Portfolio

Lee Cuesta draws upon 40 years of experience to unpack the deepest, fullest meaning of waiting on and for God, along with why and how. With lively and upbeat guidance enabling the reader to implement these principles, he shows that waiting is a positive spiritual practice that delivers success while reducing stress. Cuesta defines “success” as achieving and fulfilling one’s life purpose, and he describes in detail how to succeed in the area of spiritual waiting. The book is rich with Cuesta’s autobiographical adventures and lessons as he implemented waiting on God, and for God, in his own life. He uses the Bible as his basis, exploring the lives of preeminent spiritual waiters, such as David, Abraham and Noah. But the truths are universal, and Cuesta also quotes from the Tao Te Ching and the Bhagavad Gita. So followers of all faiths and spiritual traditions likewise will benefit from Cuesta’s insights. He relates the experiences of more recent historical waiters, as well, such as William Carey and Nelson Mandela. The topic of “waiting for God” is usually written about with a negative connotation. Other writers bemoan, “Why does God make me wait so long?” This book departs diametrically from that point of view. A maxim is generally any simple and memorable guide for living. Immanuel Kant said that a maxim is a principle of action that one gives to oneself, and Lee Cuesta’s in-depth and compelling explanation of these 7 Maxims reveals the lifestyle of successful spiritual waiters. ISBN: 9798845851901

Hardcover, Full-Color Children’s Picture Book:

Seven Viking Days

Viking tales of Woden, Thor, Frigg, Saturn and more fill this book.  From these tales, Vikings named the days of our week. Seven Viking Days engages children, parents and grandparents with vibrant, unique illustrations while telling these stories in the context of Viking lifestyle and society.  It is a conversation between Sun and the Viking boy, Canute, and reinforces the correct sequence of the days.  The authentic origins of our days’ names resulted solely from the author’s thorough research into ancient Scandinavian myths and legends.  This children’s picture book is full color, hardcover, 8.5 by 11 inches, 32 pages.
ISBN-13: 978-1495805844.

Reviews:

By D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Seven Viking Days offers up Viking tales of Thor and others in a hardcover full-color children’s picture book that gathers these tales under one cover and adds vibrant details about Viking lives and history.

It would have been all too easy to just present Viking folklore alone; but the added value of this approach is that it tailors its stories to reveal Viking lives and society and thus takes the folktale format a step further by creating a lively history.

Mia Hocking’s lovely illustrations create a collage of images and backgrounds to accompany text that will lend to both parental read-aloud and leisure enjoyment by kids with basic reading skills who have moved beyond the one- or two-line elementary picture book format.

From the origins of Tuesday in ‘Tiu’s Day’ to how other days of the week and Scandinavian roots are still present in modern culture, Seven Viking Days uses repetition, icons for the days, discussions of days’ names and their roots in legend and story, and more.

The result is a gorgeous presentation of Viking vignettes that will interest adults as well as children.

In Publishers Weekly:

Combining abstracted mixed-media illustrations and snippets of European legend, Cuesta recounts the origins of the names of the days of the week. After a Viking boy named Canute wakes one morning, the sun describes the stories behind the days’ names. “Without me, no plant or animal could survive on a dark and frozen earth,” says Sun, a fuzzy-edged orb with a smirking smile. “That’s why the first day bears my name.” Monday is named for the Moon, while the others “celebrate your Mighty Ones,” as Sun explains. They include Tiu, who loses his hand to the “monster wolf” Fenrir; Thor, ruler of the sky; and Queen Frigg, Friday’s namesake, who mourns the death of her son, Baldur. Blending papers, paints, and collaged objects, Hocking succeeds in creating a dreamy, multilayered backdrop for the sun’s stories, but the quality and consistency of the images vary. And while Cuesta gives readers a taste of Germanic, Norse, and Roman legend, the stories (such as the one of Tiu losing his hand) don’t always give a strong sense of why these deities were honored with days named after them. Ages 4–8. (BookLife)

Reviewed by Publishers Weekly on 07/31/2015

Here is the link:  http://booklife.com/pwreview/202412

Novel:

Once: Once.

In English the title translates: “11:11.” Published in 2001, 379 pages, about the religious persecution and struggle for autonomy in the Mexican state of Chiapas. ISBN = 0-7414-0650-0. You can copy and paste this number in order to find it at amazon or barnes & noble.

Reviews:

A Colorado congressman — “Many thanks. Great read!” Diane — “It was timely for vacation reading. I am enjoying it and am glad for the pleasant way of catching up on that history!” Doris — “It is hard to put down after you have started it and in the next-to-the-last chapter it brought a tear to my eye. But everything came together so greatly and right up to the end it was super!!” Richard —“You must have heard this a lot already, but this is really a GREAT BOOK!!! I’m only into the 6th chapter and very much involved! The plot comes together nicely and will only ‘blossom out’ as it progresses, I’m sure.” Bertie — “I just wanted to tell Lee that I just now completed his book. It took me a little while to get into it, but after I did, I really did enjoy it. It was an excellent book, and I’m privileged to have read it. Thanks a lot.” Emily — “Personally, I appreciate the way you have written this book. It is refreshing and new and you did not conform to the mold of a typical religious book. It is not cheesy in any way. It seems very realistic and honest.” Linda — “I was extremely impressed. I cared about the characters, and it’s interesting. I had to keep reading to find out what happens. I’m already looking forward to your next book.” An international newspaper based in Manitoba, Canada, called Lee Cuesta’s book ”a thrilling novel of the complexities in Mexico … Like a story lifted off the page of today’s newspaper.”

