28 Ways the Bible and Me Work at Work Media Kit
Al Thornton
Contact Information
Author Bio
Headshot
Front cover
Books synopses
Link to purchase
Book content and reviews
Interview topics and questions
Speaker one sheet
5 Fun Facts You Don’t Know About Me
Author Bio
Two-line bio (124 characters)
I’m a writer. I write. It doesn’t just come naturally. It is what I do. You can find my materials at https://www.7ddd.info/.
Short Bio (95 words)
I’m a writer. I write. I’ve been mad at God when He gave me info belatedly, forcing me to rewrite. I’ve delayed on some projects and God has had to nudge me along. Mostly I just DO IT! I write. Theology, commentaries, Bible-teaching novels- I write. Writing is hard. It is frustrating. It is fun. It is my hobby. I write. I did finally have to tell God there is no sense writing if there are no readers. So now I have a little time for promoting, too. You can find my materials at https://www.7ddd.info/.
Medium bio (253 words)
I’m a writer. I write. I’ve been mad at God when He gave me info belatedly, forcing me to rewrite. I’ve delayed on some projects and God has had to nudge me along. Mostly I just DO IT! I write. Theology, commentaries, Bible-teaching novels- I write. Writing is hard. It is frustrating. It is fun. It is my hobby. I write.
I do daily Bible study. And often I write at that time.
For textbooks I spend all day, weeks on end, writing to the point of exhaustion (when I must take a few days off. My vision gets fuzzy and I can’t think straight).
Novels are fun. Most fun is when I can write characters into a corner, and have to stop because I don’t know how they are going to get out. By the next day I know how they out, and into another bind.
Somewhere along the line you have to quit writing and start promoting. God just kept giving me writing project after writing project. Finally, I said, “God, I’m not writing any more books until the ones I’ve written are being read.” A year and a book later… What can I say? I’m a writer. I wrote- as I set up a website and a substack. I won’t talk about the …, well, the book I just started…. At 7ddd.info you can find Bible teaching novels, Greek based commentaries, theology, a grammar, journals. Why, Noah’s Mouse even snuck in here somehow.
You can find my materials at https://www.7ddd.info/.
Long bio (595 words)
I’m a writer. I write. It’s just- me.
I’ve been mad at God when He gave me info belatedly, forcing me to rewrite not only part of that theology book, but part of a commentary I had just finished. I’ve delayed on some projects and God has had to nudge me along. Mostly I just DO IT! I write.
Theology, commentaries, Bible-teaching novels- I write. Writing is hard. It is frustrating. It is fun. It is my hobby. I write.
I do daily Bible study. And often I write at that time. I get excited about the topic. I learn as I prepare to write. And I don’t want to forget what God has shown me. That’s why I started writing- my forgetter works too well. My Matthew commentary was written this way.
For some books I spend all day, weeks on end, writing to the point of exhaustion (when I must take a few days off. My vision gets fuzzy and I can’t think straight).
Novels are fun. Most fun is when I can write characters into a corner, and have to stop because I don’t know how they are going to get out. By the next day I know how they get out, and into another corner they go. I experience the cliffhanger before you do! I don’t outline in advance.
I like to teach Bible by means of novels. I even make a novel to teach the concepts for some of the books / journals with concepts that are hard to grasp.
I learned Greek so I could write in depth and accurately. How in depth? I’m the dumbbell that spent 3,000 hours in 1 John in the Greek. That’s what I learned Greek for. And Ephesians. And Romans. And more. It has been quite helpful.
Also helpful was creating a unique symbols-based grammar. It was a nine-month side project. And to think, I did not enjoy English grammar in school. But I was good at it.
Another side project: I developed Predictive Money Control. Originally for my own finances, I expanded it so others can use it.
I found out it is really important to be willing to change your theology. God has things to teach, but if you aren’t willing to change, you will miss much that He has to teach. I don’t just parrot previous ideas.
I get angry about people stealing God’s glory.
Somewhere along the line you have to quit writing and start promoting. God just kept giving me writing project after writing project. Finally, I said, “God, I’m not writing any more books until the ones I’ve written are being read.” A year and a book later… What can I say? I’m a writer. I wrote- as I set up a website and a substack. I won’t talk about the …, well, the book I just started…. At 7ddd.info you can find Bible teaching novels, Greek based commentaries, theology, a grammar, journals. Why, Noah’s Mouse even snuck in here somehow.
