Dear friends,

It's been a busy month since our last update. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Big Announcements:

Resisting Gossip is going to be published in Asia by CLC Philippines! Very soon, readers in Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and China will have access to the book.

A Spanish translation of Resisting Gossip is in the works! CLC Colombia is working out the details to have a translation available in Latin America and North America, maybe even by May. Very exciting.

2. Visit to Philadelphia:

At the beginning of the month, I got to travel to Philly and speak a group of a hundred pastors at the CLC Clergy Appreciation Breakfast. A highlight of that trip was getting to see a friend and former WTS/CCEF classmate, Carmena Pyfrom, who is a Bible teacher and hospital/police chaplain in Philadelphia (pictured below). I also got to meet her grandson Nathaniel who is part of Epiphany Fellowship, the church led by the other speaker at the event, Eric Mason.

While in Philly, I also got to speak to an international group of missionaries at the HQ of WEC international, minister alongside singer/songwriter Gordon Gregory, and also visit a CLC bookstore where I got actually meet the triplets from my favorite Resisting Gossip picture.

3. Radio:

In October, I got to tape several radio interviews, some of which are available now:

The John and Kathy show at WORD-fm in Pittsburgh. [Recording]

The Mark Daniels program in Philadelphia. [To listen to the recording, click here and then choose "The Mark Daniels Show 20131010."]

Mark Mellinger of the Bott Radio Network. [Recording]

Being on the radio has been interesting, and I hope to write a blog post soon about the things I've experienced and learned. It really keeps you on your toes, that's for sure.

4. Opportunities to Speak:

I'm enjoying the opportunities that I'm getting to share about Resisting Gossip with diverse groups like the Clearfield WOW (Women on Wednesdays), the Kylertown Center for Active Learning, and the Clarion University CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ). My favorite part, I think, is after speaking when I get to visit with people informally, and often talk about the application question, "So, Is This Gossip?"

5. Online Reviews:

I've been very encouraged by the positive reviews that I've seen online. Currently there are two at Christian Book Distributors and eight at Amazon. Some of the more substantial include:

Joe Valenti
Marci Ferrell
Stephen Kemp
Dave Catanzaro
Daniel Holmquist

6. Syndication

One of the biggest surprises this month was that a blogger in Finland has begun to translate (with my permission) articles from my blog into Finnish. I never saw that one coming!

I've also recently joined the Life Letters Cafe as a contributing author.

7. What's Next?

Thank you for praying for us this last month. Heather Joy and I know that God is using you in our lives and ministry.

Here are some prayer requests for the next few weeks:

More radio shows. As I said above, radio interviews can be daunting. Pray for wisdom in speaking the right word at the right time (Prov 25:11).
Guarding my heart. I am wary and weary of self-promotion. I don't want to grow proud and believe my press clippings.
More online opportunities. The next issue of the Journal of Biblical Counseling will include an excerpt from Resisting Gossip. Getting into the JBC has been on my "bucket list" for some time. I have the opportunity to be interviewed at a couple of other blogs. Pray for wisdom for me as I manage my time.
More speaking opportunities. I keep an active calendar at my Amazon Author page. The next one is a full Live Seminar in Butler, PA on November 8 and 9th (see the picture below). It's a free event, hosted by my friend, Pastor Dan Ledford, and we'd love to see you there.

Thanks again for all of your prayers during this busy but enjoyable season of life!

Blessings,

-Matt Mitchell