Tell Me More!

 by Anusha Atukorala

One day, not long ago, I turned to a friend for prayer. What I needed was someone who listened, asked a question or two to know more and then prayed for me. My friend, let’s call her Simone – did do what I asked for and I was grateful. But … she talked. Too much! The instant I shared my prayer request and before I could finish, she began sharing similar situations in her life – which in truth, had little bearing in my own. She meant well and I did appreciate her praying for me. However … she didn’t understand my need - she made invalid assumptions without first listening.

Simone didn’t understand what caring for a friend means in the fullest sense. Which is … talking less and listening more. Talking less and praying more. She in fact taught me what I needed to do, if a friend approached me for prayer. Not to talk more or make assumptions. But simply to listen. And then to say ‘Tell me more!’ Isn’t that what friendship and caring are about? Seeking to learn more about another in order to support them well! Psychologists talk of curiosity being important in a relationship. I prefer the word 'interest’ rather than curiosity. When someone is interested in another’s feelings or life or experiences, it helps. Tell me more! Three words that can make a difference.

 

A good listener, draws out another by an attitude of ‘Tell me more’ even if she doesn’t mouth the words. And of course … a good writer answers the question ‘Tell me more’ that’s asked by an interested reader. There are books and books. Some books I can leave aside. Others I can’t put down. Tell me more, I cry in my reader’s heart as I turn the pages swiftly and read more. I’m eager to get to the end of the story but also don’t want to reach the finale, because I am enjoying it too much! Have you been there? It’s a great feeling is it not, (despite it being a conundrum)!

 

Writing a best seller that draws readers wanting more, is a writer’s dream come true. These days, sadly I can’t get to the library as often as I used to (it used to be once a week – now, it’s more like once in a few months due to my ill health), so I check the writers whose books I’ve greatly enjoyed and put more of theirs on hold – then ask my beloved to pick them up for me on his weekly trip to the library. My unspoken question then towards each of these gifted writers is ‘Tell me more’! If one of their novels was an exceptional read, their other books too are sure to be enjoyable.

You know, it blesses me deeply when a friend says ‘So tell me more. What is it like to live with chronic fatigue?’ Or ‘It must be so difficult for you, not having the energy to do basic tasks. Tell me about it?’ But few people realise that it’s a way of helping me and others with chronic illness. I know that it’s not that they don’t care, it’s just that they have not experienced the challenges and don’t realise the power of being heard. People are often fixers – they want to fix broken things. But when broken things cannot be fixed ... listening is a way of fixing what cannot be fixed.

Tell me more! Three little words that can bless another. My beloved blesses me often by letting me vent and complain when I have unbearable pain or debilitating fatigue. After I share – even just one sentence, I feel so much better. And then I can move ahead to be more positive.

 

In our experiences with others as believers, we can bless them through our attitude ‘Tell me more.’ Do we instead formulate responses in our head about what we’d say in response, even before our friend stops speaking? I’m sure we are all guilty of it. And what of our walk as believers? ‘Dear Jesus, do tell me more’,  should be our heart’s spiritual posture every day. Last year, when my church Bible study group studied ‘Learning to discern God’s Voice’ – a powerful study by Priscilla Shirer, we were asked to list a few questions of what we hoped to hear from God.

 

A question I asked God that He answered most fully was: Who are you God? He responded to it in amazing ways, not once, not twice but many many times over. I learnt so much about Him that I hadn’t known before. It made me realise that God wants us to seek Him and know Him better and better. So here’s a challenge for all us. Let’s learn to write so well, that readers will say ‘I want more. Tell me more’. Let’s learn to listen to others with a stance of ‘Tell me more about your joys and sorrows. I am listening’. And in our spiritual lives, let’s have an attitude of seeking and finding God in full measure.

 

And now dear listener, dear reader, dear writer, dear friend. 

Here is my question today: 

“Tell me more about yourself. What are your own hopes and dreams? Tell me more! I am listening.”

