Thursday 31 March 2022

The One who makes the Difference!

 by Anusha Atukorala


I was enjoying an evening walk. Birds twittered as they flew home to their nests. A soft breeze stirred, chasing my cares away, like a toddler scattering a flock of pigeons as he runs towards them in glee. Trees danced to the tune of the breeze, waving their green branches with abandon. I looked up. There in the twilight skies wafted a large cloud, dressed in pretty Pink and announcing itself to the world. It pointed to its Creator and transformed my evening into a magical one. A few soft white clouds raced along to join their colour-splashed friend, but they weren’t a patch on that Perfect Pink Preamble!

 

I soon realised that this striking cloud made a difference. Wherever I went, the evening began to sparkle–all because of that Pretty Pink Parade. The horizon was laced with it. Gum trees grew tall in its presence. Our world was ablaze with colour because of its smiles. It was a reminder then, that just like this PPP, there is a Divine PPP who can turn an ordinary day into a special one and transform an unyielding moment into a joyful one. And of course, as a Christian writer, all that I create does need a PPP so that my writing bears fruit.

 


I’m not talking of a Perfect Pink Panorama this time.

What I point to instead is A Powerful Precious Presence.

 

God! Our Almighty God … the Author of our stories.

Jesus, the Creator of everything, past, present and future.

The Holy Spirit who writes our stories with us.

 

Yes, it’s He who does it all. He who directs. He who knows what He plans to do with our writing. It is He who reaches the world through our words. All that we write turns salty only when the Salt-Shaker is present. Words we write can reach hearts, only when the Heart-Warmer is at work. Words in books are brought to life in readers through the Author of Life!

 


There are seasons and seasons in a writer’s life, aren’t there? Some seasons are rich and fulfilling. Others are humdrum. Some are downright discouraging. I remember how hard it was to keep going when I was hunting for a publisher for my second book. I had rejections galore, and hope slipped away, pearls on a broken necklace falling, leaving an empty string in my hand. God showed me through that experience that perseverance is part of a writer’s package. Nothing always comes easy. It also meant that when the miracle happened and I did find a publisher, I knew it was not through my own cleverness or expertise or good fortune that I found one but that our Heavenly PPP - that Precious Powerful Presence was at work again.


I believe God allows dry times, hard times, unfruitful times to meander into our writing lives because it’s one way of letting us know who our Boss is. How’s your writing life these days? If it is productive, I’d like to shake your hand. Good job, friend! Well done! If it could be better, I still say Well done! I know you will make it. Keep it up, dear Writer! But if it is downright discouraging, I’d love to remind you of that PPP. That Perfect Pink Panorama. Or rather that Precious Powerful Presence! Don’t forget that He goes before You. He will do all He promised. It is all His work. Dry times are seasons when He is preparing the ground (and us) for more fruitfulness.

 


A couple of years ago, I was surprised when I heard from an unknown man whom I will call Paul. Paul wrote that he noticed I wasn’t blogging any more. He encouraged me to keep stirring up the gift that God had given me, letting me know my writing had impacted his life. I was so encouraged. Paul didn’t know it – but I had been blogging – using a new website, so I sent him the link. Recently, Paul wrote again, asking to buy all three of my books. Think Happy Surprise on this little writers’ face. Think eyebrows raised. Think happy dance! It was astonishing that an unknown man wanted to buy my books. While I’d hoped that both men and woman would enjoy my writing, I wasn’t sure if men would. But here was proof that at least one man did! Hooray!

 

And then … I realise afresh that unless God speaks, my words are just squiggles on paper. Unless God chooses to use them, nothing I write would make any impact. It is He alone who can use a weak little vessel in order to communicate His truth to His world. It is not what I write that is as important as the leading of the Holy Spirit when I do. It is not my writing that reaches hearts but it is God who speaks through my words to touch and bless and build.

 


You and I are a paintbrush in the Hands of the Master Painter. An instrument in His Symphony Orchestra. Isn’t it a great gift that He calls us to be co-creators with Him? When we allow Him to lead us and use us, our writing will have eternal consequences. So let’s keep writing. It is His purpose that matters. His Voice that reaches hearts, that Precious, Powerful, Peace-filled, Perfect, Personable, Patient, Picturesque Presence who Permeates His world. 


