monitors current trends really well. She's also a current writer.

Just this week, Megan H. of the USA has gone through all of the training I've ever prepared before. As one of the faithful site writers, an active moderator, and having participated in heavily marketing the book recently, I have seen a lot of her character, and consider her a responsible and skilled person. I'm looking forward to having someone else who can post! She's already accomplished a lot even while just in training!

So, two Americans and a Canadian are on staff. Two teens and one adult. Three ladies of one faith, serving ladies from at least 15 other countries and so many different ages... by the power and grace of our one, true God. I am always thankful for the opportunities presented by ministering through GGFG!

GGFG Articles

GGFG articles are emailed in by GGFG Site Writers, and occasionally guests. These articles can be devotionals, short stories, quizzes, poems, real stories (called Stories of Life), short biographies, and longer stories (Continuing Stories).

GGFG articles are all screened and edited before they are posted. Posting occurs Fridays - usually we have 3 articles a week. Writers are encouraged to use correct grammar and spelling, accuracy in quotations, and good judgement in audience appropriateness.

These articles may be sent in any time, and are held for the next available slot in the schedule. Sometimes we are weeks ahead, and other times we "run out" of articles and only have enough for that particular week. But God constantly brings more and more fresh writers to our Webzine who are willing to share about what God is doing and has done in their lives!

GGFG Site Writers

GGFG Site Writers are volunteers just like you. Well, I don't know if everyone reading this is a female, but seriously, GGFG Writers aren't typically famous. They are normal, every day ladies who choose to take the time out from school, family life, friends, etc. to write about what God is doing in their lives.

Currently GGFG has about 30 Site Writers. They represent countries like Australia, Canada, Ghana, Kenya,  Mexico, Zimbabwe, and many states in the USA.

These girls are ages 10-25.

Read more: htpp://www.godlygirlsforgod.com/ggbios.html

Get our book: http://www.amzn.com/1300504730

Fundraiser Events

Do you have a special cause? Request a fundraiser campaign starter!

We'll send you a form, discuss the amount per book your cause will keep, and the start and end dates. When the fundraiser time is over, you'll keep the amount up front, and just send in the rest that covers the book expense / shipping costs. Your books will be on their way at that time, ready for you to distribute in a matter of days.

That gets our name out there, and helps you with going on mission trips, supporting ministries, helping families, or whatever you do!

Answered some questions

Hillary Beth Koenig - founder / editor of "Write for Him: The Story of GGFG" www.amzn.com/1300504730

When did you start writing in general?
As a very young child; in kindergarten, I started a journal that my mother encouraged me to write daily, and I stuck with it through my teen years.

When did you start writing for GGFG?
We started GGFG in 2004, so I was 14. I was 15 by the time it really took off as a Webzine.

How have your experiences influenced your writing?
I loved the quiet mysteries of our backyard in Florida, and was often inspired to write because of those moments I felt God was near. I loved listening to radio sermons at age 12, especially those by Charles Stanley. He was a comfort to me through some very trying times in my family, as my parents dealt with some very hard things with my sister. I was, at times, very depressed as a teenager, and could not think clearly. Writing helped. I would even write out my prayers sometimes. Then, going to several different colleges taught me a lot about writing itself; some teachers challenged me and put me down, which strengthened my resolve, and others both challenged and encouraged me.

What has God taught you through writing? Do you have a favorite part of this book?
God has taught me that He is working all over the world in hearts, and that we are far more alike than we realize as true believers in Jesus. It was reinforced to me that we are not alone, and that we can find others going through very similar things; Satan's biggest lie is that no one else could possibly understand me. It isolates us in a way that makes it hard for us to open ourselves up to God, and others in healthy ways.

My favorite parts of this book is where you see the Gospel changing lives... and the sweet innocence of pure faith in God.

How does writing help you? What would you like to accomplish by writing?
Writing helps me focus on God. I want to make sure every girl knows that they are not too young to serve the Lord, and are not alone serving Him, no matter what their family, school, or other life situation.

What does the butterfly symbolism in the book's graphics mean to you?The butterfly represents new life in Christ, and has been our mascot all along. The purple is for royalty usually; it reminds me that we are called to become more like our King, Jesus. The world on the cover reminds me of the many countries represented within GGFG. Our faith in Jesus unites us in an absolutely amazing way. And the hands remind me that God is holding us all. Kristy Adair did an amazing job capturing the heart of GGFG!

When did you decide to start the book?
I was backing up a copy of the book on my computer. I felt like God was telling me it was time to try. It had been in the back of my mind... I turned to my husband and said, "I'm going to write a book." It was November 2011. May 1st, 2013 I not only held my first box of books in my hands, but I got to show them off at my AWANA club!

Will you be doing more book projects?
As I tell the girls... if this one sells well, yes. So far, it's been a little slow to get the word out. I will follow God's lead on this.
What's your favorite page on GGFG?
I have always been madly in love with the Hard Q's page, because I love having a safe place to ask questions.
I always loved the devotionals page, too, which holds the majority of our articles.

Do you prefer any type of writing over another?
I find it easier to write the Hard Q's and devotionals, but I do write stories and plays as well.

What encouragement would you like to give to other writers?

Write daily - or at least often. Read a lot. Don't be ashamed to let others read your work. Take criticism in stride. Only you can say what you have to say... God has put you in the situations in your life so you can glorify Him, and encourage others. Don't keep things to yourself just because you are afraid. God can do great things through you if you are willing!