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 

Light in the Darkness

Celebrating the Prince of Peace

 

If you’ve been in church circles for a while, you would have heard Isaiah’s prophecy about the Christ child many times.

‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ (Isaiah 9:6)

The word translated as ‘peace’ in Isaiah 9:6 is ‘shalom’. Jewish people often use it as a greeting, but it has a broader meaning of ‘peace, completeness, welfare, well-being and prosperity’. A real blessing.

Yet many aren’t at peace this Christmas. The war is still going on in Ukraine and there are numerous hotspots around the world where violence and death are daily occurrences. Closer to home, we have just experienced our greatest terrorist attack on Australian soil, with the horrendous mass shootings during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach. Many also experience a lack of peace in their relationships with family, friends and colleagues; while others struggle with internal peace.

Has the Prince of Peace forgotten us? Is He powerless to stop the evil in the world and soothe our souls?

 A resounding, ‘No’! 

He has already won the battle over the powers of darkness and He is still active in our world. He still longs for us to experience His shalom.

Peace with God

First and foremost, Jesus came into the world to seek and save the lost. We were far away from God, but Jesus died in our place as a sacrifice for our sins. If we put our trust in Him, we have peace with God and a new life through Him now and in eternity.

 

Peace in the World

Not many of us are in a position to directly affect world politics or engage in peace talks with feuding nations. However, we have God’s promise that one day there will be peace. In the Good News translation of the Bible, the section from verses 1 to 9 of Isaiah 11 has the subheading ‘The Peaceful Kingdom’. Jesus ‘will rule His people with justice and integrity’, and one day even ‘wolves and sheep will live together in peace’ (verses 5-6).

 

Peace with Others

Jesus has also given us a blueprint for living in peace with others. Confess our sins to one another, seek forgiveness and reconciliation where possible, see others as valuable in the eyes of God and treat them accordingly, serve others’ interests rather than our own, and so much more. We often fail, and sometimes the other person won’t budge, but their reaction is between them and God. As Paul urges us in Romans 12:18: ‘If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone’.

 

Peace Within Ourselves

When we look at the challenges we’re facing or consider the troubles in the world around us, it’s not easy to feel at peace. But the good news is that we don’t have to face our anxieties or fears by ourselves. Jesus wants us to have peace and He has given His Holy Spirit to help us. 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27). 

It is not what the world views as peace. It is God’s peace—a peace that is beyond our human understanding (Philippians 4:7).

Final Thoughts

As writers, we have a unique opportunity to use our words to spread the message of peace and reconciliation that comes through our Lord Jesus Christ. You might like to pray through the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi, which reminds us that we are God's instruments; or offer God another prayer from your heart. May Jesus empower us with His Holy Spirit so we can partner with Him in bringing hope and healing to a hurting world. This Christmas, let's be channels of His peace as we celebrate the birth of our precious Saviour—the Prince of Peace.

 

 Sources

Main photo by Congerdesign on Pixabay. Author photo by Wayne Logan from Encouraging Photos.

Definition of  'shalom' from Lexical study on Bible Hub.

All scriptures taken from the New International Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. Her books include the inspirational historical novel Scattered, the Christian devotional book Comfort Zone, and the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light which she co-edited with Jeanette O’Hagan. She also has more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. She loves sharing the words and stories God impresses on her heart, and prays that He will use them to bless others.

 

Perspective Matters!

 by Anusha Atukorala

Last year, my husband bought a new car. We’d spent a few months visiting numerous showrooms – sitting inside posh vehicles and whizzing around on numerous test drives, until Shan was sure what car would suit his needs best. One day we planned to pick up my niece after a conference she’d attended in Adelaide, to bring her home for a few days. 

We decided to visit one showroom, then drive down to another located past the city for a five minute peek, before picking up my niece at her city hotel. At first, all went according to plan. We spent a happy hour at the first showroom, with a competent and likeable car salesman who was very persuasive. However … my beloved was wise.