He alone makes all the difference.

 


Let’s look to Him.

Let’s write with Him.

Let’s worship Him.




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 2nd book Dancing in the Rain brings you hope and comfort for life’s soggy seasons. Her 3rd book, Sharing the Journey is a sequel to Enjoying the Journey.

 

Do stop by at her two websites to say G’day and to read her blogs.

Dancing in the Rain 

Light in theDarkness

 






Thursday 24 March 2022

Highlighting Book Reviews



 by Jeanette O'Hagan

As Jane Austen might have said, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an up-and-coming author in possession of a new release must be in want of book reviews.”


But what is a book review and why do authors crave them so much? 


A book review gives a reader's evaluation or reaction of their reading experience of a particular book. Most often written on a review site, it can also be blogged, podcasted, on you-tube, Instagram or Tik Tok. 

Finding and connecting with new readers can be one of hardest challenges of being an author. Anything that can help us do that adds value. In an era of online book stores, a substantial number of good reviews gives a book 'social proof' and can help readers decide whether or not to buy and read the book.

But getting book reviews is not easy. Just as acquiring a suitable spouse in Jane Austen's England entailed challenges, frustrations and pitfalls, acquiring book reviews can have pitfalls for the unwary as well as rewards. 


Review of Jewel of the Stars


Some tips.

1. Remember, book reviews are primarily for readers not authors. 

As authors, the temptation is to see book reviews as a tool to be utilised, to even think that readers somehow owe us a review. However, the main purpose of a review is for readers to express their opinions about the book for the benefit of other readers. This is especially true of reader review sites, like Goodreads or Bookbub. 

In particular, we as authors cannot expect that every single reader will enjoy our books. Even all-time classic books attract  a small collection of negative and even scathing reviews.

In practice, this means being gracious when someone doesn't like our book. Never castigate a reader for a negative review - or to attempt to show them why they are wrong - or lambast them on your social media. Other readers are watching. In fact, on sties such as Goodreads or Amazon, the best policy is not to comment on readers reviews (even if to say thank you). 

Either develop a thick skin or don't read the reviews if it upsets you so much. 

And remember, for many readers, a book with only five and four star reviews might be seen as fake or only supported by friends and family.  Having some low-star reviews adds to the creditability of your book. And sometimes, the very things that are mentioned as negatives by one reader may in fact be seen as positives by other readers.



Review of Scattered by Nola Lorraine

2. As authors, it's okay to ask for reviews.

If you sell or give away enough book, eventually some readers will review them.  I'm not sure of a precise ration - but maybe one in every one hundred readers might review the book (less if the book is free). However, if having more reviews makes your book more attractive to readers, having no reviews may deter them.  Of course, there are other ways of connecting with readers, but how do we get more book reviews?

Giving out free review copies either before or around the launch can help.  Also, asking readers to leave a fair and honest review - at the end of the book, in your newsletter, on your social media or website can also help. You can also make requests for reviews - maybe from friends and family, other authors, perhaps influencers in your field. 

Though, think about who your ask to review your books. With Amazon, relevance is key. It's better to have fewer reviews by people who normally read in your genre than a whole slew of reviews from people who would normally read in different genres to your book, as this may confuse the Amazon bots.



3. Be careful not to overdo your requests, or be too demanding. 


Readers do you a favour by taking the time to review your book.  And the best reviews are honest reviews. Don't put people off by spamming requests or only making the requests about what you want (buy my book, review my book) which can quickly drive away your potential readers.

As a general rule, do not pay for reviews - especially with Amazon reviews. (Exceptions might be sites like NetGallery or perhaps Kirkus Reviews). If  you sell your books on Amazon, be aware of their strict rules about who can and cannot review & never give anything in exchange for a review (you can give a free book with a request to review, thought not in exchange for a review.)  For Amazon, review swaps between authors can also cause trouble. 

Also, be patient and don't stress too much about reviews. While popular memes suggest 50 or 100 reviews on Amazon might be a magical threshold, other book marketing gurus suggest that 10-15 reviews may be enough to give your book social proof especially when combined with other methods of promoting your book. 


