Author Archives: Jim Killam

Starry, Starry Night

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Jim Killam

I spent Monday and Tuesday visiting a friend and his wife at their mountain home above Taos, N.M. They live almost 9,000 feet above sea level, and one unexpected highlight was stepping outside about 10 p.m. The sky was clear. … Continue reading →

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A Writer’s Mission

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Jim Killam

Quick: What’s the goal in any story we write about ministry? Show readers what God is doing in a particular place? Further the mission of Bible translation? Further the Great Commission? Engage people? Inspire more prayer and funding for a … Continue reading →

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Creative fuel

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Jim Killam

Sometimes when I need a creative boost as a writer, I’ll get around people who are hyper-creative in other fields. Photographers, videographers, artists, musicians, designers, inventors, entrepreneurs. People who look at life differently and deeply … who see things that … Continue reading →

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Wonder in a Butterfly’s Wings

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Jim Killam

This is a blue morpho butterfly, native to Central and South America. My wife and I spent part of Saturday at Texas Discovery Gardens, next to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The gardens’ featured attraction is the two-story Butterfly House and … Continue reading →

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The Old Man and the App

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Jim Killam

Among the best self-editing tools I’ve ever seen is “Hemingway,” an app that helps you write like Ernest Hemingway. Well, sort of. The app — $6.99 at http://www.hemingwayapp.com — analyzes any piece of writing for simplicity. Short sentences. Plain language. … Continue reading →

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The Power of Being Invisible

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Jim Killam

Book recommendation: “Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion,” by David Zweig. I’m just starting this one, but the title alone sold it for me. In his introduction, Zweig writes: “… I was fascinated by people … Continue reading →

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Glimpses of home

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Jim Killam

Christmastime brings a great reminder of one of the most impactful story elements: surprise. C.S. Lewis loved the term sehnsucht. The German word has no English equivalent. Roughly, it means a longing “to find the place where all beauty came from.” … Continue reading →

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Story, simplicity and wormholes

Posted on December 2, 2014 by Jim Killam

I saw “Interstellar” with one of my sons last week. Up until the last 30 minutes I thought it was one of the best movies I’d ever seen. But the ending made my head explode. Here’s a good line from a … Continue reading →

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Mobile video: Apps, links and more

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Jim Killam

For the benefit of those who attended my mobile video workshop today at Northern Illinois University (and anyone else interested), here are the app suggestions and useful links. Apps With video editing apps, look for multitrack editing so you are … Continue reading →

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WWHTD? How churches can produce more world Christians

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Jim Killam

Famed 19th-century missionary Hudson Taylor suggested a four-part process for engaging congregations in missions. 1. Missions are preached every Sunday; 2. Every person in the church knows his/her personal responsibility to support the work of missionaries; 3. Missionaries must give … Continue reading →

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