I create my own book covers. Graphic arts is fun. If I wasn’t writing books I would spend more time with graphic arts.
I write a blog. A podcast is coming. And videos. I am will learning ways to make my materials known.
I’ve been a conservative Christian for over 50 years. My Alma Mater no longer exists.
I am pretty much a loner. I can be alone and not be lonely. Which is a good thing since writing is not a group project, at least not for me.
You can find my materials at https://www.7ddd.info/.
Book Synopsis
2 line summary(125 characters)
28 desirable ways the Bible and me work together when I work. Accompanying verses and questions wait for my personal answers.
Short (62 words)
28 desirable ways the Bible and me work together when I work. Accompanying verses and questions wait for my personal answers. The Bible affects ME at work- I MATTER, MY BIBLE MATTERS- AT WORK. I want to know how to be important to God in my secular job. I want to know how to glorify God at work. Now I can know.
Medium (200 words)
28 desirable ways the Bible and me work together when I work. Accompanying verses and questions wait for my personal answers. The Bible affects ME at work- I MATTER, MY BIBLE MATTERS- AT WORK.
I want to know how to be important to God in my secular job. I want to know how to be important to people in my secular job. I want people to see that God is valuable at work.
These verses give the Holy Spirit opportunities to influence me as I think through the application questions.
This is an opportunity to think through situations beforehand so I know how to act when I live them. God and I have prepared me for them in advance. When a relevant situation comes up, already knowing how to act, I can concentrate on the situation at hand.
I will be better able to bring glory to God while I am a blessing to clients, my boss, and even to others outside the work place.
Employers can use this as a guideline for how employees should act. Employees who live by these principles are apt to impress their bosses. (And of course the Boss of bosses, God, will be pleased.)
Long (259)
28 desirable ways the Bible and me work together when I work. Accompanying verses and questions wait for my personal answers. The Bible affects ME at work- I MATTER, MY BIBLE MATTERS- AT WORK.
I want to know how to be important to God in my secular job. I want to know how to be important to people in my secular job. I want people to see that God is valuable at work.
These verses give the Holy Spirit opportunities to influence me as I think through the application questions.
This is an opportunity to think through situations beforehand so I know how to act when I live them. God and I have prepared me for them in advance. When a relevant situation comes up, already knowing how to act, I can concentrate on the situation at hand.
I will be better able to bring glory to God while I am a blessing to clients, my boss, and even to others outside the work place.
Employers can use this as a guideline for how employees should act. Employees who live by these principles are apt to impress their bosses. (And of course the Boss of bosses, God, will be pleased.)
Workers can be assured that what they do matters, that they matter, simply because they are living God’s way at work. They know they are serving God while they are doing a “secular” job.
The book layouts:
14 job-related skills
Bible verses that apply to each skill
Questions waiting for my Personal Answers for each skill
5 Book Points of Interest:
There are 28 areas of style of living that affect God’s glory, your boss, your clients, and yourself.
Each topic, or area of style of living, has verses that bring out God’s idea of how you should live.
Each topic has questions for your Personal Answers. This is not just theory. You pre-think things through so when they come up you already know how to act. Having settled this in advance, you can concentrate on the situation at hand.
Links to Purchase
Author website: https://www.7ddd.info/
I guaranteefinances aren’t a problem if you want this. There is a zero-cash option.
Book Content sample
11. motivation
You keep your eye on the prize God offers, and the one your boss offers. You know laziness is counterproductive. God's goals are your goals. So are your boss's.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one: therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he has prepared a city for them.
Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; so that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Prov 6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, so he may have to give to him that needs.
2Cor 5:9 Therefore we labor, so that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
Phil 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
2Thess 3:10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you, that if anyone would not work, neither should he eat.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Read each verse in context in your Bible. Then ask: How does the concept in each verse apply to work?
List 4 things you find in these verses that apply to motivation.
How does motivation help with your work?
What motivates you to serve God?
What motivates you to serve your boss?
What is God's goal for you?
What is your boss's goal for you?
You are a Christian, a "little Christ". You are a living example of what Jesus is like. Does your motivation to serve God, and to bring Him glory, affect your motivation to serve your boss? How?