Review of Midnight Sun to Southern Cross

4. Give as well as receive


Sometimes as authors, we can make it all about us - our book, our need to promote, our need to get reviews etc.  Yet one of the strengths of the author community is mutual support. If you want other authors to support you, then be prepared to support them too. 

I know this can be tricky. As I said, a straight out review swap on Amazon can get your banned from the site, especially if reviews are put up close to each other.  However, other sites - such as Goodreads and Bookbub are not so restrictive. Also, you can use your newsletter, website or blogs on other sites to post reviews of other authors, or maybe do a blog tour.

Reviews don't have to be long. They are usually a personal reflection of your reading of the book, so there is no right or wrong way to write one. Though remember to be kind, be honest and never, never summarise the whole plot or give away spoilers (without a spoiler warning).

Some authors prefer not to review other authors at all - or will only review positively - because they do not want to hurt their fellow-author's feelings and/or are afraid of retribution if they give a negative review.  

Personally, I review almost all the books I read on Goodreads - and I strive to give honest and fair reviews. This means that I will talk about the things I didn't like in a book, but I always strive to find some positives as well. I enjoy supporting other authors by reviewing their books and get a thrill when someone reviews my books. 



What about you?

Do you find getting book reviews hard?

Do you support other authors through reviewing their books?

What sites do you use to write or look for reviews?

Do you have any tips about giving or receiving reviews?

 


Jeanette O'Hagan has spun tales in the world of Nardva from the age of eight. She enjoys writing fantasy, sci-fi, poetry, and editing. Her Nardvan stories span continents, millennia and cultures. Some involve shapeshifters and magic. Others include space stations and cyborgs.

She has published over forty stories and poems, including the Under the Mountain Series (5 books), Ruhanna's Flight and Other Stories, Akrad's Children and Rasel's Song, the first two books in the Akrad's Legacy series.

Jeanette has practised medicine, studied communication, history, theology and a Master of Arts (Writing). She loves reading, painting, travel, catching up for coffee with friends, pondering the meaning of life.




Sign up to the Jeanette O'Hagan Writes for news of her writing adventures
and receive a free short story, Ruhanna's Flight.

Monday 21 March 2022

News from Omega Writers | March 2022

Introducing the 2022 CALEB Awards

The 2022 CALEB Awards are now open for entries. The categories for 2022 are:
  • Published Adult fiction
  • Published Adult nonfiction (including memoir)
  • Published Young Adult fiction
  • Unpublished Adult fiction
  • Unpublished Adult nonfiction (including memoir)
  • Unpublished Young Adult fiction

Click here to enter.

Note that you will need to click the yellow "Book Now" button at the top right-hand side of the screen:

This will take you to the entry page:

Entrants in the Published categories must have a 2021 copyright date. 

Entries must be submitted as PDF or DOC/DOCX files. Please ensure the file is not protected, as we need to be able to email the file onto the judges, and for the judges to be able to open and read the file.


Note that we may ask finalists in the Published category to provide up to three hard copies of their book for the final-round judges (as we will give them the option of ebook or hard copy versions).

Entries must be submitted as a DOC or DOCX file (i.e. Microsoft Word).

The Unpublished categories are for unpublished authors, not unpublished manuscripts (which means you're competing against other unpublished authors, not multi-published award-winning authors). 

Entering a writing contest is a great way to get anonymous feedback on your writing, no matter whether you final or not. Everyone who enters will get feedback from three judges, who are all published authors, editors, or other publishing professionals. 


The contest is open to books by Australian or New Zealand Christian authors, or Christian authors living in Australia or New Zealand. 

Entrants must confirm they agree with the Omega Writers Statement of Belief, and entries must be written from a Christian world view and not contain objectionable content (e.g. profanity, sexual situations, or excessive violence.)

Entry Fee

The entry fees are:
  • AUD 40 per entry for members of Omega Writers.
  • AUD 70 per entry for non-members (<a href="http://www.omegawriters.org/join/">click here to join Omega Writers, then get the membership rate once your membership has been confirmed).
Members, you will receive an email advising you of the discount code. It is also available on the members section of the website

Entries are open from 25 March to 26 April 2022. Click here for more details and link to the entry form. 

Interested in Judging?