 
He thanked the salesman, said he’d get back to him and we drove off to the second one. That’s when the script changed. The five minutes we were to spend there expanded to 10 minutes, And then 20 … 30 … until, oh dear, it stretched to one full hour! I kept checking my watch – anxious we’d get late to get to my niece. But the salesman and his manager were lions about to pounce on their prey. 

Back and forth they went, bargaining with my beloved. Until … the manager gave us the perfect deal! Before I could say ‘Mazda 6’, my delighted man was signing on the dotted line. How did that happen? My sweet niece was very understanding about our delay when I informed her that we got a little later than planned because we had unexpectedly bought a brand new car!

 

It was actually a win win situation. Shan bought the car of his dreams at an excellent price while the car team got their sale. The former salesman had lost out because he did not strike while the iron was hot. Perhaps it was all about perspective? The manager who succeeded, viewed the sale from the customer’s perspective - not from his. He gave us exactly what we asked for! He was good at his job!

 

Perspective Matters! As writers who string words together, what should our perspective be? Is it simply to share the burning issues on our hearts or is to meet our readers where they are? I confess that I don’t always check out my readers’ perspective, since I’m often driven by my own experiences, through which I seek to encourage others. Maybe I need to consider the readers needs more than I do now.

 

The truth is that I am a picky reader, so other readers could be a lot like me. I return from a trip to the library, lugging 20 or 30 books home. Yes, books tempt me! And because I have so many waiting in my To Be Read pile, I don’t always persevere with a story I don’t enjoy in the first 20 or 30 pages. I know I can pick up a more pleasurable read in the blink of an eye. The books I get stuck into, usually have a rating of at least 7/10 (by me) in order for me to keep reading. Fussy? I’m afraid so! It tells me then that others readers too, might be like me, and so … their perspective matters.

 

Today I’d like to focus on another, more important perspective. God’s! Recently, as I studied 2 Corinthians chapter 4, I heard God’s whispers. The gems He showered me with, encouraged me no end, like a cold drink on a warm, summer’s day. I needed a fresh perspective about life in the kingdom and also needed to put on God’s wise discerning spectacles, in place of my clouded, earth-bound ones.

 

The  Seven R’s of the JESUS WAY through Trials:  

(2 Corinthians 4)

1.     Realise the truth about trials.

a.     They are Temporary – a miniscule blip in time compared to eternity

b.     They are also Tiny – compared to the joys that await us

2.     Refuse to give into Satan’s ploys

3.     Remember all God has done for me in the past

4.     Re-focus my eyes on God’s kingdom and His greatness

5.     Raise my eyes to the things unseen

6.     Rejoice in my riches in Christ

7.     Rest on God’s unfailing promises

So I fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,

since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor 4:18

 

When you and I reach heaven, we just might realise that we spent too much time on stuff that did not matter and too little time on things that did. We might discover that the value system of heaven and its perspective is as different to ours here on earth as the wild, untamed ocean is to a grubby, small mud puddle!

 

So today, I pause and ask myself about my own viewpoint!

1 In my writing: Do I seek heaven’s perspective or one based just on the here and now? Will my writing count for eternity?

2 In my life as a believer: Is it based on what I see around me or on the things unseen in the heavenly realms? Am I living for eternity or living for the here and now?

 

Perspective matters! So in Perspective Matters, let’s have eyes that are able to see the things that count and will continue to count in eternity! Let’s have hearts that understand what God’s heart dwells on, what God requires of us and what God calls us to do. Dear beautiful friend, let’s hitch up our skirts and  roll up our trousers and dance through life, the Jesus way. Let our Lives, our Writing Lives, and our Relationships be viewed through God’s lenses. 

The one perspective that really matters is God’s, isn’t it? 

Oh may we see life through His eyes so we can love, write and live as God does!

