There is a ton of things that I could share, but this ‘interview’ will explain how Grace Point! eMagazine came to be, and how God is using several things that I love to do to create it.
So, even though I am writing about myself, in keeping with the spirit of the article, I will play both parts of interviewer and interviewee.
PPM: How did you get inspired to publish an e-magazine?
Rebecca: I have always loved books and magazines, and loved to read. When I first saw the concept of a flipbook about two years ago, I loved it, but wasn’t sure what to do with it. Ideas would come and go, but nothing stuck. Then, almost a year ago, in the summer of 2014, I was given a copy of this *bookazine, by a friend and our host at the time.
Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the content, but I immediately told my husband, “I want to do something like this!” The bookazine published by the American Bible Society brought out my creative side, but I still did not have any course of action directed by the Holy Spirit. So, I waited for God to move me in the way He wanted me to go with this new-found desire of my heart.
Several days went by, and the look and feel of the bookazine kept coming to my mind. I read every superbly written article, being drawn into the content by the picture that represented it and, from a design standpoint, realized how the pictures were impacting my perception of the article; how they made the article seem complete. I began to look at e-publishing platforms, magazines specifically, and the desire to create an online magazine kept coming to me stronger and stronger. But, I had to be sure it what was developing in me was a ‘God-thing’ and not a ‘me-thing.’ So, I continued to wait for Him to tell me something, one way or the other.
Then, about three weeks after being given the bookazine, I had a dream....
In the dream, I saw a wooden sign, painted in what I would describe as ‘beach-y’ colors, with the words Grace Point! written in cursive across the multi-colored stripes. When I woke up, I immediately created what I saw in the dream. So, the symbol on the left was given to me by God, specifically to use as the name of the magazine. And, not only the name, but the font, the colors, their arrangement, the angle of the exclamation point, and its size in relation to the other letters. It was all God-given.
PPM: So, what happened next?
Rebecca: Next?! Next, you say! What happened next was absolutely nothing!!... Actually, there was a lot going on in the ministry, but nothing toward developing a magazine! Summer was ending, autumn was coming, and God was not releasing me to do anything! By the time November came along, I was sure that God meant it all for a later date; some time a long way down the road. During the week of Thanksgiving, I said to God, “I would love to begin the magazine in the January. If I do that, then I have to have time to put it together.” He had answered a prayer for me when I was twelve years old having to do with starting something in January, so I knew He would understand when I asked in this way about the magazine. I went to bed that night thinking that it would be the last time I would mention it to God if I didn’t get the ‘go-ahead’.
Now, mind you, in the last three years, God has led me to create six blogs, fifteen studies, prayers posted online every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, built websites for us and others in the double-digits, and became familiar with self-publishing through Amazon’s Createspace; so it was not a question of how to do it. It was when. So, by the next morning, God had given me a resounding “YES!” and here we are six issues later.
The magazine keeps growing; He keeps sending me to various people, offering an opportunity to contribute. Some of those I am led to ask are artisans in Israel, whose work is featured every month. I send emails out to perfect strangers, to tell them I want to feature them in our magazine, completely free of charge. So far, no one has said ‘No’, and some of the responses I get back brings a tear to my eyes.
From Elena: I'm glad to get your letter and I'm glad to hear that somebody supports our country.
From Robin: Thank YOU very much! It looks beautiful, as does the whole magazine. I'm home recuperating from surgery right now and this put a big smile on my face.
From Miguel: Hi Rebecca, first of all, thank You so much for your proposal. We really need all that you can make to help us.
From Limor: I want to share my feelings with you, and tell you that your support of Israel is very moving, it actually brings tears to my eyes. (It's not a common thing for us to get support). So thank you for that.
We are charged with the responsibility of our fellowman; we are our brother’s keeper. God has called me, through this magazine, to give a voice to those who otherwise might have none. And, this not only to the artisans in Israel, but to each one who the Holy Spirit leads me to ask to contribute. It is so that their voice can be heard, whether it is a one-time contribution, or monthly. That I enjoy immensely putting the magazine together, searching for pictures, and building every page, is beside the point. I will continue in this venue for as long as I am called.
*a publication that combines elements of both a book and magazine
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