To view the complete text of many of these published items (listed below), go to  https://www.leecuestabooks.com/work.html (click on this link), which contains hot links to the various articles.

And here is the link to Lee Cuesta’s Author Page at Amazon.com:
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Cuesta/e/B01AV4AOQO/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

InSite magazine: Christian Camp and Conference Association

Cover articles:

a)  “Crossing Borders” (subtitle: “CCCA members extend their camp communities around the globe”); cover of InSite magazine, CCCA, September/October 2010.  This article is available for viewing on this website.
b)  “Cultivating Character” (subtitle: “An Alabama camp is known for instilling deep-rooted values”); cover of InSite magazine, CCCA, January/February 2007.
c) “Championing Camp” (subtitle: “Recognizing and revitalizing one denomination’s camp ministry”); cover of InSite magazine, CCCA, September/October 2005.

Inside articles:

a)  “Succeeding with Baby Boomers” (subtitle: “Boomers’ real needs and expectations may surprise you”); InSite magazine, July/August 2010.  This article is available for viewing on this website.
b) “Weathering Summer Storms” (subtitle: “Keeping guests safe when the weather is rough”); InSite magazine, May/June 2007.

Correspondent for World Pulse, the Billy Graham Center’s Wheaton-based publication

The majority of these were written while I was living and working in Mexico.

Article titles:
– Overcoming the Void (Magazine for Latin leaders survives problems, thrives)
– Good Things from Small Packages (Ministry mobilizes minority groups in Asia to reach their neighbors)
– More Heat Than Light? (Symposia tackle perceived ills of Latin efforts in North Africa)
– Martyrs and Exiles in Southern Mexico (Three-part series. Part 1: Evangelical leaders face distinct problems. Part 2: Caciques rule the highlands of Chiapas. Part 3: Evangelicals in Chiapas answer religious intolerance with practical assistance)
– Partners in Pain (Agencies cooperate to help workers in harm’s way)
– New Times, New Tools (Mission Aviation Fellowship takes off on info superhighway)
– Attacks in Chiapas continue despite religious liberty law (Mexican believers persecuted)
– Mexican law for religious freedom brings risk of government control
– Rich Man, Poor Man (Mexico’s peso crash impacts missions, churches differently)
– Calm Before Another Storm? (Persecuted believers in Chiapas forgotten again)

Articles reprinted by other publications

These demonstrate the wide interest in, and broad applicability of, my writing.

Publication and article titles:

InterLit (“International Magazine of Christian Publishing,” published by Cook Communications Ministries International); “Overcoming the Void” (Apuntes Pastorales reaches pastors in every Spanish-speaking country. OCI journalist reports on the magazine’s strategy for success) Reprinted from Pulse.
Indian Life (Published by Intertribal Christian Communications, Inc., of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada); “Martyrs and Exiles in Southern Mexico.” Three-part series with photos reprinted from Pulse.
Apuntes Pastorales (Co-published by Desarrollo Cristiano Internacional and the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association); “Las 6 Marcas Distintivas del Discipulado.” Adapted from El Faro.
Consejero Bíblico; “Las seis marcas distintivas del discipulado,” with sidebar: “Rompiendo el hielo; comenzando un grupo de discipulado.” Reprinted from Apuntes Pastorales.

Articles with photographs

As a resourceful journalist, I can provide quality photographs with my writing.

-“Martyrs and Exiles in Southern Mexico” (Three-part series.) Published both in Pulse and Indian Life.
– “Sweep Your Own Chimney.” Published in Northwest Magazine.

Devotional and Practical, Spiritual Instruction

Magazine and article title:

Christian Life; “Wait – And Be Successful”
Prisma (Mexico City); “Espere – y Encuentre el Exito” (Spanish translation of article above)
El Faro (Mexico City); “Las Seis Marcas Distintivas del Discipulado Verdadero y Práctico” (This is the original article, written in Spanish, that spawned several reprints and an English translation.)
Apuntes Pastorales; “Las 6 Marcas Distintivas del Discipulado” (Adapted from article above)

Letters to the Editor and Opinion Columns

These validate my ability to express a voice in the public forum.

Publication and titles:

Eternity magazine: “Full Count – America’s Sports Craze” (with Charles D. Holsinger; full-length article)
The Fresno Bee (Valley Voices column): “Restitution delivers practical social benefits”

The Gazette:
– Dr. Seuss Was Wrong (“Cat in the Hat teaches kids it’s OK to misbehave”)
– Since when has April 22 become Secretaries’ Day? (Bible gives best reason to save Earth)
– Handicapped Parking – Reserved spaces illustrate law’s inequity (This letter generated quite a community-wide response, eventually prompting an editorial.)

Book Review

EMQ (Evangelical Missions Quarterly); review of the book, Boundaries

Poetry

Northwest Magazine:
– “Lament for the Seventies”
– “How to Survive an Earthquake”

OC International

– Designed, edited and produced Desafío Transcultural (quarterly)
– Editor of corporate publication, Lost & Found
– Staff writer

Oregon Daily Emerald

– Reporter (with many local news articles published)

This list is not exhaustive. In order to view samples of Lee Cuesta’s published work, you should take two steps. First, click on the “Writing Samples” tab on this website. Second, go to Lee Cuesta’s companion website, www.LeeCuestaBooks.com, and click on the highlighted titles in his “Work” section to link to copies of his published articles and other pieces.

All content copyright © 2005-2022 by Lee Cuesta.  All rights reserved.

One Response to Portfolio

  1. Hey I discovered this website to be actually interesting! Bookmarked!

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