Study for yourself.

The weekly alphabet bible study moves on. This week's letter is S. I would like to encourage everyone to Study this week. Even God asks you to study. 


II Timothy 2:15 reads: Study to show yourself approved unto God; a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of God.


Now that seems pretty straight-forward. Study to show yourself approved. I know many people go to church every week to listen to someone else tell them what God says. Yet, they never know the word for themselves. I believe God wants a personal relationship with each one of us and that does not involve your pastor. Three really can be a crowd. 


You must give God's Word a place of priority in your everyday life. Practically speaking, this could mean that you confess the Word while getting ready in the mornings. Maybe you could listen to teaching or worship music on the way to work. You may want to use your lunch hour to read the Word or walk outside and pray. Just make sure you pursue His truth on a regular, ongoing basis. Giving His Word a place of top priority will change your life.


I am not trying to discourage anyone from attending church. What I am encouraging is for you to study His Word for yourself. How will you know if your preacher is getting it right if you don't know what is right in the first place? Besides, it says to study to show yourself approved. Not your pastor or minister or preacher or teacher. But YOU and you alone. When the time comes, it will be you standing in judgement. Will you have studied? Will you be approved?


Soli Deo Gloria,


SA Brown

Imagine This...

This week's Alphabet Bible Study focuses on H.

Matthew 26:39 reads "He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Imagine this: You come into a new place. You are a stranger. People shun you simply because they don't know you or what you are about. Yet, somehow, you win the people over. Your eloquent speeches, charisma, and deeds show them your worth. Now, they welcome you with accepting arms.




With acceptance comes ridicule. With ridicule comes conviction. Suddenly, you are an outsider again. Everyone turns against you, even those closest to you. Accusations run rampant but in your heart, you know you've done nothing wrong. Still you face your accusers, your judge, your jury, and your condemnation. You bear your cross.

Now, imagine you had to endure all of this on someone else's behalf. It's not even about you. You are doing this for people you know will deny you, curse you, and hate you.  Imagine that their future depends on your present despite their past. Could you bear it?

Humility saved your life. Humility suffered your death. Humility withstood your punishment. Humility hung on your cross. Humility has done the unthinkable for you.

Imagine what your humility could do for Him. Not that He needs you to be humble but you do. He has so much planned for you. Humble obedience just makes the cross easier to bear.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Step Brown

Your Plans vs. His Plans

God has so much planned for us. We have no idea. We look for crumbs under the table when He has prepared a feast for us in the royal banquet table. We wonder if He remembers who we are when He has been calling our name. We wait for Him to notice our plight as He waits for us to take His hand. He moves powerfully at our request, yet we don't even recognize the answers to our own prayers. We have trouble trusting Him fully with our future although the future He has for us is better than the one we dream of for ourselves. You have no clue. Just remember it's His timetable; not yours.

1 Corinthians 2:9 "Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, nor have entered into the hearts of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

You wanna make God laugh? Tell Him your plans...

Soli Deo Gloria,

Step Brown

How They Do That There?

Greetings from the lab...

So I got a little behind with my yearly challenge. Time to play catch-up.

Week 3: Babies typically talk in babbles that adults can't understand. But one day, while at the park, you're sitting on a bench next to two babies. They start their babbling, when all of a sudden you realize you can understand what they are saying. Even more, they are plotting a nefarious plan.

One beautiful October afternoon, I decide to venture out from the lab to work on my new stage play, Statistics. Loaded with my MacBook and snack pack of water and fresh fruit, my creative muse and I head to Piedmont Park. After a short search, I find the perfect spot. All goes well until a young mother (or nanny) rolls her double stroller beside me. Twins, I assume. Not more than a year old, the little boy wears Diego while his sister matches with Dora. Nothing distracts me from my story until...

Tyler: I hate that heifer. We got to find a way to get rid of her, Skyler.

Skyler: Stop that mean talk, Tyler. She's a cool nanny.

I stop typing and look over at them. They smile at me and continue their conversation as if I am not there.

Tyler: Look, Ms. Thing must go. I've got the perfect plan.

Skyler: Not another one of your half-baked schemes. I refuse to be a part of it.

Tyler: Well, forget you then. Cause T-Weezie don't need thee. I can get rid of her myself.

Skyler: Like you did the last nanny.

Tyler: Hey, the authorities ruled that an accident. But we can't have two accidents in the same fashion. I'll need to be more creative.

Skyler: What you need is a psychiatrist.

Tyler: Shut up! I'm thinking...

As the nanny wheels them away, I hear:

Tyler: Maybe the next time we're all napping together...

Skyler: Leave me out of it.

I pinch myself. Nope, it wasn't a dream. So I open a blank page on my MacBook.

TALKING BABIES: THE NEW BLACK?

Deo Volente,

Step Brown

My Apologies...

Prompt: Most writers make the New Year's resolution of completing a manuscript during the year. As usual, we neglect it. Tonight, I must write an apology letter to my manuscript explaining what happened and how I plan to make it up to the manuscript by December 31. Leggo....


