Interviews! Interviews with missionaries, writers, singers, and other members of the body of Christ- including you!
Happy February!
As everyone is celebrating love and everything is covered in pink and red, we wanted to take this month to talk all things singleness.
We have a short story, poem, book review, and a bunch more waiting for you. Not to mention an interview with the debut author Sarah Grace Grzy, which you don’t want to miss.
Enjoy!
Happy fall! This month we tackle the topic of surrender, as well as share some new favorite Christina songs, and an interview with an accomplished Christian indie author about her new book. Enjoy!
Yesterday was the first day in summer! And Ainsley’s 17th birthday (make sure to comment happy birthday to her! 😉 ). How are all of our wonderful readers doing? Well, I hope.
Today we have an awesome (If I do say so myself) magazine for you to enjoy! The theme is summer, and we had some fun with summer art inpsirtaion, summer activities you can do, and we even tackle the importance or clearing your conscience and how to properly apologize. Also, we were delighted to be apart of Kate Willis’s blog tour for her new book Kiera a Christian dystopian novel. So make sure you don’t miss that! She’s also doing an awesome giveaway.
Welcome to November! The weather is finally cooling off (I’m told it snowing in some states already?), the holidays are just around the corner, and it’s a great time to address a topic that every human being deals with: fear. Maybe you’re afraid of spiders, maybe it’s the unknown, or snakes, or heights, or failure, or isolation, or fill-in-the-blank. Read on for more!
Wow! I can’t believe it’s already July. How have you been? What have you been up to? Well, for us here at Th!nk, we’ve been busy celebrating our 4th year anniversary and putting a lot of work into this edition! We hope you enjoy it!
This month’s theme is on having a heavenly perspective. We can often get caught up in the things of the world, but we need to realize that those things will fade away. The only thing that truly matters is our relationship with Jesus. When having a heavenly perspective, we focus our attention on our future in heaven. Read on to see how in more practical ways!
Happy Summer!!! (Ahem, June.) We hope you’ve had an awesome month, and that this next one is better since school is out!!!!! *happy sigh* What’s your story? No, I’m serious, I do actually want to know :). Sometimes our stories feel boring, unimportant, or hard to tell. Sometimes we feel self-conscience or reluctant. But the thing is our stories -our testimonies- are very important! They hold so much power!
….but we’ll get more into that in a minute, just scroll down! You’ll also find a special interview with author C.B. Cook, and *whispers conspiratorially* her newest cover reveal!!!!! *confetti* So without further ado I present to you this month’s magazine!
Happy May! Yay! School’s almost over! 🙂 We hope here at Th!nk that you had a wonderful- no, fabulous month! This month we are diving into the topics of purpose and identity! Definitely something everyone can relate to, right?
In addition to lots on that, enjoy a wonderful interview with Tricia Mingerink, a review of her latest book , and a tasty recipe for some healthy muffins!
Tricia Mingerink is the author of the awesome Christian fantasy series the Blades of Acktar! She is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn’t writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country. With that, I’ll leave you to enjoy this interview!
What inspired you to write the Blades of Acktar?
It was a combination of experiences I had at a secular university and researching my own family history during WWII in the Netherlands. That, and I just one day woke up with this image of a dark room with black-clad men sitting around a table. I knew one of them was Third Blade Leith Torren and he didn’t want to be there. The rest of the story came from there.
Do you have a favorite character in your books?
I love all of them, and it is really hard to choose. I think Leith is my favorite by a tiny bit, probably because the whole series started with him.
What is the most important piece of advice you would give your fifteen-year-old self about faith?
It might not look like it now, but God does work all things for good. It might take years, even decades, for that good to be revealed, but it will come. As a fifteen-year-old, I was struggling through some difficult things. In the end, those things strengthened my faith, changing it from a child’s faith to young adult’s faith, and now those difficult things are what I look back on as a reminder that God can and does provide His grace when I need it.
Aside from writing, what are some of your other passions?
Reading, camping, hiking, and currently renovating my 100-year-old farmhouse.
What is your favorite Bible verse, and why?
As you could probably tell from my previous answer about faith, it is Romans 8:28.
Thanks, Tricia!
