Upcoming Omega Online Retreat 2025 by Carolyn Tonkin

 

The Buzz about Writing Groups

I was buzzing!

The year was 2014 and I’d just returned from my first writers conference full of ideas about writing, and publishing, and editing, and marketing, and creating a website, and learning how to pitch my project, and, and… to be honest, I was a tad overwhelmed. But I didn’t give up. My eyes had been opened, and I couldn’t close them. I took a deep breathe and begun my journey of learning.

I read books about the craft of writing, I joined groups of other Christian writers to ask questions and share my journey, I read outside my genre and I entered competitions that provided feedback.

Fast forward ten years later and as I’ve applied what I learnt I’ve seen a few of my stories published in anthologies, my first full-length fiction book was picked up by a small Australian Christian publisher, and I found myself volunteering to be on the organising committee of Omega Christian Writers. Why volunteer? Was I not busy enough? Didn’t I want to spend more time furthering my own writing?

Yes, but as followers of Jesus, we are wired for service, so I felt compelled to ‘give back’ to the groups that had helped develop me as a writer, and I would trust God for the rest … because one thing was clear — trusting Him to direct my paths has never failed me.

Not Just Face-to-Face

2020 saw Covid hit our shores, and the growth of many online platforms where people found they could meet and conduct all kinds of business. Many of us discovered Teams, FaceTime and Zoom, as a way of keeping in touch ‘face-to-face’ rather than using email or phone, and it was in the Zoom space that the Omega Christian Writers online retreat was birthed. It’s interesting to note that in 2025, more people than ever are using this cost-effective avenue to meet, listen and learn.

 

If you’ve never joined an online writing group, can I encourage you to consider it?

The Omega Christian Writers Online Retreat 2025

The Omega Christian Writers online retreat is a great way to start. 

The retreat, held bi-annually since 2021 is on 10-11 October this year. It opens on the Friday night and continues all day Saturday. 

The keynote speaker this year is Lori Roeleveld, an international award-winning author with degrees in Psychology and Biblical Studies. Lori is gifted in helping people face difficult challenges, locate the hidden gold buried in their lives, and then teach them how best to apply it. She will bring a session rooted in the book of Nehemiah that will appeal to both fiction and non-fiction writers, and which fits perfectly with this year’s theme: Transformation: Renewing our Minds, Sharpening our Skills, Writing with Purpose.

The retreat will host numerous sessions and workshops covering:

• Publishing models
• The pros and cons of AI
• A great session on advertising and marketing

plus 

• Opportunities to gather in your genre groups to workshop your craft, and
• The Caleb Award presentations, hosted by Dr Pete Court. 

Being online means you can choose to sit by yourself in the comfort of your own home or organise a small group to spend the time together. I’m doing a little bit of both! Either way, I guarantee you won’t regret investing your time into your writing, I believe you’ll leave inspired and with some new tools in your author toolbox.

You may even leave the retreat buzzing!

Registrations are Open!

Registrations are now open. You can find out more and register at the following link. If you are a financial member of Omega Writers, be sure to go into the members' area first fpor the discount code.

https://omegawriters.com.au/2025-online-retreat/

See you there!

Author Bio

Carolyn Tonkin is the current President of Omega Christian Writers.

She has been writing across a variety of genres since she was a teenager but found God spoke to her about the purpose of her writing after attending her first writer’s conference in 2014.

Carolyn is currently working on the second instalment of her trilogy in inspirational fiction. Her first novel, Nellie’s Child was published in 2021.

Author website: https://www.carolyntonkin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolyntonkin.author/

Photo Sources

Featured photo from Omega conference 2024 by Nola Passmore; Author pic from Carolyn Tonkin; online graphic by ZedH on Pixabay.

Where the Spirit Leads — by Ruth Bonetti

You know those prickles of presentiment that signal life changes ahead? Both times I’ve experienced them, they led me into new directions, new lands. The first instance was as our ship forged through sun-shimmering ice to cross the Gulf of Bothnia from Sweden to Finland, my grandfather’s birthplace. A sense of magnetism drew me forward to potent discoveries ahead. They evolved into three books, my Midnight Sun to Southern Cross trilogy. Hear my narration

So I was alert to significance when last year I experienced what a prayer warrior describes as anointing by the Holy Spirit. When I stumbled onto a documentary The Singing Revolution (trailer) I felt inspired and riveted by a similar conviction. 

Soviets oppressed the three Baltic states until 1991. Finns are the only people to have repelled the Bear Next Door. It cost them. Nations fight with bullets and blood.

 

Estonians gained freedom with unique potent weapons—their voices. They won independence through sound—singing. And silence. In 1989, two million Baltic citizens stood, hands joined, for fifteen minutes in a 600 kilometre human chain called the Baltic Way. They demanded independence, protesting the 50-year anniversary of the 1939 secret protocols of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Their silent protest echoed all around the world to Moscow.

