How to Build a Devotional

Example: http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2011/06/23/the-power-of-our-confession-2/

1. Create a new post

2. Copy and paste in the title of the devotional. (For most devos, we cannot edit the title or text of the devo.)

3. Copy the text of the devo. Paste it into WordPress. If you are copying the devo text from Microsoft Word, make sure you use the “Paste from Word” button. It looks like this:  If you can’t see this icon in the editor, press the “Show/Hide Kitchen Sink” button which looks like this:  The Paste from Word button should now be visible. Do not paste directly. Doing so may appear to work but it can result in weird formatting that can break the design when it’s viewed on the site or in email!

1. Verses quoted from scripture should be italicized. Ex. “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)
2. Watch out for stray formatting problems when copying old devos from the site; often there will be stray ‘?’ marks which actually should be quotation marks, dashes, or other formatting marks. You need to replace them with the proper characters.

4. Add the interactive link. This goes at the top of the post in italics, and contains a link to mentoring, chat, prayer, life lessons, or TM volunteering. Often the editor will already have added in an interactive link in the devo text. If not, add a link to one of the following (see previous devos for examples):

1. Mentoring: http://powertochange.com/experience/talk-to-a-mentor/
2. Chat: http://powertochange.com/experience/chat/
3. Prayer: http://powertochange.com/experience/need-prayer/
4. Life Lessons: http://powertochange.com/discover/ll_list/ (and individual lessons)
5. Volunteering: http://powertochange.com/truthmedia/get-involved/

5.  Add the interactive icon to the interactive link.

a. Click on the “HTML” tab above the editing area to make sure you’re in HTML editing mode. Move your cursor to the very beginning of the post (ie right to the beginning of the interactive text) then copy & paste the following:

<img class=”alignleft size-full wp-image-17554″ title=”devo-interact-icon-42×42″ src=”http://powertochange.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/devo-interact-icon-42×42.jpg” alt=”devo-interact-icon-42×42″ width=”42″ height=”42″ align=”left” />

1. Click the “Visual” tab to return to visual editing mode (if you prefer visual mode).

6. Optional: Add the question to the bottom of the post. This will usually be included in the devo text when you copy & paste it.

7.  For Max Lucado’s devos only: This should already be included in the devo text, but double check to make sure it’s there for any Max Lucado devos.

1. Include the copyright notice using the following format (you can find this info on the page on Lucado’s site):
   From Cure for the Common Life
   Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2006) Max Lucado
   Used by permission
2. That should go after the devo text but before the question.

8. Choose the author from the drop-down list.

9. Choose “Mentoring” as the post’s stat type.

10. Disable the “Faith Adventure Transition.” Locate the “Custom Fields” area and choose “faith-adventure-transition” for the Name and enter “0” (zero) for the value. Click the “Add Custom Field” button.

11. Enter appropriate tags. These should be included with the devotional at the end of the Word document. Make sure it includes “devotional”, “men”, and the author’s name, as well as 4-7 descriptive tags for the devo.

12. Categories: Check off the following three categories: Devotional, Devotional for Men, and BreakThroughPrayer Mens Daily Devotionals

13. Set the schedule date & time. (Time should be 02:00)

14. Publish!

15. Party. (But only briefly, because you probably have more devos to enter! J)

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