Hey friends,

My newsletter-type email is a day late. There are several things to pick and choose from.

• My weekly blog expresses my gratitude to friends and influencers whose words wounded me.
• Thanksgiving is a week from today, so I've included plans for Black Friday and beyond.
• This week's CLC eBook Countdown is starting a day early. You won't want to miss out, and the price changes quickly.
• Recommendation and approaching deadline to order, Elder, Tell Me Your Stories.
• Have I told you that I'm finishing up a new book? The book tracks the new things done by Mary, the sister of Lazarus. It has been a journey. Learn more below.

The Benefit of a Friend's Critical Words & Being the Critic

The Bible recommends having friends who love you enough to tell you what’s what. God’s wisdom says, “faithful are the wounds of a friend,” (Proverbs 27:6). Interesting quote:

The greater one's love for a person the less room for flattery. The proof of true love is to be unsparing in criticism.
Moliere, The Misanthrope, 1666

I don't totally agree with the French playwright, but I have long known that true friends offer honest criticism or brutal truth. As one who has received such wounds, I understand that such words were painful for a friend to speak. How we respond to such goes far in determining our personal growth.

Embracing the Wounds of a Friend

How valuable is a friend? A friend is the person who loves us at all times. Often, they are people we laugh with. But is your laughing friend a faithful friend? Measure it by their words.

Do they tell you what you'd prefer to hear? Have they never spoken a word of concern about a wrong decision you are making? What kind of friend does not try to help you see the lights of an oncoming train? Is that a good friend?

God's wisdom speaks highly of a friend whose faithful words produce wounds; these are words that hurt. Why is this sort of friend valuable?

• This type of friend loves you and is genuinely concerned . . . (Read the rest) ​

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Black Friday and Beyond

I'm excited. I've been adding new readers at a record pace and have not had a single reader ask for a refund for anything they purchased. Here are some things to look forward to:

1. All Spanish-language resources in one bundle, including the newly translated Bear Fruit (Teacher and Student), will be half-price. This is a super deal.
2. An Omnibus of everything I've published and all my courses for 60% of the price if bought individually. This includes our Mastering Disciple-Making Training Course and the recently released Elder, Tell Me Your Stories.
3. Buy Light in a Dark Place—Encountering Depression and get any single book of less value for free. This offer applies to both print and eBooks.
4. Starting Thanksgiving Day, there will be some surprises—don't ignore emails or what you see on social media. Some of the discounts will be one-hour Blue Light Specials.

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CLC Count-Down - a Day Early

Today and tomorrow, the eBook version of my devotional journal, Living the Daily Things, is 99 cents. On Saturday, the price will increase to $1.99; on Sunday, it will become $2.99 before returning to its regular price of $4.99.

​Get Living the Daily Things in a print version. ​

Interested in the entire Daily Things Suite? Print Version just now 25% off. This is a great gift.

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Update and Deadline on Elder, Tell Me Your Stories

The legacy hard-bound Elder, Tell Me Your Stories is selling out. We have exactly twelve remaining in inventory and it is now too late to order more and have them arrive before Christmas.

This fantastic book has over 350 questions that will bring the past to life. Things you, your parent, or your grandparents have not considered in years will be recalled. What's neat is that this book has many questions about Church Life. I'm telling you, there is nothing like this.

J.S. wrote - Elder, Tell Me Your Stories, made me remember events from my childhood, stories of cutting wood with my grandad and of cooking syrup . . . Most of all I love how the book encouraged me to remember my experience of being saved and the great preachers I heard in the late 50s and 60s, and let me tell what I enjoyed about each.

The race is on—will you be able to gift one of the twelve remaining books to an elder or buy it for yourself?

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New Book Woes

It has been a long time since I published something new. A new book was ready to print. I read it a last time and realized that I didn't like my own book. It wasn't up to my standards because the material's goal was unclear.

I took the book's core, which deals with the new things Mary, the sister of Lazarus, did and began a rewrite. It has been a slow go, but by mid-December, it will be available to order during pre-release.

I don't have a title. Won't somebody help me? The premise: Mary appears in scripture three times.

1. She sat at Christ's feet while cultural expectations and her sister Martha expected her to be doing something else.
2. Martha had an elegant conversation with the Lord about Lazarus's death. Mary fell at his feet, wailing. Mary's appeal caused Jesus to weep.
3. Mary broke her alabaster box to anoint His feet. Her action changed the smell in the room.

New things—Jesus told Mary to do none of this. She decided to act without waiting on God's voice or even praying about God's will.

Seriously, help me title this new book. It will be a good book when I've eliminated all the fat. To share your title, respond to this email or email me at CarltonCoonsr@gmail.com.

Ok, I'm going - check out my social media for exclusive content. Youtube videos from all over the place are being regularly added.

Blessing,

Carlton L. Coon, Sr. (Pastor and Author)

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