 

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13-14

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. More books are on the pipeline as she researches them through life's challenges and blessings.

 

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

  

Easter Perspectives

 

Jesus is the main protagonist in the Easter story, and we should be filled with awe every time we hear how he died for our sins and rose again. However, it’s easy to  become complacent. We’ve heard it all before. Another Easter, another sermon. We know how the story goes.

Changing Perspectives

But what if we changed perspective? Jesus is the star of the show, but there’s a large supporting cast. Peter, John, Judas, Caiaphas the high priest, Pontius Pilate the Roman governor, Joseph of Arimathea, Simon of Cyrene, Barabbas, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Salome, the Roman soldiers, the Jewish mob, the two prisoners crucified with Jesus, the Pharisees and Sadducees, and more. What part did they play? How did they respond to the events around them? By considering their motivations and reactions, we’re not taking anything away from what Jesus has done. Instead, we’re gaining a fuller and perhaps deeper appreciation of the meaning of Easter.

Writing From a Different POV

As writers and readers, we’re used to looking at different points of view. So why not do that with the Easter story? After all, the four gospels record the events of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection from slightly different perspectives. I've written a piece of flash fiction in which a young woman travels back in time to the day of the crucifixion. She sets out wanting to find an artefact that will win her a competition, but ends up meeting Salome, one of the women who followed Jesus. You can read the story here.

I’ve also had a poem published that looks at events from the point of view of Barabbas. The Bible doesn’t say much about him, but I tried to imagine what he may have felt when he was released instead of Jesus. You can read the poem and a bit of the background here.

I’ve also tried to imagine how Simon of Cyrene may have felt when the Roman soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. You can read that poem below.

Try It

Why not try writing a poem, short story, devotion or piece of creative non-fiction from the perspective of one of the secondary players in the Easter story. God might give you and your readers a fresh insight into something you hadn’t thought of before. And I pray the grace and peace of Christ will envelop you this Easter as you meditate on all that Christ has done for you.

The Load

A father harbours dreams
for his sons;
the aching so potent
I even journeyed from Cyrene
to secure their futures.
But dreams can take different forms
and confront your senses
in unexpected ways.

The realisation assaulted me that day,
penetrating the boundaries of my world
and orienting me to
rabble shouts and wails,
the chaotic backdrop of a drama
being played out near Jerusalem’s walls.
I drew closer,
shoved my way through the mob

and then I saw him

buckling under his load,
stumbling with the weight of it.
I reached out
and they seized me,
thrust the rough-hewn cross on my back.
Pain scorched my shoulder blades,
splinters jammed into skin,
tyrants forcing a foreigner
to carry another man’s sins.

But he held my gaze,
compassion in suffering,
resolution in despair,
and I knew I could do this for him
my sacrifice nothing
compared to his.

Vertebrae grating beneath flesh,
ragged steps forging ruts
in blood-stained soil,
my children’s futures nailed to his
at the place where ‘It is finished’

and begins.

Sources

The Load was previously published in Hope Whispers, Poetica Christi Press, 2017, pp.102-103.

Featured photo by Emmanuel Mendez on Pixabay.

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. Her inspirational historical novel Scattered was published in 2020, and was one of three finalists in the 2021 CALEB Awards. She has also co-edited the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light with Jeanette O’Hagan. She has more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. She and her husband Tim also run a freelance writing and editing business, The Write Flourish. She’d love to connect with you through her website: www.nolalorraine.com.au

In the Light of Easter

by Jeanette O'Hagan

On this eve to arguably the most important festival in the Christian calendar - Good Friday followed inevitably by Resurrection Sunday, I thought I might meditate on Christ figures and forgiveness in literature and Western culture.

Forgiveness, redemption and Christ-figures are common motifs in much of Western story-telling and this is not an accident. Many of the concepts and values our secular humanist culture takes for granted arise out of the Judaeo-Christian heritage - including concepts of grace, unconditional love, the inherent value of each individual regardless of their position in society, and the concept of loving even the haters and the terrorists in this world or our neighbourhood.