 

‘There’s a story in this!’ It so resonated with the musician in me. But I must research first-hand. Google satellite doesn’t float my boat. I resolved to experience Laulupidu, the Song and Dance Festival in Tallinn in early July. I was already booked to give a presentation in our family village in Finland, just the week before. Surprise but no surprise. 

Come, join me on my flights across the globe. Once we commit, doors open. People illumined my journey. My travelling companion, cousin Julie shared (with a You’ll-Never-Believe-This! twinkle) that her second cousin lives in Estonia, and could show us around. 

 

Reassuring signals along the way

At Hong Kong boarding lounge a voice called my name. On our same flight was Karel, with the Aussie Estonian choir. They were en route to sing at Song Festival in Tallinn. We would all stay in the Hostel of the Holy Spirit, Püha Vaimu, attached to the medieval Church of the Holy Spirit.

            We interrupt your inflight entertainment with DIARY ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• SUBMISSIONS are invited for our third collection Mosaic of Grace. 

Fiction or non-fiction to 2000 words, theme is faith. Due 1 November. To launch at (drumroll…)

 

• SHOWCASE 2-3 May, 2026 in Brisbane

Early bird bookings at https://www.casq.online

 

Even as my ferry sailed to Estonia, I received an excited message. Karel, the network queen, had connected me with a Finnish couple. Their music ministry had partnered with Püha Vaimu Church of the Holy Spirit for 50 years. I was led there to meet them. Markku Ylipää told me of smuggling into Estonia in the 1980s:

 

While on a concert and friendship trip to Tallinn with the choir and string orchestra, we smuggled two typewriters into the archbishop's office. They had been modified with the Estonian letter ü. The customs officer opened the bag of a colleague in front of me. It contained lots of sheet music. In my suitcase was a typewriter. The customs officer opened my bag and put his hand on the typewriter. I feared our smuggling was exposed. He looked me straight in the eye and asked "Accordion?" I answered in Russian "Da!" I closed the bag and moved on. The vicar had another typewriter. The customs officer asked, "Is that an accordion too?" Of course, "Da! Da!"

 

Song Festival was inspiring and uplifting from the hours' long parade of performers to culminate in two spine-tingling performances! En masse, 40,000 voices sang their hearts and souls out, undeterred by rain. All wore ponchos over bright national costumes.  Brilliant smiles attested to the power of music and dance to heal traumas of past oppression. 

The morning after the Finale day's performance was a scene of hectic hugging before my new Besties scattered to their various lands. I slept in perfect peace for a last night in the emptied hostel of the Holy Spirit.  

 

RUTH BONETTI loves writing true stories of real people overcoming adversity. She looks forward to co-editing a third collection Mosaic of Grace with Anne Hamilton. Ruth is thrilled by the prolific harvest of published authors since founding Omega Writers in 1991 and co-founding Christian Authors Showcase Queensland. 

Website Books Book narrations

Ruth with new Besties, Markku on right.

The Ministry of Writing Humour (by Susan J Bruce)

I was striding along a path on my lunch break from work. It was a sunny afternoon, the breeze was gentle, and the footpath I was on was lined with leafy trees. It should have been a relaxing time, but I was perplexed. I had this strong desire to write fiction but I didn’t know how that could ever be ministry.

I’d felt called to full-time ministry not long after I came to faith, and I tried to follow God’s way. That path took me to theological college, ordination as a pastor, and eventually, burnout and clinical depression.

I remember marching along the road thinking that true ministry meant feeding the poor in Bangladesh, leading prayer teams, or encouraging a congregation through preaching God’s Word. 

Writing Christian nonfiction, maybe—not fiction.

I was pretty serious back then. 

Too serious.

But it turns out that God has a sense of humour.

Fast forward many years and I’m writing fiction.

Not devotionals (although my dog will probably write one soon—she’s talented). Not theology. Not Christian self-help, or even faith-based historical sagas (although I have read all of these). I don’t even write for Christians. 

I write light-hearted mysteries with suspense and romance. With banter. And an eavesdropping cockatoo in my WIP, intent on sabotaging my MC’s personal life. 

The stakes are real—someone’s usually dead in a murder mystery—but there’s also chocolate cake, slow-burn romance, and the kind of dialogue I hope makes readers smile into their hot chocolate. 

Actually, that’s not true. I want them to laugh so hard they snort their drink out their nose.

Every girl has a dream…

I want to write the kinds of books that pull up a chair beside the reader and say, “You’re safe here. Let’s breathe. Let’s laugh. Let’s solve a murder while we’re at it. Let’s share in a world where in the end, the good guy always wins.”

