Cindy K. Sproles is an author and a speaker, whose dream is to do nothing more than craft words that speak from the heart. God's plan seems to be for her to write and teach the craft. With God’s guidance, Cindy is expanding her horizons. We'll see how He uses her.
Cindy is a mountain gal. Proud of her heritage, she was born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains where life is simple, words have a deep southern drawl, and colloquialisms like, "well slap my knee and call me corn pone" seem to take precedence over proper speech. Apple Butter, coal mining, the river, pink sunrises, and golden sunsets help you settle into a porch swing and relax. Family, the love of God, and strong morals are embedded into her life in the mountains. Teaching writers, spinning fiction tales about life in the mountains, history, and down-home ideas find their way into all she does. “I love to write devotions, to seek after the deeper side of Christ, and to share the lessons He teaches me from life in the hills of East Tennessee. I am a writer. A speaker. A lover of God's Word and friend to all.” This is Cindy Sproles. Welcome home to the mountains.
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Conferences are wonderful. There's no other way to explain the benefits other than saying you must attend.
Attending a conference allows the writer, whether new or seasoned, to interact with their peers, network with editors and publishers, and sharpen their writing skills. The goal is to have conferees walk away encouraged and filled to the brim.
Though more and more conferences are going to a relaxed dress and setting, there is one thing that should not change—how you present yourself.
There is something to be said for presentation. When you go to a restaurant and place an order for your food, you expect the staff to be courteous and clean. You insist your food look palatable. When those things don't happen, the ultimate response is not good.
The same can be said from conferee to faculty. As a director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference, there are certain things I expect both from the venue where our conference is held and from our conferees and staff. I want my conferees to feel they have received a good value for their time and money spent, so I work diligently with the venue and with faculty to express exactly what I expect from them when our conference begins. On the same turn, my conferees expect to return the favor.
So what does it mean to present ourselves approved? I direct you to 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) Do your best to present yourself as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Presentation is important. From your personal appearance, to attitude, to the work you show.
Let's talk personal
Today's world has lost its need for tidiness. Personal dress, from droopy pants to gaping women's shirts, rule the roost. It's all about comfort and less about personal neatness. Professionalism seems to take a back seat these days, when it once set individuals apart. Be old school and respect yourself enough to be at your best.
At Christian Devotions, we have a motto: A devotion may be the only Bible someone sees. When you present yourself as acceptable, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, you may become the only Bible someone sees. There is responsibility in the writing world. Present yourself as a glory to God in word and deed.
There may be few who love you as much as me – who love you enough to be honest about your personal presentation, physical, professional, and spiritual. Be proud of being a writer and present yourself as acceptable. You may be someone’s only Bible.
(Clipart courtesy of www.1001freedownloads.com & Algotruneman – Registered user. Used by permission)