A Christ-figure is a character that reflects in some way the mission and nature of Jesus. Sometimes the similarities are explicit, at other times they are veiled or partial. They have the potential to mislead or to awaken the reader to the possibility of God's love and grace.

In Lewis' Narnia, Aslan clearly represents Christ. He is the son of the Emperor Beyond the Sea, 'not a tame lion' who both creates Narnia through his song and brings it to an end. He is good, beneficent and powerful, yet attracts the ire of the White Witch and ultimately gives his life for the traitor, Edmund, thus saving the son of Adam and all of Narnia from the White Witch. Death is unable to hold him due to the deeper 'magic' of his Father.

In Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, three characters are often said to represent Christ's three roles of priest, prophet and king - Frodo who takes the ring to Mount Doom, Gandalf the Grey who guides the fellowship with wise counsel, dies in the battle with the Balrog but is brought back to glorious life, and Aragorn, the scorned and humble man who becomes King.

In Paul Gallico's The Man Who Was Magic, Calvin Miller's The Singer trilogy and Peter McKinnon's The Songs of Jesse Adams, Christ's story is retold in allegorical terms, as it is also in Anne Elizabeth Stengl's Heartless.

Others might include Superman, sent to this world as a baby, who is powerful and invulnerable and uses his powers to save others. Or Neo in the Matrix who, advised by the Oracle and accompanied by Trinity, gives up his life to destroy the enslavement by The Matrix. Or Jean Valjean in Les Miserables - first as the recipient of grace given by the bishop he stole from, and then he himself sparing his relentless pursuer Javert's life and risking his life for the sake the man his daughter loves.

 Here are some parallels that may be present.

1. May have mysterious, supernatural or prophesied origins.

2. Is usually a good, pure person who doesn't lash out at others and treats all people as worthy.

3. May be tempted to use his or her power unwisely or to forsake his mission.

4. May suffer deeply, not because of his or her own flaws or weaknesses, and often because his seemingly unnatural goodness incites backlash by those who feel inadequate and challenged.

5. Ultimately, he or she is willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of others.

5. His sacrifice is not pointless but radically changes the circumstances, perhaps for one or two people or for a village or a nation or the world.

6. Despite dying, he comes back to life and triumphs over evil.

Rarely does a Christ-figure include all of these motifs, unless he (or she) is an allegory for Jesus. Aslan is always a lion, or at least a cat. Tolkien uses three figures to represent different aspects of Christ's life and work. Unlike Jesus, who takes on our humanity in full measure, Superman is invulnerable (apart from kryptonite). Jean Valjean is more like the Christian, who loves others because God loved us. Valjean extends the forgiveness he himself, a flawed and lost man, experienced from the saintly bishop.

One blogger, Erik cited by Nina Munteanu suggests 'Western culture’s “concept of Redemption has invariably separated from the Grace that created it.”

Perhaps this is seen in a variant of the flawed redemptive figure who has often done dark or radically evil deeds. However, at some point, this person is willing to lay down everything for the sake of someone or something he or she loves.

I'm sure we can all think of examples - from Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker) who turns to the dark side and does countless violent deeds for the evil Emperor, including the massacre of innocents, only to save Luke and be reunited with the good. Or Severus Snape, a cruel and sarcastic teacher who torments Harry and seems to be on the side of Voldemort until its revealed (spoilers) that out of love for Lily Potter, he was working to defeat this tyrant and courageously pays the ultimate price to do so.  Perhaps, this fascination with dark, redemptive heroes,  is taken in the extreme with a character like Dexter, a serial killer how turns his deadly compulsion to 'good' - by killing serial killers more evil than himself.