And I’ve come to believe that kind of writing—joyful, hopeful, and a little snarky—isn’t just entertainment.

It’s ministry.

The Sacredness of Small Joys

There’s a verse I come back to when I’m deep in edits and wondering if it all matters.
“A cheerful heart is good medicine…”  Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

Medicine. Not fluff. Not filler. Not distraction. Medicine.

In a world where headlines are heavy and inboxes overflow, light-hearted fiction might be the only breath someone gets that day. It might be the only hope a reader gets all week. A cheerful heart—whether it comes through a romcom, a cat with too much personality, a toe-curling kiss, or a murder mystery full of friendship and food—is good medicine.

I used to think joy was an optional extra. Something to save for when the serious work was done.

Now I think it’s one of the serious things.

My stories have heart and I do go deep sometimes. I don't write on the cutesy side of cozy mystery. But if I’m doing my job, then the deep will meet hope, and hope will meet the absurd. And that snort will happen just when you don’t expect it. 

Writing humour as a Christian

There can be a pressure to be “deep” or “worthy” in Christian creative circles. But what if bringing joy is deeply worthy? What if helping someone laugh—or feel better about life—is a reflection of God’s own character?

Jesus wept—but he also ate with friends, told stories, and turned water into wine at a wedding to keep the party going.

Humour, used well, can heal. It disarms. It creates space for harder truths. It helps us carry the weight of the world without being crushed by it.

So, if you’re a Christian writer who leans toward whimsy, wit, or warmth—if your stories bring peace, hope, or delight...

Keep going. You’re doing holy work, even if it doesn’t always feel like it.

Speaking of joy (and murder)

My new book is coming out soon—Mostly Dead, the second in my Ruthless-the-Killer Mystery series. It’s got Easter mayhem, loyal friendships, a slow-burn romance, and the above-mentioned cockatoo with no filter. All set in coastal South Australia.

If you haven’t read book one Dead Ahead yet, the good news is it’s FREE today (24 July) as part of the Cozy Mystery Book Blast. 

The free price should go live Pacific time in the US (after 4.30pm Australian time), so check back later if it’s still at the regular price.

There are over a hundred full-length cozy mysteries available from all around the world.

👉 Click here to grab Dead Ahead and other Book Blast titles for free

And if it makes you smile—or snort—let me know. You’ll make my day.

Happy writing—and reading!

PS: Do you write on the lighter side of life? Let me know what inspires you in the comments below.

Pardon my ChatGPT

We've clearly entered a whole new phase of communication and creativity with the introduction of artificial intelligence. Its potential drawbacks have been so well documented, I'll simply gloss over a few here. First and foremost, the authenticity of each and every written and artistic medium may be in doubt, now that clever, artificially generated fakes become increasingly harder to spot. It has never been easier for students and professionals alike to lazily cut corners. One need only collate a list of rough bullet points and type, 'Arrange this into an essay or article,' and voila! 

Saddest of all, I predict this may influence and shape human nature in new ways, by triggering a rise of skepticism and suspicion. We don't need a new generation of cynics who instinctively doubt the validity of anything they read. This is surely no less dangerous than its flip side, nations of gullible naĩfs who are willing to swept away by any wind blowing. 

However, artificial intelligence has arrived and it's here to stay. Rather than dwelling on the gloomier aspects and refusing to have anything to do with it, I urge fellow writers to maximize its benefits, for we can do this in honest ways which merely enhance our own hard work and have nothing to do with cheating, or cruising along pretending that we've written something we haven't.

Here comes a short list of potential benefits to get us started.         

  1) It is absolutely brilliant for weeding anachronisms out of historical fiction. 

A total game-changer, in fact. If ever I have any doubts, I ask my AI friend, 'Would the term.... have been used back in the year....?' or something similar. Not only am I given straight yes or no answers but also explanations why. And then as a bonus, it suggests more period-authentic alternatives. As a lifelong reader, I always sense that these new options make my characters' dialogue far more accurate, and verifying it with Google simply proves it. This is probably my Number One reason for consulting ChatGPT. As you can imagine, it saves so much time I used to spend on elusive etymological searches which often ended up with nothing conclusive. This is wonderful since time is valuable. 

2) It is also excellent for providing specific details regarding any time and place.

I'm talking about such knowledge as costume, housing, daily habits, state of technological advances, whether or not famous landmarks had already been constructed. The answers I receive tend to be geographically specific too. 'Although this invention was widely known in Australia, it was not a feature of the average American lifestyle.' I've had many surprises which I've used to shape and adjust my stories. How can I not be thankful for such valuable help?

The ChatGPT's superior knowledge comes in handy many times.