What is God's goal for you that motivates you?
What is your boss's goal for you that motivates you?
God motivates people with rewards. How do you motivate people?
The Bible tells of the ultimate motive of some people. What is your ultimate motivator? How does this affect your motivation to do good work?
Does the goal of being able to be generous motivate you to work?
Tell a story:
When did you show your motivation at work?
When did you fail to show your motivation at work?
Who appreciated it when you showed your motivation at work?
How did it turn out when you did not show your motivation at work?
Interview Questions
Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A. When I found myself writing. I was in my earliy thirties by then.
Q. What inspired the idea for your book?
A. I think the question of how the Bible applies to our secular work came to mind. I jotted down some notes but couldn’t really get it going. So I set it aside. Later the idea came to mind again. I started from scratch and came up with better notes. But it did not get finished by any means. Years later I remembered this book idea. I found the earliest notes and still couldn’t get it going. Then a year or so later I found the better notes, and finally everything started coming together. This was one of those times when God put an idea in my head long before it was to be carried out.
Q. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
A. For in-depth books I write till I almost literally can’t see straight. I write for days and days and end up not able to concentrate and have to take several days off. And I regret that because there is writing to do! God made me a writer and write I do. This book was an exception to that. It didn’t take a year to write so I didn’t get to that stage before I finished it.
I have two writing quirks with novels. I write novels to explain the concepts of the books with complicated topics, like a theology book. When I do that I pretty much have an outline for the novel before I do anything. Figure out the point of view and the characters and off I go.
If I don’t already have an outline I write without one. I like to write my characters into corners and not have any idea how they will get out. So I can end up with almost daily cliffhangers. I get to enjoy the cliffhangers before my readers do.
Q. What authors do you like to read? What book or books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
A. When you write all the time there just is no time for reading. The Bible is the big exception to that, of course. However, I did a lot of reading in my earlier years. I used to read theology books. That was fun for me. I’ve been writing so long I don’t remember many of the author names. Larry Richards, Walter C. Kaiser, Martin & Deidre Bobgan, L. S. Chafer.
I also read a lot of novels in earlier years.
Q. What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book?
A. Get it done. Expect it to be imperfect. Set it aside for some months then revise.
Next figure out how to promote it. Preferrably right away. Don’t put that off.
But God might just get you going on to the next book instead. In that case the promotion may have to wait. That is what happened to me. I did a lot of research on promoting but never had the time to just get it done. Even after I had a website and a blog I still wasn’t promoting them. God sidetracked me in developing Predictive Money Control. That was a 5 month delay all by itself.
And if at all possible tie you book in to something long-term and big going on in society right now.
And read a lot. That is how you learn to write. You read.
Q. Why did you pick 28 topics to cover?
A. I wanted to show the Bible applies to our work lives in a lot of ways. God isn’t just important while we are in church. His lifestyle principles are important all the time. When I hit 28 I was running out of ideas to cover. And I figured I had enough to get the point across.
Q. What process did you use to decide what verses to use with each topic?
A. Some verses I knew off the top of my head. Others I found by using cross references in Bibles and searching for topics in a concordance. Since this did not get written all at once I had notes from different times with different ideas that also extended the list.
5 Fun Facts You Don’t Know About Me
I don’t sing. I just learned that different countries have their music instruments set to different keys. I wonder if my ears are set to a key not used in this country.
I had a mechanic once. I didn’t have a car, but I had a mechanic. I discovered his shop while riding a bike past his place. It had a cross on it. I just knew right then he was the mechanic for me. I introduced 3 people to him. One of the people I introduced to him complained because the first three times he took his van to the mechanic the mechanic did the work for free. Good mechanic.
I don’t care about social media. Doesn’t interest me in the least. But I may have to start using it before long so I can tell people about my books.
I had three conflicting cancer diagnoses. And one chemo nurse that told me to wait- new better treatments were on the way. I decided alternative medicine is the way to go.
I read part of a series by J. R. R. Martin. Excellent writing. I will never read another book by him. Evil won. Satan will never win in the end. Read my historical novel, Satan’s Goals, and you will see the truth. I never intended to write that book, and in fact resisted it for a week even as God pushed it. It only took about a week for God to have me writing. It was a quick book to write, and interesting.