Why are such figures so popular? Maybe because all but the most narcissistic among us relate to a flawed character. We are aware that we are far from perfect and are encouraged that redemption is possible if we are just inspired enough by love. Somehow, we can find it inside ourselves to change and need not be beholden to a higher power to do so.

Another approach is to see forgiveness as a personal choice for the sake of one's own mental health. We forgive because holding on to a grudge is not worth it. This is an idea more akin to a Buddhist or Hindu concept than a Christian or Hebrew one.

The forgiveness God offers through Jesus's life, death and resurrection is not about His peace of mind, but ours. His father-heart is broken and aching because we reject and spur His love and goodness, preferring our own facsimiles, much to our own detriment. The Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, reaches out in a costly love to turn our lives around, to change us to the core, to make us anew. It is this ultimate sacrifice and sublime love that we remember at Easter (or Pascha).

Does all Christian fiction have to have a Christ-figure or redemptive themes? Not necessarily. Yet, perhaps we should write explicitly or implicitly in the light of the Gospel even when we don't shout it out in bold letters.

I do hope that our lives and our writing may express the wonderful truth of Easter in many and various ways as our fitting response to Him.

***

Jeanette O’Hagan first started spinning tales in the world of Nardva at the age of nine. She enjoys writing secondary world fiction, poetry, blogging and editing. Her Nardvan stories span continents, time and cultures. They involve a mixture of courtly intrigue, adventure, romance and/or shapeshifters and magic users.

Recent publications include Heart of the Mountain: a short novella, The Herbalist's Daughter: a short story and Lakwi's Lament: a short story. Her other short stories and poems are published in a number of anthologies including Glimpses of Light, Another Time Another Place and Like a Girl. Jeanette is also writing her Akrad’s Legacy Series—a Young Adult secondary world fantasy fiction with adventure, courtly intrigue and romantic elements.

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 and communicating God’s great love. She lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.

Links

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Becoming an Elephant

I stumbled across an old email the other day—it hinted at a true story about elephants. I’ve always been fascinated by these creatures (who abounded in the land of my birth), so I eagerly read on. What an intriguing tale! Lawrence Anthony, nicknamed ‘The Elephant Whisperer’ had been an international conservationist, environmentalist, explorer and bestselling author. I quote from the narrative:

“On March 7, 2012 Lawrence Anthony died. He is remembered and missed by his wife, 2 sons, 2 grandsons, and numerous elephants”, italics mine.

How did those ‘numerous elephants’ show that they remembered him?
How did we know that they did?
But first, what had they to remember of him?

Lawrence Anthony had been a legend. Rogue elephants who would usually have been put down, had been calmed, rescued and given refuge in a large sanctuary he established for them. Anthony was known to be exceptional in caring for traumatised elephants. When the ‘Elephant Whisperer’ died, something mysterious and profound took place. From miles away, wild elephants—dozens of them, silently began a long trek to his home, in solemn single file, taking at least 12 hours to reach. They stayed for two days, refusing to eat or drink, saying goodbye to the man who had championed their cause.

What an amazing story! And what a brilliant example of remembering. How did they even know he had died? We human beings are good at recalling the bad done to us. Do we also bring to mind often the acts of kindness we’ve received? I've been inspired by the life of King David as I've studied it recently. I was struck also by an occurrence that took place when King Saul died. Men in the small town of Jabesh Gilead came stealthily at dead of night, and took his body away with them so that his enemies would not taunt his body. These valiant men risked their lives for a dead king, because years before, King Saul had helped them. They too had remembered.

Would you like to be an elephant today? Not in size of course. Nor in looks, so you can rest easy. But would you like to be an elephant today in the act of remembering?

WHAT CAN WE, WHO CALL OURSELVES CHRISTIAN WRITERS, REMEMBER?
1. That Jesus bought us life, freedom and salvation. Praise Him.

2. The inspiring books we’ve read and how we’ve been changed through them.

3. Writers, role models and teachers in our writing sphere who have taught us, shaped our writing and grown us. Let’s appreciate them.