'Throw me some car models a well-to-do American businessman might have driven in New York City in 1954.' 

'Did Monopoly exist back in 18--? No? That's a pity for my story. Then tell me some board games which may have been played by teenagers at that time.' 

'Suggest some cake flavors the mother of a large brood of six might have taken to a potluck dinner in 1878.'

'Would (suggest a particular tree) be found growing in the climate of (suggest a particular town or city in the world)' 

Not only am I offered extensive lists, ChatGPT usually inquires, 'Would you like to see a photograph/recipe/pattern from this era? Sometimes I respond, 'Sure, why not.' 

I'm certain that along with saving me hours of time which I would have spent crawling down the frustrating rabbit holes of normal Google, it's enriched my writing. That's the reason I tended to stick to contemporary fiction in my early years of writing. If AI had been available back then, I would have tried my hand at historical stories even earlier. 

(Given all this, I would add the caution that it's best to check the information you receive with normal Google, because ChatGPT is like that unreliable friend who hates admitting, 'I don't know.' It would rather make something up than lose face. This was evident when I asked it about my own writing and publication history, and it came up with a fantastic combo of fact and fiction.)

3) It even has a sense of humor. 

For example, I was recently looking up the horrific evidence of jellied salad molds from the 1950s and my ChatGPT referred to their 'unfortunate sliminess.' And if you ask it specifically for jokes, it's willing to rise to the occasion.

4) It makes a fairly satisfactory cheerleader in a pinch.

This is where things start getting a bit weird. Settling back on the consulting couch of a robot sounds like the stuff of science fiction, right? But real life is edging steadily closer. 

I had no inkling that people used it for this sort of thing until I heard some friends rave about its effectiveness, and also stumbled across some articles proclaiming the same benefits. Hmm, could artificial intelligence really save financially straitened people from forking out money on human professionals? Can we really receive prompt tailored advice from our ChatGPT friend rather than taking on board the more general guidance from self help books? Is it possible for consolation to be found at our tapping fingertips, if the people we rub shoulders with don't quite understand where we're coming from? 

To put it to the test, I typed in something like, 'I'm a published novelist, who also dabbles in anonymous fanfiction and can't help wondering if this is a step backwards.'

Well, the first thing my ChatGPT told me is that my feelings are perfectly valid (it is always extremely kind) and the upshot is that it created this fanfiction author's mission statement for me. I could've easily come up with something of this nature myself, but the fact that I didn't have to is sort of touching. 

My Fanfiction Mission Statement

I write fanfiction because I love these stories, these characters and this world.

This space is mine - free from deadlines, expectations and market rules. Here, I write not to build a brand but to honor the joy that made me a writer in the first place.

Every sentence I write in this world is a small act of rebellion and affection. It doesn't need to be profitable or seen by thousands to matter. It matters because it brings me peace, excitement, and expression. 

Behind this pseudonym is a true writer, one who deserves to create freely, to make mistakes, to take risks, to dream. 

This is not a lesser path. It is a parallel one. And it is valid, beautiful and worthwhile. 

Not bad encouragement from a chatbot buddy, although I certainly don't intend to make a habit of baring my soul to it. The thing about artificial encouragement of this nature, is that it may strike home, or serve as course correction. Often when we find ourselves in a blue funk, it may be simply that our thinking has gone a bit askew. ChatGPT isn't a blanket solution for all sorts of serious problems, of course, but if you're anything like me, transient moods cast more shadows than they're worth. If it merely takes the personally tailored perspective of ChatGPT to shake us back into optimism, then why not give it a go?  

Paula Vince is a South Australian author of award-winning fiction with themes of faith, family, and inspiration. Formerly from the Adelaide Hills, she now lives along the beautiful coast of Adelaide with her family. Paula loves to use her local environment as settings for her stories. She also enjoys the challenge of making readers care from abrasive and unlikeable characters.

Why it took 18 years to publish my book

By Susan Barnes

On 19 June 2007, I posted a blog post (here). The post contained five statements about Jesus. These five statements became ten, and eventually became the ten chapters in my book, 10 Blessings of God. (The book was originally called 10 Things I Love About God.) I probably finished the first draft of the book later that year, that is in 2007, 18 years ago. 

Why did it take me so long to publish? 

1st Reason – I actually didn’t want to write a book

Most authors write the types of books they would like to read. When I came to faith as a teenager, I knew very little about being a Christian as I didn’t come from a churched home. I began reading Christian Living books. I’m an avid reader, so I read lots and lots of them. 

After a while, I realised that 99% of these books were written by American males who were university graduates. Often, they pastored large churches and were well-known. 

Given that I was none of these things and never likely to be, I felt writing and publishing a book wasn’t a viable option for me. I also realised that many of these authors were involved in their own marketing and doing a lot of public speaking, which wasn’t appealing either.