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to judge the 2022 CALEB Awards. We are still accepting volunteers. If you’re interested: 


Click here to volunteer as a judge

Conference is On!

The 2020 2021 2022 Omega Writers Conference has been confirmed. The conference will be held from 7 to 9 October 2022, at the Peppers Salt Resort & Spa, Kingscliff, NSW (about 20 minutes from Gold Coast airport). The conference will feature:
  • Guest Speakers Collett Smart, Nicole Partridge and more
  • Genre and Breakout Groups
  • Panels for beginner and established writers
  • The CALEB Awards Dinner
Bookings will open on 18 April 2022.

Watch this space for more information!

Thursday 17 March 2022

Little Seeds, Big Clouds and a Clock About to Strike

Habits. Good habits. Bad habits. You need discipline to create good habits and discipline to destroy bad habits. 

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Discipline. How do you get it? Some people seem to be born with it. Others struggle to maintain it. And still others don’t much care one way or the other. Me?  It depends on the situation. Sometimes, I really just want to see if I can achieve a goal and discipline comes naturally. Other times, I just can’t seem to create that same sense of excitement and my discipline has heads for the hills on a long vacation. 


At the beginning of this year, January 1st to be exact, I decided to do a challenge. A 75 Day Challenge. 


THE 75 DAY CHALLENGE 


Morning Cardio workout

Afternoon strength workout 

Eat 850 calories

Drink 4 litres of water

Read 10 pages of a non fiction book


Every. Day. For a total of 75 days. 


Now I know what you’re thinking. ‘Are you insane?!’ Yes. Well, probably. But all the best people are, aren’t they?


When I heard about the challenge, at first I thought, ‘HA! Yeah right. I wouldn’t last a week!’ I’ve been suffering from a sore lower back for a good year now and thought I’d maybe get through the first three days before pulling my back out again. Then I’d be in bed for a week and back to the Physio. But what if I focused on exercises that didn’t use my back and supported it as much as possible? Was I really going to let my fear of failing and getting hurt get the better of me?


My fear. How many times has it beat me down? It doesn’t feel like that at the time, does it? It keeps me safe. I mean, I don’t want to get hurt and I don’t want to fail.  But what if I succeed, then what do I do? It’s the unknown that my fear keeps me safe from. It’s nice. It’s comforting, but all those big ideas, all the story outlines I jot down for when I have time to come back to them … they just wait. They gather dust. So what my fear has done, is kept me stationary. Never growing, never evolving into something more than what I am. 


So, what’s the point?


I sat down with a lovely couple about a month ago and we were discussing the current issues - the pandemic, emergency mandates, talks of war. We moved to Revelation and how everything looked pretty grim. They said they believed we had maybe another ten years left before the Rapture.


‘Excuse me? I don’t think I heard you correctly. Did you say ten years?’


I hadn’t misheard. Now, don’t get me wrong. No one knows when it’ll happen, but just think about it for a moment. Ten years. That’s all you have left. One hundred and twenty months. Five hundred and twenty weeks. Three thousand, six hundred and fifty days. Eighty seven thousand, six hundred hours. And so on, and so on. But you get it. Ten years left of your life.


Photo by Anne NygÃ¥rd on Unsplash

I don’t know about you, but should I even be bothering to do a Bachelor Degree that will take me six years to complete part time? And all those story ideas I have, do I just give up on them? It has taken me over a decade to write the story for one of my ideas, what do I do with the other thirty two I have outlined on my computer? All the other things I wanted to do, wanted to see … I don’t know, but ten years doesn’t seem like enough time, especially when procrastination and anxiety are such good friends of mine.


I just don’t know … but then again, I think I do.


It starts with a little seed.


Without a little water, a little dirt, a bit of sunshine, little seeds won’t grow. But if you put in a little effort and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, that seed will sprout roots and habits will grow. 


First things first. Show up. Nothing ever gets done if you don’t first begin. This builds habits. Things you can improve upon. You cannot improve if you don’t have a foundation.


Those big clouds you see in the sky above you. The ones you’ve imagined into dragons and castles and mushroom houses; they are your spark. They are the reason you want to write their stories. Don’t let fear stop you. Don’t let your doubts get the better of you. They are your past, not your present you. You woke up this morning as a blank canvas. Don’t let the negativity of yesterday paint the opportunities of today.


