Things are Not what they Seem!

by Anusha Atukorala

When Covid came to visit South Australia, I settled down to a long season of hibernation, like a sleepy old bear at dead of winter. My only trips outdoors were to the supermarket or for exercise. No church. No coffees with friends. No nothing. Last September, Covid knocked on my door and then squashed me flat for several months! Once I got better, I was surprised to find, that like stumbling across a bright red rose in the middle of a scorching desert, Covid had brought with it a number of unexpected blessings. For a start, I now had the greenlight to step out of my front door and to start doing life again. 

What a precious gift!

God had led me out of my former church - and it was time to find a new one. After visiting several churches, I was a little discouraged. Would I ever find a church that was right for me? Silly question and I should have known better. God is always faithful. The first time I visited my now church home, they had a service of celebration, with God as the focus – not our human agendas but Jesus alone! Of course, it was the right home church for me. 

Thank You God!

Recently, I was delighted to hear of a prayer initiative at church which would span four consecutive weeks. The mid-day time slot worked well for me, so on the first Wednesday, I drove to church excitedly, spotting numerous cars in the car park. I thrilled to the fact that so many had turned up to pray. When I went into the sanctuary, though, it was empty. One of the pastors came out … only two of us were present for that lunch time prayer-session. I’d been fooled by the cars in the car park. Apparently they were there for a weight watchers session next door! Very disappointing!

It’s easy to draw the wrong conclusions through outward appearances, isn’t it? In reality, it turned out to be a wonderful God-exalting time of praise and prayer. A holy hour it was! I can now vouch for the fact that sometimes, two is the best number after all.

If two of you shall agree on earth concerning anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in Heaven. Matthew 18:19-20  

Thank You Jesus!

Dear friend, how are you doing today? Has life bashed you around ... like a delicate silk scarf being tossed around in a dryer? I do understand. Life happens, often with its own ideas of fair play, leaving you and me gasping for breath and scratching our heads in bewilderment. But here’s the thing. What we might think is no progress as Christian writers may actually be our best stint after all. As we writers know so well, often, things are not what they seem! It's true in the stories we write and it happens in real life too! The problem is that while I enjoy plot twists in the novels I read, I don't relish those plot twists in my own life. 

God is at work behind the scenes in ways you and I have no idea. Against my better inclination, I have been forced to concentrate on my health issues for a number of years, so my writing has taken a back seat. But what seemed to be years of little output are in retrospect years of research. His plans … ah! They are the good ones. They are the best ones. I’ve spent hours at His feet, seeking Him, finding Him and learning all about living well and what life in the kingdom of God looks like. What better way to get ideas and input for my next book than through life’s training school? Thank You God!

So tell me, dear friend, what has your journey been like in the last year or two? If your progress has not been as fast as you’d like, a New Year might be the right time to change that? Don’t be fooled by the enemy’s proposal that it’s too late. Not true. He’s the Father of lies, so don’t believe him. Are you discouraged at the lack of your book sales? (I hear you! It’s time I did something about mine. Arrrrgh!) Do you feel a failure? You are never a failure when you’ve been obedient to what He’s called you to do. Success in the world’s terms and God’s are very different, as different as a stagnant pool compares to a swirling stream.

Do you think that you’ve little to offer the world? Now that's the enemy’s voice! Who you are and what you do matters! It matters a lot. 2023 might just be your best year yet. He has good plans for you. Your path might look different to others’. But that’s totally okay. It’s only in eternity that you will understand what God did, with what you may think were detours or wasted hours and years.

Is God writing a different story through your life than what you envisaged or hoped for? Are you tempted to take back His pen into your own hand? Let’s not be fooled by the enemy’s whispers, whenever trouble dogs our steps. God’s Authorship is one we can trust. It may look as if He’s not in control but we know better, don’t we? We can trust His Word. We can trust Him to write a page-turner in and through our lives.

Let’s pick up our pens and write as He leads. He will bless the world through our yielded hearts. If you feel down or discouraged, do know that God’s got you in His mighty Hands. The Holy Spirit goes before you. He sings songs of deliverance over you today. And as you trust Him, He will use you this New Year, 2023 to bring His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Keep writing. Keep living.

Keep being YOU!

The world needs you. And God does too!

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

Dancing in the Rain - https://anusha-atukorala.webnode.page/

Light in the Darkness- https://light-in-the-darkness00.webnode.page/