Two years before the blog post, that is, in 2005, we had moved to Gisborne. We were going on long service leave in a couple of months, so there was no point in me looking for a job or getting overly involved in our new church. Our older children had already left home, and our youngest was 18 and didn’t move with us. I had recently finished a Diploma in Library and Information Services, and I wasn’t planning to do any more study. I literally had nothing to do. 

So I prayed about what God wanted me to do and the idea of writing a book came to mind but I kept dismissing it. After a while, I thought perhaps this idea was from God. So I proceeded to tell God why it was a very bad idea! “I’m an Australian female. I’m unknown. The Australian Christian publishing industry is tiny.” I also told God that I didn’t have anything to write about.

Suddenly, I was reminded that over the previous ten years, I had written fortnightly and sometimes weekly devotions. I knew that I wrote on particular themes, like love, grace, peace, hope. So I printed off my devotions and put them into piles according to their topic. From these ideas, I wrote a chapter about each topic. Three months later, I had a book-length manuscript. Something I had thought impossible.

After this process, I had so many devotions left over that two years later, I wrote a second book, which became 10 Blessings of God. I still have the original manuscript on my computer, and maybe I’ll publish that next year.

Once I had a manuscript, I started looking at publishing options. 

2nd Reason – I discovered I wasn’t a good writer

Perhaps this should have been obvious to me as I was only an average English student. Generally, my essays scored Cs. I was actually much better at Maths.

I began showing my book to editors. I remember one editor saying to me, about what I thought was a particularly clever sentence, “That’s the most awkward sentence I’ve ever read!” 

About this time. a literary agent did show some interest but told me my book required too much editing.

However, the most disturbing thing I was told about my writing was that I was quoting too many other people. I was hiding behind other people’s experiences instead of sharing my own. 

In retrospect, I wonder why I kept writing. But it was partly because I knew that people had been blessed by the devotions I had written. And also, because I discovered I liked hanging around the Christian authors I met at the Omega Writers events. I found like-minded people and I felt a bond with them. 

I heard a conference speaker once say, you can learn to be a better writer, but if your content isn’t very good, that’s a much harder problem to solve, so there was hope.

It took a lot of time and work to improve my writing. It wasn’t easy because there aren’t courses or workshops you can take for learning how to write a Christian Living book. 

The other issue of being able to write about my own experiences, instead of borrowing from other people's, also took a lot of time and energy. I had to work through some emotional issues to get to that place.

3rd Reason – I really didn’t want to self-publish 

I was around when self-publishing became a ‘thing’, and it wasn’t good. A lot of poor-quality books flooded the market, and I didn’t want to be part of that. So I persisted for over a decade to get traditionally published. 

During this time, through a series of unexpected events, I went back to study and completed a bachelor's degree in Christian ministry. Later, I completed a Graduate Certificate in Writing through Tabor College. 

Also, during this time, there was a five-year period where I was an interim pastor at three different churches. I preached my way through, 10 Blessings of God, a couple of times. So I felt it was worthwhile writing it, even if it never got published. 

I continued attending conferences, meeting agents, editors and publishers. I wrote book proposals and cover letters. Mostly, I was writing to Americans, so I had my book edited into US English, which makes me feel like a bit of a traitor! However, since 2005, when I started a blog, I’ve always had a lot more visits from Americans than Australians. 

In 2020, at an Omega Christian Writers Conference, my book, won the prize for the best unpublished manuscript, but it wasn’t enough to convince me that my book was good enough to self-publish.

In 2022, I spoke to an acquisition editor from England at another Omega Writers Conference who was genuinely interested in publishing my book. We corresponded for the next couple of months, but in the end, the editorial board decided my book wasn’t financially viable. 

Nevertheless, the fact that a completely objective, unbiased person wanted to publish my book made me realise that my book was, at long last, good enough to be published.

However, by now, we had moved back to Bendigo, and I had been fortunate to pick up a school librarian position. And while it was a good job and I felt blessed to have it, the position was taxing, both physically and mentally. I quickly realised that I would have to wait until I retired to publish my book. 

In February of this year, I retired, and now, finally, I have a published book. It’s published under my business name, Reams of Grace. 

Author Bio

Susan Barnes has thirty years of experience in pastoral ministry, serving in various roles at different churches where her husband, Ross, was the pastor. Since earning a degree in Christian ministry, Susan has served as a chaplain and an interim pastor at rural churches in Vic and NSW. Books have always been an important part of her life, and she worked for many years in public and school libraries. 