Did you enjoy that interview? Then I’d suggest hopping over an enjoying her newest book, released April 25th! You can also find Tricia on Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, Twitter, Instagram, and her blog.
Spring is almost here! Welcome to March! 🙂 This month we have a lot of fun put together for you, from crafts, recipes, an interview, a new author, and more! Needless to say, over here at Th!nk, we are very excited to share this month’s magazine with you. The theme is two-fold: holiness, and also what it means to be Christ’s bride. Both of which are very important in every area of our lives. We have this very special gift: as God’s church we are also His bride. We are pure, holy, cleansed, and sparklingly beautiful! Even if we were completely filthy before.
Chuck Black is the author of many books, some of which include the Kingdom series, the Knights of Arrethtrae, and the recent Wars of the Realm series which we reviewed for you a few months ago. He is the father of six, and he began writing to… well, we will let him tell you! 🙂
When did you start writing books and stories and what inspired them?
I began writing in 1999. The first book I wrote was Kingdom’s Edge. I wanted to find a unique method to inspire my children to understand spiritual warfare and to help them fully grasp the significance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
What inspired you to write based off of the Bible?
The greatest story ever told is the story of Jesus Christ. Every other story is a mere shadow of this epic tale. It contains all of the elements of a great story…heroes, villains, good, evil, loss, hope, defeat and victory. The Bible itself inspired me to focus my writing on it. I also wanted my writing to inspire young people to accomplish great things for the Lord and His kingdom.
Is it hard using the Bible as the foundation for fictional stories?
No, actually it was quite easy, especially since my work is allegorical. The structure for my stories was already in place.
Are there any other written materials that you find yourself going back to for inspiration or information other than the Bible?
I did a lot of reading earlier in my life. Many of those books inspired me. Unfortunately my time for reading, other than the Bible, has diminished greatly.
Which series that you’ve written is your favorite?
This is a very difficult question to answer because each series is so unique and different from the others. I think the best way to answer this question is that my favorite book/series is the one I am currently writing.
What are some of your favorite characters you’ve created and why?
Sir Dalton, because he is so real. I think many of us can identify with his weaknesses. I loved portraying how his perspective of the Prince (Master Sejus) changed as he slowly understood who He really was.
Sir Quinlan because he was so common and ordinary. God loves using people like this for His great purposes.
Sir Bentley because he was brave enough to seek the Truth no matter the cost.
Lady Carliss because she was pure of heart and unwavering in her commitment to the King…a true overcomer.
Sir Cedric because he is a humble storyteller.
What role does your family play in your writing?
My wife and each of my children have all played key roles in my writing. From editing to proofing to audiobook creation, none of this would have been possible without them. Ultimately they were my inspiration behind each story.
Are any of your characters based off of people in your life?
I used certain traits of people I know as a template to create some of the characters. My children were my favorite subjects.
What is one thing you hope for readers to get out of your various series of
books?
It is my earnest prayer that readers of all ages will be inspired to live a faith-filled life of adventure for the Lord. That they will see the world through spiritual spectacles and be motivated to fulfill the great commission given to us by the King of Kings.
How has God worked in your life?
God is constantly working in my life. He has shown me over and over that He is faithful. And all He is looking for is for us to say “Yes” when He calls.
What piece of advice do you think is important for teenagers to know about knowing God and honoring Him in their youth?
2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” Be the kind of person that God wants to show himself strong for. Be sold out for Jesus, live a life of faith, humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and say ‘Yes’ when he calls on you.
Thank you, Mr. Black!
*Note: We do not post each month’s full magazine on this blog, to subscribe for free, and receive the full magazine once a month, email us at thinkauthors@gmail.com
Christopher is one of the founding authors of foundwhoiam.wordpress.com, a blog that has he’s been writing for several years. He is 18-years-old, likes soccer, piano, and… well, we’ll just let you find out for yourself. 🙂
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What inspired you to start your blog and what is it’s purpose?
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In December of 2013, some really good friends of ours came into town for a visit. My brother and I got talking with our friend about how there was a need for encouragement to walk according to Scripture. So, we decided to start a blog we could all contribute to, with the goal being to encourage other Christian teens in their walks with Christ through uplifting and motivating posts, videos, and interviews.