1 Timothy 4:12
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

Writing Tips on social media

Lately I have been posting writing tips on Facebook and Twitter. I think the next one is tip #17. 

These are things that come to mind when I think about editing that I have done at the writing center of my college, for friends, and of course for my Ggfg girls! We are a thriving community of ladies with lots to say about our faith, and I like to make sure those things are said clearly and presented well!

I've always wanted to host writing workshops to help people improve even more, but so far that hasn't happened. I tried to start one last summer, but only had limited interest that never came through.

If you would be interested in such a workshop in the future, let me know below!

New Contest on GGFG

Currently we have a contest going on that provides Ggfg shirts as rewards for promoting "Write for Him: The Story of Ggfg" on social media sites and sites that promote or sell books.

Different points are awarded for reviewing the book, posting about it on Facebook or Twitter, or even sharing it on Instagram or Pinterest.

To join the contest, go to: http://www.godlygirlsforgod.com/mediakit.html

 

What made it in, and why

One of the hardest things for me to decide was what to attempt to include. Devotionals, fiction stories, testimonies, Hard Q's, quizzes, a history of GGFG... we had always been quite diverse in our posts, so I had a hard time narrowing this down. At one point we had 50 active pages on our Web site!

I wanted to show off different authors, on different subjects. I wanted to show that no one was too young to serve God by sharing what God's done in their lives:

"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

I wanted to dismiss what I call the # 1 lie girls believe - "You are alone; no one else has ever gone through what you are going through." 

I wanted to show what God has done in the lives of girls of all different backgrounds, in different places, to encourage girls that God is way bigger than themselves.

I remember one of the first times I looked a friend in the eye and said, "You think you're the only one who has to deal with that family issue? You don't even know my story. We are more the same than you think, and I'm here for you. I'll listen, I'm here for you, and I do understand!" We might have slightly different stories, but a lot of the same feelings, temptations, and struggles occurred in each of our lives. God could use us to encourage each other - there was a reason we were in each others' lives!

That is what happens online, a lot. People finally open up, and people realize they aren't the only one, and that others have overcome even more than they have to overcome. They realize that they aren't the only girl who's ever struggled with self-harm since the beginning of all time. They aren't the only girl who's struggled with an addiction to pornography. They aren't the only one who's lost someone, who's been bullied, who has a hard time with pressure about grades, who feels alone... and God sees it all. God didn't leave people to struggle on their own; He has a plan of redemption.

So the stories in this book show us some of those stories of redemption taking place, in real lives, and this inspires real hope. Our prayer over every writer for GGFG: "May God use your words to encourage others and bring them to Him, and to glorify God."

Second Book Event September

Last week I booked my 2nd event - a book signing September of this year at a church! I was very nervous because I wasn't sure how to arrange this, but God had already arranged everything. 

God often has given me a boost of confidence when I fully rely on Him. It is easy to worry and become discouraged. As Charles Stanley says,"Obey God and leave the consequences to him!"

Another time in this process that I was very indecisive and unorganized was in how I went about seeking a book designer. When I asked Kristy Adair, I had no idea what a perfect fit she was for this project! Her design with the butterfly, world, and hands was perfect symbolism for our ministry, as it is international, it is in God's hands, and each girl is united by her new life in Christ, which is what butterflies often symbolize for Christians. The purples used mad the book lovely and appealing to my audience of 11-24 year olds.

That had nothing to do with me. That was purely Kristy's talent, and God's inspiration to her as she designed.

I'm excited about further opportunities to share the gospel through the testimonies of God's love, faith, and hope in this book. I hope that when I leave Greenville, I've left with the knowledge that I've impacted many girls for Christ!

http://www.amzn.com/1300504730

First Book Event - June 15th

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

In November of 2011, I started saving some files to "back up" my Web site again - www.godlygirlsforgod.com - and I got an idea. 

I have lots of ideas, but it's rare that I finish most of them. It's truly God's will that drives them to the finish line when it does finally happen. GGFG was an idea itself that has lasted - started 9 years ago, we really could have been just another made by girls, for girls site that faded after 6 months... but we weren't. We have had ups and downs, but there's always that one email that comes in asking for advice that keeps me committed to making GGFG one of the best places for girls to go online for encouragement in their walk with God. So, that may have made my new idea less crazy. I turned to my husband and said, "I'm going to publish a book."

Holding it in my hands in April 2013, I thought back through the last year and a half. I had edited, and edited, and edited... I had recruited others who edited. I had re-written my introduction a million times, and didn't like half of what I'd said. It seemed messy, disorganized, and utterly impossible.

I will share more about that journey in this blog. But for now, I'd like to share one more idea: I wanted to get 20 books into the hands of the girls at a local group home, Pendleton Place. I didn't have the funds for that. One week and a half after that idea, 5 people made it possible. Now on June 15th, I'll get to give these books to these girls. I am still dancing around every time I think about how God has provided! I'm going to be able to speak to them briefly. This is my first speaking engagement, if you will - I've spoken to a youth group, I've spoken to young adults in Cru Bible studies, but this is new to me. I am excited to share what God's done in my life with these young ladies!!!

Have you gotten your copy of "Write for Him:The Story of GGFG," yet? Check it out on Amazon:
http://amzn.com/1300504730