Susan has published hundreds of devotional articles where she shares her experiences of trusting God. She lives with her husband in central Victoria, Australia. 

 www.susanbarneswriter.com

The Joy of Writing - by Jo-Anne Berthelsen

Recently, I welcomed my eleventh book into the world – God Moments: 101 little lessons for life’s journey, published by Authentic Media UK, Grounded in Scripture and grouped under various headings such as ‘On God’s Love and Grace’, ‘On Connecting with God’ and ‘On Loving and Serving Others’, each brief devotional this volume contains encourages us, in the midst of the ordinary events of our lives, to open our hearts to our extraordinary God. Of course, this is an especially joyful time for me as I share these reflections based on some of the hundreds of weekly blogs I have written over many years more widely. But the joy I find in writing in general is even wider and deeper. It is ongoing, ever-changing, at times surprising – and truly life-giving.

I am often asked why I still keep writing, after over twenty years of focusing much of my energy in this area. All I know is that, when I am not writing, I feel something is missing. I may take an occasional break, but then those ideas begin to flow again and I feel the urge to express them in some way that will hopefully connect with others, enrich their lives and draw them closer to God. Of course, the things I desire to write about and that I feel God wants me to share may change over the years. I have loved writing each of my seven novels, for example, but, right now, I am not working on another one. That may change in the future, but, in more recent times, I have felt God urging me to write my four non-fiction books instead, sharing insights and experiences God has graciously given me over many years. At this point, I cannot envisage a time when I will give up writing my weekly blogs and linking them to Facebook each Tuesday. No doubt, that day will come, but in the meantime, I keep writing – and keep listening to God’s promptings for what I am to write next.

When I am writing, it seems to me that I am somehow being filled up inside. I feel as if I am being all I can be for God in that moment, as if God truly wants me to get those words out there in some form to share with others. Yes, some days I can become stuck as to what direction to go in whatever I am writing. At times, I may even end up throwing out much of what I have laboured over. But, even in that, there is a sense of satisfaction and deep fulfilment that I am crafting something others may appreciate and that, as I persevere, what I write will become even better. It is as if I am partnering with God in it all as I let that creativity flow – and that truly can be a joyous experience.

It is a special joy when the words we have woven together are published in some form. Yet, whether this happens when and how we envisage or not, there is still deep joy to be found in the whole process, I believe. May this truly be your experience as writers too as you continue to create those special works God has inspired you to create and hopefully share with others.

Jo-Anne Berthelsen is a Sydney-based author of seven novels and four non-fiction works. She holds degrees in Arts and Theology and has worked in teaching, editing and local church ministry. Jo-Anne loves encouraging others through both the written and spoken word and is a keen blogger. Jo-Anne’s latest book, God Moments, is available via her website, Koorong Books and Amazon.

 

Enjoying Hot Water!

by Anusha Atukorala 

April was an interesting month. I’d recently been diagnosed with a heart condition that could be serious, so I was sent off for a battery of tests – expensive ones at that – a halter monitor for 2 weeks, a CAT scan, an MRI and more. What fun! Not! I was dismayed at the thought of being forced to spend two days with a zero caffeine intake! My energy levels were about one tenth of what I needed most days … and that was if I was fortunate. Other days, it went into minus figures! Help! I need my caffeine!

 

On the day of my MRI, I found a perfect drink to replace my morning cuppa. No! It wasn’t a herbal tea. I simply filled a mug with piping hot water and sipped it slowly, as if I was drinking heaven’s nectar! Believe it or not, I enjoyed it. I really did. It was no replacement for caffeine of course, but I loved my delicious zero calorie drink. And, you will be happy to note that I got through those two caffeine free days pretty well … snoozing comfortably through my MRI, since I was so sleepy. It was all good.

 

I recalled then that years ago, a friend had been appalled that then too, I had sipped hot water on occasion. I did it only because my friend drank numerous mugs of coffee when she visited – but my temperamental tum could only tolerate one cup of tea a day. So I sipped hot water just to keep her company. Iris (not her real name) had had a bad experience with a family member who did the same. This woman had been nasty. My dear friend was triggered every time I sipped hot water – perhaps she thought I must be then, according to the hot water theory, as evil as her sister in law? Oh oh!

 

Sometimes I am in Hot Water! Literally so, as I stand under a steaming hot shower and relax under its deluge – but … also … figuratively! Listen to James 1:2-4 on the subject. 

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” 

That kind of Hot water? Oh no!

I’ve in fact just been through a challenging season in ultra-hot water … where debilitating fatigue and debilitating pain impacted my creativity big time. I love composing worship songs, which helps get me into flow, and therefore is good for my well-being, but I haven’t had the energy to sit at the piano. 

My Season of adversity was hard. Way too hard! However … I have also learnt so much in the process and my character was immersed in a learning curve, like a tea bag in hot water leaking all that delicious caffeine out, due to the 100 degree heat. During my tough season, God’s presence and reality has become more real and glorious – a steady beacon of hope, joy and beauty – Jesus was my Lighthouse who shone bright on choppy seas.