4. That our dreams, talents, abilities, time and even opportunities to write, all come from Him who reigns over all. We are stewards. We owe it all to our Lord.

5. That everything we’ve achieved are gifts from Him, so any praise directed at our writing and speaking efforts should be boomeranged back to our Creator.

6. The encouraging ways that God came through for us in the past, so with grateful hearts, we can entrust the future of our creativity to Him.

7. The deep joy we have in being writers called of God—how thrilling the journey. Let us never take our calling for granted.

And so today, I pause, reflect and give thanks. To God—for calling me to write for Him, for His guidance and inspiration. To you, my fellow writers who’ve taught me over the years and encouraged me stay on course. To those whose insightful books have showered God’s truth over my being. I look forward to new mountains yet to climb, because all I know of our God tells me that if He’s come through for me in the past, I can count on His faithfulness in the future.

I’d like to be an Elephant today.
Would you care to join me?

And now my Christian Writer Friends, this is for you:
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 1:3-6


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. Please stop by at her website Dancing in the Rain to say G’day. She’d love to see you.

Searching for Treasure

I dig around – it must be in here somewhere. I’m sure it’s here…

I keep searching – going deeper – getting to the bottom and finding fluff and broken bits and things that haven’t seen the light of day for a while.

I strain my eyes – sometimes when looking for something, my eyes pass right over it. I’m sure you’ve done the same. So I look at each item and name it, just so I can’t miss what I’m looking for.

There’s a lot of stuff in here: treasures, junk, forgotten things, insights, incomplete thoughts, words from other people, words that belong to other people, half-started piece of writing…

Surely amidst all the experiences of my life, I can find something to write about. I have friends for whom there simply are not enough hours in the day to get it all on paper. But I rarely write like that. I have to discipline myself to stop and listen; to chew over experiences and insights; and to listen to what God is asking me to put on paper. It’s all too easy not to be a writer! I even struggle with calling myself a writer – more than 20 short pieces and a booklet in print and I hesitate with the epithet ‘author’. An author? Are you sure? I don’t write much really. In fact not at all sometimes.

And I realize, I’m letting my thoughts undermine my ‘work’ as a writer. And that leaves me wide open to the enemy undermining who I am and who I can become: ‘A testimony? You? With your safe little life? Ha, ha, you’re so ordinary.’
I’ve started two new jobs recently – it’s pretty busy. There’s not a lot of time to write, (or market my booklet!), and I’ve been wondering how to go about meeting my writing commitments. However, my new jobs provide me with plenty of driving time, mostly alone, and I try to discipline my mind to prayer and meditating on Bible verses.

I think over books I read last year – books that talk about who we are and who we can become with the power of God in our lives. Our application of faith to our lives is often so small – we see our lives empowered within the context of who we are and what we do with each day. Our Heavenly Father sees our lives empowered by His Spirit within the context of the world with all the resources of Heaven at our disposal.

So I refute the arguments that try to destroy my identity and my inheritance.
I have the Spirit of the Living God dwelling in me
I have all the resources of Heaven at my disposal and for the glory of God
I am being changed into the perfect image of Christ
I have a strong testimony about the work of God in me and in my life
And there is a whole world out there needing to hear about the saving grace, goodness and love of God through the written word

I am…a writer.

God As My Muse

God as My Muse

by Melinda Jensen

Few Christians would dispute that we are made in the image of God. It is one of the basic tenets of our faith but also one to which many of us give little thought.

What does it mean to be made in the image of God? Certainly, it means we are wonderfully and powerfully made and that we have twin natures, both human and divine, that often war against one another. It means we have access to the throne of God and are able to throw ourselves on His mercy when we are overwhelmed by adversity. It means He sees us as beautiful and good, even when we don’t see ourselves that way, and it means we have the power and the right to stand against the forces of darkness (as frightening as that can be).