Today is day zero of my 75 Day Challenge. For the most part, I accomplished a lot. I will admit, the ten pages became a little too overwhelming - exhaustion and a heavy non fiction book do not mix well - and I didn’t continue with this aspect of the challenge. But I’ve now built up a few good habits and who knows what the next seventy five days bring. Even if the clock is about to chime - today, tomorrow, one year form now, ten years, twenty … I have an opportunity to learn more, see more, do more and it doesn’t matter how much I accomplish,  as long as I show up in the moments that matter and know God has everything in control.



Kirsten Hart (aka A.T. Richmond) is a born and bred Territorian who moved to Queensland and had no choice but to stay after her assimilation into the Toowoomba's infamous, collective known as Quirky Quills. Since then, A.T. Richmond has had two stories published. Stone Bearer, appears in Glimpses of Light and Tedious Tresses, in the As Time Goes By Mixed Blessings anthology. She is currently writing a fantasy trilogy.

Monday 7 March 2022

FREE TO WRITE

Over the years, one of the things that I have given an enormous amount of thought to is what my responsibilities are as a creative. Especially writing. 

Shane Brigg shares some
deep personal reflections

What I have resolved in myself is that the freedom I have in writing comes with sobering obligations. 

Several narratives have inspired this resolution.....

Consider the dystopian world of the movie “The Book of Eli” where the main character is the custodian of the last remaining copy of the Bible, or another which is represented in Fahrenheit 451 where society has outlawed books (they are burned along with the houses they are hidden in). Then there is the superlative work of Marcus Zusak’s “The Book Thief” which represents the book burnings of Nazi Germany during World War 2. The main character discovers a book and begins her adventure of stealing books from the burning piles. Throughout the novels and stories mentioned above the written word, writing, reading, and language are presented as metaphors of freedom, hope and justice. They provide identity and personal liberty to characters who gain "the true power of words" (Zusak). 

The real-life stories and writing of Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflect this perspective and have also been inspiration for me, as do the lives and stories of other writers and thinkers who laid their life on the line to deliver ideas, information, and ideologies through the written word.


The freedom to write comes under a myriad of forms. Along with the delivery of its creativity, prophetic elaborations and provocations have come long-standing threats against writers and the freedom to write. Writers are often influential voices that play a key role in inspiring activists, analyzing, and critiquing state and world affairs, imagining different realities and futures, and generally challenging the status quo so that justice is presented, proposed, produced, and protected. This has meant that through the ages writers have collided with other entities.  As new realities emerge in our world today, including local, regional, and potential world conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, other diseases, and repressive responses to sweeping protest movements writers are continuing to do what they do best..... 

Write. 

This often comes at a cost.

Throughout history writers have had their individual freedoms constrained by individuals, groups and authorities (in democratic and authoritarian countries alike). Writers and thinkers who attempt to question social or cultural norms, preserve ethno-linguistic traditions, or criticize policy, plans, perspectives of various structures and processes remain common targets for officials and leaders treating peaceful expression as a threat. Legal charges, detention, threats, and even death are all strategies utilized to silence writers’ voices and ideas from reaching and influencing a wider audience.



During 2020 alone, according to data collected for the Freedom to Write Index (Produced by PEN*), at least 273 writers, academics, and public intellectuals in 35 countries—in all geographic regions around the world—were in prison or unjustly held in detention in connection with their writing, their work, or related activism. *PEN exists as a support network to give writers a voice, to provide for intellectual exchange and to promote freedom of expression for all writers. The acronym originally stood for ‘poets, essayists, and novelists’ but now includes playwrights and editors among that number. Testimonials recounted by Christian ministries such as the Voice of the Martyrs, Open Doors, and  Asia Harvest (and others) speak of countless God-fearing souls who have been incarcerated and martyred for delivering faith-fuelled messages via their writing and lives.

