It All Started with a Phone Call…

I was driving at the time. Roger Ellsworth had emailed me and shared the idea of publishing some short topical articles he had written over the years for local newspapers in towns where he had ministered. His thinking was that a book of thirty or so Bible-themed reflections might be worth publishing.

Roger & Sylvia Ellsworth

“Roger, I cannot talk for long as I am driving,” I recall telling him, “but I think the readings you emailed me are brilliant. I think we should pursue these for publication. Do you think you could write more than the thirty or so you have sent me to take a look at?”

“Well, sure I could,” came his answer, his modest tones a little muffled against the background noise of my old Volvo as I drove toward Bob Jones Academy to pick up my son at the end of his school day. “Are you thinking we could make a short series?” he inquired.

“Yes, that’s the idea,” I responded as I eased my car onto Rutherford Road. “And I think we need to find a way to give the books a catchy look and feel. It’s likely that there won’t be too much of a response just to a one-off or two-off book of devotions. I think we have to make the books connect and engage.”

A day or two later, Sue and I were discussing the idea further. “We need something that will connect with the culture,” she said insightfully. “Something like coffee; could you brand them with that kind of idea?”

Well, that’s how it all started. My Coffee-Cup Meditations. We found a way to get some really nice graphics, and Roger, careful and disciplined writer that he is, soon had many more topics lined up that he could write on.

We defined the series right at the start with a strong and clear mission:

My Coffee Cup Meditations are short, easy-to-read, Bible-based devotions to help you consider God’s greatness, the wonderful gospel of Jesus, and be better equipped for life here and hereafter.

I think the series is achieving this. We are not much more than a year on from when we started, and already there are nine books in print. The final three are presently in editorial preparation and expected to release in November this year!

There is a dedicated website (another of my projects) to tell you much more about this delightful series. Visit www.mycoffeecupmeditations.com for much more information!