Dear Still Not Satisfied,


Let me start by saying I thank you for never leaving me. You stayed in my head until I finally got you out on paper. So thank you for being persistent. When 2011 started, you were a novel and I promised you I would adapt you into a screen play. Well, here we are, November 2011 and you are still just a novel. Please forgive my inconsistency and procrastination. You know I love you but I have let self-doubt and lack of discipline intrude. Hell, even laziness plays its part. I can't leave out fear--fear of no one liking it, fear of everyone liking it--and its role in this process.


Today, I stand up and I say no more. SNS, you are my first literary child and I will dedicate my time to completing your film version. I have been talking to others about you. Some very important people want to read you. Together, we have piqued their interest and now I must give the people what they want. 
:-)  


I can understand if you don't believe the words that are being typed on this page. Therefore, I will show you. I am a firm believer in actions trump words. From 8am-4:30pm, I belong to ETI (for now). From 6pm-until, I'm all yours. I hope you will accept my apologies for not completing you sooner and allow me the chance to square you away in the next two months. At least, your first draft...  I'm good but I am no water-walker.


Writing even in my sleep,


Step Brown

My Year Long Writing Challenge

Greetings from the lab,

In June 2010, I found another author's writing challenge. So I kept it although I knew I wasn't ready to follow it. After some recent events, I feel I need to get serious about this writing jones, lest the Lord give my gift to another. This will be the venue where I unleash my creativity from the challenge.

Here's the deal: Pick one day of the week. ( I pick Sunday) Carve out 30 minutes and dedicate that time to creating a story based on the writing prompts provided. There is one prompt for each week of the upcoming year (Nov 2011-Oct 2012).

So let the games begin. Writing as if the pen never leaves my hand...

Step Brown

The First Time



Sugar and Spice: Anthology
for the Grown and Sexy

This is my first published work. I have three short stories in this anthology. It's available on Amazon, Blue Planet Publishing, and other websites for books are sold.
 

Inside this great anthology, you will find four of the hottest romance authors delivering some of the sweetest and spiciest tales on the market. Join Avah LeReaux, Hazel Mills, Sunshine Royal, and me,
S. A. Brown, in Sugar And Spice.

My contribution includes:

"Fairy Tales"-- Despite the statistics, thirty-something Shelby Nix knows she will get married. When her church hires its new pastor, Rev. Jayson Wells, Shelby finds her ideal mate. And the fairy tale begins...

"In Love With"-- Preacher's son, Kenny Stevens, pursues and falls hard for the new mysterious young lady who begins attending his father's church. No harm with falling in love unless someone has secrets.

"Only One Night"-- Gabby talks about the one night that changes her life forever and how she wishes she could change it back. She always says it should have been only one night.

Still to come: My Novel Debut--Still Not Satisfied

Watch playboy Christian meander through changes as he arouses a past desire, yields to a current temptation, and awakens a new passion--all for the sake of satisfaction.

Deo Volente,
Step Brown

Sweet Beginnings

Welcome all and thanks for taking the time to visit. As promised, I will use this as an avenue for my writing and a place to express my thoughts. Here we go....


Hospital Visit
A loved one is in the hospital and you decide to visit. As you're walking down a hospital hallway, you hear another familiar voice coming from a different room. Stop in for a visit and write about it.You can post your response (500 words or fewer) in the WD Forum.




Hospital Visit




My cell phone massages my left leg. I should have put it on silent.
“Hello. Oh, hey girl! Listen, I’m a little busy. I’m here at Grady Memorial. Yeah, fulfilling the wifely duties. You so silly but she is my mother-in-law. I’ll buzz you when I leave.”
As I walk down the hall, I notice a name I haven’t seen in a while. Surely, it couldn’t be but I stop at the door to witness a lively exchange.
“Mr. Sanders, you are too much. You really should be more focused on your recovery and less focused on getting my number.” The female voice giggles.
A male voice responds. “How can I focus when you come in here with those sexy nursing uniforms?”
Although it has been a year since I’ve seen him, the smoothness of his voice is undeniable. I knock on the door. The nurse opens it wider. “It seems you have a guest, Mr. Sanders.” She struts out.
I peek around the door. Sure enough, it’s Brantley Sanders.
“Well, hey, Miss Lady. Long time, no see. What are you doing here?” He sits up in his bed.
I stand in silence. His once-muscular frame is noticeably absent and the clean-shaven face I remember is replaced with a poorly-groomed beard. “I’m here to visit my mother-in-law. More importantly, why are you here?” I stand in place—not knowing if proximity is allowed.
“Well, baby girl, my lifestyle finally got up with me.” His aliment hasn’t curtailed his arrogance.
I whisper, “Your lifestyle?”
He smiles. “You know the one—when the sexy new mail courier is the ‘freak de jour’ for all the powerful female attorneys. If the money was right, some of the male ones, too. It was all the same to me.”
With a terrified look on my face, I stammer, “Exactly, what are you saying?”
Brantley coyly states, “I suggest that since you’re here, you ought to have some blood drawn. More than your blood type may be positive.”
The next thing I remember is smelling salts tickling my nose.