When PEN was in its formative days it was threatened by the rise of Nazism in Germany. At its 1933 Congress in Dubrovnik, the Assembly of Delegates (led by PEN’s president of the time : H. G. Wells) reaffirmed the Galsworthy resolution as a response to events of the previous few months:  the Nazi Party had burned many thousands of books it deemed ‘impure’ (inconsistent with, or hostile to its ideology) in bonfires across Germany. The following day, the German delegation attempted to prevent Ernst Toller, an exiled Jewish-German playwright, from speaking. The German delegation walked out of the Congress – and, out of PEN, until after World War Two. An overwhelming majority rejected the German position and reaffirmed the principles on which they had just voted.

Interestingly a dedication inscribed on a PEN International memorial which sits in a simple grove of trees beside Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra says,

‘The spirit dies in all of us who keep silent in the face of tyranny.’



I have watched with interest the various ‘convoys of freedom’ occurring across the nations this year. These ‘pilgrimages’ (movements of people leading to transformation) have included Australian’s amassing in Canberra, Canadian truckies, families evacuating from the Ukraine, Myanmar refugees, Yemenis, minorities, majorities, millions worldwide in diaspora. Some are by choice, some are forced into exile, some are reactions to individual personal freedoms being limited, some are in fear, some are with a form of faith, some are all about themselves, some are about others, some are friends, some are strangers, some are simply because they want to survive, others because their comforts and securities and liberties have been curtailed. Some walk with limps, some drive their rigs, some must be carried. Some are sad. Some are mad. Some are angry. Some are hopeful. Some are dying. Some have died. 

I am moved with love and compassion with a fair bit of perlustration, sometimes frustration, and much deliberation, and a seeking of wisdom for action. 
Especially in caring for friends who are part of these flows of humanity. I recognized that I have an obligation in my relative freedom: it is a responsibility to do something, and I have discovered, for me, that something is to write.

                                           

Some see freedom as an inherent human right. This includes the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and more.  Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.


Some see Freedom as an illusion. 
 “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does,” 
wrote Jean-Paul Sartre. 

But humanity is not so much condemned to be free as condemned to bear the consequences of their choices and to take responsibility for their actions. Humanity has a free will, but that does not make them ultimately free. On the contrary, our choices are mainly driven by survival and default to self-orientation. Moreover, because people live with others, their freedom is limited by morals, laws, obligations and responsibilities – and that’s in countries where human rights are being respected. So, all the freedoms we experience or aspire to are relative: freedom of opinion, freedom of action, freedom to choose a career, residence, or partner. Every choice necessarily leads to a commitment, and thus to obligations and responsibilities. These in turn lead to limitations; but also, to meaning. 

The relative freedom to make a positive contribution to the world gives life meaning, and that is what we all ultimately seek.


In 1944 Justice Learned Hand, speaking to more than a million people in Central Park, New York defined one of the lessons of World War Two when he said:

“And what is this liberty which must lie in the hearts of men and women? It is not the ruthless, the unbridled will; it is not freedom to do as one likes. That is the denial of liberty and leads straight to its overthrow. A society in which men recognize no check upon their freedom soon becomes a society where freedom is the possession of only a savage few – as we have learned to our sorrow.”

He then asked:

“What then is the spirit of liberty? I cannot define it; I can only tell you my own faith. The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the minds of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weighs their interest alongside its own without bias...”

My thoughts are that we simply shouldn’t take Freedom for granted. We simply shouldn’t take liberties that Grace cannot afford. We simply need to discover a freedom that is beyond anything that serves self in a reality of mutuality of supporting and empowering and giving agency in relationship with each other. This supersedes agenda to the place of freedom journeys of a convoy of life that embraces one another not because we see the same but that we love and care and share and give and live in a unity beyond our own personal liberty and freedom. Writing can help do that.

All this makes me think about the words of the Apostle Peter (writing to the believers)

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honour everyone.  Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honour the emperor.”

1 Peter 2:16-17


The uncompromising position Dietrich Bonhoeffer took in his seminal work Ethics grapples with the premise that Peter espoused and is raised elsewhere throughout scripture. For Bonhoeffer it was directly reflected in his stance against Nazism. It was during this time grappling with the challenges of WWII, until his arrest in 1943 and death, that he worked on Ethics. 

