Our words reveal our heart (Luke 6:45). And writing gives us the unique ability to see where our heart lies (in both senses of that word! See also Jeremiah 17:9). When we write, we can really slow down and think about the words that flow from our heart. We can see where they don't line up with God's commands...and we can take them captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)!

Writing in this manner—especially through engaging characters and stories that readers love to "hang out with"—edifies our readers by causing them to think on those worthy things that they Holy Spirit has helped us to write as we take thoughts and ideas captive to Christ! It's quite amazing (and addicting) to be a part of such work! To quote one of Anistemi's young authors:

Christians are warned of deception and called by the Bible to not

be deceived. “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good

morals,” (1 Corinthians 15:33, ESV). Reading and writing books

means that authors and readers keep company with the characters

and words in the book.

The books we read influence our hearts and minds! The books we write are even more connected to our hearts. They reveal our own heart, but the process of writing and revising our words helps us take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ...so that when readers love our characters and stories, their hearts are softened toward Christ!!! Amazing, right?! Story is one of the many ways believers can ENJOY GOD and encourage their readers to delight in him, too!

If you'd like more about how literature influences the heart, we highly recommend this article, "You Become What you Read" by Clinton Manley, Editor at Desiring God.

Bad News First: We can't. It's impossible for us to change our own hearts. You know this if you've ever broken a bad habit. We can change our behavior, but it feels like a chore.

Example Story: I hate liquid cough syrups. When I was

little, I used to cry terribly when the doctor or my mom

forced me to take them. I learned that I had to take them,

but I'll admit it: I still cried about it in high school. I don't

cry anymore, but every time I'm prescribed a bad tasting

medicine...I still want to! My heart toward medicine hasn't

changed. I still hate it. I just force myself to take it because

I know it's good for me.

It's like that with God's commands, isn't it? It seems our options are to rebel or fake it. Genesis gives us a great story (picture for examination) of human nature leans toward rebellion in even the simplest of commands. In Genesis 9, God essentially told us to get creating and "fill the whole earth" (vs. 1 & 7). But by Genesis 11, people have decided it's a better idea to work together for the glory of their own name "lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth" (vs. 4). They don't want to create in the way God prescribed; they want to create for the glory of their own name. In Romans 3, Paul shares the spiritual diagnoses (verses 9-23) and its cure (verses 24-31). We can force ourselves to take the medicine God prescribes, but we can't force ourselves to love it! But God...

THE GOOD NEWS! The fact that we even want to try is evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in us. If you desire to love God and his commands with your whole heart, mind, and soul... that's the Spirit of Jesus Christ causing you to want right relationship with God (to love him)! And like God shows us through the story picture shared in 1 Samuel 3, all we need to do is answer obediently: "Here I am!" (vs. 4) "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears," (vs. 10). Or in the words of Isaiah, "Here I am! Send me," (Isaiah 6:8).

Anistemi's founder, Janie Barbosa, prayerfully started Anistemi because 1 Samuel 3 summed up her call to serve Christ. She was too young to be of any use in her own strength, but none of us are ever too young to understand that desire to please our heavenly Father and be of use to him! Just because you're young doesn't mean God doesn't want to use you powerfully (see 1 Timothy 4)! The world despises youth and encourages them to become worthlessly self-serving; the Lord values your youthful energy and strength: He wants to develop your talents for his eternal purposes! Are you willing?!

Isaiah's answer to God's call shared above is also key to Anistemi's mission. God used Isaiah's voice to inspire the start of this publishing company. In Isaiah 52:7, he writes:

"How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of him who brings good news,

who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,

who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'"

Isaiah is describing Christ with that poetic imagery... but wouldn't you like that beauty to shine through you, too?! Wouldn't you like the Spirit of Christ to use you to publish good news that lifts the spirits of all those who long for Christ's reign of perfect peace and happiness?!

That's the call Anistemi issues. As we explain in our first welcome email, Anistemi is a Greek word used all throughout the New Testament (see Strongs). Simply put, it means, "Rise up!" Just like Samuel rose up from his bed to obey and spread God's message, we can rise up and glorify him through our fiction: sharing the stories God gives us—lived or imagined!

If you want to answer that call, we want to help in any way we can! And if you're not sure where to start, please use the button below to start a conversation with us; you'll hear back from a member of our team as soon as possible.

Understanding how our words connect with hearts (our own and our readers) can be intimidating. Revealing takes courage. Sometimes our words don't quite communicate what we meant them to. The best editors understand this—and don't judge an author's heart by their attempt to give meaning written form! They know authoring is hard work because they've done it. The best editors love the author's intended message and partner with authors to get that message across in clearer, more powerful ways.

We help authors slow down and examine their words in the mirror of scripture. In our most supportive pathway Anistemi Authors Academy) we do this work before authors pour all their effort into writing a book without editorial input; our editors support as they work out thier own ideas while reading carefully chosen, high quality examples that help them see the principles and techniques at work within fiction and creative nonfiction.

All our offerings aim to (1) support authors in thinking about writing through the lens of Christ's word and (2) teach them to read complex, high-level works like writers do—with eyes keenly observing the apologetic elements of fiction and the arts—while (3) allowing them to place their learning into immediate application with supportive publishing of their polished works... because, as editors, our writing mentors know that the best way to learn advanced writing is to do it!

Families: newsletters & store products

11 & up: publishing contests

14 & up: Anistemi Authors Academy (self-paced or live)

The events shared in our newsletters, and the products in our store are open to all creatives in the body of Christ. And if you don't see what you need, please ask. We want to encourage families to connect through story—especially the story of Christ told by all of scripture and by sharing their own with one another (and especially cross-generationally)! Christ's body was not made to be divided up into age-bound categories that don't mingle; the young benefit from hearing the hard-earned wisdom of their seniors in the faith, and their elders gain incredible encouragement from their hope-filled exuberance. Sharing lived stories is one fun way to facilitate healthy, cross-generational exchange! In the newsletter, this site, and Anistemi's Open Library, we primarily write for young adult writers, but we hope to do so in ways that help parents transmit the ideas to their children. And we aim to pull in older writers as the Lord provides them!

Anistemi Authors Academy is for advanced and mature writers ages 14 and up. It's intended for high school writers who love to write and are eager to "take captive every thought captive to Christ," (2 Corinthians 10:5).