But there is an aspect of God I once took for granted. Selfishly, I attributed it to my fleshly self, instead of appreciating the divine and benevolent gift it truly is. I’m talking about ‘creativity’ – that spark that ignites within us as we writers write.

Like many writers, I’ve always felt I was born to write. I still have an old recipe book of my mother’s in which I wrote ‘Fluff is a cat’ long before I went to school; and there was no kindergarten back then. I tripped along through my school and college English classes, able to produce prose and poetry pretty much on demand. And as the years went by, I discovered I also had a knack for arts and crafts, and my hands have been almost perpetually busy since. Until that one time …

That one time I walked away from God. My grief was immense. My sense of injustice at what had happened, not just to me but to so many others in this world, led me to become a renegade daughter. I raged at God; told Him he was an inadequate God for not protecting his people from such incredible pain; and that I believed He was simply the demi-god of Gnostic tradition – a flawed being who created a flawed world He had no real control over. And then I turned my back, telling Him I could get along very well without Him, thank you very much.

Of course, I see the incredible arrogance in my words now, but in my anguish I lashed out at the one who loves me most, as we humans so often do. I was done and dusted; ready to look out for number one for a change.

But what ensued came as rather a shock. I sat with pen and paper … but no words came to mind. I opted for the keyboard and typed what can only be called gibberish. Frustrated, I told myself I just needed a break; some time to regenerate and give my creative flair some time to swing back to equilibrium again. At least I could still paint and draw; crochet and knit; make beaded sculptures and jewellery. You name it – I’ve probably given it a shot over the years.

So out came the equipment. My tiny duplex was littered with the makings of all sorts of beautiful creations. My cat was quite delirious mucking about amongst the beads, the pencils, the brushes, the mosaic pieces, and most of all the knitting yarn! In fact, as the weeks went by and I tossed project after project in the rubbish bin, it could be said that kitty produced far better work than I did. My frustration levels threatened to erupt into a frenzy that would rival the destruction of Pompeii if I hadn’t been able to somehow keep a lid on it.

It was hindsight though, that revealed the Truth. I didn’t turn back to God because I thought, ‘Well, heck! I want my creativity back and He must have taken it away on purpose!’ I simply missed God so very much. I missed having the friend who’d been my ‘bestie’ since I was 5 years old – Jesus – to talk to and hang with. My heart felt empty … numb. It wasn’t like the pain of my circumstances had gone away. It was that I couldn’t ‘feel’ anything much at all.

And so I got down on my knees, for the hundredth time in my life, and begged forgiveness, and asked Him to please, please let me back into His fold again.

And so it was done.

I found that my heart could both cry and sing again. I felt pain and joy and everything in between.

Over the coming days, I noticed an interesting side effect. My words once more flew across the page. The pencils and paints managed to produce some pleasing pieces (though many still end up in the bin!); and my kitty is now happily chasing shiny baubles and bits of wool around the room again. My creativity returned in full measure, if not more.

Without my creative God at my centre, I simply cannot create. We are a partnership, He and I; one I can’t possibly live without, through thick and thin, sickness and health, adversity and good times. Neither my dabblings, nor yours, will ever come close to the intense beauty He has created for us … but we do have that divine, creative spark somewhere inside us, whether we write, or paint, or build marvellous things, or tinker with electronics. It doesn’t matter … it all comes from Him.

NOTE to readers: I will be away from home for a week as of today and may not have reliable internet access. I apologize in advance for any comments I'm unable to respond to in a timely manner.

Melinda Jensen

www.killingmesoftly.co (A blog, at times disturbing, about the effects of emotional, psychological and verbal abuse, it aims to educate, support and empower victims of abuse.)

Writer concerned with social justice, equality, the environment, and mostly the abiding spirit of our glorious God. Currently working on a number of projects, most notably a couple of fantasy novels with environmental themes for middle school readers.