Both in his thinking (his writing), and in his life, Bonhoeffer’s ethics were centered on the demand for action by responsible people in the face of evil. People should not rest on the laurels of their freedoms (real or perceived). He was sharply critical of ethical theory and of academic concerns with ethical systems precisely because of their failure to confront evil directly. Evil, he asserted, was concrete and specific, and it could be combated only by the specific actions of responsible people in the world. He did this through his writing and this inspires me to do the same.


I am free to write. I am free to write about whatever I will. But in my freedom to write, my personal narrative has become a pursuit of using my craft responsibly. 

For me, writing is a calling to not only do it well, but with a sense of mission, to help bring hope, justice, life and God’s love and freedom. 

Am I enjoying the process? Yes. Is it life bringing and not with a legalistic compulsion? Yes.  Provocative, and catalytic, fuel for thought? Yes. Inspiration to write? Amen.



Maybe it is for you too ?





Wednesday 2 March 2022

Going Against the Tide – by Ruth Bonetti

 Like many, we have been waterlogged this past week. 

Floods waters changed our plans. We’re not going anywhere – except by kayak or bicycle. We pray for others worse off. 


Watching the tides

Uh-oh, a river! We can’t go over it; we can’t go under it. We’ve got to go through it.

Or... wait until the tides subside. 


My times are in your hands

What would I write next?  Empty page. My head and heart nurse a resounding empty space. 

It's hard to focus amid the torrential social tsunami launched on us in the past few years. The restrictions became so constricting, so inhumane that my conscience stands against panic-stricken dictates of government. Even though multiple doors close, including those of work, church and social groups.  Decades-long-term friends have gone missing to "social distance.” 


My writing and I were going nowhere. 


Now listen you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city...Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow." (James 4:13-15)


Where to go? Here I am. Send me

 

A Telegram post jolted me out of my doldrums.  “Wanted Christian lady to share-drive Brisbane to Canberra, leaving early tomorrow.”

 

And so I went on my first internet date. 

 

A few texts, a five-minute phone call and I met my ride at 6am Wednesday. Her car was loaded with a tent, air mattresses, sleeping bags – all the gear I lacked. Strangers had provided cash for fuel and an esky of nutritious food. We were besties within the hour. 

 

We arrived at Epic Camp Freedom gate to rousing cheers, waves and drumbeats. To join a cross section of Aussie society; families with babes and toddlers afoot; wiry grey-haired battlers with Northern Territory number plates; Nimbin hippies; once-were paramedics, nurses and teachers. The entry hall was a hub of first aid, counselling and prayer. Free massages and chiropractic treatments, with priority to the frontline workers. Outside a stall of donated clothes, toys and toiletries. Camp kitchens serve cooked meals. 

 

All camping fees and food were supplied by donors.

 

"Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord my saviour.

All I have needed Thy hand has provided..." These words resonated in my mind all week. 

As did "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)


Marching with a tide of humanity

Front line workers and diggers led the Saturday rally over the bridge to Parliament House. 

 

An indigenous lady stranger asked me, “Would you film me, please? I need to preach here.” Laurel Pabai from Boigu Island in the Torres Strait had prayed for a woman or two to help her. The Lord sent me. 

 

“We are one people of this nation, regardless of the colour of our skin,” she called, “We need to return to the Creator to heal our land.” Many agreed “Thank you!” and “Amen!”

 

Moses stood on a utility above a ROAD CLOSED sign. He waved high a tablet inscribed “Exodus: Let my people go.” Rousing resonance from the freedom fighters.



 

Outside Parliament House we sang When the Saints with a brass and percussion group. My only adverse symptom from four days’ super-spreader event was a hoarse voice from enthusiastic vocal improvisation. 

 

The tide is turning

At last, there are signs that the the status quo may change for the better. That governments may heed the many voices who have peacefully protested for freedom. Many have been challenged that Christian voices spoke out, and prayed at rallies for peace. 


RUTH BONETTI wrote about Brisbane floods in her recent book The Art Deco Mansion in St Lucia. She presents and mentors those Writing Life Stories and is intrigued that she was led to Canberra to eventually help Laurel share her memoir. Who knows where we may find a next writing project?


Ruth feels humbled to see the profuse harvest of faith writing since in 1991 a seed was planted in her heart and mind to form a support group for Christian authors–Omega Writers.


Website 

Blog

Author page