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What are some obstacles you have faced while doing your blog and how has God taught you through them? How have you overcome them?
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The biggest obstacle for me has been learning how to work with others and handle expectations. With any team, there is still a need for one leader- this creates better organization and effectiveness. As the oldest, I gravitated towards that role. I knew what I expected of myself in terms of how many posts to crank out each week, and as a team we agreed on a certain number of posts to write each month. Unfortunately, it became clear very quickly that one of us wasn’t going to be able to keep up with that. It was frustrating for me because I felt like we as a blog team had been let down when someone didn’t stick with their commitment. God used that to really help give me patience and understanding in those situations. It was a crash course in how to lead and adjust when things don’t go as planned, and through that, I really feel like God helped me understand that He’s still in control, and while it is frustrating and disappointing when someone lets you down, there are graceful ways to handle it and alternative paths to take in order to “roll with the punches.” This was good because it’s happened more than once with this blog, so I’ve had many opportunities to practice what I learned. God has always been faithful to bring other people to contribute when we needed more- it’s been neat to see His provision.
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What have you learned though the writing of your blog?
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I often say that as writers, we probably learn more than our readers do! Because each post is rooted in Scripture, we are forced to really delve into God’s Word and explore the context and all the cross-references relating to the specific topic or passage we’re writing about. In a way, all the posts I’ve written are a compilation of small studies I’ve done. It’s really neat to think about all the time I’ve poured into each post, and how it has all added up over the last couple years. I’ve learned so much about God and His character through all the posts I’ve written.
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What would your one most important piece of advice be to teenagers and tweens about honoring and serving God in their youth?
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My advice is to persevere, surround yourself with like-minded believers, and aim high. There will be times when you will feel like you aren’t having an impact. In fact, I believe Satan really uses that in order to discourage people from serving Christ. But don’t buy that lie. If you really believe that God led you to do what you’re doing, stand firm and chug through it. As we find in Hebrews 12, “Let us run with endurance the race set out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” There were many times I thought about stopping the blog due to discouragement, but I’m so glad I didn’t! There are rewards for persevering in God’s work. Next, surround yourself with like-minded believers. I’ve found this extremely difficult, and there were many times I didn’t feel like I had any others to surround myself with. In these times, don’t settle. There is a popular saying based on a Scriptural principle that essentially says that you become like the people you spend your time around. Read your Bible so you can be sure of who you are striving to be, and then surround yourself with others who have that same vision. Finally, aim high! I play soccer, and there’s a common principle for playing that applies to all of life- you miss every single shot you don’t take. If you want to interview someone, ask. If you would like to write a book, contact a publisher and see what you can do to get the ball rolling. Pray, follow God’s direction, and aim high. You’ll be rejected some of the time, but you’ll have success here and there.At the very least you will have tried. And in essence, you had nothing to lose!
What is one thing you want to accomplish in your life (if it’s in God’s plan of course!:))?
There are so many things I enjoy doing and am pursuing for now and the future, but my ultimate goal in life is to have a business that affords me the time freedom and financial ability to spend time investing in my future family and lead them in following Christ, as well as using that freedom to help distribute God’s Word to believers around the world who can’t get a copy for themselves.
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What is your favorite scripture, and why?
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My favorite verse is Joshua 24:15, which says, “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” This verse is spoken by Joshua towards the end of his life. He has just given his farewell address to the Israelites, the people he has led for many years. And then, at the beginning of chapter 24, Joshua has gathered all of Israel together before the Lord. He gives a brief overview of their history and how God has acted on their behalf when they honored Him. In verse 15, Joshua issues a challenge. He tells the people to pick their side- if not the Lord, choose any of the pagan gods. But as for him and his house, they’ve following Yahweh. I love it because it’s an abandonment to the Lord regardless of what other people are doing or saying. It’s an abandonment to the Lord that is final. It’s a declaration for my life now and the family I will have one day: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
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Thank you, Christopher!
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*Note: We do not post the full Th!nk magazine here each month. To read the full magazine, subscribe for free by emailing us at thinkauthos@gmail.com
Th!nk Magazine 