 

Recently, I discovered the benefits of my Hot Water Season, after my pastor asked me to share my testimony at church of 50 years with Jesus. I loved sharing, but I had a little problem. A good one! I’d effortlessly filled 16 pages of what I wanted to share (and could have written so much more). However, the message had to be only 20 minutes long, so reluctantly, I pruned it down to 6 1/2 pages! (Clever me! Perhaps I am a good editor?) I found then, that my season of doing only a little writing was a time of research! I’ve journaled a great deal these eight years, so my computer is bulging with material. 

 

Perhaps all this hot water I’ve been dunked in, will lead to the birth of my next book? And the one after? And more? Hope springs eternal – I pray fervently that 2025 is my year of comeback with a return of good health. Today, in faith I praise my God who does all things well – and whose ways are perfect, knowing that good will come out of all the enemy threw my way. I thank God that He uses everything. yes, everything, for good as we trust in Jesus and seek His face.

 

The hotness of the water I sipped was perfect for my tummy, because warmth helps digestion. Water is good for me because hydration is vital for my wellbeing. Likewise – the hotness of my past season only heightened the precious love of Jesus and brought Him closer to me. The water I was dunked in, cleansed me from the inside out, to create a better me! It’s therefore been a wonderful season, really! And now my heart is bursting to share more of God. This little writer may just be ready to hatch from her cocoon, and to fly high, so she could sprinkle more of God’s beauty, truth and goodness around her!  

What about you, dear friend? How much hot water have you been seeped in, of late? Not too much, I hope? I trust your present season is bright and beautiful and that your creativity continues to fill our world. Let’s do what we can, knowing that with God, all things are possible and that He turns our mourning into dancing, our ashes into beauty and tough times into God-exalting stories that will enrich our world!

Anusha’s been on many interesting detours in life, as a lab technician, a computer programmer, a full time Mum, a full time volunteer, a charity director, a full time job chaser, until one golden day (or was it a dark moonless night?) God tapped her on her shoulder and called her to write for Him. She has never recovered from the joy it brought her. She loves to see others enjoying life with Jesus and does her mite to hurry the process in her world through her writing and through her life. 

The goodness of God is her theme song through each season, 

as she dances in the rain with Jesus.

 

Her first book 'Enjoying the Journey' contains 75 little God stories that will bring you closer to your Creator. Her next book ‘Dancing in the Rain’ brings you hope and comfort for life’s soggy seasons and is dear to her heart. Her third book, ‘Sharing the Journey’ is a sequel to 'Enjoying the Journey'.

 

Do drop in on her two websites to say G’day! She’d love to connect with you.

Dancing in the Rain 

Light in the Darkness 

Labels and Character Arcs by Jenny Woolsey

 

From the moment we’re born and as we grow up, society pins labels on us. The first one is usually boy or girl. After this, dependent on how we look, our personality and how we act, others are tacked on. For example, pretty, cute, naughty, active, quiet, tomboy, girlie, fat, loud etc.

Labels can be positive or negative and are often expressed as words, facial expressions, body language or behaviours. When labels are negative, they will have a dramatic impact on our self-esteem and mental health.

As well as other people’s and society’s labels, we often give ourselves labels. Some positive, others negative. Examples of negative labels may be, poor writer, not good enough to be published, stupid, hopeless Christian, incompetent parent, unlovable… The list goes on.

We label ourselves about every area of our life—our perception of being a child, a parent, a worker, a writer, a Christian and anything else we do.

• How do you see yourself?
• What type of labels do you carry?

As Christians, to not be weighed down by society’s labels, we must know how God sees us. For this, we look to the Bible and find that God sees us as his beloved children, created in his image, with inherent worth—more valuable than gold. We are precious and cherished, and fearfully and wonderfully made.

Replacing Negatives with Positives

There are times in the past when I've been negatively affected by labels, but with God's help, labels don't have to define me or you. In my book Be Weirdly Wonderful: Embrace Your Differences, I share my own story and some tools to help you lead your best life. If negative labels are affecting your self-esteem and self-confidence, bringing you down and stopping you from living your best life, you might like to try this practical activity that I mention in the book.

