Torry Martin, a humorist with long red hair and lots of flair, had a guilt problem. He wanted to be free from guilt, so he set out to prove the Bible was wrong. Then, via a poster in an Anchorage, Alaska, laundromat, the Holy Spirit invited him to “Come see if the Bible is real.”

Martin told the story of how God turned his life upside down through that Precept BIble study poster. Later he became a licensed Precept leader, a fact all the more significant because he filled in as keynote speaker for Kay Arthur at Sunday afternoon’s AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) Golden Scroll Awards banquet. Arthur, executive vice president and co-CEO of Precept Ministries International, stayed home after her husband, Jack, was hospitalized this week.

Arthur was honored with the 2016 Golden Scroll Lifetime Achievement Award.  

“Kay may be the famed author of over 100 books, a TV show host and the founder of Precept Ministries International, but her accomplishments have come as a result of her service unto her Lord Jesus Christ,” AWSA founder Linda Evans Shepherd said of Arthur.

Martin, known for his writing for Focus on the Family’s “Adventures in Odyssey” show, drew plenty of laughs but also struck a chord with his personal testimony. Speaking on the subject “Discovering Your Calling, Finding Your Gift,” based on the book of Ephesians, he said when a Christian fails to exercise his gifts, it can “adversely affect the glory of God.” Martin sees life as “like a puzzle,” whereby God uses a combination of our “spiritual gifts, personalities, passions and individual experiences to maximum effectiveness.”

During the banquet, winners of the 2016 Golden Scroll Awards for Publisher, Nonfiction Editor and Fiction Editor of the Year also were announced, as well as the winners of the Golden Scroll Books of the Year contests.

The Nonfiction Book of the Year Award went to Saundra Dalton-Smith for Come Empty (SonRise Devotionals), while The Novel of the Year Award went to Lynette Eason for Always Watching (Revell/Baker Publishing Group). The Children’s Book of the Year was awarded to Michelle Lazurek for Daddy, Am I Beautiful? (Pauline Books & Media).

Worthy Publishing was named  the Publisher of the Year for outstanding ministry partnerships with its authors.

AWSA author Cynthia Ruchti says of Worthy: “They are fully invested in publishing books people need to read.  No detail is left to chance or whim. It’s a prayed-over publishing process at Worthy.”

Andy Mcguire received the Nonfiction Editor of the Year Award.

AWSA author Terri Roberts appreciated Mcguire’s support in the editing process.

“Andy showed great support and encouragement through the entire process even though I was battling serious health challenges of stage 4 cancer,” Roberts said. “He and his staff were there for me.”

Jamie Clarke Chavez of jamiechavez.com was named the Fiction Editor of the Year.

“Her breadth of knowledge and depth of caring are immense,” AWSA author Cynthia Ruchti said of Clarke. “She not only impacts the finished product but me as an author.”

Two other key awards were presented, the Member of the Year Award to Cynthia L. Simmons and the Beyond Me Award to Sheryl Giesbrecht, an acclaimed author and radio host who has a heart for missions around the world.

Shepherd praised Simmons: “She serves the Lord with her whole heart, whether it’s writing her books, hosting her radio show, directing the Atlanta Christian Writers Conference or mentoring homeschool moms.”

The audience was also treated to a parody dedicated to editors and publishers sung by Babbie Mason and written by comedy writer Martha Bolton.

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