Squire D. Rushnell

Squire D. Rushnell, also known as SQuire Rushnell, is an American author and inspirational speaker and former television executive.^[1][2] His books in the When God Winks series have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list.^[3][4]

Squire D. Rushnell
Pen name	SQuire Rushnell
Occupation	Producer Writer
Language	English
Nationality	American
Citizenship	United States
Genre	Inspirational
Notable works	The Kingdom Chums: Little David's Adventure When God Winks at You
Spouse	Louise DuArt

Television career

Rushnell was a successful television executive who led Good Morning America to first place for the first time, and was a father of Schoolhouse Rock which shared 75 Emmys with The ABC Afterschool Specials and other children's programs under his leadership.^[1][2][5]

The Kingdom Chums

Rushnell started the project The Kingdom Chums as ABC's vice-president for long-range planning and children's television. Speaking on the general landscape of children's television, Rushnell stated that he "felt that there were a lot of weeds in this garden...I think that we can make it better."^[6]

Post-television career

According to Lisa Belkin, writing in the New York Times, his first book was published by a small press with modest sales in late 2001.^[2] Today his books in print exceed one million. Rushnell also tours as an inspirational speaker for, among others, Habitat for Humanity.^[1]

Godwink

Rushnell is credited with coining the term godwink, which he defines as "An event or personal experience, often identified as coincidence, so astonishing that it could only have come from divine origin."^{[7][8][9][10]} Paul Froese and Christopher Bader wrote in their book America's Four Gods: What We Say about God-- & what that Says about Us that Rushnell has trademarked the term.^[11][12][13]

Works

• SQuire Rushnell (2006). When God Winks at You: How God Speaks Directly to You Through the Power of Coincidence. Thomas Nelson Incorporated. ISBN 9780785218920.
• SQuire Rushnell, Louise DuArt (2008). Couples Who Pray: The Most Intimate Act Between a Man and a Woman. Thomas Nelson Incorporated. ISBN 9780785227946.
• SQuire Rushnell (2013). Divine Alignment: How Godwink Moments Guide Your Journey. Howard Books. ISBN 9781451667776.
• SQuire Rushnell, Louise DuArt (2016). The 40 Day Prayer Challenge: Unlocking the Power of Partnered Prayer. Howard Books. ISBN 9781501119675.

References

1. Ami Mizell-Flint (2012-05-14). "Habitat for Humanity event helps build mother's spirits". Go San Angelo. Rushnell, a veteran ABC Network Television executive, said he led "Good Morning America" and was vice president of family programs when he helped to create the "Schoolhouse Rock" series and "After School Specials." Since retiring, he has become an author and inspirational speaker. He is the best-selling author of three "When God Winks" books, with three more under contract.
2. Lisa Belkin (2002-08-11). "The Odds of That". New York Times. Retrieved 2012-05-15. The view of coincidence as fate has lately become something of a minitrend in the New Age section of bookstores. Among the more popular authors is SQuire Rushnell (who, in the interest of marketing, spells his first name with a capital Q). Rushnell spent 20 years producing such television programs as Good Morning America and Schoolhouse Rock. His fascination with coincidence began when he learned that both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same July 4, 50 years after the ratification of the Declaration of Independence.
3. "Local Author receives Nod from New York Times Best Seller". Foster's Daily Democrat. 2012-05-12. Retrieved 2012-05-15. Just months ago, A Little Lift, was mentioned on Squire Rushnell's personal Facebook page. Squire Rushnell, author of the NY Times best selling God Winks series, shared with more than 100,000 of his fans to take a look at A Little Lift.
4. Mike Connors (2012-04-25). "Ex-MLB star Strawberry to speak Friday in Va. Beach". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2012-05-15. Strawberry and his wife, Tracy, are among the scheduled speakers for "Three Couples," a presentation that begins at 7 p.m., according to a news release from the church. Former television host Ross Shafer and wife Leah, a singer, and author Squire Rushnell and wife Louise DuArt, a comedic impressionist, are also scheduled to speak.
5. Television Academy of Arts and Sciences
6. Brennan, Patricia (24 November 1986). "Dynasty network tells Bible stories". Toronto Star.
7. Grant Barrett (2006-12-24). "Buzzwords". New York Times. Retrieved 2012-05-16. God wink: something taken as evidence that a higher power is at work; a coincidence. Popularized by Squire Rushnell in his 2003 book, "When God Winks," and in later books.
8. Tosha L. Jones (2008). Moments in Life... AuthorHouse. p. 26. ISBN 9781434355201. Retrieved 2012-05-16. The strongest vibration that I received lent to the notion of Yes it is and Yes you did; however, the most ultimate godwink– thankyou SQuire Rushnell– came when I went through a drive thru one evening. As I paid the attendant, he said, "... Tosha do you know what your name means in Swahili?" I said no and he replied, "It means Enough". I thought to myself -- thank you God and so it is!
9. Ellen Miller (2009). The One Year Book of Inspiration for Girlfriends: Juggling Not-So-Perfect, Often-Crazy, But Gloriously Real Lives. Tyndale House Publishers. p. 249. ISBN 9781414319384. Retrieved 2012-05-16. She and I call it a "God wink," after a book written by Squire Rushnell. His theory is that some coincidences and chance meetings are just too bizarre not to be divinely appointed.
10. James B. Twitchell (2007). Shopping for God: How Christianity Went from In Your Heart to In Your Face. Simon & Schuster. pp. 105–6. ISBN 9780743292870. Retrieved 2012-05-16. In its most vulgarized and solipsistic state, epiphany is what currently is marketed as a God wink. Here the believer is encouraged to take some coincidence, like winning the lottery or recovering from sickness, as evidence of a higher power at work. So Squire Rushnell, in When God Winks at You: How God Speaks Directly to You Through the Power of Coincidence, tells of a woman who goes to church and just happens to sit next to the birth mother she was seeking. The mother was attending services for the first time! "Every time you receive what some call a coincidence or an answered prayer, it's a direct and personal message of reassurance from God to you," he contends. Narcissism itself becomes proof of divine selection.
11. Paul Froese, Christopher Bader (2010). America's Four Gods: What We Say about God-- & what that Says about Us. Oxford University Press. p. 30. ISBN 9780195341478. Retrieved 2012-05-16. Indeed, Rushnell believes that God had an active hand in his book's success by prominently placing it in Oprah Winfrey's home at the moment she was conducting a televised tour. After she held the book up to the cmaeras, sales skyrocketed. Rushnell calls such a happy occurrence a godwink, a term he has trademarked.
12. Rushnell, SQuire; DuArt, Louise (Dec 4, 2012). Godwink Stories: A Devotional. S&S/Howard. p. 256. ISBN 978-1451-678567.
13. Rushnell, SQuire (Feb 2, 2016). 40 Day Prayer Challenge: Unlocking the Power of Partnered Prayer. S&S/Howard. p. 288. ISBN 978-1-5011-1967-5.

External links

• Godwinks official website
• When God Winks website
• Dogwinks website