The Little Calendar That Could

Yesterday I mentioned a classic children’s book, Little Engine That Could. I read this story until I almost couldn’t read it again to my small sons. The story is about a little engine who believed himself into action and achieved his goals. He “thought he could do it.” 

Today I want to tell you about a little calendar that could change our world—if people sign up and faithfully pray. For many years, I’ve been using the Media Leader Prayer Calendar from Mastermedia International.   You can join the mailing list and the paper calendar arrives every three months. Each day you pray for a media leader. For example today, November 6th the media leader is Richard M. Smith who is the chairman and Editor-in-Chief for Newsweek. Also you pray for a cultural influencer and today’s date lists The Sopranos (some times the cultural influencer is a particular series program and other times a well-known person).

Also each quarter Mastermedia International sends “Media Associates” a publication called The Median with fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about how God is working in the media. Dr. Larry Poland is the founder of this organization and has worked in a quiet way with leaders in the media for many years.  The calendar is a simple up-to-date tool for prayer.

OK, hopefully I’ve enticed you with these resources. How do you get them? Go to the Mastermedia International website and register as a “Media Associate.” When you reach the area that says, “Media Industry that I work in”, you could put “print media” and when it asks for “Media Industry Title,” you could put “freelance writer” (always a respectable term from my view). After you complete the information, you will receive an email with the username and password to get into the Media Associate area. You can learn more specifics about the prayer calendar and The Median as well as sign up for their mailing list. This group has a number of significant projects in the works and provides some valuable resources.   I love the quotation on their current prayer calendar from Cecil B. DeMille who said, “I have found the greatest power in the world is the power of prayer.”

Just to manage your expectations about these entries on the Writing Life, it’s going to be hard to find the moments to blog for the rest of this week.  Early tomorrow morning, I’m headed to a series of meetings in Chicago, then to New York City.  All day Saturday I will be with my American Society of Journalists and Author board members for our mid-year face to face meeting.  I can tell you there is a packed agenda and I will be with a room full of professionals.  I guarantee the meeting to be lively and fascinating but often not something I can write about for these entries. I know one of the regular features of this meeting is to look at the program arrangements for our annual conference next April. Use this link to sign up for updates about the program for this conference. I have signed up to participate with others in a several-hour seminar on Sunday, April 22, 2007 about nonfiction book proposals.

Now while the information is fresh in your mind, cruise over to Mastermedia, register and begin receiving the Media Leader Prayer Calendar. It’s the little calendar that could change the world one prayer at a time.