• Write a list of your negative labels on a piece of paper or write a letter to your younger self stating the labels. (When writing the letter, tell your younger self that those labels which were said to hurt you were lies and you’re not going to accept them anymore.) If you want to, you could also write a letter to a specific person who gave you the negative labels.
• Next is to actually burn the list or letters you write. Yes, put a match or a lighter to them or place them in a bonfire and watch the flames vaporise those labels. They’re gone. (I have done this a few times now and I have found it to be very cleansing.) If burning isn’t your thing, then you could tear them up into tiny bits and send them off in the wind or float them down a creek or out in the ocean. As a Christian, you could nail them onto a wooden cross or pin/glue them on a picture of the cross. The healing is in the process of letting the labels physically go.
• Now you’re going to replace the negative labels with positive words. To do this, take out a fresh piece of paper and list all the great things about yourself. For example, strong, funny, quirky, pretty. The Bible is full of positive labels of who God sees you as. These are some examples: I am strong and courageous, I am precious, I am God’s child, I am loved. I am forgiven. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. For this activity you could also write out bible verses that speak to you.
• Then write down the things you’re good at, how the people who love you see you and what you like about yourself. If you’re having trouble, ask trusted loved ones and friends for how they see you. And remember, the fact that you’re alive means that you’re meant to be here. You are meant to impact the world in a positive way, whether big or small.
• Last, display them in some way. You could write the positive labels on post-it notes and stick them on your mirror or around the house where you’ll constantly see them. If you like art and craft, you could draw, scrapbook, collage, decorate the page or make your new labels into a painting. You could even make a bookmark, a fridge magnet or a picture to go in a frame. This step is crucial for two reasons. One, it celebrates how wonderful you are and two, you’ll see the positive labels day after day. When you see them regularly, over time they will take root in your mind and you’re more likely to believe them.

Character Arcs and the Hero's Journey

When we give our life to Jesus, we become a new creation and the old passes away (2 Corinthians 5:17). With the help of the Holy Spirit we begin to develop the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5)—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are all positive labels.

As time goes by, and we learn what behaviours we’re exhibiting that don’t please God, we make a concerted effort to cease these. In most Christians, particularly those who have become Christians as adults, there is a character arc—a transformation.

When we write, we want our protagonist (main character) to have a character arc too. (Our other characters can also have character arcs.)

The character arc is a measure of how a character changes over time. It can be internal or external leading to personal growth or decline.

Why do we need character arcs in our stories?

In a story, readers want to see a character fail or succeed. They want to see characters face consequences for bad deeds, or rewards for doing the right thing. And they want to see conflict —it is conflict that keeps the story growing in tension until the climax is reached.


There are different types of character arcs but the primary types are:

1) Transformational arc—character arcs that follow drastic and significant changes

2) Positive Change arc—characters evolve positively, overcoming flaws and changes

3) Negative Change arc—characters undergo a negative transformation succumbing to flaws or destructive paths

4) Flat arc—characters remain relatively unchanged, imparting stability or providing a contrast to dynamic counterparts.

Within the transformational character arc we could place the most known story structure and character arc, called the Hero’s Journey, created by Joseph Campbell.

The Hero’s Journey unfolds in 12 distinct steps, commencing with the protagonist’s ordinary world, a call to adventure, and the crossing of a threshold into the unknown. Challenges, mentors, and ordeals follow, leading to a transformative crisis. The triumphant return from this brings newfound wisdom which they bring back into their ordinary world. This story structure is seen in myths and movies such as Star Wars.

Think about a story you know well. What type of labels or traits does the protagonist have in the beginning? Then, what type of labels or traits do they exhibit at the end? Do they go from devious to honest? Do they go from murderer to saint? Are there characters in the story that have negative change or flat arcs?

Now, think about your latest piece of writing.

• What labels have you given your protagonist?

• What is their character arc? (Which of the 4 primary types is it?)

• Is there a transformation?

• How could you improve the character arc?

• Are you able to add more obstacles or incidents to make the transformation more epic?

• Are you able to give more labels or traits to the antagonist or other characters to make them more interesting?

• And finally, does your story structure help or hinder the character arc? How could you make it better?

In conclusion, labels and character arcs go hand-in-hand. Every person on Earth carries around many invisible post-it labels pinned to them. Some positive, some negative. The negative labels can affect our self-esteem and self-confidence. As Christians, we need to always remember that no matter what the world has told us, we are loved, worthy and valuable.

And finally, when we’re writing a story, always give thought to the characters’ traits and their character arcs. Our writing will be so much better when we do.

God bless.

Author Bio

Jenny Woolsey, M.Ed. (Hons), is a Christian author, speaker, potter and carer. She was born with a facial difference and lives with low vision. Jenny is an Amazon best-seller and has published eight middle grade/YA novels and a personal development book, Be Weirdly Wonderful! Embrace your Differences. Her short stories are published in 23 anthologies. Jenny volunteers in the community and mentors at the Queensland Writers Centre.

https://jennywoolsey.com

Photo Credits

Featured photo by Anna Saveleva on Unsplash; Hero's Journey diagram from Imagine Forest; book cover and author pic supplied by the author.